PhD Student in Agricultural leadership and Community Education
African-American Agriculturalist
Virginia Tech
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Resume/ CV
Education
2020 -
Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, VA
Philosophical Degree of Agricultural Leadership and Community Education
Expected Completion Date- May 2025
2016-2018
Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, VA
Master's Degree of Agricultural Leadership and Community Education
Thesis Title: “Reframing AgriCULTURAL Experiences, Narratives, and Careers for African American Youth: A Study of Community-based Programs Leaders’ Motivations and Educational Space”
Committee: Dr. Hannah Scherer (Advisor), Dr. Kim Niewolny, Dr. Ellington Graves
2012-2016
Virginia State University | Petersburg, VA
Bachelor's Degree of Agriculture
(Business and Economics)
2015-2016
University of Ghana |
Study Abroad (Fall Semester)
Work
Experience
2020 - Present
International Agriculture Fellowship Program |
Volunteer and Fellow
4H Ghana Volunteer
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Host and organize 4H leadership camp and conference
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Begin a school garden
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Plan and budget for garden projects
Teacher
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Incorporate experiential learning activities in school lessons
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Plan lessons
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Perform agricultural lessons in the garden
Extension Agent
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Connect farmers to local extension agents
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Collect photos of farmer’s concerns to the governmental entity of agriculture
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Disseminate innovative agricultural practices to farmers through workshop series
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Attend farming trainings
2018 - 2020
United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development
Loan Specialist
Application Processing
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Execute assigned home loans to closing
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Process and input completed application into Unifi database and determine loan eligibility and amount
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Coordinate orientations to prepare for loan approval
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Analyze income/debt and calculate taxes, insurances, estimate closing fees to send out estimate closing costs to potential borrowers
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Project estimate loan amounts with pay assistance calculations and 4A worksheet
Loan Processing
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Close scatter site/ existing home loan to low-income family
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Order appraisals and credit reports
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Perform Do Not Pay, X-Reference,
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Legalize files and obtain loan approval signatures from loan approval officer.
Customer Service
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Notify inquiries of online resources, additional program, and current builders within the surrounding areas
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Reference regulations and supply handbook letters and information to customers to ensure best customer service
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Afford inquiries with informational packets and an outline of the program eligibility requirements
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Supply additional services for assistance as leverage to potential borrowers along with providing resources of legal services to assist borrowers with titles transfers and other services
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Take inquiries for 504 Repair Program as and assigned housing program in my current duty station and outside my duty station such as the Guaranteed Housing Program.
Outreach
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Present information of scholarships, internships, and RD loan programs at career fairs to high school students and high school faculty and staff.
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Handout program booklets to potential borrowers for all USDA- RD programs to stakeholders, businesses and organizations at career events, women conferences, etc.
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Attend developers’ meetings to handout RD material
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Hosted a community engagement meeting in Bakersfield for LA a county community group because the distance was closer for the community
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Invited all USDA Service Center employees to apply information for general USDA program and provide local contacts and office to serve their community
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Attended Women’s Professional Business Conference and workshops
2017 - 2018
Graduate Research Assistant
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Sustainability Scholar Program 2020-2021 graduate researcher
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Conducted interviews and data analysis
Skills
& Expertise
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Microsoft word programs
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Netway (evaluation tool-logic model)
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Mapping tools (systems thinking approaches)
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Data Analysis (SPSS and Atlas Ti)
Fellowships, Honors, and Awards
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Virginia Tech Graduate School’s Outstanding Master’s Student of 2018
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George Washington Carver Assistantship Recipient
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Golden Key International Honour Society
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2013 White House Initiative HBCU All-Star
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Thurgood Marshall College Fund
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Leadership Institute Alumni 2014 2015)
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2015 Gilman International Scholarship Recipient