Dr. Nancy J. Dawson has worked for more than 20 years in higher education as both a professor and director of an African American studies program. Her career includes full-time faculty positions at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Austin Peay State University. In addition, Dawson has been a consultant for the Center for Community Engagement at Albany State University and the National Park Service. A published writer, Dawson edited the Frederick Douglas Encyclopedia and has contributed to various scholarly journals. Dawson has been recognized by Kentucky State University as an upcoming minority small farmer and she serves on the Cooperative Extension board and the Council for Research, Teaching and Education for Kentucky State. Dawson directs the Russellville Urban Gardening Project Inc. (RUGP), where she operates a small urban farm in western Kentucky. In this capacity, Dawson manages two farming education programs; one program teaches elder women farming and the other is a 4-H program. RUGP also organizes farm-to-table dinners and other cultural educational programs. Dawson serves on the board of AgFirst Community Cooperative in Georgia where she assists large-scale peanut and cotton farmers. She is also the owner of Music is Spirit, a cultural educational performance company. Lastly, Dawson is a professional textile quilt artist, having exhibited throughout the United States.
Dawson has been a consultant for the Center for Community Engagement at Albany State University and the National Park Service. A published writer, Dawson edited the Frederick Douglas Encyclopedia and has contributed to various scholarly journals. Dawson has been recognized by Kentucky State University as an upcoming minority small farmer and she serves on the Cooperative Extension board and the Council for Research, Teaching and Education for Kentucky State. Dawson directs the Russellville Urban Gardening Project Inc. (RUGP), where she operates a small urban farm in western Kentucky. In this capacity, Dawson manages two farming education programs; one program teaches elder women farming and the other is a 4-H program. RUGP also organizes farm-to-table dinners and other cultural educational programs. Dawson serves on the board of AgFirst Community Cooperative in Georgia where she assists large-scale peanut and cotton farmers. She is also the owner of Music is Spirit, a cultural educational performance company. Lastly, Dawson is a professional textile quilt artist, having exhibited throughout the United States.
KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY is a public, comprehensive, historically black land-grant university committed to advancing the Commonwealth of Kentucky, enhancing society, and impacting individuals by providing quality teaching with a foundation in liberal studies, scholarly research, and public service to enable productive lives within the diverse global economy.