Texas Tech’s Department of Agricultural Education & Communications students and faculty members received top honors across a variety of categories at the national meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education. The winners were recognized on Thursday (May 22) at the organization’s 2025 AAAE Conference in Lubbock, Texas.
“Hosting the National AAAE Research Conference in Lubbock was a fantastic opportunity for us to share Texas Tech University and the community of Lubbock with our friends and colleagues across the country,” said Scott Burris, professor and chair of the Department of Agricultural Education & Communications.
“Our team went above and beyond to provide a phenomenal experience for our profession,” he said. “I’m so proud of the individual accomplishments of our faculty and students. Being recognized on our ‘home field’ made those recognitions even more special.”
Among the winners recognized at the meeting were:
- People's Choice Innovative Poster Award | 2nd Place. Jana Owen, an agricultural communications master’s student from Taft, Tennessee, Associate Professor Laura Fischer, Kylie Kitten and Assistant Professor Lacey Roberts-Hill. Title: From Concept to Creation: Exploring Student Perspectives of a Student-Driven Course Project
- People's Choice Research Poster Award | 2nd Place. Jana Owen, Associate Professor Laura Fischer, Breely Huguley, Cara Lawson, & Associate Professor Courtney Gibson. Title: Meat the Message: Analyzing Consumer Engagement with 'Climate-Friendly' Beef Posts
- Outstanding Dissertation Award | Ginger Orton, an agricultural education and communications doctoral graduate from Buena Vista, Georgia. Title: Strategic Message Design: Using an Exploratory, Sequential, Mixed-Methods Approach for Evidence-Based Sustainability Messages for American Cattle Producers. Orton was chaired by Associate Professor Laura Fischer
In other action at the national gathering, Professor Courtney Meyers was honored with the group’s 2025 Outstanding Researcher Award, while Professor John Rayfield was presented with the 2025 Outstanding Teacher Award.
Meyers, who also serves as the department’s Graduate Studies Coordinator, has co-authored award-winning research articles and conference papers, 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. The Kansas native’s doctorate in agricultural education and communications is from the University of Florida.
Rayfield’s teaching and research interests are in the field of experiential learning where he teaches undergraduate and graduate classes on experiential learning practice and theory. He has authored or co-authored 32 refereed journal articles in lead journals in career and technical education and agricultural education. He was honored as a AAAE Fellow in 2022 and revived the Southern Region American Association for Agricultural Education's Distinguished Research Award in 2016. His doctorate in agricultural education is from Texas Tech.
Fischer was recognized as a member of the AAAE Leadership Academy Cohort III. Designed for mid-career faculty in AAAE, the 16-member program is aimed at members who are motivated and prepared to provide effective leadership in officer, committee and special projects. The program is expected to advance agricultural communications by fostering connections and innovative ideas that will elevate research, teaching, and outreach efforts across Davis College and the industries the college serves.
Separately, former chairs of Davis College’s Department of Agricultural Education & Communications Steve Fraze and Matt Baker were granted AAAE Emeritus Membership. Fraze recently retired as the head of New Mexico State University’s Department of Agricultural & Extension Education, while Baker retired last year as head of Texas A&M’s Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications.
Texas Tech’s Department of Agricultural Education & Communications has approximately 15 faculty members with 285 undergraduate students and 103 graduate students. Faculty members within the department specialize in one of three disciplinary areas: Teacher Education, Agricultural Communications, and Agricultural Leadership. Master’s degrees are available in Agricultural Education and Agricultural Communications. A departmental Ph.D. program allows students to focus on any of the three areas, and an online Ed.D. program allows for continuing education of place-bound, mid-career professionals.
CONTACT: Scott Burris, Chair, Department of Agricultural Education & Communications, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-8689 or scott.burris@ttu.edu
0529NM25