National Awards and Recognition
Our faculty, staff, programs, and universities are recognized for their excellence in and out of IDEA.
2023
Karen Alexander, program chair and associate professor in family and consumer sciences education at Texas Tech University, was honored by the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) with the 2023 Distinguished Service Award. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals for superior achievements in family and consumer sciences, outstanding contributions to the family and consumer sciences profession, and sustained association leadership at both state and national levels.
Virginia Brunner-Livingston, program coordinator in the landscape architecture and regional & community planning department at Kansas State University, received the 2023 K-State Global Campus Program Advancement and Support Award in recognition of her dedication to students and faculty. The award honors an individual for their significant contribution to the support or advancement of K-State Global Campus programs, initiatives, services, or learners.
2022
Kari Morgan, associate teaching professor at Kansas State University, received the College of Health and Human Sciences Dawley-Scholar Award. The Dawley-Scholar Award recognizes individuals’ outstanding achievement in the area of student development that results in the personal, professional, and educational growing of one or more undergraduate and/or graduate students. Morgan also received the K-State Global Campus Excellence in Online Teaching Award, which honors an online instructor or faculty member who has provided outstanding online teaching, course development, mentoring of students, and service to the field of continuing education.
Axton Betz-Hamilton, assistant professor at South Dakota State University, received the 2022 Mary Ellen Edmonson Educator of the Year Award from AFCPE. The Mary Ellen Edmondson Educator of the Year Award honors an individual who has provided exceptional service to teaching and/or outreach through the design or use of creative and innovative programs. Read more about the award.
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.
2020
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 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 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 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 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 IDEA Family and Consumer Sciences program.
2019
Jennifer Jorgensen of the University of Nebraska—Lincoln, faculty in the 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 Agricultural 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 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 which 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.
2018
Huston Gibson, Kansas State University, a partner in the 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.
Rochelle L. Dalla, University of Nebraska--Lincoln, a partner in the 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 the 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.
