By Blake Jackson
Graduate students from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences were honoured for their academic excellence and community contributions at the 2025 Graduate Student Award Celebration, held on the University Park campus.
Zoelie Rivera-Ocasio received the C. Reese Berdanier Award for her research on carbon and nitrogen cycles in soils and for developing a tool to help determine nitrogen fertilizer needs in corn fields.
Mary Akingbosote and Malachi Brought received the Evans Family Award for their extension work. Akingbosote focuses on biogas treatment and usage, while Brought is researching new pest control methods for mushroom farms.
Janniry Belen, studying ecology, earned the Katherine Mabis McKenna Award for her work on how plant species in riparian zones reduce soil erosion and stabilise stream banks.
The Paul Hand Awards went to several students. Maya Weinberg was recognised for her thesis and work with rural communities in coal-impacted areas, while Hazel Velasco studied how Latino farmworkers access healthcare in dairy and mushroom industries. Mia Sullivan received the teaching award for leading a USDA-funded global agriculture learning program.
Marvellous Faluyi was awarded the Barbara Howell Raphael Educational Equity Scholarship for her research on hydrogen production from forest-based materials.
Emma Rice earned the Scarlett Award in Watershed Stewardship for her research on plant root mixtures and water conservation.
Lanre Shittu received the Penn State Extension Scholarship for his participatory research with farmers on wheat disease management.
Lastly, the Outstanding Dissertation Award went to Praharsh Patel for his work on water conservation policy and to Pradip Poudel for enhancing zinc content in microgreens through fertigation techniques.
These awards highlight student leadership in sustainable agriculture and rural development.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-zoran-zeremski
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