The calendar is full, which is great, and I need to find time this weekend to re-run the conversations of last week and this week back through my head to develop next steps and a game plan. I ended last week energized by the discussions and a plethora of ideas for more partnering in ways that benefit our students, faculty, and AGNR as a whole. Over the weekend, the interaction with our 4-H achievers only added to my energy level!
Last week, Drs. Turzillo and Che from Animal and Avian Sciences led conversations with a couple of Maryland’s poultry companies who have been tremendous partners and with whom we want to work more closely. The department has developed an experience that I think will be a big hit with students and clearly the companies see value in. I am excited to support the program. After just a couple of brief conversations I can imagine this as scalable as a result of shared investment and commitment to turning out the next generation of leaders.
I also met with farm managers from universities in the Northeast and learned a bit about the Research and Extension Centers in those states. While my time with the group was limited, our UMD participants likely took away some thoughts on how we can position our own system for continued or expanded success. This week I met with our group for more of an extended conversation that again left me excited about what we, collectively, can accomplish moving forward. We are on solid ground now despite how it may feel and we can make strategic, well thought out, bold moves to maintain that position for the long haul.
Before the week’s end I will have met with our Foundation Trustees to share a bit about the impact of AGNR and our ambitions that we are uniquely positioned to undertake. I have a couple meetings with prospective partners to talk about our ideas, including our approach to reimagining the student experience and an Institute for Biosystems Innovation. A conversation last week with a prospective partner in the Institute has me better able to explain the intersection of both of these initiatives in addition to that of modernizing the Campus Farm to develop and showcase innovation in agriculture and natural resources management.
It doesn’t surprise me that there is strong interest in partnering with us. We have unique attributes that we can leverage more fully. The expressions of interest make me eager to work harder to make things happen. I can’t wait to see what the remainder of this week brings and the chance to share the highlights with the AGNR leadership team. I hope my enthusiasm is infectious!