Frank Flanders recipient of ABAC student engagement award

TIFTON — Frank Flanders recently received the 2022 W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray Donaldson Excellence in Student Engagement award at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Flanders is an associate professor in the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

A faculty member at ABAC since 2017, Flanders earned Ph.D. and master of science degrees in Agricultural Education and a bachelor of science degree in Agriculture from the University of Georgia.

The spirit and purpose of this award is to publicly recognize one faculty member each year who engages in meaningful and creative ways with students at ABAC. Flanders became the sixth recipient of the award.

This award celebrates and rewards faculty who excel in mentoring students through interdisciplinary collaborations, innovative projects, internship opportunities, undergraduate research or other academic enrichment experiences that engage students actively in the learning process.

A former student shared that Flanders “is constantly looking for new ways to provide benefits to his students. By staying in close contact with his colleagues, he always has an opportunity for you to engage, no matter where your interests are honed.”

Flanders’ department head said, “He continually tells me ‘I have an idea … not that we need more to do, but I think we will have students interested, and it will be a great learning opportunity.’

“Thanks to Dr. Flanders, we have had students representing ABAC and the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Washington and at other national events within our discipline this year alone.”

Flanders has engaged his students by arranging tours of the plant production site at Walt Disney World, organizing student-led succulent dish garden and floral management courses for the community, and utilizing his students’ newly learned skills to provide decorative table arrangements for An Evening for ABAC and the Rodeo Club Reunion.

Students in one class were encouraged to submit designs in the Tifton Garden Club Spring Show in 2022. Three of his students have represented ABAC at the First Lady Luncheon in Washington, D.C., learning and preparing arrangements alongside leaders in the floral design industry.

One of Flanders’ peers stated, “These real-world experiences build students’ confidence and challenge them to be involved in educational outreach activities and service to the greater Tifton community. This is vital in promoting professional development while helping students grow and enhance their professional networks.”

Flanders’ efforts to involve students in the set-up and judging of career development events at the national convention level led to contact with and recruitment of a student from Indiana.

She said, “Since I started my academic career at ABAC, he has proven time and time again how seriously he takes his student involvement. He truly puts his students first and wants to give them as many opportunities to develop into the best person they can be.”

ABAC Associate Professor Emerita of English Rosalyn Ray Donaldson presented the award.

Special Photo: ABAC