noteworthy
ALUMNI
ersistent rains and looming off-coast Hurricane Joaquin didn’t deter more than 160 guests from coming to celebrate the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ annual Alumni Awards event Oct. 2. The reception and ceremony took place at the NC State University Club, as Dr. Wanda Collins and North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler were named the college’s 2015-2016 Distinguished Alumni. Also receiving awards on this Friday night before CALS Tailgate and Ag Day weekend were 12 Outstanding Alumni and seven Outstanding Young Alumni. Dean Richard Linton presided over the awards presentations, assisted by George Simpson, president of the CALS Alumni and Friends Society. “The alumni here tonight represent the fulfillment of the promise of our land-grant mission in academics, research and extension,” Linton said. “Their professional achievements and service to NC State and their communities exemplify the extraordinary possibility of achievement to our current students, who are our future alumni and leaders. Thank you all for your commitment to excellence.” The CALS Distinguished Alumnus Award, established in 1974, annually honors individuals who have made a commitment to service and outstanding contributions in their respective careers. Chosen by the college’s administration, the awards honor excellence in implementing progressive state, national and/or international programs; development of improved technology or science; or other outstanding achievements in the field of agriculture and life sciences. Thus, Collins and Troxler join a select group of top scientists, physicians, business and political leaders, agriculturalists and public servants who have been named CALS Distinguished Alumni. Collins is an expert in international agricultural research and development. From 2001
P
until her retirement in 2012, she served as director of the Plant Sciences Institute, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, and was acting director of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center from September to December 2012. She earned her 1974 master’s and 1976 Dr. Wanda Collins and N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler Ph.D. degrees from NC State in plant pathology and genetics. In 1976 she became a also surprised her with a video he had taken CALS assistant professor of horticultural sciduring on his recent trip abroad. It featured ence and advanced through the ranks to full congratulations from some of Collins’ colprofessor. leagues in Africa, including CALS’ Dr. Craig In 1995, Collins joined Environmentally Yencho and Dr. Robert Mwanga, one of her Sustainable Development/Agricultural Reformer students, who are involved in sweet search and Extension at the World Bank to potato research in Kenya. promote the development of a global agriculTroxler, who holds a 1974 CALS degree tural research system. She joined the Interin conservation, took office as commissioner national Potato Center (CIP) in Lima, Peru, as of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and deputy director general for research in 1997. Consumer Services in 2005. Since then he While at CIP she oversaw a global research has focused on developing new markets for program on potatoes, sweet potatoes and the state’s farm products, preserving working Andean root and tuber crops; led the Global farms and protecting the state’s food supply. Initiative on Potato Late Blight Disease and He was raised in the Guilford County comwas instrumental in developing CIP’s Vitamin munity of Browns Summit. He has spent his A for Africa program, as well as Urban Harentire career in agriculture as founder, owner vest, a global program on urban horticulture. and operator of Troxler Farms, where, over the She has also consulted and served as a years, the family farm has produced tobacco, technical adviser and scientific liaison officer wheat, vegetables and soybeans. for USAID, with experience in Latin America, Also active on the national level, Troxler is the Caribbean and Nigeria. She is currently a past president of the National Association chairman of the board of trustees of the Interof State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) national Center for Tropical Agriculture, headand former chairman of NASDA’s Food Reguquartered in Cali, Colombia. Collins resides in lation and Nutrition Committee. Additionally Emerald Isle. he was president of the Southern Association While presenting Collins her award, Linton of State Departments of Agriculture.
winter 2016
29
Marc Hall
Troxler, Collins honored as CALS Distinguished Alumni at Alumni Awards event
