CALS Alumni Organization updates

Letter from Robyn Stewart  

Hello!

I’m so excited to have joined the CALS team at the end of 2023 – thank you all for such a wonderful welcome to my new role.

My entire career has been in higher education, starting out in student activities working with student organizations and new student orientation. While I am not a Virginia Tech alumna, I have been working here for nearly 10 years, and I am truly a Hokie at heart!  Prior to CALS, I served in alumni relations roles for the College of Engineering and the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

I have a passion for serving students and our communities through our land-grant mission, so following my career path to CALS truly feels like I’m home.

My husband, Dave, works at Radford University, and we are raising our two children, Johnathan, age 7, and Maggie, who just turned 1, in nearby McCoy, Virginia. Our little street even backs right up to some of the Kentland Farm cattle fields!

I’d love to connect with you on LinkedIn, at one of our upcoming events, or by email.

Warmly,

Robyn Stuart

CALSAO Updates

New Executive Board Members

• Scott Stevens ’92 (animal science), President
• Zach Jacobs ’19 (agribusiness management), Vice President
• Elizabeth Galbreath ’17 (agriculture sciences), Past President 

New Directors Elected for 2023-2026

• Peter Bachmann ’13 (dairy science)
• Jennifer Myers ’00 (environmental science)
• Timothy Schell M.S. ’91, Ph.D. ’94 (animal science)
• Emily Williams ’14, M.N.R. ’22 (animal and poultry sciences)

Connect

Alumni Weekend is June 6-9, 2024! Come back to Blacksburg and connect with Hokies of all ages! Click here to learn more and register.

Engage

Outstanding alumni and friends honored by College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni Organization

During its Celebration of Ut Prosim, the college recognized six people for outstanding achievements and service to society.

Hall of Fame Award Honoree:

Alan Grant
Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Outstanding Recent Alumni Award Honorees:

Elizabeth Galbreath '17 (undergraduate)
B.S. Agricultural Sciences

Sarah Misyak '06, M.S. '08, Ph.D. '14 (graduate)
B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise

Alumni Career Achievement Award Honoree:

Matthew Lohr '95
B.S.Ed. Agricultural Education

Outstanding Alumni in the Global Community Award Honoree:

Mark Mitchell '87
B.S. Animal Science

Honorary Alumni Award Honoree:

Wilmer Stoneman
Vice President, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation - Agriculture, Development & Innovation
and Executive Director, Virginia Foundation for Agriculture and Rural Sustainability

Read more about our recipients: https://www.cals.vt.edu/alumni/awards.html

We celebrated with the CALS Class of 2024 for the annual New Alumni Launch Party at The Maroon Door!

Join us quarterly for our Hokie Stones of Wisdom virtual learning and networking series.

Watch recordings and check for new programs: https://www.cals.vt.edu/alumni/virtual-events.html

Serve

Volunteer for a CALS Alumni Organization committee to support programming for alumni engagement, student engagement, recognition, and student financial support.

Learn more and sign up: https://www.cals.vt.edu/alumni/serve.html

CALS Dean’s Advisory Council

New Alumni and Stakeholder Appointments

• Ben Rowe, National Affairs Coordinator, Virginia Farm Bureau
• Cathie Woteki ’72, ’75, professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University
• Jim Saunders ’85, partner, Saunders Brothers, Inc.
• Michael Carter Jr., Small Farm Resource Center coordinator, Small Farm Outreach Program
• Rusty Unterzuber ’72, project manager, John Deere Company
• Shelley Butler-Barlow ’82, Cotton Plains Farm, Inc.
• Elizabeth Galbreath ’17, senior specialist for Future Talent Programs, Merck Animal Health