Colorado State University Announces 2004 Charles N. Shepardson Award Recipients

Stephen Davies, Raj Khosla, Todd Gaines and Gertrude Sorge are the 2004 recipients of the Colorado State University Charles N. Shepardson awards for agriculture.

Davies, recipient of the 2004 Shepardson Meritorious Teaching award, has been a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at Colorado State for more than 18 years. He is one of the main sources for econometric and other quantitative advice in the agricultural economics and economics departments. Davies also is involved in outreach activities dealing with economic growth issues in several cities and counties through Northern Colorado.

The Charles N. Shepardson Meritorious Teaching award is presented to a faculty member who has demonstrated innovation in teaching agriculture related courses or curricula.  This award recognizes the meritorious efforts of a faculty member who uses an approach that is innovative and contributes significantly to the learning-teaching process.

Khosla, assistant professor at Colorado State, is the 2004 recipient of the Shepardson Faculty Teaching award. He has been a professor at Colorado State since 1999 and currently teaches geographic information systems in agriculture, principles and components of precision agriculture in addition to teaching introduction to applied information technology in agriculture. Kholsa has received numerous awards including the Young Scientist award from the Soil Sciences Society of America in 2003 and the professional soil scientist award from the American Society of Agronomy in 2000.

The Charles N. Shepardson Faculty Teaching award is presented to a faculty member who has demonstrated teaching excellence in the classroom and thereby, has contributed to the advancement of agriculture-related courses.  This award recognizes and encourages faculty to improve teaching in the College.

Gaines, from Flagler, Colo., is the 2004 recipient of the Shepardson Agricultural Student Leadership award and a 2004 graduate of Colorado State University. He held multiple leadership positions while at Colorado State including positions in the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity and the Colorado State Agronomy Club. Gaines was also a College of Agricultural Sciences senator for the Associated Students of Colorado State University from 2003-2004 and a Colorado State honor society scholar. He has also participated in Colorado State quiz bowl and speech competitions and has volunteered for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and Colorado State Ram Ride.

The Charles N. Shepardson Agricultural Student Leadership award is presented to a college senior who has demonstrated outstanding leadership ability during his/her undergraduate career.

Sorge, from Basking Ridge, N.J., is the 2004 recipient of the Shepardson Graduate Student Teaching award and is currently a teaching assistant at Colorado State in the soil science laboratory. Her teaching philosophy is to challenge the students to think. Sorge has her Master of Science degree from Colorado State and is currently pursuing her doctorate at Colorado State.

The Charles N. Shepardson Graduate Student Teaching award recognizes a graduate student who has demonstrated excellence in classroom teaching of agriculture-related courses.  

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