CAHNRS Student Awards YouTube Video
Emerging Undergraduate Leader in Agriculture or Natural Resources
Esther Langholt
I am currently a sophomore from Seattle, Washington majoring in Animal Science and minoring in Neuroscience. Outside of my rigorous course load, I currently work in a research lab studying the impacts of cannabis use on reproductive function and at the Veterinary Hospital on campus. I am also an active member of WSUs Pre-Vet Club and serve as an officer. I am passionate about helping both animals and people and aspire to attend vet school at WSU. As a veterinarian, I hope to use my skills to aid those within the agricultural community and to maximize efficiency of the animal production system. Ultimately, my goal in life is to create a lasting impact on everyone I meet and within my community!
Emerging Undergraduate Leader in Human Sciences
Eliesse Jakotich
Eliesse Jakotich is a sophomore from Lake Oswego, Oregon. As a third generation WSU cougar, Eliesse is studying Human Development with a focus on Early Childhood Education. Through her philanthropic work with the National Charity League and the Down syndrome community, Eliesse was given the 200+ hour award for her passion and dedication to the Down Syndrome Network of Oregon. In fall of 2020, Eliesse became a CAHNRS Ambassador, while also being a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, the WSU Student Entertainment Board, and working as a personal support worker for a child with Down Syndrome. Her devotion to excellence has been shown in and out of the classroom through her motivation, passion, and hard work. Eliesse
enjoys singing, playing guitar, writing music and performing at various venues. After graduation, Eliesse hopes to impact as many children as possible through her work as an Early Life Specialist.
Outstanding Junior in Agriculture or Natural Sciences
Megan Meharg
Megan is a passionate and dedicated student studying Wine Science with minors in Soil Science and Horticulture. She fell in love with Viticulture and Enology because of its meld of chemistry, biology, business, and communication. At WSU, she volunteers her time as the President of the
Viticulture and Enology club, Vice Chair of the Student Senate, and Executive of the CAHNRS Ambassadors. With CAHNRS Ambassadors, she has been able to make a difference by helping prospective students find their passion while finding her own. She values the sustainability of viticulture through grape genetics of resistant characteristics and has been able to study genetic variability through her time employed by the WSU Crop and Soil Science Department Quinoa Research laboratory. Megan works at the WSU Bookie, plays intramural volleyball, and is looking forward to her summer internship with an Oregon Agricultural company as a jumpstart to her career in Winemaking.
Outstanding Junior in Human Sciences
McKenzie Duquaine
McKenzie Duquaine is a junior at Washington State University from Anacortes, Washington.
She is studying Apparel Merchandising and is very dedicated to her school work, holding a cumulative 4.0 GPA. McKenzie stays busy throughout the year while being an active member of her sorority, staying involved in campus clubs and extracurriculars, working as a College Hill Brand Ambassador, and working for her internship at Tides of Anacortes. McKenzie is also an active planner of the WSU AMDT Fashion Show and has been since her 1st year of college. Over the past three years, she was in charge of model direction and organization, social media and marketing, and now is the show’s stage manager as a junior. Her goals after graduation are to become a fashion buyer, travel the world, and one day start her own business by opening a
women’s clothing boutique.
Superior Club
Prosser Graduate Student Association
The Prosser Graduate Student Association (PGSA) is a Washington State University Registered Student Organization led by Prosser Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center (IAREC) graduate students and is open to all graduate students on campus. PGSA sponsors and supports academic events, workshops, and social activities for the benefit of the graduate student community at Prosser IAREC. PGSA continuously works to foster a strong relationship with the community and to enhance the lives of students who are located on the IAREC station. Ultimately, PGSA looks to provide students with adequate resources to academic and social enrichment activities, housing, medical and mental care to give students a positive WSU experience.
Family and Consumer Scientist of the Year
Michelle Sikora
Michelle Sikora is a senior at Washington State University from San Diego studying Economics Policy and Law and minoring in Political Science. Michelle is a leader in many different areas on campus including being President of the Pre-Law Society, a CAHNRS Ambassador, a TA for the Human Development Department, and has participated in several research projects throughout
her collegiate career. She is also bilingual and speaks fluent Russian. Michelle is currently awaiting law school admissions decisions and will be pursuing her JD in Entertainment and Sports Law. She hopes to pursue a career as an attorney as well as become a professor in legal education.
Aggie of the Year
Juliana LeClair
Juliana LeClair is a senior Honors student pursuing a degree in Agricultural and Food Business Economics with minors in Animal Science and Spanish. She is currently the president of the Honors Student Advisory Council, the Honors Mentor Program Chair, and a member of the CAHNRS Ambassadors, of which she was the Vice Facilitator in 2020. LeClair currently lives and works on her
family’s dairy farm in Mount Vernon, WA. She loves using local dairy products when baking for her family. In her free time, LeClair enjoys spending time with her family, riding her Honda Rebel, painting, reading, and playing pool. She is looking forward to starting a career in June with Northwest Farm Credit Services as a Credit Officer Trainee.
Outstanding Seniors
- Sydney Almgren – Environmental & Ecosystems Sciences
- Dylan Baty – Fruit & Vegetable Management/ Landscape, Nursery Green House Management
- Gabriella Damron – Animal Sciences Pre-Vet Med/Sci
- Olivia Davis – Gerontology
- Dylan DeBlasio – Finacial Markets
- Shannon Edwards – Early Childhood Education
- Zichen Fan – Business Economics
- Anthony Garcia – Forest Ecology and Management
- Natasha Garrison – International Economics & Development
- Jordan Hummel – Agricultural Education
- Marina Ikuse – Food Science
- Renee Kemp – Viticulture & Enology
- Juliana LeClair – Ag & Food Business
- Brandon Libey – Agricultural Technology & Production Management
- Emily Matheny – Apparel Merchandising
- Linnea Morris – Family Studies
- Cailin O’Malley – Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Sciences
- Samantha Reyes – Economics Environmental & Development
- Brittany Sawyer – Fermentation Science
- Harmony Stephens – Organic & Sustainable Agriculture
- Charlie Stockbridge – Apparel Design
- Emma Taylor – Economic, Policy & Law
- Caryn Vargo – Human Development
- Aryn Vaughan – Human Development
- Dominik Vlaha – Earth Science
- Eliane Wibabara – Ag Economics
- Brock Zeller – Quantitative Economics