UT Institute of Agriculture Presents Top Faculty and Staff Awards for 2022
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture recognized some of its top faculty, staff, researchers and Extension experts at UTIA’s annual Awards and Promotions luncheon on the UTIA campus in Knoxville August 16, 2022. Many of the awards are gifts made possible by faculty, alumni and friends of the Institute.
UT Institute of Agriculture Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President Carrie Castille hosted the award winners and celebrated their work. “I am so excited to recognize excellence as exemplified by the award-winning members of our UTIA faculty and staff,” Castille says. “Their continuing commitment to our land-grant mission ensures that the Institute develops and delivers real-life solutions to improve the health and economy of our state and beyond while also enhancing our environment.”
Tammy McKinley, an IT administrator for Information Technology Services, has been awarded one of two Lloyd and Nettie Downen Endowment Fund Leadership Enhancement Awards. This award was established by UT Extension Dean Emeritus M. Lloyd Downen and his wife. The award recognizes Extension faculty members who serve in leadership roles across the state and supports efforts to enhance leadership and managerial skills for award recipients.
McKinley provides leadership in the areas of web and application development and manages projects ranging from website creation to internal tools for UTIA. She provides direct support to UT Extension and to the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. She has been with UTIA since 1998 and has been in her current role with Information Technology Services since 2017.
McKinley plans to use the leadership enhancement award to attend an eight-week online intensive course for first-time managers and those who aspire to management roles. The course will equip attendees with the foundational skills needed for managing and supervising projects, units and people.
McKinley says, “This award has provided me with the opportunity to continue to build my managerial and leadership skills so that I can serve our team to the best of my ability and lead them well.”
Through its land-grant mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.