UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- John W. Fuquay of Starkville, Miss., and John C. Graham Sr. of Lee's Summit, Mo., have been selected to receive the 2003 Dairy Science Distinguished Alumni and 2003 Animal Science Distinguished Alumni awards, respectively, from Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Fuquay, professor emeritus of animal and dairy science at Mississippi State University and Graham, a founder of the First National Bank of Missouri in Lee's Summit, Mo., will be guests of honor at the dairy and animal science department's 2003 Alumni Weekend Celebration, April 11-12 at the University Park campus. The event will include the department's Little International Show and Penn State Dairy Exposition. Activities will begin with an informal luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 11. Fuquay also will lead a seminar on "Challenges for Improved Milk Production in Developing Countries with Hot Climates," at 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 10. To attend either event, call Carol Ertley at 814-863-3665.

As a faculty member at Mississippi State University from 1969 to 1999, Fuquay specialized in reproductive and environmental physiology. He was honored for his teaching skills in 1993 with the school's Grisham Faculty Excellence Award. He is also the recipient of the Purina Mills Inc. Teaching Award from the American Dairy Science Association and the Award of Merit for Teaching from Gamma Sigma Delta.

Fuquay is a fellow of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), which recognized him with the ADSA Award of Honor in 2002.

Fuquay also has served the Journal of Dairy Science as editor-in-chief from 1997 to 2002 and as section editor from 1991 to 1994. He is the co-author of the textbook, "Applied Animal Reproduction," and an editor of the "Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences." Fuquay was raised in Burlington, N.C. He earned a bachelor's degree in animal industry in 1955 and a master's degree in animal science in 1966, both from North Carolina State University. He earned his doctoral degree in dairy science from Penn State in 1969.

Fuquay and his wife, Charlotte, have two sons, Michael and David.

Graham co-founded a local branch of First National Bank of Missouri in the mid-1980s. He now serves on its board of directors, while his son, John Jr., is president.

Graham has held several community offices, including chairman of the Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Lee's Summit city planning commission. Graham is the chairman of the board of directors for the Lee's Summit Housing Authority and is also on the board of directors for the Metropolitan Community College Foundation of Kansas City. He served the 6th District, Jackson County in the state Legislature from 1994 to 1998.

Graham also has served his community as a member of the local public works committee, health and justice committee, intergovernmental affairs committee and the Kansas City Area Total Transportation Authority. In 1998, the Lee's Summit community honored him with the Truman Heartland Foundation Citizen of the Year award.

Graham was raised in the Philadelphia area. An honorably discharged U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he earned a bachelor's degree in animal nutrition from Penn State. He later moved to Kansas City, where he worked as a cattle buyer for Swift Co. and Iowa Beef Processing.

He and his wife, Sally, have nine sons and 13 grandchildren.

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EDITORS: For more information, contact Carol Ertley at 814-863-3665 or certley@psu.edu.

Contact:

Amanda Yeager aby104@psu.edu 814-865-3636 814-863-9877 fax

Chuck Gill cdg5@psu.edu 814-863-2713 814-863-9877 fax #138