Grateful for alumni and friend support of CANR
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EmailThanks to all of you who have welcomed me back to the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources – it has been a whirlwind since July 1, but one filled with connections and reconnections to friends, faculty and fellow alumni.
Thanks to all of you who have welcomed me back to the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources – it has been a whirlwind since July 1, but one filled with connections and reconnections to friends, faculty and fellow alumni.
Our college is a big place with a lot of supporters and stakeholders. And while getting to know stakeholders will take a while, thanking you should not.
Thank you for your continued support of the college. Whether you have supported faculty research, sent us your children to educate, advocated on behalf of our work, supported Michigan’s youth through 4-H or FFA, or contributed financial gifts, it’s important that you know your efforts are making a difference.
Many of you know that I’m a Michigander and an alumnus of the college, but I didn’t apply for this job out of a sense of sentiment. I aspired to be dean here because of MSU’s quality, and especially that of the college.
Great teaching, research and Extension programs are a part of that, as is the work we are doing on a global scale to improve lives of people and communities who otherwise find themselves food insecure, or without access to clean water or the multitude of other things that most of us take for granted every day.
As investors in our college, you should know that our academic programs remain strong and growing college-wide. We have been able to purposefully bring student numbers and programs into alignment with our ability to provide quality teaching and advising as well. I attribute much of this success to Kelly Millenbah, associate dean and director for the college. In roles that are more ‘behind the scenes,' but no less essential to our success Suzanne Lang and George Smith are to be thanked for their work in faculty development and research.
Our research programs remain the envy of other institutions around the country, and the globe. Our faculty members are being funded at high rates and recognized for their work in the plant, animal and environmental sciences. This is due, in a large part to the leadership provided by Doug Buhler, director of AgBioResearch.
We are doing meaningful work in MSU Extension under Director Jeff Dwyer’s leadership. We are growing our portfolio and adding to our ranks. Last year, 325,000 Michigan residents took advantage of programs we offered.
Having offered all those successes, there are areas where the college has room to grow and opportunities to be more impactful. We need to:
- Tell a more cohesive story about the college to grow and diversify our stakeholder base and strengthen existing partnerships.
- Modernize aging infrastructure, grow the availability of our discovery spaces, like labs.
- Increase opportunities for substantive teaching opportunities for our doctoral students and increase resources for graduate students in general.
- Identify other opportunities for signature areas, for example food and health.
- Improve access and affordability through the Institute of Agricultural Technology, community college partnerships and scholarships.
- Create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive culture.
While this isn’t an exhaustive list, it is a start and, with your continued support and help, we can continue to make a difference.
Go green!
Ron Hendrick
Professor and Dean
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Michigan State University
