Xumin Zhang, Instructional Assistant Professor in the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department, received the 2026 Outstanding Teaching of a Course Award from the Southern Agricultural Economics Association (SAEA) during their annual meeting in Louisville, Kentucky.
“After several years of teaching, I am excited to receive this recognition,” Dr. Zhang states. “It reinforces my commitment to excellence in education and motivates me to continue providing students with practical insights and applications of economic and agribusiness concepts that are vital for their professional growth and future careers.”
The purpose of the award is to recognize distinguished contributions of individuals to the profession of agricultural economics. Dr. Zhang received this award for his course AEB2284 -How Do We End Poverty?
This Quest 2 course allows students to think critically about different ways to end poverty in other parts of the world. Quest 2 courses are open to all majors, as it is a requirement for students admitted as freshmen. These courses make students think about global issues and give students the opportunity to explore different majors.
“This course offers a comprehensive exploration of the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of poverty reduction and sustainable development,” Zhang said. “Students not only engage critically with current poverty-related issues but also develop and propose innovative solutions tailored to specific regions of their choice, empowering them to make a difference.”
In addition to analyzing readings that examine the economics of poverty, Zhang makes this course engaging and impactful to students by incorporating experimental learning activities for students to participate in throughout the semester, both inside and outside of the classroom. For example, students would volunteer at Bread of the Mighty Food Bank in Gainesville, Florida and write reflections on their experience. Each assignment allows students to build upon a holistic understanding on poverty issues. Throughout the course, students will develop a Youth Ending Poverty (YEP) project. Working together as a team, students are encouraged to choose a topic that interests them and come up with proposed solutions. By aligning their projects with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, students engage in meaningful learning that resonates with real-world challenges. The culmination of the YEP project is a poster symposium session where students have the opportunity to showcase the innovative ideas they have developed.
“My favorite part of the course is the Youth Ending Poverty (YEP) project,” Zhang said. “This initiative encourages students to dive deep into a specific poverty-related issue, evaluate existing programs, and propose innovative solutions.”
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