Agriculture mechanization teacher Dr. Willy Harrell is this year’s winner of the SHSU Excellence in Service Award.Harrell, who came to SHSU in January 1969, said he was humbled to win the award.”I think it’s a thank you from your peers for the things you’ve done that promote your program and university,” said Harrell.The Excellence in Service Award is awarded to the SHSU teacher who has, among other things, displayed proven commitment to excellence in service and demonstrated outstanding abilities, innovative ideas, efficient operations and a high level of motivation.His or her peers nominate the teacher and the SHSU Excellence in Research and Service Committee chooses the winner.Harrell’s work includes being superintendent of both the Agricultural Mechanics Project Show and Tractor Technician Career Development Event at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, conducting non-credit agricultural mechanics short courses for secondary agricultural science teachers, producing numerous education videos and many others.This is the fourth year in a row Harrell had been nominated for the award. He will receive his medallion at this year’s graduation ceremony on May 4.Harrell entered the field of agriculture because of his background in farming.”I was raised on a farm in Lampasas County, Texas,” he said. “So I had knowledge of agriculture.”Harrell received both his bachelor’s degree in agriculture education and his master’s degree in agriculture at East Texas State University in 1963 and 1967, respectively. He got a dual education doctorate in agriculture education and agricultural mechanization at the University of Missouri in 1972.Harrell taught as a high school teacher in Howe, Texas, for five years, when he was invited to come to SHSU in 1969. He has been a professor of agricultural mechanization since 1970.According to Harrell, agricultural mechanization teaches agriculture students about the mechanical aspects of farming and agriculture, such as welding, operating equipment like tractors and combines, working with barbwire, knowledge of electricity used for operating machinery and soil and water management technologies.”Our graduates go on to work for companies like John Deere, Caterpillar and Mustang,” said Harrell.Most work in sales for such companies or go onto jobs in the education field.Harrell also said most people in the agricultural mechanization field are colleagues, not just statewide but also nationwide.”Ag mech people know each other, because we do a lot of things cooperatively,” he said.Harrell said his colleague David Lyons brought up the idea of the Agricultural Mechanics Project Show in 1981. There had been a similar program at the Missouri State Fair, and Lyons suggested he and Harrell approach the proprietors of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. One of Harrell’s advisors had worked at the Missouri show, so Harrell used information he had learned from him to write a list of rules based on the earlier event and presented them to the people at the rodeo.The project show is an event where high school students interested in a career in agriculture display projects they have worked on during the school year, such as cattle trailers and machine feeders.”It shows they have learned the skills,” said Harrell.Harrell said the shows provide an opportunity for SHSU to recruit Texas students interested in majoring in agriculture. SHSU students and teachers attend the shows and provide information for prospective university students. Other Texas universities with agriculture programs also compete in the event and try to recruit students to their colleges, as well. Harrell said the show is now one of the largest agricultural mechanic events in the world.Apart from being connected with the rodeo, Harrell also worked for U.S. Aid in the 1980s by helping set up an agricultural school in Jamaica. The program, called the Jamaican Agricultural Education Project, was originally only supposed to last three months, but Harrell ended up staying for a year and a half. The school he helped create with representatives from Louisiana State University and Southern Texas University is now known as the Jamaica College of Agriculture, located in Port Antonio.Harrell said despite feeling good about winning, he does not perceive the award altering his life in any way.”I don’t see any change in the way I conduct myself,” he said.Harrell said he was proud to be apart of SHSU because of the all the facilities the university provides for the department, such as the new agricultural mechanics building.”We have a premier facility, not just for Texas but anywhere,” he said.Harrell also added how pleased he has been for his years spent at SHSU.”I consider myself to be extremely lucky professionally to have had the opportunity to work at Sam Houston State,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed the people I’ve worked with, and the support the university has given our program.”