Kansas State University

One Kansas State University student brought home outstanding recognition from the 55th Midwest Model United Nations Conference. Halli Wigger, freshman in agricultural economics from Troy, Kansas, earned the delegate’s choice award at the conference, which is an all-collegiate event where students work with pressing international issues.

Other students at the conference selected Wigger for the award based on her representation of Cuba on the International Fund for Agricultural Development committee, which comprised student representatives of United Nations countries from around the world.

“I was very pleased to have won an award considering all the time and effort that I put into it,” Wigger said. “It was very rewarding to have that kind of payoff, especially at my first conference.”

Wigger brought the committee together and led the organization of ideas to compose policy based on two specific topics—hunger, food, and nutrition security in post-2015 development framework and the international year of family farming. The students chose to implement education and trade programs, improve technology at the production level and advocate rural farming to support the topics.

The group attended sessions up to 12 hours per day to discuss the topics and draft the policy, which Wigger typed and submitted it for her committee, then made the necessary corrections. The policy was then presented at a plenary session.

When Wigger told Taylor Bates, a student in political science, about her interest in international agriculture, Bates introduced her to MMUN. The conference provides a hands-on perspective of world politics to broaden student awareness. Because they represent a country’s delegation, the students experience the complexities of international relations.

Wigger went with 22 other K-State students to the conference, which was Feb. 18-22 in St. Louis. She was one of few agriculture students in attendance at the conference among political science and pre-law students from 37 colleges in the Midwest.

She recommends that anyone interested in international agriculture or business should register for the conference because it is a great way to get experience in these areas right away.

Wigger has already paved a path to success in her first year at K-State. She joined the College of Agriculture Ambassador team in February and is a member of K-State’s National Agri-Marketing Association team and National Society for Collegiate Scholars. She is also in Sigma Alpha, the professional agricultural sorority.

Wigger aspires to join the Peace Corps or work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture so she can reach out to developing countries and help improve rural agriculture strategies.

Written by: Amanda Sales, Department of Agricultural Economics Communications Assistant and sophomore in Agricultural Communications and Journalism

On February 24, 2015, 34 Kansas State University College of Agriculture students joined the ambassador team. Newly selected students from the Department of Agricultural Economics include, Nolan Allison, Eureka; Coleman Forst, Marysville; Abigail Horn, McCoy, Colorado; Anna Setter, Humboldt; Kristin Stiebe, Kinsley; Halli Wigger, Troy; and Youwei Yang, China; and Rachel Zimmerman, Ulysses.

The ambassador team aids in recruitment of prospective students and will represent the College of Agriculture at various events throughout the year. More than 800 prospective students are anticipated to visit the college this year to tour campus, sit in classes and hear personal K-State stories from the ambassadors.

Student ambassadors are key to attracting prospective students to the college because the ambassadors have relevant testimonials from the different classes and activities in any of the 16 College of Agriculture majors. The ambassadors also represent the college when speaking with alumni and other stakeholders.

“The ambassadors are the ones that are experiencing college,” said Cherie Hodgson, agricultural economics academic coordinator. “They are the ones that are in the clubs and organizations. They are in the classroom and they experience the environment, so they are our best representatives.”

A prerequisite to the application process involves passing the 8-week College of Agriculture Training program aimed at teaching the students about the college’s departments and programs. The application process included a written application and a simulation of a situation students would potentially face as ambassadors, followed by an interview.

Currently, the department is home to 26 of the 94 ambassadors. Hodgson attributes much of this participation to the personality of the students.

“Leadership is something that we promote in the department,” Hodgson said. “Think about it in the job market, they are going to be managers and presidents of organizations… They like the interaction with people, they see the value in leadership and they want to develop those leadership, management and communication skills because they’re going to need those in the workplace.”

Hodgson also sees a lot of value in the ambassador program because of how it benefits the students. She says they learn more about the college and have more opportunities connect and interact with students, faculty and staff on campus as well as alumni and industry professionals. They practice time management and communication skills while coordinating activities and events.

Read more about the Agriculture Ambassadors.

Justine Floyd, senior in agribusiness, received the Commerce Bank Presidential Student Award for Distinguished Services in Enhancing Multiculturalism at Kansas State University.

Zelia Wiley, assistant dean of diversity and director of diversity programs in the College of Agriculture, nominated Justine for the award, which was established in 1997 to recognize outstanding individual contributions to diversity enhancement.

“I nominated her because of her academic excellence and compassion for social justice for all,” Wiley said.

Following the nomination, Floyd presented for 10 minutes on the subject of Multicultural Student Organizations (MSOs) bridging and bonding on K-State’s campus to a selection committee consisting of at least 10 faculty and student leaders at K-State. Following her presentation were 10 minutes of Q & A from the selection committee. To demonstrate how MSOs bridge and bond, Floyd spoke about the recruitment, retention and graduation of multicultural students as a result of being members and leaders of various MSOs such as the Black Student Union (BSU), Asian American Student Union (AASU), Hispanic American Leadership Organization (HALO) and many more. For many multicultural students, their first college experience is Multicultural Academic Program Success (MAPS). This is a 6-week academic and professional developmental program for high school graduates attending K-State in the fall in the Colleges of Agriculture, Business, and Engineering. Because of this, Floyd suggested that MAPS was the first step on the bridge, followed by joining MSOs and by finally receiving their Mortar Board and graduating. Thus, the theme, “From MAPS to Mortar Board.”

“Justine has demonstrated exceptional character, leadership, and service toward the enhancement of multiculturalism and diversity in the department of agricultural economics, the College of Agriculture, and Kansas State University,” said Andrew Barkley, agricultural economics professor and Floyd’s advisor. “Justine is dedicated to the service of others, an outstanding role model and mentor to other students, and a true pleasure to work with and be around.”

A reception occurred to honor Floyd after the committee selected her for the award; the reception video can be viewed here. Floyd gave a second presentation at the ceremony to talk about the importance of multiculturalism and diversity and how the two subjects, though different, work together.

“Being a student leader at Kansas State has taught me to understand and value the difference between diversity and multiculturalism. More importantly, it has taught me that when you pair the two, there lies great potential for success,” Floyd said in her speech. “I believe that multiculturalism and diversity are a dynamic duo that have been and will continue to be the framework by which students on this campus find themselves.”

She gave thanks to Commerce Bank for their support of K-State’s diversity initiatives; her parents, Tarrance and Jacqueline; Bryon Williams, assistant director of undergraduate admissions; Zelia Wiley; Andrew Barkley; Brandon Clark, program assistant in the office of diversity; and Myra Gordon, associate provost in the office of diversity.

Floyd was joined at the reception by her parents, friends, various department representatives, members of the Black Student Union and advisors and members of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS). A representative from Commerce Bank and Pat Bosco, dean of student life, also attended.

“It has been a pleasure having Justine as a student in our college and most specifically as a student in the K-State MANRRS chapter,” Wiley said. “She takes pride in her personal demeanor and takes responsibility for actions. I witnessed her growth both personally and academically. I am very proud she will become a graduate of our college and represent the diversity programs office.”

“I felt really honored and I felt overwhelmed. I feel like I won an award for something I actually care about… It wasn’t so much academic as it was social activities. It felt like I was actually making a difference,” Floyd said.

She described the process of receiving the award as fun and challenging. In May, Floyd will be the third African-American to receive a Bachelor of Science in agribusiness from the Department of Agricultural Economics. She has also been a communications assistant for the department since June 2014.