The Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences annually honors faculty, staff and students at the “College Connect” awards event, held this year on Oct. 10 at the Shirley and Joe Swinbank ’74 AgriLife Center.

people gathered in a large foyer at the College Connect awards event
Vic Seidel, executive associate vice chancellor and chief operating officer, and Audrey McElroy, Ph.D., Department of Poultry Science professor and department head, chat during College Connect. (Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife)

Recipients of the Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Awards and The Association of Former Students-College Level Teaching Awards are recognized annually at the event. In addition, new faculty are welcomed and faculty members who recently earned promotions and/or tenure are recognized during the celebration.

Jeffrey W. Savell, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences, opened the ceremony by sharing updates on the College’s recent achievements and plans.

“Success for us means investing in our people, facilities and the next generation. We have advanced in each area over the past year because our faculty, administration, staff and students continue to strive for excellence,” said Savell. “The award winners today are a testament to all the great work going on in our College.”

Patricia Klein, Ph.D., executive associate dean, led the celebration portion of the event, emphasizing the role of the College’s people in its success.

“We are truly defined by our people and their accomplishments,” said Klein. “Together, we’ve achieved new milestones and made a positive impact on our community.”

The Association of Former Students College-Level Teaching Awards

Since 1982,The Association of Former Students at Texas A&M University has honored superior teachers who maintain high expectations, ensure academic rigor, motivate students and contribute to students’ overall development.

Receiving The Association’s College-Level Teaching Awards this year in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are:

Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Awards

Since 2012, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Awards have celebrated the accomplishments and excellence of faculty, staff and students. The award winners’ dedication to excellence and their positive impacts are crucial to fulfilling the College’s land-grant mission.

Teaching awards

  • Early Career Teaching: Donna Lee Sullins, Ed.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism.
  • Teaching: Allison Dunn, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor and associate department head, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
  • Teaching: Jennifer Strong, Ph.D., associate professor and faculty director for the Dr. Joe Townsend ’67 Leadership Fellows Program, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
  • Educational Enrichment and Innovation: Sarah Schobert, equine lecturer and horse judging team coach, Department of Animal Science.

Research awards

Service awards

  • Service: Kathrin Dunlap, Ph.D., instructional professor and associate head for academic programs, Department of Animal Science.
  • Faculty Mentoring: Kim Dooley, Ph.D., Regents Professor, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, and associate dean for Faculty Affairs.
  • International Impact: Endang Septiningsih, Ph.D., professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
  • Administration: Audrey McElroy, Ph.D., professor and head, Department of Poultry Science.

Staff excellence awards

  • Staff Excellence: Deanna Crawford, administrator II, Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism.
  • Staff Excellence: Azucena Mendoza-Herrera, Ph.D., laboratory manager, Department of Entomology.
  • Staff Excellence: Dawn Miles, senior administrative coordinator II, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.

Student relations award

  • Student Relations: Jessica Light, Ph.D., professor and curator of mammals, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.

Student awards

  • Graduate Student Teaching: Rose Blanchard, doctoral candidate and Tom Slick Graduate Fellow, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
  • Graduate Student Teaching: Nan Zhang, teaching assistant and doctoral student, Department of Animal Science.
  • Undergraduate Research: Clay Moore, molecular and environmental plant sciences doctoral student, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
  • Graduate Research: Zihao Yu, doctoral candidate, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.

Promoted and/or tenured faculty

The following faculty members were promoted or received tenure this year:

  • Nicola Ayres, Ph.D., principal lecturer, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
  • Karen Beathard, Ph.D., instructional professor, Department of Nutrition.
  • Adrienne Brundage, Ph.D., instructional associate professor, Department of Entomology.
  • Michael Buser, Ph.D., received tenure, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.
  • Chavela Carr, Ph.D., principal lecturer, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
  • Thomas Chappell, Ph.D., associate professor with tenure, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology.
  • Po-Ju Chen, Ph.D., received tenure, Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism.
  • Susie Dai, Ph.D., professor, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology.
  • Juan Dong, Ph.D., received tenure, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
  • Allison Dunn, Ph.D., instructional associate professor, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
  • Morgan Farnell, Ph.D., professor, Department of Poultry Science.
  • Masami Fujiwara, Ph.D., professor, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
  • Robert Hardin, Ph.D., associate professor with tenure, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.
  • Nathan Harness, Ph.D., instructional professor, Department of Agricultural Economics.
  • Anjel Helms, Ph.D., associate professor with tenure, Department of Entomology.
  • Michelle Pozzi Henderson, Ph.D., principal lecturer, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
  • Scott Kovar, principal lecturer, Department of Entomology.
  • Paige Linne, senior lecturer, Department of Animal Science.
  • Bryant Miles, Ph.D., principal lecturer, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
  • Stephanie Perez, Ph.D., senior lecturer, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
  • Humberto Perotto, Ph.D., received tenure, Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management.
  • Tammie Preston-Phillips, Ph.D., instructional associate professor, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
  • Mollie “Megan” Reynolds, Ph.D., principal lecturer, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
  • Robert Strong, Ph.D., professor, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
  • Babak Taheri, Ph.D., received tenure, Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism.
  • Jun Wang, Ph.D., associate professor with tenure, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
  • Jeff Wiegert, Ph.D., instructional associate professor, Department of Animal Science.

New faculty

New faculty members joining the College in 2024 were also recognized. Those include:

  • Matthew Beck, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Animal Science.
  • Karl Clark, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Animal Science.
  • Ronald Crowe, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics.
  • Avery Culbertson, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
  • Ahmed Darwish, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences.
  • Donovan Davis, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.
  • Jinyang Deng, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism.
  • Juan Dong, Ph.D., professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
  • Joseph Edwards, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology.
  • Alicia Gilmore, clinical associate professor, Department of Nutrition.
  • Scott Halliwell, assistant professor of practice, Department of Agricultural Economics.
  • Roger Hanagriff, Ph.D., instructional associate professor, Department of Animal Science.
  • Waylon Hastings, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Nutrition.
  • Baoye He, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology.
  • Toby Hibbitts, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
  • Joseph Johnson, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics.
  • David Keszei, Ph.D., professor of practice, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
  • Shelby Kmidowski, assistant professor of practice, Department of Entomology.
  • Taeyoon Lee, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
  • Shuyu Liu, Ph.D., professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
  • Ashley Long, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management.
  • Allison Milby-Blackedge, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Poultry Science.
  • Pedro Monagas Valentin, lecturer, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
  • Erick Motta, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Entomology.
  • Samson Oladokun, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Poultry Science.
  • Wendy Osburn, assistant professor of practice, Department of Horticultural Sciences.
  • Doyoung Park, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics.
  • Felipe Peguero, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, McAllen.
  • Craig Rotter, Ph.D., lecturer, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
  • Clint Saunders, professor of practice, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
  • Gargi Sivaram, lecturer, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
  • Erin Stutts, visiting lecturer, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
  • Deborah Threadgill, Ph.D., visiting instructional assistant professor, Department of Nutrition.
  • Xavier Villavicencio, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, McAllen.
  • Ying Wang, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
  • Ann Wehman, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
  • Meghan Windham, clinical assistant professor, Department of Nutrition.

Awards photos will be available following the event on Texas A&M AgriLife PhotoShelter.

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