(03/31/17) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU College of Agriculture recognized outstanding alumni and students at its spring award ceremony at The Club at LSU Union Square on March 30.

Maj. Gen. Glenn Curtis, adjutant general for the Louisiana National Guard, and Fran DeVille, business manager for The Climate Corp., a joined subsidiary of Monsanto, were named outstanding alumni.

Curtis received his bachelor’s degree in agriculture business in 1986. He also holds a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U. S. Army War College. He was appointed adjutant general in 2011.

In this role, Curtis is responsible for the deployment and coordination of programs, policies and plans affecting the more than 11,500 members of the Louisiana Army and Air National Guards.

In accepting the award, Curtis talked about how he had been dismissed from the college for poor grades but was given another chance.

“That was the important moment in my adult life. I could live three lifetimes and never thank you enough,” he said.

Curtis resides in Alexandria with his wife, Jill, and has three children: Meagan, Nicholas and Jacob.

DeVille graduated from the college in 1979 with a degree in entomology. He is a certified crop advisor and has worked in the agriculture sector his entire career.

“A key to Fran’s success has always been his passion for doing what is right for the farmers, knowing that their success will ultimately drive success of the industry,” said Rene Simon, president of the LSU College of Agriculture Alumni and Friends Association.

DeVille said he was humbled to receive the award. He and his wife, Lisa, reside in Opelousas and have two children, Drew and Taylor.

Melissa Siebert, a research leader and technical expert for Dow AgroSciences from Greenville, Mississippi, received the Early Career Outstanding Alumni award. Siebert received master’s and doctorate degrees in entomology from LSU in 2001 and 2004.

Rogers Leonard, LSU associate vice president, said Siebert is an outstanding scientist. “She has attained regional, national and international recognition for her research efforts in field crops, agricultural biotechnology and integrated pest management,” he said.

Jean Pittman, a senior from Baton Rouge majoring in plant and soil systems, received the Gerald and Norma Dill College of Agriculture Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Award.

“Ms. Pittman is in the top 5 percent of undergraduate students I have taught in my nine years at LSU. She is a very diligent student with an intense curiosity for science and nature,” said Jeff Davis, an entomology professor and adviser to Pittman.

Upon graduation, Pittman plans to pursue graduate studies in sustainable agriculture.

Brad Frazier, a junior from St. Rose, Louisiana, majoring in natural resource ecology and management, received the K.C. Toups Memorial Les Voyageurs Award. Les Voyageurs are student ambassadors for the college.

“Brad is one of those select members that has an unmatched level of dedication to the college. He has a passion for making a difference for the students here and giving back to the college any way he can,” said Amanda Martin, director of recruitment and retention for the college.

Matthew Foster, a doctoral student in the School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Science from Vidalia, Louisiana, and Jancee Rice, a master’s student in plant pathology and crop physiology from Arnaudville, Louisiana, each received the Ray and Dorothy Young Award in Louisiana Row Crop Integrated Pest Management.

Also recognized at the ceremony where donors who created new scholarships. Kenny and Dana Brown of College Station, Texas, created the Kenny and Dan Brown Scholarship in Agriculture Business. Randy, Debbie and Randi Lyn Toups, of Thibodaux, created the K.C. Toups DMV College of Agriculture Endowed Scholarship.

Award recipients at the LSU College of Agriculture spring awards ceremony are Maj. Gen. Glenn Curtis, Melissa Siebert, Matt Foster, Jancee Rice, Brad Frazier, Jean Pittman and Fran DeVille. The ceremony was held March 30 at The Club at LSU Union Square. Photo by Tobie Blanchard/LSU AgCenter