FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Club recently won second place for its poster presentation, “Advocating for Environmental and Agricultural Stewardship Through Educational Awareness,” at the 2014 International Annual Meeting of the American Society of Agronomy/Crop Science Society of America/Soil Science Society of America in Long Beach, California. Since 2002, the club has had six second-place poster wins and five first-place wins at these international annual meetings.

Club members traveling to the meeting included Paige Boyle, Christian Bloodworth, Cory Johnson, Jason Burgess-Conforti, Julia Allen, Kamela Mitchell, Kaylee Rice, Johan Desrochers and Tyler Ensor. As part of the Students of Agronomy, Soils and Environmental Sciences program, CSES Club members participated in the poster contest, which showcases undergraduate work in club activities and gives clubs recognition for promoting agronomy, crop, soil, and environmental sciences on their college campus or local community.

The club poster featured three events that promoted educational outreach: the Springdale Environmental Fair at Springdale High School, the Happy Hollow Harvest Moon Festival at Happy Hollow Elementary School in Fayetteville, and the Arkansas Farm to You Program at Washington Elementary School in Fayetteville. Club members taught students about the importance of soil conservation, crops produced in Arkansas, food waste composting, the food production cycle and the importance of health and nutrition.

“Attending the annual ASA/CSSA/SSSA meeting has been a wonderful opportunity for me as an undergraduate,” said Julia Allen, a member and officer of the Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Club. “Each year, the CSES Club decides on a project and creates a research or educational poster and competes in the club poster competition. This has been an excellent way for me to become involved in our departmental club, learn how to create a research/educational poster, and get to attend national professional meetings.”

Three honors students also presented undergraduate research in the undergraduate research symposium contests. Jill Thomason (Animal Science) and Paige Boyle (Environmental, Soil, and Water Science) presented in the undergraduate research symposium oral contest. Julia Allen (Environmental, Soil, and Water Science) received second place in undergraduate research symposium poster contest.

Continuing support from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences, fundraisers, sponsors, and Honors College scholarships makes it possible for undergraduates to attend these meetings. The Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Club is the official Students of Agronomy, Soils, and Environmental Sciences chapter affiliate of the ASA/CSSA/SSSA at the U of A. The club is composed of undergraduate student members from across a variety of majors on campus, with the majority of members being Crop Science or Environmental, Soil, and Water Science students in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.