Craig Coon Endowed Graduate Scholarship Created In Honor Of Poultry Science Nutritionist

Former students of faculty member and researcher Craig Coon surprised the poultry nutritionist with a celebration in September announcing the "Craig Coon Endowed Graduate Scholarship."

Former students Milan Hruby, Justina Caldas, Antonio Beitia, Katie Hilton and Kori Leske spoke during the announcement and presentation while Marc de Beer and Ricardo Ekmay were also part of the celebration.

"We're here to honor a remarkable individual whose contributions to science, education and mentorship have left a lasting legacy," Hruby, vice president of creation design and development with ADM Animal Nutrition, said.

Beyond the publications and discoveries, what we remember most is the way Dr. Coon invested in people," Caldas, a regional nutrition manager with Aviagen, said. "He challenged us to think critically, supported us through challenges and celebrated our successes."

Coon is a member of the faculty in U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Science's Department of Poultry Science and the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, and a researcher and scientist with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the U of A System Division of Agriculture.

He has spent 28 years at the U of A and 52 years in education and research.

"I was so surprised and emotionally affected by this very nice honor," Coon said. "I have been truly blessed for having had the opportunity to work with such great people during my career." 

The scholarship will assist graduate students in poultry science with an emphasis on poultry nutrition, and more specifically on breeder nutrition.

As of the announcement date of Sept. 24, $50,000 had been pledged toward the gift amount.

"Dr. Coon has provided us with unwavering support, great mentorship and inspiration to reach our goals in life," Beitia, a poultry nutritionist with Aviagen, said.

"You've not only guided our academic paths, but also touched our lives in ways that go far beyond the classroom or lab," Hilton, a technical service manager with IFF, said.

Other alumni participating and involved in the creation of the scholarship include Marc de Beer, Bumpers College's 2025 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year, and Ricardo Ekmay, the college's alumni society Outstanding Young Alumnus for 2023. Both worked in the poultry research program and were advised by Coon. De Beer is chief executive officer with Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, and Ekmay is senior vice president of research and product development at Arbiom, Inc.

A few of Coon's teaching and education highlights include more than 40 graduate students mentored, 26 post-docs and visiting scholars advised and 10 courses developed and taught.

His research has focused on broiler breeder nutrition and nutrient partitioning; feed net energy systems and environmental interactions; and protein turnover, feed enzymes and body composition in modern broilers.

Service and outreach efforts include 163 refereed journal articles, with 66 of those in poultry science; nine book chapters written; 360 conference abstracts prepared; and eight student presentation awards advised.

"Dr. Coon has mentored and trained an outstanding number of graduate students throughout his lengthy career," said David Caldwell, head of the Department of Poultry Science. "Unfortunately, scholarships specifically established to support graduate students are rare. This one is unique for this reason, and because it is designed to support graduate students with a focus on breeder nutrition in poultry. We greatly appreciate the support pledged by Dr. Coon's former students to establish this endowment in his honor. He truly deserves the recognition."

Coon earned his bachelor's degree in animal science (1966), his master's degree in plant biochemistry and physiology (1970) and Ph.D. in biochemistry and biophysics (1973), all from Texas A&M University, with a two-year (1967-68) stint between while serving with the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam.

He began his career as an assistant professor at the University of Maryland in 1973, and he worked at Washington State University and the University of Minnesota before joining the faculty at the U of A in 1997.

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: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.