Lloyd Bell, professor in agricultural leadership, education and communication, was named a senior fellow during the American Association for Agricultural Education's annual conference, May 15-18 in Asheville, N.C.
A nominator noted that Bell has a "long-standing commitment to the agricultural education profession at the local, state and national level." Bell's former students now teach in more than 140 secondary agricultural education programs across Nebraska.
Mark Balschweid, head of UNL's agricultural leadership, education and communication department, said the honor reflects how widely Bell is respected by colleagues.
"I have personally never experienced, nor witnessed, another state with the level of cooperation among teachers, state staff, FFA alumni, teacher educators and FFA foundation staff that Nebraska enjoys every day," said Balschweid. "A large part of the success that we enjoy in agricultural education within this state can be laid at the feet of Lloyd Bell."
Bell has taught about 70 percent of all current agricultural education teachers in Nebraska. Add in his work with in-service professional development, graduate level coursework and non-standard teacher certification, and that level rises to 100 percent.
"Dr. Bell's legacy is played out every day in the 143 secondary agricultural education programs across the state where his former students, now serving as teachers, provide instruction to over 12,500 high school students each day," said Balschweid. "His longstanding commitment to the agricultural education profession at the local, state and national level reveals a lifetime of service."