by Fran tenBensel Benne | Agronomy and Horticulture
Over 120 students, faculty, staff, emeriti, alumni, industry leaders and guests attended the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture Spring Banquet on April 17 in the Nebraska East Union. The crowd celebrated and honored the achievements of students, faculty and staff, past and present.
The evening began with a social hour, followed by a buffet meal and program. Master of Ceremony Alyssa Hall, Agronomy and Horticulture Graduate Student Association president, welcomed everyone to the banquet and thanked the sponsors, including the Nebraska Corn Board, the Nebraska Wheat Board, Kinghorn Gardens, Aurora Cooperative, Nebraska Agri-business Association, Nebraska Crop Improvement Association, Stock Seed Farms and Midwest Laboratories. Department Head Martha Mamo gave the opening remarks.
Mamo presented the Martin A. Massengale Outstanding Senior Award to Taylor Cammack. The award honors Massengale, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Chancellor from 1981–1991, president emeritus of the University of Nebraska, founding director of the Center for Grassland Studies and Foundation Distinguished Professor.
Cammack is a plant and landscape systems major involved in Horticulture Club, a Pi Alpha Xi Alpha Gamma member, and a Student Ambassador for Cultivate Access. She has represented the department as an Agronomy and Horticulture Student Ambassador for three years and made the CASNR Dean’s List. Cammack will graduate in May and plans to take an extended internship with the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.
A representative from each student club, organization and competition team gave a brief overview of their group, introduced the officers or advisers, talked about their group’s achievements and activities during the year and presented awards.
Professor Don Lee, the team co-coach, introduced the Crops Judging Team. Camila Rodrigues, an agronomy graduate student, presented the Weed Science Team. Plant and landscape systems majors Rachel Clarkson, a senior, and Mason Rutgers, a junior, introduced the Soil Judging Team.
Each president introduced their club or organization. Nolan Weber, a junior agronomy major, introduced the Agronomy Club. Elaina Madison, a senior plant and landscape system major, introduced the Horticulture Club. Katie Bathke, a senior plant biology major, introduced the Plant Biology Club. Scout Allen, a sophomore turfgrass and landscape management major, introduced the Turf Club.
Jacob Hillis, a senior horticulture major, introduced the university’s Alpha Gamma Chapter of Pi Alpha Xi, the national honor society for horticulture. The chapter awarded Mark Canney with the President’s Citation in recognition of outstanding service in the field of horticulture. Canney is a University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumnus, an adjunct instructor in agronomy and horticulture, and a construction project manager at the university. In addition, he teaches Introduction to Landscape Design Studio and traveled with the Horticulture Club on their Spring Break trip to Hawaii.
Luqi Li, club co-adviser and lecturer in agronomy and horticulture, presented the Pi Alpha Xi Alpha Gamma Scholarship to Nathan Starr, a senior plant and landscape systems major, who served as the chapter treasurer this academic year. Starr has been an active member of the chapter and the Horticulture Club for two years. In addition, he served as a head grower for the Horticulture Club. He will graduate with a landscape design option this May and return to his hometown of Hastings, Nebraska, to work on the family farm growing organic grain crops.
Lydia Regier, a senior plant biology major, introduced the Range Management Club. The club honored two members with awards. Cheryl Dunn, club co-adviser and a research manager herbarium curator in agronomy and horticulture, presented the Trail Blazer Award to Jacob VanDress, a senior double major in grassland systems and fisheries and wildlife. This award honors a first-year member who has demonstrated dedication to the club with their level of engagement toward all activities.
Dunn also presented the Trail Boss Award to Regier. This award is given to an individual who has significantly contributed to the club throughout their membership by staying actively engaged, motivating others and working hard to prepare for competitions. Regier has been an active Range Management Club member, officer and team competition participant for several years. She is also an active member and officer of the Plant Biology Club. In addition, Regier was a UCARE scholarship recipient researching Old World Bluestem in Kansas and Nebraska Grasslands using PlanetScope and Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery. She will graduate as a Chancellor’s Scholar in May and plans to pursue a doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Kansas.
Mandeep Singh, an agronomy doctoral student and vice president of AHGSA, introduced the association. Hall, an agronomy doctoral student, recognized Singh as this year’s AHGSA Outstanding Student Member for his support and engagement in the association and its activities. Singh is pursuing a doctorate in agronomy, specializing in weed science. His research evaluates herbicide interactions to better manage herbicide-resistant volunteer corn in corn. Singh took Honorable Mention at the 10th International IPM Symposium Poster Presentation and received the Integrated Pest Management Inspiration Award in 2022. He anticipates graduating in December 2023 and wants to continue with a career in academia.
Hall presented Lisa Hilfiker, agronomy and horticulture graduate program coordinator, with the AHGSA Staff Appreciation Award for her continued guidance, mentorship and administrative support of all graduate students. She also recognized Keenan Amundsen with the AHGSA Faculty Appreciation Award for his involvement and contributions to the association. He has served as a mentor, graduate student advocate and Graduate Committee Chair.
Finally, Hall recognized all AHGSA members who received awards during the year. Toward the banquet’s conclusion, Weber and Allen honored and recognized Charles William Stuber and Fredrick A. Bliss as the Agronomy and Horticulture Lifetime Achievement Awardees.
Hall thanked the donors, faculty and staff for their assistance and the Horticulture Club for the beautiful table centerpieces. A special thanks went to the Spring Banquet Committee, including Allen, Bathke, Hillis, Madison, Regier and Weber.
The banquet ended with the announcement of the winners of the silent auction to raise money for the clubs and organizations.
More photos at go.unl.edu/banquet2023.
