By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH

Indiana Correspondent

HUNTINGTON, Ind. — While Raymond “Raymie” Porter is gearing up for the challenge of being the first director of Huntington University’s new Institute for Agricultural Studies, he’s also preparing to teach some classes in the program.

The university announced the creation of the institute in August 2014, calling it the state’s first faith-based agricultural curriculum. Porter, named director last month, will begin his duties March 9.

“It’s definitely a sobering thought to be responsible for helping this program get started and be successful,” he said. “It’s a challenge, but something I’m looking forward to.”

Porter has spent the last 23 years at the University of Minnesota as a research associate for its North Central Research/Outreach Center. His duties at the center include hiring of personnel, budget matters and writing grant proposals.

A co-worker at the center heard about Huntington’s job opening and passed the information on to Porter, who then spoke with Mike Wanous, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the university.

“It sounded very intriguing,” Porter noted. “I enjoyed living in the Midwest and the Great Plains and the farming there. It’s strong and important, and that’s an attractive thing.”

He is originally from the Texas panhandle, where he grew up on a family farm. He received his bachelor of science degree in biology from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill., his Master of Arts in science and religion from Biola University in La Mirada, Calif., and his Ph.D. in plant breeding from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.

At U of M, Porter has been in charge of a wild rice breeding project. Unlike white rice, which originated in Asia, wild rice is native to North America.

“Wild rice is a different crop than what is grown in Arkansas and other places,” he explained. “Wild rice grows naturally and is cultivated as a crop. It’s more of a temperate crop and likes the colder winters.”

Until his start date at Huntington, Porter said he’ll be working in conjunction with others on designing individual courses, including establishing their educational objectives. He’ll also be studying his teaching notes, as he plans to get into the classroom when the institute opens its doors to students this fall.

Huntington’s faith-based approach allows students to learn how to integrate academic and religious studies into their lives, Porter noted. “(The university) offers a balanced approach to education from a religious perspective,” he said. “They have the core beliefs they stand on, but also are willing to discuss things on which they disagree.”

Huntington, a Christian college of liberal arts, has undergraduate and graduate degree programs in more than 70 areas of study.

“Dr. Porter brings a deep Christian faith and expertise to enable our students to develop a Christian perspective on science and agriculture,” Wanous. “(His) educational, research, administrative and agricultural experiences uniquely qualify him to serve as the founding director of the institute.”

The institute’s curriculum will initially focus on agribusiness and have concentrations in such areas as management, economics and finance, crop production, ministry and missions and communication and public policy. The university eventually hopes to see 200-300 students enrolled in the institute, according to Sherilyn Emberton, Huntington’s president.

Wanous said 4-5 current faculty members will teach classes in the institute’s major curriculum. He also anticipates hiring 3-6 faculty members – some full-time, some part-time – over the next few years.

Porter hopes to see the institute become an alternative to larger colleges of agriculture in the region.

“It’s a smaller setting and there’s the opportunity for closer interaction with the faculty,” he noted. “It’s a good place for students who don’t want to be swallowed up (by larger universities). It’s also a good place for students who want a Christian education along with the agricultural education. They can get both in the same place.”