Prairie View, TX – June 16, 2024, The Agricultural Career Exploration Conference, proudly sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS (Michigan) and in partnership with Royalty One, Inc., concluded on June 15, 2024, after an enriching and educational week at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU). This initiative, directed by Richard W. Griffin, Ph.D., welcomed 45 youth trainees exploring futures in agriculture and related fields.
Held from June 9-15, 2024, in the Agriculture and Business Multipurpose Building, the conference offered a dynamic array of activities designed to immerse participants in the agricultural sector. Highlights included in-depth explorations of Soil, Water, Air, Plants, Animals, Humans, and Energy (SWAPA+HE), integrated with STEAM+A principles—Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Mathematics, and Art. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) selected from PVAMU faculty and staff included: Peter Ampim, Ph.D., Milton Daley, Ph.D., Noel Estwick, Ph.D., Neguesse Kidane, Ph.D., Donald Stoddart, Ph.D., and Ms. Kelley Redmon. Also, Ms. Kelley Redmon, Mr. Hayward St. Claire, and Mr. Orlando Garcia provided insights on college preparation steps for admission, success, and engagement.
In addition to in-depth educational sessions, the participants enjoyed multiple excursions to the expansive PVAMU Farm (Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Farm & Ranch), which spans
ACEC student participants exploring the agricultural metaverse in the computer lab.
over 750 acres. These visits offered real-world insights into the practical applications of their studies and the realities of agricultural production.
ARC Communications, LLC, led by Florita Bell Griffin, Ph.D. and based in Cypress, Texas, developed and provided a custom-built agricultural metaverse and facilitated daily sessions within this digital space, which greatly enhanced the educational experie
nce. This virtual platform showcased over 55 AI-generated agriculture artworks, agriculture videos, 44 agriculture and rodeo metaverse mini-lectures, and over 200 quiz questions, offering extensive interactive content that immensely captivated the student’s digital engagement. Student engagement was so profound that many were reluctant to leave the training sessions even for meals, and some were even found exploring and working within the metaverse in the evening hours.
This collaborative effort is envisioned as a viable path to foster and engender agriculture and related concepts to rural, suburban, and urban youth with the aim of promoting careers in a growth industry that provides life-sustaining products (food, feed, fiber, fuel) for our global society.
Richard W. Griffin, Ph.D.
Professor and Research Scientist
rwgriffin@pvamu.edu