USDA Scholar Gabriel Faulcon, left, explains his summer work with the USDA during the 10th Annual CAES Student Showcase of Excellence Wednesday, September 8, 2021, at the North Carolina A&T State University Farm Pavilion.
Experiential learning is always emphasized in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, and that was on full display when 50 students presented posters describing their summer research, internship and study abroad experiences.
They gathered at the University Farm pavilion for the 10th annual Showcase of Excellence, organized by Dr. Antoine Alston, associate dean for academic studies.
Among them was Brandon Free of Greensboro, an animal science major who has his sights set on a career as an exotic animal vet. Free spent his summer interning at University Farm, where he learned to draw blood from chickens, drive a tractor, castrate pigs, and, yes, even shave a cow to groom the animal for a 4-H Show. Like so many CAES students who engage in summer internships, Free said the hands-on experience with animals and people spurred both professional skills and personal growth.
“I was able to grow as a speaker. I’ve always been an introvert, but I think I’m coming out of that shell,” he said.
Lauren Sneeze, of Greensboro, a fashion merchandising and design major, emerged from her Walmart marketing internship with not only new skills in developing branding solutions – but also the offer of a job from the company’s Bentonville AR Headquarters.
“This was my first time getting some real work experience in my field,” she said.
Sneeze’s job offer proves what Alston stresses to students about the importance of taking advantage of summer internships and research.
“If they can tell not just what they studied but what they did, that makes a big difference to potential employers and to graduate schools,” he said.
Posters and presentations were judged, and winners announced at the closing ceremony. Rycal Blount and Taylor Pittman tied for first place for best graduate research poster, while Sowmya Jagana took second.
In the best undergraduate research category, Onnr Grogan took first; Andrew Gaddis second, and Taylor Mitchell third.
First place in best internship went to Jada Sherman, while Sarah Heaven Wiley won second and Nia Nickerson placed third.
Alston presented each student with a certificate, as he encouraged them to never stop learning, and go on for masters and Ph.Ds.
“As Aggies, you already stand out, but this experience will make you stand out even more,” he told them.
