USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Director Dr. Jaye Hamby has announced that Dr. Paul Coreil, retired chancellor for the Louisiana State University of Alexandria, will deliver the 2026 Seaman Knapp Memorial Lecture Sunday, Nov. 15 at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) annual meeting in San Antonio, TX.
The lecture is one of three rotating lectures presented by NIFA and APLU that honor three historic Land-grant University figures: William Henry Hatch, Seaman A. Knapp and Justin Smith Morrill.
Nominated by Adam Knapp, Knapp’s great-great grandson, Dr. Coreil is recognized and respected as a leader in Extension and higher education. This honor recognizes his outstanding career and his continuing vision for Extension’s future to serve the people, improve agriculture and enhance the lives and livelihoods of America’s farmers.
Coreil’s 43-year career in the Louisiana State University (LSU) system is marked by sustained leadership, collaboration and service to Louisiana’s communities. His work across LSU AgCenter, Louisiana 4-H and LSU Alexandria, strengthened education, youth development and natural resource stewardship statewide.
"Taking it to the Street” 2026: Showcasing Extension
Action Toward Resilient Communities and Lands
Join Extension colleagues nationwide for a virtual convening
to showcase the accomplishments of four national working groups focused on
Resilient Communities and Lands. Explore new Extension tools and resources,
share ideas with colleagues across the country, and help identify national gaps
and priorities that will shape the next phase of this work.
Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Time: 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. CT (1-4 ET, 11-2 MT, 10-1 PT)
Location: Zoom
Format: Interactive Virtual Convening
Register here: https://extension.zoom.us/meet...8ql4ONSG-d7QRzfjP8zw
This convening is for: Anyone interested in what
Cooperative Extension is doing to engage administrators, policymakers, and
other decision-makers on a broad range of resilience issues. Anyone who would
like to contribute their programs or ideas for supporting resilient communities
and lands.
What you’ll gain:
- Fresh
tools to use with your programs and communities
- Inspiration
from colleagues in many Extension disciplines
- Opportunities
to connect, co-create, and build momentum for the next steps
Can’t come for the whole time? That’s OK! Here are two parts
from which you can choose:
- Part
1 (12-12:50 p.m. CT): If you are unfamiliar with this work and simply
want an overview, we suggest you come for the first hour. If you’re
interested in digging deeper, we encourage you to stay for Part 2.
- Part
2 (1-3 p.m. CT): We invite you to stay for the second half if you are
interested in digging deeper. We will explore the collaborations, next
steps, and national gaps.
Board on Health and Human Sciences (BHHS) Award
Nominations Open
Nominations for the Board on Health and Human Sciences
(BHHS) Awards are now open and will continue to be accepted until October 1,
2026. Recipients of these prestigious national awards will be recognized at a
special luncheon at the BHHS Spring Meeting hosted by Florida State University
in March 2027.
See additional information on the awards and instructions for submitting a packet.
Growing Together: Conversations with CEOs
APLU’s Board of Agriculture’s interview series “Growing
Together: Conversations with CEOs” showcases Presidents and CEOs of
national agricultural associations, commodity groups, and other organizations
and explores their powerful synergies with land-grant universities.
Terry Baker, Chief Executive Officer, Society of American
Foresters
Terry Baker is the CEO of the Society of American Foresters
(SAF). He oversees all of SAF’s programs and collaborates with his Board of
Directors to establish a strategic vision committed to the scientific
sustainable management of America’s forests. Prior to his selection as SAF
CEO in September 2018, Baker served in various roles within the USDA Forest
Service. His almost 20-year federal career started in his home state of Florida
on the Apalachicola National Forest.
"The Society of American Foresters (SAF) accredits
forestry, urban forestry, and natural resource programs. This relationship
represents our four-way handshake with land-grant universities: Universities,
students and their families, employers, and SAF. This handshake represents our
commitment to each other, ensuring that students build the necessary skills
during their studies to meet the ever-changing needs of our forests and
communities." - Terry Baker
