OSU graduate named Phi Kappa Phi fellow
Monday, July 28, 2025
Media Contact: Jessica Sullins | Director, Office of Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research | 405-744-7313 | jessica.sullins@okstate.edu
Recent Oklahoma State University graduate Lauren Chaney has been awarded a Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship.
Established in 1932, the Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship annually provides funding to first-year graduate students who are pursuing post-baccalaureate degrees across all academic disciplines. Each institution may nominate only one student each year.
“I am deeply honored to have been awarded a fellowship from the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society,” Chaney said. “Their generous support plays a vital role in helping me pursue my veterinary education and achieve my goal of becoming a veterinarian. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to represent the values of this esteemed organization.”
Chaney was selected by the OSU Phi Kappa Phi chapter officers based on her outstanding academic achievements, leadership and service activities, and strong potential for success in her graduate program. She is one of only two students from the state of Oklahoma to receive the honor, with the other recipient coming from Oklahoma City University.
Chaney graduated in May with an Honors College degree in animal science from the Ferguson College of Agriculture. She came to OSU from a family ranch in Bluejacket, Oklahoma, with an appreciation for animal care and welfare, and she excelled during her time on the OSU-Stillwater campus.
“Lauren exemplifies the very best of what it means to be a part of the OSU Ferguson College of Agriculture,” said Dr. Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture. “Being selected for the prestigious Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship is a testament to her academic excellence and bright future in veterinary medicine. The Ferguson College of Agriculture is the largest supplier of students to the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine and collaborates closely with Vet Med on research and Extension projects. We look forward to all Lauren will accomplish in the years ahead.”
Chaney supplemented her coursework with undergraduate research, starting in the fall of 2022 when she began working with her genetics professor, Dr. Darren Hagen. In the spring of 2023, she was awarded a Wentz Research Scholarship, for which she investigated the relationships between bacterial small noncoding RNAs with protein-coding genes in insects.
She presented her work at the OSU Undergraduate Research Symposium and the Wentz Research Scholars Symposium. She developed her project into her senior honors thesis, which she successfully defended in April.
Chaney also has a sustained history of leadership and service. She served as the special awards coordinator for the OSU Science and Engineering Fair and engaged with high school students through the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.
She also served as a veterinary hospital intern, a Pre-Vet Club member and a teaching assistant for principles of animal nutrition. Chaney also volunteered at the Stillwater Humane Society, Our Daily Bread, and the College of Veterinary Medicine Open House and ExpOSUre events.
Chaney was accepted to the CVM early admissions program and will begin pursuing her doctoral degree in veterinary medicine this fall.