impact

Outstanding alumni and friends honored by College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni Organization

During its Celebration of Ut Prosim, the college recognized six people for outstanding achievements and service to society.

Marya Barlow

11 Apr 2024

Scott Stevens hands an engraved plaque to Alan Grant. — CALS Alumni Organization President Scott Stevens ’92 (at left) presented Dean Alan Grant with a plaque commemorating his induction into the college’s Hall of Fame. Photo by Marya Barlow for Virginia Tech.

Six alumni and friends of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) were honored for their service and impact during the Celebration of Ut Prosim awards program on April 5.

The awards are presented each year by the CALS Alumni Organization to recognize the outstanding achievements of alumni and supporters who represent commitment to the university motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).

The award recipients for 2024 are

Alan Grant, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Hall of Fame inductee
Elizabeth Galbreath ’17, Outstanding Recent Undergraduate Alumni Award
Sarah Misyak ’06, M.S. ’08, Ph.D. ’14, Outstanding Recent Graduate Alumni Award
Matthew Lohr ’95, Outstanding Alumni Career Achievement Award
Mark Mitchell ’87, Outstanding Alumni in the Global Community Award
Wilmer Stoneman, Honorary Alumni Award

Alan Grant, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Hall of Fame inductee

Grant has served Virginia Tech as the dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences for 15 years, which have been marked by substantial growth in enrollment, research funding, philanthropic support, and global reputation. Though he plans to retire this fall, he will leave behind a culture of collegiality, collaboration, and dedication to the land-grant mission that will endure long after his departure.

Grant dedicated 44 years to his educational and professional careers, serving at four land-grant institutions. He arrived at Virginia Tech in 2009 from Purdue University, where he spent 19 years in both faculty and administrative roles, including as the head of the department of animal sciences. To all of his colleagues and friends, Grant is the embodiment of leadership, dedication to the land-grant mission, and Ut Prosim.

A smiling woman stands holding a plaque award, flanked by three other people on a stage. — Elizabeth Galbreath '17 (third from left) displays her Outstanding Recent Undergraduate Alumni Award, flanked (from left) by CALS Alumni Organization President Scott Stevens, Professor Tracy Rutherford, and Dean Alan Grant. Photo by Marya Barlow for Virginia Tech.

Elizabeth Galbreath, Outstanding Recent Undergraduate Alumni Award

Galbreath is a senior specialist for future talent programs at Merck Animal Health, where she oversees employee development and talent recruitment. Previously, she served as a program manager at Agricultural Future of America, supporting youth and student programs to develop future leaders in the food, agriculture, and natural resources industries.

Her leadership and service – both to Virginia Tech and agriculture – are longstanding. She served in various leadership capacities on the CALS Alumni Organization since her days as an undergraduate student and was honored last year for her service as president of the alumni organization.

Four smiling people stand together, holding a plaque award. — Sarah Misyak ’06, M.S. ’08, Ph.D. ’14 (second from left) celebrates her Outstanding Recent Graduate Alumni Award with (from left) Scott Stevens '92, Professor Stella Volpe, and Dean Allen Grant. Photo by Marya Barlow for Virginia Tech.

Sarah Misyak, Outstanding Recent Graduate Alumni Award

Misyak exemplifies the land-grant mission of teaching, research, and outreach as the assistant director of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Family Nutrition Program.

As a research assistant professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Misyak is a highly regarded scholar on the topic of food security. She is recognized nationally as a leader in Extension evaluation with an emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. As an instructor, mentor, and advisor, Misyak has set up numerous students for career success with many of her students serving as first authors on peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

A woman stands, center, holding an award plaque, with a woman and man on either side. — Caroline Lohr '23 (at center) accepted the Outstanding Alumni Career Achievement Award on behalf of her father, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture Matthew Lohr '95, who was unable to attend in person. She is joined by Professor Tracy Rutherford (at left) and Scott Stevens '92.

Matthew Lohr, Outstanding Alumni Career Achievement Award

Since he graduated from Virginia Tech in 1995, Lohr has taught agriscience to middle schoolers, served three terms in the Virginia House of Delegates, and led the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, overseeing 10,000 employees and an annual budget of $4.5 billion.

Lohr has served as Virginia’s secretary of agriculture and forestry since 2022, supporting the commonwealth’s largest private industries and shaping the future of Virginia agriculture. A fifth-generation farmer, Lohr owns and operates his family’s 250-acre farm in Rockingham County. Throughout his career, he has continued to contribute to Virginia Tech and serve as a role model for students.

Two men shake hands and hold a plaque award. — Associate Professor Dan Eversole (at left) congratulates Mark Mitchell '87 on his Alumni in the Global Community Award. Photo by Marya Barlow for Virginia Tech.

Mark Mitchell, Outstanding Alumni in the Global Community Award

After graduating from Virginia Tech, Mitchell spent 10 years in the Peace Corps, serving on the leadership team for a teaching and research farm for the Ecuadorian minister of agriculture. Over the next 30 years, he led agricultural development efforts in more than 20 countries, collaborating with U.S. and foreign governments, international corporations, and nonprofits.

He has served as a U.S. Department of Agriculture senior agriculture advisor in Afghanistan, supported global food systems in Africa, led post-war food system restructuring in the Baltic States, driven global strategy for Land O’Lakes in dairy and livestock markets, and lobbied Capitol Hill to influence global agriculture policy. He is now a farm owner in Glade Spring, Virginia.

Five men stand on stage, posing with a plaque award. — Wilmer Stoneman (second from left) earned the CALS 2023 Honorary Alumni Award, presented by (from left) Professor Matthew Holt, Dean Alan Grant, Professor Jason Grant, and CALS Alumni Organization President Scott Stevens. Photo by Marya Barlow for Virginia Tech.

Wilmer Stoneman, 2023 Honorary Alumni Award

Stoneman has worked to improve the livelihoods of farmers and producers since 1980, reflecting his deep commitment to the economic betterment of Virginia. He is currently vice president of agriculture, development, and innovation for the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and serves as the executive director for the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture and Rural Sustainability.

Stoneman has been instrumental in leading the charge for the Farm Bureau’s legislative priorities. Over the past 10 years, he has helped the Farm Bureau secure more than $96 million in grants and funding for value-added agriculture expansion in the state.

All graduates of any degree program offered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are automatically members of the CALS Alumni Organization. Find more information about how to get involved.