By: Hannah Atkinson & Chloe Delahoussaye

On October 18th, 2023, 10 students and 2 faculty members traveled to Bastrop, Texas to attend The Texas Section Society of Range Management Conference. The undergraduates in attendance were Hannah Pepper Atkinson, Chloe Delahoussaye, Liliana Navar, Ty Cosper, Hunter Jacobson, Riley Heidt, and Gabby Candelario. The Graduate students in attendance were Cece Shadrock and Nadia Castanon. Dr. Darrel Murray and David Johnston attended as faculty members. 

The Chapter brought two teams to compete against 5 other universities in plant identification, identifying a selection of 50 plants by their taxonomic names and characteristics. The two teams also took on the Undergraduate Range Management Exam competition, testing their knowledge in range science and management. 

Students Hunter Jacobson, Cece Shadrock, Hannah Pepper Atkinson, Ty Cosper, Liliana Navar, and Chloe Delahoussaye all showcased their research in a poster presentation competition. Hunter Jacobson placed third in the undergraduate division receiving a $200 scholarship, and Hannah Pepper Atkinson placed second in the undergraduate division, receiving a $300 scholarship. 

At the awards ceremony, students Hannah Pepper Atkinson and Chloe Delahoussaye were recognized as Outstanding Range Students from Tarleton State University. All students had a great time and were able to network with professionals, listen to poster presentations from other universities, and attend presentations over topics in Range Science. The Chapter looks forward to attending again next year!