Author: Aaron Smith, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
President- Tennessee Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta
Adapted from Press Release UTIA- Patty McDaniels
On November 19, 2021, 37 University of Tennessee, Herbert College of Agriculture juniors, seniors, and graduate students were initiated to membership in Gamma Sigma Delta, the honor society for agriculture. New members demonstrated excellence scholastically and for having personal qualities, including leadership ability, that give promise for a successful career in agriculture or associated sciences. An additional 11 Faculty and Staff were initiated based on their outstanding contributions in teaching, research, Extension or administration.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the International Honor Society of Agriculture, has honored several outstanding members of the state’s agricultural community and University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture faculty and staff with its 2021 awards.
The honorees include:
Distinguished Service Award:
Jeff Aiken, president, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation
Alumni Award:
Anni Self, plant certification administrator and state plant regulatory official, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Extension Award:
Jennie Ivey, associate professor and UT Extension equine specialist, UT Department of Animal Science
Research Award:
Frank Yin, professor, UT Department of Plant Sciences
Teaching Award:
Andrew Sherfy, senior lecturer, UT Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science
This year’s Team Award honors members of the UT Gardens. The three sites of the UT Gardens combined serve as the state’s botanical garden. Team members from across the state and within the UT Department of Plant Sciences include Susan Hamilton, retired director, Andrew Pulte, James Newburn, Derrick Stowell, Jason Reeves and Shalena Durkot.
Students
Agricultural and Resource Economics
Eilish Bennett; Jordan Peterson; Hannah Williams
Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications
Brianna Capps; Kimberly Rauch; Rachel Sullivan; Jonathan
Taylor
Animal Science
Cydney Babione; Grace Connor; Sawyer Main; Morgan
Petrini
Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science
Morgan Isaacs; Savannah Roth; Daniel Sain
College of Veterinary Medicine
Allison Balsley; Emilia Blakeslee; Charleston Christie; Tania
Dawant; Mariah Dee; Audrey Ditty; Alexandra Hartwig;
Elizabeth Henderson; Emma Hendrix; Rebekah Johnson;
Emily Lewis; Courtney Marquette; Alexandra Mayhew; Elise
McDonough; Kortney McKenzie; McKennon Stoltzfus;
Hannah Walker
Entomology and Plant Pathology
Autumn McLaughlin
Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries
Donald Tucker
Plant Sciences
Brooke Keadle; Benjamin Pritchard; Katie Seidel
Transfers from other GSD Chapters
Gracie Pekarcik, ALEC – Initiated at Penn State University
Faculty and Staff
Troy Rowan, AS; Yang Zhao, AS; Nutifafa Adotey, BESS,
Sonja Burk, BESS; Heather Sedges, FCS; Jim Brosnan, PS;
Amy Fulcher, PS; Mitchell Richmond, PS; Niki Labbe, WFS;
Aleksandra Wilson, PS; Lisa Ford, UTIA Advancement