Class Notes

Anand Rao (L)(’90 PhD food science and human nutrition) has accepted a position as vice president of research and development for Agropur, an international dairy cooperative.

Luke Hawkins (’11 agronomy) is the new Black Hawk County executive director for the USDA Farm Service Agency.

Pfc. Valeria Escamilla (’16 genetics), Iowa Army National Guard, has been promoted to health care specialist with Company C, 334th Brigade Support Battalion out of Johnston.

Mariah Schmitt (’17 dairy science/ag & society) is the new Iowa Dairy Center coordinator for the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation.

Trey Forsyth (L)(’17 ag business) is a new sustainability associate at Land O’ Lakes Inc.

Sandra Nelson (’75 biochemistry) has been named vice president of Bexion Pharmaceuticals in Covington, Ky.

Jeff Mayes (’02 animal science, ’06 MS ag and life sciences education) has accepted a position as real estate agent for Henry Mayes Company in Austin, Texas.

Bret Spurgin (’11 ag and life sciences education) has accepted a position as an ag educator and FFA adviser at Charles City High School.

Bailey Morrell (’14 ag studies) is a new marketing specialist for Certified Angus Beef in Wooster, Ohio.

Brett Cranston (’15 ag and life sciences education, agronomy) is a new sales manager for Kemin Crop Technologies.

Kyven Gadson ('14 human sciences) finished runner-up at 97kg at the 2017 World Team Trials and has earned a spot on the U.S. National Wrestling Team.

Richard D. Allen ('63 ag business), a retired statistician from Fairfax, Va., has been inducted into the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service Hall of Fame.

Nathan Unsworth ('07 animal ecol), administrative parks superintendent for the City of Newton, Iowa, was awarded the Amy Jennings Young Professional Impact Award by the Des Moines Young Professionals Connection and Juice.

Crystal Matelski ('13 el ed) is one of two professionals who have been selected to receive the 2017 Early Achievement Award from Des Moines Area Community College.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced Danielle Hermann ('01 architecture, MA '08), an associate principal with OPN Architects in Des Moines, Iowa, as a recipient of the 2017 AIA Young Architects Award. This national award recognizes individuals who have shown exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the professional early in their architectural careers.

Allie Lansman ('16 dietetics) was named the 2017 Outstanding Young Alum by the Iowa 4-H Foundation at its 2017 Legacy Awards Gala in Des Moines. Lansman is one of the youngest individuals ever to receive the distinguished honor.

Gateway Market sommelier Kelsey Seay ('11 integrated studio arts) of Des Moines was crowned champion of Winefest's third annual Iron Somm -- becoming the first woman to win the competition, a five-course culinary challenge held annually to raise money for the Des Moines Wine Festival Foundation.

Sandra Larson ('75 biology, '88 civil, construction, and environmental engr) is the 2017 recipient of the Roy W. Crum Distinguished Service Award from the Transportation Research Board. She has been the director of the Iowa Department of Transportation's Systems Operations Bureau for nearly 30 years.

Kyle Oppenhuizen (A)('09 journalism & mass comm), communications manager for the Greater Des Moines Partnership, was named the 2016 Young Professional of the Year by the Des Moines Young Professionals Connection and Juice.

Christina Moffatt ('02 liberal studies) is one of six professionals who have been selected to receive the 2017 Outstanding Alumni Award from Des Moines Area Community College.

Steven W. Churchill ('85 pol sci) has been elected international president for the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. SAE has a presence on 234 campuses in the U.S. and Canada and more than 200,000 living alumni. A resident of Washington, D.C., Churchill is president and CEO of the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy.

Shirley Stakey (L)('57 home ec ed) of Story City, Iowa was one of four recipients of the 2017 Iowa 4-H Legacy Award. Stakey received the award in the category of "individual supporter." She is a former state 4-H staffer and has continued her involvement as a volunteer.

Higher Education magazine has named Susana Munoz (L)(’95 pol sci & intl. studies, PhD ’08 education) among the “Top 25 Women in Higher Education and Beyond by Diverse Issues” for the research she’s doing as an assistant professor in the Colorado State University School of Education on the topics of college access, identity, and persistence of underrepresented student populations.

Rich Degner (L)(’72 ag and life science education, ’77 MS) was recently honored by the National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board with the inaugural Paulson-Whitmore State Executive Award at the annual National Pork Industry Forum. Degner worked for the Iowa Pork Producers Association for 35 years, serving as CEO for 17 years before his retirement in 2015.

Stephanie Hansen (’02 animal science), associate professor of animal science at Iowa State University, received the Outstanding Young Researcher Award from the American Society of Animal Science.