Notable UT Woman Award

Presented by the Commission for Women

Every year since 1995, the Commission for Women has recognized a woman whose accomplishments bring distinction to the university.

Mary Lewnes Albrecht, associate dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, is this year’s award winner. She joined the university in 1996 as the head of the Department of Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design. Her leadership in this position led to her being named interim dean and now associate dean of the department, where she is still one of country’s few women administrators in agriculture. In this role, Albrecht’s dedication and leadership have led her to develop the first college advising manual for faculty, to establish the college Honor’s Program, to institute a faculty development program, and to guide undergraduate and graduate curricula revisions. She also has led efforts to build a college scholarship program—now providing nearly $900,000 annually. Her nominator writes, “As a female administrator representing a college with a majority of male faculty, and in which all seven department heads are male, it is likely she has faced many challenges… Yet, she has not let those hinder her vision and commitment, impede her efforts or limit her achievements.”