Message from the Department Head
Welcome to ALEC!
We are glad you’re here! ALEC is short for the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications. In ALEC, you will find outstanding students, world-class faculty, and supportive staff. The work we do in ALEC provides expertise to the world’s most pressing issues by offering knowledge, understanding, and research to the human dimension of these issues. We prepare leaders, educators, and communicators to go out into their communities and provide “Real. Life. Solutions.” to issues surrounding food, agriculture, and the environment.
While other departments may prepare food safety specialists, animal nutritionists, foresters, or water quality specialists, we prepare the communicators to translate their science to the public, the extension educators to educate the public on new innovations and science, the leaders to advocate for timely policy and shape organizations for future needs, and the educators to prepare the next generation of a food and environment-focused workforce.
We offer a variety of educational opportunities at the undergraduate and graduate levels, both online and in person. Please make your way through our website to discover all we have to offer.
Whether you’re a current or prospective student, industry partner, collaborator, or program participant, we want to serve you. Please reach out and connect with us. We look forward to working with you to create positive change for the future.
Go Vols!
Joy Rumble
Professor and Department Head
Our Mission
To serve Tennesseans, our nation, and the world by: Equipping current and future generations of educators, leaders, and communicators through agriculture; establishing strategic partnerships with communities and industry; seeking solutions through scholarship; and developing and delivering innovative outreach and Extension programs that deliver Real. Life. Solutions.
Our Vision
To be a premier social science department that aids society in meeting the grand challenges facing food, agriculture, natural resource, and human sciences.
