Written by Jordan Richardson, ALEC Senior
Graduate students in the Department of Agricultural Education, Leadership, and Communications (ALEC) recently received financial awards through the Herbert College of Agriculture to help them in their academic careers. Ashley Hillard received the Connie and Robert Strong Excellence Endowment, and Cody Osborne received the Earl and Mary W. Dunlap Memorial Agricultural Endowment.
Ashley Hillard is the third recipient of the Connie and Robert Strong Excellence Endowment. This endowment is funded by Robert L. Strong, Jr. and his wife Jennifer Strong, both associate professors at Texas A&M University, in honor of his parents Connie and Robert. Hillard is in her second year of the ALEC master’s program and will graduate this fall. She also completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Tennessee, with a bachelor’s degree in food and agribusiness management.
Hillard grew up on a family farm in West Tennessee and said she has always had a passion for agriculture. “With my degree, I hope to educate more people on the benefits of agriculture and work towards making the world a better place. With the help of financial aid and scholarships, I get to attend a university where it isn’t just about books and assignments. I have made lifelong friends and found resources that have guided me through the past six years of college. Rocky Top will always be home sweet home to me!” said Hillard.
Cody Osborne received the Earl and Mary W. Dunlap Memorial Agricultural Endowment. This award is among the highest graduate scholarships offered through Herbert College of Agriculture. It is awarded to students from the state of Tennessee who demonstrate strong character.
Osborne is pursuing his master’s degree in ALEC through the job-embedded agricultural education program under Dr. Tyler Granberry, an Assistant Professor in ALEC. Osborne is an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Johnson County High School. He teaches agricultural science and agricultural mechanics, which is offered as a dual enrollment course with Northeast State Community College. He also teaches a Kubota Tech certification within the agriculture mechanics class. Osborne plans to graduate from the ALEC program next spring.
Osborne plans on continuing his teaching career at Johnson County High School for the foreseeable future. He was born and raised in Johnson County, Tennessee, and graduated from Johnson County High School in 2005. Osborne, his wife Hannah, and their two sons love everything outdoors and cheering on the Tennessee Volunteers.
When asked what receiving this award means to him, he replied, “Receiving the award is a great honor in my academic journey. This recognition reaffirms my dedication to advancing agricultural education in our high school and to securing the future of the next generation of agricultural teachers. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and look forward to contributing to the field in ways that align with the legacy of Earl and Mary W. Dunlap.” The ALEC department is proud of Hillard and Osborne for success and recognition in their graduate program, and we are thankful to the donors for providing financial support to our students.
