Kendall Strickland, a senior agribusiness major at FAMU
recently placed second on a research project presented at the 30th Annual
Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) Career
Fair and Training Conference held in Houston.
Strickland received national recognition in the poster
category of the competition for a project titled “The Economic Value of Palm
Trees in Hotel Landscaping.”
The primary focus of the research is to determine the value
of palm trees at hotels in areas such as Aruba. Since visitors travel to places
like Aruba for its tropical environment, Strickland’s study addresses whether a
low amount of palm trees could ultimately mean fewer visitors for hotels.
Inspired by his service as president of the FAMU student chapter of MANRRS, Strickland said receiving the award was rewarding for him. He also received recognition for the project during a recent College of Agriculture and Food Sciences (CAFS) Research Forum at FAMU that featured national leaders in agriculture.
“It’s really an honor,” said Strickland. “It’s given me more
confidence in my work as an agribusiness student. I was able to work hard on my
research because my heart is in agriculture.”
In addition to his role as a student leader, Strickland is
also a full scholarship recipient of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 1890
National Scholars Program. Strickland will complete a two and a half year
employment stint at the Department upon graduation.
Commenting on Strickland’s accomplishments, FAMU President
Elmira Mangum said, “Kendall’s recognition helps to amplify the quality of our
students at FAMU and the type of groundbreaking research that is happening
every day at the University.”
CAFS Dean Robert Taylor echoed Mangum’s sentiments.
“Kendall is one of our best students. We are very proud of
him,” he said.
MANRRS is a non-profit organization that promotes
agricultural sciences and related fields among minorities.