Dr. Andrea Sexten was raised on a commercial cow-calf and tobacco farm in Nicholasville, KY, where she was very involved from a young age. Growing up, Andrea also showed registered Tennessee Walking Horses and was very active in her local FFA chapter. She earned two B.S. degrees from the University of Kentucky in 2005 in Animal Science and Agricultural Biotechnology.  She also completed her M.S. in Animal Science at the University of Kentucky in 2007.  From there she went on to Oklahoma State University where she earned her Ph.D. in Ruminant Nutrition in 2010. After earning her Ph.D., she accepted a position in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University where she developed the KSU Department of Animal Sciences and Industry Undergraduate Research Program, taught courses in livestock nutrition, and advising students. Her research interests included the interaction of nutrition and gene expression on cattle performance.

Dr. Sexten joined the Department of Agriculture faculty at Eastern Kentucky University in fall 2015 and teaches several animal science and production courses. She dedicates time outside the classroom advising the Block and Bridle Club and the Delta Tau Alpha (DTA) Agriculture Honor Society as well as working with students competing on the Animal Science Academic Quadrathalon Team and the Dairy Challenge Team. Dr. Sexten, her husband, and two kids live on a small farm in Jessamine County where they raise beef cattle. They also enjoy cheering on their kids sports teams, showing Hereford cattle, spending time with family and friends, and being active in their church.

A Kentucky native, Carla Hagan is originally from Midway, KY. Professor Hagan joined EKU 24 years ago and is an Assistant Professor in the Turfgrass and Landscape Management program. She is one of the faculty advisors for the Horticulture Club and is an integral part for planning many of the department’s events. She enjoys teaching all of her classes, but her favorite topics include insects, grasses, and irrigation. When she is not busy on campus, Hagan enjoys following her kids’ sports.

Dr. Kenealy is originally from Indiana, but always had a desire to live in Kentucky. She joined the EKU Ag family three years ago as an Assistant Professor in the Animal and Veterinary Sciences program, and also works with the Pre-Vet Club and Sigma Alpha Sorority. Her favorite class to teach is Principles of Animal Science and Lab – she enjoys the eager attitudes of the freshmen. In her spare time, Dr. Kenealy enjoys outdoor activities with her family.

Dr. McDermott has been in the EKU Department of Agriculture for 20 years! He is originally from Winnebago, Minnesota. He is a professor in the Agriculture Engineering Technology Program and the Agriculture Education Program. His favorite class to teach is Introduction to Agricultural Mechanics. Outside of the classroom, he is heavily involved with the Ag Club and Ag ambassadors. Outside of the classroom, Dr. McDermott enjoys working on cars.

Dr. Settimi grew up in Wisconsin and joined the EKU Department of Agriculture 11 years ago. Dr. Settimi is a Professor in the program for Agronomy, Soils, and Natural Resources. His favorite class to teach is Conservation of Agricultural Resources. One of Dr. Settimi’s many talents is writing music, which he enjoys doing in his spare time.

Dr. Prosanta Kumar Dash was raised in the small village of Khesra, located in the Tala Upazila of Satkhira District, Bangladesh. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Honors) from Khulna University of Bangladesh in 2009 and completed his Master of Science in Horticulture at Bangladesh Agricultural University in 2011. After earning his MS degree, Dr. Dash joined the Agrotechnology Discipline faculty at Khulna University in 2012, where he taught horticultural courses, conducted research, and advised students. In pursuit of further academic excellence, he pursued a Ph.D. in Horticultural Science at the University of Florida, which he completed in 2019. At Khulna University, he served as an Assistant Professor in the Agrotechnology Discipline from 2014 to 2019 and was subsequently promoted to Associate Professor, a role he held until 2023. In the Spring of 2022, Dr. Dash took on a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in the Mechanical Engineering Program at Texas A&M University at Qatar, where he completed his tenure in the Summer of 2024. His research primarily focuses on stress physiology, particularly addressing heat, salinity, and water stresses in horticultural crops.

In the fall of 2024, Dr. Dash joined the Department of Agriculture faculty at Eastern Kentucky University, where he is teaching a range of horticultural courses. Outside the classroom, he is actively involved in advising the Hort Club. Dr. Dash, along with his wife and daughter, resides on Mallory Court in Madison County, Kentucky. He enjoys spending time with family and friends and is actively engaged in various volunteer activities.