Grab your #2 pencil. Or wait – was it the #15 pen? Either way, I think I’ve forgotten how to write and I think I’ve forgotten what it really means to “pen a letter.” Grandma used to tell me to pay more attention in penmanship class, and I believe that’s almost gone the wayside as penmanship class has morphed into typing class.
What happened to the eloquent love letters, the sprawling beauty of a letter written with ink on a piece of paper? What happened to the days when the ink pen seemed to produce such words, such passion, such conviction. The text was thoughtful, melodically written … it was poetry. Each letter, each word, captured greatness and elegance. Simple written words closed the miles between lovers, ended wars, saved families.
I feel almost guilty as I “pen” this blog post on the computer. (Although, I know it’s much faster.)
Until we walk again …
The Kentucky-based animal health and nutrition company has announced the first ever 
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Russ is a board member of the ABEF and I visited with him at the recent Agri-Marketing Conference. He says he got involved because he was a student NAMA member and got hired right away into the job he still holds today. He sees the ABEF as a way to give something back for having such a rewarding career. He is a judge for the student NAMA marketing competition and that allows him an opportunity to see prospective new hires for not only his company but perhaps recommendations he can make to other agrimarketing professionals and clients.
The science scholarship students from Missouri colleges included: Jacob Cook, Southwest Baptist University; Jania Billups, Avila University; Rebecca Brehe, Central Methodist University; Gina Osburn, Culver Stockton College; A. J. Exner, Southwest Baptist University; Joshua Kling, Westminster College; Andrea Weed, William Woods University; Kristen Bailey, Central Methodist University; and Hannah Crain, Hannibal-LaGrange College. The professors who were able to attend were Dr. Bob Powell, Avila University; Dr. Perry Tompkins, Dean, Southwest Baptist University; Dr. Angela Bowzer, Westminster College and Dr. Katricia Pierson, William Woods University. 
Novus’ Senior Manager of Biology Research Jim Richards gave the students a glimpse into how Novus is using science to develop nutrition solutions to help feed a growing world population. “The thing that’s been been really interesting about being here is learning how I can apply my skills in cellular and molecular biology to very important problems in agriculture,” he said.
Research engineer Oriana Obiri-Ampomah told the students about growing up in Ghana and deciding to become a chemical engineer. “My vision has been to make a lasting impact on people’s lives and growing up in Africa, I know what it means for people to not necessarily have three square meals a day,” Oriana said. “So, to know that everyday the little work I do here will help change someone’s life is so important.”
The students learned about a non-traditional veterinarian job from Dr. Miguel Escobar, Global Director of Animal Utilization with the US Soybean Export Council, who appreciated the effort by Novus to expose science-minded college students to a variety of potential career paths. “I talked about what a veterinarian can do in his or her life,” he said. “It was a learning experience for me because it was the first time I thought about how I can help young people to go to the sciences in the future.”
The Novus “Science in Action” day also included a trip to the St. Louis Science Center, where the students heard from five staff members with a variety of different backgrounds in science and responsibilities at the center.