First class of Dean’s Excellence Scholars announced
Largest scholarship campaign in College of Agriculture and Life Sciences history celebrates first recipients
The Dean’s Excellence Scholarships, the largest scholarship campaign in the history of the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has selected the first 30 student recipients.
The students will receive $4,000 per year for four years to assist in funding their undergraduate education. Student scholars will also be invited to specially curated select events including opportunities to engage directly with Jeffrey W. Savell, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Commitment to excellence
“It is a top priority of the College to recruit students who exemplify excellence which will, in turn, have an impact for years to come,” Savell said. “Having benefited from scholarships myself, I know how life changing this can be for some students. I am committed to helping our students succeed in their educational journeys and learning the Texas A&M Core Values.”
The campaign was established by Savell earlier this year with the Texas A&M Foundation. The goal of the campaign is to create 120 $100,000 endowments, 30 by the end of 2023. The endowments create the scholarships in perpetuity, ensuring a lasting impact.
To provide scholarships immediately, Savell has pledged the College to fund 60 scholarships for 2023 and 2024 incoming freshman, around 30 scholarships per year.
“We wanted to show our College’s commitment to the students immediately,” Savell said. “I believe that as dean, I should support student success in many ways, and I believe this to be an important step, alongside recruiting the best and brightest students to Texas A&M.”
The scholarships are meant to support all areas of study in the College. Additionally, the scholarships include Corps of Cadets members and first-generation students.
“My hope is that these scholarships can alleviate some of the financial burden for some students who might otherwise not have been able to pursue a college education,” said Savell. “We are building a powerful legacy for the future by preparing them to be our next generation of leaders and advocates for agriculture and life sciences.”
2023 Dean’s Excellence Scholars
The first class of Dean’s Excellence Scholars represent 15 different majors and include the following students:
- Hallie Bates, horticulture.
- Elena Berger-Baucage, ecology and conservation biology.
- Julia Bippus, biological and agricultural engineering.
- Riley Bohl, nutrition sciences.
- Mackenzie Cronin, animal science.
- Caraline Dudley, animal science.
- Mary Dylla, forensic and investigative sciences.
- Bryce Fisher, animal science.
- Avery Fohn, agribusiness.
- Lily Ford, agricultural economics.
- Marisa Goode, poultry science.
- Johanna Jacob, biochemistry.
- Carson Kuykendall, animal science.
- Gracie Lenz, bioenvironmental sciences.
- Amy Kaye Mathis, animal science.
- Penelope Medellin, food science and technology.
- Elizabeth Moore, agricultural leadership and development.
- Bryce Myers, bioenvironmental sciences.
- Gentri Phillips, animal science.
- Audrey Plummer, animal science.
- Nicole Pruski, agricultural communications and journalism.
- Grace Real, animal science.
- Owen Sanders, animal science.
- Destiny Scott, animal science.
- Savay Sexton, agricultural leadership and development.
- Miranda Skaggs, animal science.
- Nataly Taylor, agribusiness.
- Emma Trevino, poultry science.
- David Vera, biochemistry.
- Alexis Wilson, agribusiness.
- Jason Ybarra, rangeland, wildlife and fisheries management.
A historical year
The first class of Dean’s Excellence Scholars also coincides with a record-breaking freshman class of 1,400 incoming freshmen, surpassing the 2022 incoming class by 40%.
“This is a historical moment for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University,” said Savell. “We have put great effort into recruiting and retaining high quality faculty and staff and invested in facilities and cutting-edge technology to create an environment where our students can thrive.”
The quality of students who applied for the first Dean’s Excellence Scholarships and the record-breaking number of incoming freshmen is an indicator that the College is on the right track where recruiting the “best and brightest” is concerned, Savell added.
Become part of the legacy
Future Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students can find more information about eligibility and how to apply for the Dean’s Excellence Scholarships by visiting the The Dean’s Excellence Scholarships website.
If you are interested in helping the College continue to recruit and cultivate high-achieving students through establishing a Dean’s Excellence Scholarship Endowment, please contact Jennifer Ann Scasta, assistant vice president for development, at jscasta@txamfoundation.com or 979-845-7594.
