Accolades

May 12, 2020

Jason Entsminger Receives Catalyst Award

Jason Entsminger, a PhD student in the Division of Applied Social Sciences (Managerial, Behavioral & Organizational Economics), recently received the Catalyst Award from the Mizzou LGBTQ Resource Center. Entsminger is an active leader in Students for Cultivating Change at Mizzou. Established in 1998, Catalyst Awards is an annual event aimed at bringing together LGBTQ activists, volunteers, students and community members. Any group, individual or event may be nominated for a Catalyst Award, which is reviewed by a committee overseen by the LGBTQ Resource Center Coordinator.

May 9, 2020

Jessica Kansman Honored with Student Leadership Award

Described as the embodiment of a student leader, Jessica Kansman, a graduate student in Plant, Insect and Microbial Sciences, has served on numerous board positions where she has organized and help planned a variety of social and recruitment events. For this, she received the Excellence in Student Leadership Award as part of the Mizzou Graduate Professional Council Awards. Her passion for mentorship and communication has had a deep impact on both graduate and undergraduate student. Not only does she do extensive outreach for the community, Jessica also remains committed to assisting her fellow colleagues.

May 8, 2020

Lisa Groshong Earns MU Distinguished Dissertation Award – Discipline Winner

Lisa Groshong is being honored by the MU Graduate School with the MU Distinguished Dissertation Award for her dissertation titled “Looking Broadly and Deeply into Perceptions of Local Climate Change Impacts Among Visitors to Missouri State Parks.” This work was supervised by Sonja Wilhelm Stanis, associate professor in the School of Natural Resources. The results of Lisa’s research suggest opportunities for state park managers to take action toward locally oriented climate change mitigation, education and communication. Groshong is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri.

May 8, 2020

Man Huynh Honored with Postdoctoral Research Award

Man Huynh, a postdoctoral fellow in Plant Sciences, has received the Postdoctoral Research Award from the MU Graduate School. He developed an artificial diet to address the impact of northern corn rootworm. This pest is devastating to maize crops across North America. This research led to multiple first-authored publications, external funding and a commercially-available diet in partnership with Frontier Agricultural Sciences. His advisor, Debbie Finke, associate professor in the Division of Plant Sciences, shared this sentiment in her nomination letter for the award: “Dr. Huynh is a selfless researcher who takes the time to teach and train others, including colleagues…

May 8, 2020

Ben Knapp Earns Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources Outstanding Young Alumni Award

The Outstanding Young Alumni Award recognizes the accomplishments of individuals who have excelled in professional and civic accomplishments and have graduated from Purdue FNR within the last 15 years. Ben Knapp, who earned his bachelor’s degree in forestry from Purdue in 2003, is an associate professor of silviculture in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri. After completing his master’s and doctorate degrees at Clemson in 2005 and 2012 respectively, Knapp began teaching at Missouri as a tenure-track assistant professor. In 2018, he was promoted to associate professor. He teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in silviculture…

May 8, 2020

Harold Chapman Named Alumnus of the Year by CAFNR Alumni Association

Harold Chapman, who received a bachelor’s in Ag Mechanization from CAFNR in 1985, has been named 2020 Alumnus of the Year by the CAFNR Alumni Association. Chapman is the complex general manager for eight Missouri locations of Crown Power and Equipment and was instrumental in helping design an equipment lease program with CASEIH equipment that has transformed CAFNR’s Missouri Ag Experiment Station and its network of research centers across the state. Chapman worked with John Poehlmann, now-retired Assistant Director, Agricultural Experiment Station Director, and Don Schindler, Manager of Farm Operations, to provide the research centers with top-of-the-line equipment. The program…

May 7, 2020

Karl Kerns Honored with Distinguished Dissertation Award

Karl Kerns, a postdoctoral fellow in animal sciences, has received the MU Distinguished Dissertation Award from the Graduate School as part of the Sixth Annual Graduate and Postdoctoral Award Ceremony. Kerns’ dissertation, “Zinc Ion Fluxes on the Pathway to Mammalian Sperm Fertilization Competency,” was supervised by Peter Sutovsky, professor of animal sciences. The research used a combination of new techniques to explain sperm zinc ion fluxes and develop a new sperm fertilization competency test. The test has been submitted for international patenting by the University of Missouri. The findings from Kerns’ dissertation have been published in the highly regarded Nature…

May 7, 2020

Glenn Blumhorst Honored with the Citation of Merit Award from the CAFNR Alumni Association

Glenn Blumhorst, who received a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture (Ag Econ emphasis) from CAFNR in 1985, was honored with the 2020 Citation of Merit Award from the CAFNR Alumni Association. As the President and CEO of the National Peace Corps Association, Blumhorst, who also received an MPA (International Development Management emphasis) from Mizzou in 1987, has transformed the 30-year-old non-profit into a robust, mission-driven social impact organization mobilizing 225,000 former Peace Corps volunteers, staff and 175 affiliate groups to act on their Peace Corps ideals. Before his current position, which he has held since 2013, he has had various roles…

May 6, 2020

Clay Haynes Named Honorary Member of the CAFNR Alumni Association

Clay Haynes, Engineering Manager for Black & Veatch, has been named a 2020 honorary member of the CAFNR Alumni Association. Haynes is the husband of Dana Brown Haynes, retired CAFNR Director of Alumni Relations. Over the years, Haynes helped with many of the CAFNR Alumni Association’s events and activities, including the CAFNR Week Bonfire, Tiger Classic Golf Tournament and Steak Fry, Alumni Gathering at the Missouri State Fair, out-state alumni events, and the CAFNR Unlimited Banquet and Auctions, where he helped with auction item transport and assembly (including numerous pedal tractors and a windmill!), in addition to clean up and…

May 6, 2020

David Janish Named Honorary Member of the CAFNR Alumni Association

David Janish, CEO of FCS Financial, has been named a 2020 Honorary Member of the CAFNR Alumni Association. Since taking this position in 2013, Janish has immersed himself in the agriculture, civic and Mizzou communities. He is a member of the CAFNR Foundation board and has served on the investments and marketing committees. He is part of the CAFNR Vice Chancellor and Dean’s leadership cabinet and the Food, Beverage and Forest Products Manufacturing Initiative, a Grand Idea in the college’s strategic plan. Janish informs the college what skills and experiences his industry is seeking as CAFNR evaluates how to adapt…