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Published on 04/15/20

Nick Fuhrman named Meigs Professor, UGA’s highest instructional honor

By Carolyn Payton

Nick Fuhrman, professor of agricultural leadership, education and communication in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has been named a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor, the University of Georgia’s highest recognition for excellence in instruction.

“The 2020 Meigs Professors draw on their expertise as leading scholars and researchers to engage students with innovative instruction that helps them thrive, both during their time on campus and after graduation,” said S. Jack Hu, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “The University of Georgia is one of America’s most highly regarded public universities thanks to outstanding faculty members such as these.”

Fuhrman has a passion for teaching and mentoring students. He focuses on the development of the whole student with real-world experiences such as teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking and public speaking to prepare them for career success.

This is most evident through his course AGED 2001, “Teaching with Animals,” a partnership with Extra Special People, Inc., a community organization that serves youth with developmental disabilities and their families.

Through this course, undergraduate students have the opportunity to teach students with special needs using animals. Fuhrman’s creation and teaching of AGED 2001 was recognized with the college’s D.W. Brooks Diversity Award.

His other honors include the CAES Early Career Teaching Award, the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Faculty Award and being named a Lilly Teaching Fellow.

Fuhrman has an impact on the national level, as well. His television segment on the Farm Monitor, Ranger Nick, airs on Georgia Public Broadcasting and the RFD-TV network, which reaches more than 60 million homes.

He also was selected to give a TEDx Talk about effective teaching that has been viewed more than 163,000 times on YouTube. Fuhrman has served as the principal investigator or co-PI on more than $10 million in grant funding.

Included in this funding was a $400,000 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Teaching, Extension and Research grant used to promote teaching excellence in colleges of agriculture nationally, as well as at UGA.

The Meigs Professorship was established to underscore the university’s commitment to excellence in teaching, the value placed on the learning experiences of students and the centrality of instruction to the university’s mission. The award includes a permanent salary increase of $6,000 and a one-time discretionary fund of $1,000.

More information about the Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professorships is at t.uga.edu/5R9.

Carolyn Payton is a Public Relations Specialist in the UGA Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost.

Authors:
Carolyn Payton
Experts/Sources:
Nick Fuhrman
UGA Professor Nick Fuhrman's research interests are in non-formal teaching methods, program evaluation and the use of live animals as teaching tools for educators.
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