Message from Department Head

Message from the Department Head
Fall, 2022

 

Dear ALEC Students, Faculty, Alumni, and Friends,

Welcome to Fall, 2022! As the Dawgs return to Sanford Stadium to defend the National Championship, the ALEC Department and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will begin another year in pursuit of continued, and elevated excellence. This begins my second year as ALEC Department Head, and I am excited to take things to the next level. We will be looking at ways to update our academic programs. We are developing new opportunities to help our graduates be career-ready, and distinguished fro the competition. We are incredibly proud of the quality of ALEC classes and teaching, and are committed to creating even more high-impact course-related experiences with you. Increasingly, our graduates need research and data analysis skills; the ability to work in face-to-face, virtual, and hybrid teams; experience applying theory and research findings to real-world problems; inspirational speaking and critical listening skills; leadership competence- and more. Your ALEC major is delivering, and always working on new and innovative methods for doing so.

In department meetings, I continue to ask ALEC faculty and staff to stretch their comfort zones and seek positive change. I encourage the extended ALEC family to do the same. ALEC students, drop by the professors office hours and let's get to know each other. Exchange numbers with a classmate and start a study or informal support group. Take the lead in ACT, Collegiate FFA, or Collegiate 4-H and suggest an activity. Come to Ag Dawg on August 24. Help a first year student. This year, seek out something new that will introduce a new layer of relationships, information, and thinking to your experience.

Alumni and stakeholders, please do the same. Think outside the box about ways that you might bring an innovative idea or vexing problem to ALEC. What's happening in your world that we should know about- a challenge that a creative and well-prepared graduate could help you solve? A communication, training, or leadership plan or problem that an ALEC researcher or extension specialist could assist with? I hope that 2022-23 will be the year of revitalized partnerships. We have facilities and bright minds in Athens and Tifton poised to collaborate with you.

 

 

 

Cordially,

Jennifer H. Waldeck, Ph.D.

Jennifer H Waldeck Professor and Department Head