UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication

Big shoutout to Tyler Davies, AEC student and UF CALS student ambassador for Agriculture Future of America (AFA)!
 
Tyler traveled over summer to Raleigh-Durham, NC for the annual AFA Student Leader Meeting, hosted by BASF Agricultural Solutions US, which brought together student leaders from land-grant universities across the country to plan outreach and build momentum for AFA’s national Leaders Conference this November in Kansas City.
 
A Swipe-worthy moment: both UF and FAMU were represented on the student leader team this year! 🍊🐊
 
We love seeing our students build community, grow as leaders, and represent on a national stage. 
We are proud of you, Tyler!
 
 

🏆HUGE congrats to Dr. Ricky Telg!
Recently named an ACE Fellow, the highest honor from the Association for Communication Excellence.
30 years teaching. Countless students shaped. One legacy that speaks for itself.
His advice for the next generation of communicators?👇
“The best communicators approach their audience not as a demographic, but as human beings.”
We couldn’t be prouder 🧡💙
📲Full story at the link in our bio

🐊1909 Society 🐊

Since 1909, our department has been shaping leaders in ag education and communication.
Now you can help continue that legacy!

Give $19.09 or more annually and join a community of AEC alumni, faculty, staff and friends supporting scholarships, student internships and experiential learning opportunities 🎓🧡💙

Give today:
💳 UFGive.to/1909
📱follow the link in our bio
☎️ 1-877-351-2377

Questions about your contribution? Contact [email protected]

Connecting PEOPLE to agriculture and natural resources? Now that’s VERY chic 🧡💙

As UF is quickly becoming a leader in AI education and was recently announced as the top-ranked university in readiness assessment for the AI Across the Curriculum initiative, AEC is putting that leadership into practice— equipping students with hands-on experience.

Dr. Heather Young, AEC faculty member specializing in instructional development and agricultural and natural resources communication, tackles questions surrounding ethical AI usage in academia, and utilizing Enable-AI designation from the UF AI2 Center, allowing faculty to enhance their teaching and research.

“AI doesn’t replace human expertise. It elevates it. When faculty use AI as a collaborator to innovate and enhance their course materials, and students learn to critically evaluate, challenge, and improve AI-generated content, we prepare graduates not just to use AI but to work alongside it responsibly. The true impact of AI in education is not what AI can produce, but what people learn to do with it,” says Young.

In Young’s AEC 3033c: Research and Business Writing in Agricultural and Life Sciences, students get hands-on experience using AI-powered models. As an exemplary status course, it allows students to explore both the benefits and shortcomings of AI while creating the kinds of documents employers and graduate programs expect.

Turns out you don’t need a green thumb to understand a garden — just curiosity, a magazine, and a good scavenger hunt! ☀️

Rising senior Abigail is pursuing her B.A. in Environmental Science and a minor in ANR Communication— and this summer, she was able to combine the two of her passions into one incredible experience

As a 4-H/ Horticulture Intern with UF/IFAS Lake County Extension, Abigail led environmental learning sessions through scavenger hunts and collage making during the City of Mascotte summer camps, drawing on audience accessibility and communication strategies developed in Agricultural and Natural Resource Communication coursework

“My favorite memory from this experience was enjoying a group hug initiated by the kids upon my departure. They were grateful to have someone who helped them learn more about the world in a meaningful way. I felt the same about them,” said Abigail

Nothing beats a summer spent building community and growing future environmentalists 🌱✨