Southern, LSU Ag centers hold joint conference

The 2007 LSU and SU Agricultural Centers’ Annual Conference took place at Louisiana State University, December 17-18. The event provided opportunities for faculty and professional staff to exchange ideas, meet newcomers, honor colleagues, identify program priorities and enhance working relationships.

Main features included professional development presentations as well as faculty and staff recognitions. The first day of the conference focused on employee recognitions of both campuses while the second day consisted of presentations.

The professional development sessions included “The Southwest Center for Rural Initiatives: A Model Approach for Community Engagement,” “Mission Possible: Promoting the Potential in Youth,” “ADHD: A Description and Some Suggestions For the Real World, Designing and Giving Presentations,” and “Be the Judge of Your Healthy Lifestyle.”

“The Southwest Center for Rural Initiatives: A Model Approach for Community Engagement” session presented highlights of the center's programs and introduced its staff members and functions. The session was presented by Ag director LaVonya Malveaux; Gwendolyn Barnes, outreach program assistant; Edna Lastrapes-Brown, assistant area youth agent; Stephen George, teen pregnancy prevention coordinator; Keydron Guinn, rural sociologist; and Latonia Morrison-Frank, regional market analyst/developer.