WSU’s Khosla Marks 100 Days With CAHNRS

Washington State University’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences marked a milestone last week.  Raj Khosla, the Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean notes during his first 100 working days, he’s made more than 50 visits statewide and nationally, meeting with legislators, research partners, and industry leaders.

"These included visits to Olympia and Washington, D.C.; the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia; and tours of WSU Research and Extension Centers in Puyallup and Prosser. I also visited current and future WSU research farms at Othello and Chewelah; participated in the state's "Big 5" Ag Summit; and met with key industry partners including the Tree Fruit Endowment Advisory Committee, Washington Grain Commission, Washington Association of Wheat Growers, Washington State Wine Commission, and many others," Khosla said.  "Each interaction underscored the strength, relevance, and reach of CAHNRS across Washington and beyond.

The dean added this academic year, CAHNRS [Conners] welcomed 324 new students.  The college now serves about 2,100 undergraduates and 375 graduate students, with nearly half from western Washington, 37% first-generation college students, and 20% from out of state or out of the U.S.

"These students reflect the diversity, talent, and potential that define our college," Khosla said.  "A great reminder of the strengths of our system is WSU's recent recognition as the number one university in the nation for happiest students, based on real student ratings from the Princeton Review. Additionally, the School of Economic Sciences earned national distinction as one of the most popular online economics programs in the nation.

"Retaining and supporting our students remains a central priority for CAHNRS," the dean continued.  "This spring, we are revitalizing our Student Outreach and Retention (SOAR) program to provide deeper, more meaningful and professional mentorship for students. At the same time, we are developing a new student-centered advising model – one grounded in a culture of care and designed to lower students-to-advisors ratios. These efforts reflect our commitment not only to recruiting outstanding students, but to ensuring their success from the day they arrive to the day they graduate."

Khosla added CAHNRS added 15 faculty and 18 staff members, allowing the school to secure major research investments, including an $18 million plant growth facility in Wenatchee, as well as launching a new $19 million Center for Health, Environment, Food and Farming. 

"To showcase the creativity and impact of our community, and to spark cross-disciplinary conversations and collaborations, we also hosted the inaugural Apple Cup Harvest Market and the first-ever All-CAHNRS Meeting and Reception. These events highlight the breadth of our work and the shared purpose that unites our college," Khosla said.

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