LSU Students Are Back Abroad

LSU College of Agriculture had nine students spend their spring break in the Czech Republic as part of a 10-day study abroad program. The students spent the week visiting Mendel University (MendelU), a longtime partner with LSU, in Brno and Prague.

Facility tours of MendelU introduced students to the academic offerings of the university and the higher education model in the Czech Republic. Students participated in farm tours highlighting precision agriculture and alternative animal husbandry facilities, including visits to a fully automated dairy farm and Mendel's horticulture facility in Lednice.

In Prague, students toured Old Town and explored prominent landmarks, including Charles Bridge and the Prague Castle, to deepen their understanding of the city's history.

Students enrolled in an elective course offered through the LSU College of Agriculture to prepare them for international travel while creating a baseline knowledge of Czech agriculture, history, culture and Czech vocabulary.

Vice President's Diversity Graduate Assistantship Spotlight: Doctoral Student Tia Sanders

Tia Sanders is a doctoral student in the School of Nutrition and Food Sciences and a recipient of the Vice President's Diversity Graduate Assistantship.

Originally from Pensacola, Florida, Sanders received her bachelor's degree in biology and nutrition and a master's in biotechnology from Alcorn State University. She decided to pursue the area of nutrition and food sciences after her mother became ill. This motivated her to start paying more attention to the nutritional value of the foods around her.

"There are certain foods that are more cancer-related than others. Certain foods help benefit your body to help get you better, which influenced me to investigate what could speed up the recovery process," said Sander.

Sanders is also a recipient of the prestigious National Science Foundation Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge to Doctorate Fellowship. She is the first student in an agriculture-related program to receive this fellowship.

With funding allocated by her fellowship, Sanders is researching the health benefits of proteins found in hemp plants. She plans to utilize the soy protein present in hemp to make cheese.

Students Expand LSU Community Garden During National Ag Week

LSU College of Agriculture student volunteers completed a service project to install six new raised garden beds at the Hill Farm Community Garden on campus. The service project, which aimed to expand the garden and provide more opportunities for students to learn about agriculture and gardening, was completed with the help of volunteers who assembled the beds, moved dirt and ran irrigation lines.

The new garden beds will allow more students to engage with agriculture by growing vegetables and herbs on campus. Volunteers were asked to wear comfortable clothing that they could work in and meet at the Hill Farm, where Ag Student Association (ASA) representatives were available to guide them.

The project was part of LSU's annual Ag Week celebrations, which have always included a service component. LSU Student Government funded the project, and LSU horticulturist Kiki Fontenot played a pivotal role in helping plan and execute the addition of the six new garden beds.

"Service has always been a component of our annual Ag Week celebrations. I was thrilled when our Ag Student Association officer team pitched the idea of working with the Hill Farm Community Garden right here on campus," said Ashley Grant, advisor for ASA.

The success of the project is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the LSU College of Agriculture students and their collaborative efforts with volunteers and community partners.

Nine LSU College of Agriculture students spent their spring break in the Czech Republic, and one of their stops included the Lednice Castle. Photo by Henry Hebert

Tia Sanders is the recipient of the Vice President's Diversity Graduate Assistantship. Photo by Annabelle Lang

LSU College of Agriculture student volunteers install six new raised garden beds at the Hill Farm Community Garden on campus as part of a service project for LSU Ag Week. Photo by Mimi Gianfala