Why I’m Helping Chart Our Future

Rhonda Sutton

What do you love about CALS?

CALS is the college that contributes to the well-being of all humanity. Without us, people would be hungry, homeless and shirtless.  Everything we do has the potential to contribute to not only the survival of individuals but also to their ability to thrive and live a prosperous life.

What are you most excited about for the future of CALS?

We have dedicated faculty, staff and Extension employees who are continually looking to the future to improve the prosperity of North Carolinians and our greater society. The Plant Sciences Initiative, the Food Animal Initiative, the work in Kannapolis, the research on campus, the presence we have in all 101 county centers – these are just examples of endeavors that will continue to have a positive impact on our world and help solve the grand challenges we are facing. I have no doubt that CALS is and will continue to lead the way with issues such as solving food shortage problems, climate change challenges, animal health and the well-being of families and individuals.

Why is it important to you that your voice is heard to help chart the course for CALS over the next 10 years?

Everyone within our College has an important role, and their perspectives need to be valued in order to make our college function at its best. We all have something to contribute when it comes to CALS being successful, and it is imperative that each person realizes that their work supports and furthers the mission of our college and each other.

Adam Farenholz

What do you love about CALS?

The opportunity and support to create and grow.

What are you most excited about for the future of CALS?

A dedicated effort through the Food Animal Initiative to establish significant, national and international leadership in animal agriculture.

Why is it important to you that your voice is heard to help chart the course for CALS over the next 10 years?

Because faculty and staff in early- and mid-career roles have the greatest vested interest in innovation and future success of the College.

José Cisneros

What do you love about CALS?

That CALS is the best agriculture college in the US. I found that CALS, as the spearhead of the university land grant mission, has managed to keep the right balance between the components: academics, research, and extension, all three of them are strong. This right balance allows being more responsive to collaboration, partnership, and the need of our stakeholders.

What are you most excited about for the future of CALS?

What excites me most is that it is CALS time. All the ingredients are coming together to launch CALS to its real potential, be an international powerhouse in agriculture, food, and the life sciences. I can see CALS as the place where students from around the world want to come for their degree, the place where international scientists want to spend their sabbatical, and the place where Extension becomes Global Extension.

Why is it important to you that your voice is heard to help chart the course for CALS over the next 10 years?

I don’t think my voice, in particular, is important but it adds to other voices and that is when all of them together with different backgrounds and experiences add to really mold a unique future for CALS.

Amy Grunden

What do you love about CALS?

I really appreciate that CALS faculty, staff, and students work tirelessly to make CALS’ vision of creating social and economic prosperity and improving health and well-being through agriculture and life science discovery, training and engagement a reality.

I also appreciate that CALS has taken leadership in tackling some of the biggest challenges of our times- ensuring food security in an environmentally responsible manner- and is doing so through innovative research, training and extension efforts.

What are you most excited about for the future of CALS?

We are living in challenging times where we must quickly innovate through the contributions of many different disciplines to increase local and global access to nutritious and safe food and do so in a sustainable way. I believe CALS is poised to provide impactful leadership in the coming years through interdisciplinary discovery, innovation, training and workforce development to provide real solutions to our food security challenges.

Why is it important to you that your voice is heard to help chart the course for CALS over the next 10 years?

Having a diversity of thought is critical to shaping CALS’ vision for the coming years so that we can be responsive to the ever growing and changing needs of our students, community members, and stakeholders. The only way we can be truly confident that we have arrived at a vision that reflects who we are as a college is by actively seeking and valuing input from a diverse community of our faculty,  staff, students, and stakeholders.

Alex Graves

What do you love about CALS?

We are intentional in our efforts to inspire, provide a comfortable and supportive atmosphere where people of all identities can flourish.

What are you most excited about for the future of CALS?

CALS will continue to build up all members of the community from the inside out, and foster an environment that is more attractive for prospective students, faculty, and staff.

Why is it important to you that your voice is heard to help chart the course for CALS over the next 10 years?

I would like to use my voice to assist in charting the following next 10 years of a culture where people are excited and actively involved in all aspects of CALS teaching, research, and extension because they have the confidence that CALS is a safe place to be themselves, a place to bring their whole self and produce their best work.

We want to hear from you.

Don’t forget to take 10 minutes to complete the CALS Compass 2030 strategic planning survey, and then share with us why you are helping shape the future course for CALS.