The Dean John R. Abernathy of the TTU College of Agriculture Memorial Scholarship was established in 2018 to honor Dr. John R. Abernathy, former Dean of the college. Scholarship funds benefit undergraduate students enrolled in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources that have a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Dr. John Ray Abernathy served as Dean of the College of Agriculture at Texas Tech University from 1993 to 2003.

John Abernathy was born January 4, 1945 to the late George Raymond and Tommy Loys (Fewell) Abernathy in Altus, Oklahoma. John graduated from Altus High School in 1963. He married Cynthia Sue (Canady) Abernathy May 24, 1969 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Dean Abernathy had a passion for agriculture, graduating from Oklahoma State University in 1969, where he received his Bachelor of Science and his Master of Science in Agronomy. He continued to further his education at the University of Illinois receiving his Ph.D. in Agronomy in 1972.

Dean Abernathy held several positions over the years, he worked at Texas A&M Agricultural Experiment Station in Lubbock as a Weed Scientist and as the Resident Director for a total of 24 years. He was an International Consultant of Weed Science and Research from 1985 to 2017 and was a board member for the National Farm Life Insurance Company from 1998 to 2017. He retired as the Dean of the Texas Tech University Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources in 2003.

Dean Abernathy received many awards along the way, including the Outstanding Young Weed Scientist Award from the Southern Weed Science Society in 1980 and the USDA Group Award for excellence as a member of the AG-CARES team. He was named Fellow in the Weed Science Society of America and accepted the Gerald W. Thomas Outstanding Agriculturist Award from Tech's Ag College in 1990. He also received the West TX Ag Chemicals Institute Award for outstanding Contributions.

Dr. Abernathy passed away, at the age of 73, September 18, 2018.

To support this scholarship, please visit The Abernathy Scholarship gift page. 

Contact

Alex Yack
Alex.Yack@ttu.edu
Senior Director of Development
806.742.2802

Matt Williams
matt.williams@ttu.edu
Associate Director of Development
806.742.2802

Tanner Rex
tanner.rex@ttu.edu
Assistant Director of Development
806.742.2802