SHSU Agriculture Honor Society Inducts New Members

The Sam Houston State University chapter of the Agriculture Honor Society of Delta Tau Alpha inducted 18 new members in a ceremony held on the evening of September 17, 2003. Delta Tau Alpha extends invitation of membership only to those who have exhibited exceptional quality and performance in the areas of scholarship, character and ethics, service, and leadership.

Requirements of selection stipulate that a student must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average and rank in the top 35 % of their university class. Additionally, a student must have completed 45 hours of coursework and at least 12 hours of agriculture courses before consideration for membership. Upon meeting the academic requirements of the honor society, a potential member must receive a two-thirds favorable vote by the existing active membership of the chapter to ensure sound character and ethics. A Delta Tau Alpha officer then publicly presents a formal invitation to those candidates in good standing with the university during an agriculture class.

President, Brian VanDelist, who also happens to be the current National President, led the formal induction ceremony of new members for the fall semester of 2003 and each officer imparted a special attribute that defines a Delta Tau Alpha member to the inductees. Following the concluding remarks of the ceremony, new members received congratulations from the chapter officers and a pin and a certificate signifying their membership.

The newly inducted members of the Sam Houston State University Chapter of Delta Tau Alpha are as follows:

- Lindsay Jae Embry, Animal Science minor from Cleveland, Texas
- Darren Keith Manthei, Horticulture major from College Station, Texas
- Yvan Pierre Jayne, Agriculture Business major from Magnolia, Texas
- Brandy Lea Wood, Agriculture Education major from Houston, Texas
- Craig Wayne Smith, Agriculture Education major from Knippa, Texas
- Gerald Paul Pasley, Agriculture Business major from Dekalb, Texas
- Amber Shae Bowser, Animal Science major from College Station, Texas
- Amanda Rhea Carpenter, Agriculture Education major from Cuero, Texas
- Joshua D. Muller, Agriculture Business minor from Bryan, Texas
- James Tyrel Williams, Animal Science major from Oakhurst, Texas
- Devin L. Singleton, Animal Science major from Huntsville, Texas
- Russ Lee Sorenson, Agriculture Business major from El Campo, Texas
- Stephen Kyle Band, Agriculture Business major from Rosenburg, Texas
- Dustin Wayne Shoemaker, Agriculture Business major from Magnolia, Texas
- Jennifer Diane Stewart, Agriculture Business major from Huntsville, Texas
- Matthew Christopher Stevens, Horticulture major from Kaufman, Texas
- Michelle Lea LeNormand, Agriculture Education major from Hull, Texas
- Mandy N. Klein, Agriculture Education major from Magnolia, Texas

The Honor Society of Delta Tau Alpha serves as the premiere agriculture honor society for non-land grant colleges throughout the United States. The exceptional students that make up the organization receive recognition on their official transcript and are entitled to various benefits including pay scale increases for employment within the federal government.

Sam Houston State University students Brian VanDelist and Jayson Hill currently hold the offices of National President and Southern Region Vice-President respectively in the Honor Society of Delta Tau Alpha. Dr. Dwayne Pavelock is the advisor of the SHSU Chapter.

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