UT MARTIN PROGRAM RECEIVES STATEWIDE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION AWARD
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin’s Department of Agriculture,
Geosciences, and Natural Resources received the Tennessee Association of Agricultural Educators’ award
for the Outstanding Postsecondary Agriculture Program at the organization’s annual conference July 10-
12 in Murfreesboro. This is the third time that UT Martin has received the award.
The award recognizes a post-secondary institution or program in which staff and faculty members
devote at least 50% of their teaching time to providing exemplary agricultural education training.
Recipients are chosen by a committee of agriculture teachers from across the state based on each
program’s curriculum, experiential learning and leadership-development opportunities, professional
growth of faculty members, and program marketing.
By receiving the award on the state level, UT Martin is now eligible for the national award, which
will be given at the National Association of Agricultural Educators conference in December in Las Vegas.
The selection process will be based on the same criteria, but the deciding committee will be made up of
agriculture teachers from across the United States.
“This award does not represent what a single faculty or staff member has done,” said Dr. William
Bird, associate professor of agricultural education. “It represents the collective effort of everyone in our
(academic) department – administrators, faculty, instructors, staff and students – who come to work in the
department every day with a focus on helping our students find success personally and professionally.
The relationships we all foster with our students are what make this a special place to work and learn.”
For more information about the award, contact Bird at wbird1@utm.edu or 731-881-7271.
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