FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Several winners have been announced in the honors program project and thesis competition in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

Amanda Mishler was named the overall winner and received the gold ribbon award for the Outstanding Bumpers College Honors Project/Thesis. Mishler is a food science major from Dallas. Her thesis was titled “Bioactivity and Stability of a Rice Bran Derived Pentapeptide Incorporated into Orange Juice.”

The competition began with faculty nominating undergraduate projects and theses for the competition. Following a review by a panel, three were selected for a gold ribbon round of presentations with the finalists making oral presentations.

“The honors projects demonstrated in this competition show the quality of the Bumpers students,” said Curt Rom, professor and director of the college’s honors program. “They are doing work that contributes to our understanding of foods, families and the environment, and we are proud of them. The competition is an opportunity for our students to showcase their knowledge, skills and abilities. The Bumpers Honors Program, as part of the U of A Honors College, helps prepare students for management and leadership positions in our food system, our businesses and our communities.”

Maggie Jo Pruitt of Bergman and Doug Wolf of Fayetteville were the other finalists and were recognized as gold ribbon recipients.

Pruitt is an agricultural education, communications and technology major, and Wolf is a crops, soils and environmental sciences major.

Pruitt’s thesis was titled “Consumer Perceptions and Knowledge of Genetically Modified Organisms in Belgium: A Case Study of the Potato Event.”

Wolf’s thesis was titled “Bermudagrass Growth in Soil Contaminated with Hydraulic Fracturing Drilling Fluid.”

In addition, Clair Crews, an animal science major from Jacksonville, and Lindsey Pritchett, a poultry science major from Harrison, received silver ribbons for excellence.