Weyer and Stoddard Named CAFES Outstanding Seniors at UW-River Falls

May 9, 2014 --Two students were honored as Outstanding Seniors by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls at the annual CAFES Senior Supper on April 30. 

Samantha Weyer, of Loyal, was presented with the Dr. Earl Hildebrand Memorial Award. This award is given to the student who best exemplifies a combination of scholastic achievement, extracurricular involvement and leadership roles within the College. Seniors are nominated for this award by faculty in the College and the College Scholarship Committee makes the final selection.  

Weyer is a double major in horticulture and crop and soil science, with a minor in agricultural business. She completed internships in all three of her academic areas of interest. She also served as an officer in three different student organizations, volunteered to help with other activities such as the annual agricultural technology contest, campus tours, and new student orientation, and still found time to participate in intramural sports. 

Grant Stoddard, of Lake Elmo, Minn., was the recipient of the Rochelle Junkman Seymour Award as the graduating senior with the highest grade point average. Stoddard is an animal science major with a meat animal emphasis. He has been very involved in working with Kurt Vogel, assistant professor of animal science, on developing the animal welfare laboratory. Stoddard has been accepted into graduate school at the University of Minnesota in the comparative and molecular biosciences program, where he hopes to focus on his interest in dairy calf health.  

The Senior Supper is sponsored by the CAFES Alumni Association to recognize the accomplishments of the graduating seniors and to welcome them into the ranks of alumni.  This was the 30th year for the event that, by tradition, features speakers from industry, the graduating class, and the faculty. This year's roster of speakers included Peter Weber, national account manager for Genex; Amy Kringle, a graduating senior in food science and technology from Barron; and Sylvia Kehoe, associate professor of dairy science. 

For more information, contact Scholarship Committee Chair Gary Onan at 715-425-3704.