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(KNOXVILLE, Tenn.) – Tera Bunch of Rogersville, Tenn., was honored as the top graduate at today’s commencement proceedings for the University of Tennessee College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR). Bunch, an agricultural science and education major, graduated summa cum laude, and also won the Spring 2006 student award from Gamma Sigma Delta, the agricultural honor society.

“Motivation is something you have to determine for yourself,” Bunch said to her fellow graduates during her remarks at the ceremony. “Motivation is found within.”

Bunch was exceptionally motivated as an undergraduate. Her course of study included teaching classes in Australia and cooperating with a faculty member on a major research paper.

Bunch spent two and a half months in Broken Hill, New South Wales in Australia, where she taught several high school classes in agricultural science. She says she benefitted richly from her experience in the culturally and academically diverse environment.

Dr. Carrie Fritz, an assistant professor of Agriculture and Extension Education, worked closely with Bunch as her academic advisor and faculty mentor. Fritz guided Bunch in her studies and oversaw her work as a student teacher. “Tera is a phenomenal student,” says Fritz. “She is dedicated, hard-working, and certainly one of the best teachers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.”

Bunch and Fritz collaborated on a study through the CASNR Honors program. They researched the effects of the tobacco buyout plan on students and communities in three counties in East Tennessee. They hope to publish their article in the coming months.

Following graduation, Bunch intends to pursue her Master’s degree in Agricultural Education, and has already applied to teach at high schools in several counties in Tennessee.

Tera Bunch is the daughter of Terry Bunch, a pastor at Highland Baptist Church in Whitesburg, and Vicky Bunch, a homemaker, church secretary and women’s counselor also at Highland Baptist.

UT CASNR’s commencement ceremony took place today, May 12 at 11:00 a.m., at the Knoxville Convention Center.

by Carolyn Corley

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Contacts: Patricia McDaniels or Carolyn Corley, (865) 974-7141