Sam grew up in Birmingham, AL and attended Millsaps College in Jackson, MS with a BS in Biology. Shortly after graduation in 2010, she volunteered for the United States Peace Corps and was assigned to the Philippines. There she was the Coastal Resource Management Extension Volunteer for Manapla a small town on the island of Negros. The surrounding coastal environment had a serious problem with solid waste pollution and agricultural runoff. This inspired her to begin researching sustainability practices. She guided the community with several programs including recycling, environmental education, and organic gardening. After the Peace Corps she decided to pursue her education in organic agriculture and is currently pursing a Master’s degree in Plant Sciences with a focus in Agronomy. She is the graduate student under Dr. David Verbree and does plant breeding research with the West Tennessee Research and Education Center in Jackson, TN and at the Organic Crops Unit in Knoxville. Her research includes evaluating the germplasm of Vigna unguiculata (cowpea) for the purpose of exploring forage options for production on organic dairy farms.
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