PULLMAN, Wash. — Outstanding students in Washington State University’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences were honored Saturday (April 9) at the 46th annual college awards banquet.
Abigail Demeerleer, a senior from Colton, was named the 2005 Aggie of the Year. The award recognizes the college’s all-around outstanding senior majoring in either agriculture or natural resources. Demeerleer is majoring in agricultural communications.
She has been active in numerous academic, extracurricular and community activities, including the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow student club; the college student senate; the Alpha Zeta professional fraternity; the Student Alumni Connection; Women’s Transit and the Murrow School of Communications.
During her sophomore year, Demeerler was elected national FFA Western Region vice president, becoming the first FFA member from Washington elected to hold a national office in 23 years. She is a 1999 graduate of Colfax High.
Staci Hunter, a senior from Ephrata, received the Family Consumer Scientist of the Year Award. The award recognizes the college’s outstanding senior majoring in apparel, merchandising, design and textiles; interior design; human development or human nutrition. Hunter is majoring in human development, specializing in family and consumer sciences education.
She has played a key role in restarting the Family and Consumer Sciences Association, serving as president of the organization for one year. When the club merged with the Human Development Club, she served as the new club’s co-president. Her involvement in student clubs gave her an opportunity to branch out into other organizations, including the Washington Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Pre-professional Graduate Student Section. She served as historian and vice president.
Outside of school, she has held several jobs and volunteered as the cross country and track coach at Pullman High. She is a 2001 graduate of Ephrata High School.
Hannah Nutting, a 2000 graduate of Billings Senior High, Billings, Mont., was named the college’s Outstanding Junior in Human Sciences. The human nutrition major works at Bishop Place Senior Living in Pullman, participates in the Student Nutrition Awareness Club and volunteers with various organizations.
She received a $1,000 scholarship from the CAHNRS Scholarship Program.
Andrianna Oliver, a 2002 graduate of Pasco High, was recognized as the Capital Press Outstanding Junior in Agriculture. The animal sciences major has been active in a variety of student organizations, including the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and is on the President’s Honor Roll.
She received a $1,000 scholarship from the Capital Press regional agricultural weekly newspaper.
Amy Gordon, a sophomore majoring in human development, received the college Freshman of the Year award, sponsored by Alpha Zeta. The award is for achievements during the previous academic year.
She is a Regents Scholar and an active member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She participates in the WSU Homecoming Committee, Alpha Zeta, CAHNRS Ambassadors and the WSU Student Alumni Connection. She is a 2003 graduate of Lacrosse High.
Outstanding seniors in each major were recognized at the banquet. In addition, the names of 71 scholars were added to the Dean’s Honor Roll and more than $460,000 in scholarships were awarded to 329 students.
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