By Katrina Hageman
Three College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students are recipients of the 2025 Wallace E. Barron All-University Senior award. This prestigious award, established in 1968, recognizes six graduating seniors who exemplify excellence in character, high academic achievement and remarkable involvement on and off campus.
Wallace E. “Red” Barron (1928 agricultural economics), served as Iowa State University’s director of alumni affairs from 1937 to 1968. In his honor, the Iowa State University Alumni Association presents this award annually with recognition and official Iowa State rings.
Selected CALS students include:
Jennifer Holliday
From Greenfield, Iowa, Jennifer Holliday, senior in agricultural studies, journalism and mass communication and international agriculture, leaped out of her comfort zone as a first-generation student, not anticipating what the future held.
For the past four years, Holliday has been dedicated to the Iowa State Student Government and creating a safe environment for students. Holliday has held leadership positions of president, vice president, CALS senator and public relations committee at-large.
"Without my time at Iowa State, I would not be the confident and intelligent person I am today,” Holliday said. “The unexpected opportunities that came my way led me to a path I never thought I would take.”
Alongside student government, Holliday was involved in the Sigma Alpha sorority, Professional Agricultural Student Club, CALS Council and study abroad.
On campus, Holliday is the violence prevention intern for Student Health and Wellness and works with Kurt Rosentrater, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, developing open educational resources on sustainable development goals.
Holliday has interned with WHO Radio, AgCulture Marketing, Ministry of Education Science Technology and Innovation with the Republic of Kosovo and Global Ag Network.
“Every time Jennifer was in my class, I was amazed at her capacity to complete assignments well, obtain good exam scores, and come to class prepared, even though she was working part-time and highly engaged in activities,” said Mary Wiedenhoeft, Morrill Professor and interim department chair of agronomy. “Her personable and winsome personality was evident from the beginning.”
After graduation, Holliday plans to obtain a master’s degree in public policy or attend law school.
Mackenzy Ruff
From McGregor, Iowa, Mackenzy Ruff, senior in animal science and agricultural studies, fully embraced the opportunities at Iowa State to become a well-rounded individual.
During Ruff’s Iowa State career, she was heavily active on the Student Alumni Leadership Council. Ruff held positions of president, vice president and committee member of Cyclone Alley and First Year Leadership League. Outside of the council, she was involved in the Block and Bridle poultry interest group, CALS Ambassadors and the Collegiate 4-H club.
Ruff stands true to investing in leadership opportunities and ways to grow personally and professionally. “Being open to opportunities outside my major and being a leader in many roles propelled me to my success as a senior and prepared me for the future,” Ruff said.
In the past three summers, Ruff has interned at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach as a K-12 summer youth educator, Midwest Dairy as a farmer relations and communication intern and at Innovative Ag Services as an agronomy sales intern.
“Mackenzy has high standards and goals for herself. She seeks to challenge those around her to be the best they can be,” said Jan Wiersema, associate teaching professor of agronomy. “Mackenzy’s leadership at Iowa State has impacted others in many areas, and she will continue to make a positive difference wherever she travels.”
After graduation, Ruff will return to northeast Iowa as a grain merchandiser for Farmers Winn Coop.
Madeline Stadtmueller
From Monticello, Iowa, Madeline Stadtmueller, senior in biochemistry, became interested in agriculture at a young age while growing up on her family’s row crop farm. Her involvement on the farm inspired her to pursue a degree in biochemistry and conduct agricultural research.
After arriving at Iowa State, she quickly became engaged in the MacIntosh Lab as an undergraduate research assistant. Stadtmueller primarily researched transgenic soybeans and disease prevention.
“The hands-on learning experiences at Iowa State significantly impacted my personal and professional success as a student,” Stadtmueller said. “The biochemistry faculty go above and beyond to connect with students and assist them in finding industry experience, which helped me learn about my internships and research opportunities.”
Stadtmueller was involved in the Biochemistry club, serving as a CALS Council representative for two years and co-chair for the Stupka Symposium.
Throughout the past two summers, Stadtmueller interned at Precision Planting in the soil chemistry department and at Ag Ingenuity in the agronomy research department. Currently, Stadtmueller is a full-time biotech intern with the Corteva Mass Spectrometry Applications team.
“Madeline leads with approachable confidence and clarity of purpose that inspires members to step into greater responsibility themselves,” said Claire Kruesel, advisor of the Stupka Undergraduate Research Symposium. “I know Madeline will be a great asset to any organization she’s part of; her driven, inclusive leadership is truly remarkable.”
Stadtmueller plans to pursue a career in the agricultural industry, specifically the research sector, and to stay involved on her family’s farm.