Young Alumnus This year’s Young Alumni Achievement Award, given to a graduate age 35 or younger making a positive impact in the world, went to Aaron Shew (’11), a Murfreesboro native now working at Arkansas State University, who has spent more than a decade working in international development and agribusiness. At MTSU, Shew studied abroad in Morocco, India, and Turkey; received a grant for undergraduate research at the MTSU farm; and served as vice president of the Plant and Soil Science Club. After graduating summa cum laude with degrees in International Relations and in Global Studies and a minor in Agriculture, Shew worked with a nonprofit organization in Afghanistan and Iraq to establish soybean-milling operations, creating agribusiness opportunities and improvements in regional food security. Shew completed master’s degrees in Geography and Agricultural Economics and ultimately a doctorate in Environmental Dynamics from the University of Arkansas. He has authored more than 10 peerreviewed scientific articles and presented results at more than 20 international conferences. Last January, Shew was appointed the inaugural R.E.L. Wilson Chair of Agricultural Economics at Arkansas State University, where he is launching a new master’s of Agricultural Business focused on training the next generation of agribusiness production and food marketing experts.
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