STUDENT LEADERSHIP AWARD
Sponsored by the Food Industry Group

This annual award is presented to a Penn State Food Science student who demonstrates exemplary leadership, scholarship, community involvement, and volunteerism. Only undergraduate Food Science students who have completed at least four semesters and graduate students majoring in Food Science are eligible for this award.

Denise Gardner Receives 2007 Student Leadership Award

Denise Gardner a 2007 graduate in Food Science with a minor in Horticulture, and former graduate of Conrad Weiser Area High School, is the the second recipient of the Food Industry Group Student Leadership Award.

As an undergraduate at Penn State, she was an active member of the Food Science Club, The Institute of Food Technologist Student Association, American Society of Enology and Viticulture, American Wine Society, and the Wine Grape Network. Gardner was as an Ag Advocate and served on several committees including the New Advocate Student Training and Interview Committees, the Fall Retreat Committee and Recruitment Committee. She also served as the undergraduate student representative to the Food Science Undergraduate Program Committee in 2007.

Gardner served as an intern in 2003 for Lallemand, Inc. in Taoulouse, France, conducting research and assisting with U.S. marketing advertisements. She served on a joint project between Penn State University and the University of California-Davis studying the Grape Phylloxiera demographics in Oakville, CA. She participated in Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), studying grape Phyllorexera gene expression analysis in the Chemical Ecology Lab in the Department of Entomology. Denise served as a lab assistant in numerous departments including the Food Science Department's Microbiology lab.

Denise is currently pursuing a M.S. degree at Virginia Tech University.

Beth Briczinzki Receives 2006 Student Leadership Award

Beth Briczinski received her B.S. and M.S. in Food Science and is currently completing a Ph.D. studying the Characterization of Bifidobacterium animalis spp. lactics from commercial starter culture manufacturers - A study of glucose transport. In addition to earning excellent grades, she was involved in many activities and received numerous awards during her college career.

Beth has served as a teaching assistant since 1999 and lectured in various courses, developed and assisted with laboratory exercises in freshman through senior level courses. In 2004 she served as the instructor of Food Science 105: Food Science Fact and Fads, responsible for the course lectures, assignments, and exams for 175 students. She also interned with Verdelli Farms, in Harrisburg, PA where she conducted microbial testing and shelf-life studies on finished products.

Briczinski participated in many collegiate activities. She was a member of the Food Science Club serving as president in 2005/2006, a member of the Food Science College Bowl Team and coach from 2000 to 2005. Beth served as the Graduate representative to the Food Science Graduate Program Committee from 2002 to 2004 and on the College of Agricultural Sciences Instruction and Curricular Affairs Committee. She is an active member of The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and has served as Student Representative for the IFT Dairy Products Division. She is also member of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA).

In 2004, Beth received The V. Duane Rath Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and was awarded the Robert and Jeanne L. McCarthy Teaching award. In 2005 she was awarded the Danisco Outstanding Service Award for participation in the Penn State-Danisco Cultured Dairy Products Short Course.

Beth is currently completing her the Ph.D. and plans to graduate in 2007.