The School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences welcomed over 200 students for its second annual Ag High School Day held Wednesday, April 12, 2017.
“Ag High School Day has become a treasured tradition within the School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. Every year students from various high schools throughout the state get a day to hang out with our faculty, staff and students to learn more about agriculture and the benefits that are associated with majoring in one of our programs,” stated Casnacita Gray, Student Services Coordinator.
Sophomore, Junior and Senior high school students were invited to come to the Lorman campus and explore the many opportunities the Departments of Agriculture, Human Sciences and Advanced Technologies and the Center for Biotechnology offers students. Schools from Jefferson, Holmes, Humphreys, Forest and Warren County attended.
“This School can send you more places than any other school on this campus or in this state,” Dr. Keith McGee, Interim Dean and Director of Land-Grant Programs, told students.
Students were exposed to the many departments of the School such as Animal Science, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Business, Plant and Soil Science, Agricultural Education and Natural Resources.
The program featured various workshops, displays and exhibits. There were also exhibits from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development, USDA Agricultural Research Service, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services, USDA Risk Management Agency, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency and Alcorn State University Conservation Research Center. Sonya Coker, Admissions Recruiter for Transfers, from the Office of Admissions was on-hand to share admission requirements with the students. Visiting students also heard from student ambassadors Denzel Weatherspoon, Shivonne Marshall and Rodricka Allen.
The School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences was well represented by the Animal Science Program, Ag Education, Agri-Business Management, Agricultural Economics, Plant and Soil Sciences, Natural Resources, Environmental Sciences and Advanced Technologies. Administrators, faculty, staff, students and alumnus Allen Curry, Soil Scientist, USDA/ Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pearl, Mississippi, were available to answer questions.
Teddrick Hargrave Sr., Instructor, Research Associate, Department of Agriculture, told visiting students to prepare themselves to compete with not only the best in high school but the best in the world.
Many students were excited to learn more about agriculture at Alcorn.
Jarnee Henderson, a Junior from Humphreys County High School, said, “Today I realized that agriculture has different fields and is more than just farming.”
Austin Willoughby, a Sophomore from Humphreys County High School, said, “This event was fun, I liked it. Learning how much money is involved in agriculture really stood out to me.”
After speaking with students and staff from the School, the students were treated to lunch prepared by members of the Eta Tau Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. At the conclusion of the day’s events, visitors were given a tour of the Lorman campus.
For more information on the School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, or to request a tour of the School, contact Casnacita S. Gray, Student Services Coordinator, at (601) 877-6552 or csgray@alcorn.edu.