NACTA Newsletter - April 2026

April 2026

NACTA President Liz Karcher's Message
#NACTA26 Conference
NACTA Bylaws - Key Dates Reminder
NACTA Journal Updates
New NACTA Members
Renew Your NACTA Membership

NACTA Roundup with President Elizabeth Karcher

April is an exciting time on campus as we wrap up another semester and celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates. As they move forward, they will continue advancing the agricultural sciences through their leadership, innovation, and commitment to serving their communities and industries. Their success reflects the dedication of faculty, mentors, and peers who support them along the way.

I also want to extend my sincere thanks to those who have engaged with committees, assisted with award and abstract reviews, served as journal reviewers, participated in webinars, and joined our NACTA Coffee Chats. Your involvement strengthens our organization and fosters the collaboration that makes our work meaningful. 

As we prepare for our annual conference, I am looking forward to gathering in Starkville. The conference is a special time to connect with others who are passionate about teaching, engage in thoughtful conversations with colleagues, and develop new and lasting friendships. I hope to see many of you there for what promises to be an energizing and inspiring experience.

Thank you,
Liz Karcher
NACTA President

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#NACTA26 Conference! Online Registration Closes May 21! Are You Registered?

Registration for the NACTA 2026 Conference, June 22-25, 2026, at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, USA is OPEN! As a reminder, online registration for #NACTA26 closes May 21, 2026! If you miss this deadline, don't worry! On-site registration will also be available!

The Annual Conference of the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) offers many opportunities for education and networking and brings agricultural education across the continuum together. This conference offers workshops, poster and oral presentations, Keynote and Blue Ribbon presentations, and many networking opportunities each day. At this annual conference of NACTA, you will be able to connect with and learn from others who share the same passion for the improvement of teaching and learning agriculture, food and natural resources. 

The Annual NACTA Conference will provide you with new teaching techniques, ideas and resources. It is also one of the best professional development activities for networking with other teaching professionals where the common discipline is "teaching."

This year, Dr. Michel Wattiaux, of the University of Wisconsin - Madison, will be the Blue Ribbon Speaker and Dr. Mark Keenum, of Mississippi State University, will be the Keynote Speaker. 

To read more about Dr. Michel Wattiaux, click here.

To read more about Dr. Mark Keenum, click here.

We will also be offering a wide variety of tours as part of the NACTA 2026 Conference! To view the tours being offered and to book the one that interests you, click here.

For more information and to register, visit the NACTA 2026 Conference website.

Don't forget! The deadline to register online for #NACTA26 is May 21, 2026!

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NACTA Bylaws - Key Dates Reminder

NACTA Journal Updates

Founded in 1963, The NACTA Journal  is a professional refereed journal published by the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA). It is directed toward the scholarship of teaching and learning and the professional advancement of the teaching of agriculture and related disciplines. The NACTA Journal presents papers on all aspects of teaching, including methods, problems, philosophy, and rewards.  The Journal offers something for every teacher in agriculture or a related discipline. Whether traditional classroom or extension-related, its primary purpose is to strengthen professional competence in college and adult teaching.

March 2026:

• 5 Submissions Received
• 1 Published

For more information on the NACTA Journal, and to submit a manuscript or teaching tip, click here.

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New NACTA Members

NACTA has 38 new members since our last newsletter. We hope you will join us in welcoming them!

Southern
Kara Riggs, FL
Robert Branan, NC
Matthew Tucker, AL
Minjin Choi, FL
Lance Beecher, SC
Melissa Moreno, FL
Steve Hague, AL
Megan Adamson, AL
Sristi Subedi, MS
Jenna Schilling, MS
Maria Fernanda Zepeda Andrade, FL
Katelyn Lawson, AL
Allyssa Andrews, AR
Dustie Koudela, AR
Bohdana Vyshnivska, SC
Austin Jones, AR
Andrew Williams, MS
Shardae Day, FL
Trent Smith, MS
Chrysta Noelle Beck, MS
Amadeo Fosu Panyi, MS
Marta Pudzianowska, MS
Alyssa Palmer, MS
Sayantan Samanta, MS
Carley Morrison, MS
Shaneice Urbina Acevedo, FL

Eastern
Mike Amstutz, OH
Elizabeth Sanders, VT

Western
Alyssa Reidhead, UT
Miranda Giannini, CO
Hannah Bilovesky, NM
Stephen Coleman, CO
Shannon Arnold, MT

Central
Somdetta Achar, NE
Sarah Richardson, IL
Aleksandra Kalisz, WI
Michael Woods, KS

Other
Pirchia Tamar Waxman

Renew Your NACTA Membership

NACTA is the largest professional development organization that focuses specifically on the scholarship of teaching and learning in agriculture, food and natural resources. Need to renew your membership? Want to invite a colleague to join? Want to change your membership status? Visit the  membership page here . We appreciate your NACTA membership!

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