Texas Tech's continued relationship with the 1687 Foundation, a nonprofit corporation in Texas, has resulted in a new position within the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Lindsay Kennedy, the current Matador Institute of Leadership Engagement (MILE) Program Director and Associate Professor of Practice within the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications, will start this fall as the Patti Peck Wood Endowed MILE Program Director in the college. The position was made possible by a $500,000 endowment from the 1687 Foundation in September and is named after the foundation’s founder.
Kennedy said the new endowment provides a tremendous opportunity for the MILE Program to empower students with innovative learning experiences. “This investment from the 1687 Foundation ensures we can continue to cultivate leaders who will be problem-solvers for the ag industry, our communities and beyond,” she said.
The MILE Program is entirely funded by external support, Kennedy said, which underscores the value industry sees in preparing future leaders for agriculture.
“This endowment not only allows us to impact more students, but it also gives us the freedom to dream big about what the future of the MILE Program can be,” Kennedy said. “I cannot think of a better partner than the 1687 Foundation to invest in our program and ensure we can continue providing this unique, high-impact learning experience for students for years to come.”
MILE is a three-semester leadership and professional development program for selected undergraduate students in Davis College. The program is designed to expose each 14-student cohort to key issues affecting local, state, and national agriculture while developing advanced personal and professional skills. Kennedy said MILE is a high-impact, experiential learning opportunity that aims to create problem solvers for the agriculture industry.
“The MILE Program uses industry engagement, networking, and hands-on experiences to prepare students to be impactful leaders and qualified professionals when they enter in the workforce,” she said.
The fourth MILE cohort will graduate in May 2025, creating a total of 56 MILE graduates since the program began in 2018. Kennedy said the program is developing young leaders who can go into industry with the training and experiences necessary to address the big issues facing agriculture and rural America. Students go through an extensive application and interview process and are selected by the MILE advisory committee, which is comprised of agricultural industry representatives and Davis College faculty and staff.
Kennedy is now in her tenth year at Texas Tech and brings a decade of experience as a communications professional in the agricultural commodity and publication industries to her MILE Program leadership. At Texas Tech, Kennedy teaches the Agriculturist magazine production course, photography and video production courses, and the three courses associated with the MILE Program’s leadership certificate.
She also serves as the co-director of Bridge Adventure, a program that uses outdoor adventure, mentored research and service learning to develop leadership skills and community among students at Texas Tech, and co-leads AgComm Camp, an immersive creative writing and photography program for agricultural communications students.
The Arkansas native received her bachelor's degree in agricultural education, communication and technology from the University of Arkansas (2005). Her master's degree in agricultural education (2006) and her doctoral degree in agricultural communications and education (2018) are from Texas Tech.
Honors include the American Association for Agricultural Education Western Region’s Distinguished Agricultural Communications Educator (2022); Texas Tech University President’s Exemplary Program Award (2020 & 2021); Davis College Faculty of the Semester (2023); Texas Tech University Mortar Board Mentor “Apple Polishing” Award (2019, 2020, 2021, & 2022); Davis College’s Ag Council Instructor of the Year (2017); Class XIII Graduate of the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership Program (2014), and a 'Lubbock's 20 Under 40' recipient from the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce and Young Professionals of Lubbock (2012).
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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