Three Aggies Earn NCEA Distinguished Alumni Awards

COLLEGE STATION – Three former Texas A&M Equestrian student-athletes, Viviana Dunlap, Jessica Leatherwood and Paige Linne, were named 2017 NCEA Distinguished Alumni, the association announced.
 
Dunlap was named the winner for Equine (Medical/Pharmaceutical), while Jessica Leatherwood earned the Education award, and Linne won the Young Alumni award. The awards are presented to women who, after the completion of their undergraduate degree at an NCEA institution, have made significant contributions in a professional field.
 
Distinguished Alumni are recognized in eight categories including Business, Community Engagement, Education, Equine Industry (Rider/Trainer/Coach), Equine Industry (Medical/Pharmaceutical), Health Sciences/Services, Media & Communication, and Young Alumni.  Distinguished Alumni are separated from their institution for at least 6 years prior to nomination and are recognized as distinguished in the following areas: academic success, athletic success, outstanding service contributions, and post-graduate success.
 
A 2008 graduate in Animal Science, Dunlap interned at Shadwell Farm in Lexington, Ky., a Thoroughbred racing operation owned by the Deputy Ruler of Dubai – Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum. After the internship, she was hired full time at Shadwell Farm as barn manager in the Broodmare Department where she helped foal, wean, and train Grade 1 Stakes-winning racehorses. In 2012, Dunlap worked at Wickliffe Pharmaceuticals, a Veterinary Compounding Pharmacy, where she became a Certified Aseptic Technician and compounded all sterile injectable drugs for horses while serving as the Lead in the Pharmacy's Sterile Laboratory.
 
In 2014, Dunlap was hired by the United States Equestrian Federation, the governing body of the sport, and is currently serving as Case Manager of the Regulation Department, where she works to enforce the rules and regulations of the Federation, with emphasis on equine welfare, rider safety, and fair competition.
 
Leatherwood, who serves as an Assistant Professor of Animal Science at Texas A&M, began teaching at Sam Houston State University in 2013. While at SHSU, Leatherwood established an undergraduate research program for students interested in equine nutrition and exercise physiology, and wrote academic manuals for Basic Horsemanship, Equine Selection and Evaluation and Equine Reproduction.
 
She also developed the International Horsemanship Program in partnership with the American Quarter Horse Association for undergraduate and graduate students and conducted camps in Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, New Zealand, Australia and China.
 
Linne is currently in the process of obtaining her Masters in Equine Industry Management and is the coach of the Texas A&M Stock Horse Team. Under her guidance, the team was named the American Stock Horse Association Collegiate Co-Champion and Oklahoma Stock Horse Association Collegiate Champion in April of 2016. An avid supporter of the equestrian team, Linne has worked closely with the Sport Advancement Committee, developing information materials for athletics directors considering the addition of equestrian as a sport at their respective schools.
 
Each NCEA team had the opportunity to nominate one alumni in each category.  The nominations were reviewed by a selection committee and shared with the NCEA Board of Directors. The 2017 Distinguished Alumni will be recognized at the Opening Ceremony of the NCEA National Championship event scheduled for Wednesday, April 12 at the Extraco Center in Waco, Texas.
 
To learn more about the Texas A&M equestrian team, log onto www.12thman.com or follow @AggieEquestrian on Twitter.
 
2017 NCEA Distinguished Alumni Awards
Business                                                        Shelby White                                  Baylor
Community Engagement                           Kelsy Abell                                      Tennessee-Martin
Education                                                      Jessica Leatherwood                    Texas A&M
Equine (Rider/Trainer/Coach)                  Ruth Sorrel                                     South Carolina
Equine (Medical/Pharmaceutical)           Vivianna Dunlap                            Texas A&M
Health Sciences/Services                           Brittany Kasprack                          Tennessee-Martin
Media & Communication                          Jennifer Wood                              South Carolina
Young Alumni                                               Paige Linne                                     Texas A&M