Global Food Systems Leadership

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Global Food Systems Leadership

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Global Food Systems Leadership is the newest opportunity for Kansas State University students to tackle global problems facing food and agriculture.

10/15/2026

Thousands of pennies. Limited instructions. A shared goal. Plenty to learn!

This morning, GFSL students took part in our Case for Change exercise, discovering how they could organize themselves, communicate, and collaborate without a detailed roadmap.

As the activity unfolded, students saw how small actions could build into rapid, exponential change. During the debrief, they reflected on how their group found its way—and how change in communities and food systems can bring ripple effects, unintended consequences, and blind spots.

We learned by doing, observing, and questioning together. What helped us collaborate? What did we overlook? And how can we lead more thoughtfully when the effects of our actions extend beyond what we first see?

10/14/2026

On Thursday, Oct. 15, from 1:05 pm to 2:20 pm in LSB111, we are honored to host Dr. Cary Fowler for a guest lecture in GENAG/LEAD 425 before his Presidential Distinguished Lecture Series talk at his university.

Dr. Fowler has a long and impressive track record in global food security. He is the founder and president of the Food Security Leadership Council, which is dedicated to strengthening the U.S. role in global efforts to advance global food security. Dr. Fowler was formerly the special envoy for global food security at the U.S. Department of State, where he served from 2022 to 2025 and headed the Office of Global Food Security. He is considered the father of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault — the world's largest secure seed vault located north of the Arctic Circle in Norway, work for which he received the World Food Prize in 2024.

Please join the GENAG/LEAD 425 class to hear from Dr. Fowler!

10/09/2026

Last week we hosted our very first Welcome Back Event for GFSL students. We had the opportunity to connect with one another, learn from alumni, and engage in meaningful conversations.

Thank you to each student and faculty member who attended. We also want to extend a special “thank you” to program alumni, Adelaide Easter and Katheryn Wessel, for presenting and interacting with our students.

10/08/2026

Yesterday, our LEAD/GENAG 225 class heard from Dr. Christopher Bielecki. Dr. Bielecki currently serves as the Agricultural Counselor for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

His work focuses on expanding U.S. export opportunities and supporting global food security. He is currently stationed at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, Nigeria.

We appreciate Dr. Bielecki joining our class and sharing his work with our students!

10/05/2026

A taste of tonight’s big conversation!

Our Global Food Systems Leadership students welcomed nutrition researcher Yanni Papanikolaou to class today to hear about his career path and ask questions about his work within Global Food Systems. Thank you, Yanni, for spending time with GFSL!

Want to hear more? Join us tonight for the Henry C. Gardiner Global Food Systems Lecture on protein, dietary patterns, and long-term health.

Where: McCain Auditorium
When: Tonight, October 5, at 7 p.m.

09/22/2026

Connect. Learn. Engage.

Join the GFSL program at our Welcome Back Event! You will have the opportunity to connect with fellow students in the program, learn from alumni, and engage in thoughtful conversation.

Date: September 28, 2026
Location: Lead Studies Building, Town Hall
Time: 5:00-6:00 PM

Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP through the link in our bio or at the bottom of the caption by September 26th, 2026. We hope to see you there!

RSVP: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/V7Wni2KBrm

09/17/2026

Welcome back to class, Mary Kay!

Dr. Mary Kay Siefers, former GFSL Director, joined our LEAD/GENAG 225 classes this week. She introduced students to systems thinking—the practice of examining how multiple factors influence one another when addressing complex or wicked problems.

We appreciate Mary Kay spending time with our students and helping build a foundational skill necessary to be effective leaders in the global food system!

09/12/2026

We were thrilled to welcome Hon. Kemo Gassama to LEAD/GENAG 225 this week. Hon. Gassama represents Lower Baddibu in the National Assembly of the Republic of The Gambia.

He spent the class period explaining the importance of viewing issues through a systems-thinking lens and exchanging ideas with students on how The Gambia and the United States use policy to address concerns facing farmers, the agricultural industry, and food systems.

We appreciate Hon. Kemo Gassama taking the time to visit with one of our classes and giving students the opportunity to engage with a global leader in the food system!

09/08/2026

Welcome Olalekan Sipasi, our new director of Global Food Systems Leadership. This spring Mary Kay Siefers, our former director, passed the torch to Dr. Sipasi. We first met him at the Staley School as a Mandela Fellow in 2019. Sipasi founded ProtectOzone Sustainable Livelihood Initiative, a nonprofit in Nigeria that supports sustainable agriculture practices to combat poverty and food insecurity.

After earning his Ph. D. at K-State, he has returned to strengthen GFSL as a collaborative platform that prepares emerging leaders to contribute to more resilient, sustainable and equitable food systems.

Learn more about Dr. Sipasi at the link in our bio!

12/12/2025

Ready to turn winter break into something meaningful? Join the Alternative Break in Garden City, KS, from January 11 to 14, for hands-on service, immersive learning, and community impact.

You will:

Tour local schools, food systems, and businesses

Serve alongside nonprofits tackling food insecurity

Connect with leaders shaping rural communities

Perfect for students interested in Agriculture, Education, Sociology, Public Policy, Global Food Systems, Community Development & more. Cost to attend is $250 for participants, or $125 for site leaders, scholarships are available. Apply by Dec 22, following the link in our bio! Questions? [email protected]

Address

1300 Mid-Campus Drive N.
Manhattan, KS
66506

Website

https://linktr.ee/gfsl_kstate, https://www.k-state.edu/gfsleadership/

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