AEC’s Courtney Gibson receives national Honorary American FFA Degree
By: Norman Martin
Courtney Gibson, an associate professor within Texas Tech's Department of Agricultural Education & Communications, has received the prestigious national Honorary American FFA Degree. The recognition was presented during a special awards ceremony on Friday (Oct. 28) at the 95th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana.
‘I'm delighted to see Dr. Gibson receive the Honorary National FFA Degree,” said Scott Burris, professor and chair of Tech's Department of Agricultural Education & Communications. “This prestigious award is a very fitting recognition for the countless hours of service she has given the organization as the superintendent and committee member for the National Agricultural Communications Career Development Event.”
The Honorary American FFA Degree recognizes individuals who have provided exceptional service on a national level to agriculture, agricultural education, or FFA. Individuals selected for this honor have served their community, while also supporting the agriculture industry. Recipients receive a plaque and medal, and their names are permanently recorded as recipients of the highest FFA honor.
Gibson teaches a variety of courses focused on visual communication, graphic design, and print layout, as well as utilizing online media and the historical and theoretical foundations of agricultural communications. The Lubbock native's research broadly centers on developing and enhancing student creativity, the impact and importance of visual communication and graphic design for agriculture, social media strategy, and risk and crisis communication.
Earlier this year Gibson was named the 2022-2023 President of the Texas Tech Faculty Senate, an elected assembly of representatives of the tenured and tenure-track faculty members and librarians. Other honors include the American Association of Agricultural Education Distinguished Agricultural Communications Educator Award (2022), Western Region AAAE Outstanding Early Career Member Award (2019), and Association of Communications Excellence Award of Excellence in Academic Programs (2017). Gibson, who joined the Texas Tech faculty in 2015, received her bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees in agricultural communication from Texas Tech.
In other action, 22 students from Texas Tech's Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources were awarded FFA American Degrees. The honor is the highest degree achievable in the national organization. Among the recipients were:
- Jeb Besson, a sophomore natural resource management major from Rusk, Texas
- Ashleigh Carlson, a junior agricultural business major from Hereford, Texas
- Kadyn Collins, a senior agricultural communications major from Corsicana, Texas
- Hailey Crumpton, a sophomore agricultural communications major from Justin, Texas
- Taylor Delong, a sophomore agricultural communications major from Fredericksburg, Texas
- Allison Gallaher, a sophomore agricultural communications major from Weimar, Texas
- Yancey Grice, a sophomore animal science major from League City, Texas
- Bryce Hamlin, a senior agricultural education major from Big Spring, Texas
- Sadie Hardison, a sophomore agricultural business major from Fredericksburg, Texas
- Ryan Hess, a junior agricultural communications major from Stephenville, Texas
- Nichole Keeton, a junior animal science major from Wolfforth, Texas
- Blye Mangum, a junior agricultural and applied economics major from Floresville, Texas
- Danae Meadows, a junior animal science major from Paradise, Texas
- Macie Miller, a senior agricultural communications major from Iowa Park, Texas
- Alexis Nix, a sophomore animal science major from Wichita Falls, Texas
- Joseph Reisinger, a senior agricultural education major from Plano, Texas
- Emilee Sanderson, a sophomore agricultural & applied economics major from Blackwell, Texas
- Ty Schaeferkoeter, a sophomore natural resource management major from Spring Branch, Texas
- Jeremiah Steph, a junior plant and soil science major from Tatum, Texas
- Courtney Thurman, a sophomore agricultural communications major from Bryan, Texas
- Kloe Walker, a junior agricultural communications major from Celeste, Texas
- Kielee Whitewood, a senior animal science major from Sanger, Texas
According to program officials, the American FFA Degree shows an FFA member's dedication to his or her chapter and state FFA association, and demonstrates the effort FFA members apply toward their supervised agricultural experience and the outstanding leadership abilities and community involvement they exhibited through their FFA career.
CONTACT: Scott Burris, Chair, Department of Agricultural Education & Communications, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-8689 or scott.burris@ttu.edu
1028NM22
Davis College NewsCenter
-
Address
P.O. Box 42123, Lubbock, Texas 79409-2123, Dean's Office Location:Goddard Building, Room 108 -
Phone
(806)742-2808 -
Email
kris.allen@ttu.edu