Six student members were recently awarded a total of $8,050 in scholarship funds by the Alpha Zeta Foundation, Inc. for use during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Student members who were active during the 2023-2024 academic year were eligible to apply.

Scholarships were awarded on the bases of scholastic achievement, leadership abilities, character, community service, and financial need.  Applications were evaluated by an independent committee composed of former High Chancellors.

Although Danny Kanj is one of Alpha Zeta’s newest members, his enthusiasm for the Fraternity is strong.  Danny was initiated into AZ in February of 2024 along with 56 other students when the Purdue Chapter was reactivated following a period of Covid-19-related inactivity.  “Purdue’s Alpha Zeta chapter is newly reinstated, but I can already tell that Danny will be one of the members that steps up to help us find our place and roots within the College,” said Elizabeth Byers, one of Danny’s AZ chapter advisors.  As a member of the chapter’s scholarship committee, Danny plans to take a lead role in organizing an undergraduate research symposium through which ag. college students can share their research efforts with their peers and receive feedback from academic experts in their respective fields.  As a child, Danny was stricken with a rare form of skin cancer that required numerous surgeries.  His illness and frequent interaction with medical professionals influenced his plans to attend medical school and become a dermatologist.

Amy Suarez has a passion for agriculture that began when she was young.  Some of her earliest memories are of bottle-feeding pygmy goats with her grandfather.  This passion informed her desire to become an agriculture educator.  Amy was the 2021-2022 National Teach Ag Ambassador for the National Association of Agriculture Educators.  She is simultaneously pursing an agriculture specialist teaching credential and a master’s of agricultural sciences.  Amy also has a passion for Alpha Zeta.  She serves as the sergeant-at-arms of her chapter and has focused on recruitment and community service activities.  Although she is enrolled in graduate school, she plans to continue her AZ involvement during the 2024-2025 school year by serving again as a chapter officer.  In addition to her studies and AZ, Amy serves as the student government senator for the ag. college and chair of the ag. college’s leadership council. 

As a wheelchair user, Francis Corvin often faces challenges unfamiliar to others.  However, mobility and access issues have not dampened Francis’ enthusiasm for agriculture, academic achievement, and service to others.  Although an undergraduate, Francis’ “painstaking work to annotate uncharacterized viruses was recently acknowledged as playing an integral role in a new scientific paper,” said Dr. Roland C. Wilhelm, a professor in Purdue Department of Agronomy.  Francis’ is currently conducting research on the use of phage therapy to treat hoof rot disease.  Although newly inducted into Alpha Zeta in February of 2024, Francis is a member of the Purdue Chapter’s community committee and plans to use that position to make AZ welcoming for other wheelchair users.  Francis’ career goal includes earning a Ph.D. and working in Extension or government to help farmers mitigate the effects of soil borne pathogens on livestock.

“Working behind the scenes” is how Anthony Cruz describes his contributions to Alpha Zeta.  Anthony serves as the chancellor of his chapter and works hard to ensure that chapter meetings, fundraisers, member recruitment, and community service events go off without a hitch.  Anthony attended the 2024 AZ Summit in Louisville, KY, where he accepted the Middaugh Chapter Achievement Award for Promotion of Agriculture on behalf of his chapter.  Anthony made significant contributions to the efforts of the Fresno Unified School District’s efforts to develop a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) program for third through sixth grade students.  He recently secured an internship with the Natural Resources and Conservation Service that has him working with farmers to upgrade powered farm machinery while reducing nitrogen oxide air pollution.  Anthony will attend graduate school in the fall to pursue an agriculture subject teaching credential.  His future plans include earning a master’s degree and working as an agriculture educator.

“We need leaders in agriculture who can communicate with producers, farmers, scientists, and the general public. Brynn is well on her way to becoming a leader in agriculture.”  That’s how Dr. Michael Gonda, a professor of animal science and an Alpha Zeta advisor at South Dakota State University, describes Brynn Lozinski.  Brynn’s leadership bona fides include service as Minnesota FFA State Treasurer during her collegiate freshman year and service as the swine superintendent for SDSU’s highly regarded Little International livestock show during her sophomore year.  Her career goal is to work in the swine industry.  She has worked for five years in a commercial hog finishing facility and worked as a student employee at SDSU’s Animal Disease and Research Diagnostic lab.  She is currently working as a research and development intern focusing on meat science at Smithfield Foods.  Brynn’s Alpha Zeta activities include serving on the chapter’s fundraising committee and assisting with community service projects.  Her aspirations for the coming year include serving as a chapter officer or committee chair.

Anna Moser has a clearly defined career goal of becoming a veterinarian and opening her own practice focused on equine medicine.  She’s working hard to achieve that goal.  Anna has worked part-time at various horse boarding facilities over the course of six years. She has worked full-time for one summer at a therapeutic riding center caring for older horses and assisting disabled riders.  She has also completed one internship focusing on horse training and is completing another internship this year with a veterinary clinic.  On top of that, she serves as an undergraduate teaching assistant for various undergraduate equine courses at South Dakota State University – all while maintaining an A average in her coursework.  Anna also makes time for Alpha Zeta.   She is a member of the chapter social committee and participates in numerous community service activities.  She would like to serve as a chapter officer or committee chair during the 2024-2024 academic year.

About the Scholarships

The $2,300.00 Burkett-Cunningham-Dennis Scholarship is the top scholarship awarded by the Foundation. It is named in memory of three important, early members of the Fraternity. Charles William Burkett and John Ferguson Cunningham founded Alpha Zeta on November 4, 1897, at Ohio State University. Lindley Hoag Dennis served on the High Council in various positions for 42 years, serving as High Chancellor from 1925 to 1936.

The $1,150.00 G.W. Roach Scholarship is named for G. William Roach. Brother Roach was the first, full-time executive director of the Fraternity.  An alumnus of the Purdue Chapter, he served as the chapter's chancellor in 1954-55. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Purdue University.

The $1,150.00 Centennial Scholarship is awarded in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Fraternity's founding on November 4, 1897.

The remaining three Alpha Zeta Foundation Scholarships are valued at $1,150.00 each.