Student Awards
2020 Louis and Betty Gardner Outstanding Senior
Mckenzie Carvalho
Mckenzie Carvalho from Maxwell, California, was recently named Oklahoma State University’s Ferguson College of Agriculture 2020 Louis and Betty Gardner Outstanding Senior.
Carvalho is an agribusiness and agricultural communications major. She is a 2016 graduate of Maxwell High School and is the daughter of David and Mary Carvalho.
The Louis and Betty Gardner Outstanding Senior Award is the highest award given to a senior in the Ferguson College of Agriculture. The Outstanding Senior receives a bronze sculpture, scholarship, and represents the Ferguson College of Agriculture by wearing an orange cap and gown as the college gonfalon carrier at commencement. Carvalho will get to participate in this tradition during the Class of 2020 graduation ceremonies in Stillwater on Dec.12. The award is supported by an endowment established by Brent and Kent Gardner, both previous recipients of the award, in honor of their parents, Louis and Betty.
During her time as an undergraduate student, Carvalho has served OSU and the Ferguson College of Agriculture in various capacities. She is a member of the Ferguson College of Agriculture ambassador team, the OSU Student Foundation, Student Alumni Board, and Mortar Board Honor Society. In addition to her campus involvement, she also completed an undergraduate research project in the OSU Department of Agricultural Economics.
"From the moment I walked in the front doors of Ag Hall as an incoming freshman, the Ferguson College of Agriculture family began investing in me,” said Carvalho. “Faculty, staff, alumni and students helped me find opportunities to get involved, travel and gain work experience. My self-motivation coupled with a strong support system allowed me to develop personally and professionally. I gained the self-confidence, knowledge and skills needed to prepare for a career serving rural America.”
Carvalho’s commitment to academics also allowed her to be named a Lloyd Noble Scholar in Agriculture, a Ferguson College of Agriculture Legislative Intern, and she received the President Student Leader Award from the Oklahoma State University Student Government Association. She was also recently selected as an OSU Senior of Significance.
"Mckenzie is such a special person. Her commitment to service and her ability to lead by example and bring out the best in others has made a lasting impact on our college,” said Cynda Clary, Ferguson College of Agriculture associate dean of academic programs. “She is an intelligent, organized and caring individual and is an ideal representation of how far a student can go through hard work and dedication to her college career.”
2020 Seniors of Distinction
- Levi Baker, agricultural economics
- Katherine Bezner, agricultural leadership
- Mason Blinson, plant and soil sciences and animal science
- Jacob Burch-Konda*, animal science
- Mckenzie Carvalho*, agribusiness and agricultural communications
- Grayson Cottrell, animal science
- Olivia Davis*, biochemistry and molecular biology
- Rainee Deroin, environmental science
- Jessica Gore, biochemistry and molecular biology
- Madison Gore, natural resource ecology and management
- Autumn Gregg, agribusiness and animal science
- Jerryca Haller, agricultural education
- Ty Montgomery, biochemistry and molecular biology and animal science
- Rachel Scott*, animal science
- Jacob Sestak, agricultural economics
- Hunter Starr, agribusiness
- Hunter Tolliver, biochemistry and molecular biology
- Amanda Upton, agricultural economics
- Courtney Wiedenmann, agricultural education
- Allison Wilton*, agribusiness
- *Designates selection as Ferguson College of Agriculture Dean's Award of Excellence
Past Outstanding Seniors
- 2019
Sage Becker*, animal science
Haden Comstock, animal science
Jordan Cowger, biochemistry and molecular biology
Clay Daily, animal science
DaLacy Dockrey, agricultural economics and accounting
Samantha Howe*, animal science
Kiera Leddy, agricultural communications
Brittany Lippy, animal science
Jessie Payne, food science
Victoria Pickens*, entomology
Charley Rayfield*, food science
Katelin Spradley, agricultural communications and animal science
Megan Trantham, agricultural communications and agribusiness
Vanessa Wiebe, agribusiness and agricultural communications
Rachel Williams*, biochemistry and molecular biology and microbiology
*Designates selection as Ferguson College of Agriculture Dean's Award of ExcellenceBolded - Ferguson College of Agriculture Outstanding Senior
- 2018
Julianna Albrecht, animal science and agricultural communications
Cody Dean, agricultural education
Megan DeVuyst*, agribusiness
Hammons Hepner, agricultural economics and finance
Grayson Kuehny, agricultural economics
Jenna Maltbie, agribusiness and agricultural communications
Courtney Mapes, animal science
Taylor Neilson, animal science and biochemistry and molecular biology
Grage Ogden*, plant and soil sciences
Macy Perry, animal science
Alexandria Schut, animal science
Alexis Shanes*, agricultural communications
Madison Slawson, biochemistry and molecular biology
Gatlin Squires*, agribusiness
Liza Van der Laan*, plant and soil sciences
*Designates selection as Ferguson College of Agriculture Dean's Award of Excellence
Bolded - Ferguson College of Agriculture Outstanding Senior
- 2017
Jesse Belvin, plant and soil sciences
Allison Christian, animal science
Lauren Clark*, agribusiness
Laurie Fitch, agricultural communications
Klair Hartzold, animal science/agribusiness
Dillon Johnson*, agribusiness/plant and soil sciences
Courtney Karr, animal science
Christian Ley*, biosystems engineering
Anna O’Hare, natural resource ecology and management
Garrett Reed, agribusiness
JD Rosman*, agricultural communications
Ricki Schroeder*, agricultural leadership
Will Shaffer, animal science
Chandler Steele, animal science
Jason Wetzler, agricultural education
*Designates selection as Ferguson College of Agriculture Dean's Award of Excellence
Bolded - Ferguson College of Agriculture Outstanding Senior
- 2016
Kaylen Baker, animal science and agricultural communications
Nolan Craun, natural resource ecology and management
Andres Guerrero Criado, biochemistry and molecular biology
Shanlyn Helfey, agribusiness
Kyle Hilbert, agribusiness
Daniel Jordan, landscape architecture and landscape management
Jena Kellum*, animal science
Lindsay King*, animal science and agricultural communications
Julia Matera*, animal science and biochemistry and molecular biology
Kalyn McKibben*, animal science
Gretchan Moore*, biochemistry and molecular biology, microbiology and cell and molecular biology
Mandy Schroeder, agricultural leadership
Katherine Schwartz, natural resource ecology and management
Rebekah Sook, biochemistry and molecular biology
Mary Temple-Lee, animal science and biochemistry and molecular biology
*Designates selection as Ferguson College of Agriculture Dean's Award of Excellence
Bolded - Ferguson College of Agriculture Outstanding Senior
- 2015
Marli Claytor, natural resource ecology and management
Joshua Conway*, agribusiness
Melissa Golden, plant and soil sciences and agribusiness
Elizabeth Hickman, biosystems engineering
Brian Highfill, agricultural economics
Samantha Ruth Kaiser, entomology
Kyree Larrabee, animal science
Jessica Neal*, animal science
Hannah Nemecek, agricultural communications
Jonathan Overton*, biosystems engineering
Cassandra Rodenbaugh*, natural resource ecology and management
Sarah Schobert*, animal science
Chacey Schoeppel, agribusiness
Alexis Sirois, animal science
Kelly Vierck, food science
*Designates selection as Ferguson College of Agriculture Dean's Award of Excellence
Bolded - Ferguson College of Agriculture Outstanding Senior
Past Outstanding Freshmen
- 2019
Cathy Mapes, animal science
- 2018
Jordan Cowger, biochemistry and molecular biology and animal science
- 2017
Clay Daily, animal science
- 2016
Courtney Mapes, animal science
- 2015
Courtney Mapes, animal science
- 2014
Allison Christian, animal science
- 2013
Mary Temple-Lee, animal science
Oklahoma State University Awards
- 2018-19 Seniors of Significance
• Sage Becker, animal science
• Jordan Cowger, biochemistry and molecular biology
• Kayleigh Crane, animal science
• Clay Daily, animal science
• DaLacy Dockrey*, agricultural economics and accounting
• Samantha Howe, animal science
• Brittany Lippy, animal science
• Joanna Quiah*, biosystems engineering
• Karlie Wade, agricultural communications
• Vanessa Wiebe, agribusiness and agricultural communications
• Rachel Williams, biochemistry and molecular biology and microbiology*Designates selection as an OSU Outstanding Senior
- 2018 Mortar Board Top Twenty Freshmen Men
• Jacob Auer*, biosystems engineering
• Ryan Callahan*, animal science
• William Church, agribusiness
• Grant Eaton, agricultural education
• Zachary Guy, agribusiness
• Cale Hinrichsen*, agribusiness
• Kade Killough, agribusiness
• Dalton Miller, agribusiness
• Luke Muller*, plant and soil sciences and agribusiness
• Truitt Taylor*, agribusiness
• Hunter Thomas*, agribusiness*Designates selection as an OSU Mortar Board Top Ten Freshmen Man
- 2018 Mortar Board Top Twenty Freshmen Women
• Georgia Blackwell, biochemistry and molecular biology
• Seraiah Coe*, natural resource ecology and management
• Alyssa Hoyle, animal science
• Brooklan Light, agribusiness
• Nyla Maere, animal science and agribusiness
• Cathy Mapes*, animal science
• Tegan Maxson*, biochemistry and molecular biology
• Lauren Millang, agricultural communications
• Halie Schovanec*, agricultural communications
• Erica Wiebe*, agribusiness*Designates selection as an OSU Mortar Board Top Ten Freshmen Woman
- 2018-19 Niblack Research Scholars
• Adrienne Blakey, plant and soil science
• Alice Chibnall, biochemistry and molecular biology
• Olivia Davis, biochemistry and molecular biology
• Samantha Howe, animal science
• Natasha Prentiss, natural resource ecology and management
• Liam Whiteman, entomology and plant pathology - 2019-2020 Oklahoma State Scholars Society
• Landon Bakhsh, Thomas A. Edison Preparatory School in Tulsa, majoring in mechanical engineering
• Rio Bonham, Madill High School, majoring in biosystems and agricultural engineering
• Mary Erdmann, Cascia Hall Preparatory School in Tulsa, majoring in microbiology/pre-med
• Carinna Marling, Bartlesville High School, majoring in mechanical and aerospace engineering
• Karley White, Mannford High School, majoring in chemical engineering
National Awards
- Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
2018 - Sage Becker, animal science and biochemistry
2012 - Rosa Yorks, zoology, microbiology and molecular genetics
2010 - Lydia Meador, botany, microbiology and biochemistry
1991 - Ross S. Keener, biochemistry
- Harry S. Truman Fellowship
2014 - Chacey Schoeppel, agribusiness
2011 - Blake Jackson, agricultural economics
2008 - Cortney Timmons, biosystems and agricultural engineering
2002 - Bart Fischer, agricultural economics and finance (Finalist)
2001 - Julia Arntz, environmental science
2000 - Kent W. Gardner, agricultural economics
1998 - Chris Stephens, agricultural economics1997 - Shannon L. Ferrell, agricultural economics
- Morris K. Udall Scholarship
2015 - Maeghan Murie-Harting, chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology
2011 - Flink Holbrook, biosystems and agricultural engineering
2011 - Blake Jackson, agricultural economics
2010 - Jeremy Bennett, environmental science2010 - Lauren White, environmental science
2009 - Jessica Lay, biosystems and agricultural engineering
2008 - Savannah Smith, environmental science
2007 - Sara Jane Smallwood, agricultural communications and American Indian studies
2007 - Cortney Timmons, biosystems and agricultural engineering
2004 - Laura Christianson, biosystems and agricultural engineering (Finalist)