Contact: Kenneth Billings
STARKVILLE, Miss.--The National Future Farmers of America is honoring the careers of Interim Mississippi State President Vance Watson and Kirk A. Swortzel, an associate professor of agricultural information science and education at the university.
The Indianapolis, Ind.-based organization recently announced that the two are selections for its 2008 Honorary American FFA Degree. Given annually, the major tribute recognizes individuals "who have gone beyond the valuable daily contributions to make an extraordinary difference in the lives of students and worked to advance agricultural education and FFA through outstanding personal commitment."
FFA was founded in 1928 by teachers, students and agribusiness leaders to work for the support of agricultural education. Today, the student organization involves more than 500,000 members spread among 7,300 local chapters in the 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
A 42-year teaching and administrative veteran at Mississippi State, Watson was named interim leader earlier this year. Previously, the university alumnus served as vice president for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine, director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He also was director of MSU Extension and Outreach.
Swortzel, active in state FFA activities and programs, came to MSU in 2001 and was promoted to associate professor in 2003. An Ohio State University doctoral graduate, he received the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture's 2007 Teaching Fellow Award for outstanding contributions to the professional field.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.