By Rita Okoye
For Elizabeth E. Ogar, agricultural education is more than a career; it is a mission rooted in resilience, innovation, and the pursuit of equity for rural communities. From the farming landscapes of Nigeria to the halls of Purdue University, Ogar’s academic and professional journey has earned her three of the most prestigious awards in global agricultural education and leadership.
Ogar is the recipient of the Christopher Dowswell Scholarship, an award named after the late policy advisor and champion of smallholder farmers in Africa. The scholarship, administered by the Sasakawa Africa Association and Winrock International, is bestowed upon only a select number of women agricultural professionals who show extraordinary commitment to rural development and farmer education. Ogar’s selection reflected her outstanding work with extension agents, women’s cooperatives, and agricultural youth programs across Nigeria.
But her recognition doesn’t stop at international borders. Upon beginning her Ph.D. in Agricultural Education at Purdue University, Ogar was awarded the Ross Fellowship, one of the university’s highest honors for doctoral students. Funded by the Purdue Graduate School, the Ross Fellowship is reserved for candidates who show exceptional academic promise and potential for future research leadership. Ogar was chosen from a highly competitive international pool of scholars, underscoring her reputation as a rising force in STEM-integrated agricultural education.
In 2025, she added another accolade to her name: the Parr Scholarship, offered by Purdue’s College of Agriculture. This scholarship supports students whose work exemplifies the land-grant university’s mission of research, education, and outreach that address real-world agricultural challenges. Ogar’s groundbreaking work in integrating artificial intelligence and digital tools into agricultural teaching curricula was a major factor in the committee’s decision.
“I come from a place where education in agriculture is seen as a survival skill, not a science,” Ogar said in a recent interview. “I want to change that narrative not just for Nigeria, but for every underserved rural learner in the world.”
Her academic work is already making waves. Ogar has published extensively on topics such as climate resilience, rural household food security, and gender-inclusive education models, and her research is cited in journals across multiple continents. At Purdue, she leads initiatives that connect global agricultural education with U.S. extension systems, serving as a presenter at the 2024 Purdue Extension Professional Development Conference and contributing to curriculum development for the university’s 4-H digital agriculture programs.
“Elizabeth is not only a brilliant researcher,” said one Purdue faculty mentor, “she’s a bridge between global agricultural systems and our future workforce. Her trajectory is nothing short of exceptional.”
As she continues her doctoral research, Ogar is also mentoring the next generation of educators through the YANU Agricultural Mentoring Program, which she has supported since 2013. Her efforts have created scholarship pathways for rural girls in Nigeria and helped dozens of young professionals pursue higher education in agriculture.
With international recognition, elite academic fellowships, and deep community engagement, Ogar represents a rare combination of intellect, leadership, and social impact.