Hello, CALS,
The past few weeks of June have been busy around Curtiss Hall and across the campus. On June 18, we had an ice cream social outside of Harl Commons to wish Dan Robison well as he returns to the faculty. He shared some great advice for all of us - including to keep a positive attitude and be kind to each other.
The FSHN department sponsored a two-week Cyclone Kitchen experience for youth to engage them in healthy food preparation. Elementary and middle school students spent the week learning about nutrition, food safety and culinary skills. I stopped by MacKay Hall one afternoon and observed them making a salmon dish - everyone was having a great time!
Another afternoon, I joined Jason Ross as he showed President and Dr. Cook around our animal farms - and enjoyed watching them both hold a turkey and pet the cows! They had spent the morning at the Dairy Open House and were fully engaged with learning all about the dairy industry. It was so great to see faculty, staff and students from CALS, ANR Extension and the College of Veterinary Medicine sharing their knowledge with the public at the dairy farm!
The 4-H Youth Conference was held on our campus last week with hundreds of students from across the state participating in leadership and educational programs. A new addition this year was the Horticulture Track led by our horticulture department. Students visited the Horticulture Research Station, Reiman Gardens and Jack Trice Stadium, and participated in hands-on experiences.
And last Friday I joined Kendall Lamkey at the annual board meeting for the Committee for Agricultural Development. CAD plays a vital role for the college and has been supporting the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station since the 1940s.
Other things we are working on include changes to the interdepartmental graduate program structure, and tracking changes in USDA terms and conditions. More to come on both of those!
Upcoming this week will be the Iowa Soybean Association meeting in Ankeny, and interviews for the Iowa Crop Improvement Association Director.
It is predicted to be a very hot week, so please be attentive to the weather and take precautions for yourself, your students and your animals! As we head into a very special Fourth of July weekend - Happy 250th, America! - enjoy time with your family and friends and take time to reflect on how fortunate we are to be part of this great country!
-Ruth