Joseph Donaldson

Bio

Dr. Donaldson is a teacher, scholar, program evaluator, and researcher. He teaches, mentors, and advises undergraduate and graduate students, and he works with Extension professionals and stakeholders to enhance community engagement and Extension education.

As the Undergraduate Coordinator for the Extension Education major and minor, he works to prepare future Extension professionals for North Carolina and beyond. He also serves as an advisor to Agricultural Science undergraduates.

An accomplished Extension professional, he was recognized by the Joint Council of Extension Professionals as the 2015 National Extension Professional of the Year (one of only six national awardees). Prior to NC State, he served as an Extension Agent, Extension Specialist, and Assistant Professor with the University of Tennessee. Donaldson has served in a number of professional leadership roles. He chaired the Research and Evaluation Committee for the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (2005-2007) and served as President of the Extension Journal, Inc. Board of Directors (2013). In 2010, he served as National Chair of the American Evaluation Association, Extension Education Evaluation Topical Interest Group.

Donaldson is a native of Celina, Tennessee where he grew up on a family farm raising tobacco, beef, and sheep. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, reading, and traveling.

Programs and Initiatives

• Director of Undergraduate Programs, Undergraduate Programs
• Undergraduate Coordinator, Extension Education minor
• NC State Extension Summer Internship Program
• Career Pathways in Agriculture for Community College Students (Career PACCS)

Primary Teaching Responsibilities

• AEE 230: Introduction to Cooperative Extension
• AEE 325: Planning and Delivering Non-formal Education
• AEE 423: Practicum in Agricultural Extension/Industry
• AEE 478: Advanced Issues in Extension Education
• AEE 491: Seminar in Agricultural and Extension Education
• AEHS 523: Adult Education in Agriculture
• AEHS 570: Methods of Change in Agricultural and Human Sciences

Contributing Websites

• NC State Extension Summer Internship Program
• Career Pathways in Agriculture for Community College Students (Career PACCS)
• AEE Extension Education Major
• AEE Extension Education Minor

Professional Honors/Offices/Recognitions

• 2025: Teacher of Merit Award, NC State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
• 2024: Outstanding Teacher Award, NC State University
• 2023: National Distinguished Extension Educator, American Association for Agricultural Education
• 2023: Southern Region Distinguished Extension Educator, American Association for Agricultural Education – Southern Region
• 2020: Undergraduate Academic Advising, NC State New Faculty Advising Award
• 2020: Excellence in Advising New Advisor – Certificate of Merit, NACADA
• 2020: New Faculty Advising Award, NC State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
• 2019: Excellence in Extension Program Evaluation Award, American Evaluation Association
• 2018: NAE4-HYDP National Meritorious Service Award, 2018
• 2015: ESP/Joint Council of Extension Professionals National Extension Professional of the Year

Selected Publications

• Dixon, J. B., Blosser, E. G., Wu, Q., Goodell, L. S., Donaldson, J. L., Lambert, M. D., … Stage, V. C. (2026). Beyond the plate: can a food-based science learning intervention improve preschool children’s fruit and vegetable consumption? Public Health Nutrition, 29(1), e29. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980026101967
• Marsh, K. N., Eck, C. J., Layfield, K. D., & Donaldson, J. L. (2025). Exploring the Self-Perceived Needs of School-Based Agricultural Education Teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 66(1), Article 24. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v66i1.2467
• Ford, J. C., Lambert, M. D., Park, T. D., Donaldson, J. L., & Fair, B. A. (2025). A National Exploratory Study of the Adoption and Implementation of SAE for All. Journal of Agricultural Education, 66(4), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v66i4.3256
• Hood, L. B., Eck, C. J., Layfield, K. D., & Donaldson, J. L. (2024). Were the “best made better”? A content analysis of South Carolina 4-H programming. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 12(2), 14. https://doi.org/10.55533/2325-5226.1484
• Whorley, G., Donaldson, J. L., Lambert, M. D., & Warner, W. J. (2024). Community college transfer students’ agricultural career decision making. NACTA Journal 68, 217-224. https://nactajournal.org/index.php/nactaj/article/view/143/113
• Farouque, M. G., Kabir, K. H., Roy, D., Rana, M. M., & Donaldson, J.L. (2024). An assessment of capacity building activities for common interest farmer groups in Bangladesh. Development in Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2024.2325415
• Marsh*, K. N., Eck, C. J., Layfield, K. D., & Donaldson, J. L. (2023). Identifying school-based agricultural education teacher needs and support gaps. Advancements in Agricultural Development, 4(3), 117–130. https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v4i3.347
• Uddin, M. N., Akter, S., Roy, D., Dev, D. S., Mithun, M. N. A.S., Rahman, S., Mahmud, M. S., & Donaldson, J.L. (2024). An econometric analysis of factors affecting vegetable growers’ interest in Good Agricultural Practices: a case of rural Bangladesh. Environment, Development and Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-04545-1
• Hood, L. B., Eck, C. J., Layfield, K. D., & Donaldson, J. L. (2023). Effectiveness of online program engagement for 4-H members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, 73, 1-12. http://jsaer.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/73-Hood-Eck-Layfield-Donaldson.pdf
• Donaldson, J. L., Gwinn, K. D., Stephens, C., Chmely, S. C., & Moody, T. (2023). A summer agricultural research program enlarges community college students’ perceptions of agricultural careers. Advancements in Agricultural Development, 4(3), 41–53. https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v4i3.315

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Area(s) of Expertise

• Career Development, Adult Learning, and Human Resource Management
• Extension Education and Community Engagement
• Program Development, Program Evaluation, and Research Methodologies in the Social Sciences