Akers named director of CASNR Student Services Center
Award-winning agricultural communications educator Cindy Akers has been selected to lead Texas Tech University's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Student Services Center, formerly known as the Agricultural Recruitment and Career Center. Her new appointment took effect Sept. 1.
"I'm thrilled to lead the Student Services Center," Akers said. "Recruitment has always been a passion of mine and I am so proud to be able to serve our college and university in this capacity."
Akers will lead a team of professional staff members that include Coordinator of Student Development Lori Dudley and Coordinator of Student Programs Rachel Bobbitt. Akers will continue to serve on the faculty of the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications as an associate professor.
Recruiting. Among the tasks of the Student Services Center is recruiting new students to the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Today, one the center's goals is to match the university's master growth plan, which calls for an additional 600 students beyond the current enrollment of about 1,400 by 2020.
The office, headquartered in the Goddard Building, also has a recruiting focus on community and junior college transfer students. In addition, there's growing interest in retention efforts of current students, which includes assisting current students in becoming more involved in CASNR organizations. The center assists in directing the activities of Tech's Agricultural Ambassadors and Agri-Techsan organizations.
Teaching. Akers joined the Texas Tech faculty as an assistant professor in 2000. Her responsibilities have included teaching agricultural communication courses, advising graduate and undergraduate student and conducting research.
She also served as assistant director of the department's Center for Agricultural Technology Transfer. Prior to coming to Tech, Akers worked as county executive director with the USDA's Otero-Lincoln County Farm Service Agency in New Mexico.
Awards. Awards for Akers include Texas Tech's departmental excellence in teaching award (2005), Texas Tech president's excellence in teaching award (2005), Texas Tech Parents Association's Hemphill-Wells New Professor of Excellence in Teaching Award (2004), and the Texas Tech Alumni Association Outstanding New Faculty Award - College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (2004).
A native of Estancia, New Mexico, Akers earned her bachelor's degree in agricultural communications, master's degree in agricultural education and doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Texas Tech University.
Akers steps in for Steve Fraze, formerly the college's student services director. Fraze was selected to lead Tech's Department of Agricultural Education and Communications as its new chairman, effective Sept. 1. In his new position, he'll have responsibility for programs affecting 215 undergraduate students, 70 graduate students and 10 faculty members.
Written by Norman Martin
CONTACT: Cindy Akers, associate professor, Department of Agricultural Education and Communications, Texas Tech University at (806)-742-2806 or cindy.akers@ttu.edu
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