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K-State Today

October 30, 2020

Today: K-State co-hosts virtual George Washington Carver Legacy Innovation and Leadership Awards Symposium

Submitted by Zelia Wiley

Today, Friday, Oct. 30, Kansas State University will continue making history as we co-host the 2020 George Washington Carver Legacy Innovation and Leadership Awards Symposium. Simpson College in Iowa is serving as the host. Due to the global health pandemic, this year's program will be in virtual status beginning at 1 p.m. CDT.

Jordan Bailey, junior in animal sciences and industry with an agricultural economics minor, is the 2020 student award recipient representing the K-State College of Agriculture. 

In its fifth year, the award recognizes individuals for their outstanding work in areas readily associated with Carver, including, but not limited to agriculture, art, nature, science, spiritual matters and textiles. More importantly, Bailey's service and leadership as a student have demonstrated the traits and characteristics of George Washington Carver that made him a successful educator, scientist, leader and humanitarian. 

The Carver symposium will involve a renowned panel speaking on the theme, "Regenerative Agriculture: Engaging Black and Brown Voices in Building an Inclusive Agricultural Industry." Their presentations will cover a time starting as early as the late 1800s — Carver was born around 1860 — and finish in present day. The panel includes:

Monica White, award-winning scholar and associate professor of environmental justice at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who will open the discussion on the topic of "How grassroots organizations engaged in the development of sustainable, community food systems as a strategy to respond to issues of hunger and food inaccessibility."

Shannon Archibeque-Engle, assistant vice president for strategic initiatives and assessment at Colorado State University, who will speak on the on the Hispanic/LatinX experiences. 

Antoine Alston, professor and associate dean at North Carolina A&T University, who will speak on the African American experience.

Read more information about the symposium and how to register on the PDF flyer. 

Past K-State award recipients are Adriana Meneses, College of Agriculture graduate and Cargill Scholar, 2016; Cameron Bradshaw, National Black Farmers' Association Scholar and College of Agriculture alumnus, 2017; Lonnie Hobbs Jr., College of Agriculture alumnus and doctoral student in agriculture economics, 2018; and Raymond Thomas, K-State alumnus and doctoral student in agriculture economics, 2019. 

The awards program and symposium is a collaborative effort of the GWC Birthplace Association and the legacy institutions associated with George Washington Carver that are: Simpson College, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Lincoln University of Missouri, and Tuskegee University.