Jessica Rae Spence

B.S. Agriculture Communications and Journalism, Texas A&M University 2018 

M.S. Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, Texas A&M University 2020

Ph.D. Agricultural and Life Sciences , Virginia Tech 2025

Spence, J. R., Kaufman, E., Seibel, M., Tyler-Mackey, C., Parrella, J., Grove, B., Adebayo, B., Olowoyo, O., Poudel, S., Zhu, S., & Gutter, M. (In Press). Creative conversations: The un-meeting as an approach to agricultural Extension communication. Journal of Extension.

Spence, J. R. & Redwine, T. (2025). Factoring food security: A Q methodology study with Ghanaian educators. Advancements in Agricultural Development. 6(1), 69–81. https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v6i1.545

Spence, J. R. & Dado, M. (2025). Camaraderie, culture, and connection: A Photovoice of a long-term international fellowship. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education. 32(2), 258-283. https://doi.org/10.4148/2831-5960.1290

Dado, M., Spence, J. R., & Elliot, J. (2024). The impact of long-term international experiences on career and technical educators: A qualitative examination of the International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program. Career and Technical Education Research, 49(3), 3–19. https://doi.org/10.5328/cter49.3.3

Spence, J. R., Letot, C., Foster, D., Redwine, T., McCubbins, A., & Miller-Foster, M. (2023). Global guides: Defining teachers’ viewpoints about global food insecurity using Q methodology. Journal of Agricultural Education, 64(4). https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v64i4.151

Dado, M., Spence, J. R., & Elliot, J. (2023). The case of contradictions: How prolonged engagement, reflexive journaling, and observations can contradict qualitative methods. The International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 22. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231189372

Spence, J. R., Redwine, T., Rutherford, T., & Dooley, K. (2023). Unanticipated unity and independence: A photovoice of Ugandan gender-based agriculture issues. Advancements in Agricultural Development, 4(2), 74–90. https://doi.org/10.37433/aad.v4i2.283

Dado, M., Spence, J. R., & Elliot, J. (2023). Going the distance: Examining the impact of a long-term international fellowship. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education, 30(1), 59-73. https://doi.org/10.4148/2831-5960.1088

Elliot, J., Spence, J. R., Tumushime, I., Dado, M., Casas, A., Ilesanmi, O., Gould, M., & Le Bon, M. (2022). It’s who we are: New approaches, supported by evidence. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education, 29(1), 86-96. https://doi.org/10.4148/2831-5960.1018

 Parrella, J. A., Spence, J. R., Redwine, T., & Leggette, H. R. (2021). Characterizing Viewpoints of Scholars in Agricultural Communications as they Relate to Research Themes in the Journal of Applied Communications: A Q Methodological Study. Journal of Applied Communications, 105(3), 3. https://doi.org/10.4148/1051-0834.2389

Furr, N. L., Spence, J. R., Kim, E., Larson-Meyer, E., Serrano, E., & Kraak, V. I. (In Review). Exploring how higher education institutions in the United States use marketing-mix choice architecture strategies in dining settings to encourage a plant-rich, sustainable diet transition: A systematic scoping review. Journal of Foodservice Business Research.

Spence, J. R. & Rutherford, T. (In Review). Communicating cross-culturally: An examination into how study abroad students utilize, witnessed, and understood nonverbal communication on international experiences. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Journal.

Kaufman, E., Seibel, M., Tyler-Mackey, C., Parrella, J., Grove, B., Adebayo, B., Olowoyo, O., Poudel, S., Spence, J. R., Zhu, S., & Gutter, M. (In Review). Un-meetings: A tool for application of the sustainable livelihoods framework with agricultural producers. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.

Jessica R. Spence is a doctoral student in the Department of Agricultural Leadership and Community Education at Virginia Tech. As a Research Fellow with VT's Institute of Critical Technology and Applied Science, Ms. Spence's role in her assistantship is to conduct research in her line of inquiry: international agricultural development, gender-based agricultural issues, and development communications. Ms. Spence is an experienced educator on agricultural communications topics, specializing in visual communications such as photography, branding, and graphic design. 

Previous to her studies at VT, Jessica was the Program Coordinator for the International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program in Ghana, where she oversaw nine U.S. agriculture educator volunteers in rural Ghanaian Schools. She began this work after completing a M.S. in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications and a B.S. in Agriculture Communications and Journalism at Texas A&M University, where she began her research inquiry in gender-based agriculture issues within a development context. 

Spence's international experience spans beyond her year working in Ghana to include trips in 2019, 2022, and 2023, to collect data and communications materials, to Uganda where she spent the most of her time in Lira working with farmers and educators. Prior to that, she co-led a study abroad program to Namibia with 17 students. 

Spence, J. R. (2024). Microgrants for public engagement training content. Research!America ($5,000). Funded. 

Spence, J. R. (2024). Enhancing globally competent agricultural communication for climate resilience. The United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture Agriculture and Food Research Initiative: Education and Workforce Development Postdoctoral Fellowship ($225,000). Submitted.

Spence, J. R. & Baker, C. (2024). Bridging Institutions: Enhancing Research on Gender and Community Health through Collaborative Analysis. American Association for Agricultural Education Collaboration Travel Grant ($846). Funded. 

Cheng, A., Adebayo, B., Smilnak, D., Adusei, F., Spence, J. R., Olowoyo, O., Zhu, S., & Niewolny, K. (2024). Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Graduate Student Career Professional Development ($10,000). Funded. 

Spence, J. R. (2024). Graduate Research and Development Program Grant ($1,500). Not funded. 

Spence, J. R. (2023). Sustainability Stories: Articulating Agricultural Conflict and Agritourism Conservation Efforts in Ghana. Student Media Grant. Center for Conflict and Development at Texas A&M University ($5,000). Funded.

Rutherford, T., Crowder, V., Parrella, J. Westfall-Rudd, D., & Spence, J. R. (2023). Advancing VT/CALS University Partnerships in Ghana. Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Small Grants for Faculty ($12,000). Funded.

Spence, J. R. (2023) Fulbright National Geographic Storyteller Grant (Ghana). Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs ($20,000). Semi-finalist.

Spence was Instructor of record for the following cours(s) at Virginia Tech:

• ALCE 3814: Life Sciences Communication & Public Engagement

Teaching Assistant for the following course(s) at Virginia Tech:

• ALCE 3624: Communicating Agriculture in Writing
• ALCE 4964: Internship in Life Sciences Communication

And Texas A&M University:

• AGCJ 281: Journalism Concepts in Agriculture 
• AGCJ 314: Writing for Agriculture Audiences II 
• AGCJ 306: Theory and Practice of Agriculture Publication 
• AGCJ 307: Design for Agriculture Media
• AGCJ 308: Agricultural Photography AGCJ 308: Agricultural Photography 
• AGCJ 312: Editing for Agriculture Audiences 
• AGCJ 405: Agriculture Publication Production 
• AGCJ 406: Agriculture Public Relations Methods 
• AGCJ 481: Senior Seminar 

Research!America (2025). 2024-2025 Award recipients. https://www.researchamerica.org/civic-science/public-engagement-training-content-awards/2024-2025-award-recipients/

Moyer, O. (2025). ALCE Doctoral candidate develops science communication training to help researchers share impacts. Virginia Tech Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education. https://www.alce.vt.edu/index/alce-doctoral-candidate-develops-science-communication-training.html

Owl Pellets: Tips for Ag Teachers (2024). Global Guides: Understanding food insecurity. https://spoti.fi/3rfbZjO

Williams, T. (2023). Research brings pride of female farmers in Uganda into focus. Virginia Tech News. https://news.vt.edu/articles/2023/03/cm-ugandawomenfarmers.html

U.S. Department Of State Bureau Of Educational And Cultural Affairs. (2022). Jessica Spence, Namibia 2016. Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program 20th Anniversary Blog. https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/alumnus/jessica-spence-nambia-2016/

Baker, C. (2021). Aggie promotes food security, well-being through agricultural education. AgriLife Today. https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2021/10/07/aggie-promotes-food-security-well-being-through-agricultural-education/

Newton, L. (2020). Side gigs: How three Aggies took a different approach to working as students. AgriLeader Magazine. https://issuu.com/tamuagrileader/docs/final_agrileade