Texas A&M-Kingsville college names outstanding students
KINGSVILLE - June 01, 2011
Contact:
Julie Navejar
julie.navejar@tamuk.edu or
361-593-2590
The Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences at Texas A&M University-Kingsville recently held its annual awards program.
Two special awards given by the college include the Friend of the College Award and the Hall of Honor Alumnus Award. Jimmie Steidinger was named Friend of the College while Ruben Cantu was given the Hall of Honor Alumnus Award.
Steidinger is a leading South Texas agriculture producer and has successfully attributed to a lifetime of learning and willingness to help others. In his early years, he worked all day in his fields and then rough-neck in the oil fields to pay his farming bills and buy farmland. Frugality and hard work eventually led to the purchase of several farms including the JIMBAR Ranch in the Texas Hill Country.
He and his wife Barbara have always been givers. They started a scholarship fund in the 1990s to help disadvantaged students attend Texas A&M-Kingsville. In 2010, they made additional donations to university scholarships to support graduate students from South Texas at the Citrus Center. Steidinger is an active member of the Citrus Center Advisory Committee and has provided tremendous help and support to the center.
Cantu graduated from Texas A&I University in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in range and wildlife science and in 1982 with a master’s degree in wildlife science. After graduation, he worked as a rangeland conservationist in the Panhandle with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. He began his career with Texas Parks and Wildlife serving as a regulatory wildlife biologist in San Angelo.
He worked his way up to regional director for Wildlife Region I covering the Trans Pecos and Panhandle Districts, where he supervises a staff of 43 wildlife biologists, fish and wildlife technicians and support staff that oversee the state wildlife program in the western third of the state. This past year, he and his staff have been instrumental in the largest in-state release of desert bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope restoration projects. Cantu is a certified wildlife biologist and has served as president of the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society.
Student and faculty winners include:
Outstanding Undergraduate Student Awards
Agribusiness
Ralph C. Garcia, a senior from Bandera
Agriculture Science with teaching certification
Cheryl Jordan, a senior from Sinton
Plant and Soil Science
Juan Daniel Vargas, a senior from Donna
Animal Science
Diamond Edwards, a senior from Houston
Range and Wildlife Management
Cord Eversole, a senior from Needville
Family and Consumer Sciences Education
Monica Kindervater, a senior from Aransas Pass
Fashion and Interiors Merchandising
Almendra Reyes, a senior from Mexico
Human Development and Family Studies
Leanna Guerra, a senior from Pharr
Human Nutrition
Ashley Garcia, a senior from Corpus Christi
Outstanding Graduate Student Awards
Agriculture Science
Brad Wood, a master’s student from Mission
Plant and Soil Science-Citrus Center
Aditi Dilip Satpute, a master’s student from India
Horticulture
Catherine R. Simpson, a doctoral student from Edinburg
Animal Science
Martha Ramirez, a master’s student from Mexico
Range and Wildlife Management
Erin Cord, a master’s student from Delaware
Wildlife Science
Jennifer Korn, a doctoral student from Wylie
Human Sciences
Katherine Korzeniewski, a master’s student from Illinois
Outstanding Student Organization
The Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society
Faculty and Staff Awards
Staff Excellence Award
Rachel Perez, administrative assistant III, animal, rangeland and wildlife sciences
Advising Award
Jerome Tymrak, lecturer, agriculture, agribusiness and environmental sciences
Junior Teaching Award
Dr. Ryan Rhoades, assistant professor, agriculture, agribusiness and environmental sciences
Senior Teaching Award
Dr. Bart Ballard, associate professor and research scientist in animal, rangeland and wildlife sciences
Senior Research Award
Dr. Mamoudou Setamou, associate professor, Citrus Center, agriculture, agribusiness and environmental sciences
-TAMUK-
This page was last updated on: June 16, 2011