More than 100 College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences students’ professional and academic summer experiences were on display at the 14th annual Student Showcase of Excellence, held Sept. 9 at the University Farm Pavilion.
The 108 students, the largest number of participants so far, presented and discussed their internships, study-abroad experiences and research studies with their peers, faculty and guests.
Antoine Alston, Ph.D., associate dean of academic studies in the college, opened the event with a quote by Confucius: “I hear, I forget. I see, I remember. I do, I understand.”
“Something I learned a long time ago from my father, who was high school teacher, was that theory is all right, but it’s no good unless you apply it,” he said. “I can say that all of you have had experiential learning and spent your summer in professional development.”
One of the student presenters was animal science student Addison Bonner, who spent 11 weeks interning with Cooperative Extension’s Forsyth County office.
“We did a lot of work with our Urban Farm School,” said Bonner. “We were learning how to plant crops, harvest them, then distribute and market them in a way that was profitable for small urban farmers.”
Logan Wilson, an agribusiness and food industry management major, interned with Greensboro general contracting firm Samet Corporation, working with their project management team on an office space development built on the N.C. A&T campus.
“I think the biggest takeaway from the experience would be planning,” said Wilson. “Proper planning really puts you in a better place, as well as making sure you’re in clear communication with everyone involved in the project.”
Food science graduate student Jiana Matamoros presented her research analysis on substituting cocoa butter with emulgel – a delivery with gel and emulsion properties – in chocolate to reduce saturated fats.
“I developed nine different emulgels with different concentrations of pectin, gelatin, and xanthan gum,” said Matamoros. “We found out that emulgels with 1-3% xanthan gum or 2% pectin are the best with similar characteristics – likeness, melting point, peak temperature – to cocoa butter.”
In a study abroad in Seoul, Korea, animal sciences major Imane Williams studied organic chemistry and Korean language and culture in the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)’s Summer Korean Studies program at Yonsei University.
“I learned a lot, not only about Korean history and culture, but I also interacted with people from a lot of different cultural backgrounds, and it helped me develop my overall cultural understanding of the country,” said Williams.
During the reception, natural resources and environmental design major Adedeji Olabode, who interned with Michigan State University’s Detroit Partnership of Food, Learning and Innovation, spoke to the uniqueness of the annual showcase.
“This is not normal; I’ve been to schools where students don’t show up like this,” said Olabode. “With the program, I was mainly learning pawpaw research, my first time doing something agricultural-based, and I was able to get really hands-on with the work. That’s the kind of opportunity they have with the Student Showcase.”
In the awards ceremony of the showcase, animal science major Ethan Humphrey won best internship presentation, Kera Ridley won best study abroad presentation, natural resources and environmental design major Daniel Tetteh won best graduate research presentation, and pre-vet animal sciences student Tiyanna Anthony won best undergraduate research presentation.
Larry Hartfield was recognized for his career at the 14th annual North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Showcase of Excellence at the University Farm Pavilion.
One of the honorees at the event was not a student, but a long-time facilitator of student success: Larry Hartsfield, N.C. A&T’s agricultural liaison officer to U.S. Department of Agriculture, was recognized for his nearly four decades of service with a plaque recognizing him among the nineteen USDA 1890 liaisons.
“You’ve dedicated more than 39 years to the state of North Carolina, USDA, N.C. A&T staff and students, and secured more than 1,800 internships for families, because when you secure an internship, it’s not for the student – it’s for the family,” said USDA national outreach director Allison Johnson. “You’ve helped develop some of the top scholars in the nation and the next leaders of the world.”
“My time as a USDA liaison for North Carolina A&T for almost 20 years has been amazing and a highlight of my career,” said Hartsfield. “I’d like to thank North Carolina A&T for giving me the opportunity and my family for coming along with me during the journey.”
