Mississippi State's student chapter of the Society of American Foresters is again among the top organizations of its kind in the nation.

The 60-member university chapter finished second among 80 in the 1998-99 SAF Outstanding Student Chapter Awards competition. The honors recognize a chapter's leadership and participation in professional and service activities at local, state, and national levels.

The awards were presented Sept. 13 at the SAF National Convention in Portland, Ore. Clemson University received the first-place award.

This year's major honor is not the first for MSU forestry majors. They captured first place in the 1996-97 SAF competition.

Founded in 1900, the society is the world's largest professional organization for foresters. Its 18,000 active members engage in a variety of programs to improve the health, productivity, and use of the country's forest and forestlands.