College of Agricultural Sciences Commencement Program
139th Year of
COMMENCEMENT
Spring 2023
College of Agricultural Sciences Commencement
May 12, 2023
Order of Ceremony
Processional – Colorado State Brass Quintet
Welcome and Presentation of Colors – Dean James Pritchett and Wing Walker Honor Guard
God Bless America and the National Anthem – Mykayla FItzpatrick
Land Acknowledgement – Dean Pritchett
Introduction of Platform Party, Faculty and Staff, and Commencement Speaker – Dean Pritchett
Commencement Address – Mary Kraft
Recognition of University Honors Program, Latin Distinction, and First Generation Graduates – Addy Elliott
Recognition of Commissioned Graduates, Active Military, and Veterans – MAJ Ryan Raleigh
President Remarks and Presentation of Class – President Amy Parsons
Conferring of Baccalaureate Degrees – Armando Valdez
Diploma Distribution -Dean Pritchett, Dr. Suellen Melzer, and Department Heads
Student Remarks – Garrett Fong and Leah McGill
Alumni and Closing Remarks – Matt Camper
Alma Mater – Mykayla FItzpatrick
Recessional – Colorado State Brass Quintet
Announcer
Dr. Suellen Melzer, Professor, Soil and Crop Sciences
Marshals
Dr. Cynthia Brown, Department Marshal, Agricultural Biology
Dr. Jordan Suter, Department Marshal, Agricultural and Resource Economics
Dr. Tanja Hess, Department Marshal, Animal Sciences
Dr. Chad Miller, Department Marshal, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Dr. Greg Butters, Department Marshal, Soil and Crop Sciences
On the Platform
Yaling Qian, Professor and College Marshal, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Dr. James Pritchett, Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences
Mary Kraft, Commencement Speaker and CFO, Badger Creek Farm and Quail Ridge Dairies
Amy Parsons, J.D., President, Colorado State University
Armando Valdez, Vice Chair, Colorado State University Board of Governors
Kyle Henley, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Colorado State University
Major Ryan Raleigh, Assistant Professor, Military Sciences
Dr. Jan Leach, Associate Dean for Research, College of Agricultural Sciences
Dr. Eugene Kelly, Associate Dean for Extension and Deputy Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agricultural Sciences
Mr. Matt Camper, Assistant Dean of Teaching Practice and Academic Programs, College of Agricultural Sciences
Ms. Addy Elliott, Assistant Dean of Advising and Student Success, College of Agricultural Sciences
Dr. Amy Charkowski, Department Head, Agricultural Biology
Dr. Hayley Chouinard, Department Head, Agricultural and Resource Economics
Dr. Keith Belk, Department Head, Animal Sciences
Dr. Mengmeng Gu, Department Head, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Dr. Chris Pires, Department Head, Soil and Crop Sciences
Mary Kraft, Commencement Speaker
Mary Kraft is CFO for the 5500 milking Holstein dairy enterprises of Badger Creek Farm and Quail Ridge Dairies at Fort Morgan, CO. The two dairies employ 75 people, deliver 25-30 calves a day and market 5-7 semi’s of milk daily. Mary’s family has been farming in Colorado since 1906. She has written for the leading dairy magazines, been selected as the National Young Farmers Spokesperson for Agriculture and named to the Colorado 4-H Hall of Fame for using her skills for Agricultural awareness and advocacy. She was President of the Colorado Livestock Assoc. and has served on the Western Dairy Association’s milk promotions board and the PERA Advisory Council.
Mary is a current board director on the Dairy Checkoff Association, Western Dairy Association, representing Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming dairy farm families. She is a Fellow of the Colorado Agricultural Leadership Program. She has served on Morgan County’s Economic Development Corporation Board, the Morgan County Hospital Foundation Board, the School for the Performing Arts Board, and the Adult Basic Literacy Education Board (ABLE). She has spoken extensively across the country to dairy groups about building Middle Management and developing a productive work culture and testified before the legislature on good animal husbandry practices and immigration issues. She and her husband, Chris, actively recruit legislators to tour their dairies and learn first-hand about the issues in Agriculture. Mary gives tours to school groups, civic and social groups at both dairy facilities, as well as Common Ground (agriculturalists connecting to mommy bloggers). The couple designed and served as general contractor to build the 4300 cow Quail Ridge Dairy facility (the older facility, Badger Creek Farm, milks 1200 head). Mary developed the business, veterinary and cow management protocols for the dairies, as well as actively managing those processes. Mary also privately consults and coaches people to develop great businesses, people, partnerships, and communication.
College of Agricultural Sciences
Candidates for University Honors Scholar
Spring 2023
Ashley Armstrong, Agricultural Business major and Equine Science major. Thesis title: Understanding Equine Endocrinopathic Laminitis: A Review of Current Literature.
Lauren Hesse, Animal Science major. Thesis title: TBD.
Henley Holland, Equine Science major. Thesis title: Review of Current Literature in Small Animal Nutrition Trends.
Mia Morones, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics major and Spanish and Agricultural Business and Sustainable Water Studies minors. Thesis title: Social Barriers and Diffusion Rate of Implementation and Adoption of Sustainable Irrigation Practices in Colorado Agriculture.
Dixie Posey, Animal Science major. Thesis title: Effects of Animal Agriculture on Environmental Sustainability.
Madeline Pringle, Animal Science major and Military Science minor. Thesis title: Darn Tootin’ and Straight Shootin’: A Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Manual for Field Instruction and Firearms Fundamentals.
Kira Sayre, Equine Science major and Animal Science major. Thesis title: Sayre Hereford Farms: A Revision.
Malei Tipton, Animal Science major, Agricultural Education major with Teacher Development concentration and Teacher Licensure-Agriculture major. Thesis title: Planting the Seeds of Change: A Community Garden Business Plan.
College of Agricultural Sciences
Candidates for Baccalaureate Degrees
Spring 2023
College of Agricultural Sciences
Dean James Pritchett
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Agricultural Biology
McGill, Leah Marie
Mora, Victor Antonio
Agricultural Business
Armstrong, Ashley Nicole + ^
Austin, Josephine F.
Bailey, Emma Rose
Bennett, Matthew Ryan
Brestel, Ashlynne Elise +
Debnam, Eleanor Virginia
Dodd, Brandon Thomas ^
Domenico, Paolo Joseph
Drobny, Maria Isabel *
Eitemiller, Emily Ann
Eve, Tristan J.
Farah, Luke G.
Farrier, Amanda
Freese, Casey E.
Frings, Elizabeth Jeanette
Gornick, Blake Wood
Haby, Sarah Dean
Hatton, Emma Grace
Hoefler Schonen, Sophia N.
Jones, Hayden Price
Klann, Kyle A.
Kohl, Zachary Collin
LaGrange, Gavin Lee
Mihelich, Dessirae Lynn Spaulding
Miller, Cade Robert Andrew
Miller, Paige Joy
Pietz, Robert Douglas
Rogers, John Lambert
Schieffer, Ruth Grace +
Tomlinson, Tessa Rose *
Toth, Cody Ryan
Travers, Ryleigh Jane * ^
Visconty, Cristen E.
Walsh, Clayton John William
Agricultural Education
Cook, Zachary Boswell
Fong, Garrett Trent
Hamann, Samantha Hope *
Heckendorf, Holly Mae
Moore, Brooklynn Ann ^
Snyder, Kevin Joseph
Wagner, Lauren Dee
Yoder, Makenzi Corianne
Animal Science
Adams, Elizabeth Nicole *
Alvarez, Cydney M.
Aragon, Juan Margarito #
Ballard, Shania
Bauer, Elizabeth M.
Bellek, Olivia Grace
Benson, Kristalyn Alyse ^
Berrios, Maria Victoria
Bodemeijer, Kaitlyn M.
Brancato-Buentello, Olivia Corina *
Campbell, Megan Justine * ^
Carroll, Mia Mary
Caulfield, Kate Collins
Cole, Hannah Lee
Cox, Julia Clare
Daniel, Gracie Leigh
Davis, Ansley Elizabeth
Dentoni, Isabella Marie * ^
Fehrn, Jordan D. *
Frink, Lauren Meghann *
Garcia, Mari Tsurudome
Gaylord-Benigno, Rudy Alexander =
Glasser, Jade Lorraine
Hesse, Lauren Emeline
Hofmann, Charline Catherine
Johnson, Olivia Anne
Kakuda, Sydney Harumi * ^
Kelsey, Sarah Faith *
Kempers, Matthew Forest *
Kempf, Kelly Allison
Leatherwood, Hayley JoAnn
Ledezma, Manuel E.
Leland, Sophia M.
Leston, Nicolette Marie #
Lowry, Paige Marie *
Marbello, Quentin Lewis
Martin, Frances Marie
Mason, Mackenzie R.
Matilton, Hailey P. =
Muco, Cindy *
O’Prey, Connor John *
O’Reilly, Kal *
Peterson, Claire Jaylan
Posey, Dixie Lynn
Pringle, Madeline Holly * ^
Riordan, Makela Kanani *
Roberts, Mckenzie Shea
Rollins, Johnathan Joseph
Scott, Katherine M.
Smith, Cortland Oran *
Smith, Samantha Marie *
Soto, Dominique G.
Spencer, Hanna Paige +
Stafford, Annabel Catherine #
Steinnagel-Taylor, Madeline
Swanson, Krystine Grace *
Swenson, Maya Ann * ^
Torres Carrillo, Leonardo *
Tucker, Kyndall A.
Turner, Kenzie Nicole
Van Gent, Marika Emma
Warfield, Alexandra Czarina +
Wensmann, Kayla Cassidy *
Wilbur, Grace Katherine *
Young, Amelia Edens ^
Environmental Horticulture
Brown, Mallory Allison
Dunbar, Courtney Christine
Gehman, Aynsley Alice
Jannetto, Nicholas C.
Long, Joseph Daniel
McCullough, James Finnegan
Ortiz, Christofer Miguel
Sousa, Dax Timothy
Thompson, Jeffrey M.
Tonini, Cienna Rae *
VonLembke, Jaimie ^
Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
DeKing, Hannah Margaret ^
Moccia III, Robert Samuel *
Morones, Mia G. *
O’Shea, Devon Elisabeth *
Tennyson, Tanna J. *
Tuan, Virginia Tong
Virene, Joshua William * ^
Watson, Erin
Williams, Elizabeth Anne
Wittenbrink, Suzanne *
Equine Science
Allen, Alexis Renee
Allen, Kyra Ann
Ambler, Emily
Anderson, Hannah S. *
Arnold, Allison Elizabeth
Badger, Cheyenne R. *
Bahr, Hannah Elizabeth
Baker, Arianna Solei
Barber, Katharine Elizabeth *
Barlow, Melia Nicole *
Barnes, Nicole C.
Bayless, Madeline R.
Beaumont, Danika Shae
Beeson, Karoline Elisabeth +
Boling, Chloe Leann
Carr, Daniella Cecile
Clark, Victoria L. *
Cupples, Alyanna Danielle *
Easterling, Elizabeth Abigail *
Free, Ava Grace *
Gallagher, Bailey May *
Godinez, Jasmine Adel
Graff, Isabella Sophia
Gray, Lorrie M. *
Hastings, Anna Faye
Holland, Henley Ann ^
Hopkins, McKenna Marie
Keber, Parker Mary
Lamothe, Shawna Gayle *
Larroche, Maya *
Lassiter, Anna McCoy *
Legge, Ella Grace #
Lynes, Niki Jeanne
Maxey, Ashleigh Nicole
McConnell, Quinn Hayden + #
McLeod, Elizabeth Rose
Moore, Samantha Elizabeth *
Ohm, Olivia Faye
Pennisi, Natalie Grace *
Quade, Kaylee Noel
Rye, Emily *
Sayre, Kira Chrisman +
Schneider, Annika Caridad *
Sennate, Alysha Lynne
Sharpe, Claire K.
Staiano, Chloe N.
Unger, Natalie Raelyn
Waldron, Kyla Marie
Welch, Christina L. *
Willms, Leah Grace *
Horticulture
Bullock, Michaela Y.
Burley, Noah Taft
Clausen, Emily A.
Conklin, Georgia Grace
Cummins, Emily A.
DeSalvo, Benjamin Raymond
Dickson, Mark
Dooley, Erin E.
Dunn, Andrew Jacob *
Ellis, Madison Shea
Engelking, Kelly
Farstad, Hannah Nicole * #
Fitzgerald, Ryan Lawrence *
Garcia, K’lee Rae
Gorsuch, Matthew A.
Gower, Tyler J.
Hackley, Grace Alexandra Rose *
Hake, Kristine Mariah
Hall, Tatianna Xeleste *
Herrera, Nevaeh Omara Rene
Hundelt, Andrew Hamill
Kimura, Rykar M. * =
Ledbetter, Molly L.
Lemus, Tania R. #
Looney, John Lyle *
McCool, Jessica L. ^
McDonald, Simon Django
Millsap, Bytayvious
Monette, Skylar Adio
Peplinski, Kayla R.
Pollard, Morgan Elizabeth
Polzer, Eliza Emans
Powell Jr., Christopher David
Reed, Tyler James
Rhodes, Jackson R. *
Rizzuto, Joseph Hunter *
Roth, Elizabeth J.
Tannehill, Cassandra Leigh ^
Thomas, Meghan Lesley
Thune-Larsen, Bjorn Oscar *
Tlamka, Kodi Ann
Valentine, Jason Michael
Van Horne, James Frederick
Vickery, Jakob Donald *
Landscape Architecture
Cahill, Parker R.
DeGrazia, Audrey
Hinkle, William David
Leyva, Natalie Marie Ann
Loveland, Sterling R. #
Petterle, Joshua Drew
Roller, Sidney Nikole
Sparks, Adam J.
Waddell, Shelby Lynn ^
Soil and Crop Sciences
Cruz, Christopher
Donovan, Kylie Nicole
Hackett, Emma Rose + ^
Hanofee, Alyssa
Hoffman, Oliver D. *
Johnson, Savannah Danielle *
Langer, Samuel Laurence *
Maxwell, Mickenzie Ray
McCauley, Kathryn Joy
Nurse, Shaun
Peterson, Michelle Renee * #
Zalace, Devin M.
College of Agricultural Sciences
Candidates for Baccalaureate Degrees
Summer 2023
College of Agricultural Sciences
Dean James Pritchett
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Agricultural Biology
Hu, Yuanzhen
Agricultural Business
Betts, Lottie Alexandera
Bluhm, Lindsey
Burton, Nancy K.
East, Stephan Michael *
Limbaugh, Christy
McFerran, Hunter Alan
Richardson, Michael Shane *
Ruiz, Joshua L.
Wiggins, Robert W.
Animal Science
Acosta, Mariana Guadalupe
Baker, Zoie Faith
Henry, Deanna Lynn
Jiner, Isabella Loren *
Kessler, Mary Margaret
Kresse, Natalie
Leopardi, Daniela Grace
Loftus, Everett Holliday
Morse, Zechariah =
Myer, Mackenzie Paige
Parrish, Kaylie Joy
Patrick, Kasandra Janel
Risley, Rachel Winter *
Shaffer, Scott Gerald
Valdiviezo-Perez, Chasel Yamilet
Voves, Lindsay Morgan
Yanko, Devon Martha
Environmental Horticulture
Gray, William Anthony
Heinrichs, Andrew D.
Steinhauer, Philip Edwin
Equine Science
Blandin, Lauren Nicole #
Brown, Cameron Gail
Clark, Alexandria
Huisingh, Thena Lee
Moore, Juri Yvon
Persky, Hannah Michelle
Taylor, Isabella Christina
Horticulture
Cannon, Adam James
Hammett, Caelyn E. *
Jackimowicz, Courtney Lee *
Lascaris, Theodore J.
Mahoney, Maureen
McFarland, Christian Lee *
Mercer, Jennifer A.
Ortiz, Camille D.
Spencer, Britany Free
Woods, Dameir Corrin
Landscape Architecture
Adams, Janae
Batey, Grace Elizabeth
Green, Gabrielle Claire *
Kaibetoney, Keanu Sovann
Kaiser, Katherine Lorraine *
Karim, Moustafa Y.
Kogoya, Davidson Idrean
Lietzke, Kristen Ann
McGregor, Megan E. *
Seelhoff, Camyran T.
Simmelink, John Connor
Williams, Chandler M. *
Soil and Crop Sciences
Skibstead, Hollie Marie
* Candidates with minor
+ Candidates with second major
^ Candidates for cum laude
# Candidates for magna cum laude
= Candidates for summa cum laude
* Candidates with minor
+ Candidates with second major
^ Candidates for cum laude
# Candidates for magna cum laude
= Candidates for summa cum laude
‡ Awarded posthumously