Recent accomplishments for the campus community were earned by faculty Larry Berger and Joel Cramer. Other awards were earned by students Renee Craft, Mikaela Yeager and members of the university’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.

Faculty/Staff

• Larry Berger, emeritus professor of animal science, received the distinguished alumnus award from Kansas State University’s Department of Animal Science and Industry. Berger has served as leader of Nebraska’s department of animal science since 2009. He retired in July. Berger earned the honor for his accomplishments as a researcher, professor and department head. He has received numerous awards for teaching and research. Berger’s research emphasis was on the use of protein and energy nutrition and animal management techniques to improve the production efficiency of cattle. He was author or co-author of more than 330 research publications and received a national award for research excellence from the American Society of Animal Science. For more information, click here.

• Joel Cramer, associate professor of nutrition and health sciences, was recently published in JAMDA, the journal of the Society for Post-acute and Long-term Care Medicine, for his research with experimental oral nutritional supplements in older adults with mild to moderate sarcopenia. Cramer and his research colleagues partnered with Abbott Nutrition to find more information on malnutrition and sarcopenia to improve outcomes for patients. The JAMDA article is available online. For more information about this research, click here.

Students

• Renee Craft, an athletic training student, has received a 2017 William N. Wasson Student Leadership and Academic Award from NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation. The award is presented to exceptional students that work or participate in campus recreation. Craft, a senior from Castle Rock, Colorado, earned the award for her work in Campus Recreation’s Injury Prevention and Care program as a first responder, teaching assistant and mentor to other students. She has worked at Campus Recreation the past three years. Craft was informed last week that she has been accepted into the physician assistant program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, click here.

• Mikaela Yeager, an integrated media communications graduate student, was awarded the James W. Leuschen Fellowship at the Public Relations Society of America Nebraska Chapter Paper Anvil Awards Gala on Dec. 8. The James W. Leuschen Fellowship is awarded annually to a public relations practitioner who is working to earn an educational degree or seeking additional training or coursework in public relations and related fields. The fellowship is named in memory of James W. Leuschen, a long-time PRSA Nebraska member and past president, to recognize his career of excellence in the practice of public relations and for his exemplary service to his profession and to the community.

Departments/College/Units

• College of Journalism and Mass Communications students won multiple awards at the Public Relations Society of America Nebraska Paper Anvil Awards Gala. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Public Relations Student Society of America chapter was honored to receive seven awards at the 2016 PRSA Nebraska Paper Anvil Awards Gala Dec. 8. The awards include Student Best of Show, three Awards of Excellence and three Awards of Merit. The university PRSSA Bateman team earned awards for their work with Student Veterans of America. Their campaign “Duty Always” helped to increase awareness about student veterans on college campuses and communities and won the Best of Show designation. Ryann Lynn, a senior advertising and public relations student, received two individual awards for her internship at AARP Nebraska at the PRSA Nebraska Paper Anvil Awards Gala. For more information about the awards, click here.

This column is a regular Friday feature of Nebraska Today. Faculty, staff and students can submit their achievements to be considered for this column via email to achievements@unl.edu. For more information, call 402-472-8515