Outstanding Early Career Alumni
Six alumni from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences received awards for their hard work and dedication following their time at Texas A&M University during a Nov. 15 ceremony held at the Brazos County Expo Center in Bryan.
Former students gathered to receive some of the highest awards given by the college, recognizing both outstanding career and early career accomplishments in leadership and public service activities.
“Through the accomplishments and outstanding service of those recognized here today, it is clear that the former students of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are helping us attain our goals to improve health, economies and our environment,” said Patrick Stover, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research. “Their contributions to society and selfless service bring great honor to the college. We are proud to have these former students as members of our family.”
Outstanding Early Career Alumni
The Outstanding Early Career Alumni Award recognizes individuals who have graduated in the last 15 years. These outstanding former students have made significant contributions early in their career, or through public service and/or volunteer activities and possess the highest standards of integrity and character, bringing honor to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M.
Jenny Cearley Sanders ’04
Sanders advocates for the importance of agriculture, land stewardship and natural resources conservation at the local, state and national levels and serves as the outreach and communications manager for the Texas Agricultural Land Trust.
Sanders became interested in conservation after she graduated from high school and joined Texas A&M as a research technician. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in rangeland ecology and management and a master’s degree in wildlife and fisheries sciences, both from Texas A&M. After graduation, she served in several conservation-related roles at Texas Wildlife Association, Temple Ranch and T.L.L. Temple Foundation before joining Texas Agricultural Land Trust in 2017.
Among Sanders’ accomplishments was creating the outreach program during her time at Temple Ranch, allowing teens and adults to see the native and agricultural lands they had lived next to but never visited. The program was so successful that Sanders and the Temple Ranch team were awarded the national-level 2011 Leopold Conservation Award from Sand County Foundation for excellence in wildlife habitat conservation, research, outreach and education. In 2007, she and the team also earned the Lone Star Land Steward Award from Texas Parks and Wildlife.
We are honored to have Jenny among us at NRI!