Mandi Seaton receives Vice Chancellor’s Award for county agent
Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu
Contact: Mandi Seaton, 806-385-4222, mkseaton@ag.tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – Mandi Seaton, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service family and consumer sciences agent in Lamb County, has received a Texas A&M AgriLife Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in the county agent category.
The honor was presented Jan. 14 during the 2016 Vice Chancellor’s Awards in Excellence Ceremony in College Station.
The Vice Chancellor’s Awards in Excellence were established in 1980 to recognize the commitment and outstanding contributions of Texas A&M AgriLife faculty, students and staff statewide.
Seaton has served AgriLife Extension for 11 years in Bailey and Lamb counties.
“Mandi exemplifies a high performing Extension professional,” wrote Michael Clawson, AgriLife Extension administrator at Lubbock, in his nomination. “She strives each day to serve as a role model for the people in her programs, for the communities she serves, and most importantly for her peers.”
Clawson and Dr. Angela Burkham, AgriLife Extension regional program leader for family and consumer sciences at Amarillo, wrote that when Seaton started in Lamb County, she immediately sought guidance from various AgriLife Extension advisory groups to provide direction for her programming efforts.
The Lamb County Leadership Advisory Board recognized the need for youth leadership development and career awareness opportunities for students, so Seaton joined with the Littlefield Independent School District to establish Leaders in Littlefield.
This collaboration has resulted in more than 170 youth participating in self-esteem, leadership, college/career preparation and service learning educational projects over the past five years. Clawson and Burkham said the program has not only allowed youth to become more self-motivated, but has also led to an increased appreciation for local career options in Lamb County.
Health and wellness education have been other top priorities for Seaton, her nomination said. She works with health care facilities and professionals to coordinate programs and conferences that promote nutritious eating habits, chronic disease prevention and early cancer detection awareness. More than 250 individuals participate in the educational programs annually.
“Mandi definitely has a servant’s heart and works tirelessly to assure she is doing her part to help AgriLife Extension meet the grand challenges facing Texans today,” Clawson wrote.
Littlefield Municipal Court Judge Leslie Perkins summed up the tone of Seaton’s nomination when she wrote: “This year Mrs. Seaton was named Woman of the Year by the Littlefield Chamber of Commerce. Our community is better for having her here; she has touched so many lives, and it is difficult to put into words. She works tirelessly to provide education and training to every age and socioeconomic strata here. She is an exceptional person whose influence reaches far and wide.”
