Students, staff and faculty from across Texas Tech's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources were honored this month as part of its virtual Honors Banquet. Sponsored by the CASNR Ag Council, the annual event features a variety of honors, including selection of this year's overall Outstanding CASNR Student, Micah Rainey, a senior natural resources management major from Stephenville, Texas.

Recipients of the outstanding student departmental awards were:
• Agricultural & Applied Economics: Sarah Spradlin
• Agricultural Education & Communications: Haleigh Erramouspe
• Animal & Food Sciences: Emma Mortensen
• Landscape Architecture: Grant Huber
• Plant & Soil Science: Cassandra Hutcheson
• Natural Resources Management: Micah Rainey

Students with the highest academic achievement in their respective departments were:
• Agricultural & Applied Economics: Nathan Holtman
• Agricultural Education & Communications: Mary Katelynn Butler, Jacey DuBois, Haleigh Erramouspe, Monica Haugen, Maeley Herring, Hannah Van Der Schans and Campbell Williams
• Animal & Food Sciences: Hailey Buegeler, Floyd Pirtle, Jeyson Price, Kashley Seitz, Sean Szalczer, Bailey Wilson, Sophie Dirks and Jessica Marsh
• Landscape Architecture: Elizabeth Lane
• Plant & Soil Science: Brianne Swailes
• Natural Resources Management: Joseph Hinnant, Micah Rainey and Hagan Wright

Outstanding students in each discipline were:
• Agricultural & Applied Economics: Magdalena Roque
• Agribusiness: Megan Zorzi
• Conservation Law Enforcement: Trevor Drennan

'Matador of the Month' recipients were:
• Katelynn Butler (Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow)
• Shae Lynn Suttle (2020 Meat Judging Team)
• Ben Rothfuchs (Alpha Gamma Rho)
• Alex Van-Ravenswaay (Sigma Alpha)
• Annie Braack (Wildlife Society)

Separately, Ag Council leaders for the 2019-2020 were recognized. They are Dylan Davidson, president; Conner McKinzie, vice president; Carson Read, secretary; Hayden-James Hughes, treasurer; and Taylor Schertz, scribe. The club of the semester for Fall 2019 was Ambassadors for Agriculture and Spring 2020 was Collegiate FFA.

Meanwhile, outstanding professor awards went to Rudy Ritz from the Department of Agricultural Education & Communications for Fall 2019, and Nan Li from the Department of Agricultural Education & Communications for Spring 2020. Outstanding staff members were Claire Cleveland from the CASNR Dean's Office for Fall 2019 and Shelbey Havens from the CASNR Dean's Office for Spring 2020.

Maeley Herring, a senior agricultural communications major from Archer City, Texas, was named the Outstanding Returning Agri-Techsan; and Sherrie Ray, a sophomore agricultural communications with teacher certification major from Albert, New Mexico, was recognized as the Outstanding First Year Agri-Techsan.

In other action, David Tomlinson, a senior landscape architecture major from Denton, Texas, was presented the 2019-2020 Outstanding Undergraduate Social Science Researcher Award; and Cynthia Jordan, a senior plant and soil science major from Hobbs, New Mexico, received 2019-2020 Outstanding Undergraduate Natural Sciences Award. This is the fourth year these undergraduate awards have been presented.

Ag Council members include the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow; Agricultural Economics Association; Agri-Techsans; Agronomy Club; Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity; Alpha Zeta; Ambassadors for Agriculture; American Society of Landscape Architects; Block & Bridle; Collegiate 4-H; Collegiate FFA; Collegiate Horsemen's Association; Equestrian Team; Food Science Club; Horse Judging Team; Livestock Judging Team; Meat Judging Team; Meat Science Association; MANRRS; Rodeo Team; Sigma Alpha Sorority; Soil Judging Team; Student Association for Fire Ecology- SAFE; Tech Pre-Vet Society; Wildlife Society of Texas Tech; and Wool Evaluation Team.

CONTACT: Cindy Akers, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Programs, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or cindy.akers@ttu.edu

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