UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences has honored two graduates with 2003 Outstanding Recent Alumni Awards. The award recognizes distinguished alumni who have graduated from the college within the last 10 years and promotes opportunities for interaction between selected alumni, students and faculty. The 2003 Outstanding Recent Alumni are:

--David S. Elkin, director of engineering and technical services at Murphy-Brown LLC, one of the largest hog producers in the world. He previously held positions as engineering manager, assistant engineer, principle designer and project manager for Murphy Family Farms, a predecessor of the company. His work in developing Murphy-Brown's management systems helped the company to earn the first ISO 14001 environmental certification to be granted to an agricultural livestock company by the International Organization for Standardization.

Elkin also works as a consulting engineer in his community. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the North Carolina Pork Producers Association and the National Society of Professional Engineers. He earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering from Penn State in 1993. --Kerry L. Golden, executive director of the Pennsylvania House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. Golden acts as a legislative consultant on agricultural issues and manages media relations, information distribution and meetings for the committee. Her efforts have helped to craft and support key state legislation, including the farmland preservation and "Clean and Green" initiatives, as well as the state dog law. Since 1998, Golden has served as a director of the College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Society, recently completing a term as financial secretary.

Actively involved in her community, Golden is an elected official of the Middletown Borough Council. She serves as chair of the council's finance committee, and as a member of the community and economic development, administration and personnel, and Teamsters negotiation committees. In addition, she is a performer and performance director for the Olmsted Players Community Theater Group, as well as serving on the group's board as an administrative director. Golden received a bachelor's degree in agricultural science from Penn State in 1991, with an emphasis in political science and public administration. She also earned a master's degree in extension education from Penn State in 1993. EDITORS: For more information, contact Jillian Stevenson at 814-863-7278.

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Contact:

Chuck Gill cdg5@psu.edu 814-863-2713 814-863-9877 fax #286