CALS faculty and staff awards celebration honors community

Faculty and staff from across Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (Cornell CALS) gathered in the Statler Ballroom on March 3 to honor 38 awardees at the CALS Faculty and Staff Awards.

Now in its second year, the annual event is designed to celebrate outstanding accomplishments in research, teaching, extension and service. On display for guests was a series of gallery posters showcasing awardee portraits, biographies and endearing quotes from colleagues.

Esther Angert, Cornell CALS senior associate dean and professor of microbiology, gave opening remarks to 145 attendees.

“CALS’ essential mission, since its founding, has been to make the world a better place than we found it,” Angert said. “This is an incredibly meaningful and noble ambition that our community works tirelessly to build every single day. Tonight’s celebration is a moment for us all to reflect and celebrate value of that service."

Nominations for the 2024-25 CALS Faculty and Staff Awards will be accepted Sept. 1-Oct. 15, 2025, followed by an awards celebration in spring 2026.

Congratulations to this year's CALS Faculty & Staff Awardees:

CALS Core Value Staff Awards Recipients

• Communication | Anja Timm, administrative assistant / communications coordinator, Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station
• Growth | Mark Schrader, associate director for sustainability and business operations. Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station
• Inclusion | Polly Endreny Holmberg, associate director, Humphrey Fellowship Program; state coordinator, New York Youth Institute, Global Development
• Initiative | Peggy Stevens, administrative assistant, Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering
• Integrity | Brenda Marchewka, student services coordinator, Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering
• Judgement | Joanne Schessl, finance manager, Administrative Service Center, Cornell AgriTech
• Unsung Hero | Kevin Moss, student and public engagement coordinator, Cornell Botanic Gardens
• Vision | Marek A. Przezdziecki and Derek E. Parsons, dev-ops engineers, CALS Office of Information Technology

CALS Kathy Druckman Berggren Diversity and Inclusion Award

• Anna Katharine Mansfield, associate director, Cornell AgriTech

CALS Early Career Faculty Teaching Award

• Chris Roh, assistant professor, Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering

CALS Robert H. Foote Mid-Career Teaching Award

• Ed Mabaya, research professor, Department of Global Development

CALS Outstanding Accomplishments in Extension/Outreach Award

• Erika Styger, professor of practice, Global Development
• Cornell Small Farms Program Team
  • Mildred Alvarado- Equitable Farm Futures Initiative, Futuro en Ag
  • Sarah Bassman- SFP Communications, Futuro en Ag, FarmOps
  • Kacey Deamer- SFP Communications and Social Media
  • Erica Frenay- SFP Online Courses, Climate Resilient Livestock and Silvopasture
  • Jamie Johnson- SFP Communications, Promise of Urban Ag Courses
  • Rich Mattingly- FarmOps Veterans in Agriculture
  • Maria-Jose Oviedo Ventura- Climate Resilient Small Farms, Futuro en Ag
  • Kara Peet- SFP Online Courses
  • Nina Saeli- Cornell FarmOps Veterans in Agriculture
  • Edwin Santana- Asylum Seekers to NY Ag Jobs
  • Tim Shenk, Futuro en Ag, SFP Communications
  • Violet Stone- Reconnecting with Purpose
  • Connor Youngerman- Cornell Mushrooms and Community Mushroom Educators, Climate Resilient Agroforestry

CALS Outstanding Accomplishments in Research Award

• Xingen Lei, professor and associate dean, Department of Animal Science and Division of Nutritional Sciences

CALS Outstanding Accomplishments in Science and Public Policy Award

• Randy Worobo, professor, Department of Food Science

CALS Career Accomplishment Award

• Thomas Fox, professor emeritus, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics

CALS Outstanding Service to the CALS Community Award

• Olga Padilla-Zakour, Seneca Foods Foundation Professor and Director of the Food Venture Center, Department of Food Science, Cornell AgriTech

CALS Early Achievement Award

• Wendong Zhang, assistant professor, Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management     

Donald C. Burgett Distinguished Advisor Award

• Adam Brumberg, program manager, Food Industry Management Program, Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management

Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Students in Independent Research Award

• Peter Hitchcock, assistant professor, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences 

Professor of Merit Award

• Kerik Cox, associate professor, School of Integrative Plant Science - Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section
   

CALS nominees for the SUNY Chancellor's Awards
(Awardees announced late Spring 2025)
 

SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service

• Robert Raguso, professor, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior

SUNY Chancellor's Award for Teaching

• Marvin Pritts, professor, School of Integrative Plant Science's Horticulture Section and Department of Global Development, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Plant Sciences Major

SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service

• Jenny Stockdale, director, CALS Office of Marketing and Communications

SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities

• Maureen Hanson, Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor of Plant Molecular Biology, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics

SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service

• Allison Keller, assistant to the senior associate dean, Office of the Senior Associate Deans