Released: March 10, 2017
Jason Ellis named interim department head for K-State Communications and Ag Education
Associate professor now leads department where he studied as an undergrad
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Associate professor Jason Ellis will serve as interim head of the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education at Kansas State University.
John Floros, dean and director of the College of Agriculture announced on Thursday that Ellis’ appointment in this role will begin March 12, and he will serve until a national search has been completed and a permanent department head has been named.
“Jason is an impressive individual,” Floros said. “He was nominated by many people, he has the trust and respect by everybody in the department and the college, and he has the leadership skills to do an excellent job as an interim department head.”
Ellis takes over the role following the departure of Kris Boone, who served as the department head since 2005 and will soon begin working as the new director of The Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute.
“I’m looking forward to serving as interim department head,” Ellis said. “This department has a lot of great momentum going into the future, and I’m excited to help guide that progress.”
Ellis earned his bachelor’s degree at K-State in 1998, with a dual major in agricultural journalism and animal sciences and industry. He earned a master’s degree in meat science from Iowa State University in 2003 and a doctorate in agricultural education and studies, also from Iowa State, in 2006.
He worked as an account supervisor for a Des Moines, Iowa, advertising firm from 1998-2002 before returning to academia. While working on his master’s and doctorate at Iowa State, he also served as graduate research assistant, project coordinator, extension specialist and lecturer.
From there, he moved to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he was an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication from 2006-2011. He has been at K-State since 2011, first as an assistant professor and, since 2013, as an associate professor in the department he now leads.
The Department of Communication and Agricultural Education comprises several functions, with units focused on:
- Academics – undergraduate majors in Agricultural Communications and Journalism; Agricultural Education; a master’s program; and, in 2018, a doctoral program
- Business services – accounting services; K-State Research and Extension bookstore
- News Media Services – print, online, radio and video news for the College of Agriculture and K-State Research and Extension
- Publishing – professional editing and design for K-State Research and Extension manuscripts, research documents, newsletters, magazines, posters and more
- University printing – full-service graphic design, offset and digital color printing, binding and mailing services, with customer service available in Umberger Hall and the Union
“The people of the department have built a great reputation of quality work and dedicated customer service, regardless of the project or function area,” Ellis said. “Working with them as a faculty member has been a tremendous experience, so I don’t expect anything different when leading them as interim department head.”
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K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan.
Story by:
Jason Hackett
jhackett@ksu.edu
K-State Research and Extension
www.ksre.ksu.edu
For more information:
Jason Ellis
jdellis@ksu.edu
