Fall 2019 AEC Department Newsletter

From the Department Head

Welcome…

to the 2019 edition of Reflections newsletter. This new digital format replaces our hardcopy version from previous years. In this newsletter we feature articles written by students in the department including undergrad and master programs. The Agricultural Education and Communication (AEC) Department continues to positively impact the agriculture industry with graduates who are prepared to communicate, lead and teach. 

Program Updates: In fall 2018, AEC began offering a streamlined master’s degree program in Agricultural Education. Students can become credentialed to both instruct high school agriculture and earn their master's degree in one year. Read all about it in this newsletter. We anticipate an incoming class of 10 to 15 graduate students who will solve agricultural communication and education issues while improving California and global agriculture.  

Faculty Updates: One new faculty member came onboard in 2018-19 and is featured in this newsletter: Karen Cannon, Ph.D. She brings crisis communication and communication strategies to the classroom and the Brock Center for Agricultural Communication. Sherri Freeman, Ed.D., left AEC this year for a faculty position at Fresno State University but we are excited to welcome Erin Gorter, Ed.D., as a full-time faculty member to support teacher-educator curriculum and agricultural education research. 

Student leadership: One of the many strengths of our department is the opportunity for our students to demonstrate their leadership in the classroom, university activities, and professional organizations. This newsletter features profiles of some of our outstanding students. Our students compete in a variety of public speaking competitions and perform at a high level regionally and nationally. This is not by accident. These students demonstrate a deep commitment to learning, the foundation of leadership. Our students also continue to be active in professional societies such as Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANNRS) and the National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. Our students have learned it is important to engage with professionals in their fields, both for networking and to experience what the “real world” is like.

We take great pride in the quality of our teaching and scholarship in AEC. We are extremely proud of the students in various clubs and alumni making their impact within California and around the globe. 

Best wishes and thank you for your continued support!

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ROBERT FLORES, DEPARTMENT HEAD
rflores@calpoly.edu