Horticulture, Food Science Students Win 20 Awards at Horticultural Science Meeting

submitted

From left, Sarah Mayfield, doctoral student in food science; Morgan Gramlich, horticulture master's degree student; James McClellan, master's degree student in food science; and Erika Henderson, master's degree student in horticulture; at the Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science meeting.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – U of A students from two departments in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences combined for 20 total awards at the recent Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science annual meeting in Louisville, Kentucky.

Students in food science won two honors with James McClellan taking first in the Norman F. Childers M.S. Graduate Student Oral Competition and Sarah Mayfield placing third in the Warren S. Barham Ph.D. Graduate Student Oral Competition.

From horticulture, Waltram Ravelombola won the Krezdorn Excellence in Doctoral Research and Writing Award and master's degree student Ericka Henderson won the Southern Fruit Workers Group three-minute presentation contest.

Horticulture students Morgan Gramlich and Ericka Henderson finished second and third, respectively, in the M.S. oral competition.

In team competition, Kooper Cavender, Max McKeown, Rhiannon de la Rosa and Josh Tebow in horticulture finished second overall in the J. Benton Storey Undergraduate Judging Contest. The group was first in the fruit and nuts category, second in vegetable crops, and third in greenhouse and foliage plants, and woody ornamentals categories.

Individually, McKeown was second overall, and first in woody ornaments, greenhouse and foliage plants, and fruit and nut crops. Tebow was third overall, and first in vegetable crops, second in fruit and nut crops, and third in woody ornamentals. Cavender was second in fruit and nut crops.

Clinical assistant professor Garry McDonald advises the horticulture group. Research food scientist Renee Threlfall is the advisor for Mayfield and McClellan. Amanda McWhirt in horticulture advises Henderson, and McWhirt and Threlfall co-advise Gramlich.

The American Society for Horticultural Science is recognized around the world as one of the most respected and influential professional societies for horticultural scientists. It promotes and encourages national and international interest in scientific research and education in all branches of horticulture.

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. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

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 2.7 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.