University of Georgia
UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communication
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Advocates for Agriculture

Discover what a degree from ALEC can do for you

The Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication (ALEC) is an award-winning group of researchers, teachers, Extension specialists, and students committed to communicating the critical fields of agricultural and environmental science.

Through small classes and personalized, engaged learning, ALEC students gain critical real-world experience. They learn:

  • evidence-based, audience-centered science communication skills
  • how to develop communication strategy
  • youth and adult-focused educational strategies
  • adaptive organizational and community leadership frameworks

ALEC students become knowledgeable advocates for agriculture and healthy consumer relationships with food and the environment.

ALEC programs are based on the belief that agricultural policy, rigorous science, and innovative technology yield solutions to agriculture's most pressing problems. We also believe that those solutions become even stronger when they are supported by effective outreach campaigns and educational programs.

Read more at discover.caes.uga.edu


Service-Learning Course
Creating community connections
“Culture-Centered Communication and Engagement,” a course offered by the CAES Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication, helps students hone their storytelling skills through community service.
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International Experiences
Study abroad with ALEC
ALEC offers two fantastic study abroad opportunities. You will travel with faculty members and other UGA students as you expand your global perspective. Learn more about our programs in Scotland and Morocco!
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Amazing Alumni
Lucas Brock
A CAES alumnus, Brock is an agricultural educator and FFA advisor at Central Middle School in Carrollton, Georgia, where he is recognized as the 2023-24 Carroll County Schools Teacher of the Year.
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News

Morgan County High School agricultural science teacher and CAES alumnus Rachel Kinsaul reacts with surprise at an assembly where she was announced as Georgia's sole 2024-25 Milken Educator Award recipient. CAES News
CAES graduate honored for excellence in agricultural education 05/15/25
Rachel Kinsaul, a two-time graduate of the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has been named a 2024–25 Milken Educator Award recipient — an honor widely recognized as the nation’s preeminent award for K–12 teachers. A leader in agricultural education, Kinsaul teaches agricultural science at Morgan County High School in Madison, Georgia, where her innovative, hands-on programs have redefined how students experience the agricultural sciences.
CAES research shows that community volunteers have significant influence over adopting climate-adaptive practices in community gardens, such as the North Fulton Community Garden in Atlanta. Above, local resident Maxwell Barton and Fulton County Cooperative Extension Agent Gabrielle LaTora pull weeds from a planting bed during a community cleaning day at the garden in 2023. (Photo by Dorothy Kozlowski/UGA) CAES News
Sustaining community gardens with climate-smart solutions 03/10/25 Tree Meinch
Approximately 18 million U.S. households experienced food insecurity at some point in 2023, representing more than 13% of the population. One effective solution to confront this harsh reality on the local level is community gardens, but specific effects of climatic changes like altered rainfall patterns are introducing new hurdles for many grassroots efforts dedicated to growing and producing healthy, fresh foods, according to research from the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Elizabeth Abati chose to pursue her graduate studies at UGA from among six competing universities because she wanted to work with CAES Professor Anna Scheyett supporting the Rural Georgia: Growing Stronger initiative. CAES News
CAES graduate student works with faculty mentor to support farmer well-being 02/24/25 Jo McLaughlin, Alena Salazar
The future of farming depends on the health and success of farmers. The public needs farmers and farmers need support from the public — it's a mutual relationship essential to the long-term health of agriculture and humanity. This is the principle that drew doctoral student Elizabeth Abati to the University of Georgia to advocate for farmer well-being alongside Anna Scheyett, a professor in UGA's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
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Upcoming Events

An exciting way to kick off the new school year, the CAES Alumni Association hosts Ag Dawg Kickoff to welcome students, faculty, and staff at the start of every fall semester. Attendees are provided with food, musical entertainment, and student club exhibits. The event allows students, faculty, and staff to interact and discover ways to get involved with activities offered by CAES. Are you a CAES alumni interested in volunteering at Ag Dawg Kickoff? Sign up to reserve your spot and get a free t-shirt!  
Aug 20
5:30PM - 7:30PM Ag Dawg Kickoff Livestock Arena, Athens, GA
This course will teach participants how to develop and document a food safety management program based on the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) for their specific operations.
Aug 25
08/25 1:00PM - 08/28 5:00PM Virtual Packinghouse HACCP
Join us for the Plant Synthetic Biology Symposium on August 26-28, 2025, at the University of Georgia Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. Registration cost is $150.
Aug 26
08/26 5:00PM - 08/28 12:00PM 2025 Plant Synthetic Biology Symposium Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries, Athens, GA
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