UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State senior Michael Livingston of Sinking Spring Pa. recently received the Campbell Excellence in Leadership Award from the Institute of Food Technologists Student Association.

The national IFTSA award recognizes two student members of the Institute of Food Technologists -- one graduate and one undergraduate -- who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in their execution of student activities at the chapter, regional and national levels. In addition to a crystal plaque, the recipients received a $1,000 scholarship.

Founded in 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists is a nonprofit scientific society with 22,000 members working in food science, food technology and related professions in industry, academia and government. Livingston has been a member of IFTSA's Penn State chapter since 2003. Each school can nominate only one graduate student and one undergraduate for consideration for the award.

Livingston, who is majoring in food science with a minor in agricultural business management, hopes his experience in IFTSA helps him establish a career in a similar field upon graduation. "I would like to work in corporate business management or science management" he says. " If not, I would like to be involved in research and development somewhere."

Livingston received the award in Orlando, Fla., at the IFTSA Annual Meeting and Food Exposition. The exposition, which is comprised of thousands of IFTSA and IFT members, is the largest annual scientific meeting and technical exposition in the world.

"This has been a great experience and I look forward to continuing my role in the IFT," says Livingston.

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Writer: Ryan Szivos

Editor: Chuck Gill Phone: 814-863-2708 E-mail: gxa2@psu.edu