UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Five projects designed to enhance student learning and hands-on learning have received grants from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences through its Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES) program.
The faculty leading the projects each received $5,000 through the institute’s Engaged Scholarship and Experiential Learning Seed Grant program.
Heather Preisendanz, director of the institute and professor of agricultural and biological engineering, said the grants help support the institute’s mission of integrating research, education, and partnerships and engagement, reinforcing its dedication to preparing the next generation of agricultural and environmental leaders. Now in its third year, this was the first grant program she developed and launched as SAFES director in 2024.
The 2026 funded projects are as follows:
— “A Waterfowl Management Conservation Project in McKean County, Pa.: A Penn State Abington Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience," Melissa Kreye, associate professor of forest resources management, and Michele Grinar, assistant teaching professor of environmental and sustainability sciences, Penn State Abington.
The project partners Penn State Abington students and faculty with Penn State Extension and local stakeholders to address a community concern in Smethport: excess Canada goose activity, which is affecting park use, water quality and public enjoyment. The project is designed to produce both student experiential learning and a visible conservation benefit for the community.
— From Landscape to Solution: An Engaged Learning Course in Watershed Assessment and Nature-Based Conservation," Patrick Drohan, professor of pedology.
Students will engage in a hands-on, community-partnered watershed project in Centre County, where they will assess runoff-prone areas, map hydrologically sensitive sites, and design nature-based solutions such as buffers, wetlands, permeable practices and other conservation measures.
— “Advancing Cross-Disciplinary Plant Science Education through Community-Based Greenspace Restoration," Hayden Bock, assistant professor of landscape sustainability, and Heather Karsten, associate professor of crop production/ecology.
The project will create a community-based urban greenspace restoration effort at Stan Yoder Preserve in Harris Township, bringing together 60 to 70 students to assess invasive plant pressure, grow and install native plants, and develop a practical restoration and stewardship plan in partnership with the township and local community members.
— “Student-led Orchard Diagnostics and Decision Support in Modern High-Density Tree-Fruit Systems," Shanthanu Krishna, assistant professor of tree fruit.
Students will lead orchard diagnostics projects at Ridgetop Orchards and Boyer Orchards in Bedford County. About 25 students will visit commercial high-density orchards, collect and analyze soil and leaf tissue samples from 16 sites, and translate the results into grower-facing nutrient and soil management resources.
— “Agora Pathfinders: A Research-to-Classroom Translation Studio for Sustainable Agrifood Systems,” Melanie Miller Foster, associate teaching professor of international agriculture; Daniel Foster, associate professor of agricultural and extension education; and Paul Esker, professor of epidemiology and field crop pathology.
The project supports Agora Pathfinders, a research-to-classroom translation studio that connects Penn State agricultural research with Pennsylvania school-based agricultural educators. Graduate and undergraduate students will co-design classroom-ready lessons and pilot them with teachers, including a school-site immersion at Bellefonte Area High School.
Impactful outcomes
Preisendanz also noted that projects funded last year have yielded visible and impactful outcomes, with workforce development for students, research outcomes for faculty, and valuable results to the partners and community. For example, Jennifer Koehl, assistant teaching professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences, led six veterinary and biomedical sciences students in public outreach events highlighting the connection between animal and human health.
Students educated rural residents about tickborne disease prevention, delivered preventive veterinary services, and collaborated across disciplines while developing skills in communication, community engagement and public health. Building on its success, Koehl said she is pursuing additional funding to expand experiential learning opportunities through collaborations, including the Pennsylvania One Health Consortium.
In another funded project, Kathleen Sexsmith, associate professor of rural sociology, engaged 14 students in the Community, Environment and Development and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies programs in analyzing interviews related to CARE’s Farmer Field and Business School women's empowerment program in Nepal, Uganda and Tanzania. CARE is a nonprofit organization that works to overcome poverty worldwide.
Sexsmith said students gained hands-on experience in qualitative research, data analysis and professional reporting while producing an evaluation report for CARE. The project also laid the groundwork for future engaged scholarship opportunities and a planned journal article.
Finally, John Kaminski, associate professor of turfgrass management and director of the Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program, guided 14 students in redesigning and renovating a 4,000-square-foot teeing area using sustainable practices at Toftrees Golf Resort in State College.
Students applied greenhouse research to a real-world industry project, resulting in a renovated teeing area and educational signage for the resort. Kaminski said the project created a replicable model for experiential learning that has already generated interest from additional golf facilities while strengthening Penn State’s relationships with industry partners.