Bumpers College Yearly Academic Award Winners, Ambassadors Honored

Nine students in five different majors in U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences received nine annual academic awards from the college at its annual student honors and awards reception.

Students recognized include:

• Presidential Scholar — Karen Echevarria, animal science
• Dale Bumpers Distinguished Scholars
  • Ph.D: Sumanjot Kaur, food science
  • Master's: Jonathan Brye, crop, soil and environmental sciences
  • Undergraduate Transfer: Haylie Jones, agricultural education, communications and technology
• John W. White Outstanding Student — Cason Frisby, food science
• Spitze Public Policy Legislative Internship Award — Anna Roberts, agricultural business
• Stanley E. Reed Internship Award — Noah Meharg, agricultural education, communications and technology
• Bumpers College Alumni Society Rising Senior Award — Alyssa Foley, crop science
• Bumpers College Alumni Society Scholarship — Karley Williams, agricultural education, communications and technology

The college also recognized its ambassadors for 2025-26. The group works both on-campus and off-campus recruiting events, assisting with Dean's Office and college-wide events, serving as representatives of the college, connecting with students, assisting in other recruiting functions, and sharing the philosophy and benefits of enrollment in the college to prospective students, parents and alumni.

This year's group included Evie Brantley, human development and family sciences; Caroline Cheek, environmental, soil and water science; Cason Frisby, food science; Diamond Jones, food science; Leah Martin, human nutrition and dietetics; Esther Moore, environmental, soil and water science; Colton Nichols, crop science and biology; Ashley Rivera Pitti, animal science; Julian Rush, poultry science and agricultural business; Logan Sanders, poultry science; Morgan Schaefer, human development and family sciences; Evan Seay, agricultural education, communications and technology; Reese Simpson, poultry science and agricultural business; Savannah Steigler, hospitality management; Joshua Uptigrove, agricultural education, communications and technology; and Karley Williams, agricultural education, communications and technology.

They were recognized at a reception on April 23 at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and X at @BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.