The Department of Food Science and Technology at Texas A&M University hosted its first Annual Alumni Dinner on July 12, 2022, at the Union League Club of Chicago during the IFT First event. The event was co-sponsored by IFANCA. The dinner was well attended with over 40 guests and included speeches by IFT president, Vickie Kloeris,  IFANCA president, Dr. Muhammad Chaudry, FSTC department head, Dr. Joseph Awika, FSTC associate department head, Dr. Mian Riaz. The event provided a great opportunity for Texas A&M Food Science graduates to catch up with colleagues, classmates and professors and learn more about the newly established Food Science Department. It was a dinner celebrating the graduates’ successes and an occasion to strengthen ties with the department!

FSTC's department head, Dr. Joseph Awika, updates his guests about the newly established Food Science Department, the future plans and the exciting opportunities for students. He stressed on the key role, students and alumni, played in growth and advancement of the department and need for greater industry collaborations.

Vickie Kloeris, IFT President and TAMU Alumni expressed excitement to meet up with others from her alma mater and discussed possibilities for future activities between IFT and the Department of Food Science and Technology at Texas A&M University.

IFANCA's president, Dr. Chaudry, announces that IFANCA will provide three internships with stipends for TAMU undergraduate students. In 2016, the department received a $5 million endowment from IFANCA to set up the Food Diversity program.

Mr. Salman Chaudry, Assistant Director of Operations for IFANCA, gave an update on IFANCA's other educational and humanitarian projects with different universities and institutions, including UNICEF.

Dr. Mian Riaz, Associate department head, provided an update on FSTC's Food Diversity Innovation Program. The program was established in 2016, as a sustainable high-impact educational and research program thanks to a $5 million endowment by IFANCA.

Kyle Brock, Director of Development-TAMU Foundation, spoke about the foundations future plans for a new building for the department and a pilot plant.