At the 71st annual conference of the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA), nineteen faculty and graduate students from the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) were recognized for their excellence in teaching.
“I am proud to work with such a talented and dedicated group of teachers who are being recognized for their outstanding commitment to our students,” said CALS Dean Kati Migliaccio. “Their relentless pursuit of teaching excellence makes a difference in our students, and in turn, shaping the future of our communities and industries.”
CALS faculty and graduate students were honored in the following four categories:
NACTA Educator Award
The NACTA Educator Award recognizes individuals characterized by their efforts that are among the best in agricultural higher education.
- Megan Cantrell, lecturer, Department of Agricultural Education and Communication
- Dave Diehl, associate professor, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences
- Jessie Fernandez Garcia, assistant professor, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science
- Kate Fogarty, associate professor, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences
- Carla Jagger, assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Education and Communication
- Bachir Kassas, assistant professor, Department of Food and Resource Economics
- John Lai, assistant professor, Department of Food and Resource Economics
NACTA Graduate Student Teaching Award
The NACTA Graduate Student Teaching Award acknowledges students who demonstrate excellence as teachers and those who are active participants in classroom instruction in the agricultural disciplines.
- Caroline Barnett, doctoral student, agricultural education and communication
- Rachel Biderman, doctoral student, agricultural education and communication
- Josie Bryan, doctoral student, youth development and community sciences
- Grace Carapezza, doctoral student, plant medicine
- Cassie Goff, doctoral student, agricultural education and communication
- Lameace Hussain, doctoral student, wildlife ecology and conservation
- Jessica Switzer, doctoral student, agricultural education and communication
- Erin Vines, doctoral student, youth development and community sciences
NACTA Teaching Scholar Award
The NACTA Teaching Scholar Award recognizes an individual representing a significant commitment to NACTA and a teaching impact that extends outside of their campus.
- Jamie Loizzo, associate professor, Department of Agricultural Education and Communication
NACTA Excellence in Teaching and Learning with Technology Award
The NACTA Excellence in Teaching and Learning with Technology Award acknowledges an individual’s academic excellence in utilizing technology to improve instruction in agricultural disciplines.
- Georgette Kluiters, instructional assistant professor, Department of Entomology and Nematology
NACTA Jack Everly Journal Award
The NACTA Jack Everly Journal Award is a peer-review article award recognizing a top peer-review publication of the year in agriculture and related sciences. The 2025 award recognized five authors including a UF faculty member and postdoctoral associate.
- Pablo Lamino, assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Education and Communication
- Shisbeth Tabora Sarmiento, postdoctoral associate, Department of Environmental and Global Health
According to its website, NACTA is a professional society that focuses on the scholarship of teaching and learning agriculture and related disciplines at the postsecondary level, either at two year or four-year public and private colleges.
The conference was held from June 2-6, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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