Aggie of the Year

Kathryn Doonan

Katie Doonan graduates this spring with a double degree from WSU’s Agriculture and Food Systems program, and the Biology program with a minor in Soil Sciences. Doonan was also named as one of WSU’s Top Ten Seniors under the Community Service category. A 13th generation farmer and rancher who can trace her lineage back to 1640, Doonan works summers as a volunteer firefighter and EMT while helping her family with harvest. Doonan has a passion for sustainable agriculture, so taking on the task of coordinating the Eggert Family Organic Farm’s Fall Harvest Festival and pumpkin patch was close to her heart. The festival is not only the largest event for the farm, but also for the Organic Agricultural Club, of which she is a serving officer. Working closely with Regents Professor John Reganold, director of WSU’s organic and sustainable agriculture systems program, she took part in research in his lab, and worked on WSU’s 30-acre organic farm. She most recently worked as an undergraduate research assistant in Crops & Soils, where she studied the effects of a fungal infestation on wheat growth and roots. With all of her experiences, Doonan will continue working with agriculture after graduation. She talked about her interest in studying and pursuing how food production, plant and soil health affect people’s health. This is partly due to her work with the Eggert Family Farm and her time spent in Ireland studying abroad.

Family and Consumer Scientist of the Year

Daniel Lochridge

Daniel Lochridge is a senior at Washington State University from Missoula, Montana that is majoring in economics and has maintained a 3.57 GPA. In 2019, he was awarded the CAHN RS Honors for Most Outstanding Junior in Human Sciences. Outside of class, Daniel has been involved in several student organizations including the ASWSU Environmental Sustainability Alliance, the WSU Entrepreneurship Club, and Net Impact. In his professional life, Daniel has had four internships and several part-time jobs during his tenure at WSU at places including The WSU Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, WSU Alumni Association, and E8 Angel Investment Group. Daniel is currently studying for the LSAT and wants to pursue a career in law and business with the goal of having a job with a high social impact. When Daniel is not studying or working, he enjoys playing hockey on frozen ponds, fly fishing in Montana, and mountain climbing in Colorado.

Outstanding Junior in Agricultural Sciences

Elizabeth Nalbandian

Elizabeth Nalbandian was born and raised in the Old City of Jerusalem, Israel. By the age of four, she spoke four languages: Armenian, Arabic, Hebrew, and English. Currently, she is a Junior at Washington State University, double majoring in Food Science and Hospitality Business Management. She is a lead chocolatier at Crimson Confections, a peer mentor for international students, and participates in food product development competitions. Last summer, she had the opportunity of studying abroad in Italy and France and interned at a bakery in Switzerland. These experiences helped broaden her horizons about the food industry in Europe. Growing up in the Middle East, surrounded by developing countries, Elizabeth realized many children suffer from malnutrition-related health problems. As a result, following graduation, she plans on working in a research and product development team for a company which produces food solution for health and nutritional problems in developing countries. CAHNRS means equipping me with the resources necessary for a successful food scientist. This is done by providing unique experiential learning opportunities, creating various industry tours and visits with professionals from industry, and supporting student initiatives (such as clubs activities). Through my chosen program of study, I see the world from a different angle and understand where my skills and abilities will be used to improve people’s lives in the global society.

Outstanding Junior in Human Sciences

Emma Taylor

Emma Taylor is a junior majoring in Economic Sciences with minors in Mathematics and French Language. She hopes to become a PhD economist and research policies that are geared towards poverty alleviation in developing counties, with a special focus on policies that provide support towards the capabilities of young women and girls. She is very grateful for the amazing education that she’s received from the School of Economic Sciences and is thankful to have been a CAHNRS Coug for all three years she’s been at WSU. When Emma is not studying, she is working in student government, teaching French, and cooking and baking for her friends. Her deepest held belief is that Ferdinand’s should create a Washington cherries and chocolate flavor so that she can graduate happy. CAHNRS means community and state engagement, working in teams, and common goals. CAHNRS means critically engaging with the challenges we face and communicating with every stakeholder to find solutions that make senses. CAHNRS is the college that lives in, works in, and supports our wonderful Washington environment. To me, I am most proud to be a CAHNRS Coug because I know that we help people in Washington every day.

Emerging Undergraduate Leader in Agricultural Sciences

Abbi Prins

Abbi Prins is a sophomore originally from Tulare, California, majoring in Animal Science and minoring in Agribusiness Economics. She has been on the President’s Honor Roll the past three semesters with a 4.0 GPA. Even with a rigorous course load, she is a member and now the Facilitator of the CAHNRS Ambassador Team; and she has conducted her own research on dairy production genomics. During the spring 2020 semester, she competed on the WSU Dairy Challenge team at the Regional competition in Modesto, California. She is also actively involved in the Sigma Alpha Professional Agricultural Sorority on campus as a member of the chapter and of the recruitment committee.

Emerging Undergraduate Leader in Human Sciences

Michelle Sikora

Michelle Sikora is a sophomore at Washington State University studying Economics Policy and Law with a minor in Political Science. She has been involved in multiple organizations on campus including the CAHNRS Ambassadors, President of the Pre-Law Club, WSU Conduct Board, ASWSU Library Committee, and President of Community Duncan Dunn Hall Government. She is a Teaching Assistant for the Human Development Department in which she works closely with students in HD 205. Michelle has been a part of a on-going research project with Dr. Yoder regarding Western Water Law. She researches current laws and how to change them to be more efficient and aimed toward water conservation. Michelle is extremely passionate about the study of law. She hopes to attend law school to study Entertainment and Sports Law.

2020 Student Award Winners