Traje Wearable Art exhibit runs through April

A piece displayed in the Traje Wearable Art exhibit in the Human Ecology Building on LSU’s campus.

The LSU Textile and Costume Museum’s current exhibit, Traje Wearable Art, is focused on Mayan textiles and features about 200 pieces. The collection includes a broad range of intricately embroidered Mayan-inspired textiles. The exhibit features huipiles, which are traditional blouses worn in Central America and Mexico. The uniqueness of each village is displayed through the garments.

Casey Stannard, a professor in textiles, apparel and merchandising, recruited exhibit items through the International Textile and Apparel Association and the Costume Society of America. An embroidered mask, handwoven dress and a digital textile printed garment are just some of the items Stannard highlights in the exhibit.

The Mayan-inspired wearable art pieces are interpretations of the traditions from Mayan culture by various designers around the country and Canada, Stannard said. EnJanae’ Taylor

College hosts 26 high school seniors at 2020 Ag Fellows program

Chris Stuart, incoming freshman, and his mother, Marjorie Mendoza, are from Kenner, Louisiana. Chris is one of the Ag Fellow scholarship recipients.

The LSU College of Agriculture hosted 26 high school seniors and their families at the 2020 Ag Fellows program on the LSU campus on Nov. 19, 2020. The Ag Fellows program is one of the college’s premier initiatives to recognize and recruit students from historically underserved populations across the country. Both in-state and out-of-state students attended.

“As a land-grant university, it is our goal to educate the most diverse student body that can address the global challenges we face today and in the future,” said Bill Richardson, vice president and dean. “Our Ag Fellows program recruits the top scholars from historically underserved populations and provides a welcoming environment for education.”

Students spent the day learning about academic programs and visiting with faculty and current students. Schools and departments provided personalized tours to showcase the different majors, and the day finished with a tour of LSU's campus.

Ten students in attendance were awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the college. Scholarship recipients were selected based on an essay submission asking students to identify one challenge facing our growing population and how their career goals fit into solving these global challenges.

Henry Hebert, recruitment manager, said, “Our college’s focus on recruiting students from all underserved populations remains a priority for our recruitment team.” Annabelle Stokes

Dean’s staff volunteers at Food Bank

Dean's staff members who volunteered, from left to right, are Renée Welch, Katherine D'Aquila, Ashley Grant, Henry Hebert, Amanda Martin, Annabelle Stokes and Lindsey Kelly.

The LSU College of Agriculture Dean’s staff volunteered with the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank for one morning on Dec. 17, 2020. They were able to sort and box more than 11,500 pounds of nonperishable food. The Food Bank’s need for support had increased during the pandemic, from serving 100,000 people annually to more than 50,000 people each month. "As a land-grant institution, we believe in service, and this is a mindset we try to instill in our students. In just a couple of hours, our small but mighty team was able to impact the lives of 50,000 people," said assistant dean Amanda Martin. Annabelle Stokes

Diversity and Inclusion Champions introduced

The LSU College of Agriculture’s new Diversity and Inclusion Champions serve as a point of contact for students and fellow faculty to help everyone become more engaged with minority and underrepresented student groups. These faculty serve as mentors, confidants and advocates for students in their respective departments: Trina Biswas, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness; Kristin Stair, Department of Agricultural and Extension Education and Evaluation; Gina Eubanks and Vinicius Moreira, School of Animal Sciences; Kun-Jun Han, School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences; Hallie Dozier, School of Renewable Natural Resources; Erin McKinley and Brandy Jones, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences; Casey Stannard, Department of Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising; Thanos Gentimis, Department of Experimental Statistics; Teddy Garcia Aroca, Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology; and Rodrigo Diaz, Department of Entomology. Annabelle Stokes