Scholarship Recipients

2023 Award Winners

Read the official press release from FMI.

2022 Award Winners

Read the official press release from FMI

2021 Award Winners

Read the official press release from FMI HERE!

2020 Award Winners

2019 Award Winners

Left to right:

Karuna Kharel, Louisiana State University
Yadwinder Rana, Cornell University
Claire Marik, Virginia Tech
Xingchen Liu, University of Maryland
Xingyi Jiang, Florida State University
Daniel Vega, Kansas State University
Ikechukwu Oguadinma, The University of Georgia
Sara Munoz, Texas Tech University
Darvin Cuellar-Milian, Texas Tech University
Sicun Fan, North Carolina State University
Ayodeji Adeniyi, Texas Tech University
Charley Rayfield, Oklahoma State University 
James Hearn, Oklahoma State University

Not Pictured:
Amanda Chin, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Mariia Melnychuk, Niagara College

2018 Award Winners

Left to right:

Pratiksha Timalsina, University of Wisconsin-Stout
Vijay Chhetri, Louisiana State University
Conner McDaniel, Oklahoma State University
Shiyu Cai, The Ohio State University
Loron Pinnock Brown, Texas Tech University
Abimbola Allison, Tennessee State University
Franklin Bonilla, Louisiana State University
Christina Hunter, Bay Path University
Katheryn Parraga, Louisiana State University
Ewa Pietrysiak, Washington State University
Michelle Duong, Cornell University
Erika Estrada, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Carmen Cano Roca, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Amadeus Ahnan, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Not Pictured: Gayathri Gunathilaka, Michigan State University

2017 Award Winners

Top left to right:

Cameron Bardsley, Virginia Tech University
Kristie Grzywinski, Senior Technical Manager, SQFI (scholarship administrator)
Ilan Arvelo-Yagua, Texas Tech University
Emily Griep, Cornell University
Sarah Bock, The University of Georgia
Diego Casas, Texas Tech University
Cole Perkins, Texas Tech University

Bottom row left to right:

Robyn Miranda, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Sabra Billups, Oklahoma State University
Kristen Saniga, North Carolina State University
Jennifer Norka, Purdue University

2016 Award Winners

Gabriela Arteaga Arredondo, Texas Tech University
Hannah Beuse,  Iowa State University
Jose Brandao Delgado, Louisiana State University
Madhumeeta Dutta, North Carolina State
Anna Sophia Harrand, Cornell University
Brenda Inestroza, Texas Tech University
Emily Mason, McGill University
Pedro Menchik, Cornell University
Katelyn A. Ortega,  Texas Tech University (2015 Scholarship Recipient)
Deepak Kumar Duraivelu Rajmohan, Oklahoma State University
Libia Ortiz Tellez, ITESM Monterrey Institute of Technology

2015 Award Winners

John Fox, Iowa State University
Jabari Hawkins, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Raghavendra Kakarala, Oklahoma State
Lisa Lafountain, North Carolina State University
Robson Machado, Pennsylvania State University
Katelyn Ortega, Texas Tech University
Abigail Snyder, Cornell University
Weber Stibolt, University of Delaware
Amanda Wilder, Kansas State University
Praveen Yerramsetti, Oklahoma State

2014 Award Winners

Rebecca Rathjen, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, M.S. Food Science and Technology 
Zongyu Zhang, Iowa State University, Ph.D. Food Science and Technology
Avery Becker, Cornell University, B.S. Food Science
Sarah Beno, Cornell University, Ph.D. Food Science
Antoinette BoYee de Senna, California Polytechnic State University, M.S. Agriculture
Yinzhi Qu, University of Maryland, College Park, B.S. Food Science
Byron Chaves, Texas Tech University, Ph.D. Animal Science (Food Safety)
Khadija Nafi, California Polytechnic State University, B.S. Food Science
Patrick Spanninger, University of Delaware, Ph.D. Animal and Food Science
Elizabeth Stone, Kansas State University, B.S. Food Science

2013 Award Winners

Susan R. Hammons, Purdue University, Department of Food Science: The FMI Foundation recognized Ms. Hammons’ for her ongoing, graduate-level work to address the challenges of Listeria monocytogenes in retail delis. Hammons expressed a passion for creating food safety training programs for retail personnel and auditors.

Kizmik B. McPherson, University of Georgia, Department of Food Science: Ms. McPherson plans to continue a graduate-level degree in food safety and microbiology in order to support her interest in food safety regulation.

Liziane S. da Rocha, Wayne State University, Detroit, Department of Nutrition and Food Science: Ms. da Rocha expressed her desire to become a food safety auditor and improve systems that ultimately benefit the consumer.