Faculty, alumni, and students recently gathered to honor a beloved member of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) family — Dr. Frank B. Flanders, a 1972 ABAC graduate whose lifelong dedication to agricultural education continues to shape generations of students.
To recognize his enduring legacy, a classroom in the newly remodeled Chambliss Building at ABAC has been named in his honor.
A native and current resident of Kite, Dr. Flanders devoted 47 years to the field of Agricultural Education before retiring in 2022 from ABAC. Over the course of his distinguished career, he served as a professor of Agricultural Education at both ABAC and the University of Georgia, as well as the State Curriculum Director for Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE), and as a high school agriculture teacher. His leadership and service earned him induction into the Georgia Agricultural Education Hall of Fame.
Dr. Flanders is a 1970 graduate of Swainsboro High School, where he credits much of his success to the leadership skills he developed as an officer in the Swainsboro FFA Chapter under the guidance of his agriculture teacher, mentor, and FFA advisor, Mr. Austin Avery.
In 2017, Dr. Flanders returned to ABAC to serve as Program Coordinator for the Agricultural Education Department, a program he was instrumental in establishing. His leadership and vision helped cultivate a thriving environment for students pursuing careers as agriculture teachers, extension agents, agricultural leaders and related careers. Beyond his administrative and instructional roles, Dr. Flanders served as advisor for both the ABAC FFA Chapter and the ABAC Horticulture Club, mentoring countless students along the way.
Established in 2017, ABAC’s four-year Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education has since grown into the largest agriculture-teacher preparation program in the United States, with 260 agriculture education majors currently enrolled. The program draws students from 19 states, including strong representation from Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
ABAC also offers a pioneering Elementary Agricultural Education degree, becoming the first college or university in the nation to establish such a program. Demand for agriculture teachers in high schools and middle schools remains strong nationwide with elementary agriculture programs growing rapidly.
