AMES, Iowa – The Iowa Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the Honor Society of Agriculture, has announced the recipients of annual awards presented to Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences faculty, students and alumni.
This year’s Gamma Sigma Delta initiation and award ceremony was not held in-person. Instead, award winners and new members were recognized and celebrated with a virtual presentation.
Mission Awards are awarded to faculty members who have made exceptional contributions toward achieving Iowa State’s mission in the four areas of teaching, research, extension and international agriculture. The awardees are as follows:
- Elisabeth Lonergan, professor of animal science, received the Mission Award for Teaching
- Nicholas Gabler, professor of animal science, received the Mission Award for Research
- Peggy Auwerda, associate professor of animal science, received the Mission Award for Extension
- Dong Ahn, professor of animal science, received the Mission Award for International
The Alumni Award of Merit was given to Marcus Kehrli Jr., retired director of the USDA National Animal Disease Center. Kehrli is an internationally recognized leader in animal health. His accomplishments in research include the development of the first and only FDA-approved biotherapeutic for use in livestock.
Donald Beermann, emeritus chair of animal science, was awarded the Distinguished Achievement in Agriculture Award. Beermann considers his most important achievement his hiring of 15 faculty at Iowa State University and 15 faculty at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, shaping the future of those departments.
Gamma Sigma Delta offers two scholarships for two students for earning the highest grade point average of the sophomore and senior classes. Allie Wicklund, sophomore in animal science of Andover, Minnesota, and Payton Phelps, senior in biology of Pella, Iowa, received these awards.
During the ceremony, Gamma Sigma Delta also welcomed four faculty, 15 undergraduates and 41 veterinary and graduate students into its Iowa Chapter. The new inductees include:
Faculty
- Benjamin Chamberlain, academic advisor, agricultural education and studies
- Virginia Hanson, assistant teaching professor, agricultural education and studies
- Karl Kerns, adjunct assistant professor and lecturer, animal science
- Skyler Rinker, assistant teaching professor, agricultural education and studies
Junior and Senior Students
- Adriel Abhimanyu, senior in culinary food science of Jakarta, Indonesia
- Grace Christensen, junior in animal science of Audubon, Iowa
- Thomas Demers, senior in agricultural systems technology of Storm Lake, Iowa
- Renee De Vore, senior in global resource systems and environmental studies of Des Moines, Iowa
- Marta Grant, senior in agricultural business and Spanish of Preston, Iowa
- Allen Keane, senior in agricultural engineering of Panama, Iowa
- Chelsea Larsen, junior in animal science of Guthrie Center, Iowa
- Katrina Lee, junior in animal science of Kearney, Missouri
- Breanna McCartan, senior in animal science of West Des Moines, Iowa
- Jolean McClane, senior in agronomy of Sidney, Iowa
- Elise Patton, junior in animal science and animal ecology of Cedar Falls, Iowa
- Emily Springer, junior in animal science of Kansasville, Wisconsin
- John Temple, senior in industrial technology of Johnston, Iowa
- Lauren Tidgren, senior in animal science of Carroll, Iowa
- Karen Vandervort, senior in food science of Middleville, Michigan
Graduate and Veterinary Medicine Students
- Francis Akitwine, graduate student in agronomy of Kabale, Uganda
- Celine Beggs, graduate student in agricultural and life sciences education of Clearfield, Iowa
- Luis Bentancor Bossio, graduate student in agronomy and forestry of Cuchilla Pereia, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Jeff Bymark, graduate student in biomedical science of Baxter, Minnesota
- Laura Elizabeth Tibbs Cortes, graduate student in genetics of Alden, Iowa
- Erica Daniel, graduate student in agronomy of Dallas, Texas
- Ashley Dettmann, graduate student in agronomy of Welch, Minnesota
- Tonia Durand, graduate student in microbiology of Roseau, Dominica
- Dustin Land Ehret, graduate student in agronomy of Deep River, Iowa
- Brianna Griffin, graduate student in plant biology and plant pathology of Ellenton, Florida
- Priyanka Gupta, graduate student in industrial and agricultural technology of New Delhi, India
- Hailey Holder, graduate student in landscape architecture of Byron, Illinois
- Samuel Ikendi, graduate student in agricultural and life science education of Ames, Iowa
- Imaobong Inyand, graduate student in animal science of Uko, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria
- Jared Jochum, graduate student in microbiology of Sioux City, Iowa
- Abigail Kropf, graduate student in biology and entomology of Kimballton, Iowa
- Chih-Chun Kuo, graduate student in food science and human nutrition of Taipei City, Taiwan
- Shillah Kwikiiriza, graduate student in horticulture of Bushenyi, Uganda
- John McColloch, graduate student in entomology of Montesano, Washington
- Nur Ashiqin Binti Mohd Ridzuan Nirmal, graduate student in toxicology of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Chris Morris, graduate student in sustainable agriculture and rural sociology of Austin, Texas
- Alexander Mullins, graduate student in environmental science of Wiley, Colorado
- Michael Murphy, graduate student in genetics of Cheverly, Maryland
- Siu-Yin Ideal NG Virella, graduate student in veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine of San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Oyetunji Steven Olaniba, graduate student in industrial and agricultural technology of Mushin Lagos, Nigeria
- Onyekachukwu Osemeke, graduate student veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine of Onicha-ugbo, Delta State, Nigeria
- Paul Otyama, graduate student in genetics of Kampala, Uganda
- Chinwendu Ozoh, graduate student in food science and human nutrition of Ames, Iowa
- Benjamin Pease, graduate student in horticulture
- Natalie Perez, graduate student in biomedical sciences of Carlisle, Iowa
- Mindy Powell, graduate student in veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine of Webster City, Iowa
- Blake Remmert, graduate student in agronomy of St. Rose, Illinois
- Victor Sanfins Cecon, graduate student in food science and human nutrition of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Christina Santana Maldonado, graduate student in toxicology of Truillo Alto, Puerto Rico
- Sharu Sharma, graduate student in genetics of Mansa, Panjab, India
- Landen Tetil, graduate student in agricultural and life sciences education of Marquette, Michigan
- Kasey Vandenbosch, graduate student in biomedical sciences
- Maddison Wiersema, graduate student in animal science of Fulton, Illinois
- Nicholas Wilmoth, graduate student in seed technology and business of Elkin, North Carolina
- Victoria Wilson, graduate student in animal science of St. Charles, Missouri
- Lu Yen, graduate student in veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine of Taichung, Taiwan
Gamma Sigma Delta is the honorary society for agriculture. The organization’s objectives are to advance agriculture in all of its phases, as well as encourage high standards of scholarship and worthy achievements in agricultural science and education.