Six agriculture students named Big Ten Distinguished Scholars

Six student-athletes from Purdue University's College of Agriculture have earned the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award for the 2019-2020 academic year. Each year, the honor is given to students on varsity rosters who maintain a grade-point average of 3.7 or higher.
Among the honorees, Tessa Sheets ranked in the top 16.5% of Big Ten Distinguished Scholars by achieving a 4.0 GPA.
This year's recipients, pictured below, represent the departments of agricultural economics, animal sciences, food science and botany and plant pathology.

Hayley Bush Hayley Bush. Junior, Agribusiness - Agricultural Finance. Union, Kentucky. Volleyball
Madeline Lilly Madeline Lilly. Junior, Agribusiness - Food Marketing. Monticello, Indiana. Cross Country
Taylor Mortensen running outdoors Taylor Mortensen. Junior, Animal Sciences Hershey, Pennsylvania. Cross Country
Natalie Mudd swiming Natalie Mudd. Senior, Food Science Fishers, Indiana. Swimming & Diving
Tessa Sheets Tessa Sheets. Junior, Animal Sciences. Chatham County, North Carolina. Track & Field
Ethan Smiley Ethan Smiley. Sophomore, Botany and Plant Pathology. Beech Grove, Indiana. Wrestling

Featured Stories

Meghan Hartman by statue with children at the Celery Bogg Nature Center.
From classroom to camp: Purdue student’s AmeriCorps summer service term inspires environmental stewardship

As dawn breaks over the Celery Bog Nature Area, Meghan Hartman, a sophomore in Natural Resources...

Read More
Julie Young
Behind the Research: Julie Young

Weed scientist Julie Young’s workweeks are sometimes chaotic — but never dull. On any...

Read More
Steve Dahnke, Jack Ward and Larry and Janet White
Four inducted into Indiana Livestock Breeders Association Hall of Fame

Steve Dahnke, Jack Ward and Larry and Janet White join the ILBA Hall of Fame.

Read More
yellow agave flower sprout from the giant flower stalk against a clear blue sky
The death bloom of a century plant

Agave americana, also known as the century plant, has evolved for a dry desert life. For 30...

Read More
Two Purdue students compete in the Jack and Jack double buck competition at Midwest Conclave 2026
FNR Students Experience Midwest Forestry Conclave

The Purdue student chapter of the Society of American Foresters participated in the 69th Midwest...

Read More
The Ecology of Natural Disturbances class stands in front of the Smoky Mountains.
Disturbance Ecology Comes to Life on Spring Break Trip

Every other year, the FNR 53600/53601 Ecology of Natural Disturbances class takes a spring break...

Read More