David Jones receives APLU teaching award
WASHINGTON, D.C. —In celebration of his scholarship and dedication to teaching, Dr. David Jones of North Carolina State University, Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, was named the 2013 recipient of the Excellence in College and University Teaching Award in the Food and Agricultural Sciences New Teacher Division. The awards to six regional and two national teachers were presented Nov. 10 at the 126th Association of Public and Land-grant Universities annual meeting, honoring university faculty for innovative teaching methods and service to students.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and APLU, the annual awards included a stipend of $2,000 for the new teacher honoree to be used for improving teaching at their respective universities.
“When alumni recall their college days, they often think of teachers who had the biggest impact on them,” said Ian Maw, vice president of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources at APLU. “The teachers presented with these awards will be fondly remembered for their service to students, to the teaching profession and to their chosen disciplines. The value of these teachers to their universities cannot be overstated.”
Those who know David Jones are familiar with the phrase, “It’s all about relationships.” Relationships and relationship building are the catalysts for the methods and style Jones uses in his teaching. His love for students and passion for agriculture allow him to use his coursework to promote these passions to create responsible, global citizens.
As an assistant and associate professor at North Carolina State University, Jones has empowered students while by preparing a future agriculture industry workforce of responsible, critical-thinking problem solvers.
Jones’s proudest moments come from former students sharing how his courses changed their lives. Nothing is more fulfilling to him then when students realize that the world is larger than them, that they can make a difference and that their attitude plays a major role in their successes and failures.
Jones’s teaching methods and style have earned him many teaching awards including N.C. State’s University Outstanding Teaching Award and the American Association of Agricultural Educators Southern Region Distinguished Teaching Award. He is a member of N.C. State’s Academy of Outstanding Teachers and recipient of N.C. State’s Alumni Outstanding Teaching Award. In 2012 he was one of three professors nominated by the N.C. State University students as a professor who has made significant impacts on their lives.
Jones earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and a doctorate from the University of Florida.
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) is a research, policy and advocacy organization representing 223 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems and related organizations. Founded in 1887, APLU is the nation’s oldest higher education association with member institutions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, four U.S. territories, and Canada. Annually, member campuses enroll 4 million undergraduates and 1.2 million graduate students, award over 1 million degrees, employ over 1 million faculty and staff and conduct $39 billion in university-based research.
–Courtesy of APLU
