Dr. Tom Savage retired June 30, 2010, after 28 years as a Professor of Poultry Science in the Animal Sciences Department at Oregon State University. For the past 12 years, Dr. Savage has served as the Head Advisor for the Animal Sciences major at Oregon State. During his tenure as Head Advisor, Tom has overseen an increase in Departmental enrollment of ~200 undergraduate majors. When Tom began his duties as Head Advisor, the Department had ~175 undergraduate majors and today the Department is managing over 380 majors.
Animal Sciences has the reputation on campus as a place where students receive excellent advising from people who truly care about them as individuals. Tom embodies this philosophy. Tom received the Ag Executive Council’s Distinguished Professor Award in 1997 and 2000, the College of Agricultural Sciences’ F.E. Price Excellence in Student Advising and Counseling Award in 1999 and the CAS Honorary Student Ambassador Award in 1999. In 2008, Dr. Savage was honored as the Poultry Scientist of the Year by the Pacific Egg and Poultry Association and they again recognized Tom as an outstanding Advisor in 2010.
Tom has excelled as scientist, teacher, advisor and student supporter. He inherited and is leaving the Department with an excellent Advising program. We all thank him for a job well done and wish him and Sue the very best for retirement.
Dr. Jim Hermes will be taking over as Head Advisor in Animal Sciences, beginning July 1, 2010. As of this date, Jim will no longer serve as Extension Staff Chair for Polk County. The Department is grateful to Jim for his taking on this extremely important role in the Department.