UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Heather Schaetzle, daughter of Alan and Joan Schaetzle of Womelsdorf, received Penn State's 2002 College of Agricultural Sciences Outstanding Senior Award at the college's spring commencement ceremony.

The award, sponsored by the College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Society and the Penn State Coaly Society, recognizes seniors for outstanding performance in academics, extracurricular activities, work experience and communication skills. The selection committee reviews resumes, short essays and grades, and conducts short interviews in choosing the recipient.

A graduate of Conrad Weiser Area High School, Schaetzle is majoring in agricultural and biological engineering with a minor in environmental engineering. She is also a member of Penn State's Schreyer Honors College, Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, Alpha Epsilon agricultural engineering honor society, Gamma Sigma Delta Agricultural honor society, Mortar Board senior honor society, the Coaly agricultural honor society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

As an undergraduate, Schaetzle served as an Ag Advocate, representing Penn State and the college at events such as Ag Progress Days, the Pennsylvania Farm Show and Parents Weekend.

She also served as a teaching intern for the college's agricultural and biological engineering department. She is a past president of Penn State's student branch of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, serves on the Agricultural Student Council and is a member of Habitat for Humanity. She also is a deacon and reader at the Zion Lutheran Church in Womelsdorf.

She was an engineering student-trainee with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service in Lebanon, Pa. and a laboratory assistant for the USDA Agricultural Research Service's Pasture Systems and Watershed Research Laboratory based at Penn State. She was also an engineering, scientific and technical intern for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in Conshohocken, Pa.

After graduation, Schaetzle will pursue a graduate degree in agricultural engineering.

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EDITORS: For more information, contact Jillian Stevenson at 814-863-2831.

Contact: Gary Abdullah gxa2@psu.edu 814-863-2708 814-865-1068 fax #184