Undergraduate Student News
Meet the New ADS Ambassadors
These outstanding students are playing a key role in showcasing what it truly means to be part of the Animal and Dairy Science Department. They’re actively finding creative ways to highlight the many opportunities available to those who choose one of our majors.
Sydney Creech Williamson
Hometown: Cumming, GA- 4th year: ABIO Major (Pre-Vet Track Food Animal)
2026 FAVIP, Block & Bridle, Sigma Alpha, ADS Undergraduate Mentor/Mentee Program Coordinator
Audrey Knoper:
Hometown: Thorntown, IN- 4th Year: RIBO & BIO SCI (Majors); BIO & APP BIOTECH (Minors)
Student Philanthropy Council, Undergraduate Research, Honors College Pal Mentor
Amelia Housley:
Hometown: Canon, GA- 2nd year: ABIO (Pre-Vet Food Animal), Avian BIO (Minor)
2028 FAVIP, Wesley Foundation, CAES Philanthropy Council, Block & Bridle, UGA Cattlemen’s Association, UGA YF&R, TA
Akash Suruvu:
Hometown: Cumming, GA- 3rd year: RBIO/Public Health (minor)
UGA ALSCI, Georgia Saazish
Karson Davis:
Hometown: Carrollton, GA- 3rd year: ABIO Major
Meat Science Technology Center Worker, Wesley Foundation, BYX
Piper Bond:
Hometown: Hartwell, GA- 3rd year: ABIO Major (Pre-Vet Track Food Animal)
2027 FAVIP, UGA Cattlemen’s Association; Block & Bridle; 2025 Meat Judging Team
Olivia Lozana:
Hometown: Sacramento, CA-4th year: ABIO (Major); Dairy SCI & BIO (Minor)
Dairy Science Club, ADS Mentor Program, TA
Diya Lakwani:
Hometown: Newman, GA 4th year: RBIO & APP BIOTECH (Majors); BIO (Minor)
Regenerative Bioscience Undergraduate Society, VP, TA, Sigma Alpha, Undergraduate Research
Gracie Grimes: Outstanding Senior
Animal and Dairy Science Major, Gracie Grimes, was selected as the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences’ Outstanding Senior and was a guest speaker at the May 2025 Convocation. We are so proud of Gracie!
After graduation, Gracie spent her summer completing an internship with the American of Meat Science Association. She was the first UGA student to hold this internship.
Diya Garrepally: Yao Lab
CAES Undergraduate Research Symposium: 1st Place Poster A Group, “Optimizing Plant-Derived Nanovesicles for Antisense Oligonucleotide Delivery in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Treatment”
Rose Dodder: Yao Lab
CAES Undergraduate Research Symposium: 2nd Pace Poster A Group, “The Role of Heparan Sulfate in Extracellular Vesicle Uptake Mechanisms”
2025 RBC/ADS Research Symposium: 1st Place Poster Presentation, “The Role of Heparan Sulfate in Extracellular Vesicle Uptake Mechanisms”
Bergann Stringham: West Lab
CAES Undergraduate Research Symposium: 1st Place Poster B Group, “Modeling Leigh Syndrome: Reprogramming Patient Fibroblasts Into Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Disease Mechanism Insights and Therapeutic Development”
Kara Rather: West Lab
CAES Undergraduate Research Symposium: 2nd Place Tie Poster B Group, “The effect of sex dimorphisms on tissue and gait recovery in a piglet traumatic brain injury model”
Jaden Hallman: Rekaya Lab
CAES Undergraduate Research Symposium: 1st Place Oral A Group, “Impact of horn fly abundance on reproduction traits of pastured beef cattle”
Noah Klugman: Karumbaiah Lab
2025 RBC/ADS Research Symposium: 2nd Place Poster Presentation, “Modified Neurological Severity Score and Vertical Cylinder Assessments in a Rat Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Model”
Deniz Mamaghani: Karumbaiah Lab
2025 RBC/ADS Research Symposium: 2nd Place Poster Presentation, “Surfen Enhances Temozolomide-Induced Cytotoxicity in Patient-Derived Glioblastoma Spheroids”
Team Updates
2025 ASAS Academic Quadrathlon Results
Please congratulate Brian Hinkson, Baylee May, Sydney Creech, and Morgan Johnson!
The ADS AQ team showed up and represented at the ASAS Southern Section competition in Texas.
7th Place Overall/3rd Place – Quiz Bowl/5th Place – Oral Presentation
Huge shoutout to our team for repping UGA with passion, teamwork, and some serious animal science knowledge. We’re proud of y’all!
Meat Judging Team
The 2025 #MeatDawgs wrapped up a successful spring season with strong showings at the National Western, South Plains, and Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo contests. The team kicked off the year as Reserve Champion Overall at the National Western, with standout top-five finishes in beef grading, pork judging, and placings as a team. Rachel Schoonover and Jewell Allen were named 3rd and 4th High Individual Overall, respectively. At South Plains, the Dawgs earned 5th Overall, highlighted by Rachel Schoonover’s 7th High Individual Overall. They closed the spring at Houston, finishing 3rd Overall with multiple top-ten individual awards across beef, pork, questions, and placings. Jewell Allen and Rachel Schoonover placed 7th High Individual and 9th High Individual overall, respectively. Other team members earning awards were Georgia Gordon, Josey Leatherman, and Piper Bond. The team consistently placed in the top five at every spring contest, setting the tone for an exciting fall season ahead.
Conference Roundup!
2025 American Association of Animal Science Midwest Section Meeting in Omaha, NE
Eva Safaie: 2nd place in Poster Competition, “Effect of piglet birth weight and castration age on growth performance, hematological parameters, and blood malondialdehyde levels in suckling period.” After completing undergraduate research in Dr. Jang’s lab, Eva decided to stay in ADS and complete her master's program.
2025 Reciprocal Meat Conference in Columbus, OH
Undergraduates Jewell Allen and Rachel Schoonover joined the graduate students from the Stelzleni lab and recently attended the Reciprocal Meat Conference, where they showcased their skills in two major events: the Beef to Business Competition and the Processed Meats Judging Competition. Rachel earned recognition as the 6th High Individual in the undergraduate division for processed meats judging, a notable achievement among a competitive field.
2025 American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) Conference in Louisville, KY
Dr. Bohlen accompanied five undergraduates, Katarina Glassman, Marlee Coffman, Samantha Mendoza, Kayleigh Smith, and Annie Winter to this year’s conference.
Our students presented the following:
Katarina Glassman, 3rd Place in national undergraduate competition, “Type A H5N1 virus reigniting the conversation around the concern of unpasteurized milk.” K. Glassman*, S. Dupont, and J. Bohlen
Marlee Coffman, “Evaluating infrared thermal imaging as a real-time diagnostic tool for mastitis detection.” M. Coffman*, S. Dupont, and J. Bohlen
Katarina Glassman was the outgoing 2024-2025 National 2nd Vice President to the American Dairy Science Undergraduate Student Division (ADSA USD).
Kayleigh Smith was elected as the incoming 2025-2026 3rd Vice President for ADSA USD.