Matt Baker: An impactful career shaping leaders of agriculture

It is never easy for someone who truly loves their job to retire. It is especially difficult when that person is someone who has dedicated their career to authentically communicating and connecting with others.

Matt Baker, Ph.D., head of the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Bryan-College Station, will retire Sept. 30.

“Dr. Baker’s tireless dedication to advancing agricultural communications, leadership and education has fostered remarkable growth across Texas and beyond,” said Jeffrey W. Savell, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences. “We express our most heartful thanks for all he has done for Texas A&M AgriLife.”

In the summer of 2019, Baker joined Texas A&M University and became head of the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.

Reflecting on his time with Texas A&M, he said he will always value the experience of working alongside his colleagues in the department.

“The faculty in the department have great teaching philosophies,” said Baker. “They are some of the best and brightest who truly treasure the student population and understand the essential part they play for the land-grant mission in Texas.”

A people first approach to leadership

So, what will Baker miss the most when he retires?

“This sounds really hokey, but I’m going to miss my lunch breaks the most,” he said. “I’d intentionally go down to the breakroom around 11:30 and purposely stay there till 1 or 1:15 for the opportunity to interact with faculty, staff and students.”

The breakroom is where Baker formed some of his deepest bonds and friendships. Also, Baker expressed his appreciation of it serving as a great place for sidebar conversations without interrupting the workflow of faculty by stepping into their offices.

“I’ll miss seeing everybody come and go and the stories we’d tell each other,” Baker said. “Lunch was where people talk about their children and the non-work components of their lives that truly make us all human.”

Headed abroad with USAID

Baker is heading to Cambodia in October to work on a U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID, project.

“Prior to COVID-19, I had participated on numerous international projects and really enjoyed the work and the people I had worked with,” Baker said. “As a department head, however, it was really challenging for me to work away from the office more than a few days at a time.

“I knew once I finally retired, I would be at the stage in my life where I could travel and work on projects again, and I am excited to be able to share my knowledge and skills to help further the development of other countries.”

Despite participating on projects abroad, Baker stressed that he is “100% retired” and looks forward to seeing where life now takes him next.

“My retirement will not only allow me to travel for projects I am passionate about but will also provide me the opportunity to spend more time with family.”

Accomplishments within the department

“As a land-grant university, we are responsible for developing the next generation of leaders,” Baker said. “I believe my most important contribution has been to prepare the next generation of faculty in our discipline. These future faculty members will become the academic thought leaders in the U.S. and abroad.”

During his time as department head, Baker was able to bring many important programs to fruition and grow key components of the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.

“My goal at Texas A&M was to increase the impact of our departmental research programs and recruit students not just from Texas but throughout the world. I couldn’t be prouder of the upward trajectory of our metrics — the growth of our undergraduate and graduate student populations, the addition of post-doctoral researchers and research scientists, and the increase in our scholarly metrics, both published research, faculty awards and federal grants.”

Baker was also the co-founder and leader of the LEAD AgriLife program, designed to develop faculty and staff capacity to advance the missions of their respective agency or college. The program brings together people in leadership positions to further develop their leadership skills and strengthen interpersonal and professional relationships.

“I am proud of our world-renowned outreach programs, and I feel so fortunate that I was able to reincorporate Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services’ V.G. Young Institute led by Dr. Peter McGuill and The Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr., Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership program led by Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz into our department. We also welcomed youth educator, Dr. Darlene Locke and employed Dr. Tearney Woodruff and Hannah Gerken to work alongside Dr. Scott Cummings in our employee development and continuous improvement efforts to advance the mission of AgriLife Extension.”

Rural roots and a dedication to others 

Baker grew up in a small community close to where the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Service Center at Vernon is today. There, he experienced firsthand the impact of a rural school closing. He said it “was the death of an entire community.”

That planted a seed that would grow into a career in education, with a focus on agricultural education and a dedication to others.

Because of that experience, he has offered support to the department’s work with rural schools to create as many opportunities as possible for Texas youth. His dedication to supporting rural schools and advancing rural education has strengthened collaborations between Texas A&M and Collegiate Edu-Nation, which began with a visionary school leader in Roscoe and has grown as a national movement to reshape rural education.

Achievements and awards

Baker received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural education and a master’s degree in educational administration from Texas Tech University, and his doctorate in agricultural education from The Ohio State University. He went on to teach agricultural education at the University of Florida and California State Polytechnic University.

Prior to arriving at Texas A&M, Baker was a professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications at Texas Tech University. He also served as founding dean for University College at Texas Tech for three years and departmental chair for agricultural education and communications for eight years.

Baker’s awards and honors over the years include being named a Fellow for the American Association for Agricultural Education, a Senior Fellow for the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, and a recipient of the President’s Excellence in Teaching Award at Texas Tech University.

Phillip Kaufman, Ph.D., professor and head of the College’s Department of Entomology, Bryan-College Station, will assume the interim role Oct. 1 as head of the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.