George Washington Carver

"One of the things that has helped me as much as any other, is not how long I am going to live but how much I can do while living." - George Washington Carver

As a graduate student in the Office of Multicultural Students Affairs (MSA) Office at ISU, Fall 2010 – Fall 2011, I worked with a team to implement the George Washington Carver (GWC) Scholarship Program by teaching two courses each semester, University Studies 105 and 106, including developing class content and delivery. I also helped GWC Scholars and the MSA Office and other campus departments with scholarship, student recruitment, and retention. In addition to fulfilling the requirements of my position, I made myself an available resource to students, both professionally and personally, by creating meaningful relationships, critical conversations, and developing a safe environment.

In my current position I continue to make myself available to GWC Scholars and the MSA Office staff. This semester the GWC staff invited me to participate on the GWC Academy field trip to visit the George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, Missouri.

Yesterday, March 31, 2012, 20 Scholars, a MSA staff and I visited the George Washington Carver National Monument. It was a great experience visiting the national monument. We had the opportunity to hear and learn more about his life, as we were walking and exploring the national monument.

My favorite place was the Carver Trail, a popular place to stop and rest and the Boy Carver Statue is located too, where it is believed that GWC started to experience with plants. Next to the statue a pond is located, then the original foundation of the house where he grew up.

My favorite activity was in the Carver Science Classroom. We created peanut milk. Everyone was given two peanuts, we took the peanut out of the shell, and we smashed the peanuts, and then added water and mixed all the peanuts until it turned white, peanut milk. It was simply and easy.

Often times, GWC is referred as the “peanut guy.” When in reality he was more than just the peanut guy. He was the world’s most significant scientist.

Carver’s inventions and contributions:

• About 300 peanut-products
• Sweet potato products
• Soybeans into plastic
• Wood shavings into synthetic marble
• Cotton into paving blocks
• Crop-rotation methods giving special stress to nitrogen replenishing role of legume products

Carver’s Recognitions

• “One of world’s most significant scientists” – Franklin D Roosevelt.
• Carver Research Foundation at Tuskegee, in his name.
• His birthplace was declared as a national monument in 1953.
• Multiple patents for his inventions (of course!)
• Was widely recognized for his humility
• Honorary doctorate from Simpson College (1928)
• Honorary member of the Royal Society of Arts, England. In 1923, he
• Received the Spingarn Medal in 1923.
• Roosevelt medal for restoring southern agriculture (1939).
• National monument dedicated to Carver and Carver’s inventions (1943 July 14).