We have been very busy recruiting for the school and college at various commodity meetings and other events. Our SANR Leaders (the school’s ambassadors) have also been involved in these events, along with giving farm tours to prospective students and their parents. Corey Lovell, Academic and Career Coordinator, has relaunched the Senior Series seminars to prepare Seniors for life after graduation. His first session had good attendance, and we hope it continues to increase for the remaining sessions.

ABAC Homecoming is just around the corner, and the SANR Alumni Council will hold its annual meeting on Saturday, April 6, at 10 AM, where we will welcome new council members. If you are interested in serving on the SANR Alumni Council, please email Chad Hancock, Nominating Committee Chair, or Vonda Fenn, SANR Program Support Specialist. More information appears later in this newsletter.

As I stated in December’s newsletter, we are progressing on our construction projects. Even though we are still waiting on classroom technology at the new Agricultural Technology Building, we have been using the demonstration shop for laboratories and have moved Precision Agriculture Technician Nick Gladden into his new office. Drs. Alex McLemore and Erin Porter will be moving soon.

The renovation of the Chambliss Building is moving forward. We just met to review the revised plans to send it out for bid in May and begin the renovation in July-August with a completion date of June 2025. It has been a long process, but no one had anticipated COVID-19 and its effects on the supply chain and the cost of materials.

We will begin interior roadwork at the John W. and Margaret Jones Langdale Forest very soon, thanks to our funding from the Harley Langdale, Jr. Foundation. This will allow us better access to the property for classes and harvesting. We are also in the process of revising bids for classroom technology.

The new clubhouse and cart barn at Forest Lakes Golf Club are almost completed. The electrical panel boxes have been shipped and we hope to have them installed very soon. Once this is done, we can move out of the old pro shop, demolish the old clubhouse, and prepare and construct the new parking lot. We hope to have a ribbon cutting in April.

Please pass the word! We will be looking for a Farm Manager for the J.G. Woodroof Farm. After 12 years at ABAC, Trey Davis is moving on at the end of March. I personally appreciate Trey’s dedication to our students, faculty, and programs. He definitely has left his mark and leaves big shoes to fill! Please see the position description and application instructions at https://link.abac.edu/CAREERS.

These are just a few highlights of the many things happening in the school! I am sure each of the Department Heads will expand on their areas in their Department Update. We look forward to a great semester! Please stop by and see us when you are in the area.



Sincerely,

Dr. Mark Kistler

Dean

Spotlight: Dr. Deidre Martin

"January 1, 2024, marked my retirement and the close of my chapter at ABAC, and it has been a very special chapter indeed! The consistent theme throughout my time at ABAC has been my love for this fine institution and its students, faculty, staff, alumni, and donors. I'm proud of the good work done with my colleagues in college advancement, with 500% growth in fundraising, new scholarships, and endowments, as well as new programs, facilities, and friendships that will last for years.

It will come as no surprise to many of you that one of my favorite aspects of my role was working with the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources. I have so many wonderful memories of our work together. Here are just a few of those special memories:

Giving Tours of the ABAC Farm with my favorite tour guide Doug Hicks

Witnessing the care and dedication for both our students and our land from folks like Trey Davis

Visiting your classes and working with your students on special projects

Riding UTVs through the woods at the John W. and Margaret Jones Langdale Teaching Forest

Assisting with and participating in the Forestry and Wildlife Conclaves

Brainstorming creative ideas with friends in Ag Communication

Joining students on visits to Pike Creek Turf and Sodmasters Turf Farm

Visiting our generous partners each year at the Sunbelt Ag Expo with Dean Kistler

Attending the American Collegiate Horsemen's Convention in Ocala and Cattlemen's Conventions in Georgia and Florida

Learning more about the exciting future of Agricultural Technology

Watching with pride as our Ag Education program became recognized as a leader in the nation

Meeting so many SANR alums from across the Southeast who credit ABAC with their success in life

Reconnecting with Mary Ellen Hicks, my best friend from childhood, who was born on the same day as me

And finally, to those "oh so special visits" with Pumpkin at the Beef Unit when I needed a boost to get through the challenging days.

The next chapter in my life and career doesn't stray far from my love for rural Georgia. I am now working part-time in advancement for the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) at their new South Georgia campus in Moultrie. I am passionate about the PCOM mission of meeting regional healthcare needs. Educating medical students in South Georgia allows them to experience the challenges and joys of patients in rural areas and have them plant their lives here to be our future medical professionals in underserved rural areas.

I will continue to love and support ABAC as a Lifetime Member of the ABAC Alumni Association and attend events when I can, as my love for this campus and alumni runs deep! #GeeHawWhoaBack

Dr. Deidre Martin

Environmental Horticulture students also learned about internship and career opportunities at The Villages in Florida from ASG Solutions team members. Dr. James McCrimmon, Professor of Turfgrass Management, invited Jeff Morris and Clae Graham to share these promising opportunities with several of his classes.

Students focused on Animal Science and Livestock Production have also been busy outside the classroom. Mrs. Britta Cox, Lecturer of Animal Science, accompanied nine School of Ag students to Atlanta, Georgia, to participate in the 2024 US Poultry College Student Career Program from January 30th - February 1st. The College Program is held concurrently at the International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE), the world's largest annual poultry, feed, and meat technology exposition. While there, students interviewed on-site with over 20 different employers. Our students completed an average of 6 interviews at IPPE, which is incredible! Four students received offers for full-time employment and internships before leaving the Expo, with others awaiting offers! While there, students could also visit and network on the Expo floor, boasting thousands of companies from Processing, Nutrition, Animal Health, and other allied industries. We are thankful for another successful IPPE trip and look forward to next year!

Meanwhile, Dr. Mary Ellen Hicks, Professor of Animal Science, and Doug Hicks, Beef Herd Manager, along with five ABAC Cattlemen's officers, traveled to the 2024 NCBA Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show in Orlando, FL. The students attended several of the Cattlemen's College sessions. They also networked with numerous industry partners. Many of these industry professionals were ABAC alums who got their first experience attending an NCBA convention as a student and past Cattlemen's officer. Today, these alumni work with businesses across the globe, including CattleFax, Neogen, Vytelle, CattleMax/CattleTags, the University of Florida Extension, Elanco, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The current officers also spent time with Jonny and Paul Harris of Greenview Farms, donors of the calving and palpation simulators received last fall. We also appreciate a grant from the Agricultural Commodity Commission for Beef in Georgia, supporting one student hotel room.

Dr. Katheryn Cerny, Associate Professor of Animal Science, is excited to share that we have two students, Gabe Roberts and Andrew Waller, who were accepted to participate in the Tyson Beyond Fresh Meat Short Course. The two were selected through a competitive process and will travel to Arkansas in March 2024 to participate in the event. Gabe is an Agriculture-Livestock Production major, and Andrew is an Agribusiness and Agriculture-Livestock Production double major. We look forward to sharing their experience in the future.

Dr. Lucia Ona, Associate Professor of Agribusiness, traveled to Atlanta in early February to present a paper, "Impact of Study Abroad: A Rural College Case Study (ABAC)," at the Southern Agricultural Economics Association Conference (SAEA). Dr. Olumide Aborisade, Assistant Professor of Agribusiness, was co-author of the paper.

The ABAC MANRRS Chapter was awarded a Chapter Enrichment Grant for $1,000 to support student attendance at the upcoming National Conference scheduled for April in Chicago, Illinois.

ABAC SANR was well represented at the Georgia Watermelon Association's Annual Conference and 2024 Brand Ambassador contest held in St. Simons on January 26-27. Five of the seven brand ambassador candidates are current SANR students. The young ladies competing included Maggie Yates, a senior agricultural communication major, and Phoebe Grace Beard, a senior Agricultural Communication major; Jordan Hurley, a junior Agriculture-Livestock Production major; Nayeli Fernandez, a junior Agribusiness major; and Maycey Kight, a junior Agriculture-Crop & Soil Science major. Naeyli received the Best Speech Award, and Maycey was named the 2024 Georgia Watermelon Association Brand Ambassador.

Bobby Mitchell and Owen Russell (pictured) were awarded J. Fielding Reed scholarships from the Georgia Plant Food Educational Society at the awards breakfast during their annual winter meeting in Tifton, GA, on January 10. Bobby is a junior Agricultural Technology Management major, and Owen is a sophomore Agriculture student in the Crop Production track.

ABAC was represented well at the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists in Atlanta, GA, in early February. Two students presented their research posters at the 2024 Southern Branch Meeting of the American Society of Agronomy. Dr. Alex McLemore, Associate Professor of Agricultural Engineering, and Dr. Michael Maw, Associate Professor of Agronomy, mentor the students’ undergraduate research efforts, which are supported through a grant from the Georgia Corn Commission. Jesse Jerls is a Sophomore Ag Technology Management major, and Lydia Norman is a senior majoring in Ag Education-General Studies. Lydia placed 3rd in the Undergraduate Poster Competition out of 14 posters and received a $100 cash prize.

Clubs and organizations have started the semester strong with various guest speakers and many more planned. Fundraising activities are ramping up as students are immersed in the importance of budgeting and the necessity of securing funds to carry out various events and operating activities. The 54th annual Ms. ABAC is scheduled for Thursday, February 29, 2024. Please make plans to join us!

As we keep our eyes on what lies ahead, the Department of Agriculture is happy to announce that Matthew Clements, ABAC SANR Class of 2021, will join us as the Mechanical Superintendent on March 1, 2024. As a program graduate, Matthew is eager to join the team to support our Ag. Engineering and Technology faculty and courses. Matthew, welcome to the team!

My personal mission is to advocate for agriculture’s future, one student at a time. As I attend various events, engaging with ABAC alums who once sat in my courses is always a highlight. I thrive on seeing each of them pursue their passions as young professionals in this industry we all love. Two thousand and twenty-four has already afforded me multiple opportunities to engage with many of these young alumni. From the GA Peanut Farm Show to the Georgia Watermelon Association conference to FSA Lending Trainings to the Georgia Agribusiness Council Legislative breakfast to ABAC club meetings to emails or Facebook messages received about life updates, I enjoy every single encounter each of you share with me!

I look forward to the next ten and a half months of 2024.

Until next time,



“Dr. ALM”

Audrey Luke-Morgan

Calling all ABAC Ag Ed Graduates!

Mark your calendars! Save the date and plan to attend! We are hosting a 5-year anniversary of our Cohort graduates for the Agricultural Education program. Over the past five years, we have over 150 graduates working in classrooms across the southeast!

We will recognize, catch up, and reflect on the program over Homecoming Weekend! Homecoming is April 5-6, and we are calling all Ag Ed Stallions and our supporters to celebrate and reconnect! We will be in touch soon with details through mail and social media. May commencement and pinning ceremony will mark our 6th Cohort of Agricultural Education graduates!

In the spirit of keeping up with our past graduates and sharing their successes at homecoming, we will kick this off by sharing great news about 2019 Cohort Graduates Sarah Beth Hammond (left photo) and Kristen Thomas (right photo). Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association (GVATA) announced that Sarah Beth is Georgia’s Outstanding Early Career Agriculture Teacher. GVATA also announced that Kristen will be recognized as the Teacher Turn the Key recipient. The Teach Turn the Key is an immersive program where beginning teachers meet with colleagues from across the country to learn more about the organization and their craft as agriculture teachers. Mrs. Hammond and Ms. Thomas will be recognized for their awards at the GVATA Summer Conference in July. Sarah Beth will compete as Georgia’s state winner at the regional/national level to be recognized at the national conference in San Antonio, TX. Kristen will participate in the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) special programming for early career teachers at the national NAAE Conference.

Agricultural Communication professors Drs. Moore and Wagner took students to Atlanta for the National Agricultural Communications Symposium and the southern region meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE). Agricultural Communication majors Molly McKettrick and Connie Rogers, along with livestock production major Marianna Jones, presented posters at the AAAE conference. The students attended several research presentations and professional development sessions. Students met with agricultural communication and agricultural education faculty from around the nation, as well as graduate and undergraduate students.

Dr. Moore, Dr. Wagner, and Dr. Byrd attended the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists conference with students in Atlanta, GA. They all presented research, and some of our Agricultural Communication students presented projects they had worked on as part of mentored research and the ABAC STEPS program. Students received STEPS funding to support travel to this conference. Lydia Norman, senior in Agricultural Education, presented her poster with ABAC Department of Agriculture faculty (Drs. McLemore and Maw) at the conference in Atlanta. Lydia received third place in the undergraduate division and a one-hundred-dollar cash prize.

In late January, we dodged the cold weather somehow. We had a great showing at the annual Collegiate FFA Alumni Swine Classic in Fitzgerald, Ga. There were over 400 swine shown by over 200 exhibitors. Dr. Farish Mulkey and our students lead the ABAC CFFA Swine Classic. Our AEC students design, seek sponsors, manage, select awards, take photos for exhibitors, and carry out the entire swine show. Thank You to Mr. Harry Tucker, Ben Hill County Agriculture teacher, for this lasting partnership.

This is the second-highest number of student teachers we have had and our largest number of Ag Studies interns – making the overall Cohort the largest. Having 39 student teachers places us second in the country for student teachers this spring! While we are excited about our continued success of program numbers, we remain vigilant in ensuring our students are achieving high levels and working with excellent mentors at local school-based programs.

Keep an eye on the ABAC SANR Facebook page as the student teachers, their cooperating teaching, and the site location are highlighted throughout the semester. As I have stated before, student teaching is the final individualized preparation for our students to enter their own classrooms this upcoming fall. We could only do this with the support of our cooperating teachers and schools. Thank You!

Check out where our students are and the cooperating teachers who are adding to the profession and spending the extra time and effort to prepare a future professional in Agricultural Education:

Other Departmental Events and Points of Pride:

• In mid-January, the ABAC Ag Ed faculty held their advisory council meeting.
• Ag Education faculty attended the GVATA mid-winter conference in Macon, where a key takeaway was a needed focus to provide laboratory experiences that showcase the SBAE curriculum.
• Dr. Thoron was awarded the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research article of the year with research co-authors Dr. Blake Colclasure (University of Tennessee, Knoxville), Brianna Stanholtzer (North Carolina), and Dr. R. Kirby Barrick (Professor Emeritus - University of Florida).

The department is again offering courses needed to complete the P-5 Agriculture Endorsement (Elementary Agriculture) this summer. To enroll, apply to ABAC and email me (Andrew Thoron) to be placed into the courses. If you have questions, I am happy to help. We are the first to offer the endorsement in the country. The credits can transfer to our partners at Murray State University as part of their MS, Ed Specialist, or EDD degrees as part of our Stallion-Racer Accelerated Agreement.



When you encounter a prospective student who aspires to communicate about the agriculture industry or educate others, send them our way! We are planning for their future! Please plan to join us for Homecoming – look for more information to come out on ABAC social media and, as always, like and follow the ABAC SANR Facebook page!

Andrew Thoron, Department Head

February is largely a time of preparation for the department. On February 21st and 22nd, Dr. William Moore and Philip Ford, Program Support Specialist, and four forestry students will be attending the annual meeting of the Southeastern Society of American Foresters in Athens, Georgia, where they will be hearing presentations on forestry practices and policies. The students will also be competing in the annual student quiz bowl. On February 22nd and 23rd, Dr. Jason Scott and Dr. Wally Woods will be traveling with ten wildlife students to the annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of The Wildlife Society in Dahlonega, Georgia, to attend professional presentations and network with Georgia wildlife professionals. Forestry Club members are also hard at work practicing for the annual SE Forestry Conclave in March, hosted by the University of Florida. Wildlife Society members are practicing for the SE Wildlife Student Conclave, which will be held at Murray State University in Kentucky in March.

Professional conferences and networking events are vital educational tools that help prepare students for forestry and wildlife management careers. To help raise funds to assist with student travel to such events, the ABAC Wildlife Society is preparing for its 10th Annual Beast Feast Fundraiser. This wild game supper allows people to sample dishes from all sorts of wildlife. The Beast Feast will be held on March 2nd in Gressette Gymnasium. Anyone interested in purchasing tickets can contact Dr. William Moore at [email protected] or 229 391 4805. 

In addition, we will have a Forestry and Wildlife Reunion during Homecoming. The reunion will be on Saturday, April 6th, at 2 pm at the John W. and Margaret Jones Langdale Forest.

Dr. William Moore, Department Head

Spring. Pollen. Sneezing. Need I say more? With the Spring semester well underway, there are many moving pieces as we begin to gear up for internship season, the relaunch of the senior series, and the upcoming graduation of many of our students!

Internships- Internship season has begun, and employers are hiring now. ABAC Advisors- If you have advisees ready for their internship, encourage them to start early. Employers- If you are looking for interns, email [email protected]! Just a reminder for everyone that students cannot intern where they have previously worked or work under a family member. Students must work at least ten consecutive weeks, for 40 hours a week. All internships must be approved by a grader as well. We are planning our internship information session for March 11^th. All students who will be interning will be required to attend the meeting.

Senior Series- We have officially revamped our Senior Exclusive Series this semester. We will look at building our students’ professional demeanor and giving them skills to help them enter the workforce. This year’s first senior series began February 5^th with a session on resumes. This is an invitation-only event for the Seniors of Agriculture and Natural Resources, but please encourage your seniors to RSVP through the link in their email. Future topics include Taxes, Job benefits, and Budgeting.

Looking ahead, we have a few dates to put on your calendar.

Club Banquet- April 22^nd

Sunbelt Ag. Expo- October 15-17

Career Connections- Thursday, November 7th