Plant sciences professor receives NDSU’s Gunkelman Award

Plant sciences professor receives NDSU’s Gunkelman Award

 

Ed Deckard, NDSU professor of plant sciences, has been selected to receive the 2020 Mary McCannel Gunkelman Award. A virtual presentation ceremony hosted by the NDSU Staff Senate was held Oct. 15.

The annual honor recognizes the NDSU student, staff member, administrator or faculty member who has made the most significant and unselfish contribution to creating a happy campus environment for students.

Deckard has been nominated a total of nine times for the honor. This year, he was nominated by six students.

“Ed genuinely cares about his students dearly and has a lot of understanding for them when questions arise,” said sophomore Cole Rasmusson, who is majoring in agricultural economics. “He always tells his students to come to him with his ‘open door’ policy if they have trouble of any kind. He will sit with you and help you through your tough time relating to class or not – he will be there for you. He is truly a dedicated professor.”

Landon Sprague, a junior majoring in crop and weed sciences, said, “The nominee is a very kind and fun professor who I can see has touched the lives of many students. He has made campus a much happier place through his attitude and fun class activities.”

Deckard, who is the plant sciences and horticulture graduate programs coordinator, joined the NDSU faculty in 1970. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana and his doctorate in agronomy and crop physiology from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

He was chosen from a list of 46 nominees to receive the 32nd annual award. The other nominees include:

Students

Katelyn Long, College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources

Runhao Wang, Department of Plant Sciences graduate student

Alayna Osterman, College of Business

Ben Anderson, College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources

Cameron Dahlin, College of Engineering

Cole Hanson, College of Business

Hailey O’Conner, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Science

Larissa Feiring, College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources

Michaela Wood, College of Science and Mathematics

Nick Hendricks, College of Human Sciences and Education

Shelby Grabanski, College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources

Faculty

Adam Marx, School of Education

Carl Dahlen, AES Animal Sciences

Charles Stevens, Department of Management and Marketing

Cheryl Wachenheim, Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics

David Buchanan, Dean’s Office, Agriculture

David Englund, Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics

Erika Berg, Department of Animal Sciences

Frayne Olson, Extension Agribusiness and Applied Economics

Jeanne Hageman, Department of Modern Languages

James Caton, Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics

Jess Jung, Department of Theatre Arts

Katherine Tulibaski, Department of Management and Marketing

Leretta Smith, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Marc Baur, AES Animal Sciences

Maxx Kurekzko, Department of Mathematics

Saleem Shaik, Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics

Teri Undem, School of Pharmacy

Staff

Adam Mead, NDSU Athletics

Betsy Carter, Student Success Programs

Brenda Deckard, Department of Plant Sciences

James Kirsch, AES Animal Sciences

James Moos, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Jennifer Carney, AES Agribusiness and Applied Economics

Jerie Little, Department of Microbiological Sciences

Jodie Haring, School of Pharmacy

Jordan DiPalma, Memorial Union programming and student activities

Julie Bietz, AES Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Kali Christianson, Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth

Kristi Weston, Dean’s Office, College of Health Professions

Nichole Askew, Memorial Union programming and student activities

Stacey Nicklaus, NDSU Dining

Susan Council, Dean’s Office, College of Business

Tayt Rinehardt, Dean’s Office, College of Business

Wendy Bauman, student activities office

The award was established by the Gunkelman family to honor the memory of Mary McCannel Gunkelman, a1942 graduate of NDSU. The award continues her belief that students are more likely to attain their full potential if they are working and living in an enjoyable environment.

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