Kansas State Students Presented with AMSA Awards
MANHATTAN, Kan. – The annual American Meat Science Association (AMSA) Reciprocal Meat Conference (RMC) was hosted June 25-28 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Several current Kansas State University (K-State) Animal Sciences and Industry (ASI) undergraduate, graduate students, faculty and alumni received awards.
Chesney Effling, Stephanie Witberler and Sara Hene were presented 2023 Undergraduate Scholastic Achievement Awards. This award recognizes outstanding undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in the meat science industry.
From Highmore, South Dakota, Effling was a member of the 2022 reserve national champion meat judging team. Upon graduation in May, Effling plans to pursue a master’s in meat science.
Hene, Aurora, Illinois, alsoplans to work on her master’s in meat science following graduation in December.
Witberler, Edgar, Wisconsin, graduated from K-State ASI in May and will be pursuing a master’s in meat science at K-State. Witberler was a member of the 2021 reserve national champion meat judging team.
“These three young women exemplify the high level of excellence, passion and dedication that the meat science program at Kansas State is built on,” says Travis O’Quinn, K-State ASI associate professor and meat judging team coach. “They truly personify all of the characteristics this award from AMSA honors. We are extremely proud of them and look forward to all of their great accomplishments in the future.”
The K-State Meat Science Quiz Bowl Team received Reserve National Champion honors at the quiz bowl competition hosted with the RMC. This annual event challenges students on their knowledge of all aspects of meat science. The team competed against 34 teams constating from20 universities, which is the largest competition in the event’s 21-year history.
Team members include Effling; Witberler; Ellie Kidwell, Walhonding, Ohio; Rebecca Donaldson, Berryton, Kansas; Katrina Turner, Hopkins, Michigan; Delaney Shaw, Tulare, California; Ava Perrier, Eureka, Kansas; Sara Hene, Aurora, Illinois; Jack Kress, Randolph, New Jersey; Katelyn Wallace, Casstown, Ohio; Charles Bunker, Mebane, North Carolina; Taylor Dieball, Little River, Kansas, and Samuel Stickley, St. Paris, Ohio. Erin Beyer, a recent ASI doctorate graduate, served as coach.
“Being named the Reserve National Champion Meat Science Quiz Bowl team is the best finish in the history of the event for K-State,” O’Quinn says. “Congratulations to all the students and their coach, Erin Beyer.”
K-State graduate and doctorate students were recognized as well. Beyer placed second in the doctorate student poster titled "Evaluation of fresh vs frozen beef strip loins of equal aging periods on palatability traits and physiochemical properties.”
Linnea Rimmer, graduate research assistant in meat science, placed first with her poster titled “Investigating the metabolic changes that accompany skeletal muscle maturation.”
Grace Corrette, graduate student in meat science, placed third with her poster titled “Evaluating the impacts of using electrostatic field assisted thawing on frozen beef quality.”
-30-
The Kansas State University Animal Sciences and Industry department serves students, livestock producers and the animal and food industries through teaching, research and education. The K-State ASI department prepares students for careers in the animal and food industries. The curriculum includes the study of nutrition, reproduction, genetics, behavior, meat science, food science with production, management, and agribusiness skills.