Troutman, Jankovska Named Bumpers College's 2018 Outstanding Alumnae

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From left, Bumpers College's 2018 Outstanding Alumnae Corrin Troutman (horticultural, landscape and turf sciences) and Olivera Jankovska (agricultural business).

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Corrin Troutman and Olivera Jankovska have been named 2017-18 outstanding alumni by the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

Troutman is the Outstanding Alumna and will present the commencement address to Bumpers College graduates on Saturday, May 12, in Barnhill Arena. Jankovska is the Bumpers College Alumni Society's Outstanding Young Alumna and is also speaking to graduates at commencement.

Troutman and Jankovska will be honored at a luncheon on May 11.

Troutman has worked as horticulturist, site manager and executive director at the Peel Compton Foundation. She is an Arkansas Certified Nursery and Landscape Professional, graduate of Leadership Benton County (Class of 2012), graduate of Inseitz Group Women's Personal Leadership Effectiveness Program (2017), and a member of the American Public Gardens Association and the American Association for State and Local History.

In 2010, Troutman began serving on the Benton County Extension Council and has served as horticulture chair. A member of the Bentonville Garden Club since 2007, she has served as chair for the horticulture and scholarship committees since 2008. She has also served as first vice president and is currently second vice president. She earned her bachelor's degree in horticulture, landscape and turf sciences in 2001.

Jankovska serves the world's largest humanitarian organization for children as a UNICEF Global Citizenship Fellow, using community engagement to encourage transformational change in the lives of children around the world. She works with faith-based organizations, academic communities, independent volunteers, political appointees and other advocates in providing education and resources on topics such as public health, immunizations and child-equality. She encourages local communities to take action for children, all in support of worldwide efforts for child empowerment.

In addition to being named a UNICEF Global Citizenship Fellow, Jankovska received the UNICEF 2017 President's Volunteer Service Award, a national award recognizing outstanding volunteer service, for her contributions above and beyond contractual commitments and expectations. She earned her bachelor's degree in agricultural business in 2009.

"Bumpers College is proud to acknowledge Corrin and Olivera as our distinguished alumnae for 2018," said interim Dean Lona Robertson. "Corrin and Olivera have both been very successful in a short period of time. Both of them are very involved in their communities and very accomplished in their careers, and it's exciting to see how they are using their Bumpers College education to grow professionally. We are proud of both of them and looking forward to honoring them."

Corrin Troutman

Troutman grew up playing in her grandfather's apple orchard, and learning about gardening and native plants from him. That interest eventually led to a degree and career in horticulture. She began her professional career as a garden sales rep at Home Depot in Garland, Texas, and moved to Color Spot Nursery as the North East Texas sales representative where she improved sales 60 percent in a year. She returned to Northwest Arkansas soon after as a horticulturalist with the Peel Compton Foundation, and quickly moved up the ranks to foundation horticulturalist, site manager and leader of the organization as executive director.

At Peel Compton, she developed garden maintenance programs, expanded plant collections, managed garden crew and master gardener volunteers, and developed native plant training programs for Master Gardeners. She also trained volunteer tour guides at both Compton Gardens and the Peel Mansion gardens, and grew the annual native plant sale fundraiser.

Troutman helped open Compton Gardens to the public and created a yearly program designed to expand Compton Gardens' native plant collection by adding three new specimens each year, eventually augmenting the Garden's collection by more than 30 species. In 2009, she initiated an advanced volunteer program, Neil's Naturals, to produce free educational brochures for Compton Gardens, and produced six native plant guides for the public still in use today.

She has volunteered with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), is a founding board member of Using Art to Create a Better World and is a mentor volunteer for the Benton County Boys & Girls Club Teen Mentorship Program.

Troutman, who is currently pursuing independent consulting, is married to Ron, and is step-mom to two daughters.

Olivera Jankovska

Jankovska was inspired to serve UNICEF after benefitting from the organization as a child. Her father earned $3 a day in the years immediately following Macedonia's independence, and UNICEF provided school supplies to underprivileged children. By the age of seven, Jankovska was bailing hay, plowing fields, milking goats, weaving wool and selling milk. Those experiences turned into her passion to help others. Years later, a Peace Corps volunteer guided her toward scholarship opportunities, which led to her professional career of service and allowed her to put her younger brother and sister through college.

Jankovska serves UNICEF and is also a nonresident scholar at Rice University where she contributes analysis on electricity and gas markets at the Baker Institute for Public Policy - Center for Energy Studies. She is also a manager at Essentia Advisory Partners, conducting research and serving as a consultant on questions regarding energy policy, environmental regulations, and international trade and development. She uses her agricultural economics and agribusiness background to help inform others about international energy markets.

Jankovska is proficient in seven languages and is an avid traveler. She has more than 10 years of nonprofit experience, and her volunteer work extends to several cultural, educational and business organizations.

She has been named to the United Macedonian's Diaspora "40 under 40" list, is active in the Houston Arkansas Alumni Chapter, participates in "Helping Like a Hog" community service events, and earned a master's degree in agricultural and applied economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.