Good news!  Dr. Julie N. Zimmerman has been recognized with the lifetime career achievement award from the Rural Sociological Society(RSS). 

The Margaret Hagood Distinguished Rural Sociologist Award is “based on overall professional accomplishments in rural sociology” and recognizes RSS members “who have made superior career contributions to the field of rural sociology through research, teaching, extension, public service, and/or public policy.”  Recently re-named to honor the first woman to be president of the Society, it is the highest recognition bestowed by the Rural Sociological Society.

Zimmerman’s achievement is part of the University of Kentucky’s long-held national prominence in the history of rural sociology.  Zimmerman is the first woman at UK to receive this highest distinction and she joins a select group of other rural sociologists at UK who also received the award starting with Howard Beers, one of the first four individuals to receive the Society’s highest honor, and later included A. Lee Coleman, Tom Ford, and Milt Coughenour.

This is the second lifetime career achievement award received by Zimmerman this year.  She also received the M.D. Whiteker Award for Excellence in Extension from the Kentucky Association of State Extension Professionals (KASEP).  Her recognition was part of the near clean sweep by CLD Extension of the awards given by KASEP this year.

Julie will accept the award at the RSS conference held a the end of July 2025.