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Welcome to this issue of our bi-weekly CSU Land-Grant e-News (published on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month). We keep you in the know of happenings in the CSU 1890 Land-Grant Programs, Extension, and Agricultural Research and Development (ARD). Each issue brings you new and engaging content. Enjoy!

2024 HOMECOMING IS HERE!

"Your undergraduate students are literally being trained like graduate students -- which is a remarkable thing....”-- Dr. Erin Lynch, WeHBSeeU TV

Land-Grant Communications photos

During her campus visit, Dr. Erin Lynch, host of WeHBSeeU TV, a digital streaming network, interviewed several CSU undergraduate research students about their feelings as the next generation of agriculture and science researchers.

A crew from WeHBSeeU TV, a national digital streaming network that spotlights Historically Black Colleges and Universities, visited Central State University on Wednesday, Sept. 25, and spent a full day to see for itself the scope and nature of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research CSU faculty and students are undertaking at Ohio's only public HBCU. CSU was the 44th HBCU the crew has gone to so far.

"This has been an awe-inspiring experience -- to be able to capture this in southwest Ohio," said Dr. Erin Lynch, host of WeHBSeeU TV and president of its affiliated nonprofit QEM (Quality Education for Minorities) Network in Washington, D.C.

After visiting four CSU laboratories and meeting with teachers and students who worked on semiconductors with Intel funding last summer, Lynch was impressed.

"Your undergraduate students are literally being trained like graduate students. Which is a remarkable thing that you have 19 and 20-year-olds sounding like 25 and 27-year-olds, talking about the science (projects) that they are doing," she said in an interview recorded at the end of the day for Research Connection podcast.

The mentoring professors visited and also interviewed included Dr. Craig Schluttenhofer (Hemp Lab), Dr. Rajveer Dhillon (Unmanned Aerial Systems Lab), Dr. Sakthi Kumaran (Agriculture and Natural Resources Information and Management Lab) Dr. Krishna Kumar Nedunuri (Hydraulics Lab), Dr. Mohammad Hadizadeh and Dr. Mubbashar Khan (Semiconductor Project).

At every stop, the students told Lynch that their CSU professors are supportive and always encourage them to trust and follow their imagination in their research.

"I would say that ingenuity is my favorite part always," Sharnelle Coicous, a senior computer science major from the Bahamas, told Lynch. "When Dr. (Rajveer) Dhillon comes to me with a project, it's always something that I never would have thought to do with computers and agriculture....So I like how it taps into my creativity and ingenuity. I'm like wow, I didn't know we could do this. What else can we do?"

Watch an accompanying video below:

"Sad news to share" -- Mourning the loss of a giant Oak tree on campus

Photos by CSU Extension and Land-Grant Communications.

Watch an accompanying video below:

Hurricane Helene's aftereffect takes down a 350-year-old Chinquapin oak tree

Central State University Extension staff and the entire CSU family -- both near and far -- have been mourning the sad demise recently of an ancient Chinquapin oak tree that predated, by more than 200 years, the historically black college and university founded in 1887. The tree stood just outside the fence that protects the CSU Seed to Bloom Botanical and Community Garden, just a few feet away from state Route 42 on the Wilberforce, Ohio, campus.

"Sad news to share" was what Clare Thorn, Extension Associate for Agriculture and Natural Resources who oversees the Garden, declared after taking some pictures of the fallen tree on the ground. Thorn quickly sent an SOS email to Crystal Duckett, Land-Grant Communications media specialist, asking: "Do we have any photos of the Oak while it was standing proud?"

If you've driven by the Garden on Route 42, you might have noticed the ancient Oak.

Duckett responded to Thorn: "What a Beautiful tree it was."

Former CSU President Cynthia Jackson-Hammond joined in mourning the Oak on the CSU Extension Facebook page:

Cynthia Hammond

"My heart is saddened by this loss of natural beauty. In its place, will be new beginnings and healings that only nature can provide."

How does Central State University immortalize the fallen oak tree? It's too early to say, but one of several ideas floating around for now would be to make garden benches from its logs, said Associate Extension Administrator Dr. Alcinda Folck. Planting a new tree in its place is also in the works, she added.

Meanwhile, Duckett concludes the tribute on Facebook thus:

"Thank you, dear Chinquapin Oak, for all the memories and the lessons you have imparted. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten. With heartfelt gratitude."

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CSU Land-Grant e-News is published on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month. Feel free to share the newsletter with your work colleagues, friends, and family members.

Research and Economic Development & 1890 Land-Grant Programs

Jose U. Toledo, Ph.D.

Vice President for Research and Economic Development & Director, 1890 Land-Grant Programs

Land-Grant Communications Team

Cyril Ibe, Ph.D.

Interim Communications Coordinator/Editor

Crystal Duckett

Media Relations Specialist

Jesse Montgomery

Videographer/App Developer/Photographer

Extension

Cindy (Alcinda) Folck, Ph.D.

Interim Associate Extension Administrator

Agricultural Research and Development Program (ARDP)

Shafiqur (Shafi) Rahman, Ph.D.

Associate Research Director

Contact:

937.376.6276

landgrantcommunications@centralstate.edu

YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH US

CSU Extension has offices in five regions in Ohio, covering 42 counties. You can contact Alcinda Folck, Ph.D., interim associate Extension administrator, at (937) 376-6101, or via email: afolck@centralstate.edu.



We welcome your feedback.

Central State University, an 1890 Land-Grant Institution, is committed to the full inclusion of all people and does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, race, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, marital or family status, military status, national origin, political beliefs, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. If reasonable accommodations are needed, please contact the Department of Human Resources at (937) 376-6540. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution.