Distinguished Scholarly Achievement Award

The Distinguished Scholarly Achievements Award recognizes a Health and Human Sciences graduate's significant contributions to humanity and his or her profession through research, scholarly and creative activities, and/or discovery (RSCAD). To be considered for this award, the recipient must have demonstrated significant achievements in RSCAD in his or her chosen area. Recipients also make contributions to professional organizations and/or related professions and have demonstrated support of K-State and the College of Health and Human Sciences.

2023 Recipient:

Carrita Hightower ’06, ‘10

Carrita A. Hightower is an award-winning flavor chemist and sensory scientist with the Procter & Gamble Company, P&G, a leading consumer goods company. Over the course of her 13-year career with P&G, she is recognized as a sensory thought leader, champion of sound scientific research and a key partner enabling growth for the company’s Oral Care Business, including the billion-dollar brand Crest.

Hightower demonstrates her scientific excellence holding multiple US patents and publications in peer-reviewed research journals. She has a passion for learning as she considers herself both a research scientist and a teacher, who lives by the quote “Let the Love of Learning Rule Humanity.” Currently, she is one of only three flavorists within P&G, formulating flavor systems for Global Oral Care markets across multiple product forms including toothpaste, mouthwash, floss and whitening systems.

She believes in servant leadership and enjoys working with students to improve core academic skills, empowering women with YWCA board service, and serving Cincinnati as a community affairs committee member with WCPO, a local television station. She is also an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, a public service organization.

A native of Memphis, TN, Hightower loves Southern Cuisine and enjoys traveling, volunteering as a literacy tutor, and spending time with family, friends and her fiancé, Will.

Hightower holds a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer sciences from Tennessee State University and has a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Human Nutrition/Sensory Analysis from Kansas State University.

Past Recipients