Kansas State University

Diversity Programs Office summer update

Submitted by Zelia Wiley

Happy fall 2022 semester.

As classes begin, the College of Agriculture/K-State Research and Extension Diversity Programs Office is wrapping up its summer events. This summer was busy with many programs including our partnerships with the Diversity and Multicultural Students Affairs office in the Project IMPACT KOMPASS and MAPS programs, our Jr. Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences, or MANRRS, and Nicodemus Educational Camps, and the KSRE Summer Research Fellows Program. Thank you to all the faculty mentors, student mentors, sponsors and partners who made the 2022 summer programs a success. We are proud of the resilience these students showed throughout the programs and are excited to see what they do with the knowledge and experiences gained. Participants and mentors of these programs are noted below, please join us in congratulating them. Find a full summary of the summer programs in the August 2022 newsletter.

Thank you to our partners for Project IMPACT: Koch, Cargill, Phillips 66, Hormel Foods and Spirit Aerospace. Also, thank you to our partners for the KSRE Fellows Program: Manufacturing Institute, Zinpro, Cargill, John Deere Co. and the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine.

KSRE Summer Research Fellows Program

• Kayla Adams, Central State University, biology
  Mentor: Kaliramesh Siliveru, grain science and industry.
• Zenzele Asante, Kansas State University and K-State MANRRS, agricultural technology management. 
  Mentor: Jayendra Amamcharla, animal sciences and industry, Food Science Institute.
• Karla Branch, North Carolina A&T State University, laboratory animal science.
  Mentor: Sara Gragg, animal sciences and industry, Food Science Institute.
• Olivia Cooper, Tuskegee University, ag communications. 
  Mentor: Katie Burke, communications and agricultural education.
• Alisa Evans, Alcorn State University, agriculture science, veterinary medicine.
  Mentor: Yoonseong Park, entomology.
• Addison Gooden, Alcorn State University, agriculture science, veterinary medicine.
  Mentor: Randall Phebus, animal sciences and industry, Food Science Institute
• Cortez Henderson, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, regulatory science, agriculture. 
  Mentor: Anita Dille, agronomy. 
• Maya McGaha, Tuskegee University, animal science.
  Mentor: Kaliramesh Siliveru, grain science and industry. 
• Kiara McCalister, Florida A&M University, animal science-pre-vet.
  Mentor: Greg Aldrich, grain science and industry. 
• India Myers, Oakwood University, biology.
  Mentor: Elisa Karkle, grain science and industry.
• Kerrah Oliver, Prairie View A&M University, agriculture.
  Mentor: Zelia Wiley and Summer Santillana, Diversity Programs Office.
• Vincent Otchere, Kansas State University and K-State MANRRS, horticulture. 
  Mentor: DeAnn Presley, agronomy.
• Kaia South, Southern University and A&M College, animal science. 
  Mentor: Zelia Wiley and Summer Santillana, Diversity Programs Office; John Jobe, Riley 4-H; and Gregg Hadley, KSRE. 
• Kamron Wright, Fort Valley State University, agricultural economics.
  Mentor: Elizabeth Yeager, agricultural economics. 

Project IMPACT KOMPASS, College of Agriculture, 2022

• Lailah Nur Bias, animal sciences and industry.
• Katie Cummings, agricultural education.
• Kailly Nohemy Mejia, animal sciences and industry.
• Lily Reichenberger, agricultural education.
• Gillian Mae Villa, agribusiness.

Project IMPACT MAPS (College of AG) 2022

• Tirah Daniels, animal sciences and industry.
• Leah Roane, agronomy.
• Tyler Schultz, agronomy.
• Jordyn Napier-Johnson, general agriculture.

Project IMPACT Student Mentor 2022

• Shen Nagar, undergraduate student mentor, Project IMPACT MAPS and KOMPASS. 

Additionally, we partnered with DMSA, the Department of Agronomy, the department of animal sciences and industry, and the FMC Corporation to host more than 45 students during College for a Day Programs with the Boys & Girls Club of Topeka and Nicodemus Educational Camp. Thank you to all for your help in making these days great.

The Diversity Programs Office thanks you for making our summer a success! Please continue to look for more diversity news and events as we continue to advertise. If you require any additional information about these events or to collaborate with the DPO please contact Zelia Wiley at zwiley@k-state.edu or 785-532-5793. Follow us on social media at Facebook and Instagram.