Contact: Maridith Geuder
For the sixth year, Mississippi State's student chapter of the Society of American Foresters is ranked among the top in the nation.
The 41-member university organization recently earned a first place as the 2003-04 overall outstanding student chapter, as well as placing first in the 2003-04 SAF Student Chapter Web site competition.
The group earlier captured overall chapter first-place honors in 1996-97 and 2000-01, second place in 1998-99 and 2001-02 and third place in 2002-03. It earned a first-place for Web design in 2002-03.
Founded in 1900, the SAF, based in Bethesda, Md., is the world's largest professional organization for foresters, with more than 18,000 members worldwide. It offers two annual competition categories for student members.
Chapters receiving overall honors are recognized for service to their schools and communities, involvement with other natural resource organizations, and chapter management. Pennsylvania State and Humboldt State universities finished in second and third place, respectively. Humboldt is a California institution.
Web site judging criteria include design, content and site management. Second- and third-place honors went to Penn State and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
MSU's winning site may be viewed at http://www.cfr.msstate.edu/studentorgs/saf .
All winners will be recognized Oct. 4 during the Joint Canadian Institute of Forestry/SAF annual convention, this year in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
All forestry majors, the 2004-05 chapter officers include president Dan Prevost of Raymond, vice president Miles Henderson of Fayette, Ala., secretary Angela DeLaughter of Brookhaven, and treasurer Wayne Duke of Hamilton. Associate professor Donald Grebner is chapter adviser.