Spotlight Archive

Friday, July 18, 2008

Student teaching assistants with the Residential Leadership Community (RLC) form teams at the Natural Bridge historical landmark. The Department of Agricultural and Extension Education now offers the RLC program, an academic leadership curriculum sponsored by Residence Life’s Themed Housing and Student Activities, which had previously been housed in the Interdisciplinary Studies Department. The RLC program provides undergraduate students from all majors general leadership development through the curriculum with a leadership minor as well as a residential living component. Currently, almost 300 freshman and sophomore students are actively involved and more than 200 students take advantage of the leadership minor. The RLC program is a natural fit with the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education’s new emphasis on leadership development.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

During the American Ecological Engineering Society’s meeting on campus, Virginia Tech students and students from around the country put their bench-scale model of the Stroubles Creek restoration design to the test. The demo was part of a student-design competition during the society’s national meeting, which brought more than 150 ecological engineering faculty, students, and professionals to campus. The meeting provided a forum to discuss research and design of urban landscapes, streams, and wetlands. During the design competition, students from different institutions collaborated to develop unique design alternatives. Pink dye was used to illustrate flow paths and retention in their models.

Monday, June 30, 2008

Virginia Cooperative Extension director Mark McCann (right) is inducted into the Virginia chapter of the 4-H All Stars on Wednesday, June 25. McCann was one of 68 new members that committed to bringing the honor society’s motto of “service” to Virginia’s youth at the annual tapping ceremony held in conjunction with the 2008 4-H State Congress at Virginia Tech. In 1922, a West Virginia delegation of 4-H All Stars planted the first seeds of the organization on Virginia soil with the initiation of a dozen charter members. Since then, the Virginia chapter has grown to include more than 9,000 individuals dedicated to positive youth development.

Monday, June 23, 2008

A camper loads a penny on a raft made out of aluminum foil and straws at the ExxonMobile Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp. She was one of 48 rising sixth, seventh, and eighth graders who worked in teams to design the raft that would hold the most weight, an exercise that taught them about the scientific principle of buoyancy. This is the second year that the college has hosted the camp, an innovative residential program that enhances students’ knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics while encouraging them to stay in school. This summer, Virginia Tech is one of 25 universities around the country to host the two-week camp.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Ray Ali, associate director of field operations for Virginia Cooperative Extension (left), presents the 2008 College Diversity Enhancement Award to David Winston, Extension dairy scientist, in recognition of outstanding contributions and demonstrated commitment to enhancing diversity in the college.  Winston was among the first to be selected as a Multicultural Fellow at the university, who form a group that is charged “with developing strategies to address problems and situations that impede progress toward the goal of a truly inclusive community.” Winston has served as the college’s first Diversity Council Chair and led the council from its infancy to a viable, active organization with growing membership. He has demonstrated an exhaustive understanding and tireless promotion of diversity in all his roles and also represents the college’s council at the university level.