March 2026

Dear CAS Community, 

I am delighted to share this latest edition of our CAS Inclusive Excellence Newsletter, highlighting some of the many ways our community advances the university’s inclusive excellence mission to expand access, opportunity, and excellence. I encourage you to explore the stories and stay engaged with the many efforts and inclusive excellence initiatives happening across CAS.

Inclusive excellence is the foundation of everything we do in the College of Agricultural Sciences. We recognize that inclusive excellence can show up in a variety of ways given the rich diversity of activities in which we engage. This newsletter offers an opportunity to celebrate the people, stories, and initiatives that strengthen our college through their commitment to access, equity, belonging, and shared success for everyone.

In this edition, we celebrate faculty and staff who have received awards for their leadership and contributions, as well as students whose dedication continues to inspire those around them. We also highlight our recent first-generation campaign, which brought the college together to recognize and celebrate the experiences of first-gen faculty, staff, and students. In addition, this issue features upcoming events and a reflection from a faculty member on the important role food plays in culture, connection, and identity.

The College of Agricultural Sciences thrives because of you—our students, faculty, staff, stakeholders, community members, and friends. We want to hear your voice! We want celebrate your story! Please share ideas for future features—from full stories to brief highlights of work happening in your programs or communities. By sharing our experiences, we can continue to cultivate a connected college in which everyone feels a sense of identity and a sense of belonging.

Yours in community,

Nadia D. Singh
Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence and Faculty Affairs
College of Agricultural Sciences