Members of Texas Tech’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources brought home high honors earlier this month at the National Agricultural Alumni & Development Association’s 50th Annual Conference, hosted by Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Awards were presented in three categories of the organization’s 2025 Publications & Projects Competition.
According to program officials, each year NAADA recognizes the creativity and impact of its members through the Annual Publications & Projects Contest. The competition celebrates outstanding work in communications, alumni engagement, student outreach, and more, showcasing the diverse contributions of its professionals.
"Our college has a history of first and second place wins in this competition annually," said Tracee Murph, Davis College Assistant Director of Alumni Relations. "This year, we were up against 74 submissions across the categories from 22 of NAADA’s member institutions. It is exciting to be recognized among our fellow colleges of agricultural and related sciences from across the country in this peer-reviewed competition."
Among the winners from Davis College were:
- Davis College Family Night | Second Place | Category: Student Events | Coordinators: Maeley Stroupe, Assistant Director for Student Success & Retention and Jeanette Moya, Student Success Specialist. The award recognizes outstanding single-event initiatives that engage and benefit students within a specific college or organization. Davis College Family Night contributed to the college’s goal of creating a family atmosphere within students, staff, and parents and family. The event allowed parents to interact with staff and faculty who are dedicated to students’ success on campus. This event also allowed younger siblings to get a taste of Texas Tech and the college, which could result in future Red Raiders.
- Davis College Ag Week | Second Place | Category: Alumni Campaigns | Coordinator: Linay Williams, Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications. The category recognizes initiatives that creatively foster relationships with alumni, keeping them informed, involved, and invested in the mission and values of the institution. Ag Week, culminating in the highly anticipated Ag Game as the Red Raiders faced off against the University of North Texas. The week-long celebration honored agriculture’s legacy, championed its future, and strengthened connections between Davis College, the community, and the broader Texas Tech family.
- The Agriculturist | Second Place | Category: Print Media - Magazine Produced by Students | Coordinator: Lindsay Kennedy, Assistant Professor of Practice and Patti Peck Wood Endowed MILE Program Director. The award celebrates outstanding magazines created by students, whether as part of a course curriculum or through a student organization. The Agriculturist magazine serves as a vital platform that communicates the efforts of the Davis College by showcasing the achievements, innovations, and impact of the college’s students, faculty, and alumni. Through compelling storytelling, the magazine strengthened alumni relations by keeping graduates engaged with their alma mater, highlighting their successes, and fostering a sense of pride and connection within the Red Raider agricultural community.
Founded nearly half a century ago, NAADA supports education, advocacy, and recognition for professionals and volunteers who serve land-grant and agricultural institutions. Its national membership spans a broad spectrum of institutions dedicated to the growth and success of agricultural sciences and natural resources education.
“NAADA’s goal is to serve both our universities and the broader agricultural community by providing education, support, and recognition to professionals and volunteers dedicated to advancing agriculture and related disciplines through land-grant and partner programs,” said NAADA President Paula Beecher.
CONTACT: Tracee Murph, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2802 or tracee.murph@ttu.edu
0627NM25