COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (May 24, 2005) — A Tennessee Tech University agriculture student from McMinnville has been named the Outstanding Ag and Human Ecology Ambassador for 2004-05.

Justin Collier, who has concentrations in nursery and landscape management and horticulture, received the honor at TTU’s recent Agriculture Awards Banquet, where Dean Donald Elkins presented him with an engraved plaque and a $500 cash award.

A primary purpose of the Ag/HEC Ambassadors Program is to assist TTU’s College of Agriculture and Human Ecology with student recruitment and public relations efforts, said Elkins, who serves as adviser to the program.

“Justin began his work in recruiting and public relations even before he was officially an Ag/HEC Ambassador by speaking to several groups of new students and their parents during the summer 2004 student orientation and registration sessions,” he said.

As an ambassador, Collier made recruitment visits to seven different high schools, where he presented information about TTU, the College of Agriculture and Human Ecology and career opportunities available to Ag/HEC graduates.

He also officially welcomed several groups of prestigious campus visitors; wrote, e-mailed and called a number of prospective students; gave campus and farm tours to several visiting individuals and small groups; and participated in LEAD 2005, an ambassador leadership conference held in February at the University of Georgia in Athens.

“The recruiting and other activities have allowed me to share my love for the college with many people,” Collier said. “I’ve met more new people and made more friends than I could have possibly imagined. Having had the opportunity to serve as an Ag/HEC Ambassador has been an honor and will definitely go down as one of the most memorable and exciting experiences during my time at TTU.”

--Tracey LeFevre
This information posted 24 May 2005