AHS Welcomes, Awards, Recognitions, and Farewells

We are so thankful for our AHS department! Today we would like to express proper gratitude by acknowledging the many achievements made by our phenomenally hardworking faculty and staff. We would also like to send proper goodbyes to our AHS colleagues, whose time has ended. We wish them all the best and can’t wait to see what they accomplish next. 

Welcomes

• Christy O’Connor joined the department in May as the Program Coordinator for Health Extension for Diabetes.

• Pauline Grist started with us in May as the High-Obesity Prevention (HOP) Program Evaluator.

• Vanessa Tranel started as a Military 4-H Youth Development Specialist.

Awards and Recognitions

• At this year’s Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) conference, Katie Sanders and colleagues at the University of Georgia, Kristin Gibson, Allison Byrd, Tatevik Markosyan, and Alexa Lamm, received the Journal of Applied Communications (JAC) Article of the Year Award.

• The Agricultural Communicators Program, a cross-college partnership between CALS and CHASS has successfully graduated its first cohort of students.

• Travis Park, a professor within AHS, received the CALS Outstanding Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor Award.

• Wendy Warner, an associate professor within AHS, received the CALS Outstanding Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor.

• Joseph Donaldson, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences, receives the Outstanding Teacher Award for his innovative teaching practices and commitment to student empowerment.

Research and Extension

• This summer, students had a transformative experience in Greek farming, food production, and cultural immersion, culminating in a deeper understanding of global agricultural practices through a new AHS study abroad course.

• AHS faculty and staff published a multitude of research this spring. Read more about their research here.

• The NC Forestry Association and NC FFA partner to create NC’s first forestry course with an industry-aligned credential for high school students.

• Members of the AHS Department recently traveled to Kansas for the annual AAAE Conference, where they presented their research papers and posters.

• The National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference was held with collaborative efforts of co-chair universities: the University of Georgia, NC State, and Clemson University.

• Members of the AHS Department recently traveled to Orlando for the annual AIAEE Conference, where they presented their research papers and posters.

• Amplifying Youth Voices: A Storytelling for Social Change Curriculum, developed by NC State University, equips young people with the tools to inspire informed action and drive sustainable social change through storytelling and collaboration.

Departures

• Carmen Bracey departed NC FFA as the State FFA Coordinator in June.