Texas A&M-Kingsville college names outstanding students
KINGSVILLE - May 25, 2012
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. Bruce Roberts was named Friend of the College while Eladio H. Cornejo-Oviedo was given the Hall of Honor Alumnus Award.
Roberts was born and raised in the Coastal Bend, graduating from high school in Corpus Christi. He earned a degree in business administration from Texas A&I University. He turned his love for the outdoors and his interest in training bird dogs to good use by starting his own company that provided management consulting to businesses related to the hunting industry.
He has always been a good friend to the college, helping to entertain VIP guests. Roberts is very involved in the research accomplished by the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute science team as he cooperates with the numerous research projects conducted by the scientists, and often initiates the projects himself. He has been an important supporter of the South Texas Charity Quail Hunt each year by providing accommodations for participants as well as bird dogs and hunting rigs during the weekend hunts.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in forestry with a minor in agronomy from the Universidad Autonoma Agraria “Antonio Narro,” Cornejo-Oviedo came to Texas A&I, where he earned a master’s degree in plant and soil science. He went on to receive his doctorate in forest science from Oregon State University.
Prior to and after receiving his doctorate, Cornejo-Oviedo worked in the forestry department at his alma mater, the Universidad Autonoma Agraria “Antonio Narro,” with research focusing on the Ecophysiology of Pine Forests through several regions in Mexico. He is currently a professor, and in 2010, was elected rector (president) of the university. He will serve in this position until 2014.
During his tenure as a professor, Cornejo-Oviedo has created and taught 12 undergraduate and 10 graduate courses. He has served as academic advisor for countless students and has mentored and served as committee advisor to 52 undergraduate and 12 graduate thesis projects released to pine forest mensuration, dendrochronology and ecophysiology.
Student and faculty winners include:
Outstanding Undergraduate Student Awards
Agribusiness
John Crawford, senior, Corpus Christi
Agriculture Science
Jacob Eckert, senior, Kingsville
Plant and Soil Science
Allison Logan, junior, Bloomington
Animal Science
Isaac Lopez, senior, Harlingen
Range and Wildlife Management
Nick Kolbe, junior, McQueeney
Family and Consumer Sciences Education
Kelsey Schoenbacher, senior, Spring Grove, Illinois
Fashion and Interiors Merchandising
Valerie Rosales, senior, Katy
Family and Consumer Sciences Education
Cassandra Bunch-Ellis, senior, Alice
Outstanding Graduate Student Awards
Agriculture Science
Jessica Bogart-Reeves, master’s student, Tomball
Plant and Soil Science-Citrus Center
Carolina Parra, master’s student, McAllen
Agribusiness
Trent Whitis, master’s student, New Braunfels
Animal Science
Zach Lopez, master’s student, Harlingen
Range and Wildlife Management
Kory Gann, master’s student, San Antonio
Wildlife Science
Chase Currie, doctoral student, Tilden
Human Sciences
Courtney Klueber, master’s student, San Antonio
Outstanding Student Organization
Range Plant Identification Team
Faculty and Staff Awards
Staff Excellence Award
Kyle McManus, farm manager
Advising and Recruiting Award
Dr. Greta Schuester, agriculture, agribusiness and environmental sciences
Junior Teaching Award
Dr. Sandra Rideout-Hanzak, animal, rangeland and wildlife sciences
Senior Teaching Award
Dr. Randy Stanko, animals, rangeland and wildlife sciences
Junior Research Award
Dr. Kim McCuistion, animal, rangeland and wildlife sciences
Senior Research Award
Dr. Alan Fedynich, animal, rangeland and wildlife sciences
Dean’s Excellence Award
Veronica Garcia, academic advisor
-TAMUK-
This page was last updated on: June 14, 2012