CALS Council Senior Awards
Every Fall and Spring semester, the CALS Council recognizes graduating seniors who have gone above and beyond while attending Iowa State. Through five different awards, the council would like to bring attention to their hard work and dedication.
Nominations for spring 2026 graduates are closed. Check back for award winners!
All College of Agriculture and Life Sciences seniors graduating in the spring 2026 semester are eligible. You can be self-nominated or a nomination can be filled out by a peer, advisor, mentor or ISU staff member.
The following awards will be considered this semester:
- Leadership and Innovation: recognizing a senior who has held leadership roles on campus and shown innovation and creativity.
- Academic Achievement: recognizing a senior with an outstanding academic record through grades, scholarships and honors received while at ISU.
- Distinguished Service: recognizing a senior who has dedicated their time to better their community through service activities and organizations, both on and off campus.
- Outstanding Ambassador of Agriculture and Life Sciences: recognizing a senior who has served as a liaison between Iowa State, the college and communities while representing and educating students about issues pertinent to the student experience.
- Outstanding Senior: recognizing a senior who has shown exceptional effort in leadership, service and academia. This is a cumulative award selected by judges, no nomination is necessary.
Questions about the awards can be directed to Zoe Webb or Revanth Mamidala, CALS Council awards committee co-chairs.
Congratulations to the Spring 2026 Recipients
- Olly Dungan (wildlife and fisheries conservation and ecology), Outstanding Ambassador of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Lindsey Hospodarsky (agricultural communication), Leadership and Innovation
- Carly Lawler (agricultural systems technology, international agriculture), Distinguished Service
- Emily Meyer (agricultural and rural policy studies), Outstanding Senior
- Zachary Utley (agronomy and seed science), Academic Achievement
Milleman Family Mentorship Award
Additionally, each fall the Council seeks nominations for the Milleman Family Mentorship Award. This award was established to recognize faculty members, academic advisers, teaching assistants, or club advisers who go above and beyond for their undergraduate students, both in the classroom and individually.
Nominations for the mentorship award are closed. Nominators must be current Iowa State students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
The applications will include a short essay describing the nominee’s contributions to Iowa State.