Ut Prosim Excellence in Service Award
Each year, the CALS Faculty Association (CALSFA) will recognize a faculty member that has demonstrated excellence in service to their unit, CALS, and Virginia Tech.
Eligibility
Full-time tenured/tenure track, non-tenure track, and administrative & professional faculty members whose primary affiliation is within CALS.
Nomination Process
Each unit within CALS will have the opportunity to nominate one individual per year. Nominations will be solicited by CALSFA, with applications due by June 1st. Nomination packets and any questions should be submitted via email to the CALSFA Vice-President (see officers under ‘Representation’ button or https://www.cals.vt.edu/faculty-staff/calsfa/representation.html).
Nominations will be considered for two (2) years. Nominees may reapply if not selected during this two-year period.
Evaluation Process and Award:
The nominations will be reviewed and voted on by the CALSFA officers and by the award recipient from the prior year. The winning nominee will receive recognition at the CALS annual picnic, a commemorative Faculty Excellence in Service Award plaque, and a monetary award of $1,000 that is supported by the CALSFA and the Dean’s office.
Ozzie Abaye
Abaye, a professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences,
has conducted or been involved with including her seed training, silage and mung bean programs in Senegal. She also has extensive service to students including her work with Agronomy Club, crops judging teams, and student service-learning projects.
The School of Plant and Environmental Sciences had an opportunity to work with the Southwest Virginia Science Museum and Abaye saw an opportunity. She organized a renovation of the space and created a “World Crops Education Center.”
This center will serve as a resource for teaching the public more about agriculture and what we are doing to maintain a healthy environment and sustainable food production system. The center will also serve as a resource for K-12 teachers to bring students on experiential learning field trips.
Dan Eversole
Eversole is an outstanding educator and an unselfish faculty member who contributes extensively to departmental leadership and serves in a myriad of capacities to organize and lead efforts with our outlying assets on Plantation Road and at Kentland. Eversole worked hard during the transition of the dairy to Kentland and currently serves on the phase II dairy and phase I livestock committees. He also helps make the Ag Tech and Governor’s school programs successful, either through facilitating educators or participating in those programs directly.
Eversole is a pillar of the livestock programs at the state fair and leads efforts at the annual national judging contest held at the International Livestock Exhibition in Louisville. Eversole has also served as a board member of the American-International Charolais Association, which just recognized Virginia Tech as the Seedstock Producer of the Year in 2017.
In the process of creating such a remarkable reputation as an educator and advocate for aspiring youth in agriculture, Eversole has amassed an impressive record of service to his colleagues in the department, in the college and across campus.