Kip Hall, an assistant professor of forest resources, received the top award presented to a faculty member at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College on Wednesday when he received the W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray Donaldson Award for Teaching Excellence at the annual Honors Day ceremony.   

Other top award recipients at the Gressette Gym ceremony included Wayne Jones, Director of the Arts Connection, who received the Roy R. Jackson, Sr. Award for Staff Excellence, and Dr. Darby Sewell, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs—Engaged Learning, who received the E. Lanier Carson Leadership Award for College Administrators.

Dr. Justin Ng, an assistant professor of agronomy, received the W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray Donaldson Excellence in Advising Award, and Dr. Heather Cathcart, an associate professor of biology, received the W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray Donaldson Award for Excellence in Student Engagement.

Hall received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Marietta College and his master’s degree in forest resources from Penn State.  Inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honor society in 1979, Hall has been a faculty member in the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources at ABAC for 32 years.

Not afraid to tackle difficult tasks, Hall was the event coordinator for the recent 61st annual Southern Forestry Conclave, which included students from 13 colleges and universities from all over the United States.  Hall was called “the most thorough and well-organized lecturer in the department” in his 2017 annual review.

As a part of his duties, Jones has coordinated the annual ABAC Foundation sponsored event called “An Evening for ABAC” in recent years.  The event raised $100,000 for student scholarships in 2017.  He also coordinates the ABAC Performing Arts Series which featured six events this year, ranging from the National Players’ production of “The Great Gatsby” to the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra.

One colleague said, “He is a joy to work with and goes above and beyond to help with any problem at any time.  He is definitely a team player who is a good listener and communicator.”   In a variety of roles including choral director, Jones has been a member of the ABAC community for 28 years.

Sewell received her associate degree from ABAC, her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia, and her Ph.D from Iowa State University.  She started her ABAC career as an instructor in 2002.  She was interim dean for a year before becoming the Dean of Human Sciences in 2010.

After being named the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs—Engaged Learning in 2016, Sewell spearheaded the implementation of ABAC’s Quality Enhancement Plan.  She also became the liaison with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges during the recent accreditation process.  Sewell has also served as Acting Dean for the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources.  

Ng received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Trinity University, his master’s degree in environmental science from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and his Ph.D in soil science from Texas A&M University.  He has advised students on their ABAC classes since 2013 and has a current advising load of 70 students.

“A professional advisor has the privilege and opportunity to guide students through a very important period in their lives,” Ng said in his advising philosophy.  “It is my goal for students to feel confident in their career choices and be optimistic for the future.”   

Cathcart began teaching at ABAC in 2012.  She received her bachelor’s degree in biology cum laude from Armstrong Atlantic State University, her master’s degree in biology from Georgia Southern University, and her Ph.D from the Medical College of Georgia.

One recommendation said, “She is a model faculty member who engages ABAC students in the classroom and beyond, pushing students to excel beyond their limits and reaching goals they never dreamed of setting.”  A former student said, “Under her guidance, I learned life skills as well as lab skills.”