More than Texas Tech 2,500 students, including 105 from the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, received diplomas at the university's fall commencement ceremonies Saturday (Dec. 12) at the United Supermarkets Arena, located at 18th Street and Indiana Avenue.

During the event, outstanding students carried banners representing their respective colleges. Jessica Anne LeFors, a horticulture and turfgrass science major from Texarkana, represented CASNR. Administrators selected the banner bearers based on all-around achievement. LeFors was also the highest ranking December graduate for the college.

Graduation recipients from the individual departments and majors included:

• Agribusiness, 2
• Agricultural & Applied Economics, 26
• Agricultural Communications, 12
• Animal Science, 22
• Conservation Law Enforcement, 2
• Environmental Crop & Soil Science, 4
• Food Science, 3
• Horticulture & Turfgrass Science, 5
• Interdisciplinary Agriculture, 11
• Natural Resources Management, 15
• Plant and Soil Science, 3

Commencement speaker for the afternoon program was Marsha Sharp, former head coach of the Texas Tech Women's Basketball Team. Sharp coached the Texas Tech women's basketball team for 24 seasons (1982-2006). During that time she had a career record of 572-189 and led her team to eight conference championships, 10 Sweet 16 appearances, four Elite Eight appearances and a national championship in 1993. She was named National Coach of the Year twice and Southwest Conference Coach of the year seven times.

Written by Norman Martin

CONTACT: Michael Galyean, Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or michael.galyean@ttu.edu

0108NM16