By Brad Duncan

This year's honorees are Laura Keith Arnold, Amy Miller VanMeter and Sue Couch.

Lexington, Ky. (Dec. 20, 2002) -- The University of Kentucky College of Human Environmental Sciences honored three of its alumni for bringing recognition to the field of Human Environmental Sciences through citizenship, leadership, career accomplishments and personal commitments.

This year's honorees are:

-- Laura Keith Arnold, First Decade Award, Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences Education, 1997. A resident of Springfield, Ky., Arnold has served as the 4-H/Youth Development agent in Boyle County and now serves as the Family and Consumer Sciences education teacher at Mercer County Middle School where she initiated an FCCLA chapter. Arnold also has served a term as the HES Alumni Association president and is an officer of the Eastern District KAFCS.

-- Amy Miller VanMeter, Mid-Career Award, Bachelor of Science in Merchandising, Apparel and Textiles, 1989. After graduation, VanMeter enjoyed success as a buyer for McAlpins and Dillard's before becoming the development and alumni relations officer for HES. She has added many new activities to promote student and professional awareness of human environmental sciences.

-- Sue Couch, Outstanding Alumnus Award, Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Education, 1978. Couch began her career as a high school home economics teacher in Western Kentucky before teaching in Jefferson County where she coordinated the Adult Home Economics program. Couch is now a professor of family and consumer sciences education at Texas Tech University. In addition, she served two terms as editor of the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences Education and is now an associate editor for the Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal.