By Emily Berger
Courtesy photo by Texas A&M Foundation
COLLEGE STATION — Army veteran in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences was awarded one of the highest honors at Texas A&M University.
Raymond Dilworth, an animal science major, received the Senior Merit Award given by the college to its top 30 graduating seniors.
Dilworth enlisted in the army in 2009 and achieved the rank of staff sergeant. In 2011, he was awarded the Purple Heart while serving with the First Infantry Division in Afghanistan. Today, Dilworth draws upon his experiences to teach future military leaders by serving as a mentor through Delta Company, the Combat Veteran Company in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets.
“As a student veteran and a cadet, Ray Dilworth leads by example in achieving academic excellence,” says retired Marine Corps Col. Gerald Smith, director of the Texas A&M University Veteran Resource and Support Center. “His respect and loyalty for others is evident through his selfless service. His integrity and faithfulness to our country and campus provides an example for others to follow.”
Texas A&M has repeatedly been ranked as one of the best four-year colleges for veterans, living up to its military-friendly tradition. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is home to 148 of the 1,150 student veterans on campus. With Dilworth’s military experience and farming background, he found the college to be a good fit.
After returning to Texas in 2015, Dilworth and his wife, Mallory, started Sage Rose Farm in Bedias, where they and their children, Edyn Rose and Sage, raise goats, chickens, and a herd of Beefmaster cattle. Dilworth, who grew up on a farm, now uses his education to supplement his practical skills. The knowledge that he gained through the animal science program has helped not only him, but also his fellow farmers, who he teaches even as he continues to learn.
“When I was younger, I always saw myself as a soldier, a policeman, or a firefighter—something to serve the community and the nation,” Dilworth says. “Through animal science, I can do the same thing by providing food for people. I’ve always looked up to those that are willing to put others above themselves, and this is another way to do that.”
For Dilworth, a degree from Texas A&M means even more than personal betterment or serving his community—it means setting an example for his children to follow. Leaving a successful career to further his education shows how important college is, which he hopes will inspire Edyn Rose and Sage as they grow older.
“I want my kids to be successful, and one of the best ways for them to do that is to get a college degree,” Dilworth says. “If they get their Aggie ring, it’d be a bonus.”
Dilworth will be graduating in May 2018. He aims to continue growing Sage Rose Farm and to get involved with 4-H with both of his children, to further teach them the value of agriculture.
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via source Navasota Examiner | United States Army veteran receives top honor at Texas A&M
For more information regarding news from the Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, please contact Maggie Tucker at maggie.tucker@tamu.edu or (979) 845-1542.