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Dr. Lucas Maxwell

Associate Professor of Agricultural Education, Communication, and Leadership
Agriculture
Office
RAB Ropp Agriculture Building
  • About
  • Education
  • Awards & Honors
  • Research

Biography

Dr. Maxwell (He | Him | His) grew up on an 1100-acre family farm in Farmer City, Illinois. He attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale where he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho, serving as Noble Ruler in 1999, Collegiate FFA, and the College AgbassadorÒ Team. In 2001, Dr. Maxwell graduated with his Bachelor of Science in General Agriculture with a Specialization in Agricultural Education. He served for three years as the Agriculture Instructor and FFA Advisor at Iroquois West High School in Gilman, IL.

After completing a Master of Science Degree, Dr. Maxwell returned to SIUC in 2005 where he served as Coordinator of Recruitment, Retention, and Placement for the College of Agricultural Sciences. In 2007, he began work on his doctoral degree in Agricultural Education, graduating from the University of Missouri in 2010.

For five years, Dr. Maxwell served as an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Education at Arkansas Tech University. While at Tech, he served as faculty advisor to the Agriculture Ambassadors, Collegiate FFA, Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, Sigma Alpha Sorority, and the Agriculture Living Learning Community. In 2017, he was recognized by the student body as the Agricultural Teacher of the Year. Additionally, he was recognized by the University as the Outstanding Faculty/Staff Advisor of the Year and the Young Professor of the Year in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

In August of 2017, Dr. Maxwell began his career at Illinois State University where he works with students at the undergraduate and graduate level pursuing degrees in Agricultural Education, Communication, and Leadership. He is active at both the state and national levels in Agricultural Education serving on the Illinois University Council and the National FFA Agricultural Issues Career Development Event committee. At Illinois State, Dr. Maxwell chairs the Department of Agriculture Curriculum Committee and serves on numerous other committees including the University Teacher Education Assessment Committee. He also serves as faculty advisor to multiple student organizations including Ag Ambassadors, Collegiate FFA and, Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. His research focuses on secondary and post-secondary professional development in teaching and recruitment, retention, and placement in agriculture food fiber and natural resources. In September of 2018, Dr. Maxwell was recognized by the Non-land-grant Agriculture and Renewable Resources Universities (NARRU) as their Distinguished Young Educator. This national award recognizes one early career faculty member from over 60 eligible universities. In February of 2020, Dr. Maxwell was recognized as the Outstanding Mid-Career Alumni from the College of Agricultural Sciences at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Current Courses

495.001College Teaching in Agriculture and Applied Sciences

499.007Independent Research For The Masters Thesis

400.011Independent Study

395.001Professional Seminar In Agriculture Education

391.001Team & Organizational Leadership, Communication, & Change

291.024Undergraduate Teaching Experiences In Agriculture

492.001Agricultural Leadership

203.003Agriculture And The Environment

499.011Independent Research For The Masters Thesis

287.011Independent Study

400.012Independent Study

192.001Introduction To Agricultural Communications And Leadership

394.001Methods And Procedures In Agricultural Education

392.001Principles of Agricultural Leadership

395.001Professional Seminar In Agriculture Education

291.011Undergraduate Teaching Experiences In Agriculture

Teaching Interests & Areas

Teaching Methods, Curriculum Design, Team Leadership and Organizational Change, Verbal Communication.

Research Interests & Areas

Faculty Professional Development, Secondary Teacher Preparation and Professional Development, the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

Ph D Agricultural Education

University of Missouri
Columbia

MS Plant and Soil Science

Southern Illinois University
Carbondale

BS General Agriculture

Southern Illinois University
Carbondale

Outstanding Mid-Career Alumni

College of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois University
2020

Distinguished Young Educator

Non-land-grant Agriculture and Renewable Resources Universities (NARRU)
2018

Agricultural Teacher of the Year

Department of Agriculture, Arkansas Tech University
2017

Outstanding Faculty/Staff Advisor of the Year

Office of Campus Life, Arkansas Tech University
2017

Outstanding Young Professor of the Year

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Arkansas Tech University
2017

Donald M. Elkins Excellence in Education Award

College of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois University
2007

Abstract

Maxwell, L. D., & Solomonson, J. K. (2023, September). The $100 Solution: A service-learning project for students enrolled in an undergraduate agricultural leadership course. Poster presented at the 2023 North Central AAAE Research Conference. Brookings, SD.

Conference Proceeding

Solomonson, J. K., Maxwell, L. D., Barling, K., & Harris, L. (2023, September). A qualitative analysis of factors impacting an agriculture teacher’s ability to achieve positive work-life integration. Proceedings of the 2023 North-Central AAAE Research Conference. Brookings, SD.

Journal Article

Lugar, D., Barrowclough, M., Solomonson, J. K., & Maxwell, L. D. (2021). The effect of an interactive classroom app on student performance and non-educational device usage in a college animal science course. NACTA Journal, 65, 352-359.
Solomonson, J. K., Still, S. M., & Maxwell, L. D. (2021). Factors influencing the decision of Illinois school-based agricultural education teachers to remain in the profession. Journal of Agricultural Education, 62(3), 121-137. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2021.03121
Wright, K. M., Vincent, S. K., Hauser, A., Maxwell, L.D. (2021). Designing a Technique for Program Expansion of Secondary Agricultural Education. Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, 71, 1-18.

Magazine/Trade Publication

Solomonson, J. K., Klein, A., Maxwell, L. D., Leman, A., Baker, A. J., & Still, S. (2023). Growing agricultural science teachers in Illinois. The Agricultural Education Magazine, 96(2), 9-12.