Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University A land-grant institution
2006-07 Alumni Award Recipients
- 2007-08 Hall of Fame Award
- 2007-08 Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award
- 2007-08 Outstanding Alumni Leadership Award
- 2007-08 Outstanding Ambassador Award
- 2007-08 Outstanding Faculty Service Award
- 2007-08 Outstanding Departmental Alumni Awards
- 2007-08 Outstanding Departmental Recent Alumni Awards
- Past Alumni Award Recipients
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Hall of Fame
Wayne Purcell, alumni distinguished professor emeritus of agricultural and applied economics (center), Kevin Boyle, head of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics (left) and Sharron Quisenberry, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Wayne Purcell (MKG '62, M.S. AG ECON '63) of Riner, Va., was inducted into Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Hall of Fame, which honors those individuals who exemplify career accomplishment and for their service to the college and university.
Purcell, an alumni distinguished professor emeritus of agricultural and applied economics, is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in prices, price discovery, and price risk management. He has given more than 500 major presentations to national and international audiences during his 27-year career at Virginia Tech.
Purcell founded the Research Institute on Livestock Pricing in 1986. It was a multi-university research institute that conducted and coordinated applied research in livestock and meat pricing, industry structure, public policy, and market regulations. It became a primary United States source of research information on important public policy issues such as the impacts of congressional regulation on the marketplace.
Another of Purcell’s major achievements was his contribution to the Rural Prosperity Commission formed in 2002 by the Virginia General Assembly to report on the conditions and prospects for rural Virginia. The analysis, which led to General Assembly’s establishment of the Rural Prosperity Commission and the subsequent establishment of the Center for Rural Virginia, was completed by the Rural Economic Analysis Program (REAP) in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, a program Purcell helped organize in 1986.
Purcell taught five different courses with more than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students and served as the committee chair for 31 graduate students. He has authored five books and edited nine books on marketing, pricing, demand, concentrated markets, captive supplies, and other issues in livestock and meats. He also has published two textbooks. He has written 33 refereed journal articles, 14 book chapters, 42 peer-reviewed research bulletins, 59 articles in proceedings, 60 numbered Extension publications, and more than 80 popular press articles.
In recognition of his achievements, he has been the recipient of 19 major awards, including Alumni Distinguished Professor, the Virginia Council of Higher Education Award for Outstanding Faculty, the Panhellenic Teacher of Excellence Award, the Virginia Tech Sporn Award, and numerous other regional and national teaching awards.
Outstanding Recent Alumnus in the College
Lara A. Pappas (center), Michael Denbow, professor of animal and poultry sciences (left) and Sharron Quisenberry, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Lara A. Pappas (APSC '02) of Norfolk, Va., was named the Outstanding Recent Alumna from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Each year the Virginia Tech Alumni Association honors one alumnus from each academic college who has graduated within the past 10 years.
Pappas had aspirations of going to veterinary school when she first arrived at Virginia Tech but later became interested in neuropharmacology and neurophysiology relating to humans. She is currently completing medical training at the Eastern Virginia Medical School and upon graduation this spring is planning a career as a pediatric oncologist.
Pappas has been actively involved in professional philanthropies including the Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team, Project Smile, several student organizations, and other community outreach programs.
While a student at Virginia Tech, she was a research assistant to Dr. Jerry Roberson with the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. As a member of several clubs and organizations including the Pre-Veterinary Club, the Poultry Club, and Alpha Zeta, she was involved in multiple service activities. In addition, she was the director and annual coordinator of the horseback riding class at Camp Fantastic, a camp dedicated to children with cancer. She was also a member of the Virginia Tech Snowboard Team.
Outstanding Alumni Leadership Award
Marilyn Jarvis (center), Kevin Boyle, head of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics (left),
Dixie Reaves, professor of the agricultural and applied economics (second from left)
and Sharron Quisenberry, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Marilyn Jarvis (AG ECON '91 MS '92) of Purcellville, Va., was recognized with the Outstanding Alumni Leadership Award for her leadership and service to the college's alumni organization.
Jarvis is currently the branch manager of Leesburg Branch of Farm Credit of the Virginias.
Jarvis' commitments to leadership and service to the college, Virginia agriculture, and youth development are numerous. She has been active with the college alumni organization serving on the board since 2004 and is currently serving as president. She has previously held the offices of secretary/treasurer and vice president. She is always an active committee member helping to plan the annual golf tournament fundraiser for scholarships and is instrumental in planning college alumni events in the Loudoun County area. This involvement is a natural extension of the leadership and service roles she had as a student.
Marilyn and her husband, Brian operate a small horse business where they take retired Thoroughbred race horses and retrain them for a new career and new home. In the process they provide opportunities for teenage kids to use a horse as their foxhunter, show horse or 4-H project. Marilyn and Brian also volunteer as project leaders for the 4-H Outdoor Adventure Program.
Outstanding Ambassador Award
Cynthia Green and Sharron Quisenberry, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Cynthia Green (AGSC '08) of Berryville, Va., was recognized with the Outstanding Ambassador Award. Each year the college recognizes an outstanding member for his or her leadership and service to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Ambassadors program and to the college.
Green served as a college ambassador from 2005-2008. Her assistance to recruitment, alumni relations, and career services staff in the college through this organization was exceptional. Utilizing her background in FFA was instrumental in planning a team-building retreat for the Ambassador program and co-chaired the committee that planned the Hokies in Transition mentoring program in which ambassadors mentor incoming undergraduate students.
She has studied abroad in South Africa at the University of the Free State and will be studying abroad in England for graduate credit in geography when she starts her master’s program.
Green graduated in May with a Bachelor's of Science degree in agriculture sciences with minors in crop and soil environmental sciences and agricultural and applied economics. During the summer of 2008 she will be serving as a policy and advocacy intern with the National Association of Agricultural Educators and starting her graduate studies in geography and agricultural and extension education. Her future goals are to teach high school agriculture, attain a doctoral degree, then work in Washington, D.C. or Richmond in career and technical educational policy and advocacy.
Outstanding Faculty Service Award
Leon Geyer (center), Kevin Boyle, head of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics (left), and Sharron Quisenberry, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Leon Geyer of Blacksburg, Va., was recognized with the Outstanding Faculty Service Award. Each year the Alumni Organization recognizes a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences faculty member who has exhibited outstanding service and dedication to the college.
Geyer’s significant contributions of service and scholarship to the students and faculty of our college and the university span 26 years as a faculty member in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.
He has taught more than 7,200 students in more than 100 classes. He coordinated the department’s undergraduate program for 18 years. He has served as president of the Faculty Senate and the College Faculty Association, represented the faculty as a non-voting member of the Board of Visitors, served as advisor to the University Honor System, and chaired the Faculty Review Committee, just to name a few.
His publications and presentations are numerous, including serving as the land section editor for the monthly newsletter of the American Agricultural Law Association. He has previously been recognized by the university with the Alumni Award for Outreach Excellence and the Alumni Award for Academic Advising. The Agricultural Economics Club has recognized Geyer with the Outstanding Teacher Award three times.
Outstanding Alumni in International Programs Award
Jiyun Jin (Ph.D. AGR '85) of Beijing, China was recognized with the first Outstanding Alumni in International Programs Award. The award recognizes a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences alumnus or alumna who has exhibited significant service or contributions to the areas of international agriculture and the life sciences and the college.
Jin is a professor in plant nutrition and fertilization at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. He has pioneered soil and potash fertilizer research in northern China and introduced site specific nutrient management and precision fertilization concepts and technology to China. He organized and founded the Soil and Fertilizer Information Systems of China, a compilation of several databases that is guiding research and policy development on fertilizers.
An estimated 50 million farm households (>200 million people) have been introduced to balanced fertilization technology and the net farm income in China has been increased by 40 billion Yuan (5.42 billion $US each year) as a result of his efforts. Under his advisement, 20 graduate students have received their degrees.
He has hosted Virginia Tech faculty when they travel to China and has been an important source of information and contacts when our faculty have pursued research opportunities there.
Outstanding Departmental Alumni Awards
Agricultural & Applied Economics |
Agricultural & Extension Education |
Agricultural Technology |
Animal & Poultry Sciences |
Biochemistry |
Biological Systems Engineering |
Crop & Soil Environmental |
Dairy Science |
Entomology |
Food Science & Technology |
Horticulture |
Human Nutrition, Foods, & Exercise |
Plant Pathology, Physiology, & Weed Science |
Outstanding Departmental Recent Alumni Awards
Agricultural & Applied Economics |
Agricultural & Extension Education |
Agricultural Technology |
Animal & Poultry Sciences |
Biochemistry |
Biological Systems Engineering |
Crop & Soil Environmental Sciences |
Dairy Science |
Entomology |
Food Science & Technology |
Horticulture |
Human Nutrition, Foods, & Exercise |
Plant Pathology, Physiology, & Weed Science |
Award Nomination Forms
2008-09 Awards Program
College of Agriculture and Life Science Alumni Awards Banquet - March 20, 2009. Contact Jamie Lucero (540/231-9666) for more information.