FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A graduate student and several faculty members from the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Science's Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology earned awards at the recent Southern Region American Association of Agricultural Education meeting in Jacksonville, Florida.

Haley Hensley, a master's degree student in agricultural and extension education, teamed with department head George Wardlow, associate professor Don Edgar, University Professor Donna L. Graham, professor Don Johnson and associate professor Kate Shoulders to win the AAAE Southern Region Distinguished Research Poster Presentation competition.

Their research and presentation was "Teaching Enhancement Through Agricultural Laboratories Workshop: Effects on Self-Efficacy and Intent to Teaching Agricultural Sciences."

In addition, three faculty members were recognized with AAAE career awards.

Johnson received the Outstanding Agricultural Educator Award, Shoulders was named the Outstanding Young Member and professor Leslie Edgar won the Distinguished Research Award.

AAAE is the national society for social science scholarship in food, agriculture and natural resources, and seeks discovery and exchange of evidence-based solutions for social science challenges in agriculture and related sciences.

 About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.