J. Clay Hurdle

Dr. J. Clay Hurdle is a faculty member at the University of Missouri, specializing in agricultural education, leadership development, and experiential learning. His work bridges positive youth development, civic engagement, and the history of the U.S. land-grant university system. Affiliated with organizations like the Association of Leadership Educators and NACTA, he focuses on qualitative and mixed-methods research.

• Ph.D. in Agricultural Education and Communication (Leadership Development) from the University of Florida (2023)
• Certifications in Leadership in Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Teaching in Agricultural Sciences

His research explores leadership identity formation, program evaluation, and enhancing 4-H/Extension leadership capacity. Recent publications examine land-grant history, virtual experiential learning, and civic engagement in youth programs. Dr. Hurdle also investigates ethical leadership typologies and agricultural media representation.

Programmatic interests include fostering community-based leadership and preparing youth for policy engagement. He applies innovative methods like film analysis to study group dynamics and leadership theories.