For the first time, the top two graduating seniors at Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus represent the same school — the College of Agriculture.

Amir Faghih, Huntertown, Ind., winner of the G.A. Ross Award, and Tanya Hadley, Woodburn, Ind., winner of the Flora Roberts Award, knew each other long before they became students at Purdue. They grew up just 23 miles from each other near Fort Wayne.

“I feel like we’ve known each other forever,” says Faghih, who graduated May 13 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education.

Photo by Tom Campbell

Tanya Hadley and Amir Faghih are the first students from the same college to be named Purdue’s top graduating seniors.

“We used to compete against each other in 4-H and FFA,” says Hadley, who earned her bachelor’s degree in agribusiness management. “We’ve been good friends since way back in high school.”

Their friendship became even stronger in 2001, when both took a year off from school to serve as state officers for FFA. Faghih was state vice president; Hadley was state secretary.

“The bond we forged as state FFA officers is pretty unique,” Hadley says. “We were friends to begin with, but with that year we spent as FFA officers, traveling the state of Indiana and meeting with so many other FFA members, we grew to be very close friends.”

That friendship is about to be tested, at least geographically.

Faghih has taken a sales position with Dow AgroSciences, with territories in Montana and North Dakota. After taking the month of May to serve as an Indianapolis 500 Princess, Hadley will spend six to 10 months as a sales trainee for Hormel Foods in Boston before relocating into a yet-unknown sales territory.

“I’m sure we’ll stay in touch,” Hadley says. “We’ve been friends way too long to not keep up with each other.”

They know each other so well, it seems, that each was pretty sure the other was going to earn the award.

“There was no question in my mind Tanya was going to win the award,” Faghih says. “She’s just an outstanding student in every way.”

Hadley felt the same way about her friend. “I just knew Amir had it, hands down,” she says.

But when the announcement was made, both were quick to say they were surprised to hear they had been selected.

“There are tons of students who have done more than me,” Hadley says.

“I was totally shocked,” Faghih adds.

A committee of student leaders selects the recipients of the two awards, based on scholarship, leadership and service.

With the exception of some World War II years, the Roberts Award has been given annually since 1929 to the top female senior. The Ross Award has been given every year since 1959 to the top male senior. The criteria of the awards were altered this year to honor the top two students, regardless of gender, according to Betsy Smithka of the Dean of Students Office.

Hadley, a David C. Pfendler Scholar, is the second Purdue Agriculture student to win the Roberts Award, following Melissa Ashlock, BS ’80. Hadley was a member of Purdue’s 2005 National Agri-Marketing Association team that won a national championship. She was selected the top Ag Ambassador in the College of Agriculture. Hadley has been involved with Habitat for Humanity, the YWCA Women’s Shelter, Hurricane Katrina relief and Green Tree Assisted Living, among other organizations.

Faghih, also a David C. Pfendler Scholar, was a member of the Purdue rugby team and was named outstanding student in the College of Agriculture following his freshmen, sophomore and junior years. Faghih volunteered at the YWCA Women’s Shelter and was a student teacher in agriculture classes this past semester at Eastern Hancock High School.

There have been 19 other G.A. Ross Award winners from Purdue Agriculture.