Portage Times

An expert in community leadership, a food scientist, a retired associate dean and a retired associate vice president of Agricultural Administration were honored this month for their research, teaching and service to The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).

Mary Rodriguez, assistant professor of agricultural communication, education and leadership; Mary Kay Pohlschneider, senior lecturer in the CFAES Department of Food Science and Technology; Steve Neal, retired associate dean, and director of CFAES academic programs; and David Benfield, retired associate vice president of Agricultural Administration, director of the CFAES Wooster Campus, and associate director, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, were honored Nov. 6 by the Washington, D.C.-based research, policy, and advocacy organization.

• Rodriguez was awarded the 2022 Excellence in College and University Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences, receiving best early-career teacher honors. The award also includes a $2,000 cash award.
• Pohlschneider was awarded the 2022 National Teaching and Student Engagement award, which “celebrates university faculty for their use of innovative teaching methods and service to students.”
• Neal was recognized with an Outstanding Service Recognition of Contribution to the Academic Programs plaque, for his “valuable leadership and distinguished service to the education of students in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences.”
• Benfield was awarded the 2022 Experiment Station Section Excellence in Leadership Award, given to, “those who have personified the highest level of excellence by enhancing the cause and performance of the Regional Associations and Experiment Station Section in achieving their missions and the land-grant ideal.”

“Our college strives to advance industry, advance science, advance knowledge, and most importantly advance people,” said Cathann A. Kress, Ohio State’s vice president for agricultural administration and dean of CFAES. “We strive to address grand challenges facing humanity and our world through discovery and research, education, partnership– but mostly– at CFAES, we sustain life through the persistent efforts of each one of our people.

“The persistent efforts of Drs. Rodriguez, Pohlschneider, Neal and Benfield showcase our college’s commitment to scholarship across our three mission areas of teaching, research, and Extension. On behalf of the college, I want to congratulate them on these well-deserved honors, and thank them for their service, dedication, and ability to not only build solutions but also relationships that help us fulfill our purpose: we sustain life.”

The awards were presented during the APLU annual meeting this month.

Original source can be found here