CANR Alumni Board Spotlight – Brian Kernohan
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EmailCANR is releasing a series of spotlights on Alumni Board members. Brian Kernohan (’92, Fisheries and Wildlife) is currently an Executive Board member representing the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.
The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) has nearly 60,000 alumni living around the world. The CANR Alumni Board plays a critical role connecting this large and diverse alumni community to meaningful ways to engage with the college after graduation.
The mission of the CANR Alumni Board is to build relationships that serve the college, alumni, students and friends of MSU. The board consists of volunteer members representing each of the college departments, MSU Extension, young alumni and at-large members. These members meet four times a year: September, December, March and July in East Lansing.
Alumni Board members have a variety of responsibilities, including promoting college events and philanthropic opportunities. They also serve as liaisons between the college, academic departments, alumni, and the agriculture and natural resources industries, among other duties. The work of the Alumni Board helps to keep the CANR community vibrant and connected.
CANR is releasing a series of spotlights on Alumni Board members. These stories will highlight each member's motivation for joining the board and share their experiences in this role.
Brian Kernohan (’92, Fisheries and Wildlife) is currently an Executive Board member representing the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. He is currently Chief Sustainability Officer for Manulife Investment Management. Kernohan is a member of the Scholarships committee and Juniors sub-committee as a part of the CANR Alumni Board. Last March for Give Green Day, MSU’s 24-hour day of giving, Brian and his wife Jessica provided a lead gift which was used to match the first $2,000 in gifts to the CANR Whole Student Success Fund.
What inspired you to become a CANR Alumni Board member?
A desire to give back. More specifically, to give back to an organization or institution that I benefited from during my career and one that I believe has much to contribute to a sustainable future for people, communities and our planet. MSU CANR is one of those places.
What kind of impact do you hope to have as a member of the CANR Alumni Board?
The breadth and diversity of CANR programs/degrees is second to none. I believe the greatest benefit it has to offer is demonstrating the interconnectedness and interdependency of their programs and the difference the combination can make to society. I hope to be part of bringing such a reality to the forefront.
How did your experience at CANR set you up for success in your career after graduation?
CANR and the land grant culture keeps a person grounded which I attribute to contributing to my success. The second aspect of the experience was the networking. CANR has a networking culture that is very important to any student’s success.
What advice or insights do you have for CANR current students?
Explore enough to find your passion and then network, network, network.
Learn more about the responsibilities and mission of the CANR Alumni Board and its members. To learn more about how you can get involved or serve on the CANR Alumni Board, please contact the CANR Advancement team.
