USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Director Dr. Jaye Hamby has announced that Dr. Paul Coreil, retired chancellor for the Louisiana State University of Alexandria, will deliver the 2026 Seaman Knapp Memorial Lecture Sunday, Nov. 15 at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) annual meeting in San Antonio, TX.
The lecture is one of three rotating lectures presented by NIFA and APLU that honor three historic Land-grant University figures: William Henry Hatch, Seaman A. Knapp and Justin Smith Morrill.
This year's lecture commemorates the vision of Seaman Knapp, who developed the demonstration method of providing information to farmers and families. As USDA’s special agent for the promotion of agriculture in the South, Knapp laid the groundwork for the Cooperative Extension System with the hiring of field agents across the South. The Seaman Knapp Memorial Lectureship honors outstanding contemporary leadership in Extension.
Nominated by Adam Knapp, Knapp’s great-great grandson, Dr. Coreil is recognized and respected as a leader in Extension and higher education. This honor recognizes his outstanding career and his continuing vision for Extension’s future to serve the people, improve agriculture and enhance the lives and livelihoods of America’s farmers.
Coreil’s 43-year career in the Louisiana State University (LSU) system is marked by sustained leadership, collaboration and service to Louisiana’s communities. His work across LSU AgCenter, Louisiana 4-H and LSU Alexandria, strengthened education, youth development and natural resource stewardship statewide.
In 1978, he began as a Louisiana Cooperative Extension Services (LCES) assistant area agent for wildlife and fisheries and advanced through roles including coastal and wetland resources specialization, and Extension administration. In 2001, he became Vice Chancellor and Director of LCES, serving until 2013. He later held the chancellorship at LSU Alexandria for eight years, retiring earlier this year.
Coreil’s contributions to Louisiana 4-H included expanding coastal education programs, launching Youth Wetlands Week, and securing land for new and improved 4-H facilities. His career has been recognized through multiple Hall of Fame inductions across LSU AgCenter, Louisiana 4-H, and National 4-H.
This is the 46th memorial lecture in the series that began in 1980.