State & County COVID-19 Cases & Planning Report

State & County COVID-19 Cases & Planning Report

The COVID-19 infographic for the state of Oklahoma and its counties incorporates data from the American Community Survey, Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering, Infogroup, Definitive Healthcare, and Esri. Hovering the cursor or clicking on various numbers and graphics yields additional information regarding minimums, maximums, averages, and per county statistics in some cases. Data regarding the hospital occupancy statistics (ICU bed counts, staffed beds, and licensed beds) was last updated March 30, 2020. Potential bed capacity (found by clicking the number of licensed beds) aids in scenario planning in terms of shifting staff to accommodate more beds if needed.

Contact Information: Chellie Hogan

New Building for the Ferguson College of Agriculture
The OSU Department of Agricultural Economics will soon have a new home. Construction is scheduled to begin on a new building for the Ferguson College of Agriculture (formerly the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources) in the spring of 2021.

The announcement was made at a January event, where the New Frontiers capital fundraising campaign was launched. Architectural planning and programming have already begun on the new facility, which will be located north of the Henry Bellmon Research Center on the east side of Monroe Street, diagonally across from the current Agricultural Hall. The existing building has served the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources since the late 1950s.

The new facility will include innovative and flexible teaching and research laboratories, dynamic classrooms, faculty offices, robust student service programs, and a variety of strategically planned spaces to encourage collaboration, development of new OSU Extension programming, and a sense of community. The state’s 4-H headquarters also will be located in the building, plus a re-envisioned Dairy Bar. The expected completion date is the fall of 2023.

New extension faculty member joins Ag Econ department
Dr. Courtney Bir joined the agricultural economics department in January as an assistant professor with a joint extension research appointment. She specializes in farm management and ag finance. She received a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Oklahoma State University in 2011 and an agribusiness degree in 2013. She received her master’s degree in agricultural economics in 2015. Last year, she completed her Ph.D. in agricultural economics at Purdue University.

Dr. Bir has been working on determining if consumer preferences for agricultural products and traditional production economics can be profitably incorporated or adopted by producers. She looks forward to expanding her work to meet the needs of Oklahoma producers.

She expressed joy in coming back to OSU and says, “My husband, also an OSU alum, and I are happy to be back and cheering on the Pokes!”

2019-2020 Seniors of Significance include five Ag Econ students
The following ag econ students were chosen as Seniors of Significance fpr 2019-2020 by the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association: Mckenzie Carvalho, agribusiness and agricultural communications, Maxwell, California; Chesley Comstock, agribusiness and agricultural communications, Woodward, Oklahoma; Jacob Sestak, agricultural economics, Prague, Oklahoma; Tori Trimble, agribusiness, Jenks, Oklahoma; and Allison Wilton, agribusiness, Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

The Seniors of Significance Award recognizes students who have excelled in scholarship, leadership, and service to campus and community and have brought distinction to OSU. These students represent the top one percent of their graduating class.

Five Agricultural Economics students chosen as Top 10 Freshmen Men and Top 10 Freshmen Women.
The following ag econ students were chosen as Top 10 Freshmen Men and Top 10 Freshmen Women for 2018-2019 by the OSU Achafoa Chapter of Mortar Board: Jaci Deitrick, agribusiness, Newcastle, OK;; Amarie Griffith, Cushing, OK; Alexis Molina, agribusiness, Johnson, KS; Leslie Smith, agribusiness, Mutual, OK; and Lora Wright, Agribusiness, Verona, MO.

In addition, Logan Carter, agribusiness, Talala, OK; and Caleb Hutson, agribusiness, Cache, OK, were chosen as Top 20 Freshmen Men.

Selections are based on excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service.

Agricultural Economics students participate in OSU Homecoming celebration
Several ag econ students participated in the 2919 OSU Homecoming celebration and planning process. Morgan Thomas, agricultural economics major from Tulsa, OK, was selected as a member of the Homecoming Royalty Court. The following students served on the Homecoming Executive Committee, in charge of various planning functions: Zach Guy, agribusiness, Meeker, OK, for University Spirit; Kade Killough, agribusiness, Stillwater, OK, for Athletic Pride; Ryli Powell, agricultural economics, Meno, OK, for Campus Life; Clarissa Ratzlaff, agribusiness, Scott City, KS; for Harvest Carnival; and Tori Trimble, agribusiness, Jenks, OK, for Public Outreach.