Gamma Sigma Delta Initiates New Members, Presents Awards

Feb. 11, 2013

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the Honor Society of Agriculture, held its annual New Member Initiation and Awards banquet in Lincoln Jan. 27.

Gamma Sigma Delta (http://gammasigmadelta.org) is an international honor society dedicated to recognizing accomplishments in agricultural sciences, natural resources, education and human sciences, and biological systems engineering.

The following new members from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln joined Gamma Sigma Delta:

Undergraduate students: College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources: Eric Thalken, Ogallala; Jana Cool, Callaway; Chanda Scheuring, Defiance, Iowa; Ivy Hoppes, Fremont; Peter Alexander Sojka, Omaha; Rachel Coburn, Papillion; Lacey Schardt, Carleton; Stephanie Smolek, Meadow Grove; Karla Pick, Hartington; Melissa Matulka, Thedford; Samantha Davis, Lincoln;  Brooke Grossenbacher, Overland Park, Kan. and Tessa Harms, Dodge; College of Education and Human Sciences: Audrey Marie Swanson, Bellevue.

Graduate students: Jeremy Howard, Webster City, Iowa, Department of Animal Science and Maria Elisa Perez-Munoz, Department of Food Science and Technology

Faculty: Amy Timmerman, UNL Extension, O’Neill and Kayla Hinrichs, UNL Extension, Ord
Alumni: Douglas A. Golick, Department of Entomology

 Award winners included: 
            Outstanding Undergraduate Students: first place, Rachel Coburn of Papillion; second place, Josiah Dallman of Boone, N.C.
            Outstanding Graduate Student: Aruna Gangaplara, India, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences

            Excellence in Teaching: Madhavan Soundararajan, Department of Biochemistry

            Excellence in Extension: Jenny Rees, UNL Extension, Clay Center

            Excellence in Research: Galen Erickson, Department of Animal Science

The society’s most prestigious award, the Award of Merit for Distinguished Achievement in Agriculture, was awarded to Elizabeth Birnstihl, UNL Extension.