Four years after publishing the groundbreaking study, Food Deserts in Virginia, VSU continues to identify ways to raise awareness of the commonwealth’s food security issues and to provide fresh, affordable food to all residents. The university has partnered with Sabra Dipping Company to develop the Summerseat Urban Garden Project, an initiative that will transform a historic 2.2-acre parcel on the VSU campus into a…

4-H at VSU has been reinvigorated thanks to the addition of two new hires. Maurice Smith Jr. ’09, Ph.D., joined in January as Extension specialist in Youth Development, Citizenship & Leadership Development, and Chantel Wilson, Ph.D., joined in August as Extension specialist/STEAM educator. This article, the first of a two-part series on 4-H, will focus on Smith’s efforts…

In August, VSU welcomed Chantel Wilson, Ph.D., who joined Cooperative Extension as the Extension specialist/STEAM educator. STEAM in this instance stands for science, technology, engineering, agriculture and math. “Programs such as 4-H can have a tremendously positive influence on the lives of young people,” Wilson said. In high school Wilson belonged to Future Farmers of America (FFA), an organization she enjoyed…

Consumers who are more conscious of eating healthy want fresh, delicious tasting produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables are largely produced far from the cities and populated areas. They are very perishable and decompose in a few days and cannot withstand the long-distance transportation. To counteract these problems, researchers are continually looking for methods to extend the shelf life of fresh produce…