Photos Courtesy of ASABE

The N.C. A&T chapter of ASABE (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) has been named Best Club of the Year for the Southeastern Region in two of the past three years —2023 and 2025. This is the third time the N.C. A&T student chapter has won the award.

“This is a major accomplishment given that we compete with all the institutions in the Southeastern region,” said Niroj Aryal, Ph.D., associate professor and chairman of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Design in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Those institutions include the University of Florida, N.C. State University and Texas A&M University, among others.

“Winning twice in a three-year span is really rare,” said Aryal, a former advisor to the club. “It's a big deal in the sense that our student activities have been outstanding. They do a lot of professional activities, a lot of social activities, a lot of community service. They impressed their colleagues, and they were voted the best.”

The award was given after club presentations highlighting each chapter’s work at the ASABE Southeastern Student Rally in March at Texas A&M University. Aryal said there are about 15 clubs from 13 states in the region.

Miyonnie Warmack, the club’s recent president, said it is open to all students and had about 40 members in the 2024-25 school year.

N.C. A&T biological engineering student Kayla Ferchaud (right) was elected the ASABE Southeastern Region Vice President for 2025-2026. Others pictured include (from left): Kendra Badger, Abby Smith, Autumn Neumeier and Ella Martini.

“The general mission is to promote sustainability and the natural resources — fiber, water, soil, air, things like that,” Warmack said.

“In addition to promoting student education within our own curriculum, our goal is really service above everything,” said Warmack, who graduated this year with a bachelor’s degree in biological engineering. “Most of what we've been able to accomplish this year is a lot of community work.”

Volunteer efforts included working in the PDY&F (Positive Direction for Youth & Families) Community Garden and helping care for animals at the SPCA of the Triad.

Warmack hopes other students will consider joining the club.

“We're seeing more environmental issues associated with our natural resources and the quality of them — it’s super challenging now,” she said. “It's not just for engineers, it's just for people who care about safeguarding these resources.”