Allyson Harmon receives the Ann and Bill Hicks Outstanding New Extension Worker Award
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture celebrated the accomplishments of some of its top faculty, staff, researchers and Extension experts at UTIA’s annual awards luncheon. The 2026 ceremony was held on the UTIA campus in Knoxville on August 4. Many of the awards are gifts made possible by faculty, alumni and friends of the institute.
UTIA Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President Keith Carver hosted the celebration and praised the honorees for their devotion to the land-grant mission. “Our UTIA staff and faculty continue to overwhelm me with their enthusiasm and unparalleled expertise,” he said. “I am always in awe of their dedication to providing Real. Life. Solutions. to the people of Tennessee. These award winners represent the efforts and accomplishments this past year that will most benefit all Tennesseans and society – impacts that will have lasting benefits through teaching, research and Extension for years to come.”
Allyson Harmon, UT Extension Dickson County director, received the Ann and Bill Hicks Outstanding New Extension Worker Award. Established by UT Extension Dean Emeritus Bill Hicks and his wife, Ann, the award recognizes an outstanding employee with at least three years but not more than five years of service with UT Extension. The award recipient is selected by a committee that includes past winners of the Outstanding New Extension Worker Award and is presented each year to an Extension agent, area specialist or specialist.
Harmon, who joined UT Extension four years ago, serves as a family and consumer sciences agent in her hometown of Dickson.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Ann and Bill Hicks Outstanding New Extension Worker Award. What I appreciate most about Extension is the opportunity to listen to communities, identify their needs, and work alongside partners to develop solutions that make a meaningful difference in people’s lives,” Harmon said. “This award represents not only the work I have been fortunate to lead but also the support of mentors, colleagues, volunteers, and community partners who share a commitment to helping others. I am proud to be part of an organization that values learning, innovation, and service, and I look forward to continuing to grow as an Extension professional while serving the people of Dickson County.”
Harmon’s accomplishments include helping establish and grow the Dickson County Child Care Coalition, a partnership with childcare providers, state agencies and community organizations, to address local childcare challenges by providing training, resources and support for current and prospective childcare professionals.
This work was recognized at the 2026 Tennessee Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Annual Awards Brunch, where she received first place for the Early Childhood Child Care Training Award and second place for the Human Development and Family Relationships Award.
“Seeing community partners come together to address a critical local need and create opportunities for families has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my Extension career,” she said.
Harmon also expanded support for the Dickson County Community Baby Shower, an event that offers programming and giveaways to expectant parents, and helped create “Light Up the Dark,” a walk and community fair, held at twilight, to help fight the stigma around mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention and to encourage those in need to seek help.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.