UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Kerry L. Golden Of Middletown, Pa., Was Recently Recognized With A 2005 Alumni Achievement Award By The Penn State Alumni Association. The Award Recognizes Distinguished Alumni 35 Years Of Age And Younger And Promotes Opportunities For Interaction Between Selected Alumni, Students And Faculty.

Golden is the executive director of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. As a legislative consultant on agricultural issues, Golden drafts legislation and manages information distribution and meetings for the committee. She has helped to craft and support key state legislation, including the farmland preservation and "Clean and Green" initiatives, bills making agricultural producers eligible for "Small Business First" loans, and updates to the state dog law.

"Kerry has impacted our agricultural communities and industries with significant contributions to the legislative process and laws to protect Pennsylvania's farmland, rural communities and the environment," says Robert Steele, dean of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, who nominated Golden for the award. "Her research and draft language for two major pieces of legislation, 'Clean and Green' and farmland preservation, best illustrate her impact on legislation affecting agriculture. As a result of these laws, Pennsylvania is a national leader in farmland preservation."

Since 1999, Golden has taught an agricultural careers class to freshmen and sophomores at Penn State Mont Alto. She served six years on the College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Society Board of Directors.

Actively involved in her community, Golden is an elected member of the Middletown Borough Council. She serves as chair of the council's finance committee and is a member of the community and economic development committee. She is a founding board member and serves as secretary of the Greater Middletown Economic Development Corporation, which is currently seeking to revitalize the Middletown community through the Main Street Program. In addition, she is a performer and performance director for the Olmsted Players community theater group and serves on the group's board as an administrative director. She owns a historic home and coordinates the annual Middletown Candlelight Tour of Historic Homes.

Golden was a scholar in the pioneer class of the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Agricultural Sciences. She was honored in 2003 as an Outstanding Recent Alumna of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. She 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.

In conjunction with receiving the award, Golden visited Penn State's University Park campus in April to meet with students, faculty, staff and administrators, and to receive her award at a reception honoring the university's 2005 Alumni Achievement honorees.

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EDITORS: For more information, contact Jillian Stevenson at 814-863-7278. To receive a photo of Kerry Golden to accompany this story, contact Chuck Gill, news editor, by phone at 814-863-2713 or by e-mail at cdg5@psu.edu.