Student Team and
Club Roundup

The Virginia Tech Soil Judging Team finished third overall at the 2006 Regional Championship Contest hosted by Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky. on October 16-20. Virginia Tech finished third out of 13 teams, 36 points behind the University of Kentucky and 33 points behind Auburn University. The placement qualifies Virginia Tech for the National Championship to be held April 15-20, 2007, in Logan, Utah, hosted by Utah State University. Virginia Tech also had two students place in the top ten out of 81 competitors. Tim Woodward, a sophomore majoring in crop and soil environmental sciences from Madison, Va., placed eighth and Nick Haus, a senior majoring in crop and soil environmental sciences from Rice Lake, Wis., placed tenth. Other members of the team were Joe Marshall, a senior majoring in crop and soil environmental sciences from Louisa, Va., and Dylan Walker, a senior majoring in crop and soil environmental sciences from Christiansburg, Va.

One of the world’s leading food ingredient producers has awarded students in the college’s Department of Food Science and Technology $5,000 for their creation of a low-calorie gourmet dessert. Their “Sweetzza,” a frozen white chocolate and raspberry dessert pizza, earned them a second-place Danisco Knowledge Award. Team members included Mark Kline of Milroy, Pa.; Vy Truong of Fredericksburg, Va.; Angie Hartman of Roanoke, Va.; Laura Macherey of Springfield, Va.; Kevin Holland of Bradford, Pa.; Vanessa Teter of Spotsylvania, Va.; Sabrina Hannah of Elverson, Pa.; Ratia Kirby of Halifax, Va.; Amanda Boswell of Virginia Beach, Va.; Brian Stanek of Newton, N.J.; Jae Hee Hong of Seoul, Korea; Janet Webster of Radford, Va.; and Priti Parikh of Vadodra, India. Susan Duncan, a professor of food science and technology,
was the team’s faculty mentor.

The Virginia Tech Horticulture Club held its Annual Fall Festival on October 28 at the Hahn Horticulture Garden. The club provided several activities for children,including a pumpkin hunt, moon bounce, pumpkin painting, costume parade, and many other fun activities. Proceeds raised by the Horticulture Club were donated to the Hahn Horticulture Garden. Several other organizations participated including the Pre-Vet Med Club, the AgEcon Club, Sigma Alpha, PAX, and PLANET. Unfortunately, the weather was not so nice with 50-mileper- hour winds, but that didn’t keep unicorns, ladybugs, and giraffes from joining in the fun.