Agriculture Student Association president receives the MLK Humanitarian Award

(01/26/22) - The LSU Black Faculty and Staff Caucus awarded the 2022 MLK Humanitarian Award to Agriculture Student Association (ASA) president Kayla Benton, on January 18.

Benton is a native of Houston, Texas, majoring in animal sciences with a concentration in science and technology. Last fall, she was the first Black female elected as ASA's president.

The Black Faculty and Staff Caucus advocates for educational equity at LSU, the Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award acknowledges Benton's activities to improve race relations on campus.

Benton has made significant impacts on the College of Agriculture study body during her time at the university, serving in leadership roles for student government, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS), and the Black Women’s Empowerment Initiative.

Finding mentorship is one of the key drivers for Benton's success at LSU. Benton's mentors Amanda Martin, Gina E. Eubanks, and Monica Guient encouraged Benton to apply for the award.

Martin, assistant dean for the College of Agriculture, has mentored Benton since she was a first-year student. Benton admitted that she did not always feel connected with the college, but her relationship with the dean's staff helped her grow.

During her first year at LSU, she was a commuter student, and she struggled with adjusting and getting involved. Benton also felt out of place because she did not see a lot of representation of other minority students in the college.

"Dr. Martin found out I was having a hard time adjusting, so I started to meet with her one-on-one," said Benton. "She helped me get connected in the college."

Martin recommended that Benton join MANRRS. MANRRS was reestablished on campus in 2013, being a smaller organization it allowed Benton to take a leadership position.

"If it weren't for MANRRS, I wouldn't have had the confidence to branch out to other leadership positions at the university," said Benton.

Through her involvement with MANRRS, Benton grew close with Eubanks, assistant vice president for LSU AgCenter, who serves as the organization's advisor. Eubanks encouraged her to pursue other leadership positions on campus and in the College of Agriculture.

"Once I started getting more involved as a leader within the College of Agriculture, I started meeting more minority students and learning about what they need to navigate college better," said Benton. "I felt like I could be a representative for them and talk to college leadership about their needs."

"I was able to have more input with the College of Agriculture, and I have gotten to serve as a student representative on several committees," she said.

Monica Guient was named the assistant vice president for diversity, inclusion and opportunity for the LSU AgCenter and College of Agriculture in 2021. Benton served as a student representative on the search committee for the position.

"Monica has had many similar experiences as me as a young Black woman, and she is always able to offer me advice on how to not only navigate through a situation but on how to grow from it," said Benton.

"It is humbling to receive this award because there are a lot of people at LSU who have made a huge impact on campus," she said.

Benton is pursuing a career as a veterinarian. Less than two percent of the U.S. veterinary workforce is made of Black veterinarians.

"Being acknowledged for my diversity efforts is encouraging for me,” said Benton. “I can take what I've started here and continue that into my career."

Benton will be acknowledged as the MLK Humanitarian Award winner at the Black Scholars Program in April.