The chairman of Texas Tech's Department of Agricultural Education and Communications has been selected for a top leadership post with the American Association for Agricultural Education. Steve Fraze will serve as organization's president-elect this year and will be installed as president next May at the group's national meeting in San Antonio.

"This is a wonderful honor," Fraze said. Following his year in the presidency, Fraze will hold the post of past-president. In addition, during all three leadership years he will serve on the organization's national board of directors.

According to program officials, the American Association for Agricultural Education is a professional society dedicated to studying, applying, and promoting the teaching and learning processes in agriculture. It advocates for improvement of teaching and learning in agriculture, and provide a forum to address issues in agricultural education.

Fraze joined the Texas Tech faculty in 1988, and was named a full professor in 2004 and chairman in 2008. He previously worked as a visiting instructor in Texas A&M University's Department of Agricultural Education, and a vocational agriculture teacher in New Home and Olton. He also served as a district engineer in the Dowell Division of Dow Chemical in Monahans.

A native of Dora, NM, Fraze earned his bachelor's degree in agriculture from Lubbock Christian College and a master's degree along with a teaching certificate from Texas Tech. He received his doctorate from Texas A&M University. Awards for Fraze include American Association for Agricultural Education Senior Fellow (2014); Gamma Sigma Delta Service to Agriculture Award (2005), election to the Texas Tech Teaching Academy (2003), Texas FFA Association Distinguished Service Award (2002), Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas Distinguished Service Award (2000).

Written by Norman Martin

CONTACT: Steven Fraze, Chair, Department of Agricultural Education and Communications, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2816 or steven.fraze@ttu.edu

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