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Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences recently honored three of its alumni with 2024 Outstanding Alumni Awards.Vijay Nandula, of Overland Park, Kansas, was this year's recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Award, while Shah Chowdhury, of Bangladesh, and Hunter Swisher, of St.
Petersburg, Fla., received Outstanding Recent Alumni Awards.
The trio was honored at an April 4 reception in State College.
The Outstanding Alumni Award recognizes alumni for their achievements and provides opportunities for recipients to interact with the college's faculty, students, and other alumni.
Nandula received his master's degree in agronomy from Penn State before earning a doctorate in weed science and plant physiology at Virginia Tech.
Before his undergraduate career, he co-founded Footsteps Bangladesh, which empowers and engages youth volunteers to develop and deliver projects addressing social issues through sustainable solutions in the fields of public health, water and sanitation, and climate action.
Chowdhury graduated in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in community, environment, and development.
He co-founded Dreamwater Enterprises Limited, a social enterprise focused on product innovation, entrepreneur development, and market building to promote quality drinking water at an affordable price for all.
Chowdhury was recognized with the Diana Award in