Estepp in Ag Education Selected for National LEAD21 Leadership Program

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Chris Estepp is associate professor of agricultural education in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

Chris Estepp, associate professor of agricultural education, has been selected to participate in the national LEAD21 program for 2022-23.

LEAD21 - Leadership Development for the 21st Century: Linking research, academics and extension, developing leaders at land-grant institutions and their strategic partners who link research, academics and extension to be more effective in increasingly complex environments.

Estepp is a member of the faculty in the Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology in U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

The 12-month development program includes three sessions linking and building on each other, along with self-guided learning experiences between sessions. Each session lasts several days, with programs in June in Chicago, in October in Denver and next February in Washington, D.C.

"I am excited to be able to take part in the LEAD 21 program," Estepp said. "It is a great opportunity to develop and hone leadership skills, as well as become part of a network of leaders within food, agricultural and natural sciences."

The goal of the program is to enhance application of skills and knowledge learned in nine leadership competencies; develop a peer leadership network to enhance personal leadership practice, collaboration and diversity of perspective, and develop and implement an individual leadership development process.

"This is a well-deserved recognition for Dr. Estepp," said George Wardlow, head of the Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology. "He is an excellent faculty member, and I fully support his selection to this prestigious leadership development program."

LEAD21 emphasizes four core leadership competencies: communicating effectively, managing conflict, leading change and fostering collaboration. Secondary competencies are leading with integrity and values, developing self and others, valuing diversity, and developing a deeper knowledge and appreciation of higher education.

He was nominated for the program by Bumpers College Dean Deacue Fields, who completed the program in 2013.

Estepp earned his bachelor's in animal science and his master's in agricultural education from Texas A&M University, and his Ph.D. in agricultural education from the University of Florida. He received the Educator Award from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture in 2018 and the Non-land-grant Agriculture and Renewable Resources Universities Distinguished Young Educator Award in 2016. NARRU is a division of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the top 3% of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.