Bridging the Divide is the name of this year’s theme for the 2021 Public Affairs Conference at Missouri State University. The conference’s overarching idea of Bridging the Divide plays close to home when relating to agriculture.
Four students within the Darr College of Agriculture are going to serve as panelists to dispel the food myths between consumers and producers in a live discussion titled, “Dispelling Food Myths in Agriculture”. Kathryn Horner from Currville, Mo, Matthew Huchteman from Dadeville, Mo, Kendra Betz from Trenton, Mo, and Jailyn Perales from Crane, Mo, will share their perspectives of being active students within the industry. Sharing topics such as advancing technologies and genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) are just a couple of the several ideas that will be spoken about. Huchteman will have an additional role as serving as a host for a session titled, “Science: Unite not Alienate”; while Betz will be a panel host for a virtual panel focused on “Bridging the Literacy Divide”.
Dr. Elizabeth Walker from Del Rio, Texas, is currently serving as the Provost Fellow of Public Affairs within the conference and as the advisor for the four panelists in preparation of the event. When asked about how the conference might impact others, Walker responded, “I hope that this year’s conference shows that while we all have different experiences in life, when we really see things holistically, we have more similarities than differences. We all face similar challenges from different directions, we are all interconnected in life and that connection should be embraced”.
This year’s conference will bring influence, prosperity, and hope for the future as this team of students have worked numerous hours for when it comes time to the impactful discussion of Bridging the Divide.
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