Krista Orf, an animal sciences major with a minor in captive wild animal management, recently received CAFNR’s Outstanding Junior Award.

Orf, from Troy, Mo., has served as an Animal Science Representative since 2019 and joined the Sigma Alpha – Alpha Chi Chapter in 2018. Orf has served as a fundraising committee member, fundraising co-chair, secretary and executive committee member during her time in Sigma Alpha. She traveled to New Zealand for a study abroad opportunity as a CAFNR student as well.

“During the spring of her freshman year, Krista applied to be an Animal Sciences Representative,” said Hannah Twenter, instructor in the Division of Animal Sciences. “This is a group of elite students within our division that are sent to a multitude of recruitment events and interact with the public as they represent our division and animal agriculture. Krista has been a fantastic addition to that team. She is a team player and works well with her peers. She is very personable and can interact professionally and comfortably with anyone. Krista is always willing to help and has been one of the most active members in the group. She has been very dependable and a great help.

“One of the things that I enjoy most about Krista is her ability to adapt and challenge herself. She wants to learn more with everything that she does. She is an incredibly self-motivated individual and makes an excellent addition to any team.”

Orf will be interning at the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, Mo., this summer as an animal care intern. She will work closely with zookeepers in preparing meals and maintaining enclosures and animal health. Orf has previously volunteered at the South Farm Showcase event, during Bradford Research Center field days and Animal Science Exploration Day.

“Krista is bright and dedicated to her studies,” said Trista Strauch, an assistant teaching professor in the Division of Animal Sciences. “She asks questions in class, and is engaged in the material. She integrates information across courses, and she is straightforward in her approach to her classroom responsibilities. I would love to have a classroom full of students like Krista every semester. She has a positive attitude regarding her learning, and that positive attitude was apparent throughout each class, even during stressful times. In a senior-level, discussion-based course I teach each fall, Krista was a true leader in the room. She brought new perspectives to our discussions and respectfully challenged her classmates to consider other points of view. Our class was significantly better due to her contributions.”