Colleagues,

This is one of my favorite times of year, when we get to celebrate the people and events that make this college a very special place. Last Friday evening, the College Spring Awards Program was held in Loeb Playhouse. The Agricultural Council did a great job planning and hosting the event, and we recognized our exceptional teaching faculty and staff and our outstanding students. The OAP staff, including Tim Kerr, Lori Pence Barber, Tracie Egger, Linda Austin and John Graveel, as well as Associate Dean Marcos Fernandez, deserve a big thanks for pulling this event together.

The weekend, of course, was all Spring Fest—the university's biggest and most popular community outreach event. Spring Fest would not happen without the efforts and dedication of an army of faculty, staff and student volunteers—and most importantly, the first-rate leadership of Danica Kirkpatrick. Danica's attention to every detail and answers for questions large and small made Spring Fest 2012 another spectacular event for our College and Purdue.

Finally, this special issue of InFocus celebrates our faculty and staff members who have earned promotion this year. Congratulations to everyone on the lists below—your dedication and hard work are very much appreciated.

Watch for InFocus next month, when we will recognize all our student, staff and faculty award winners. It will be a long list!

All the best,

Associate to Professor

Mario G. Ferruzzi, Food Science

Barbara L. Golden, Biochemistry

Assistant to Associate

Paul D. Ebner, Animal Sciences

Levon T. Esters, Youth Development and Agricultural Education

Matthew D. Ginzel, Entomology

Mark C. Hall, Biochemistry

Michael A. Jenkins, Forestry and Natural Resources

Roberto G. Lopez, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Xiaoqi Liu, Biochemistry

Kiersten A. Wise, Botany and Plant Pathology

To Rank 6

Dan J. Annarino, Agricultural Communication

Michael J. Budzik, Food Science

Sherry S. Fulk-Bringman, Agronomy

Glenn A. Hardebeck, Agronomy

Dinah L. McClure, Agriculture Administration

Victoria S. Siegel, Office of the Indiana State Chemist

Daniel C. Taylor, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Jason Tower, Purdue Agricultural Centers

Fred Whitford, Botany and Plant Pathology

LeeAnn Williams, Agricultural Economics

To Rank 5

Lydia M. Armstrong, Field Extension

James M. Bartos, Office of the Indiana State Chemist

Joanne Cusumano, Biochemistry

Kelly J. Delp, Agronomy

Aissa D. Good, Agricultural Economics

James T. Henderson, Biochemistry

Sherry A. Honn, Biochemistry

Timothy P. Kerr, Academic Programs

Young Mi Kim, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Vishal Lodha, Entomology

Melissa M. Shepson, Entomology

Christine M. Strawsma, Agricultural Communication

To Rank 4

Tammy L. Beaver, Office of the Indiana State Chemist

Sara Cloutier, Biochemistry

Christy K. Coon, Animal Sciences

Alla A. Golub, Agricultural Economics

Tena L. Graham, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Nina Haghighi, Agricultural Communication

Paul T. Marquardt, Botany and Plant Pathology

Andrew E. Oppy, Agricultural Economics

Penny J. Pava, Agricultural Economics

Danielle S. Quirk, Agricultural Economics

Brian J. Wallheimer, Agricultural Communication