UTM Family and Consumer Sciences

Some of the FCS faculty treated Mrs. Kimberly Barnett Stone to lunch and celebrated her receiving her (first) Masters degree. Congratulations Kim!!

The UT Martin Child & Family Grants Program welcomes Ms. Jerrica Lamb Aguilar as it’s new director. In this role she will oversee the UTM Infant Stimulation Program, Healthy Families TN - UT Martin, and Parents as Teachers UT Martin. This Martin native is currently finishing up a doctoral degree and is excited to oversee this program that provides services to families across NWTN. The UTM Child & Family Grants program is a division of the UTM Family and Consumer Sciences Department.

It’s World Elephant Day. UTM in Kenya scholars get up close and personal with orphaned elephants and view hundreds of wild elephants on safari.
Recruiting for the 2027 trip is coming soon! Contact Dr Keith Dooley at [email protected] for details.

What have the Skyhawk Aggie students been doing this summer? Lexi O’Neal (BSFCS Child & Family Studies, December 2026) – Interned at The Whole Person (Kansas City, MO) – nonprofit organization connecting deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals with community resources.

UTM Family and Consumer Sciences

Congratulations to Lindsey Hendron and Amelia Reuter on passing their RD exam.

NORTHWEST TENNESSEE Food Network Seeks Ambassador to Transform School Meals....

The Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network (NWTN LFN) is seeking one passionate, full-time C.H.E.F. (Children’s Health through Education and Food) Ambassador to help revolutionize school food and inspire the next generation of healthy eaters across Northwest Tennessee.

This unique opportunity is part of a two-year USDA Farm to School grant initiative that brings together five forward-thinking school districts: Carroll County, Crockett County, Milan Special School District, Trenton Special School District, and Lake County School District, with regional food partners including Bell Family Farm, Blackberry Pond Farm, and Stockyard Market.

More than a chef position, this is an opportunity to become a catalyst for change.

From August 2026 through June 2028, two C.H.E.F. Ambassadors will work directly in schools, transforming cafeterias into hubs of creativity, nutrition, and culinary excellence. Through hands-on collaboration with school nutrition teams, Ambassadors will introduce scratch-cooking techniques, develop student-approved recipes featuring fresh local ingredients, and lead engaging Culinary Labs that connect students with food in meaningful ways.

Imagine teaching children the seasonality of locally grown vegetables, helping cafeteria teams prepare fresh meals from scratch, and watching students discover new foods they never thought they would enjoy. Every day offers the chance to create healthier school environments while leaving a lasting impact on thousands of students.

The C.H.E.F. Program combines culinary arts, nutrition education, and farm-to-school innovation to make healthy food both accessible and exciting. Ambassadors will work alongside school nutrition professionals, educators, farmers, and community leaders to build a stronger local food system while elevating the quality of school meals.

Ideal candidates are culinary professionals who:

Have a passion for cooking and food education
Enjoy mentoring and training others
Thrive in collaborative, community-focused environments
Believe every child deserves access to fresh, nutritious, delicious meals
Want their culinary skills to make a meaningful difference beyond the restaurant kitchen
If you’re ready to use your talents to shape healthier futures, inspire young minds, and help transform school nutrition across Northwest Tennessee, we encourage you to apply.
Join the movement. Inspire healthy habits. Elevate school food. Become a C.H.E.F. Ambassador.
For more information and application details, contact the Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network or learn more and apply by visiting nwtnlfn.org/jobs.

Photo: Last year Chef Keir Hadley, middle, worked in all Weakley County elementary schools offering side-by-side training with staff, culinary labs with 4th graders, and improved menu items.

What are the Skyhawk Aggie students doing this summer? Shamarr Martin (Gerontology) is a 4-H/Family & Consumer Science intern with UT TSU Extension - Madison Co.

What are the Skyhawk Aggie students doing this summer? Josh Herron (Child & Family Studies) is a 4-H/Family & Consumer Science intern with UT TSU Extension - Madison Co.

UTM Family and Consumer Sciences

The UTM Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) program has been at UT Martin since it became UT Junior College in 1927. The Home Economics Building, now known as the Holland McCombs Center, was the first building constructed by the University of Tennessee after purchasing the Hall-Moody campus and adjacent Woodley Farm. The building served primarily as classrooms and offices for the Home Economics Department (now FCS) from its completion in 1929 into the 1970's. FCS is now housed in Gooch Hall next door.

The building fell into disrepair in the early 1980's, but with a $100,000 donation from Holland McCombs the structure was remodeled and renamed in his honor. It reopened in 1986. The Honors Program now operates in the building. It also contains an apartment upstairs for university guests.

What are the Skyhawk Aggie students doing this summer? Jenna White (Fashion Merchandising) is a NextGEN intern at Simon Says, a men’s clothing store in Nashville. She is learning a lot about customer service, backstock & floor organization, inventory system and process, stylist interactions, advertising & marketing. Jenna is scheduled to finish her degree at the end of the summer.

Part of Jenna’s internship living expenses are supported by a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, NextGEN grant 2023-7044-40157 awarded to UT Martin through the Tennessee State University College of Agriculture.

UTM Family and Consumer Sciences