FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Twelve students from seven different majors and concentrations were recognized for outstanding academic accomplishments at the recent Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences Honors and Awards Banquet.

In addition, outstanding seniors and graduate students from each department, along with all Chancellor's List and Dean's List qualifiers, were honored.

First-Ranked Senior Scholars (4.0 GPA, completed all coursework at U of A):

• Lesleigh Beer, poultry science, honors student, Huntsville
• Aubrie Hanson, food science, Rogers
• Victoria Maloch, agricultural business, U of A Seniors of Significance, Magnolia
• Will Pohlman, animal science, honors student, U of A Seniors of Significance, Prairie Grove

Senior Scholars (Highest GPA, completing at least half of coursework at U of A):

• Lauren Cheevers, agricultural education, communication and technology, concentration in agricultural communications, U of A Seniors of Significance, Fayetteville
• Austin Hamm, agricultural education, communication and technology, concentration in agricultural systems and technology management, U of A Seniors of Significance, Elkins
• Kaitlyn Walker, apparel merchandising and product development, honors student, Plano, Texas

Presidential Scholar:

• Mersady Redding, human nutrition and hospitality innovation, concentration in dietetics, and animal science, honors student, Marshall

Dale Bumpers Distinguished Scholars:

• Shilpa Samant (Ph.D.), food science, Mumbai, India
• Travis Jones (M.S.), crop, soil, and environmental sciences, East Prairie, Missouri
• Rachel Browder (Undergraduate Transfer), food science, honors student, Frisco, Texas

John W. White Outstanding Student Award:

• Victoria Maloch, agricultural business, U of A Seniors of Significance, Magnolia

Spitze Public Policy Legislative Internship Award:

• Brooke Taylor, agricultural business, King City, California

Departmental Outstanding Seniors and Graduate Students:

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness

• Victoria Maloch, senior
• Aaron Shew, M.S.

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology

• Austin Hamm, senior
• Fawn Kurtzo, M.S.

Animal Science

• Lensey Watson, senior
• Randy Burnett, M.S.
• Niyigena Valens, Ph.D.

Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences

• Madison Brown, senior
• Travis Jones, M.S.
• Christopher Rouse, Ph.D.

Entomology

• Dylan Cleary, M.S.
• Beth Ferguson, Ph.D.

Food Science

• Aubrie Hanson, senior
• Katherine Wilkes, M.S.
• Shilpa Samant, Ph.D.

School of Human Environmental Sciences

• Claire Strutzenberg, senior
• Taylor Martinez, M.S.

Horticulture

• Tyler Carr, senior
• Melinda Yin, M.S.
• Daniel Sandor, Ph.D.

Plant Pathology

• Hazel Buyu, M.S.
• John Ridenour, Ph.D.

Poultry Science

• Lesleigh Beer, senior
• Samantha Cox, M.S.
• Gurueswar Nagarajan, Ph.D.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.