Courtesy: Fresno State Athletics
FRESNO, Calif. – Senior swimmer Katelin Britton has earned the Dean’s Medal for the Jordan College of Agriculture Sciences and Technology, signifying her as the most outstanding student among all undergraduates in the college.
“It is super humbling; I didn’t even know I had a chance so it was super exciting to get it,” Britton said. “I’m honored to represent academics and athletics together. If it wasn’t for athletics I wouldn’t be where I am, and if it wasn’t for academics I wouldn’t be swimming, so those two together have been great.”
Fresno State’s eight schools and colleges, along with the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, selected nine outstanding students to honor as its Undergraduate Deans’ Medalists for the class of 2018.
Each dean selected an undergraduate and graduate medalist based on academic excellence, community involvement and other achievements. Britton is one of nine medalists that will be considered for the President’s Medal, the University’s top academic honor for an undergraduate student. The winner will be announced at commencement on May 19.
“The Jordan College has many outstanding students and this year Katelin Britton stood out among all of them,” said Dr. Sandra Witte, Dean of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. “Her academic performance is exemplary. Her community engagement and volunteer work is quite impressive. But doing what she does while also achieving distinction as an athlete and team captain pushed it over the top for us. She is an amazing young woman, and the Jordan College is grateful to have been part of her life.”
Britton is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business with a cumulative GPA of 3.97 and a 4.0 GPA in her Agricultural Business major. As a student-athlete she is a nominee for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.
A Modesto native, Britton grew up on a small family farm that grows apples, peaches, cherries and other crops. In anticipation of a career in agriculture, and as an accomplished swimmer and three-time all-conference selection at Modesto’s Gregori HS, Fresno State was the perfect location for her to continue her academic and athletic careers.
“Career wise and in athletics Fresno State was a great fit,” Britton said. “I got different experiences with internships in Fresno and the staff is very knowledgeable in different industries. Being part of swim at the same time, I learned self-discipline and time commitment and everything you need to be successful in the business world.”
A team captain for the Bulldogs, Britton will be a four-time Academic All-MW selection and has been a strong four-year swimmer specializing in freestyle. She was part of a Fresno State program record time of 7:21.65 in the 800 Free Relay, swimming the last of four 200 meter legs in record-breaking time in February at the Mountain West Championship.
“In terms of athletics it’s been a fun and hard four years,” Britton said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better team to compete with; all the girls were always really supportive and we got along well. The coaching staff was always very supportive of putting academics first. If there was a test or class conflict they always worked with us to make sure we got what we needed.”
ln addition to excelling in regular coursework and athletics, Britton also completed three internships in her time at Fresno State: ln the summer of 2016, she completed a marketing internship with Ott and Davison Consulting in Clovis; in the summer of 2017, she did a food safety internship at Van Groningen & Sons in Manteca; and she is currently completing a stone fruit internship with Gaarde Food Source/Pangea Cultivar Management in Fresno.
Britton also participated in a variety of community service activities, such as a Saturday Sports program, Fresno State Student Cupboard food drives, and a program called Big Hero Little Hero.
The Agricultural Business program has over 400 majors, and Britton made a positive and lasting impression on department faculty as early as her sophomore year. Dr. Serhat Asci described her that year in an introductory course as having noticeable “poise and drive,” and wrote that he was immediately struck by her commitment to excellence in all aspects of her life. He noted that she has served as an exceptional role model, not only to other Agricultural Business students, but to her fellow athletes.
A statement from Jordan College reads “Katelin has taken her role as a representative of academics and athletics during her time at Fresno State very seriously. She is the living embodiment of our University’s commitment to academics and athletics rising together.”
To see all of the Undergraduate Dean’s Medalists, click here.
