The Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) is proud to recognize Lecturer Tom Mazzone as the 2025 recipient of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ On-Campus Professional Track Faculty Excellence Award. Recognizing excellence in teaching, service, and community impact, the award highlights the very strengths Tom brings to AGNR through his instruction, mentorship, and leadership.
This write-up is a shortened version of the remarks shared by Lecturer Meredith Epstein, who presented the award on behalf of the IAA. Her thoughtful and heartfelt introduction captured the full scope of Tom’s impact on students, colleagues, and the broader agricultural community.
A 2013 AGNR alumnus, Tom returned to campus in 2021 after a successful eight-year career as a decorated high school agriculture teacher in Washington County. With a master’s in Agricultural Education and Communication from the University of Florida, Tom brought back to Maryland not only new credentials, but a renewed passion for teaching and student engagement.
At the IAA, Tom teaches some of the most hands-on and engaging courses on campus, including Fundamentals of Agricultural Mechanics, Power and Machinery, Landscape Construction, and GPS & Drone Applications in Surveying. His teaching style is deeply experiential—filled with labs, field trips, and industry-grade tools. Students fly drones over the Chesapeake Bay, forge metal tools, build landscape structures, and troubleshoot real-world machinery, all under Tom’s expert and encouraging guidance.
His students describe him as “life-changing,” “phenomenal,” and “by far the best professor I have ever had.” But his impact goes beyond content mastery. Tom fosters a classroom culture where every student feels capable, included, and proud of their progress—especially in areas they once found intimidating. As one colleague noted, “you won’t catch me letting a 19-year-old fly a $7,000 drone—but Tom hasn’t lost one yet.”
Tom’s influence extends far beyond the classroom. He plays a vital role in connecting AGNR to Maryland high school agricultural programs, supports statewide teacher professional development, and serves on numerous committees and boards. He is Treasurer of the Maryland FFA Foundation, active in the Maryland Agriculture Teachers Association, and remains connected to the AGR alumni network. On top of it all, he still milks cows on weekends at UMD’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) and lends his time and talents to community projects.
We thank Tom for his tireless dedication, his excellence in teaching, and his ability to inspire confidence in the next generation of agricultural leaders. Congratulations, Tom!
