Courtney Meyers, a professor and graduate studies coordinator within Texas Tech University's Department of Agricultural Education and Communications, has received the President's Academic Achievement Award, officials with the university's Office of the Provost announced today (Mar. 19).

"I am so excited to see Dr. Meyers recognized for her tremendous contributions to our department, to CASNR and to Texas Tech," said Scott Burris, chair of the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications. "For Dr. Meyers, receiving the President's Academic Achievement Award is a clear reflection of her distinguished success across all of her faculty roles. She is an exemplary recipient for this award."

According to university guidelines, the award is granted to Texas Tech faculty who exhibit "excellence in achievement across the teaching-research-service missions of the university" as evidenced by "three years of faculty service, recognition by peers in one or more areas, evidence of productive scholarship, and demonstrated competence in the three areas." The faculty member must be nominated by his or her college dean.

Last summer Meyers received a Fulbright Scholar Award funded by the Australia-based Regional Universities Network and the Australian-American Fulbright Commission. Meyers' project, "Exploring Agricultural Communications in Australia," will be based at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, Australia. She is awaiting final starting dates, pending the pandemic situation globally.

Recognized in May as a 2020 American Association for Agricultural Education Fellow, Meyers is a member of Texas Tech's Teaching Academy and has received a number of teaching awards at the college, university and national levels. The AAAE award was presented in recognition of exceptional and sustained contributions to the profession throughout her career.

Among her honors are the President's Excellence in Academic Advising Award (2020); Texas Tech's Chancellor's Council Distinguished Teaching Award (2018); Texas Tech Integrated Scholar (2018); CASNR Student Advising Award (2018), Western Region AAAE Outstanding Researcher Award (2015), U.S. Department of Agriculture's New Teacher Award (2015), Texas Tech President's Excellence in Teaching Award (2014), and the Non-land-grant Agriculture and Renewable Resources Universities' Distinguished Young Educator Award (2013).

Meyers has co-authored award-winning research papers and posters including outstanding research article in the Journal of Applied Communications, the Association for Communication Excellence outstanding paper, the SAAS Agricultural Communications outstanding paper, and the AAAE distinguished manuscript. She is currently serving a three-year term as the past participant representative on the LEAD21 Board of Directors and a two-year term as the American Association for Agricultural Education Vice President for Communications.

Meyers, who joined the Texas Tech faculty in 2008, received her bachelor's degree in agricultural communication and journalism from Kansas State University. Her master's degree in agricultural and extension education is from the University of Arkansas, and her doctorate in agricultural education and communication is from the University of Florida.

CONTACT: Cindy Akers, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Programs, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or cindy.akers@ttu.edu

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