NOVUS representatives recently presented the 2024 Novus Outstanding Teaching Award to Michael D. Cressman, Ph.D., of The Ohio State University during the Poultry Science Association (PSA) Annual Meeting in Kentucky.
As the leader in intelligent nutrition, NOVUS has been a longtime sponsor of the award that recognizes a PSA member who demonstrates outstanding success in the classroom as well as a dedication to professional improvement and industry excellence.
“Through this award, we recognize educators who have dedicated their professional lives to advancing animal agriculture inside the classroom and beyond it,” says Gabriela Cardoso, Ph.D., NOVUS poultry solutions manager for the Americas who presented the award. “The NOVUS Outstanding Teaching Award winner supports the future of our industry in the impact they have on their students.”
Dr. Cressman is a Professional Practice Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at The Ohio State University (OSU), where his appointment has him spend 75% of his time teaching and 25% on OSU Extension responsibilities. He is also responsible for undergraduate student advising, co-curricular team coaching (poultry judging), undergraduate and graduate student research advising in the areas of applied poultry and meat science, and poultry youth program development in collaboration with FFA, 4-H, and Ohio State Extension faculty and staff members.
Heavily embedded in student development, Cressman has held his current position since 2015 and has gained valuable insight he puts into practice in the classroom.
“My teaching philosophy is fairly simple: (1) great teachers ask great questions; and (2) no two individuals learn the same – so be patient, adaptable, and persistent,” he says. “My style is fairly casual, and I think it is important to insert a personal and humorous touch in the classroom. If the students lose interest – if they fall asleep, if they stop coming to class – they won’t learn anything!”
Cressman says his own teachers helped mold the educator he is today. His undergraduate poultry science professors at Penn State University – Mr. Phil Clauer and Drs. Mike Hulet and Paul Patterson – helped him realize the many opportunities that poultry science and the poultry industry have to offer. During his graduate education, Drs. Henry Zerby, Steven Moeller, Zhontang Yu, and Mike Lilburn at OSU, and Professors Steve Walkden-Brown and Robert Swick from the University of New England (Armidale, NSW, Australia), were instrumental in instilling an academic work ethic and better understanding and appreciation of the scientific method.
“For those interested in a career in agriculture, it’s important to always keep environmental stewardship and animal husbandry at the top of your priority list. Second, do that which best employs your skills and knowledge and fills you with purpose – I put purpose over passion any day,” he says.
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Cressman serves as the lead liaison for the Ohio Poultry Association and the poultry industry in Ohio. Since 2020, he’s served as course coordinator and co-instructor for the Midwest Poultry Consortium-Center of Excellence (MPC-COE) program, which provides undergraduate students the opportunity to earn 18 credit hours in a poultry science-based curriculum.
PSA is a professional organization consisting of educators, scientists, extension specialists, industry researchers, administrators, producers, and college students who are committed to advancing the poultry industry. Founded in 1908, PSA’s member scientists have contributed through their research to the development of safer and more nutritious food products.
NOVUS provides solutions for the animal agriculture industry around the world. The company’s portfolio includes trace minerals, nutritional enzymes, feed digestibility and meat quality solutions, and methionine supplementation products along with a network of experts globally who provide guidance on management best practices. To learn how NOVUS supports poultry producers, visit novusint.com.
