CASNR Distinguished Alumni honored at Merket Center
Texas Tech University's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources will honor seven individuals during its 28th Distinguished Alumni Award program on Monday (Feb. 18) at the university's Merket Alumni Center.
Recipients this year are Glenn Schur (top) of Plainview, Marvin Cepica of Lubbock, William Lyle of Hilltop Lakes, Keith Hansen of Hereford, Sean Davis of Laurel, MD, Carter Smith of Austin and Jerry Bigham of Columbus, Ohio.
The award was established to recognize some of the college's most outstanding alumni for significant contributions to society. Honorees are also selected for the distinction their accomplishments and careers have brought to the college and to careers associated with agriculture or natural resources.
Glenn Schur. Schur, who received his bachelor's degree in agricultural economics, owns and operates Glenn Schur Farms in Plainview. He serves on many committees and boards throughout his community, including the Texas Grain Sorghum Association Board, United Farm Industries Board, Texas Alliance for Water Conservation Board, and Hale County Stock Show Board. He's a certified instructor for the 4-H Shooting Sports and serves as president of the St. Paul Lutheran Church Board.
Marvin Cepica. Cepica retired as dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources last August. Prior to his appointment as dean, he served as executive associate dean, associate dean, director of academic and student affairs and professor during a span of 30 years at Texas Tech. Cepica taught vocational agriculture at Graham and Dimmitt for eight years. He has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from AASCARR and Award of Distinction from NASULGC. He received a bachelor's and master's degrees from Texas Tech. His doctorate is from Oklahoma State University.
William Lyle. Lyle is a professor emeritus at Texas A&M University and has been the senior scientist at the Office of International Agriculture at Texas A&M since 2006. Prior to that he Lyle was a professor at the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center in Lubbock. Lyle developed a prototype of the LEPA sprinkler system in 1976. He has been honored as outstanding professor in Agricultural Engineering, and received the Texas Agricultural Irrigation Association Industry Achievement Award. He received a bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering is from Texas Tech. His master's and doctorate degrees are from Texas A&M.
Keith Hansen. Hansen currently serves as vice president of X.F. Enterprises, Inc. He has served as consulting nutritionist with Nutrition Service Associates in Hereford since 1977. His clientele includes cattle feedyards feeding a combined, one-time capacity of more than 550,000 head. He has formulated diets for Merrick pet food company and supervised the company's research kennel since 1986. Hansen received a bachelor's degree from New Mexico State University and a master's degree in meat science from Texas Tech.
Sean Davis. Davis, who serves as a principal with Morris & Ritchie associates, Inc. in Maryland, has long experience working in urban redevelopment, golf course communities and mixed-use communities throughout the world. Prior to his current post he served as principal with LDR International. He's a member of the Maryland Economic Growth, Resource Protection and Planning Commission, and Chesapeake Bay Executive Council. Davis received a bachelor's degree of Landscape Architecture from Texas Tech. He received a law degree from the University of Baltimore.
Carter Smith. Smith is executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Prior to that, he served with the Nature Conservancy of Texas as South Texas project director, director of conservation programs and eventually state director. He was the first executive director of the Katy Prairie Conservancy and continues to serve on their advisory board. He's a member of the advisory boards for Texas State University, Texas A&M and Texas Tech. Smith received a bachelor's degree in wildlife management from Texas Tech. His master's degree in conservation biology is from Yale University.
Jerry Bigham. Bigham serves as director of the School of Environment and Natural Resources at the Ohio State University. He also serves as professor of soil science. Prior to that, he was research coordinator for the School of Natural Resources. Bigham has received the Pomerene Teaching Award, a Team Research Award, the Jackson Mid-Career Award and was named a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America. Bigham received a bachelor's degree in agronomy and a master's degree in soil science from Texas Tech. His doctorate in soil science is from North Carolina State University.
Written by Norman Martin
CONTACT: Memory Bennett, Coordinator of Alumni Relations, CASNR Development & Alumni Relations, memory.bennett@ttu.edu or (806) 742-2802
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