Student Awards
2023-2024 Outstanding Students
Grace Flusche Ogden
Grace Ogden is the 2023 Outstanding Ph.D. Student. She is from Muskogee, OK. Grace is advised by Dr. Jason Warren and Dr. Beatrix Haggard. During her Ph.D. program, Grace has consistently demonstrated exceptional academic ability, research and extension skills, and a strong work ethic. Additionally, she has spent time developing her teaching skills through attending teaching workshops and developing a new course that will stay in our curriculum. Grace plans on becoming a professor. Her research has been both innovative and impactful and has significantly contributed to both tillage and conservation as well as weed science.
Brenna Cannon
Brenna Cannon is the 2023 Outstanding M.S. Student. She is from Jonesboro, AR and is advised by Dr. Jason Warren. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. under Dr. Warren and Dr. Lofton at OSU after earning her master’s, and she plans to continue researching cotton in the Panhandle of Oklahoma. In addition to her research efforts, Brenna has served as a TA for the Fundamentals of Soil Science course during 3 of her 4 semesters as well as provided numerous poster presentations at Extension programs. These posters are always very well received by the attendees as is demonstrated by her two 1st place finishes in the graduate student poster competition at the Winter crops school where attendees rank the posters. She has also authored a factsheet that is currently under final review for publication. Brenna hopes to visit all the continents and has a black lab named Scarlett that loves to play fetch and swim.
Tyler Steichen
Tyler Steichen is the 2023 Outstanding Senior Student. Tyler is from Ponca City, OK. He is pursuing a double major in Agronomic Business and Ag Business. Tyler plans on furthering his education at Oklahoma State University by obtaining a master’s degree in soil sciences before moving back home to farm. He also plans on helping local farmers in his community to achieve soil management goals and would like to be a local seed dealer. Tyler likes Diet Coke as much as Dr. Abit likes Dr. Pepper. He chose to get his degree in agronomy because plants don’t kick as hard as cattle.
2019-2020 Outstanding Students
Briana Wyatt
Briana Wyatt is the 2020 Outstanding Ph.D. Student in Plant and Soil Sciences. Dr. Wyatt is from Broken Arrow, OK and Dr. Tyson Ochsner was her major advisor. Her research project focused on measuring and modeling deep drainage, streamflow, and soil moisture in Oklahoma. Briana is currently a postdoctoral researcher in Plant and Soil Sciences and is teaching one of our departmental soil physics courses. Dr. Wyatt plans to pursue a career in academia as a faculty member.
Sarah Kezar
Sarah Kezar is the 2020 Outstanding MS student in Plant and Soil Sciences. Sarah is originally from Goshen IN, and has just completed her MS under the direction of Dr. Josh Lofton. She is heading to Texas A&M this summer where she will pursue her PhD in weed science. When Sarah is not in a soybean field, she enjoys horseback riding and yoga.
Ferguson College of Agriculture Senior of Distinction
Mason Blinson
Congratulations, to Mason Blinson on being named a Ferguson College of Agriculture Senior of Distinction. Mason will start her MS program with Dr. Alderman this summer. Great job, Mason!
Mason Blinson is the 2020 Outstanding Senior in Plant and Soil Sciences. Mason is from Buies Creek, NC, and we are excited that she has chosen to remain in Stillwater to pursue her MS degree with Dr. Alderman after graduation. Mason loves anything that requires creativity and enjoys drawing, painting, singing, and playing guitar. You can find some of her artwork at @MasonsCreationsNCOK on Facebook.
Truman Scholar
Adrienne Blakey
Congratulations to Adrienne Blakey on being named a Truman Scholar by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. The Oklahoma State University Honors College and Oklahoma State Ferguson College of Agriculture senior have used her passion to serve as an advocate for agricultural research. She is pursuing dual degrees in plant and soil science with a concentration in agronomic business and another in agricultural communications.
She has been a Freshman Research Scholar, a Wentz Research Scholar and a Niblack Scholar. She is an active member of The Honors College, has participated in the Cambridge Scholars Program and has served as a Scholar Development Ambassador. Blakey also has a tremendous record of campus leadership and service, having served as director of the Sustainability Committee where she reinvigorated the campus recycling program, coordinated the SGA Big XII Conference two years in a row, served as a member of the President’s Leadership Council and was named homecoming queen in 2019.
Testimonial
“I was very fortunate to get plugged in with the Office of Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research as a freshman through the Freshman Research Scholar Program and my undergraduate research experience has been a very integral piece of my college experience,” Blakey said. “The mentors and role models I found within the OSU research community pushed me to challenge myself academically, to challenge myself in learning new skills, to challenge myself in asking big questions and trying really hard to find answers.”