Each year, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences sponsors an animal nutrition scholarship-research program for six to eight seniors with a primary major in CALS and two students in the Agricultural Technology program. The program, sponsored by the John Lee Pratt Foundation, includes a $3,000 scholarship for each recipient.  An additional $2,000 is available to the faculty research advisor in support of the student’s research project. 

The purpose of this program is to encourage highly qualified CALS students to pursue graduate study in animal nutrition through a rewarding senior research project under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Proposals must focus on research that supports and enhances scholarship in the area of animal nutrition. 

The 2024-25 John Lee Pratt Scholars:

Graduate Student, Advisor, and Pratt Scholar
Audrey Hood (right) pictured with her research advisor Dr. Alan Ealy (center)

Audrey Hood is an undergraduate student studying dairy science. Her project was Supplementing Interleukin-6 to Improve Bovine Endoderm Development and Function.  Dr. Ealy is Audrey's research advisor.

Pratt Project Pictures
Michael Wilson (center) is pictured with his advisor Dr. Bo Zhang (left).

Michael Wilson, a senior in Crop & Soil Environmental Sciences project was Exploring Optimal Soybean Traits for Wild Ruminant Consumption: Implications for Ruminant Livestock Nutrition. Dr. Bo Zhang served as Michael's research advisor.

2024-25 Ag Tech Pratt Scholars
Allison Bower (left), Research advisor Wesley Gwaltney (center), and Emily Sears (right)

The Agricultural Technology Pratt Research Scholars are Allison Bower and Emily Sears. Their project is titled: Stockpiled Fescue Yield and Quality Responses to Nitrogen Fertilizer. Wesley Gwaltney is their research advisor. 

Austin Ellis

Austin Ellis in an undergraduate student in dairy science. Dr. Johan Osorio served as Austin's research advisor.  Austin's project is Assessing Black Solider Fly Larvae as a Sustainable Alternative Protein Source in Ruminant Diets.

Far left - Ann Rae Sisson and 3rd from left is Jacob Porzeinski
Ann Rae Sission (left) and Jacob Porzeinski (3rd from left) are Animal and Poultry Science majors who were part of the John Lee Pratt Summer Internship program.

Ann Rae Sisson and Jacob Porzeinski are Animal and Poultry Science undergraduate students who worked with Dr. Michael Persia as their research advisor. Ann Rae's project was Effects of Dietary Energy and Emulsufuer on the Performance and Energy Storage of Pullets and Young Laying Hens.  Jacob's project was Evaluation of Growth Responses to Amino Acids in Broiler Chicks.