Dickinson Awarded Honorary FFA Degree

Rachelle Baily, national secretary of the FFA,
congratulates Tom Dickinson in Kansas City.
(National FFA photo)

Professional Achievement Honors are awarded to faculty who have distinguished themselves by their excellent research, publications, funded projects, international recognition, or for creative work in any area of their professional lives. Roy Crosbie, Computer Science, Tom Fahey, Physical Education, and Julie Indvik, Management, were awarded the PAH for 1997-98. The three were honored at a Graduate and Sponsored Programs dinner on January 22, 1998.

Tom Dickinson, dean of the College of Agriculture, was awarded the highest degree a Future Farmers of America (FFA) member, teacher, or supporter can achieve. The honorary degree, given for outstanding contributions to agricultural education was presented at the National FFA Convention in Kansas City in November. Only five of the honorary degrees to supporters were awarded to Californians.

Dickinson works closely with Northern California high school agriculture programs, supporting the work of teachers and students and providing a link to agriculture education at the university level. The College of Agriculture hosts the FFA Regional Conventions in the fall and spring, and Dickinson addresses the group. He also recently served as the CSU representative to a focus group created by State Superintendent of Schools Delaine Eastin. The charge of the group was to review and evaluate the delivery of agricultural education for grades k-14 in California.

To Dickinson, the award was both surprising and deeply gratifying. "To have my work recognized at a national level by FFA leaders is a great honor. It is the most prestigious award I have ever received."