Letter from the Department Head
AAE Colleagues, Students, Alumni, and Friends,
This fall we welcomed or welcomed back 88 graduate students and 396 undergraduate students, increasing our enrollment in both our Ph.D. program and our undergraduate majors. We’ve seen another season of momentum, recognition, and community engagement for the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics which is highlighted in this semester’s newsletter.
One of the most significant pieces of news this semester comes from our Hospitality and Food Industry Management program. In the 2026 Niche.com college rankings, HFIM was named the #1 public university program in the nation for hospitality and tourism management, marking its fourth consecutive year in the national top five. This recognition reflects the program’s continued growth, including a new faculty member, and the strong support of Georgia’s $60 billion tourism industry. We’re proud of our HFIM faculty and the program’s expanding national reputation as the premier destination for hospitality education.
This fall also brought significant individual achievement within the department. I want to offer a well-deserved congratulations to Dr. Yangxuan Liu, who received the prestigious 2025 AAEA Distinguished Extension and Outreach Program Award. This honor recognizes her outstanding contributions to economic extension programming in Georgia and across the Southeast and reflects the high impact delivered by our faculty. Dr. Liu is an Associate Professor based in Tifton and is a member of the department’s Extension team specializing in cotton and peanuts.
This semester also marked the launch of our inaugural AAEC Departmental Ambassador Program, created to strengthen student engagement across our majors and assist with recruitment and outreach activities. I am thrilled to recognize our 2025–26 Ambassadors:
Ela Grace Ash, Olivia Bendon, Luke Cody, Vivian Collins,
Haden Drake, Peyton Edwards, Madeline Elliot, Matthew Fern,
Rebecca Golden, Thomas Gurr, Caroline Hess, Alexandra Knight,
Lily Morgan, Addison Peeples, Ethan Ragan, Julia Tardy,
Emma Travis, and James Whitmire.
These students have already made a meaningful impact, including at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, where our department was the CAES spotlight department for 2025. More than 2,000 producers, professionals, and students visited our booth. My sincere thanks to everyone whose work made this possible, especially Dr. Ben Campbell, Morgan Kang, and our outstanding ambassadors. Your energy and professionalism helped showcase the best of AAEC.
We also extend our appreciation to the dozens of guest speakers, alumni, and industry partners who shared their expertise in the classroom this fall. Their involvement, whether discussing carbon pricing, sustainability consulting, poultry markets, agribusiness sales, environmental insurance, hospitality operations, or aquaculture, connects classroom learning with real-world problem-solving. A special thank you to our AAEC and EEM alumni who returned to campus this semester; your contribution to the next generation of leaders is invaluable.
Finally, our department also found time to build community and continue our annual traditions. The Pumpkin Painting Competition once again brought color, creativity, and friendly rivalry to Conner Hall. This year, breaking the Environmental Economics and Management Club’s impressive winning streak, the Ag Econ Graduate Student Association took home the top prize. Our Diwali celebration and Rangoli competition likewise added vibrant artistry and cultural richness to our hallways.
As we close 2025, I want to thank you for being a part of our AAEC community. Please consider our department in your end-of-year giving. Your financial support has a direct impact on our students and their success. I continue to be grateful for your engagement, your support, and the many ways you advance the mission of our department.