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Published on 07/12/02

UGA FACS Dean Installed as President of AAFCS

As president, Nickols will oversee one of the oldest professional societies in the United States. Founded in 1909, AAFCS has 12,000 members including elementary, secondary, postsecondary and extension educators and administrators; other professionals in government, business and nonprofit sectors; and students preparing for the field of family and consumer sciences.

"Since 9-11 people are increasingly recognizing that the topics family and consumer sciences researches and teaches are vital to their personal family and community well-being," Nickols said. "Our association helps keep members up to date, advocates for family-oriented public policy, and recognizes excellence in our profession."

Nickols has served as dean of FACS since 1991, when she moved to the University of Georgia from her position as director of the School of Human Resources and Family Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also holds the position of associate director of the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations and the Georgia Cooperative Extension Service.

Prior to being installed as president; Nickols served as president-elect for the past year. She served as vice president for programs from 1997-99, and during the past 20 years, she also served in a variety of other positions with AAFCS and twice has been awarded the Commemorative Lecture Award and the AHEA Leader Award from AAFCS.

Professionally, Nickols has served in numerous leadership positions with the Association of Administrators of Human Sciences and the Administrative Leadership Council of Family and Consumer Sciences.

In addition, she has been involved in a number of community service efforts, including serving on the steering committee for Athens Child Watch in 1997-98; as a commissioner to the Athens Housing Authority since 1995; and chairing the strategic planning committee and serving as a board member of the Campbell- Stone Retirement Centers in Atlanta.

Nickols earned her Ph.D. in 1976 in Family Economics and Management from the University of Missouri, her master of arts degree in family life education from Columbia University- Teachers College in 1967, and her bachelor's degree in Home Economics Eduction in 1965 from Kansas State University.

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Denise Horton is the public relations coordinator for the University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

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