Do you know of a colleague who has recently been recognized for research or service?
National Awards and Recognition
Our faculty, staff, programs, and universities are recognized for their excellence in and out of Great Plains IDEA.
2021
Cindy Miller, assistant professor in family and consumer sciences at Texas Tech University, was awarded the 2020 Association for Career & Technical Education (ACTE) Region IV Teacher Educator of the Year. This award recognizes teacher educators who have demonstrated innovation in teacher education, leadership in improving career and technical education (CTE), and commitment to preparing teachers to deliver high-quality CTE programs.
Amber Letcher, associate professor in family and community services & SDState Extension 4-H Youth Development Specialist at South Dakota State University, received the National Award for Education Package in the team category through the National Association for Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals. The award recognizes members for significant accomplishments in presenting 4-H to the general public, civic groups, and individuals through public information methods.
Antoinette Landor, associate professor of human development, family science, and youth development at the University of Missouri, received the 2021 Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence award in recognition of her dedication to students through instruction and mentorship. Landor is also a co-founder and the director of the Center for Body Image Research and Policy at the University of Missouri. Read more about the award.
Alex Bishop, associate professor in human development and family science at Oklahoma State University, was selected as a 2021 fellow for the Gerontological Society of America in honor of his outstanding and continuous contributions to the field of gerontology. Bishop’s area of focus is on centenarians.
Mari Borr, professor in the School of Education at North Dakota State University, was honored by NATFCS with the Award of Merit, which recognizes professionals for their leadership and innovations in CTE, and their contributions to the field over an extended period of time.
2020
Shiretta Ownbey, professor and graduate coordinator at Oklahoma State University's College of Education and Human Sciences, received the Ellen Swallow Richards Public Service Award by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). The award honors a nationally recognized leader who has a significant history of promoting and advancing the human sciences. Read more about her award.
Mari Borr from North Dakota State University, Paula Tripp from Oklahoma State University, and Debra DeBates from South Dakota State University were inducted into the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) 75th Anniversary Leadership Hall of Fame. They were recognized for their contributions to their communities, achievement of success within their chosen profession, and continuous support of FCCLA to reach its goals. Learn more about this honor. All three teach or have taught in the Great Plains IDEA Family and Consumer Sciences Education program.
Mitzi Ziegner received the Texas Tech University President's Excellence in Teaching Award. She is a faculty member in the Great Plains IDEA Early Care and Education for a Mobile Society program and the associate director of the Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development Center at Texas Tech University.
Jaeha Lee was awarded the Challey Institute Faculty Fellowship by the Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation & Growth. Lee is a professor at North Dakota State University and teaches in the Great Plains IDEA Merchandising program.
Antoinette Landor, associate professor of Human Development, Family Science, and Youth Development at the University of Missouri received the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year Award. Read more about the award. Landor teaches in the Great Plains IDEA Youth Development program.
Nicole Graves, assistant professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Leadership at South Dakota State University, was named the Post-Secondary Teacher of the Year by the South Dakota Association for Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences and the South Dakota Association for Career and Technical Education. Graves teaches in the Great Plains IDEA Family and Consumer Sciences program.
2019
Greg Clare, faculty in the Great Plains IDEA Merchandising program, was the University Assessment and Testing Award for Excellence in Academic Program Assessment by Oklahoma State University.
Jennifer Jorgensen of the University of Nebraska—Lincoln, faculty in the Great Plains IDEA Merchandising program, was named a 2019 recipient of the UNL College of Education and Human Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award. The honor comes with a cash prize. Jorgensen is an assistant professor in the UNL Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design. The award is based on letters of support from colleagues or students, teaching evaluations, and details about teaching impact and teaching load.
Walter Fick of Kansas State University, faculty in the AG IDEA Grassland Management program and professor in the KSU Department of Agronomy, was honored with the 2019 Fellow Award at the 2019 annual meeting of the Society for Range Management. The award recognizes SRM members for exceptional service and contributions to the Society and its programs in advancing the science and art of range-related resource management.
Sheree Moser, University of Nebraska—Lincoln, faculty in the Great Plains IDEA Family and Consumer Sciences Education program and assistant professor of practice at UNL, received the 2019 Donald R. and Mary Lee Swanson Award for Teaching Excellence honors exemplary teaching in the UNL College of Education and Human Sciences. The award carries a cash gift for the recipient. Awardees are honored for 1) teaching in a manner that encourages engaged, active, and continuous learning, 2) holding high standards for student performance and providing support and attention to all students in meeting these standards, and 3) working to improve one’s teaching.
Karina Shreffler, a faculty member in the Great Plains IDEA Family and Community Services program, received the Oklahoma State University Regents Distinguished Research Award and the Faculty Teaching Fellow Award.
2018
Great Plains IDEA Community Development program faculty Gary Goreham, North Dakota State University, and Huston Gibson, Kansas State University, were appointed as country correspondents (USA) to the International Society of Community Development. They attended the 2018 ISCD conference where one conference presentation included the film series created in collaboration with Kassi Sprecher, 2018 graduate of the Community Development program from KSU. The film series was supported by a 2017 Great Plains IDEA Faculty Grant co-written with Community Development faculty Mary Emery, South Dakota State University.
Huston Gibson, Kansas State University, a partner in the Great Plains IDEA Community Development program, is the recipient of the University Professional and Continuing Education Association, Central Region, 2018 Excellence in Teaching Award for his online teaching in the program. Recipients are judged on leadership and service within the field as well as innovation in programming and use of innovative delivery methods.
Heather Gibbs, The University of Kansas Medical Center, a partner in the Great Plains IDEA Dietetics program, was awarded The University of Kansas 2018 Stata Norton Distinguished Teaching Award. This award is selected through a vote of faculty and students in the KU School of Health Professions. The award recognizes excellence in teaching as well as outstanding contributions by the recipient in his or her field.
Rochelle L. Dalla, University of Nebraska--Lincoln, a partner in the Great Plains IDEA Youth Development program, was awarded the Outstanding Professional Paper/Publication Award from the National Council on Family Relations in the families and health section. This annual award recognizes outstanding professional achievement through recognition of professional, scholarly papers written by a member of the families and health section. Scholarly papers are considered research, professional review, theoretical development or critique, or presentation of new methodology papers.
2017
John Phillips, South Dakota State University, a partner in the Great Plains IDEA Community Development program, was inducted into the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hall of Fame. The NIFA Hall of Fame recognizes exceptional contributions to NIFA's mission at the local, regional, national, or international level and those who have made a positive impact on humans. Phillips is the executive director of First Americans Land Grant Consortium and the land-grant director at the American Indian Higher Education Consortium.
Barbara Stoecker, Oklahoma State University, a partner in the Great Plains IDEA Dietetics program, received the Distinguished Research Award from Kansas State University In October 2017. This award recognizes a K-State College of Health & Humans Services graduate's significant contributions to humanity, K-State and the recipient's profession through research. To be considered for this award, the recipient must have demonstrated significant achievements in research in her chosen area.
Yan Ruth Xia, University Nebraska-Lincoln, a partner in the Great Plains IDEA Youth Development program, received the 2017 Felix Berardo Scholarship Award for Mentoring from the National Council on Family Relations. This award recognizes an NCFR member for excellence in mentoring junior colleagues, graduate students or undergraduate students. Outstanding mentoring goes beyond classroom teaching and includes the provision of support, guidance, and opportunities for professional development.
Elaine Johannes, Kansas State University, a partner in the Great Plains IDEA Youth Development program, was recognized as the 2017 Communicator of the Year by the Kansas chapter of the Association for Communication Excellence. The Communicator of the Year award is presented annually by the K-State Department of Communications and Agricultural Education and the Kansas chapter of the Association for Communication Excellence, the international professional association for Extension communicators.
Abbey Nutsch, Kansas State University, a partner in the Great Plains IDEA Food Safety and Defense program, received the Outstanding Advisor Award from the K-State Global Campus. This award is given to a K-State faculty or staff member demonstrating exceptional efforts in assisting and advising distance students.
