Two standout members of Texas Tech University’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources are part of a cohort of 32 faculty and staff from Hispanic-Serving Institutions across the nation to be named to the 2024 class of E. Kika De La Garza Fellows.
Jason Headrick, an assistant professor of leadership and community development within the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications, was tapped as a 2024 E. Kika De La Garza Education Fellow, while Rosalyn Shim, an associate professor of plant breeding and genetics within the Department of Plant & Soil Science, was recognized as a 2024 E. Kika De La Garza Science Fellow.
Starting this week the newly named fellows will spend a week meeting with leaders from different USDA agencies in the Washington, D.C. area, where they will learn about national and regional issues, policy making and research.
Since the fellow’s program was established in 1998, the USDA has hosted more than 400 faculty and staff, in a key effort to strengthen relationships with Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Currently, there are more than 600 Hispanic-Serving Institutions nationally serving more than 2 million students.
“It’s an outstanding honor for Dr. Headrick and Dr. Shim and reflects very well on Texas Tech and the Davis College to have two faculty selected this year,” said Robert Cox, Davis College Associate Dean for Academic & Student Programs.
“Dr. Shim and Dr. Headrick are unique in not only being great scientists, but also caring and motivated individuals who exemplify the vision of the USDA E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship Program,” added Glen Ritchie, professor of crop physiology and chair of the Department of Plant & Soil Science.
Headrick's research focuses on the intersections of leadership education, rural community development, and civic leadership. He teaches courses in leadership/ theory courses for both undergraduate and graduate students. The Tompkinsville, Kentucky native’s doctorate in human sciences-leadership studies is from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
"We are proud to have Dr. Headrick represent our department, Davis College, and Texas Tech in this prestigious program," said Scott Burris, chair of the Department of Agricultural Education & Communications. "His selection as a fellow is reflective of his commitment to equity."
Shim joined the Davis College faculty in 2017 after serving on the faculty of Japan’s Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biosystems at Nagoya University, with a courtesy appointment at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. Her research centers on exploring the genetic variation present in the wild relatives of crops that can be used to improve various agronomic traits in crops such as cotton, tomato and rice. Her doctorate in agricultural sciences is from Nagoya University.
Davis College has a track record of success with this specific USDA program. Last year Jhones Sarturi, an associate professor of beef cattle nutrition and metabolism within Tech’s Department of Animal & Food Sciences, was a member of the 2023 class of E. Kika De La Garza Fellows.
CONTACT: Clint Krehbiel, Dean, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or Clint.Krehbiel@ttu.edu
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