Announcing the 2024 Borealis Award Recipients

March 29, 2024
Student Life
Campus Affairs
The Borealis Night of Excellence

The CFANS Borealis Awards Committee is excited to announce the recipients of the 2024 Borealis Awards! You are invited to join the celebration of these exceptional alumni, students, staff, faculty, and friends of the College. The awards will be presented at the 18th annual Borealis Night of Excellence on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Appetizers and a cash bar will be available during the reception. Professional headshots will be offered during the event for all attendees.

Recipients of the 2024 Borealis Awards 

  • Student Leadership Award (undergraduate student) — Emilee Xayanourom (BS, Agricultural Education, ‘24)
  • Student Leadership Award (graduate student) — Grace Atchison (MS, Nutrition Science, ‘24)
  • Exemplary Student Organization (undergraduate) — Lambda Delta Phi Sorority
  • Exemplary Student Organization (graduate) — Plant Pathology Student Organization
  • Outstanding Club Advisor — Royce Durhman (BS, Sustainable Systems Management, ‘13), Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity
  • Exemplary Staff Award — Oadi Matny (Researcher in the Department of Plant Pathology)
  • Exemplary Faculty Award (less than 5 years) — Rielle Perttu (Teaching Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Science) 
  • Exemplary Faculty Award (more than 5 years) — Anup Kollanoor Johny (Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Science) 
  • Exemplary Post-Doc Award — Francine Overcash (PhD, Nutrition, ‘17)
  • Little Red Oil Can — Applied Plant Sciences Graduate Student Club
  • Cultivating Future Leaders — Arlaina Meyer, Agricultural Education Instructor, Cumberland School District
  • Outstanding Friend — Lori Cox (BA, Political Science, ‘94)
  • Community Builder — Mike Linton (BS, Applied Economics, ‘08)
  • Rising Star — Ethan Dado (BS, Agricultural Communication and Marketing & Animal Science, ‘18; MS, Agricultural Education, ‘19)
  • Alumni Service Award — Garrett Peterson (BS, Environmental Sciences Policy and Management, ‘08; MS, Science Technology and Environmental Policy, ‘11)
  • Distinguished Alumni Award — Sujaya Rao (PhD, Entomology, '91)
  • Lifetime Achievement Award — Marc Albertsen (PhD, Plant Breeding, ‘80)

RSVP to the Borealis Night of Excellence

18th Annual Borealis Night of Excellence
Thursday, April 18, 2024
North Star Ballroom, Second Floor, St. Paul Student Center

  • 5:00 p.m. Reception and complimentary headshots
  • 5:45 p.m. Awards program

The 2024 Borealis Awards Committee is chaired by: 

  • Matthew Stone — President, CFANS Undergraduate Student Board
  • Rebecca Weir — Chair, CFANS Graduate Student Board
  • Sean O'Mara, '20 — Chair, CFANS Postdoc Board
  • Tracy Linbo, '94 — President, CFANS Alumni Society Board of Directors