CAES Alumni Association

Awards & Scholarships
Congratulations to the 2009 Award Winners!

CAES Alumni Association Young Alumni Achievement Award

The CAES Alumni Association Young Alumni Achievement Award recognizes College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences alumni who are 35 years old or less who have achieved excellence in their chosen field and/or in their community.

Beth Bland

Beth Bland received her Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Communications in 2002 and her Masters degree in Food Science in 2005.   As a student, she worked in the Office of College Advancement as a student worker.  From there, she became a part-time development officer to raise funds for the Departments of Agricultural Economics and Food Science. 

In December 2005, she joined Associate Services Group in LaGrange as Program Coordinator for the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.  With GFVGA, Bland has worked hard to coordinate state block grants to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, was overseer of the Crisis Management Plan for the fresh produce industry in Georgia, and consulted/directed the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Vegetables.  She worked with National Scope in working as an active member of the United Fresh Produce Association’s Food Safety and Technology Council as well as working towards the 2009 Global Conference on Produce Food Safety Standards in Las Vegas.

Bland is a graduate of the Georgia Agri-leaders forum, was Vice-chair of CAES Alumni Events Committee in 2008-2009, and was a member of the ABAC Ag Alumni Committee in 2008-2009.   In her spare time, Bland is involved at First Baptist Church on the Square in LaGrange where her activities include leading worship, volunteer leader with the youth group, and Young Singles Outreach coordinator.  

Bland is proud of her education from UGA CAES and is proud that she can use both her undergraduate and graduate degrees on a daily basis.  When reflecting on the CAES, Bland says, “The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is near and dear to my heart…as is the agricultural industry of Georgia.  I will continue to serve both as long as possible.”

Carrie Lynn Fowler

Carrie Lynn Fowler graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in both Animal and Dairy Science in 2001 and her Master’s degree in Environmental Economics in 2004.  While in college, Fowler served as a Charter member of the UGA Sigma Alpha Sorority Chapter and is one of the founding members of the UGA Sigma Alpha Alumni Association. She is a National Sigma Alpha Alumni member.

Since graduating in 2004, she has been employed with the Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission.  Fowler researched, wrote, and designed Best Management Practices for Georgia Agriculture Manual.  In 2005, she was promoted to a Nonpoint Source Program Specialist where she managed Section 319h grant funding from the Clean Water Act.  Each year, Fowler develops, writes and designs the Legislative Notebook which is a federal funding request used in Washington, D.C. to showcase the programs and discuss funding needs.  Fowler has been a presenter at the Georgia Water Resources Conference as well as a co-author to three papers presented at the conference.  Currently, she is serving on the planning committee for the biennial conference.  Fowler’s work goes beyond the Georgia Soil & Water Commission.  She was asked to draft the first application and ranking criteria for the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award and asked to serve on the Governor’s Awards Committee.  She was invited to be a part of a subcommittee to develop promotional materials for the Environmental Stewardship Award and the Ag Awareness Award for elementary school teachers.

Fowler is the mother of two boys and is active at Maysville Baptist Church.  She serves as a Sunday school teacher and Vacation Bible School teacher.  She is an active member of the UGA CAES Alumni Association since 2003. 

 Whether it is through her job or through additional opportunities, Fowler has put her education and dedication to work to promote what she believes in. “Agriculture truly is tireless work, a love of the land, and a desire to take care of what is ours.”

Clint Tolbert

Clint Tolbert received his Bachelor’s degree in Turf grass Management in 2002.  After graduation, Tolbert moved to Hawaii where he has made a name for himself in the turf grass industry.  His career began at Kaneohe Klipper, where he served as Superintendent of golf course maintenance.  Using his turf grass knowledge, Tolbert improved the golf course and initiated many cost effective maintenance methods. One of Tolbert’s improvements involved incorporating a turf grass named Seaspray into the course’s tee areas.  Seaspray was developed by Dr. Ronny Duncan of the University of Georgia.  Tolbert’s ingenuity at Kaneohe Klipper served him well and in 2007, he was recruited as the Head Golf Course Superintendent of Nanea Golf Club on the Big Island of Hawaii.  Nanea is owned by investment banker Charles Schwab and Safeway Grocery chain owner George Roberts. The course is 100% Sea Isle 2000 Seashore Paspalum, which was developed by the University of Georgia. 

Tolbert’s life in Hawaii has extended beyond the golf course.  For the past two years he has volunteered at The Ironman World Triathlon Championship. He and his employees organized a softball team and play in a softball league. The team uses their turf expertise to help the Parks and Recreation Department with the upkeep of the fields they play on.  At Nanea, he and his employees started a company community garden where employees are welcome to harvest food for their families.

Tolbert has remained loyal to his alma mater, UGA CAES. He is a donor to the Arch Foundation, the Eterna Fund, the CAES Alumni Association, AGHON, and Alpha Gamma Rho.  In regards to his time spent at UGA, Tolbert stated, “The education and experiences at UGA have been key factors in bringing me to where I am today.  It has been a great experience to take what I have learned and apply it to this environment.  I hope that my supervisors see in practice every day the great education I received from UGA. ”       

Rachel M. Walters

In 1999, Rachel Walters graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Communications.  After graduation, Walters obtained an internship with Aventis CropScience, currently known as Bayer CropScience, in Winter Haven, Florida.  Following her internship, she received a training position with Bayer in North Carolina and then offered a sales territory in Southwest Florida.  In 2000, Walters’ assigned territory was producing four million dollars in sales. After eight years, Walters managed to triple her sales to total 14 million dollars.  In 2007, she was one of 20 sales representatives to receive the inaugural Bayer MASTERS award, given to the top sales representatives who have had superior sales figures. In 2008, Walters was promoted to Horticultural Technical Sales Coordinator for the Eastern Horticulture District.

Beyond the office, Walters focuses on her family and community.  Walters and husband Fred have two daughters, Mary Martin and Georgia.  Fred works as a general manager for Gulf Citrus Management and together they strive to teach their daughters the importance of being part of an agriculturally based family.  Walters is actively involved with the Punta Gorda First United Methodist Church and is greatly invested with her local Delta Gamma Alumnae Chapter. A member since 2001, Walters has served as President, Vice-President, and Foundation chairperson. 

Walters focuses her life around three things: God, family, and agriculture.  She attributes her success to being raised in a family where agriculture is part of the focus.  When looking back on her education and experiences she stated, “The State of Georgia, The University of Georgia and CAES are all very close to my heart and have all played a critical part in molding who I am today.  Although the distance between my current home and my Georgia roots is great, I pull from my home grown experiences daily.”

CAES Alumni Association Award of Excellence

The CAES Alumni Association Award of Excellence recognizes College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences alumni who have achieved excellence in their chosen field and/or in their community.    

Kristen McWhorter

Kristen McWhorter graduated with a degree in Agricultural Economics in 1984.  Since graduation, McWhorter has worked with Poultry & Egg News, Gold Kist and Con Agra.  In 1992, McWhorter went to work for the National Poultry and Food Distributors Association (NPFDA) where she is now the Executive Director.

McWhorter has taken her role at the NPFDA and made it uniquely hers.  In 1994, she started the NPFDA Poultry Supplier Showcase, a tradeshow designed for poultry suppliers to display their finest products to potential customers.  In the late 90’s, she started the Distributor’s Exchange.  Recently, she started a new Certified Distributor’s Program that will ensure proper food handling through all distribution phases.  The program includes pest control, sanitation and facility condition, traceability, recall, and production handling procedures.  Along with her other job responsibilities, McWhorter works with the NPFDA Scholarship Foundation, which was established in 1979 and has awarded over $160,000 in scholarships. 

McWhorter has completed half of the credentials needed for her Master’s degree in Public Administration, and has maintained a 4.0 GPA.  She is currently a member of the Georgia Society of Association Executives (GSAE) and American Society of Association Executives.  She was named one of GSAE’s “Top Movers and Shakers” as well as a recipient of GSAE’s President’s Award and the Alan R. Johnson Award.

Beyond the workplace, she mentors elementary children in Gainesville, Georgia through the Hall County Mentoring program.  She has spent time since Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi and New Orleans working to salvage homes and assist animal rescue groups.  She is a previous Board Member of the Lake Lanier Association and Rivers Keepers.  When asked about the opportunities she has experienced in her life McWhorter stated, “You get out of something what you put into it.  Those who contribute time though leadership or committee work will soon begin to get a return on their investment.” 

Dixie Truelove

Dixie Truelove graduated in 1988 in Dairy Science.  She is a second generation Dairy Farmer in Hall County, Georgia, where she and her brother, Jerry, own one of only three dairy farms left in the county.  They milk 150 cows twice a day, grow their own corn for silage, and artificial inseminate their cows.  Recently, they have begun to practice synchronized breeding.  They host tours for their local Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce Leadership Hall and Youth Leadership Hall groups as well as international groups from Singapore, China, Denmark, and Venezuela.  Professionally, she has received numerous accolades within the Dairy industry.  Dixie, along with her brother and father, were included in an article in Time magazine.  She was on the cover of Dairy Today, along with articles in the Atlanta Constitution.  Additionally, Truelove and her brother were featured in Dairy Star, a magazine in Minnesota.  She has even gone to Washington D.C. to speak regarding issues facing the dairy business.

Locally, Truelove has invested a wealth of her time to her community.  She developed the group WomenSource and serves as their current president; the group focuses on education and life coaching for all women. With over approximately 300 members, the group meets monthly and has raised over $75,000.  Truelove serves on her local chamber of commerce on the executive board as vice-president of community development.  She serves on the board of the Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County, and was president in 2008.  The group volunteers over 8,000 hours a year and gives over $50,000 towards helping women and children.  Truelove serves on the board of advisors to Brenau University, the Quinlan Visual Arts Board, and the Vision 2030 Board.  Past positions held include: chair of the Hall County Planning Commission, member of the Gainesville Ballet Board, and the Foundation board of Gainesville College and State University.  In 2005, Truelove and husband Mike Smith served as program chairs for Leadership Georgia.

Truelove values her time spent at UGA CAES.  When reflecting on the impact it has had on her life Truelove remarked, “I found my years in the College of Agriculture to be the foundation of a lifetime of friendships, a place to go with questions in work, and an opportunity to be a part of a group that promotes agriculture.”

John K. Wilkinson

John Wilkinson received his Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education in 1977.  Immediately after graduation, Wilkinson taught at Forsyth County High School for three years and then another three years in Banks County.  In 1983, he was hired by the Georgia Department of Education as the FFA Executive Secretary, a position he remained in for 22 years.  In 2005, he became the State Program Manager for Agricultural Education and the State Advisor for the Georgia FFA and Young Farmers Programs, as well as Chairman of the Georgia FFA-FCCLA Camp Administrative Committee.  While chairman, he helped raise over $2.1 million to renovate the facilities at both FFA centers in Georgia. Wilkinson has served on the Georgia FFA Foundation and FFA Board of Directors for the past twelve years.

Wilkinson was named to the National FFA Foundation Board of Directors and is a Life Member of FFA Alumni.  He has assisted with International Leadership Seminars for State Officers and has attended the National FFA Officer International Experience in Japan.  He served on the National FFA Task Force for National Officer Selection in 2006.

Wilkinson is past president of the Atlanta Farmers Club as well as past master of Toccoa Masonic Lodge #309.  He remains involved with the training of future agricultural educators and FFA advisors in the UGA Teacher Education program here in Athens.  He is a frequent speaker to agricultural education classes and apprentice teacher workshops.  A member of the CAES Alumni Association and an honorary member of AGHON, Wilkinson received the Outstanding Faculty Award from UGA in 1987.  He also serves as Sunday School Superintendent, Deacon, and Church Pianist.

While Wilkinson has received numerous accolades throughout the years, his most important honors received are the mementoes from prior students that fill his workplace.

2009 Freshmen Scholarships

Katie Elizabeth Comer is a graduate of Central High School in Carroll County where she served as president of Georgia Farm Bureau Youth Council and of her high school class. She was editor of the Yearbook and captain of her high school’s soccer team.  She was state 4-H President in 2007-2008 and through 4-H, participated in the Puerto Rico Agricultural Exchange Program, Leadership 4-H across America, ACCESS 4-H, and was a Rock Eagle Camp Counselor.  Comer has been awarded the Mayor Garner’s Community Service Award, 2008 Herff Jones Editor of the Year, and was selected for the Kathy Cox Student Advisory board.  Comer plans to study Agricultural Communications and pursue a Master’s degree in Agricultural Leadership.  Her professional goal is to work for Cooperative Extension as a 4-H agent.

Patrick Timothy Savelle graduated from Oconee County High School.  Savelle was a member of the Beta Club, FCA, Symphonic band, Literary Team, 4-H and FFA.  While in 4-H, he was on the state-winning Dairy Judging and Quiz Bowl teams and  won first in State Project Achievement under Dairy and Milk Science.  In FFA, Savelle was a member of the National-Winning Environmental Natural Resources Team in 2007.  He also competed in Prepared Public Speaking, as well as Creed Speaking, placing in the top 4 for each event.  Savelle has developed two Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs. His second SAE in Home and/or Community Development was named a National Finalist.  Savelle’s plans to major in Animal Science, but he is keeping his options open.  He hopes to one day become an animal scientist or biotechnician.  

2009 CAES Alumni Association Transfer Scholarship Recipients

Stacia Nicole Bennett is a transfer student from Georgia Southern University where she was a member of the GSU Honors Program.  She was involved in ASPIRES Student Research and is currently a volunteer with the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind as a puppy walker.  In high school, Bennett was a Georgia Master 4-Her in Beef, Georgia FFA State Proficiency Winner in the areas of Diversified Livestock Production and Equine Production, and Georgia State FFA Vice President.  She enjoys barrel racing, training dogs, and working as a Veterinary Technician.  She plans to major in Animal Science and the hopes to enroll in Veterinary School and pursue a career in Large Animal Veterinary Medicine.

Caroline Kemp Black is a transfer student from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.  At ABAC, Black was a member of the Cattlemen’s Association, Agri-business, and Intramural Softball team.  She received the ABAC School of Agriculture and Natural Resources Outstanding Agriculture Transfer Student for 2009.  Black is active in FFA; serving as the State Vice President in 2007-2008, and was a national finalist in the National Agricultural Proficiency contest.  She plans to double-major in Agricultural Communications and Agricultural Education and hopes to pursue a career in agricultural journalism or some area of public relations or agricultural marketing.