by Deann Gayman | University Communication and Marketing
Growing up in Lincoln, Kennadi Griffis knew she wanted to pursue a career that would provide ample time outside.
“I didn’t want to have a desk job — that’s the type of person I am, I needed to be on my feet,” she said. “And I was interested in agricultural sciences. Going through the list of majors, I saw environmental science, and I just knew that would be something that would have me up and moving.”
Her curiosity about the natural environment and the opportunities she found at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln propelled the Husker to an international championship in soil judging as a member of Team USA.
Joined by team members from Virginia Tech, North Carolina State and the University of Wisconsin, Platteville, Griffis competed in the International Soil Judging Competition in Stirling, Scotland, in July, and placed first against teams from South Korea, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain.
“We were confident but still surprised,” Griffis said. “We knew what we were doing, but we were also up against teams, like the U.K., that were more familiar with the soils we’d be working with.”
Griffis, a junior, got involved with the Husker soil judging team after taking a soil evaluation class her freshman year with the team’s coach, Becky Young, professor of practice in agronomy and horticulture. Judith Turk, pedologist in the Conservation and Survey Division of natural resources, also coaches the team.
“Dr. Young talked about the team a lot in class and invited us to join,” Griffis said. “I went to one of the meetings just to check it out, and I ended up joining my third semester.”
Read the full story at Nebraska Today.
More details at: https://go.unl.edu/pk3s