Caley White
Caley White spent the summer of 2003 as a congressional intern in Washington, D.C. working in the office of Representative Max Burns. Her duties included attending agricultural committee hearings, writing memos for Representative Burns for those hearings, and general office duties.
Aside from work, Caley made the most of her time in Washington to see the sights. Her favorite place in Washington is Arlington Cemetery. The Arlington House, Robert E. Lee's homeplace, sits on a hill with a view of the whole city. Caley affirms that the view is "beautiful." During the summer, she made a lot of new friends, especially the people at her workplace. On one occasion, she met Vice President Dick Cheney.
The summer in the nation's capitol changed Caley's life. In a sense, she "grew up." Caley now knows that she can live in a big city and find her way around. She also discovered that she can be an asset to an employer. Before leaving for Washington, Caley was concerned that she wouldn't do a good job or be able to meet the demands. But she did a good job and met the demands! Although the work was challenging, Caley feels that she was a positive addition to the office for the short time she was there. Her experience was so positive that Caley's career goals now include returning to Washington and working for a representative. Concerning her time as an intern, Caley states, "I would encourage everybody to apply for this internship. I learned so much and had so much fun."
Caley, an Athens native, expects to graduate from UGA with an Agricultural Economics degree in May 2004. She has been a student in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics for one and a half years and is vice president of the Agricultural and Environmental Economics Club. On Wednesday nights, Caley teaches three-year-olds at the Prince Avenue Baptist Church. In her leisure time, she likes to read and shop.
Brandon Henry
The summer of 2003 was a milestone in the life of Brandon Henry, a fourth year student with an Agribusiness major. For twelve weeks, he was given the opportunity to intern at the European Office of the Georgia Department of Agriculture in Brussels, Belgium. Growing up on a farm in Chatsworth, Georgia, Brandon never dreamed he would spend the summer after his 21st birthday in Europe, of all places. It was quite a "shock" to leave the comfort of his family and friends in his hometown and at UGA and find himself in the middle of a city where he didn't speak the language, knew no one, and had no idea where to find "anything." But through his experience of living in Europe for a summer, Brandon learned a lot about himself, made many new friends from various backgrounds, and gained new perspectives on how he views the world. The work he accomplished and all of his experiences in Europe have enriched his life.
The main focus of the work at the European office is to promote Georgia's agricultural products to all of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Throughout the summer, Brandon's work concentrated on researching how the grocery market across Europe functions and how Georgia products could penetrate this market, the European Union's (E.U.) ending its moratorium on genetically modified crops, the enlargement of the E.U. from 15 to 25 countries, and the recently drafted E.U. Constitution.
"All work and no play would make Brandon a dull boy;" but Brandon is not a dull boy! He made the most of his opportunity to see Europe. He stood under the Eiffel Tower and climbed the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, walked under the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, visited the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, mountain biked through Germany's Black Forest, rode the Eurostar under the English Channel, walked London Bridge, swam at Belgium's beaches, white water rafted in the Swiss Alps, and experienced Amsterdam after dark.Shortly before leaving Europe, Brandon wrote, "The experiences I gained here are going to last me for the rest of my life. After living in Brussels this long, I've found that life in a European city can be tolerable to someone from my background. But, you know what? I'm ready to get back. I've found out that right back in Georgia is where I belong; no place else I've ever been even compares to it. I really appreciate the opportunity that the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the Georgia Department of Agriculture have given me, but I just can't wait till I'm able to stand in my front yard and see Fort Mountain, look off my back porch and watch my cattle graze, and be able to sit down and eat Mama's fried cube steaks, biscuits, and gravy with my family."
This was not Brandon's first excursion out of the country. In the summer of 2002, he participated in a study abroad program in Xalapa, Mexico. He has been on the Dean's List, a Presidential Scholar, and is a member of Alpha Zeta. He is also a member of Alpha Gamma Rho and the UGA Cattlemen's Association and the 2003 president of the Agricultural and Environmental Economics Club. He enjoys watching UGA football, working with cattle and being outdoors. After graduation, Brandon plans to attend graduate school and work in the poultry industry.
Ross Yasin
Ross Yasin is a fourth year student with a double major in Agribusiness and Finance. He has been a student in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics for two years and is a recipient of the Dudley Hughes Scholarship. Ross has served as treasurer of FFA, vice president and president of the UGA Campus Civitan Club, Block & Bridle - Sgt. at Arms, and vice president and current president of the Agricultural Economics Club. Also, Ross served on the 2002 - 2003 UGA Meats Judging Team. The team practiced three days a week to prepare for the contests - Houston Livestock & Rodeo Meats Judging Contest and the Southeastern Contest held in Cincinnati, Ohio and Lexington, Kentucky. At the Southeastern Contest, UGA placed second and Ross finished as the sixth highest individual overall.
Not only is Ross active on campus, he is actively involved in the community. He worked with Georgia Special Olympics at their 2003 horse show and on beautification projects, including river clean up at Sandy Creek Park in Athens. Also, he helped raise money and participated in Relay for Life and set up a tutoring program with the UGA Campus Civitan Club and local Athens elementary schools.
With double majors in Agribusiness and Finance, Ross hopes to work in the financial department of a large agricultural-based corporation. He enjoys spending leisure with family and friends and going back to visit his hometown of Perry, Georgia. He also likes traveling, all sports, listening to music, and going to concerts.
William Donald Shurley, Jr
Don Shurley is a professor/economist at the University of Georgia, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics in Tifton, Georgia. His education and research duties encompass all areas of economics dealing with cotton, including price outlook, marketing decision-making and price risk management, production economics, and policy analysis. He conducts multi-disciplinary research to improve cotton yield, quality, and profitability. Don works closely with professionals in the cotton industry, including producers, ginners, and merchants, and he provides education and research analysis for commodity organizations and legislative decision-makers. He has authored numerous publications and conducts vital educational meetings. He also served as the College of Agricultural and Environmental Science’s leader and coordinator for the 2002 Farm Bill educational program efforts.
Before working at the University of Georgia, Don was an assistant professor and associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky. Don received his B.S. in Economics from Georgia Southern in 1975, his M.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Georgia in 1977, and his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University in 1980. He has been nominated by the department for the 2003 D.W. Brooks Award for Excellence in Extension. He was an invited presenter of “Cotton Outlook” at the annual meetings of the American Agricultural Economics Association in 1999 and 2002 and was vice chair in 2002-2003 and chair in 2004 of the Economics and Marketing Conference, Beltwide Cotton Conference.
Regarding his involvement with the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Georgia, Don states, “I have been associated with the department and its faculty, either as a student or professionally for over 25 years. I have seen the good times and the not-so-good times for the department and the Land Grant System in general. I remember when Fred White, Wes Musser, and Joe Broder first came to UGA as new faculty hires. Steve Brannen was Department Head and Wen Williams was my major professor. John McKissick, George Shumaker, Rod Zeimer, Charlie Curtis (Clemson), Jerry Crews (Auburn) and I were all “bullpen” mates. I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to move back to my home state almost 13 years ago now. It is a privilege and honor to work for the department and UGA and to go to work every day with the objective of trying to help Georgia farmers.”
Don and his wife, the former Joy Battle of Macon, have two sons, Justin, twenty-three years old, and Matt, seventeen years old. Justin played college baseball at Middle Georgia College and North Georgia College and is now pursuing a Masters degree in Physical Therapy at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. Matt is also a baseball player and will be a senior at Tift County High School in fall 2003. Don is a member of the First Baptist Church, president of the Tift County High School Blue Devil Dugout Club, vice president of the Tift County Recreation Department Athletic Advisory Board, and is a CHSA certified baseball umpire. In his leisure time, Don enjoys attending baseball games and watching his youngest son play, umpiring baseball games, deer and bird hunting with his sons, working in the yard, and family trips to the beach.
Nathan Smith
Nathan Smith was recently presented two awards. As a member of the 2002 National Extension Farm Bill Train-the-Trainer Program, he received the 2003 Administrator's Award from the Farm Service Agency. In addition, Nathan was presented the Outstanding Public Issues Education Program Award from the Farm Foundation and the National Public Policy Education Committee.
An Assistant Professor and Extension Economist in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Nathan joined the university in 2000 and is located at the Rural Development Center on the Tifton Campus. The focus of his work is centered on the economics of production, marketing and policy related to peanuts. Nathan has been heavily involved in policy education since the beginning of the Farm Bill debate, following the debate over the peanut program, examining potential impacts and keeping county agents and producers up-to-date through newsletters and meetings. He was an integral part of the Extension Agricultural Economics Farm Bill Education effort that includes a website, spreadsheet decision aid, and 57 meetings with over 3,300 Georgians in attendance (producers, landlords, lenders and industry professionals). Nathan has been an invited speaker regionally and nationally on the implications of the new peanut program and is also a lead member of a Southern Region Extension Committee to develop and conduct a peanut marketing education program in response to the changes in the 2002 Farm Bill.
Nathan received a B.S. in Agricultural Industries from Clemson University in 1989, an M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Auburn University in 1992, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Kentucky in 2000.
Before joining UGA, Nathan worked for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service for three years as Extension Marketing Specialist. He received the Specialist Performance Award and Team Award in 1998 from the Arkansas Association of Cooperative Extension Specialists.
Nathan likes to spend leisure time with his wife Kimberly and their two sons, seven-year-old Douglas and five-year-old Daniel. He is soccer coach and teaches 3rd and 4th grade Sunday School at North Baptist Church. Nathan was raised in Easley, South Carolina and enjoys visiting family in South Carolina, Alabama and Kentucky. He also enjoys softball, golf, hunting, and fishing.
