Agricultural Sciences Department Receives Multiple Sammy Awards

Sam Houston Agriculture was well represented at the recent Sammy Awards Presentation. The Agriculture Council received awards for Outstanding Student Organization and Most Spirited Bearkat Organization. In addition to these awards, the Ag Council President, Brian VanDelist, received an individual Sammy Award for his work both in the department and community wide. Dr. Doug Ullrich, an agriculture education professor, also received a Sammy Award for his continual assistance to any students in need of guidance.

Agriculture Council dedicates much of its time and effort to the promotion of agriculture through public service activities. In addition to working with the rodeo and livestock shows, the Ag Council holds Children’s Barnyard annually. The Barnyard walks over 2000 children, teachers, and parents through the varied facets of modern agricultural production and offers hands-on opportunities otherwise unavailable to them. The Council also hosts rodeos for special needs children and the Little Tykes rodeo for pre-school and elementary children.

Outside of the agriculture promotion, you can always find the Ag Council promoting Bearkat Spirit. Whether it was a pre-game party, complete with orange goat, or being the only students in the couch potatoes section, council members were always present and brimming with Orange Pride. This involvement made them quite worthy of the Most Spirited Bearkat Organization Award.

Brian VanDelist represents the ideal agriculture leader with his friendly manner and dedication to any task he undertakes. He might be found presiding over the meetings of the many agriculture organizations to which he belongs or just being the most active member. His efforts include promotion of Sam Houston State at livestock shows and rodeos and recruitment of future SHSU Ag students wherever he goes. As a member of the local American Legion, Brian volunteers in community service activities such as community beautification efforts and the United Way food drive. His service on university-wide committees ensures that the voices of agriculture students are heard and his school pride can often be seen and heard, along with that of organization members he leads, at athletic events and spirit competitions. This comprehensive involvement makes Brian an outstanding individual in our department and more than worthy of a Sammy Award.

As a faculty member of Sam Houston State for the past seven years, Dr. Doug Ullrich has won the respect and admiration of the students and the faculty by always being available to help. Between his teaching responsibilities and his work with the SAM Center, the university student advisement center, one would think that Dr. Ullrich has little time for other activities. The truth, however, is that he willingly offers advisement to long lines of students that often forms at his ever open door. Dr. Ullrich also serves as advisor to the Collegiate FFA and volunteers his time to other university and community activities. Anyone who knows Dr. Ullrich does not doubt that his Sammy Award was hard earned and well deserved.

The Agriculture Department is proud to have such outstanding individuals and organizations within its ranks and commends all for their performances. The Sammy Awards are the most prestigious awards of Sam Houston State University and our congratulations are extended to all of the recipients.

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