Travis Park, PhD

Bio

Dr. Travis Park has served agricultural education at NC State University since 2013. He is a full professor and Program Coordinator for Agricultural Education. Dr. Park is also the National FFA Advisor, Chair of the National FFA Board of Directors, and National Director for Agricultural Education. Travis serves on numerous college, university, state, and national committees. He advises both undergraduate and graduate students.

Dr. Park was born and raised on a hay, row crop, and livestock farm in Indiana. Travis understands that working in agriculture is “pleasant as well as challenging.” Growing up in Trafalgar, Indiana, Travis was active in 4-H and FFA throughout high school and served as the 1992-93 National FFA President. Travis earned his BS and MS from Purdue University in agricultural education. While in college, he was active with FarmHouse International Fraternity, Ag Council, Ag Ambassadors, and Mortar Board. Upon graduation, he was named the 1996 G. A. Ross Award winner, which recognizes the outstanding male student in the graduating class.

After graduating from Purdue, Travis taught agriculture at Tri-County High School in Wolcott, Indiana, for 5.5 years. He married Lacy, and the couple moved to Gainesville, Florida, to enroll at the University of Florida where Travis earned his Ph.D. in 2005.

Travis and Lacy moved to Ithaca, New York, where Travis served as an associate professor in the Department of Education, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University. For eight years, Travis helped prepare outstanding teachers of agriculture for New York and the Northeast. In 2011, Travis was tenured and promoted to associate professor and director of teacher education.

Travis and his wife Lacy have three beautiful daughters. Dr. Park enjoys reading, smoking meat, backpacking, gardening, and spending time with his family.

Programs and Initiatives

• Agricultural Education B.S.
• Agricultural Science B.S.
• Developing Educational Leaders and Teachers of Agriculture (DELTA) 40-hour induction program
• Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders (IFAL) co-coordinator
• “Generating more food scientists from diverse communities and rural backgrounds through food science literacy development of secondary educators” NIFA-funded, 3-year grant
• “Cultivating a Community for Rural Agricultural Leaders: Rurally-Engaged Agricultural Leaders (REAL)” funded grant program
• Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources teacher professional development

Primary Teaching Responsibilities

• AEE 426: Methods of Teaching Agriculture
• AEE 427: Student Teaching in Agriculture
• AEHS 500: Agricultural Education, Schools & Society
• AEHS 595: Survey Design and Data Collection
• AEHS 641: Practicum in Agricultural Education

Contributing Websites

• National Teach Ag Campaign
• National FFA Organization
• National Council for Agricultural Education

Professional Honors/Offices/Recognitions

• 2022 – Outstanding Post-Secondary Program, Region V, NAAE
• 2014-Present – NC Teach Ag, Coordinator
• 2020 – National Council for Agricultural Education, President,
• 2017-2020 – National Council for Agricultural Education, President 2020
• 2018-2020 – ESCOP Social Sciences Subcommittee, Chair
• 2019-2020 – AAAE, Southern Region Vice-President
• 2019 – American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE) Fellow
• 2019 – Distinguished Teacher Award, AAAE-Southern Region
• 2015-2019 – NC Ag Ed DELTA, Coordinator
• 2018 – Outstanding Teaching Award, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at NC State University
• 2018 – Outstanding Presentation, ACTER Research Conference
• 2018 – Academy of Outstanding Teachers, NC State University
• 2018 – National Teach Ag Champion, National Council for Agricultural Education
• 2018 – Outstanding Dissertation by Dr. Kevin Curry (Dr. Park, major advisor), AAAE
• 2014-2018 – Editor, Career and Technical Education Research
• 2017 – CALS NACTA Teaching Award of Merit
• 2017 – Outstanding Presentation, ACTER Research Conference
• 2014-2017 – CALS Teaching and Advising Committee, Chair
• 2017 – Honorary State FFA Degree, North Carolina FFA Association
• 2016 – Outstanding Journal Manuscript, Career &Technical Education Research, Vol 41
• 2009 – NAAE, Outstanding Cooperation Award
• 2002 – Outstanding Agricultural Educator, Indiana Association of Agricultural Educators
• 2001 – NAAE, Outstanding Agriculture Program
• 2001 – Outstanding Agricultural Educator, Indiana Association of Agricultural Educators
• 1992-1993 – National FFA President

Selected Publications and Presentations

• Reilly, K., Stevenson, K., Warner, W. J., Park, T. D., Knollenburg, W., Lawson, D., Brune Arita, S., & Barbieri, C. (2022). Agricultural and environmental education: A call for meaningful collaboration. Environmental Education Research, DOI: 10.1080/13504622.2022.2040431
• Rayfield, J., Smith, K., Park, T., & Croom, D. B. (2023). Principles of agricultural, food, and natural resources, 2nd Ed. Chicago, IL: Goodheart-Willcox Publisher. ISBN: 978-1-63776-096-3. Available at https://www.g-w.com/principles-agriculture-food-natural-resources-2023.
• Andreatta, R., & Park, T. D. (2022, February). Relationship between enrollments in land-grant agricultural education majors by year and state participation in the Teach Ag STAR program. American Association for Agricultural Education-Southern Region, New Orleans, LA.
• Spence, A., & Park, T. D. (2022, February). Defining work-life balance of work-linked spouses in agricultural and extension education: A pilot study in qualitative content analysis. American Association for Agricultural Education-Southern Region, New Orleans, LA.
• Stevenson, C., Luck, P., Currens, S., & Park, T. D. (2022, February). Food science fellows. American Association for Agricultural Education-Southern Region, New Orleans, LA.
• Jones, S. L., Warner, W. J., Park, T. D., & Kirby, B. M. (2021). The community college experiences of students in a baccalaureate access program in a college of agriculture. NACTA Journal. Retrieved from https://www.nactateachers.org/attachments/article/3127/2021-0353%20FINAL.pdf.
• Park, T., & Berescik, T. (2021). Natural resources systems. Chicago, IL: Goodheart-Willcox Publisher. ISBN: 978-1-64564-0156. Available at https://www.g-w.com/natural-resources-systems-2021.
• Warner, W. J., Park, T. D., & Morgan, J. (2021, December). Sometimes it is a circus – Managing all the performers in an ag ed program. National Association of Agricultural Educators, New Orleans, LA.
• Roberts, R., Triani, H. Q., Yopp, A., Park, T. D., & Osborne, E. W. (2021, May). A national review of state standards relevant to teacher performance and program quality. American Association for Agricultural Education, Virtual conference. Available at http://aaaeonline.org/resources/Documents/National/2021meeting/ThursdaySoft-skillsStandards.pdf
• Beseli, A., & Park, T. D. (2020, June). University professors’ content and delivery to develop an understanding of climate change. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture, Las Cruces, NM. Available at https://julnet.swoogo.com/nacta2020/Orals?i=aV0DmE-5LwCUiHaDYs5plxpJdBqqQbZX

View All Publications

Area(s) of Expertise

• Agricultural Education
• Reading Literacy
• Agriculture Awareness
• Assessment in Teacher Preparation (edTPA)