by Fran tenBensel Benne | Agronomy and Horticulture
The achievements of students, faculty and staff, past and present, were honored at the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture Spring Banquet April 18 in the Nebraska East Union.
The evening included a social hour, buffet meal, and club/organization and award presentations. Master of Ceremony Michael Carlson, Agronomy and Horticulture Graduate Student Association president, welcomed everyone to the banquet and Department Head Martha Mamo gave the opening remarks.
A representative from each student club, organization and competition team gave a brief overview of their group, introduced the officers and/or advisers, and talked about their group’s achievements and activities during the year.
Sarina Janssen, who earned a bachelor’s degree in agronomy in May, introduced the Crops Judging Team. Milos Zaric, a doctoral student specializing in weed science, introduced the Weed Judging Team. Alyssa Kuhn, an agronomy graduate student, introduced the Soil Judging Team.
Each president introduced their club or organization. Janssen introduced the Agronomy Club. Sarah Wulf, who earned a bachelor’s degree in horticulture in May, introduced the Horticulture Club. Elizabeth Cunningham, a senior horticulture major, introduced the university’s Alpha-Gamma chapter of Pi Alpha Xi, the national honor society for horticulture. Jamie Fuqua, a senior plant biology major, introduced the Plant Biology Club. Asha Scheideler, who earned bachelor’s degrees in animal science and grassland ecology and management in May, introduced the Range Management Club. Scout Allen, a sophomore turfgrass and landscape management major, introduced the Turf Club. Carlson introduced AHGSA.
Katie Jo Steffen, who earned bachelor’s degrees in agronomy and grazing livestock systems with distinction in May, was awarded the Martin Massengale Outstanding Senior Award. She was involved in the Agronomy Club and served as president in 2020, participated on the Crops Judging Team, excelled in academics, held several internships and following graduation has been working full time at Miles Cattle & Feedlot. The award honors Massengale, the president and chancellor emeritus and founding director of the Center for Grassland Studies and Foundation Distinguished Professor.
Nathan Donoghue was honored with the Agronomy Club Outstanding Senior award. Donoghue was a member of the club for four years. He was the club treasurer for two years and assistant treasurer for one year. He held several internships while working on a degree in agronomy. He also participated on the Crops Judging Team his senior year. He graduated in May and is an agronomist for CSS Farms in Columbus, Nebraska.
The Pi Alpha Xi – Alpha-Gamma chapter awarded Cunningham a scholarship which annually recognizes one outstanding undergraduate or graduate student who is an active participating member of Pi Alpha Xi.
Dan Moore, horticulture alumnus and executive vice president of Kinghorn Gardens in Omaha, was awarded the President’s Citation by the Horticulture Club and Pi Alpha Xi – Alpha-Gamma, in recognition of outstanding service in the field of horticulture.
Zaric was given the Agronomy and Horticulture Graduate Student Association Outstanding Member Award for his significant involvement and contributions to the success of AHGSA and the department. The association also honored Sam Wortman, associate professor of agronomy and horticulture, with the AHGSA Faculty Appreciation award. AHGSA Staff Appreciation Awards were presented to Kaye Wolfe, Dani Jones, Fran Benne and Mike Livingston.
Carlson thanked the sponsors who made the spring banquet possible including the Nebraska Corn Board, the Nebraska Wheat Board, the Aurora Cooperative, the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board, Nebraska Crop Improvement Association, Stock Seed Farms and the Nebraska Agri-Business Association, Inc.
