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Department of Communications and Agricultural Education

Tag: Agricultural Communications and Journalism

Katie Burke named Assistant Professor

by Rachel Waggie, agricultural education and communication master’s student

Katie Burke recently moved into a new position within the department, going from instructor to assistant professor. In this new role, Burke is a 12-month faculty member with a 70% teaching, 30% research appointment. Burke will be specializing in strategic outreach regarding natural resources and conservation and giving natural resource professionals more tools to engage landowners.

“We’re excited to have Dr. Burke as an assistant professor with the agricultural communications and journalism program,” says Jason Ellis, communications and agricultural education department head. “This new role capitalizes on her talents and expertise beyond teaching, adding an emphasis in natural resource and environmental communication Extension work in Kansas.”

Congratulations, Dr. Burke!

Departmental research published in JAC

by Rachel Waggie, agricultural education and communication master’s student

Spring 2019 master’s graduate Anissa Zagonel recently had a paper published in the Journal of Applied Communications. The article is titled “Printing and Mailing for the Brand: An Exploratory Qualitative Study Seeking to Understand Internal Branding and Marketing Within University and Extension Communication Services Units.”

Zagonel’s research investigated whether the investment of employees in a brand can lead to greater public understanding and positive impressions of a brand by external stakeholders. Her study sought discover how well employees in a university and extension printing and mail entity understood the extension brand and their investment in the brand. Research questions included: 1) What perceptions and investment do communication services employees have in the extension brand? And 2) what are employees’ perceptions of the organization’s branding and marketing efforts?

Results of this study indicate these employees are not invested in the brand with the majority having little to no understanding of the mission of extension. This contradicts previous research with employees in other brand segments of extension. Implications of this work include a need for training on the extension mission for communication services employees, a shift in culture to encourage investment in the brand, and inclusion of all extension employees in the mission of extension.

For the full abstract and article, visit https://doi.org/10.4148/1051-0834.2236.

Faculty changes

by Linda Gilmore

Lauri Baker will be leaving the department to work as an associate professor with the Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (Center PIE) at the University of Florida. She will have a tenure home in their department of agricultural education and communications. Her last day with the department will be June 22 and she will be completing some special project work for K-State Research and Extension through August 3. Be sure to wish her the best in her new position.

 

Tiffany Rogers-Randolph will join our agricultural communications and journalism faculty as assistant professor starting July 1. She recently finished her doctorate at the University of Florida in agricultural education and communication and has a research interest in social online media’s use in agricultural storytelling and engagement.

ACJ/AgEd graduates 39 in spring 2019

by Rachel Waggie, agricultural education and communication master’s student

The Department of Communications and Agricultural Education graduated 29 undergraduates and 10 master’s students this spring. Agricultural communications spring class of 2019 includes Danielle Comstock, Bryanna Cook, MiK Fox, Leah Giess, Megan Green, Kyler Langvardt, Janelle Marney, Taylor Belle Matheny, Ashley McKenny, Sarah Moyer, Tarra Rotstein, Kelly Schrag and Kennedy St. George.

Agricultural education graduates include Rachel Bellar, Moriah Cobb, Sydney Cullison, Allyson Dorrell, Cassandra Ebert, Hannah Fry, Christina Hoffman, Caroline Howsden, Trent Johnson, Eric Koehlmoos, Ashley Lauinger, Savannah Pryor, Matthew Schick, Meghan Strassburg, Melissa Strassburg and Caitlyn Thompson.

Students graduating with a Master of Science in Agricultural Education and Communication include Mariah Bausch, Chelsea Bowen Whittle, Darcie Gallagher, Ernest Jones, Laura Miller, Deanna Reid, Kelsey Tully, Anna Williamson, Lauren Worley and Anissa Zagonel.

Congratulations, graduates! We are proud of you and wish you the best of luck.

Cakes for Cats

by Rachel Waggie, agricultural education and communication master’s student

To support the Cats’ Cupboard philanthropy, the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow and AgEd clubs hosted a pancake feed on Tuesday, May 14.

The event served as a great break from the stress of finals, and breakfast smells wafted down the hall of the third floor of Umberger Hall. Club members prepared and served pancakes, sausage, fruit and juice to students, faculty and staff.

A non-perishable food item or hygiene product served as a ticket to the delicious breakfast. Thirty people attended the breakfast and more than 200 items and $20 were collected for Cats’ Cupboard. This was the first time ACT and AgEd clubs hosted the event. Both clubs hope to continue this fundraiser, said Janae McKinney, incoming ACT president.

 

Cats’ Cupboard is open to all K-State students, faculty and staff. The on-campus food pantry encourages students to take food, hygiene and cooking equipment that correspond with their personal needs. Students and staff may use the pantry as often as necessary.

K-State Open House a Success

By Deanna Reid, agricultural education and communication master’s student

ACT members created a “Launch into Aggieland” trivia game for Open House.

Perfect weather welcomed current and potential students and their families to the Manhattan campus to learn about majors, opportunities, and organizations at the 2019 All-University Open House. The event highlighted more than 250 majors and options and 475 student organizations available at K-State.

K-State agricultural education students were excited to promote their major.

Students and faculty from the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education joined in on the fun. The K-State Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow created and hosted a life-size version of the game Candyland, “Launch into Aggieland” trivia game, and gave away chocolate-covered soybeans. Agricultural Education club members designed and gave away T-shirts at the event as well. Allison Wakefield, a junior in agricultural communications and journalism, said, “The open house was a lot of fun. The ACT members enjoyed interacting with everyone and especially liked playing our Aggieland game with kids!”

 

K-State Ag Ed club members designed and gave away T-shirts to Open House attendees.

Congratulations to the K-State Livestock Judging Team

Agricultural communications and journalism student, Kaci Foraker, was part of the history-making K-State livestock judging team. For the first time in the long history of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the K-State Livestock Judging Team has been honored as the champion team overall in the intercollegiate judging contest. The team was first named champions in the beef, swine and oral reasons divisions. The final contest of the spring, the event draws to a close a spectacular first half of the season with much to look forward to this fall. The team is coached by Chris Mullinix and assisted by ASI senior, Payton Dahmer.

2019 K-State Livestock Judging team. Kaci Foraker, junior in agricultural communications and journalism, is a member of the team.

Team Results:

Champion Team Overall

High Team Swine

High Team Beef

High Team Oral Reasons

Third Sheep/Goats

Team Members include: Adrian Austin, Mt. Vernon, Ill.; Claire Bradbury, Winfield, Kan.; Cooper Carlisle, Ropesville, Texas; Kaylee Farmer, Nevada, Mo.; Kaci Foraker, Burrton, Kan.; Adrianna Gasper, North Vernon, Ind.; Keayla Harr, Jeromesville, Ohio; Cade Hibdon, Princeton, Kan.; Kaitlyn Hildebrand, Ohio, Ill.; Samuel Lawrence, Avilla, Ind.; Cole Liggett, Dennison, Ohio; Michael Loughridge, Chatsworth, Ga.; Megan Marion, Terre Haute, Ind.; Brady McComb, Pratt, Kan.; Justin Nofziger, Wauseon, Ohio; Hadley Schotte, Marysville, Kan.

Holcombe’s Career Celebrated at Retirement Party

Gloria Holcombe, long-time editor in the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education, put away her red pen on Feb. 28. The publishing unit hosted a retirement party for her on Friday, March 1. Family, friends, and colleagues shared cake, punch, and stories. Steven Graham, former assistant to the dean, and Ernie Minton, interim dean and director, gave special remarks in honor of Gloria’s retirement. Dan Donnert presented Gloria a photo taken on one of their many road trips.

Gloria began her career with the College of Agriculture in the mid-1980s and served in a variety of roles. Her unique skills led her to being promoted quickly from secretary to office assistant to information writer for the Agricultural Experiment Station Editorial Office. She moved to the Department of Communications as a writer and editor in 1994 when communications staffs for the Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service were combined. She coordinated the semiannual K-State Ag Report magazine and annual report to the Kansas Legislature, as well as collaborating on special projects for K-State Research and Extension and the College of Agriculture, including an integral role in the organization and implementation of the K-State Research and Extension annual conference.

She served as state representative for the Association for Communication Excellence, a professional organization for communicators. This organization recognized her talents by awarding multiple submissions over the years as top quality nationally. She has been recognized by receiving the Award of Excellence for publishing and graphic design in 2016 and the Service Award in 2008.

Gloria has also served on the K-State Faculty Senate and Faculty Senate committees.

The Department of Communications recognized her as employee of the year in 2007. She received K-State’s President’s Award of Excellence in 2015.

We wish Gloria all the best during her retirement.

Agricultural communications and journalism alumni survey

In January, an agricultural communications and journalism alumni survey was distributed through the alumni Facebook group to gather information about career paths our graduates follow, most valuable skills in agricultural communications and what upcoming graduates need in terms of scientific knowledge. The survey will guide curriculum changes and help faculty better communicate career possibilities with prospective students. Nearly 125 alumni have participated in the survey.

For those who have not yet seen the survey, we would love to hear from you. We plan to share findings from the survey in a future alumni newsletter.

 

Please use the link below to access the survey. It takes about 5 to 6 minutes and is voluntary and confidential, although we cannot guarantee anonymity due to the nature of some questions.

 

https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3IQWxDr1QBLWUnP

 

If you have questions, email Katie Burke ‘10, ‘15 at kjburke@ksu.edu.Thank you!

Levy Randolph to join the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education

Levy Randolph has been hired as an assistant professor in agricultural communications and journalism. He will join the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education this summer and begin teaching during the fall semester.

Randolph has degrees from California State University and the University of Florida in agricultural education and communication. He has experience as a conference facilitator for National FFA and owns and operates a video production company with his wife, Tiffany. He has taught multiple media production courses and business writing. His research agenda focuses on science communication through narratives

Randolph’s office will be located on the third floor of Umberger Hall.