A Legacy of Leadership
Thursday, April 25, 2024
For over a decade, Dr. Robert Terry, Jr. has steered the Oklahoma State University Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Leadership with a steady hand and unwavering commitment to empowering future leaders. Now, as he prepares to pass the torch to the next department head, Dr. Terry reflects on his tenure with pride and looks ahead to the next chapter of his esteemed career.
Dr. Terry earned his B.S. and M.S. in agricultural education from Oklahoma State University in 1984 and 1988 respectively. In 1990, he earned his Ph.D. in agricultural education from Texas A&M University. He has served as department head since 2010. Under his guidance, the department has flourished with a collaborative team of faculty committed to positively impacting students.
"We have a group of people who work together well and enjoy each other," Terry reflected. "They are terrific scholars, but I think first and foremost, they love working with students and are making a positive impact."
As Terry transitions to a 75% teaching and 25% research role, he looks forward to reconnecting more with students. "The classroom is kind of like a sanctuary," he said. "I just think it's so important to stay connected with students."
In his new role, Dr. Terry is focusing on supporting traditional and non-traditional agricultural educators. Regarding alternative certification, he said, "Our resources and expertise can be packaged in a way that can help them do their job better and be more successful."
One of Dr. Terry's proudest accomplishments was establishing the student teacher assistance scholarship program to help aspiring agricultural educators offset expenses during student teaching. What began as one donor's vision has grown into a $1 million endowment supporting every student teacher.
To his faculty colleagues, Dr. Terry Shares a message of unity. "There are a lot of good things happening here. They don't happen without hard work or without you intentionally trying to build relationships and work together."
With a legacy of leadership, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to students, Dr. Terry will undoubtedly continue to shape future generations of agricultural educators and leaders at OSU.