Dixie Watts Dalton

Associate Professor Dixie Watts Dalton holds roles as Director of the Virginia Tech Center for Economic Education and Agribusiness Concentration Coordinator in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She specializes in agribusiness, agritourism, and online program development. Previously, she served as Dean of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Business at Southside Virginia Community College (2015–2021), where she launched an agribusiness program.

• Education: Ph.D. in Economics (Duke University), M.S. and B.S. in Agricultural Economics (Virginia Tech)

Her research focuses on agricultural policy, agribusiness marketing, and cooperative economics. She has pioneered online graduate programs, including the Online Master of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the Online Master of Agricultural and Applied Economics.

Awards: Recognized nationally for teaching excellence with the 2024 AAEA award and multiple Virginia Tech alumni honors. Industry accolades include awards from the Virginia Farm Bureau and Agribusiness Council.

Leadership & Grants: Co-chair of the Virginia Tech Center for Economic Education. Led program development for agribusiness concentrations and online graduate initiatives. Extensive grants focused on agricultural education and policy outreach.

Labs/Teams: Oversees the agribusiness program team in CALS and collaborates with the Center for Economic Education on educational outreach.