Food Sc​ience Graduate Student Teaching Award

The Bernie J. a Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award was first awarded in 1999. The awarded was created by Dr. Bernie Liska, former Dean of Purdue’s College of Agriculture and Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists, to recognize graduate students who excelled in teaching. He cherished the opportunity to recognize students’ work as he felt it created drive towards excellence.

Upon Dr. Liska’s death, gifts in his memory, including those of his daughters, Julie Liska-Esperson (FS ’92) and Cheryl Colman, established an endowment, ensuring that his memory and his wishes continue in perpetuity. Today, the endowment supports one teaching award each semester. An "in-perpetuity plaque" lists the names of all of the recipients, and a plaque and a financial award are presented to the student recipients.