Hillary Henderson
Hillary Henderson, a M.S. student in Meat Science in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University, was one of three students who received the Ronnie L. Edwards Graduate Student Teaching Award at the department’s Christmas Dinner and Award’s Ceremony on December 17, 2015. Hillary is from Alvin, Texas, and she received her undergraduate degree in animal science at Texas A&M University.
Winners of the Ronnie L. Edwards Graduate Teaching Award with members of the Edwards family
Hillary is a lab instructor in ANSC 307 “Meats” and serves as the graduate assistant for ANSC 117 “Texas Barbecue.” While teaching what all is involved in ANSC 307 would be enough to qualify most graduate students for this award, Hillary has excelled in leading ANSC 117, “Texas Barbecue,” for the past two years. ANSC 117 is the course for incoming freshmen designed to help them with the transition from high school to college. It is a one-hour course, but for all of the steps that are involved from the weekly planning meeting to the cooking and preparation of each week’s food and finally to interacting with 28 freshmen and all of the teaching assistants during the class each Friday afternoon, it is much more than that. Hillary’s teaching ratings and comments from students speak to her excellence in all that she does with students. Hillary also has served as an assistant coach for the Texas A&M University Meat Science Quiz Bowl Team.
Hillary Henderson preparing guacamole for ANSC 117, Texas Barbecue
Hillary helps with the many activities associated with the extension/outreach/public service program at the university. She provides great leadership for programs such as Beef 101, Beef 706, Pork 101, Barbecue Summer Camp, Camp Brisket, and Creative Sausage Making. Hillary is currently working on the National Beef Tenderness Survey for her master’s thesis.
Hillary Henderson
The Ronnie L. Edwards Graduate Teaching Award was created in remembrance of Dr. Edwards, who served as associate head for the Department of Animal Science and spent more than two decades working with graduate students. One of his major activities was coordinating the teaching assistantships for the department, helping to ensure the best graduate teachers possible for the courses taught.