From left to right: Dr. Jay Abridge, APLU chairman of the budget and advocacy committee; Dr. Jennifer Strong, assistant professor; Dr. Alan Sams, executive associate dean; and Dr. Mark Hussey, vice chancellor and dean for agriculture and life sciences.

Two faculty members from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences received Excellence in College and University Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

Dr. Jennifer R. Strong, an assistant professor of agricultural leadership, education, and communication, received the best new teacher award and Dr. Patricia K. Smith, the Cintron University Professor for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence in biological and agricultural engineering, received the best teacher award for the southern region.

Dr. Patricia Smith, Cintron University Professor for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence

The awards were presented at the 128th APLU Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana.

“Educating students and inspiring young minds is at the very heart of public universities’ mission,” said Ian Maw, Vice President of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources at APLU. “The impact that educators have on their students can last a lifetime and these awardees have helped their students realize their aspirations and serve as an inspirations to fellow educators.”

Drs. Strong and Smith are known across Texas A&M University for their dedication to teaching. Both are recipients of the The Association of Former Students’ Distinguished Achievement Award for College-Level Teaching. Dr. Strong has also received the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Award for Early Career Teaching and was named a Montague-Center For Teaching Excellence Scholar. Dr. Smith has received the Teaching Excellence Award from the Dwight Look College of Engineering and has been honored with a University Professorships for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence.