Ethel G. Jones, director and associate professor in the School of Human Ecology at Louisiana Tech, was honored as a recipient of the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) 2017 Distinguished Service Award during the 108th Annual Conference & Expo in Dallas this month. Jones has been a dynamic, motivational, and committed family and consumer sciences leader at the state and national levels within the profession, in allied professions, and in the communities in which she’s lived. Her career has spanned public school teaching and higher education, Cooperative Extension, instruction, research, and community outreach. Her commitment to academic program excellence has been exemplified in providing active involvement in reaffirmation and accreditation of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at South Carolina State University, through her service to the AAFCS Council of Accreditation, and now through her leadership and example at Louisiana Tech. As a scholar, Jones has received funding from federal, non-profit, and for-profit agencies and organizations for academic and outreach programs, published in refereed journals, and engaged in presenting numerous professional presentations and professional development activities. She treasures mentoring college students and developing our next generation of leaders. In recognition of her enthusiasm and eagerness to make significant contributions across many sectors, she has received more than 40 prestigious special distinctions and awards, and served on more than 30 committees for professional and community organizations locally and nationally.

About AAFCS

Based in the Washington, D.C., area, AAFCS is the only association for family and consumer sciences students and professionals across multiple practice settings and content areas. For more than 100 years, AAFCS has focused its mission on providing leadership and support for professionals whose work assists individuals, families, and communities in making more informed decisions about their well-being, relationships, and resources to achieve optimal quality of life. AAFCS members provide research-based knowledge about the topics of everyday life to help create healthy and sustainable families. These topics include human development, personal and family finance, housing and interior design, food science, nutrition and wellness, textiles and apparel, and consumer issues. AAFCS members are located nationwide, and include educators, administrators and managers, human service and business professionals, researchers, community volunteers, and consultants who develop research-based information and deliver programs on essential skills to help individuals and families be better prepared to live, work, and succeed in today’s complex and diverse world.

Field of Family & Consumer Sciences

Family and consumer sciences (FCS) draws from broad and diverse disciplines to develop and provide content and programs that help individuals become more effective critical thinkers and problem solvers.  Through discovery and delivery of research-based knowledge, FCS professionals help individuals and families develop essential skills to successfully live and work in a complex world. Professionals in the field are uniquely qualified to speak on many critical issues affecting individuals and families, such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle, wisely managing personal and family finances, and creating supportive relationships with family members, friends, and co-workers.  They are located nationwide in a variety of practice settings, including secondary schools, universities, government agencies, and businesses. – Gwynn Mason, Sr. Director, Communications & Marketing, AAFCS, 703-706-4613, gmason@aafcs.org