Join Highland Community College for the 29th annual Boyer Colloquium, “Changing Contours of Cultivation,” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 16 in room H-201 of the Student/Conference Center, 2998 W. Pearl City Rd., Freeport, Ill. This free presentation will also be offered via Zoom™.
Dr. Michael Woods, Executive Director of Illinois’ Soil & Water Conservation Districts, will explore the evolution of agricultural production in the United States. He will describe how American agriculture has changed over time, share what it looks like now, and speculate how it will continue to evolve as it constantly responds to political, economic and environmental forces.
Students in Highland’s growing Agriculture program and related sciences will have the opportunity to attend a closed presentation from Woods earlier in the day on campus or via Zoom™.
“I’m looking forward to bringing Dr. Woods to Highland to connect with our students and community,” said Agriculture Instructor Monica Pierce. “He has a diverse background and an ability to make lofty concepts come to life with personal examples and scenarios. I’m excited to hear his perspectives and reflections on the policies that have shaped and will continue to shape American agriculture, and to use his presentation to spark meaningful conversations with students in my classroom.”
Woods was appointed to his current post in January, having previously led the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Division of Natural Resources. Originally from Illinois, he is a community college alumnus with an associate’s degree in Agriculture from Black Hawk College in Moline. He went on to earn a bachelor’s in Agricultural Communications and a Master’s in Extension Education from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Education from Iowa State University.
The Boyer Colloquium, an annual event sponsored by the late Dr. M.E. Boyer, was created in 1994 to help students and communities understand the importance of the inter-relationships between ethics, economics and ecology. The Boyer Colloquium Committee believes that if communities comprehend issues, the history of previous decisions and the ramifications of prior actions, they will be better positioned to make informed decisions.
The evening colloquium is free and open to both Highland’s campus and the community. For more information about the Boyer Colloquium, visit highland.edu for the Zoom™ link or call 815-599-3493.