By Blake Jackson
Three faculty members from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have been honored with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2024 National Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences. These awards acknowledge excellence in teaching, innovative methods, and impactful outreach within the agricultural sciences field.
The recipients include Dr. Michael Mashtare Jr., assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering; Dr. Margaret Hoffman, assistant professor and program coordinator for the landscape contracting major; and Dr. Claudia Schmidt, assistant professor specializing in marketing and local/regional food systems. The awards were presented during the annual meeting of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities in November.
“We applaud Drs. Mashtare and Hoffman for their exceptional creativity, passion and dedication to teaching and student engagement,” said Tracy Hoover, associate dean for undergraduate education. “Their recognition reflects their impact as role models and educators. We also thank Dr. Schmidt for advancing our understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing agricultural producers and processors. Together, they exemplify the power of outstanding instruction and leadership.”
Dr. Mashtare, one of only two educators nationwide to receive the prestigious National Teaching Award, joined Penn State’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering in 2020. He teaches courses in soil and water management, environmental analysis, waste disposal, research methods, and technical communication, and he leads a service-learning capstone course. Before joining Penn State, Dr. Mashtare was an assistant professor in agronomy and environmental engineering at Purdue University.
Dr. Hoffman coordinates Penn State’s landscape contracting major and integrates hands-on learning into her teaching, fostering strong industry connections for students.
Dr. Schmidt focuses on marketing and the challenges and opportunities within local and regional food systems. Her work emphasizes the importance of understanding market trends to support agricultural producers and processors.
The awards highlight the commitment of educators who innovate in the classroom, connect with students, and contribute to the broader agricultural community through impactful outreach and extension services. These faculty members exemplify leadership and dedication in advancing agricultural education.
Photo Credit: purdue-university
Categories: Pennsylvania, Education