A longtime academic leader with Texas Tech University's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources has been named a Fellow in the American Association for Agricultural Education. Cindy Akers, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications and CASNR's Associate Dean for Academic and Student Programs, was selected for the honor on May 19 at the group's annual conference in San Luis Obispo, California.

"This award is given in recognition to those members of the association who've made exceptional contributions to the profession," said CASNR Interim Dean Steve Fraze. The recognition is presented to members who have no less than a decade and no more than 20 years of active service at the university level and who show great promise for continued contributions, he added.

Akers, who joined the Texas Tech faculty in 1997, is an award-winning teacher, receiving outstanding teaching awards from students, peers and within her profession. Awards include the Western Region American Association for Agricultural Education Distinguished Teaching Award (2011), 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 (2004).

In addition, she currently serves as the past president of Western Region AAAE; secretary for the Non-land-grant Agriculture and Renewable Resources Universities (NARRU); and serves on the Policy Board of Directors for the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Board on Assembly of Agriculture; and served as chair to Texas Tech's Teaching Academy. The group has almost 200 members from throughout the university that support, promote and recognize teaching excellence. 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.

Separately, David Doerfert, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications and associate dean of Texas Tech's Graduate School, was presented the AAAE's Distinguished Research Award during the conference.

Doerfert joined the Tech's Department of Agricultural Education and Communications faculty in 2002 as an associate professor of agricultural communications. Over the years he has conducted research related to agricultural communication strategies and methods, as well as taught numerous courses.

He received his bachelor's degree in in agricultural education from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His master's degree and doctorate are from The Ohio State University. Recent awards for Doerfert include AAAE's inaugural Distinguished Agricultural Communicator Educator Award (2016); CASNR's Distinguished Student Advising Award (2014); CASNR's Distinguished Teaching Award (2012); Fellow in the American Association for Agricultural Education (2012); President's Excellence in Teaching Award (2012); and CASNR's Distinguished Service Award (2011). He was recently inducted into Texas Tech's Teaching Academy.

AAAE program leaders note that their national organization is dedicated to studying, applying, and promoting the teaching and learning processes in agriculture.

CONTACT: Steven Fraze, Interim Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or steven.fraze@ttu.edu

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