NCAFCS Awards & Recognition

2025 Award Winners

2025 NCAFCS Student Unit Award

The 2025 Student Unit Award recipient is Ms. Elizabeth Acquah.  Elizabeth is pursuing her master’s degree in food and nutritional sciences at North Carolina A&T State University and will complete her degree in Summer 2025.  Her leadership activities include service as a mentor with Youth Innovators’ Empowering Agriculture (YEA) program that is affiliated with 4-H Cooperative Extension programming and is secretary for the NCAT Graduate Student Association and co-chair of its Ad Hoc Insurance Committee.  Her leadership within the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences has been instrumental in the planning and implementation of the Food Science Olympics Competition, a collaborative event between N.C. A&T and NC State.  She is founder of the “Just a Girl” Menstrual Hygiene Program in Ghana where she continues to advocate for improved health outcomes for young girls.   

Elizabeth also has an exemplary academic record; she has maintained a 4.0 GPA as a graduate student and was recently inducted into Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society of Agriculture.  She has received the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Academic Excellence Award, the Betty Feezor Scholarship, the FCS Graduate Scholarship and the Ellen Brewer Travel Scholarship.  She is indeed a scholar and has co-authored multiple professional presentations, including at the NCAFCS annual conference and the 1890 ARD Research Symposium. Elizabeth is an outstanding student leader who has excelled academically and professionally; she is very deserving of this award as she exemplifies the values of family and consumer sciences through her strong advocacy and active involvement in efforts to improve the lives of individuals, families and communities. 

2025 NCAFCS New Achievers Award

 The 2025 New Achievers Award recipient is Dr. Natasha Spellman, Assistant Professor of Child Development and Family Studies in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at North Carolina A&T State University.  Dr. Spellman joined the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences 2 years ago and has excelled in course instruction, online course development, academic advising and scholarship.  As a faculty member, she has worked tirelessly to improve and enhance the learning outcomes of her graduate and undergraduate students.  One of her sponsors indicates that she is a remarkable educator who consistently demonstrates a passion for improving her craft and has participated in several professional development opportunities to learn innovative teaching strategies to enhance student success.  She is an Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) Teacher Scholar who engages students in critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world application of concepts that embody the principles of family and consumer sciences.  In addition to teaching, she has made significant progress in advancing her research program.  She has served as PI or Co-PI on several externally funded grants that have resulted in presentations and peer reviewed publications.  She is active on department, college and university committees as well as professional organizations such as AAFCS, NCAFCS, NAEYC, and the NC Coalition for Inclusion, not Expulsion.  Dr. Spellman exemplifies the qualities of an emerging professional with the potential to make transformative contributions to the field.  Her unwavering commitment to professional development, her impactful teaching and her passion for advancing the profession through research and outreach make her an exemplary candidate for the New Achievers Award.

2025 NCAFCS Teacher of the Year

 The 2025 Teacher of the Year is Michelle Derouin.  Michelle is a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Western Alamance High School in Elon, NC.  At Western Alamance she has been instrumental in building the interior design program and reinstating an FCCLA chapter where she encourages students to participate in service learning and community outreach.  Michelle is a strong advocate for Family and Consumer Sciences whose love and passion for learning is enthusiastically imparted to her students.  Michelle has been a dedicated and visionary Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) educator for over 16 years, and her contributions to the development of innovative programs have transformed the lives of countless students. Her approach to teaching is deeply aligned with both state and national Family and Consumer Sciences standards. She consistently strives to go beyond traditional content, incorporating project-based learning, service learning, and technology into her curriculum. Her approach engages her students in real-world applications of family and consumer sciences, helping them develop the essential skills they will need for future success. Her students actively participate in hands-on projects that not only enhance their understanding of FCS but also prepare them for careers in rapidly evolving industries.

 Her sponsors indicate that she is always looking for new engaging projects to help her students learn course content and uses teaching strategies that impart learning which students will apply long after they leave the classroom.  She has established herself as a leader among FCS teachers and readily serves as a source of encouragement by sharing her wealth of innovative and creative teaching strategies.  Teachers are frequently giving her feedback about how appreciative they are for the support and assistance she has provided them.  Michelle has held a variety of leadership positions including President of NCAFCS. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Textile Products Design and Marketing from UNC-G, a Master of Arts in Teaching in Family and Consumer Sciences Education from North Carolina A&T State University and is pursuing a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Appalachian State University.  She is a lifelong learner who is a National Board Certified Teacher, has a license in school administration (Principal) and Career-Technical (Director), and also has certifications in Autodesk, Revit for Architecture and ServSafe.  Michelle exemplifies all the qualities of an outstanding FCS teacher.  She was awarded Teacher of the Year in 2020, and her unwavering commitment to excellence makes her equally deserving of this year’s Teacher of the Year Award.

2025 Leader of the Year

 The 2025 Leader of the Year Award recipient is Dr. Sung Jin Lee, Professor of Housing Research in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at North Carolina A&T State University.  Dr. Lee is a distinguished scholar whose research on Aging in Place has made a profound and lasting impact on both the academic community and the broader discipline of Family and Consumer Sciences.  She has amassed over 30 manuscripts, 67 refereed abstracts, over 160 scholarly presentations, and several externally funded research projects. Her publications have appeared in familiar journals such as the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences and the FCS Research Journal to name a few.  She has also presented her research at various state, national and international conferences including the annual conferences of NCAFCS, AAFCS and IFHE.  Recognizing the interdisciplinary nature of the profession, she has developed successful collaborations with colleagues across the department and university such as child development, nutrition, fashion merchandising and design and science and technology.  She has made significant contributions to the growth and health of the department through her leadership, service and dedication to advancing the department’s mission.  She has served on numerous committees, chaired several search committees, contributed to the development of the self-study report for the department’s reaccreditation efforts, and participated in the development of new programs within the department, such as the new Gerontology Graduate Certificate program, and the proposed master’s degree program in Social Entrepreneurship.   Beyond the department and university, Dr. Lee has held leadership roles in NCAFCS and the National Coalition for Black Development in Family and Consumer Sciences.  Dr. Lee is an outstanding candidate for the NCAFCS Leader of the Year Award due to her substantial contributions to the field, her leadership in developing and disseminating impactful research, and her commitment to advancing Family and Consumer Sciences.

2025 Leader of the Year

 The 2025 Leader of the Year Award is also given to Dr. Salam Ibrahim, Professor of Research in Food and Nutritional Sciences (FNS) at North Carolina A&T State University.  Dr. Ibrahim’s work embodies the essence of leadership in advancing the field of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), particularly in the area of food and nutritional sciences.  As a seasoned and highly esteemed researcher and professor, he has dedicated his career to improving the understanding of nutrition, food science, and their direct impact on the well-being of individuals, families and communities.  His research has resulted in pioneering discoveries that have influenced policies and educational strategies within the field, bringing benefits to both academic institutions and the wider community. Beyond his academic achievements, he has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to the AAFCS mission through active engagement in numerous local, state, national and international educational and research projects and initiatives that align with the goals of the association.  At N.C. A&T, he has mentored several FNS graduate and undergraduate students, FCS colleagues, young FNS professionals and has fostered a culture of collaboration, innovation and advocacy for the field.  His contributions started over 20 years ago when he collaborated with NC DPI to develop educational materials related to Foods I, II, and Food Technology courses for high schools.  He was also involved in the development of a curriculum to train high school teachers and students in food technology and food safety.  Dr. Ibrahim’s research related to yogurt and the benefits of healthy bacteria present in yogurt and other fermented dairy foods has resulted in over 150 peer reviewed manuscripts and over $20 million in funding to support research and program development.  In addition to his active involvement in professional associations, Dr. Ibrahim has served as editor, associate editor, and editorial board member for several academic journals in the field and also serves as a scientific advisor to several local food companies in North Carolina.  According to his sponsors, his exemplary record in research, teaching and service as well as his unwavering passion for improving public health and supporting the development of future generations of leaders in Family and Consumer Sciences make him an ideal candidate for this award.