Christopher Sneed, an associate professor and specialist in consumer economics at the University of Tennessee’s Department of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), has been honored with the prestigious 2025 Excellence in Extension Award. This accolade, presented at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Conference, reflects Sneed’s profound impact on Cooperative Extension programming, highlighting his visionary leadership and substantial community contributions in financial education and consumer outreach.
The Excellence in Extension Award is a nationally recognized distinction granted by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Cooperative Extension, and APLU. It acknowledges an outstanding individual Cooperative Extension professional who exemplifies exceptional scientific program development, visionary approaches, and measurable community benefits. The award underscores the critical role Cooperative Extension plays in bridging the gap between academic research and practical, community-based education.
Dr. Jaye Hamby, director of NIFA, emphasized the importance of this award in reinforcing the commitment of Extension professionals across the United States. Hamby remarked that such recognitions honor the innovative delivery of knowledge that underscores university-community partnerships essential to uplifting lives and driving community development nationwide. The dedication and innovative programming characteristic of award recipients exemplify the excellence this program aims to celebrate.
Justin Rhinehart, dean of UT Extension, alongside Janet Fox, assistant dean and professor of FCS, strongly supported Sneed’s nomination. Their endorsement highlighted his relentless efforts to forge and sustain pivotal partnerships addressing Tennessee’s critical financial education gaps and workforce development requirements. His work is exemplified by transformative programs that serve diverse populations, especially in underserved and rural communities.
Christopher Sneed’s roots deeply intertwine with the state of Tennessee. A native of East Tennessee’s Decatur, he pursued his entire academic and professional journey within the University of Tennessee system. Holding a bachelor’s degree in family studies, a master’s in human resource development focusing on family and consumer sciences, and a doctorate in retail, hospitality, and tourism management, Sneed’s expertise is broad and interdisciplinary – enhancing his capacity to address socio-economic issues through a multifaceted lens.
Over two decades, Sneed has served the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and its communities. Originally working as a Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) agent across two counties, he transitioned into roles as a social marketing specialist and acting director for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and EFNEP (Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program). His appointment as an assistant professor and consumer economics specialist in 2019, followed by his promotion to associate professor in 2024, marks a trajectory of academic and applied excellence.
Sneed’s programming portfolio addresses a spectrum of urgent societal needs. Noteworthy among his initiatives is the establishment of a statewide needs assessment tailored to consumer economics, instrumental in guiding policy and programming decisions. Further, his collaborations with state coalitions focused on financial literacy and workforce advancement amplify his impact, especially in integrating economic education with community development efforts.
A key focus of Sneed’s work is enhancing financial literacy and consumer understanding through innovative outreach initiatives. For instance, the “Time to Talk” program empowers consumers to navigate and demystify healthcare costs while promoting candid conversations between patients and providers. This represents a crucial intervention in a complex healthcare landscape, where cost transparency and literacy are pivotal for informed decision-making.
Parallel to healthcare financial literacy, Sneed has developed “Shop Smart Tennessee,” a program specifically tailored to improve food accessibility for low-resource families. By addressing systemic barriers to nutritious food, this intervention combines economic education with public health goals. Complementing these efforts is the “Money Week” initiative, recognized for its statewide influence by the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission and the State Treasurer, promoting widespread financial education.
Sneed’s efforts have embraced modern media platforms to augment reach and engagement. His “Money Minute” video series offers concise, practical money management advice widely disseminated via social media and YouTube. This digital approach multiplies the accessibility of financial literacy education, catering to diverse audiences and increasingly digital-savvy populations, thereby bridging generational divides in financial knowledge.
In the area of workforce development, Sneed’s collaboration with Skill Up Tennessee exemplifies successful integration of consumer economics education into career preparedness. Targeting rural communities often overlooked in workforce advancement initiatives, this partnership enhances both skill acquisition and economic empowerment, contributing to broader social and economic resilience within these regions.
Securing over $42 million in grants and contracts as either principal or co-investigator, Sneed’s funding success highlights his ability to design and implement significant, research-driven extension programs. His extensive portfolio of refereed publications attests to his scholarly productivity and impact. Recognition from professional bodies further validates his influence, including the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Internet Technology Award and the 2023 Educator of the Year distinction from the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education.
This national Excellence in Extension Award positions Sneed as the third member of the University of Tennessee’s FCS Department to receive such high honor in the past six years. Predecessors Matthew Devereaux and Ann Berry were recognized respectively for research on child and adolescent social-emotional development and expertise in identifying financial education needs. This demonstrates the department’s sustained leadership in extension excellence, underpinning its robust research and community outreach infrastructure.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, encompassing the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch, and UT Extension, operates under the land-grant mission framework. Its commitment to teaching, research, and outreach tangibly improves lives throughout Tennessee and beyond — an embodiment of the Institute’s motto, Real. Life. Solutions. Dr. Christopher Sneed’s award and contributions exemplify the profound societal relevance and reach of this mission.
Subject of Research:
Consumer economics, financial literacy, workforce development, community outreach through extension programs.
Article Title:
Prominent Consumer Economics Specialist Christopher Sneed Receives 2025 Excellence in Extension Award
News Publication Date:
2024
Web References:
https://utia.tennessee.edu/
Image Credits:
Image courtesy UTIA.
Keywords:
Social sciences, consumer economics, financial education, workforce development, Cooperative Extension, public outreach, healthcare cost literacy, rural education, program innovation, grant-funded research.
