Student Stories: Kendall Dutcher
After returning from Alaska and New Zealand, BRR student Kendall Dutcher was recognized for her leadership and contribution
s to diversity at OSU…
As a BRR student, Kendall Dutcher was selected for the College of Agricultural Sciences’ New Zealand Exchange Program at Lincoln University. She received a prestigious $5000 Gilman International Grant to study in New Zealand.
Earlier, she traveled to Alaska for a National Park Service Internship at Kenai Fjords National Park. 
Dutcher was a first generation college student who worked hard for her achievements. "She's gone through a lot - for her to succeed is nothing short of a remarkable miracle," BRR adviser Wanda Crannell said of Dutcher. Not only did Kendall succeed, but she was named as one of “The 25 Most Influential Undergraduates at OSU: Challenging students to be something more than average” by the OSU Daily Barometer.
As president of MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences) and the only undergraduate member of C2D (Committed to Diversity), Dutcher is committed to projects and awareness of diversity. "To say that I'm passionate about diversity is an understatement," Dutcher explained. "I commit roughly a quarter of my spare time to these issues and am a member of the Oregon Student Equal Rights Alliance (OSERA) and Oregon Students of Color Coalition (OSCC)." At the OSU All-University Student Recognition Awards, Kendall received the Grace Wu Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to the campus and community while showing unbiased leadership.
Kendall double-majored in Chemistry and BRR. Her thesis title was: Selenoprotein W: A Search for Selenosulfide Bonding and Severity of Damage Inflicted on Intramolecular Disufide Bonds as a result of UV Radiation. Her mentors were Drs. Doug Barofsky and Larry Curtis (Environmental and Molecular Toxicology), and Andy Karplus (Biochemistry/Biophysics).
Where is Kendall now? She has returned to OSU (fall ’08) for graduate school in the Science and Math Education program. She was selected by the graduate school to receive the Thurgood Marshall Graduate Fellowship. Or, you may spot her on a nearby rugby field.
See more Student Stories:
Jeehye Lee received a scholarship and award for study in Korea and Japan... Jeff Burnett balances research, volunteer service, and family life… Julie Ream's research takes her canoeing down the Clackamas River...Nikki Marshall’s research with invasive weed seeds led to work in environmental restoration and organic farming… While preparing for medical school, Pachida Lo kept her Hmong community in mind...
Ryan Scholz won a national award for superior achievement in natural resources-based research... BRR student Vananh Nguyen was invited to attend US presidential inauguration...