Two challenges confront us today: our commitment to be a diverse, inclusive college whereeveryone can thrive; and our commitment to meet our three mission areas during thisunprecedented health pandemic.

We are committed to providing a safe and welcoming place for everyone to learn, work andgrow. Together, we can ensure this is a place where diversity and inclusivity yield equity andopportunity for everyone in the CAFE family. We must listen, share and learn from others aswe all work to stop hatred and bigotry. We must commit ourselves to action just as we haveacted to help our students, colleagues and communities deal with COVID-19.

We are developing our plans to educate, support and sustain our college family has weemerge from the pandemic into what many call a “new” normal. We must also plan, educate,support and encourage our college family to understand how we can take action to buildmore equitable and just spaces and work for sustainable and significant change.

Dean Nancy Cox

From the Office of DiversityFrom the Office of Diversity

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfortand convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

As a college, we can take action to be the change we want to see as we navigatethrough these challenging times. Below are resources recommended by tohelp bring awareness as we build a diverse and inclusive college.

Office of Diversity ResourcesUrban Institute

Racial Equity ToolsCommunity-Police Relations

Racial EquityYouth Engagement

Everyday Bias

A COVID-19 Update from Dean Nancy CoxA COVID-19 Update from Dean Nancy Cox

Awards and HonorsAwards and Honors

Mark CoyneMark Coyne, a professor and director ofgraduate studies in the Department of Plantand Soil Sciences, was presented the WilliamB. Sturgill Award, an honor given each yearto a graduate faculty member who hasprovided outstanding contributions tograduate education at UK. During his time atUK, Coyne has integrated three separategraduate programs — Crop Science, SoilScience and Plant Physiology — into onesingle program, Integrated Plant and SoilSciences. His research focuses on nitrogencycling, soil ecology, soil structure andmanagement, and waste management. Inaddition to teaching, Coyne has mentoredmore than 30 master’s and doctoral studentsacross almost 30 years at the university andhas served on more than 50 graduatestudent committees.

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has a tradition of astrong, nationally recognized chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources andRelated Sciences. That tradition continues with UK MANRRS member Jahqethea JohnsonJahqethea Johnsonstepping up to the national stage as the next undergraduate student vice president for RegionIII.

Johnson, who is studying agricultural economics, looks forward to working with the officerteam to bridge the gap between MANRRS chapters and creating opportunities to partner withvarious companies in the agricultural industry throughout the year.

Melissa Molho-MedinaMelissa Molho-Medina is the 2020 recipient ofthe UK Graduate School's Dr. Benjamin NeroStudent Inclusive Excellence Award. Thisaward recognizes outstanding graduate andprofessional students at UK’s campus whoare working to make our community moreinclusive.

Melissa Molho is an international graduatestudent from Mexico. She is pursuing herdoctorate in the Department of PlantPathology, where she is studying host-virusinteractions in plants.

SophieSophie BeavinBeavin, 2020 graduate of UK NaturalResources and Environmental Science andLewis Honors College, was selected as theUniversity of Kentucky 2020 StudentEmployee of the Year. Sophie, who has been a sustainability internwith UK Recycling for two years, was chosenfrom over 50 student employees across the

university. According to her supervisor,Sophie is the "hardest working and mostdedicated student worker" she has ever had.

Shared Leave Pool/DonationsShared Leave Pool/Donations The Staff Shared Leave Pool is a program for staff who have exhausted all leave due toillness or injury. All vacation leave that is used for the program, has been donated by staff.May and June are the primary donation months for campus. Donations do make a difference.Remember that subject to loss vacation expires (if unused) June 30. Regular staff areencouraged to review vacation balances and consider the Staff Shared Leave Pool. Click hereto donate.

CAFE ConversationsCAFE Conversations

CAFE Conversations bring the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment to our alumniand friends at home. These monthly chats hosted by the college’s alumni and philanthropyoffice are an opportunity to learn about our work during these changing times and have yourquestions answered. This online event is free and open to the public.

Join us Thursday in a discussion with Agricultural Economists Will Snell, Tim Woods, andKenny Burdine as they address the impacts of COVID-19 on the agricultural economyincluding policy, trade, marketing, and management.

Register for your spot now

Victory Garden CollaborationVictory Garden Collaboration

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture,Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service andNutrition Education Program are partneringon the Kentucky Victory Garden campaign.

During the COVID-19 crisis, there has beenan increased interest in both local foods andindividuals wanting to grow their own food.Many of these may be first time gardeners.

The Kentucky Victory Garden Toolkit willinclude a Grow for Victory poster, a gardencalendar for 2020, tips on home gardening,how to properly wash and prepare fruits andvegetables, and recipe cards.

Review garden resources

UK dietetic students, professors come up with innovative ways to makeUK dietetic students, professors come up with innovative ways to makeinternships work during COVID-19 pandemicinternships work during COVID-19 pandemic

Our students and professors are staying innovative in the wake of a pandemic. The Universityof Kentucky Department of Dietetics & Human Nutrition is ensuring their students get theinternship hours they need to graduate and become registered dietitians. Learn more abouttheir resiliency in meeting requirements here.

Kentucky Small Business Development Center receives $2.4 millionKentucky Small Business Development Center receives $2.4 millionCARES Act grantCARES Act grant

The Kentucky Small Business Development has been awarded a $2.4 million CARES Actfunding grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The funds will provide KSBDC withresources to furnish education, training and business advising to small businesses that haveexperienced COVID-19-related supply chain disruptions, staffing challenges, a decrease ingross receipts or customers, or a closure.

Get more information or set up a meeting

Cooperative Extension experts share tips to keep you healthy at home in a weeklynewsletter. Check out some of these great ideas. Read MoreRead More.

Spotlight

Lilian BrislenLilian BrislenExecutive Director, The Food ConnectionExecutive Director, The Food Connection

We asked Lilian to share a little about her passions,her career path and what led her to us.

Tell us about your background and what led you toTell us about your background and what led you toyour current role at UK?your current role at UK?

I moved to Kentucky in 2010 to start my graduatestudy. After graduating from Beloit College I did acouple years of service in Americorps, spent a half ayear working with a cooperative of Indigenouscommunities in Ecuador, and eventually worked inrural entrepreneurship in a very rural area of Oregon.When I started my community’s ‘buy local’organization, I knew I’d found my life’s work. I alsoknew that if I was going to be effective I needed toboth deepen and broaden my understanding of whatmade rural communities and specifically food systemstick, which is what brought me to Rural Sociology.

I never intended to stay in Higher Education, and always saw myself going back to work at acommunity-based organization or a government agency because I really love to be directlyinvolved in ‘the work’. Then, I discovered that I really love the process of asking andanswering real-world questions that applied research provides, and I stayed on to finish myPhD. When UK announced the opening of The Food Connection, I was in the process ofcompleting my dissertation on family farms and local food systems. The job description forthe executive director position read like they’d pulled it straight out of my dreams. Here I am,almost exactly five years after my first day on the job, and I am still grateful every day for theopportunity to do this work of growing Kentucky’s food economy.

What is your favorite thing about working in CAFE?What is your favorite thing about working in CAFE?

If I say “the people”, then hopefully that casts a big enough net: the students, the staff andfaculty, and the community we serve. I love that our College takes the land grant mission toheart, and we are all working to ensure a healthy, vibrant, and sustainable future forKentucky. I believe our strength lies in our diversity, and in our commitment to care for eachother and our community. I love how my students ask really thoughtful questions and pushthemselves to see the world from different perspectives. I am always inspired by the passionand talent my colleagues bring to our work, and our willingness to ask hard questions and trynew ideas. And our community? If I start talking about our Food Connection ‘family’, I mightget too choked up to continue. Our farmers, our chefs, our students, our First FridayBreakfast enthusiasts… they are what makes Kentucky the place I’m so proud to call home.

What is one thing about yourself that might surprise people?What is one thing about yourself that might surprise people?

I always tell my first-year students to stop worrying about declaring their major and focus onlearning how to learn. Then, I tell them my undergraduate degree was in Theatre Arts andtheir jaws hit the floor. I loved my liberal arts education, and the skills I learned in performingarts are an essential part of my professional tool kit. I also minored in Political Science and

had a LOT of off-campus and summer jobs including working on an organic farm and waitingtables, all of which got me to where I am today. If we’re being honest, my inner theatre kid isprobably not a surprise at all, but I like to share that story all the same.

Calendar of Events

June 15June 15See Blue U Orientations begin

June 20June 20First Day of Summer

ThursdaysThursdaysUK CSA Farm Stand; pre-order required

All monthAll monthNational Dairy Month

Helpful Links

GivingCollege Weekly for Faculty & StaffCollege Weekly for StudentsThe Ag MagazineThe AmbassadorContact Us

Read: The Ambassador