Shasta R. Sowers named 2013 Outstanding Graduating Senior in College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Shasta R. Sowers of Floyd, Va., has been named the Outstanding Graduating Senior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech for the 2012-13 academic year.
Sowers, who is pursuing a major in agricultural sciences with minors in international agriculture, animal and poultry sciences, and Appalachian studies, is expected to receive a bachelor’s degree in May.
She has received numerous awards and scholarships including the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Scholarship, the Henry C. Groseclose Scholarship, the Marion and Annie W. Williams Scholarship, the State Fair of Virginia Scholarship, and the William Hackman Scholarship.
Sowers was selected for the 2012 International Collegiate Agricultural Leadership program in Southeast Asia and has taught farming techniques in Nicaragua. As a researcher for the Appalachian Teaching Project, she volunteered at a local farm and the Blacksburg Farmer’s Market and presented her findings to the Appalachian Regional Commission
Outside of the classroom, Sowers was a college ambassador and a member of the Dairy Club and Collegiate Future Farmers of America (FFA). She served as state secretary for the Virginia FFA Association and participated in The Big Event and Relay for Life.
She is the daughter of Curtis and Loyce Sowers.
Outstanding Senior Awards are presented at the Student Honors Day Banquet each spring. Co-sponsored by the Virginia Tech Alumni Association and the senior class, the award recognizes outstanding student performance in each college of the university. Students are selected on the basis of their grade point average (a minimum of a 3.4 or higher on a 4.0 scale) and outstanding performance in several or all of the following areas: academic achievement, extracurricular activities, leadership positions, and contributions of service to the university and/or community.
