Administrator Samantha Power traveled to Lorman, Mississippi to participate in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony between USAID and Alcorn State University, the first Black land-grant institution established in the United States, back in 1871. The MOU outlines the shared commitment between the two institutions to partner in undertaking critical research on sustainable agriculture, climate change, and science and technology. This partnership will also contribute to USAID’s efforts to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce by creating opportunities and pathways for Alcorn State students to get involved with the Agency’s work and pursue careers in international development.
Administrator Power began the day by joining Alcorn State President, Dr. Felecia M. Nave, for the MOU signing ceremony where they addressed an audience of students, faculty, and researchers. The Administrator celebrated Alcorn’s proud history of graduating students who went on to make meaningful change in the world as well as its cutting edge research on sustainable farming practices, which university researchers have harnessed to help communities in the developing world. She also reiterated USAID’s commitment to recruiting new diverse voices to the international development community from Minority Serving Institutions like Alcorn State.
Next, the Administrator took a campus tour where she visited the Oakland Memorial Chapel, a national historic landmark and the oldest building on Alcorn’s campus, and the memorial statue of civil rights leader and Alcorn alumnus Medgar Evers.
Administrator Power concluded her time on campus by visiting Alcorn State’s Mississippi River Research Center. Students and faculty spoke about the Center’s expertise and cutting-edge research capabilities in sustainable agriculture and watershed management. Alcorn State students shared their ongoing research with the Administrator and provided demonstrations of their work including examples of how they measure nutrients in soil and gauge contamination of groundwater.
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