The National Association of Agricultural Educators has granted its 2024 Outstanding Postsecondary Agriculture Program Award to the agricultural education concentration, part of the Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications program in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Urbana-Champaign. The award was presented during the 2024 NAAE Convention, December 3-7, in San Antonio.

The NAAE Outstanding Postsecondary Agriculture Program Award honors postsecondary institutions, farm business management programs, full-time young farmer, and adult agricultural education programs who are strengthening the future of agriculture one student or adult at a time.

The College of ACES offers an interdisciplinary agricultural education program that cultivates future leaders and educators through experiential learning and flexible coursework. With a focus on integrating science and agricultural industry perspectives, students engage in hands-on experiences, including state-wide agricultural visits. The program prepares graduates for teaching roles, emphasizing leadership and communication skills. Additionally, it partners with various organizations to enhance learning and community outreach. The program includes an online master’s degree for provisionally certified teachers, reinforcing its commitment to meeting educational needs in Illinois.

"We're very excited to have earned this recognition from NAAE. We are proud to prepare future leaders in agricultural education with our intensive, hands-on training. It is a joy to see our graduates impacting young people and helping them develop passions and real-world skills that will help them succeed in the agricultural workforce," said Gary Ochs, instructor in the program.   

NAAE, headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, is the professional organization for agricultural educators with over 9,000 members nationwide. The organization advocates for agricultural education, provides advancement through professional development for agricultural educators, and works to recruit and retain agricultural educators in the profession. NAAE offers a variety of programs and services to support this three-pronged mission. The mission of NAAE is “professionals providing agricultural education for the global community through visionary leadership, advocacy and service.”