Hallowed Ground

HALLOWED Ground Donors and officials break ground on new building for the Ferguson College of Agriculture

our years after an assessment explored the possibility of the

New Frontiers Campaign, ground was broken on the new building for the Ferguson College of Agriculture.

On April 23, 2021, more than 250 guests gathered in The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts to watch donors, administrators and dignitaries launch the next phase of the project by symbolically breaking ground on the new building.

Heidi Williams, senior director of principal gifts at the Oklahoma State University Foundation, said the master planning process assessed many buildings, including Agricultural Hall, and noted the building’s wings were at the end of their serviceable life. This day was long awaited, starting with the master planning process in 2017, Williams said.

The cost to renovate the existing Agricultural Hall was $90 million, so the focus turned to constructing a new building, Williams said.

“We brought in a consultant early on and asked him to do a feasibility study that was helpful,” said Thomas Coon, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture. “Then, we took what he found and met with President Burns Hargis to garner his support.

“We went through a series of different decision points,” Coon said. “At one point, after we got the feasibility study back, it didn’t seem clear that we would be able to raise enough money to do the full building.

“However, the Ferguson family’s gift changed our outlook,” he added.

Williams said the total cost of this project is $100 million. Half of the cost will come from private support with the other half coming from the university, she added.

Thomas Coon (right), vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture, joins donors and OSU representatives to “break ground” April 23, 2021: Jeff Hilst (left), Lynn Hilst, A.J. Jacques, Susan Jacques, Frank Robson, Kay Ingersoll, Barry Pollard, Roxanne Pollard, John Groendyke, Kayleen Ferguson, Larry Ferguson, OSU Foundation President Blaire Atkinson and OSU President Burns Hargis. Photo by Alicia Young.

“The goal was ‘we need to get to $40 million before we’ll do groundbreaking,’” Williams said.

At the time of the announcement, the campaign was $43 million toward a $50 million goal, Williams added.

Preparations were made for the big day even before the groundbreaking ceremony was underway.

Randy Raper, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources director of capital projects, has worked with the architects and faculty regarding the new building.

“The only way I think you make something like a new building be effective and work is if you have complete faculty involvement,” Raper said.

With this project, everyone who understands what is going on and why needs to be involved, Raper said.

“Our faculty have said ‘this is how we think that should look’ and ‘this is how we think it should work,’” Coon said. “That’s the beauty of this project. It’s a lot of people who are contributing to the creative process of having a building and space that’s going to serve our students well long into the future.

“We want to have teaching space that is flexible and adaptable to the way students learn and teachers teach so the faculty members can create the learning environments they want,” Coon added.

One piece of incorporated technology in this building is the teaching lab for agricultural education, Coon said. This lab will allow students studying to be agricultural education teachers to practice their craft, he added.

“They can go in and record themselves teaching a class, and then they can go back and review it with their instructors or with their advisers,” Coon said.

The new building also will change the way faculty conduct research, Coon said.

“Our old model allows every professor to have his or her own laboratory, and that’s where they get their work

Pistol Pete participates in the ground breaking ceremony to show the project’s impact on OSU. Photo by Alicia Young.

done,” Coon said. “We want to have large laboratories with multiple investigators in them.”

In the new building, faculty and students will be assigned the amount of laboratory bench space they need, allowing faculty to share expensive equipment as well as communicate and collaborate together, Coon said.

In addition, the new building will have a lot of windows, Raper said.

“As you walk down the hallway, you’re going to be able to look into a research lab and actually see the research going on, which is different than what we have in Agricultural Hall now,” he said.

The natural resource ecology and management department also will see major upgrades, Raper said.

“When NREM was created, it was an assemblage of faculty from across campus, and when they were brought into DASNR, we didn’t really have room for them,” Raper said. “Essentially, we put them wherever we could find space.”

Because of this, the NREM faculty and labs are dispersed across multiple buildings, he said. The new building will consolidate most of the ecology labs in one area so faculty can work together, he added.

The new building will bring back the Dairy Bar, and the menu for the new restaurant was presented during the groundbreaking event.

“What we heard from the alumni is they really missed the old Dairy Bar,” Coon said.

The old Dairy Bar was located east of Agricultural Hall but was demolished when construction began on what is now the Henry Bellmon Research Center, Coon said.

The Dairy Bar was a place where students and others could get together and drink a glass of milk, have an ice cream, or enjoy a cinnamon roll and coffee, he added.

Something Coon said he really appreciates is the New Frontiers campaign is on schedule.

“Four years ago, we said we want to break ground in the spring of 2021,” Coon said. “And guess what? We did that even though we’ve had a pandemic for the last year.”

The most rewarding part of this project will be seeing people coming and spending time in this building to develop a sense of community, he said.

Coon also wants to see alumni come back and spend time in the building and at the new Dairy Bar, he added.

“We’ve designed a space where people can be creative, whether they’re teaching or learning, conducting research or planning,” Coon said. “Whatever it is, we want them to find this the most attractive place they can go to get that work done and to be with friends and colleagues.”

ALICIA YOUNG

NAPA, CALIFORNIA

INTERNATIONAL INNOVATION

FAPC helps client produce first USDA-approved edible beef skin

he words of Matshona Dhliwayo can offer direction for entrepreneurs: “If you know where you are from, it is harder for people to stop you from where you are going.”

His quote inspired the journey of Siewe Siewe, adjunct professor at Oklahoma State University, to become an entrepreneur by producing a food from his African culture.

Siewe worked with the staff from the OSU Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center to produce the first U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved edible beef skin in the country.

The idea for this product came from food Siewe grew up producing at home in Cameroon, West Africa, he said. Beef skin is a common food in many different cultures around the world, Siewe added.

“This project is important to me because it is an aspect of my identity,” Siewe said. “I am part of the beef-hideeating African culture.”

Siewe named his product KandaKpomo. In his culture, beef skin is called Kanda, he said, and in Nigeria, where his wife is from, the food is called Kpomo.

When Siewe brought the idea of this project to FAPC about two years ago, the staff immediately started the process of helping market his product, said Andrea Graves, FAPC business planning and marketing specialist.

“I didn’t know if he was entirely serious, to be honest with you, because it was something I’d never heard of,” Graves said.

“The USDA did not consider cow at FAPC,” Siewe said. “They helped me hide as an edible product,” she said. navigate all of the hurdles, and there “We had to come up with a food safety were plenty of them.” plan that we had to send to prove the Learning the process of producing way we were going to produce this the product while maintaining regedible cow hide was safe.” ulatory compliance was a challenge

Innovation and helping develop during this project, said Jacob Nelson, value-added products always have former FAPC facilities manager. been important goals to FAPC at OSU, “It wasn’t necessarily the USDA Graves said. approval of this product that was the

Graves helps manage projects that most difficult part of this project,” come to the center and has been one of Nelson said. “It was making sure our the main members of FAPC to help on process was compliant with the existthe KandaKpomo project, she said. The ing regulations.” FAPC team developed a more mechan- Nelson showed Siewe new processical, commercialized process to make ing technology to enhance the product the product more efficient and economically feasible, This project is important to me and gain USDA approval, Siewe said. Although Nelson Graves added. because it is an aspect has since left OSU, In addition, the team assisted of my identity. he is still a consultant on Siewe’s team in writing neces- Siewe Siewe and works with him sary food safety protocols by writing on ideas to maximize efficiency and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point address regulatory compliance for the plans, she said. project, Siewe said.

“FAPC helps you develop a tech- From the start of their process to nique, a product and a processing help Siewe, members of FAPC sent strategy,” Siewe said. “We had to devel- him in the direction of creating a op machines, HACCP plans and new successful business, Graves said. The ways of processing the product.” staff first sent him to a one-day work-

Not only have the staff members shop called “Basic Training for Food at FAPC helped Siewe get his product Entrepreneurs.” They then helped him USDA-approved, but also they have create a business plan, she said. helped him with branding for his “We want to ensure everyone who business and finding ways to make comes to FAPC has a foundation and producing his product more effective, does the first steps you need to do corSiewe said. They have reduced pro- rectly,” Graves said. cessing time from six hides in two days Almost two years from the day to six hides in four hours, he said. Siewe presented his product idea, he

“I was very blessed to meet the team finally saw the product, Siewe said.

KandaKpomo’s edible beef skin product can be used in many traditional African recipes. KandaKpomo is the only USDA-approved beef skin on the market. Photo by Haven Davis.

Prior to USDA approval, the product was not available for purchase legally in the U.S., Siewe said, and the quality was terrible.

“I’ve been able to find the proper way of producing my project,” Siewe said. “We use the way of doing it right according to the culture and the principles and the laws of this country, which makes it even better.”

This project is significant because of its meaning for the cultures that consume it and because the consumer base is so large, he said.

“The end product has a high value in the specialty stores where it is being sold,” Graves said.

Siewe has sold hundreds of pounds of KandaKpomo every month since it launched, Graves said.

With more than 3 million West Africans in the U.S. and a high demand from the customer base, this project was worthwhile to market, she said.

“We see trends that African flavors are hitting more of the mainstream market now, so that is another reason this is a strong project,” Graves added.

Siewe has direct customer sales online all over the country. He sells the majority of his product to businesses in Oklahoma and Texas, which is about 60% of his total sales, he said.

Goals for this product are for it to be common to eat in the U.S. and for most African households to be consuming this product, Siewe said.

“We are hoping someday everybody starts eating beef hides because we started processing it the right way,” Siewe said. “We worked it into something that becomes cross-cultural.”

This project also may bring new growth to the hide industry, as there has been a decline in the leather market, Graves said.

“The leather market just isn’t there right now,” Nelson said. “Hides of freshly slaughtered beef are of little value from any industry.”

This project provides a new marketability for beef hides and could decrease the amount of food waste the beef industry contributes, Nelson said.

Although this project has been successful, Siewe still works through FAPC to improve upon his product and business, he said. They are working to reduce processing time for six hides down to one hour and on patenting the machines used for processing through OSU, he said.

“Siewe and the FAPC team are continually adding new equipment to quicken the process and make it more efficient,” Nelson said.

Siewe plans to grow his business outside of FAPC, he said. Although FAPC has been crucial to this project, the business will need to move locations to continue the growth of this project, he added.

“A lot of people come in with ideas, but it really takes someone special to move forward with it,” Graves said.

Team members working on this project at FAPC believe this product is unique and could make a mark on the world, Graves said.

Savanna Souza, agricultural communications sophomore, welcomes Celebrate AgriCULTURE participants. Ferguson College of Agriculture Multicultural Programs Leaders serve as liaisons to foster relationships of mutual respect among students, faculty and staff within the college and across campus. Photo by Jiawen Li.

CULTURALDIVERSIFICATION

OSU students celebrate cultural diversity in agriculture

sing games, music and professional speakers, the Oklahoma State University Ferguson College of Agriculture Multicultural Programs Leaders hosted Celebrate AgriCULTURE in March 2021.

The goal of Celebrate AgriCULTURE is to expand the understanding of culture, diversity and inclusion in the agriculture, food and natural resources industries, said José Uscanga, director of multicultural programs in Ferguson College.

“We had more than 20 options of activities for participants to attend in person or online,” Uscanga said. “Participants could choose what they liked during the event.”

Cynda Clary, associate dean of Ferguson College, said Celebrate AgriCULTURE was not only about education but also a celebration in the college community.

“It not only brought our community together,” Clary said, “but also it helped build friendships, understanding and a shared vision for where we are going in the future.”

Celebrate AgriCULTURE was designed to increase awareness of the different cultures within the agricultural industry, said Ethan Attebery, agribusiness senior and multicultural programs leader.

Event participants interacted with Temple Grandin, animal science professor at Colorado State University, and Thomas RaShad Easley, assistant dean for community and inclusion at Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Participants also learned the unique stories of faculty, staff and students, Clary said.

“Over the course of three days, each activity targeted different aspects of diversity and inclusion in agriculture,” Attebery said.

Grandin, who has autism, showed students anything is possible, he said.

“She has never let autism stop her in her field,” Attebery said. “She is a world-renowned expert on animal handling. She is very motivating and has inspired many people.”

Vincent Li, agribusiness senior, took home Moroccan food, the recipe and a door prize from the celebrate AgriCULTURE cooking panel. Photo by Jiawen Li.

Grandin revolutionized animal husbandry practices and brought change to the animal agriculture industry, said Ashley Di Agostino, animal science sophomore and multicultural programs leader.

“We are both women in agriculture,” Di Agostino said. “Seeing Grandin’s work is inspiring. Her work ethic is something that I can relate to and I aspire to have when I am working a job.”

Easley shared with participants about the challenges he faced as an African American in the forestry and natural resources industries and how diversity works in a unique way, Attebery said.

“Easley told the participants we can use hip-hop music as a way to elevate people and put some teaching in,” Uscanga said.

In the agricultural industry, leaders discussed what diversity and inclusion means to their specific organizations in their hiring process, what they value in the company, and initiatives they use to promote diverse workplaces, Attebery said.

Through a women’s panel, participants learned about the agricultural industry from a female’s perspective, Uscanga said.

“I found myself inspired by the different speakers and panelists from the industry,” Clary said. “Listening to their stories and seeing their enthusiasm and happiness in talking to students made me so proud.

“This event was an opportunity to celebrate all our differences and to learn more about how differences contribute to building a stronger community and a stronger world,” Clary said. “I hope students, faculty and staff were inspired by the event and will take the next step forward.”

Participants left each activity with a better understanding of how careers look in diverse workplaces or how to work with peers from different backgrounds, Attebery said, giving them a greater respect of different cultures.

Agriculture has a strong foundation in diversity, said Dalee Barrick, agricultural communications and

agribusiness junior and multicultural programs leader. Culture can affect the way agriculturalists strategize and make tactical decisions, she added. It was a lot of

Celebrate pressure, but it was AgriCULTURE celebrated diversity and the kind of pressure individuality within the you feel when you agricultural industry to know you are on the bring people together, Di Agostino said. verge of making a

“It is more than the positive impact on skin color you have or the sexual orientation the lives of others. you claim,” Barrick said. Dalee Barrick “It is more than your political affiliation or your religious opinions.

“It is your ideologies, your strengths, your weaknesses, what makes you happy, what makes you sad, and so much more,” she added.

Barrick said she hoped participants felt challenged to be open-minded and open to change.

“We are all so unique and so beautiful in our own ways,” Barrick said. “If we can stop seeing diversity as our skin differences, we can progress in agriculture and in everyday life.” Although the Ferguson College hosted this event, everyone at OSU was encouraged to come, Di Agostino said. In the week prior to the event, the multicultural programs leaders set out a booth in front of Agricultural Hall to recruit students who walked by to sign up for the event, Attebery said. More than 500 people attended the event based on the attendance recorded, Uscanga said. About 300 people attended on Zoom and about 200 people attended in person, he added. “That gave us an estimate of what we can expect next year,” Uscanga said. People have come through a tough time being isolated last year, Clary said. This event was an opportunity to bring everybody together and to connect with each other in a different way, she added.

The multicultural programs leaders started working on this event in the Fall 2020 semester, Di Agostino said, and much collaboration was done to host the event.

“We formulated the idea and worked every week up to the event to find sponsors, create panels, craft game ideas, and find club members to help,” Barrick said. “It was a lot of pressure, but it was the kind of pressure you feel when you know you are on the verge of making a positive impact on others.”

Barrick said she hoped participants left the event with positive perspectives on their roles in agriculture.

“It doesn’t matter if you have a huge background in farming or none at all,” Barrick said. “You have a place in the Ferguson College of Agriculture.”

JIAWEN LI

BEIJING, CHINA