Outstanding Engagement Award

The Purpose of the Board on Health and Human Sciences Outstanding Engagement Award is to recognize an individual who is a “campus based” or a “state level faculty member” for exceptional creativity and scholarship in the development, application, and evaluation of outreach, extension, and public service programs.

Eligibility and Nominations

Eligibility for the Outstanding Engagement Award shall be limited to faculty members who have been employed in a BHHS member institution for at least three (3) years. The nominee must have at least 30 percent of their EFT/FTE dedicated to public service, outreach and/or extension programs (Administrative appointments in these areas do not qualify a nominee). Each college and university with active BHHS membership is eligible to nominate one person for this outreach award. Former recipients of the Outstanding Engagement Award are ineligible for this award. The award will be presented at the Board on Health and Human Sciences annual Spring Meeting. The award winner must be able to attend the meeting and speak to the organization.

Procedure

Each college and university shall implement its own procedure for identifying qualified applicants. Following a review of potential candidates, each BHHS member institution will nominate only ONE candidate for the BHHS Outstanding Engagement Award.

The Nomination Dossier for this award shall be submitted electronically to bhhs@aplu.org as a single PDF document that includes:

1. a nomination letter detailing the candidate’s outstanding achievements and outcomes (impacts) in the areas of public service, extension and outreach presented in two pages or less;
2. the nominee’s curriculum vita;
3. a detailed account of the nominee’s EFT /FTE allocation for the past three years showing that the faculty member has invested at least 30% of his/her appointment in community engagement related programs and/or projects (e.g., Extension programs, outreach projects, community-based service-learning, integrated grants, and community-based applied research/evaluation); and,
4. up to three excerpts of relevant supporting materials. Examples of supporting materials include: journal articles, manuals, curricula, DVD’s and media, papers presented, books and others as deemed appropriate.

Applications for 2025 BHHS awards are due no later than October 1, 2025.

Outstanding Engagement Award Recipients

2024
Elizabeth Weybright

Washington State University

Associate Professor and Adolescent Extension Specialist

2023
Elaine Johannes

Kansas State University

Associate Professor and Extension Specialist
Department of Applied Human Sciences

2022
Holly Hatton-
Bowers​

University of
Nebraska-Lincoln

Associate Professor
College of Education and
Human Sciences​

2021
Kate Thornton

Auburn University

Director
Office of Global Education,
College of Human Sciences

2020
Ronald B. Cox Jr.

Oklahoma State University

Professor and Cooperative
Extension State Specialist
College of Human Sciences

2019
Julie Garden-
Robinson

North Dakota State
University

Food Safety and
Nutrition Specialist

2018
Judy A. Harrison

University of Georgia

Professor and Extension
Foods Specialist
College of Family and
Consumer Sciences

2017
Marlene Stum

University of Minnesota

Professor and Extension
Specialist
College of Education
and Human Development

2016
Francesca
Adler-Baeder 

Auburn University 

Professor and Extension
Specialist
College of Human Sciences 

2015
Stephen Ball 

University of Missouri 

State Specialist and
Associate Professor
College of Human
Environmental Sciences 

2014
David Riley 

University of Wisconsin,
Madison 

Professor, Human Development and Family Studies  
UW-Extension, Cooperative
Extension 

2013
Kimberly Greder 

Iowa State University 

Associate Professor and Family Life Extension and Program Outreach Specialist  
Human Development and
Family Studies 

2012
Lynne Borden 

The University of Arizona 

Thomas W. Warne
Professor of Excellence in Youth Development  

Extension Specialist and
Director, Arizona Center
for Research and Outreach 

2011
Elizabeth Carroll 

East Carolina University

Professor 
College of Human Ecology  

2010
Pat Kendall 

Colorado State University 

Professor 
Department of Food Science
and Human Nutrition  

2009
Mary H. Yearns 

Iowa State University 

Professor and Extension
Housing Specialist   
Department of Human
Development and Family
Studies 

2008
Karen P.
Bogenschneider 

University of Wisconsin,
Madison 

Professor
School of Human Ecology 

2007
Elizabeth Andress 

University of Georgia 

Professor 
Foods and Nutrition,
and Extension Food Safety Specialist 

2006
Joseph Laquatra  

Cornell University  

Professor 
Department of Design and
Environmental Analysis