Student Spotlight
Alexie Kennedy
Alexie Kennedy is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education, with a planned graduation date of May 2028. Originally from Orting, Washington, she has received multiple scholarships while at WSU, including many from CAHNRS. Kennedy currently serves as president of the Agriculture Education Club and has helped with various statewide FFA events and competitions. She also attended the National Association of Agricultural Educators Region I Conference twice and served as an intern at the Washington Association of Agricultural Educators Summer Conference. After graduating, Kennedy hopes to become an ag educator at a school with strong animal science, plant science, and ag mechanics programs. She plans to stay active in her local ag education community.
Lauren Crisostomo
Lauren Crisostomo is a senior food science major from Federal Way, Washington, who has been on the President’s Honor Roll every semester since fall 2023. She received the CAHNRS Emerging Leader in Agricultural Sciences Award as well as multiple scholarships. Crisostomo has also been part of the WSU Food Science Club and an IFT College Bowl team since her first year at WSU, holding multiple officer positions. She participated in the Ignite Undergraduate Research Program, presenting her project at the Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities in 2025. Crisostomo is a CAHNRS Student Ambassador and completed a summer internship with flour-milling and ingredient company Ardent Mills in 2025. She later returned to the company’s Innovation Center in Pullman as a lab manager supporting its research on alternative grains and pulses. After graduating, Crisostomo plans to pursue a role developing new ingredients for the food industry.
Makenna Harmon
Makenna Harmon is a pre-vet animal sciences major from rural Montana who plans to graduate in May 2027. She has been on the President’s Honor Roll and received the Edward and Arlene Heinemann Animal Science Scholarship. She is also a current member of the WSU Dairy Club. Over the past two summers, Harmon has worked at Lund Equine Surgery and Sports Medicine in Montana, gaining hands-on experience assisting vets with blood collection, vaccinations, radiographs, ultrasounds, lameness evaluations, dentistry, surgery preparation, and patient care. Prior to that, she worked at the Billings Animal Family Hospital, gaining experience with small and exotic animals. After graduation, Harmon plans to attend vet school and become a large animal veterinarian who works with cattle and horses in rural communities.
Lauren Stubbs
Lauren Stubbs is currently pursuing a PhD in soil science and expects to graduate in 2028. Originally from LaCrosse, Washington, she received a bachelor’s degree in integrated plant sciences from WSU in 2024, majoring in field crop management and minoring in soil science. During her junior year, Stubbs received the CAHNRS Emerging Leader in Agricultural Sciences Award; she was also selected as one of three undergrad Borlaug Scholars by the National Association of Plant Breeders. As a senior, Stubbs was recognized as a CAHNRS Outstanding Senior in Field Crop Management and won the Cashup Davis Merit in Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Award. She was also on the President’s Honor Roll for all six semesters of her undergraduate career. As a graduate student, Stubbs has earned several awards in research poster competitions. She was also a first-place recipient of the 2026 WSU CAHNRS Three-Minute Thesis Competition. After earning her PhD, Stubbs will work as a research associate in the WSU Lind Dryland Research Station’s new soil health lab.
Dakota Smith
Dakota Smith is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in economic policy and a minor in statistics, with plans to graduate in May 2027. A native of Spokane, Washington, Smith helps run powerlifting events and enjoys serving at his local church and participating in student outreach. Smith interned with the Consortium for Hydrogen and Renewably Generated E-Fuels (CHARGE), a green hydrogen and renewable e-fuels organization founded by the WSU-supported Joint Center for Deployment and Research in Earth Abundant Materials. During his internship, Smith worked to improve hydrogen accessibility and infrastructure within Washington state. After graduation, he plans to pursue a master’s degree to continue his interest in healthcare economics.
Michael Ramirez-Martinez
Michael Ramirez-Martinez earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education with a minor in Spanish from WSU. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in agriculture, with plans to graduate in December 2026. Originally from Elma, Washington, Ramirez-Martinez has received many scholarships during his time at WSU. He is also involved with the CAHNRS Student Ambassadors, the Agriculture Education Club, MANRRS, and Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlan (M.E.Ch.A.) As part of his master’s curriculum development project, Ramirez-Martinez worked as a key content contributor for a course on agricultural weather and climate science. He also helped design seven major course modules spanning atmospheric science fundamentals, data and computing skills, climate policy, and emerging technologies in agriculture. He is a co-author on a WSU academic course curriculum publication. After graduating, Ramirez-Martinez plans to continue teaching agriculture to students.