• Julieta M. Frank - Outstanding Graduate Student
• Eeshani Kandpal - Outstanding Masters Thesis
• Wei Shi - Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation

Faculty cited in New York Times
Scott Irwin is quoted in the New York Times, referencing a study performed with colleagues Phil Garcia and Darrel Good. To read the article, click here.

Dept. Alumni received University Award
One of the most prestigious awards at UIUC is the “Madhuri and Jagdish N. Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement.” The 2007 recipient is Kandeh Yumkella ('91), who received his PhD in our Department and is currently the Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization. Kandeh was honored on April 2nd.

Teaching Enhancement Award given
The purpose of the Earl M. Hughes Teaching Enhancement Award is to enhance undergraduate teaching in the Department. It is awarded annually on the basis of past teaching accomplishments and a teaching enhancement proposal. This year’s winner of the Dr. Earl M. Hughes Teaching Enhancement Award was presented to Mary Arends-Kuenning.

Local Phi Beta Kappa president, J. Braden
John Braden will be serving a one year term as President of the UI Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest and most respected undergraduate honors organization in the United States. The chapter at the University of Illinois, Gamma of Illinois, was chartered in 1907.

Faculty, Staff receive GSO recognition
The Graduate Student Organization annually recognizes outstanding faculty and staff. This year’s winners are:

• David Bullock and Carl Nelson - Graduate Student Award for Outstanding Faculty
• Linda Foste - Graduate Student Award for Outstanding Staff

ACE Teachers Ranked Excellent
Listed in “List of Teachers Ranked Excellent” for Fall 2007 were the following ACE teachers:

Donations support Academic Programs in ACE
Thank you to the following donors:

• Former undergraduate student Doug Roberts ($100K) to support experiential learning programs
• Monsanto ($30K), Bunge ($30K), ADM ($90K), OSI ($15K) to support the International Business Immersion Program
• John Deere ($15K) and ADM ($50K) to support the agricultural accounting program

Professor Emeritus receive award
Harold Guither was given the “D. Howard Doane Award” for his service to the American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers.

Faculty member honored
Congratulations to Alex Winter-Nelson, who was recently selected for the “Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching – Faculty” and featured in Inside Illinois.

Staff elected to Board
Terri Kobel was elected to the Executive Board for the University Continuing Education Association, a national organization representing a wide variety and large number of universities.

Faculty receive College Awards
The College Awards Banquet were held on April 21, 2008, the following were awarded:

• Scott Irwin, a recipient of the “Paul A. Funk Recognition Award”
• Angela Lyons, recipient of the “College Faculty Award for Excellence in Extension”
• Darrel Good and Gary Schnitkey, who are part of the Corn and Soybean Classic Team with Crop Sciences faculty, winning the “Team Award for Excellence”
• Jon Scholl ('78) and Duane Strunk ('63), graduates of our Department, who will be recognized by the ACES Alumni Association through the “Award of Merit”

Personnel Changes
* Miguel Gomez will return to Cornell to take an Assistant Professor position.
* Jules Elkins will be moving to Austin, TX where her husband is taking a faculty position.
* The loss of Randy Westgren to Business Administration was only temporary, and he’ll be back in the Department full time this fall. Welcome back, Randy.

Esteemed Faculty member passes away
Stephen C. Schmidt passed away at 3:40pm on April 13, 2008. Read the obituary here.