Amy Smith

Amy Smith is an Associate Professor and Program Leader of Agricultural Education at the University of Minnesota. With a strong background in the field, Smith is dedicated to preparing high-quality educators ready to teach across contexts and settings. She teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses, and conducts research centered on teacher recruitment and retention in school-based agricultural education. 

Beyond the classroom, Smith is committed to providing service and professional development to both pre-service and in-service school-based agricultural educators. She strives to address the pressing shortage of teachers and works to diversify the agricultural education profession by engaging new and diverse audiences in agriculture, food, and natural resource (AFNR) education. Additionally, she is the Co-Director for the Minnesota AFNR Teacher Induction Program.

Smith's academic journey began in eastern Iowa but took her to Oklahoma State University, where she completed her undergraduate degree in Agricultural Education. After five years teaching agricultural education, she pursued her Ph.D. at the University of Missouri. Upon completion of her doctorate, Smith was employed as the Youth Education Coordinator at Jefferson Farm & Gardens in Columbia, Missouri, before accepting a faculty position at South Dakota State University. Smith joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota in 2013. At present, Smith and her son, Treynor, reside in Rockford, Minnesota.