Who in the world is the CFAES Alumni Society Board?

The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Alumni Society Board represents the voice of all alumni of the college. The board serves as a resource for all relations between college alumni and The Ohio State University Alumni Association and has representatives from every academic department, every region of Ohio, from out of state, and from the last three graduating classes. The group meets quarterly in addition to holding events throughout the year.

Get to know a few of our board members each month.  

Cyndi Brill, Past President 

’93 BS Agriculture Education 

Associate Superintendent, Switzerland of Ohio Local School District 

Cyndi Brill Q: Tell us a bit about what you like to do when you are not at work.  

A: I enjoy sports, traveling, fishing, beaches, and cooking with my family.  

Q: What is your favorite thing about being on the CFAES Alumni Board? 

A: It has been a humbling experience to serve CFAES as an Alumni Board member. My favorite part of my role on this team has been my ability to give back to the college and the association through participating in different types of endeavors that financially support future students. Developing connections by rubbing shoulders with one another at games, social events, and community service functions. Staying informed and in the loop about news, research, and sports. Expanding my skills by participating in webinars, workshops, databases, and career coaching opportunities. And most of all, getting the chance to show my pride by supporting my Buckeyes!

Q: Tell us anything else that you want your fellow alumni to know about you (family, kids, pets, etc.). 

A: In high school, I had the honor of serving the Ohio FFA Association as a state officer, which grew my passion for the organization and the opportunities it provided to all students. I decided to apply to The Ohio State University to pursue a degree in agriculture. My grandparent’s initial disapproval had prompted me to withdraw my application, but after they gave me permission—they believed that knowing the subject matter would help in my desire to be an advocate for students studying agriculture—I was able to pursue this course of study.

Craig Berning, Class of 2017 Representative 

’17 BSAGR Agribusiness and Applied Economics

Legislative Aide, U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska 

Craig BerningQ: Tell us a bit about what you like to do when you are not at work.

A: When not at work, I’m often found hanging with friends (lucky to have a great crew of Ohio State friends that now live in DC!), been doing a lot of cooking during quarantine, and have rediscovered and been binge-watching previous seasons of “Survivor” that I used to love watching on Wednesday nights with my siblings growing up.

Q: What is your favorite thing about being on the CFAES Alumni Board? 

A: The fellow board members really impress me with their passion for staying connected and giving back to the CFAES community. It really shows, even though many of us graduated decades apart, how much of an impact everyone's time at OSU had on their lives.

Q: Tell us anything else that you want your fellow alum to know about you (family, kids, pets, etc.).

A: No pets ... yet. I’ve been very close to wanting to get a quarantine puppy though. My favorite food actually developed in college—nachos. I made it through my junior and senior years of college living off of Monday and Thursday $5 nachos that could feed three people at Ethyl and Tank. But to this day, I love nachos! After three years in D.C., I’m still on the search for the best place to get them.

Cyndi and Craig are both ending their terms on our board at the end of June. We want to thank them for their years of service and their countless hours of dedication to CFAES and its alumni family.