10:49 a.m., Nov. 13, 2009----In celebration of the University of Delaware's Homecoming Oct. 31, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) bestowed four of its alumni Distinguished Alumni Awards. It was the second year for the awards, which went to Daniel Camenga, Roger W. Glendenning, Andrew Paterson and Linda Pill Stallings.

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In addition, CANR alumna Faye Corman was named as a 2009 Presidential Citation award winner by the University of Delaware.

The CANR Distinguished Alumni Award is presented at Homecoming each year to three individuals based upon the nominees' record of outstanding career accomplishments, service and leadership, and community service activities, especially as associated with the University of Delaware.

A separate Distinguished Young Alumni Award is also presented each year to an alumnus who has graduated within the past 10 years. Both undergraduate and graduate alumni are eligible for these awards.

Daniel Camenga, who received a bachelor of science degree in landscape horticulture in 2001 and master of science degree in public horticulture administration in 2003, was the interim director of corporate relations at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) at the time of his nomination. There he was responsible for facilitating corporate engagements across the university to strengthen corporate philanthropy and assist in other mutually beneficial relationships between the university and industry.

Camenga joined the University of Rochester in 2007 as associate director of corporate relations.

Upon his graduation from UD in 2003, Camenga served as the deputy operating officer for Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion in Canandaigua, N.Y. In just over two years, he contributed to the comprehensive effort that transitioned the historic site from impending foreclosure with a $1.4 million debt to long-term security and a positive balance sheet.

He then became associate director of the Rochester Housing Council, where he managed a team of employees in landlord-tenant mediation and homeownership assistance and led fundraising initiatives.

Camenga received a master of business administration degree from the University of Rochester in 2007.

Camenga continues to support the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity at UD, where he was a brother during his time as student, both financially and as a personal mentor for the chapter. He has often returned to UD to share his post-graduation experiences with students in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.

Roger W. Glendenning, who received a master of science degree in agricultural economics in 1987, serves as acting chief budget officer of the Under Secretary for Rural Development. His duties involve providing critical support and coordination for budget matters, acting as lead liaison with Congressional agricultural appropriate staff and the Office of Management and Budget. In addition he leads involvement in U.S. Department of Agriculture responses to disasters.

Glendenning began his career as an agricultural management specialist in the Farmers Home Administration where he carried out farm and home loan processing and responsibilities. He moved up the ranks and in 1996 was promoted to a senior loan specialist in the Single Family Housing Processing Division with national responsibilities for guidance and technical expertise for program operations and funding distribution.

In 1998, Glendenning was promoted to deputy director of the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Division. In 2002, he was promoted to director, a position he still holds. As director, he supervises a division responsible for nationwide administration of a single family housing guaranteed loan program consisting of 2000 participating lenders.

Andrew H. Paterson, who received a bachelor's degree in plant and soil sciences in 1982, is a professor at the University of Georgia with joint appointments in the departments of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Genetics. He serves as director of the university's Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory and is known as a leading plant molecular biologist.

He actively uses his research findings to improve crop germplasm important to the producers of Georgia, and his laboratory has built the world's leading genetic maps for major crops including cotton, peanuts, Bermuda grass, sugarcane, and sorghum.
Upon his graduation from UD, Paterson pursued his graduate degree at Cornell University. He returned briefly to Delaware with a position at DuPont that included an adjunct appointment to UD's Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, then embarked on a full-time academic career.

In 2007, Paterson received a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship.

In addition to his research accomplishments, Paterson has served as a mentor to many postdoctoral scientists, graduate, and undergraduate students. He has mentored students in the University of Georgia's Young Scholars Program.

Linda (Pill) Stallings, who received a bachelor's degree in animal science with a minor in music in 1996, is the collections manager of operations at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. In this role, she is responsible for the daily operations of the animal department including managing 50 staff, scheduling, payroll, media events, construction and exhibit design, facility maintenance, security of animal areas, pest control, and staff training, development, and safety. This year the zoo is undergoing significant construction with Stallings' guidance and a budget of $3 million.

Stallings started her post-graduate career at the Maryland Zoo as an animal keeper. She was founder and leader of the Baltimore Zoo Behavior and Training Team, and was promoted to senior keeper in 2002 and supervised the African and polar bear areas with not only animal care duties, but those of supervision, facilities maintenance, and leadership.

Stallings has several publications that have advanced the knowledge of Southern white rhinos and animal behavior and training.

Faye (Harper) Corman, who received a bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1997, is a global product steward for DuPont, where she is responsible for following more than 200 industrial and consumer products from beginning to end to ensure that the chemicals do not harm people or the environment.

After graduating from UD, Corman began working in DuPont Pharmaceuticals, conducting research on drug carrier compounds, gene mapping and tumor tissue isolation. She then moved to H.L. Yoh Scientific as a science and technology contractor. She returned to DuPont in 1999 as a research associate before her current position in DuPont Chemical Solutions Enterprise.

Corman is a dedicated volunteer with The Little Rock Foundation for visually impaired and blind children. She has been the foundation's summer camp director since its creation in 2001. She has received corporate volunteer recognition from DuPont in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008.

The CANR Distinguished Alumni Awards were established in 2008. The inaugural winners were: Rick Colbert, executive director, Tyler Arboretum; William E. Culp, major, U.S. Army Corps, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology; and Philip Jardine, distinguished scientist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The Distinguished Young Alumni Award that year was presented to Erica Spackman, microbiologist, Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, USDA Agricultural Research Service.