Wellston native named Top Ten OSU Ag Senior

She was officially recognized during April 4 ceremonies in which CASNR officials presented $434,100 in scholarships and awards to many of the college’s best and brightest, part of $967,075 in scholarships that CASNR and its academic departments will present to OSU agriculture students for the 2008-2009 school year.

Danker was also named a Dean Fred LeCrone Senior Leadership Award recipient, one of only five such honors presented.

The daughter of Wellston’s Dwayne and Lisa Danker, she will graduate in May with a major in agricultural communications and a minor in agricultural economics.

“Some say college is about finding yourself,” she said. “However, my experiences at OSU have been about creating myself through constant growth as a student, servant, leader and friend. I have found that it is impossible to become complacent at CASNR and OSU.”

In addition to her CASNR honors, Danker was recently selected as one of only 16 students to receive the 2008 OSU Outstanding Senior Award this spring. She was also named one of 41 Seniors of Significance last fall by the OSU Alumni Association awards and selection committee.

Whitney Danker (center) accepts her 2008 CASNR Top Ten Senior Award while her parents Dwayne and Lisa look on. (Photo by Todd Johnson)

Danker is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, the oldest and largest collegiate honor society that recognizes academic excellence. She is a past member of the Iota Kappa and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies. Danker served as CASNR’s Agriculture Legislative Intern in 2007.

“I drafted resolutions, citations and letters to Congress from the legislature,” she said. “I experienced firsthand how the greatest lessons often are not taught in a classroom, and I came back to class a more determined and knowledgeable student.”

She has also been active in OSU Agricultural Ambassadors, OSU Agricultural Student Council and the Oklahoma chapter of Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. She served as a CASNR Student Academic Mentor from 2006-2007 and was a freelance writer for the OSU Daily O’Collegian newspaper in 2007.

A 2007-2008 OSU Lew Wentz Research Scholar and member of the Blue Key Honor Society, Danker has been a familiar face to students and parents visiting the CASNR Student Success Center.

“I discussed collegiate options with high school students, helped freshmen adjust to college and assisted graduating seniors with internship and job searches,” she said of her employment at the center.

For Danker, helping out is second nature. She was part of a team that built homes for victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2006, was a facilitator at national FFA conferences for the organization and even served as a Wellston Little League assistant basketball coach in 2004-2005.

The OSU Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources places a great emphasis on celebrating the accomplishments of students, said Ed Miller, DASNR associate dean of academic programs.

“Awards for leadership and academic performance and the presentation of scholarships build pride in our students and their families, the faculty, donors and other supporters of the college and the division as a whole,” he said.

DASNR is comprised of the college and two statewide agencies: the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station system and the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.

“The exceptional amount of scholarship support we are able to award students to further their education would not be possible without the generosity of our many donors, who recognize the value of the division’s teaching, research and Extension programs,” Miller said.

The college provides 16 majors and more than 40 study options to students interested in pursuing a career in science, business, education, engineering, technology development, natural resources or communications. Prospective students can uncover and explore opportunities through CASNR at http://www.casnr.com on the Internet.

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REPORTER/MEDIA CONTACT:
Donald Stotts
News and Media Relations Manager
Agricultural Communications Services
143 Agriculture North
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078
Phone: 405-744-4079
Fax: 405-744-5739
E-Mail: donald.stotts@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University, U. S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local governments cooperating.  Oklahoma State University in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures, and is an equal opportunity employer.