Rushing joins UA-Monticello College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources as communications director
“I was adopted at birth and even my adoption can be tied to agriculture,” she said. “Before my adoption, my parents raised Red Angus cattle. They sold their whole herd to pay all my adoption fees.”
By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture
May 24, 2024
Fast facts
- Rushing joins UAM from SAU Tech
- Experience includes Coca Cola Refreshments, extension service
(474 words)
(Newsrooms: With art of Rushing)
MONTICELLO, Ark. — Traci Rushing was born to work in agriculture.
Rushing started May 20 as director of communications for the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. She will also serve the Arkansas Forest Resources Center, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Rushing is a communications and design specialist with over 10 years of experience with graphic and educational design, technical writing, and marketing/advertising. She comes to UAM from Southern Arkansas University Tech where she served as an instructional designer.
“I was adopted at birth and even my adoption can be tied to agriculture,” she said. “Before my adoption, my parents raised Red Angus cattle. They sold their whole herd to pay all my adoption fees.”
As a child, she was heavily involved in 4-H and FFA and was chapter president for both organizations.
“Out of high school, I decided to go down the education path and studied agriculture education at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia,” Rushing said. “After student teaching at Conway High School, I decided to continue my education by applying for graduate school.’
She earned a graduate degree in agricultural communications at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. During the summer between the first and second years of her graduate journey, she took a job as an intern for the Cooperative Extension Service, working as an instructional designer. After graduating, she was offered the job full time. The extension service is the outreach arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
“This extension job really gave me an opportunity to maximize all of my skills in design and curriculum building but came with an extensive commute since I was living with my husband almost two hours away,” Rushing said. “Over a year later, I was offered a position with Coca-Cola Refreshments as a market development manager. I received top performance awards with the company for growing my market area.”
Rushing’s husband, Jaret, is also in agriculture, serving as the forestry instructor for the Cooperative Extension Service.
Traci Rushing said “I have loved all of my other careers, but none have allowed me to maximize all of my abilities like this position. My knowledge about agriculture and the industry gives me a stronger understanding of the inner workings of this college.
“I am very excited to be back in the U of A System and the agriculture sector,” she said.
Michael Blazier, dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, said “we’re really excited to have a communications director of Traci’s caliber.
“She has a background in agriculture and brings a wealth of expertise and experience to her role,” Blazier said. “Our faculty and students are engaged in diverse research and outreach projects statewide, and Traci is the perfect person for highlighting their good work through many media outlets.”
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on TX at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.
About the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center
The College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center, a University of Arkansas System Center of Excellence, brings together interdisciplinary expertise through a partnership between the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The College and Center are headquartered at the University of Arkansas at Monticello campus, but their programs range statewide with the mission of developing and delivering teaching, research, and extension programs that enhance and ensure the sustainability and productivity of forest-based natural resources and agricultural systems. Academic programs are delivered by the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources through the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Through the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, research is administered by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, and extension and outreach activities are coordinated by the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
The University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offer all of their programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employers.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media contact: Mary Hightower
mhightower@uada.edu