K-State Animal Sciences and Industry student Keayla Harr receives the Don and Jane Good Outstanding Senior Award.

Keayla Harr of Jeromesville, Ohio, has been selected as the 2019 Don & Jane Good Outstanding Senior. Craig Good, Don and Jane’s son, presented the award April 6.

While an undergraduate student in Animal Sciences and Industry (ASI) at Kansas State University, Keayla was a member of the 2018 Meat Judging Team, 2019 Reserve National Champion Meat Animal Evaluation Team and is currently a member of the 2019 Livestock Judging Team.

Keayla was active in several campus organizations, including Block & Bridle and KSU Meat Science Association (MSA). She is currently serving as the MSA vice president. She was also active and competitive in the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) and Ohio Buckeye Junior Hereford Association.

The Don and Jane Good Outstanding Senior Award was created to recognize those that exceed expectations of involvement in the animal science department. In 2010, Dr. Calvin Drake wanted to develop an award in Good’s honor. These criteria were created to match the legendary example set by Dr. Good: moral character, scholarly achievement, leadership skills, participation on judging teams, foreign and domestic travel, potential of contributing to humankind in the future and written and oral communication skills.

“This year we had the toughest group of competitors we have ever,” said Dr. David Nichols, KSU ASI professor, who announced the award during the 2019 K-State Judging Team Reunion. “I’m sure that Coach Bill Snyder (the evening speaker) would agree that one of the greatest parts of our jobs here at Kansas State University is the quality of young people that we get to work with.”

Keayla transferred to K-State from Casper College with plans of pursuing a future in ruminant nutrition. However, her participation on the meat judging team prompted a new passion that changed her career path.

Harr says, “My hope is that, combined with my practical production agriculture background, I can take a master’s degree in meat science and relate to both producers and consumers in order to make meat animal protein a valued part of people’s diets for years to come.”

Along with her judging team and campus activities, she also participated in the ASI Undergraduate Research Program. She was presented the Fall 2018 K-State ASI Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award.

Keayla traveled abroad in March participating in the K-State Animal Science Tour of Australia. Recognized many times for her scholarship and leadership achievement, she was selected a Henry Gardiner/Gardiner Angus Ranch Scholarship Winner in 2019 and won the prestigious NJHA Golden Bull Achievement Award plus several other NJHA/Hereford Youth Foundation of America awards and scholarships.

Upon graduating in December, Keayla plans to stay in Manhattan and pursue a master’s degree in meat science with Dr. Travis O’Quinn.

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The Kansas State University Department of Animal Sciences and Industry serves students, livestock producers and the animal and food industries through teaching, research and education. The K-State ASI department prepares students for careers in the animal and food industries. The curriculum includes the study of nutrition, reproduction, genetics, behavior, meat science and food science with production, management, and agribusiness skills. For more about the K-State’s ASI department visit asi.ksu.edu.