Volume 27, 2012
“To go back to school in my 30s was like a
gift. I got to go to classes and hear people
talk about intellectual things. I approached
it differently than the first time around.”
Alice McLarty
Monumental Work
4
Monumental Work
8
Donations Growing for New Scholarship Fund
Tabl e o f C o n t e n t s
11
A Vision of the Past
Landmarks | Vol. 27
Landmarks magazine is a newsletter of
the College of Agricultural Sciences and
Natural Resources at Texas Tech University. It is published biannually and sent
to alumni and friends of the college.
1 Perspectives
2 Development and Alumni Relations
3 Events
12 Where They Are Now
D i r e c t o r / Ed i t o r
13 College Updates
Tracee Murph
15 In the News
photography
16 Awards and Recognitions
Norman Martin
Jerod Foster
Ann Heisenfelt
Historical photos provided by
The Southwest Collections
17 Outstanding Agriculturalists
Design
Hartsfield Design, Amanda Sneed
Stay Connected!
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Send comments and news to:
Landmarks Editor
CASNR
Box 42123
Lubbock, Texas 79409-2123
806.742.2802
tracee.murph@ttu.edu
PERSPECTIVES
Michael Galyean
Dean
College of Agricultural Sciences
and Natural Resources
Officials at Texas Tech announced
March 13th that Michael Galyean will
become the permanent dean of the
College of Agricultural Sciences and
Natural Resources (CASNR), effective
April 1. He was named interim dean in
February 2011, taking the reins in July,
on the retirement of John M. Burns.
“Michael is the ideal person to fill the
dean position in CASNR,” Smith said.
“His background and experience will
be most helpful in making successful
contributions. President Guy Bailey and
I believe he will work successfully across
the university landscape in unique ways
to help the college advance to future
significant levels.”
Galyean is a Horn professor and
Thornton Distinguished Chair in beef
cattle nutrition and management in
Texas Tech’s Department of Animal and
Food Sciences. He joined the faculty at
Texas Tech in 1998 and was chairman
of the Animal Care and Use Committee
from 2002 to 2006.
Landmarks is certainly an appropriate name for CASNR’s magazine. The Merriam-Webster
definition of landmark is “an event or development that marks a turning point or a stage.” One
thing I’ve learned in the last eight months while serving as the Interim Dean of CASNR is that
turning points and stages happen often at Texas Tech. This issue of Landmarks highlights a
small sampling of those “turning point” activities and accomplishments of the college.
It has been a challenging but rewarding year for the students, staff, and faculty of CASNR.
The challenges have come primarily in the form of state budget cuts, as well as the loss of
federal designated funds (“earmarks”) that support research. Budget cuts also resulted in a
temporary freeze on hiring, so we were forced to get the same job done with fewer people.
In the face of these challenges, our faculty and staff have worked harder and more efficiently
than ever before. Our competitive funding base for research is growing, and CASNR has one
of the highest ratios of research funding per faculty member of any college on campus. In
addition, our student enrollment in the college was at an all-time high for the fall semester
(a 5% increase from last year with a total of 1,874 students). Indeed, CASNR is a leader in
enrollment growth, reflecting the great job of recruiting by our departments and the staff
of the Dr. Bill Bennett Student Success Center (under the capable leadership of Dr. Cindy
Akers, who with Dr. Norm Hopper’s retirement assumed the role in September of Assistant
Dean for Academic and Student Programs). Because of our student growth in CASNR and
Texas Tech on the whole, along with the gains in efficiency by our faculty and staff, the university has weathered the budget storm far better than expected. As a result, we are already
beginning to fill open faculty positions, with the intention of being back to full staffing by the
fall semester of 2012. In addition, with several newly identified areas of research excellence,
we are making great strides to recover to our “pre-budget cut” levels for funding and move
on to even greater success in the research arena.
Besides learning that things change quickly on campus, I’ve also had an eye-opening
experience relative to the truly incredible students we are privileged to have in the CASNR
family. When one gets a chance to see these young people in action, it is really remarkable
how intelligent, articulate, and polished they can be. Our internship program for students in
Washington DC and Austin is highly competitive and populated by some of the finest young
people one could ever meet. Our student organizations are recognized as among the most
active and well-organized on campus. Moreover, our student extracurricular activities,
awards, and accomplishments are absolutely phenomenal – 11 students listed in Who’s Who
Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, national championship livestock
and meats teams, the nation’s best agricultural communicators, two range management
students recognized as outstanding by the Texas section of the national society, tremendous
individual and team accomplishments by the rodeo team, national television coverage for
our landscape architecture students – and the list goes on. In addition to all this fine work
by our undergraduate students, our graduate students throughout the college are winning
awards, and along with our dedicated staff, are helping the faculty to advance their scholarship around the nation and the world.
Because agriculture and natural resources affect everyone on a daily basis, I like to think
of CANSR as a place where we are about the business of science and education for daily living. I trust you will enjoy this issue of Landmarks as you learn about how CASNR is affecting
the lives of people in Texas and around the world. Thanks to all our alumni and friends who
help us do this important job.
1
DEVELOPMENT and ALUMNI REL ATIONS
By the time this
magazine reaches
your mail box, I will
have been in my new
role as Coordinator of
Alumni Relations for
the College of Agricultural Sciences and
Natural Resources at
Texas Tech University
for several months,
and I have enjoyed
every minute of it!
Many of you may
recognize my name;
I’ve worked in the Office of Development and
Alumni Relations for more than six years. I
started my career in the office as a Student
Assistant while I was an undergraduate. I am
a Lubbock native and Red Raider blood flows
through my veins. It wasn’t a hard decision to
choose Texas Tech as my home. I graduated
in December 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in
Agricultural Communications, a minor in Animal Science, and an Equine Science Certificate
through the Department of Animal and Food
Sciences. Shortly after graduation, the position
of Senior Business Assistant became available.
I loved the work I did as a student so much I
jumped at the chance to stay.
In October we said goodbye to Memory Bennett. After more than eight years in this chair she
is now the Director of Development for the College of Mass Communications here at Tech. I took
the helm November 16, 2011 and haven’t looked
back since.
Now that you’ve gotten to know me a little,
I’d love to get to know you. My door is always
open, feel free to stop by and introduce yourself. I’d love to hear your ideas on how we, as a
College, can stay connected to our alumni.
This is the first issue of our alumni news
magazine that I’ve produced on my own, I hope
you like it. We are always looking for news and
updates from our alumni and friends. Feel free
to send me any information you would like to
be featured in the next issue.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Texas Tech University
College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources
Box 42123 | Lubbock, TX 79409-2123
806-742-2802 | tracee.murph@ttu.edu
landmarks 2012
Graduates, young and old, got up early October 15th to celebrate another
year for Texas Tech. The historic Diary Barn and Silo became the setting
for this year’s annual CASNR Homecoming Breakfast to kick off the College’s campaign to restore the barn and preserve a piece of the past.
We would also like to introduce and welcome Holly Ryan to our team. She joined our
office in February as our new Senior Business
Assistant.
Holly comes to us from Iowa State University were she graduated in 2009 with a
bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Communications. She will be the first line of contact for
our office and should you need any assistance,
please don’t hesitate to call.
Congratulations Holly!
EVENTS
above: NAADA President Mary Buschette with Wyman Meinzer
right: NAADA members from the University of Missouri with
Raider Red at the chuck wagon dinner at the Taylor’s barn.
NAADA members from the University of Kentucky with Masked Rider Bradley Skinner
U p c o m i n g Ev e n t s
50th+ Class Reunion
Look for more information coming soon.
Vocational Agricultural Teachers Association
of Texas Annual Convention
July 30 - August 3, 2012 in Amarillo, TX
This past summer, the College of Agricultural
Sciences and Natural Resources hosted the
36th Annual National Agricultural Alumni
and Development Association (NAADA)
conference in Lubbock. More than 130
agricultural alumni and development professionals and volunteers from 44 of the nation’s
colleges of agriculture and related sciences
attended the conference entitled “Reach for
the Sky.” The program consisted of educational sessions, speakers and tours of Texas
Tech and Lubbock, including the Ranching
Heritage Center and Llano Estacado Winery.
Two CASNR alumni were featured during the
conference: Wyman Meinzer (’74 BS Wildlife
Management), the official state photographer
of Texas, presented an inspirational photographic overview of Texas as Keynote speaker;
and Drew DeBerry (’00 BS Agricultural and
Applied Economics), Deputy Commissioner
of Texas’ Department of Agriculture, led the
Bickford lecture luncheon. The group also
enjoyed a “Taste of Texas” chuck wagon dinner at Dan Taylor’s (’64 BS and 1968 MED
Agricultural Education) barn, complete with
a barn dance featuring Cruise Duke and The
Country Road Ends, a Texas Country band
whose members are current CASNR students.
Homecoming Breakfast
Saturday, October 13, 2012
3
MONUMENTAL
WO RK
Alice McLarty Helps Preserve Nation’s Landmarks
By Laura Gutschke | Photo by Ann Heisenfelt
landmarks 2012
A
popular photograph of Washington D.C. is the
reflected image of the Washington Monument
in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Alice
McLarty (’87 BLA Landscape Architecture) works to
ensure the pool remains picturesque for generations.
McLarty is a landscape architect working at the
National Park Service’s National Mall and Memorial
Parks in the nation’s capital. She reviews the design
concepts for new memorials and rehabilitation of
existing ones, such as the Reflecting Pool that is to
be completed this spring. Construction on the $30.7
million project began in fall 2010.
NAMA manages more than 1,000 acres of parkland
that includes the country’s most recognized symbols
– Washington Monument, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Jefferson Memorial – as well as dozens of lesser
known parks and memorials throughout the Washington D.C. area.
“We never start with a blank slate,” McLarty said.
“Even when we are building something new, it is in
the fabric of something old. ”
One example is the Martin Luther King Jr.
National Memorial, which opened in 2011 on the
western side of the Tidal Basin.
“So, it incorporates lots of cherry blossoms,”
McLarty said.
With each project, McLarty is mindful of three
important factors: their historic context, the user
experience and good stewardship of public funds.
“A well-done landscape architecture project looks
like it belongs there. If it is done right, then the
casual visitor doesn’t think about it,” McLarty said.
C A R E E R C H A N G E // A native of Little Rock, Ark., McLarty is entering her
21st year with the NPS. She graduated in 1973 from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. She later married Lynn McLarty, a
Lubbock native working in Fayetteville, Ark. as a custom homebuilder.
When the economy turned sour, the two made career changes by enrolling
at Texas Tech University. An outdoor and gardening enthusiast who today
enjoys kayaking and canoeing, McLarty chose her new major because of
her brother-in-law, who was a residential landscape architect. Lynn earned
degrees in petroleum engineering and business administration.
McLarty approached going back to school as a wife and mother of two young
children – Rain and Justus – as an adventure. She also worked part time.
“To go back to school in my 30s was like a gift. I got to go to classes and hear
people talk about intellectual things. I approached it differently than the first
time around,” McLarty said.
One of McLarty’s influential instructors was assistant professor Garrett Gill,
Ph.D., who taught landscape construction. After McLarty completed her studies, she taught the subject because of Gill’s departure. Her detailed notes of his
lectures proved beneficial a second time, she said.
A well-done landscape architecture project
looks like it belongs there. If it is done right,
then the casual visitor doesn’t think about it.
5
A photo of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool under construction Alice took 1-6-2012 from atop the
Washington Monument. ‘We used to take a lot of photos from that high vantage point,’ she said, ‘but since
the earthquake access to the top has been greatly reduced. So I feel lucky to have this photo!’
R I G H T P L A C E // After both McLartys graduated, they looked for
P U B L I C T R U S T // In 1991, McLarty started full-time in NPS’s depart-
work in various cities and found success in the Washington D.C.
area. In July 1988 she started as an entry-level landscape architect
with Mortensen, Lewis and Scully Landscape Architects.
In those days, plans were hand drawn, and McLarty often was
the only woman on a job site, she said.
“In my working career, I have seen it change,” McLarty said.
Computerized drafting has transformed the industry that is now
populated with more women.
One thing that has not changed is the negative impact of slow
economies. During the 1991 economic slump, McLarty found
herself the victim of a second round of layoffs at her company. She
made the best of the situation by telling friends at the NPS that
she would volunteer full-time for three weeks on a streetscape
project for the Memorial Core of Washington D.C.
“As it turned out while I was there, a boss in that department
had finally gotten approval on a new position that had been in
the works for two years. They knew I could do the work and that
I was available, and I ended up getting the job,” McLarty said.
ment that works on park roads. She later was the landscape architect
assigned to projects in the Park Roads and Parkways Program, the Scenic Byways Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program.
In February 2000 McLarty moved to her current assignment on the
National Mall and Memorial Parks.
“The project that I volunteered on 21 years ago I still work on today,”
McLarty said.
She spends about 40 percent of her time in the field. Her day-to-day
responsibilities include visiting work sites, review of plans and specifications and working with designers, ordering plants and meeting with
neighbors of NPS properties who want to give input on their rehabilitation and volunteer on their upkeep. She also issues construction permits to utilities and other agencies that need to work on NPS properties
and responds to inquiries from Congress and the public.
The time between initial discussions on a project to completion can
take several years. For example, rehabilitation of a road takes about
two years of planning and design and another 18 months for construction, she said.
“The climate of government contracting has changed. It is now more
like the private sector. The main difference is that as managers of the
peoples’ public treasures there is so much to consider on a project,”
McLarty said.
landmarks 2012
Recent Favorite Projects
Alice McLarty equally enjoys working on both the grand and lesser known public
properties in Washington D.C.
• Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
“That project is really interesting because we are replacing a really large structure.
We are rethinking how it is done,” McLarty said. When the pool reopens, visitors
will continue to enjoy a stunning reflection. They will not notice the 2,500 pylons
driven into bedrock to support the pool or the new water recirculation system that
will keep the pool fresh with filtered river water. “We have fixed that pool so that
in 70 years it will not be leaking,” McLarty said.
• DC War Memorial
The 1931 memorial honors Washington D.C. residents who served during World War I.
“It is a bandshell that looks like a Greek temple, but the landscape had become
overgrown,” McLarty said. A refurbishing of the temple and a rehabilitating of the landscaping were completed in 2011. Now bands can once again perform in the bandshell as
it was originally envisioned, McLarty said.
• Mall Grounds
McLarty currently is in the planning stage to redo the Mall’s un-irrigated grounds
between the Washington Monument to the west and the U.S. Capitol to the east.
Plans include installing sandier soil that resists compaction and a new irrigation
system that uses rainwater stored in new underground cisterns. The project also
entails redoing curbs and re-installing vehicle-access paths, McLarty said. “When
we are done, it won’t look different, but it will look a lot better,” McLarty said.
Advice for Students
* Show Up – “Even if you aren’t as ready as you’d like to be for a presentation, show up anyway.
That is one way you build trust,” McLarty said.
* Be Happy – Instead of wearing your busyness and stress as a badge of honor, “give yourself
the freedom to be happy and grateful. People respond favorably to that,” McLarty said.
* Be Open to Volunteer Opportunities – “It can be an entrée to a paid position,” McLarty said.
7
Donations Growing
for New Scholarship Fund
By Laura Gutschke | Photo by Jerod Foster
landmarks 2012
I
n ways small and big, food science associate professor Max
Miller (’58 BS Dairy Industry) has been showing students
for 52 years – and counting – that he is genuinely vested in
their success.
Former students, friends, colleagues and acquaintances
of Miller now are returning the favor with donations to
a new scholarship in honor of Miller and his wife, Roma,
started in fall 2011.
Miller currently is the longest-serving faculty member at
Texas Tech University. He is known for giving hard tests and
not tolerating laziness but also for being easily accessible and
insisting that students call him Max.
On the first day of class as he checks roll by calling out the student’s name and hometown, he then usually adds from memory
the mascot for the student’s former high school.
“If you do some stuff like that in teaching, it tells the students you are interested in them,” Miller said. “Growing up I
hated reading, but I loved sports. I would read the sports page
every day, and I just loved to learn the mascots of different
schools and teams.”
More significantly, Miller prepares his students for the real
world. He calls his teaching style “old school,” in which is
eschews PowerPoint and other high-tech presentations for
lectures packed with pertinent information.
“I don’t want you as a student to leave my class and go to
someone and say, ‘We never learned anything in his class.’
You’ll think I’m hard, but you’ll get good notes, and you’ll have
good examples to go with them,” Miller said.
And, he works diligently to help students find internships
because they lead to employment.
“That’s a requirement of our department because we think
it’s important. When a kid goes into a dairy plant, they learn
what the equipment looks like and learn the basics of how the
plant works,” Miller said. “The food industry likes that.”
LEARNING TO EXCEL
Miller was in the inaugural faculty group inducted into Texas Tech’s Teaching Academy in 1995.
“I don’t get crazy excited about stuff like that usually, but that made me
feel good,” Miller said.
The reason may be in part because it was vindication for a being a
self-described poor student at Brownfield High School. Miller grew up on
a family cotton farm where his parents promoted education. His father
expected him to get up early enough to do his chores and be off the tractor
in time to catch the school bus.
However, despite Miller’s reputation for excelling in 4-H and FFA events,
the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources faculty were
concerned about him succeeding in college because of low grades on
entrance placement exams. Miller then made a conscious decision when he
moved to Lubbock to work hard at his studies.
“When I came up here, I was scared to death. I knew I was weak in math
and chemistry, so I took every elective in those subjects,” Miller said.
Being newly married to his high school sweetheart, Roma, also was
motivation to excel academically. She worked at a Lubbock bank to put him
through school, which he completed in three years.
“I’m not that smart. If you gave me an IQ test, I’d be at the bottom, but I
would tell myself that there is not going to be anyone who is going to work
any harder than I do,” Miller said.
After earning a master’s degree in dairy sciences from Michigan State University in 1960, Miller was asked to teach at the CASNR. He then put Roma
through nursing school, and she later became the school nurse at their alma
mater. Miller later returned to Michigan State temporarily to earn his Ph.D.
in food science in 1971.
“I think I had about 50 hours of chemistry and 50 hours of microbiology
by the time I earned my Ph.D.,” Miller said.
Donations have been coming in steady since the creation of the Max and Roma Miller
Scholarship in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences was announced in October.
As of April 1st, the balance of the endowment was well over $50,000.
The Millers’ sons, Sam and Paul, and Chuck Anderson (’65 BS Food Science), created
the scholarship endowment. Max and Roma have elected the scholarship to be awarded to
full-time, undergraduate students majoring in food science who have completed at least 60
credit hours and have an overall 3.25 GPA or higher.
To contribute to the scholarship, go to www.give2tech.com and click on “give online
now,” search all funds for “Max Miller” scholarship, and then follow the simple instructions.
Or, mail a check donation, payable to the Texas Tech Foundation, to TTU-CASNR, P.O. Box
42123, Lubbock, TX, 79409, with “Max and Roma Miller Scholarship” on the memo line.
9
“JUST A TEACHER”
One of Miller’s inspirations for being a good
teacher was CASNR faculty member Milton
Peeples, who taught from 1954 to 1980.
“He taught engineering in the dairy industry,
but if a student needed tutoring in writing,
math or science, he could tutor them in those
subjects as well as anyone,” Miller said.
Today Miller teaches three classes in the
fall and three in the spring, from food science
basics to a senior-level field trip class in which
students visit weekly food industry companies.
He stays up on the latest trends in the industry,
but he also continues to focus on the basics to
ensure his students are well grounded.
He admits that as he approaches his 75th
birthday in May, he is slowing down a bit. But,
he still drives daily between Lubbock and his
childhood home where he and Roma raised
their two sons, Sam (90 BS, Food Technology),
who also holds a Ph.D. in food engineering
and works for Frito-Lay in Plano, and Paul
(’94, BS, Food Technology), who works for
Ecolab in Dalhart.
But, Miller thinks retirement is a bad idea.
“I don’t want to quit and sit down. Every July
and August when I’m off from school, I’m home
and I drive Roma crazy,” Miller said. “I really
enjoy teaching college students.”
And, he enjoys hearing from former students.
He usually receives one telephone call a day
from former students who check on how he is
doing and let him know of their successes.
“I’m not a big shot here. I’m just a teacher.
That’s all I wanted to be,” Miller said.
Following is a sampling of the comments from donors about why
they contributed to the Miller Scholarship.
“For a scared kid from the country, Max was the guidance counselor
I needed at a critical point in my career.”
– James T. Marshall, Jr. (‘68 BS and MS Dairy Industry), Joplin,
Mo., who taught at three universities and worked continuously in
the food industry for more than 37 years.
“I have known Max for over 40 years and have sent him several students from South Plains College, and they have done extremely well
under his teaching expertise.”
– Jim R. Jenkins, director of Agriculture, SPC, Levelland
“Max was my food tech professor back in 1993. He had a profound
influence on my life.”
– William Bunch Swift (’95 BS Animal Science), Animas, N.M.
“Max Miller was a student of mine in Vocational Agriculture 59
years ago. He was a member of a team in Plant and Soil Science that
won state. Max has been kind enough to stay in touch with us over
the years. We are pleased that this scholarship endowment is being
established in his and Roma’s name.”
– Ves Hicks, San Antonio
“From his ‘incredibly challenging’ exams to his side-splitting jokes,
Max Miller has become one of the most influential professors of my
college career. Hopefully, his dedication and commitment toward his
students will be an ever-lasting example for many professors to come.”
– Adam Copeland (senior, Animal Science), Lubbock
landmarks 2012
A vi s o n of the p a s t
T
he Dairy Barn, one of the first structures built on the Texas Technological College campus, provided many young men the opportunity to gain a college education. For years, student crews lived
and worked at the barn, first selling the products of their own cows and
later earning room, board, and a small salary for handling the university’s livestock.Constructed in 1926, the Texas Tech Dairy Barn and Silo
served as a teaching facility for 40 years. Originally used as an incentive
to attract agricultural students, the Dairy Barn had the capacity for the
care, feeding and milking of 40 cows. Until 1935, students brought their
own cows to school to help meet their college expenses. Dairy products
were first marketed through the Student Dairy Association. After 1927,
the Dairy Manufacturing Department, established by K. M. Renner,
furnished milk and ice cream to the Lubbock community and campus
cafeterias. The milk was processed twice each day, and was bottled and
delivered the next day. Initially, delivery was made by horse-drawn wagons, but by 1930, a pick-up truck was used.The experiences of so many
students at the Dairy Barn have become part of the lore of the College
of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR). One might
expect the aroma of barn to have bothered other residents on campus. At the time, however, the entire Texas Tech farm was located on
the western-most part of the main campus. The smells from the hogs,
chickens, sheep and dairy cattle all blended, as if to represent the
importance of the agriculture school to Texas Tech University.
The Dairy Barn was a state-of-the-art facility when it was built by
well-known Houston architect William Ward Watkin and Fort Worth
designer W. C. Hedrick. Today, the main part of the barn still stands a
symbol of the pioneering spirit of the area and a testimony of the University’s agricultural ancestry.
A VIEW OF THE FUTURE Abandoned in 1964, when dairy operations were moved to another location, the barn and its 60-foot tall silo
have withstood fire, lightning, West Texas wind storms, a “condemned”
designation and general neglect. Student organizations, alumni supporters, and different colleges across campus have been trying since 1975 to
save the historic structure. In October 1989, students Jamey Laney (’91
BS Agricultural Economics), Russell Laird (’92 BS Agricultural Economics), and Craig Albin (’91 BS Agricultural Economics) introduced a piece
of legislation before the Student Senate to investigate the possibility of
preserving and restoring the barn and silo. Unanimous support showed
that the Dairy Barn was a concern of the entire student body.
The University’s Space Planning Committee approved a plan for
preserving the exterior of the barn in September 1990. From 1990-92,
the student- and alumni-run “Save the Barn” campaign raised $64,000
to weatherize the barn, sealing it from the weather and repairing the
roof, windows and doors. In November 1992, the Dairy Barn and Silo
were officially included in the National Register of Historic Places. Since
then, many different plans to find a ‘greater” use for the barn have been
developed and abandoned, so the historic structure sat quietly ignored.
Currently CASNR is working with the University administration to repair
the roof and paint the exterior trim to allow for continued preservation
of the site. However, plans for the future of the Dairy Barn and Silo are
still uncertain. What is certain is that to the students of CASNR, past and
present, the Dairy Barn and Silo is more than just a building. It is a physical reminder of the long history of the College’s presence and prominence within the university, as well as the importance of agriculture and
natural resources management in the daily lives of Americans.
11
WHERE THEY ARE NOW
Buddy Logsdon (’56 BS Agricultural Education) is serving his 20th year as County
Commissioner for Hale County.
James Marshall, Jr. (’67 BS and ’69 MS
Dairy Management) is semi-retired, consulting in Los Angeles, Philadelphia and
Joplin, Missouri.
Warren Johnson (’69 BS Park Administration) owns a design and building firm,
Fallcreek Gardens (www.fallcreekgardens.com), in Carrollton whose projects
include A Woman’s Garden, Boswell Family
Garden, and McCasland Sunken Garden at
the Dallas Arboretum.
Homer Jones, Jr. (’69 BS Agricultural
Education & ’78 MS Meat Science) works as
a meat and food safety specialist for Sysco
West Texas, Inc.
Ken Fergeson (’71 MS Agricultural
Economics) was recently named as chairman of the American for the Arts, a leading
nonprofit organization for advancing the
arts in America. Fergeson is the chairman of
NBC Oklahoma, owning banks in Oklahoma
City, Tulsa, Altus, Enid and Kingfisher. He
also serves on the boards of the Oklahoma
Arts Institute, National Cowboy and Western
Heritage Museum, Three Rivers Foundation
for the Arts, and Mid-America Arts Alliance.
Among other awards, Fergeson was also
inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in
2009 and honored by the Oklahoma Education Association for outstanding service in
public education.
Bob Anderson’s (’73 BS Park Administration) firm, J. Robert Anderson FASLA, and
design projects in Central Texas were featured in Landscape Architecture magazine.
Rocky Lucas (’75 Animal Science) retired
from Purina Mills Feedlot Division.
Bob Duke (’76 BLA Landscape Architecture) is in practice with John Williams (’81
BLA Landscape Architecture) at Landesign
Group (www.landesignla.com) working in
Houston, Galveston and Georgetown.
Teresa Gannaway (’78 BS Horticulture)
retired after 25 years in the field. Professionally Gannaway worked as the staff
horticulturist for Electronic Data Systems in
Plano; Children’s Education Coordinator for
the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society;
and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services
support supervisor for the City of Garland,
most recently.
David Pearson (’79 BS Agricultural Economics) owns a commercial real estate company, Bradford Land Advisors, and farms
Clint Robinson (’83 BS Agricultural Economics) is currently serving as senior vice
president with Capital Farm Credit in Lubbock.
Four Rodeo Team alumni boasted top honors at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
in December 2011. Lindsay Sears (’04 BS
Agricultural and Applied Economics) took
home her second barrel-racing world title in
four years; Ryan Gray (’06 BS Agricultural
Leadership) finished sixth in the world
standings in bareback riding; Adam Gray
(’07 BS Civil Engineering) came up ninth in
the world standings; and Wes Stevenson
(’08 BS Interdisciplinary Agriculture) qualified for the sixth time.
In M e m o ry
William F. “Fred” Bennett, Jr.
’78 BS Agricultural Economics
Robert F. Fee, Jr.
’51 BS Animal Science
Wayne E. Richardson
’58 BS Soil Science
Mark D. Marley
’84 BS Agricultural Education
Gene F. Boyd
’60 BS Soil Science
Danny M. Pope
’71 BS Park Administration
James Rotramel (’74 BS Agricultural Economics) retired from the grain industry after
30 years.
Clifford H. Tepe
’80 BS Agricultural Economics
Pat Hamilton (’75 BS Agricultural Economics) is the branch president of Plains Capital
Bank in Weatherford, and owns a ranching
operation in Northwest Parker County.
Dr. Warren Ballard
Horn Professor and Bricker Chair,
Department of Natural Resources
Management
landmarks 2012
out of Dawson, Lynn and Lubbock counties.
He also serves as chairman of the Cotton
Inc. National Audit Committee, and NCC
delegate and vice chairman of Plains Cotton
Cooperative Association.
Joann E. Biggs Davidson,
a member and “Sweetheart” of the
Texas Tech Rodeo Association in the
1950s and member of the Exes of
the Texas Tech Rodeo Association. A
memorial scholarship has been set up
in her name to provide scholarships
to transfer students competing on the
Rodeo Team – The Jo Biggs Davidson
Memorial Scholarship Endowment.
CO L L E G E U P DAT E S
selected as the
first John W. and Doris Jones Endowed
Professor in the Department of Animal
and Food Sciences. The honor, funded by
a gift from the G. R. White Trust, is designated to the faculty position having the
greatest impact on student recruitment
and notoriety within the department.
Ryan Rathmann, was
Nationally-r e co g n i z e d ag r ic ult u r al
educator Dr. Cindy
Akers was named Assistant Dean for
Academic and Student Programs with the
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural
Resources at Texas Tech University following the retirement of Dr. Norman Hopper,
effective September 2011. Akers will continue as the director of the Dr. Bill Bennett
Student Success Center and a professor in
the Department of Agricultural Education
and Communications.
communi c ati o ns
retired from his post
in the Dean’s Office in August 2011. He will
continue to serve the College as Coordinator
of Special Projects, a professor in Plant and
Soil Science, Director of the Peace Corps
International program, Director of the
Master of Agriculture degree program, and
Co-director of CASNR’s International Cotton
Research Center. He will also coordinate
the Case IH tractor and equipment program,
as well as work with CASNR international
activities such as the study abroad and
exchange programs. He joined the faculty at
Texas Tech in 1979 and became an associate
dean in the College in 1998. Named Piper
Professor in 1995 by the Minnie Stevens
Piper Foundation, Hopper is also a fellow in
both the American Society of Agronomy and
the Crop Science Society of America.
Plant and Soil Science is currently raising funds for an expansion and
renovation of the existing Plant and Soil Science building. The proposed approximately
21,500 square foot, 2-floor expansion with basement plans to include new office spaces for
faculty, staff and graduate students as well as additional classrooms, teaching and research
laboratory spaces. The new facility will be built in the traditional Spanish Renaissance architecture, and the adjacent Goddard building will have an upgraded façade to match.
T h e D e pa rt m en t o f
the Department of
Natural Resources Management, Dr. Mark
Wallace, began his new role as Chairman of
the department November 1. In addition to
his teaching duties and research initiatives,
Wallace is a board member of the Urban
Wildlife Working Group, and secretary of
the Wildlife Society’s College and University
Education Working Group.
Int e r im C h a i rm en fo r
Dr. Nor man H o p p e r
long-time professor and
leading agro-ecosystem research scientist
retired in August 2011. Allen has been
the University’s Thornton Distinguished
Professor of Forages since 1995. She was a
member of the Plant and Soil Science faculty
where her research was largely centered on
forage and grazing animals.
D r. V i v i en A llen,
a newly added faculty
member, Kendra Nightingale, as an associate professor in the Department of Animal
and Food Sciences. She is a respected food
science researcher whose strategic hiring
is part of the University’s continuing efforts
to reach Tier One status. Nightengale’s
research focuses mainly on pre- and postharvest food safety.
C A S NR w elco m ed
a skilled research
economist with the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, has been
named a research assistant professor and
Assistant Director of the CASNR Water
Center. Officially stepping into his new
posts November 2011, Weinheimer plans to
continue his research in evaluating the sustainability concerns of irrigated agriculture,
farm management tools and techniques, and
policy aspects of Texas water resources. One
of his goals as assistant director is to facilitate research initiatives to provide a greater
understanding of long-term effects of water
management, conservation and irrigation
technology within the industry.
Just in W e in h ei m er,
Zongren Kuang, joined
the Department of Agricultural Education
and Communications as a visiting associate
professor from the College of Humanities
and Development at China Agricultural University located in Beijing. He is working with
Dr. David Doerfert, a fellow professor in the
department, on ongoing research efforts in
the field of agricultural water management.
In S ep t ember 2 011,
13
IN THE NEWS
Luke McLaren at Big Quaram Beach, Australia.
an assistant professor
in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications, has secured a
$600,000 grant from the USDA as part of its
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Initiative.
Also in the department, Drs. Courtney Meyers and Cindy Akers will help in the project
that is designed to help beginning farmers
and ranchers market their products and businesses. The grant will provide online media
training, specifically in social media outlets.
Dr. E r i c a I r lb e c k ,
program that
focuses solely on all-things-cotton brought
in a record setting number of global attendants this summer as part of the Texas International Cotton School during its thirty-first
session. The sessions cover aspects of the
industry from cotton in the field to fabric.
Since its inception, the program has been a
collaborative effort between the Department
of Plant and Soil Science and Texas cotton
merchants associated with the Lubbock Cotton Exchange.
An in te ns i v e e duc at io nal
season,
the Livestock Judging Team won its seventh
national championship at the 2011 North
American International Livestock Exposition in
Louisville. Winning by a margin of 31 points,
the team had a total score of 4,677 points.
Aft er anoth e r i mp re ss iv e
Texas Te c h Un i v e r s it y is part of a water
conservation team that has received
almost $500,000 in grant money from the
USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service. The Conservation Innovation
Grant provided continued funding for a
seven-year project between CASNR, the
Texas Alliance for Water Conservation,
and others on the state and local level,
collaborating to develop strategies for
managing irrigation water use while
increasing profitability.
Texas Te c h ’ s Cotto n Economics Research
Institute unveiled a new online database in
October 2011. The database compiles, organizes and presents information on domestic
subsidies and trade restrictions on key
agricultural product-producing countries
around the world.
landmarks 2012
Dr. George Tereshkovich and his wife June
aboard Holland-America’s grand ocean liner,
SS Rotterdam.
of wins and top honors, the
Women’s Rodeo Team finished in the Top 5
at Wyoming’s National Finals Rodeo taking
fourth place in national ranking. The Men’s
Rodeo Team finished with a strong showing
as well, landing in the Top 20 with a nineteenth place in national standings.
A f t e r a s eri es
and Wildlife Department
has changed the requirements for becoming a game warden in the last five years to
include a four-year degree. The Department
of Natural Resources Management is partnering with South Plains College in a new
transfer program designed to help fulfill this
requirement. Students will obtain an associate’s degree in criminal justice at SPC, then
transfer to Texas Tech for two more years in
natural resources management.
T h e T e xas Parks
Mark Wallace, Michael Farmer, and Reynaldo Patino
are now part of a newly formed SouthCentral Climate Science Center set to study
the impacts of climate change on our natural
resources and environment.
Nat u r al res o u rc e ex p erts
W h i l e o n a Holland-America cruise
with his wife in February 1997, Dr.
George Tereshkovich, a retired professor from the Department of Plant and
Soil Science, wrote a note and tossed
it overboard in a bottle. After 14 years
adrift at sea, the message surfaced more
than 6,000 miles in the dunes of Australia’s Big Quaram Beach. The bottle was
found by Diane Chanut and her partner
Luke McLaren, who were vacationing in
Southwestern Australia.
The missive promised a stately reward
of $5 to the anonymous recipient who
might find it. Luke and Diane decided to
answer the note figuring “if the person
who dropped the bottle went through
the exercise, they would probably be
glad to get an answer”, Chanut said.
Using the business card included with
the letter, the couple sent an e-mail to
the CASNR dean’s office to find out how
to get ahold of Dr. Tereshkovich, and
the e-mail was passed along to him. “We
were completely blown away when we
received Dr. T’s letter a few days after
that,” Chanut said. “It was so heartfelt
and so generous to us. He included the
‘reward’ he remembered promising in
his letter ($5 plus inflation from 1997),
so we could treat ourselves to a nice
bottle of Barossa Valley wine the next
time we were in town.”
Dr. Tereshkovich said he plans to save
up for a cruise to Australia and take an
excursion to meet the couple in the next
two or three years.
IN THE NEWS
The Departme nt o f Agricultural Education and Communications initiated a
ground breaking human dimension-focused
doctoral program for agricultural education
leaders in January. The new Doctor of Philosophy degree is designed to equip students
with a deep understanding of learning
and teaching, as well as the research and
leadership skills necessary to reshape the
American agricultural education sector.
first place at the American Meat Science
Association’s International Meat Judging
Contest by a margin of 20 points. They
also claimed awards in beef judging, beef
grading, overall beef, and reasons divisions.
Since 2000, the team has dominated meat
judging competitions, winning more than 55
percent of the national competitions. During
the past four years, they’ve won 22 out of 28
contests entered.
Aft er anoth e r p ow e r h o us e year, the
Meat Judging Team brought home its ninth
national championship title. The team won
A n amb it ious c lass of Landscape Architecture students presented their landscape
design plans for Lubbock’s first African-
American history center to the Lubbock
Roots Historical Arts Council. Among the
design highlights were open-air theaters,
winding tree-shaped paths, as well as art
and historical exhibits showcasing the South
Plains’ black history.
T h e S o i l J udg i ng Team shined at the
Students of Agronomy Soils & Environmental
Sciences Region IV Collegiate Soil Judging
Contest, placing first in team competition and
third overall. Team members Skylar Sowder,
a junior from Sudan, and Nathan Foster, a
junior from Levelland, also finished sixth and
ninth highest individuals, respectively.
<< From left to right, back row: Jenna Loa,
Katy Turnbull, Justin Manual, Steven Evans,
Josh Berry. Front row: Kathryn Pole, Katelyn Grass, Elizabeth Driscolll, Kypher LaMar,
Kylee Cumby.
The Santa Chiara Study Center located in the hill
town of Castiglion Fiorentino, approximately one
hour from Florence in the Tuscany region of Italy.
<< Every Wednesday the students took a break
from their studies to take in the sites, like this one
in Sacro Bosco, Bomarzo a.k.a. Monster Park.
John Billing, an associate professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture, lead the University’s first
semester-long faculty lead initiative in Italy. Billing and 11 fourthyear Landscape Architecture students traveled to the Santa Chiara
Study Center in the hill town of Castiglion Fiorentino located in
Th i s fall Dr .
the Tuscany region of Italy. There were around 100 students in
residence from universities in Texas and California. While abroad,
the students earned 12 semester credit hours in courses such as
Urban Design, and Materials and Details. Plans are underway for
a second semester in Fall 2012.
15
AW A R D S a n d R E C O G N I T I O N S
From left to right. Back row:
Ramon Becerril, Austin
Taylor, Joshua Ballard, Konnor Clark, Pradeep Attaluri,
Jordan Shelton, Caleb Lightfoot, J.R. Hernandez, John
Hawley, Colton Coker, and
Justin Miller. Middle row:
Abby Prause, Danielle Coker, Khaki Scrivner, Dominique Brady, Brittany Coop,
Erin Reid, and Kelli McQuesten. Front row: Cheryl
Carroll,Chancellor Kent
Hance and Linda Steele.
time since its founding in 1986, the Terry Foundation has expanded its scholarship
program to include students at Texas Tech University. The Terry Foundation Scholarship Program,
housed in the Honors College, partnered with the university to provide 18 students with funding
to cover the cost of attendance and cover tuition, books, fees, and reasonable living expenses on
campus. Although the specific amount of assistance awarded varies for each scholar, and is dependent on various factors, Terry Scholars receive an average of $15,000 annually for up to four years
as a full-time student. The students have formed the Tech Terry Scholars Organization, giving the
recipients the opportunity to develop a community service agenda and mentor incoming scholars.
Among the honorees, chosen based upon leadership skills and academic success, six students
have majors in agricultural sciences and natural resources. These outstanding freshman are Colton
Coker, an animal science major from Roby; Danielle Coker, an agricultural communications major
from Shepherd; John Hawley, an agricultural communications major from Conroe; Abby Prause,
an agricultural communications major from Valley Mills; Erin Reid, an agricultural communications major from Graham; and Khaki Scrivner, an agricultural communications major from Turkey.
Established by philanthropists Howard and Nancy Terry, the Terry Foundation is a Houstonbased scholarship program founded to provide scholarships to outstanding Texas high school
graduates for attendance at public colleges and universities within the state.
Fo r t he fir st
Alumni Association
honored CASNR alumni Dr. Mike Gilbert
as a Distinguished Alumni for the university
on November 11. The award is designed to
recognize and honor alumni who have made
significant contributions toward furthering
the excellence of Texas Tech through outstanding accomplishments, careers, and/or
through extraordinary measures of service.
Gilbert is currently the president of Bayer
Cotton Seed International and Global Head
of Plant Breeding and Trait Development.
The T e xas Te c h
Dr. Peter D otray , a professor of weed science with the Department of Plant and Soil
Science, was presented the 2011 Specialist
of the Year in Texas Agriculture award from
the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association (TCAAA) this summer at the organization’s annual meeting in Wichita Falls. He
was selected by the TCAA State Board and
landmarks 2012
Directors from a pool of applicants, each
nominated by their respective agricultural
county extension agents.
D ir e c to r o f T ec h ’ s International Center
for Food Industry Excellence, Dr. Mindy
Brashears, received the Scientist of the
Year award from the Lubbock chapter of
the ARCS Foundation. The Achievement
Rewards for College Scientists Foundation
is a 53-year-old organization of women philanthropists, dedicated to advancing science
in America.
for Academic
and Student Programs was named a 2011
Texas Tech Integrated Scholar by the university’s Office of the Provost. Dr. Cindy Akers
recognized for her outstanding research,
teaching and service.
C A S N R ’s A ssi stant D ean
Student Success Spotlight
from
the college were named Who’s Who Among
Students in American Colleges and Universities for 2011. Congratulations to Haylee
Andrew, an interdisciplinary agriculture
major from Valley View; Elizabeth Bertrand, an agricultural and applied economics major from Floydada; Chandani Bhakta,
an animal science major from Post; Audra
Carpenter, an animal science major from
Rowlett; Christi Chadwell, an agricultural
communications major from Garland;
Lizabeth Curry, an animal science major
from Lubbock; Adeline Fox, an agricultural
communications major from Alpine; Leslee
Hackett, an interdisciplinary agriculture
major from Pattison; Trevor White, an
agricultural and applied economics major
from Tahoka; Sarah Wilson, an agricultural
communications major from Weatherford;
and Emily Wolter, a food science major
from Kingwood.
El ev en o u tstand i ng st uden ts
J o hnathan S p i ess , a sophomore, range
management major from Industry, and Kaitlin Hunger, a junior, range management
major from San Angelo, were recognized as
Outstanding Range Management Students
at the annual meeting of the Texas Section
of the Society for Range Management.
Department of Agricultural Education and Communications
came home with multiple honors from the
National Agricultural Communicators of
Tomorrow’s Critique and Contest at the
2011 Agricultural Media Summit in New
Orleans. Together the group collected 18
awards, including six first place and five
second place honors.
St uden ts i n t h e
outstanding graduate
student in the Department of Agricultural
and Applied Economics, was presented the
Top Viticulture Research Poster Award at
the 2011 national meeting of the American
Society for Enology and Viticulture. His
thesis focused on the economic evaluation
of winegrape contracts, risk sharing, and
implications for the future of the industry.
The honor included a $1,000 cash prize.
Dani el Pate , an
Established in 1969, the Outstanding Agriculturalist Award recognizes people who contribute immeasurably to the general good of the agricultural industry. Individuals eligible for the award must be successful and distinguished in his or her profession, business, and other worthy endeavors. They must have demonstrated significant
contributions to the agricultural industry and be recognized by their contemporaries for their contributions. Three individuals are selected each year to receive the
award; one each in the categories of agricultural production, agribusiness, and public service. The award recipients are announced and honored annually during the
Pig Roast, donor and scholarship appreciation banquet.
O U T S TA N D I NG AG R I C U LT U R A L I S T S
Dr. Michael Engler
Agribusiness
Michael John Engler is
President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board
for Cactus Feeders in Amarillo,
Texas. He received a Bachelor
of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1973. In 1978
he received his Ph.D. at Johns
Hopkins University within the
Department of Biology. From
1972 through 1982 he received
postgraduate training within the Department of Biological Chemistry at Harvard Medical School.
Prior to joining Cactus Feeders Dr. Engler was an
Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Medical
School in Houston and later became a Senior Project
Manager of Biologicals for Langford Inc. and LederlePraxis Biologicals, subsidiaries of American Cyanamid.
Dr. Engler is serving on the International Center for
Food Industry Excellence’s Advisory Board at Texas Tech
University. He is also serving on the Executive Committees for the Texas Cattle Feeders Association and The
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Dr. Engler is on
the Board of Directors of Texas Life Science Center for
Innovation and Commercialization and serves as Second
Vice Chair for the Amarillo Area Foundation.
James “Jim” Conkwright
Public Service
James C. “Jim” Conkwright received his degree in
Animal Science with a business option from Texas
Tech University in 1964. While a student Mr. Conkwright was active in Block and Bridle.
He currently serves as General Manager for the
High Plains Underground Water Conservation
District No. 1. Mr. Conkwright served on the High
Plains Underground Water Conservation District
No. 1 Board of Directors for 14 years. He was named
general manager of the High Plains Water District in 2001.
Conkwright serves on several water-related advisory committees and planning groups. Some of these include the positions of Vice-Chairman of the Llano
Estacado Regional Water Planning Group (“Region O”), and Director of the
Texas Water Conservation Association.
In addition, he is President of the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Conservation Districts, and is a member of the City of Lubbock Water Advisory Commission, and the Groundwater Management Area 1 & 2 (GMA) boards. Mr.
Conkwright has also served on the Texas Tech College of Agricultural Sciences
and Natural Resources Dean’s Advisory Council, served as President of the
Texas Hereford Breeders Association, Llano Estacado Council of Boy Scouts of
America, Hereford and Deaf Smith County Chamber of Commerce and Hereford Rotary Club to name a few.
He and his wife have two grown daughters and two grandsons.
Donnell “Donald” Brown
Agricultural production
Donnell Brown received a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Business from Texas
Tech University in 1993. He and his family
own and manage the R.A. Brown Ranch in
Throckmorton, TX, a family business since
1895. They raise registered Angus, Red Angus,
SimAngus and Hotlander cattle. Hotlander is a
4-breed composite that was developed on the
ranch with the help of Texas Tech University
and Dr. Ronnie Green while Donnell was
obtaining his degree.
While at Texas Tech, Donnell served as the Texas FFA President
and then the National FFA President. He later married Kelli Evans
who also served as the National FFA President. After graduation,
they moved back to Throckmorton to help manage one of the largest and most progressive registered cattle ranches in the nation.
Donnell developed their family’s mission statement: “We are
continually striving to improve the efficiency of converting God’s
forage into safe, nutritious and great tasting beef, to better feed
His people.” During the past 18 years that he has been back at the
ranch, they have enhanced their genetics into an industry leading
program with 25 bulls in major AI studs. They have expanded their
annual bull sales from 290 head to more than 600 head. During
that time he has been instrumental in more than doubling the average sale price per registered bull and female
His accomplishments include being named Citizen of the Year
in his home town, the top Young Farmer & Rancher of Texas by
Texas Farm Bureau as well as receiving the TTU CASNR Horizon
Award. He has served on the Long Range Strategic Planning Committee for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association as well as
three different breed associations. He is an accomplished speaker
& continues to make presentations worldwide. He is also an
accomplished cattle judge, judging the National shows for Angus,
Red Angus, and Simmental as well as the National Angus Show in
Australia. He serves on his local school board and has been a Sunday school teacher in his local Christian Church for many years.
Donnell and his wife Kelli are blessed with two outstanding
sons, Tucker (age 17), and Lanham (age 14). Together they are
fulfilling their dreams of raising cows, kids and Quarter Horses.
17
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