As we enter Texas Tech University’s centennial year and reflect upon the past, the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources is looking toward the next 100 years with a new dean leading the way. Hailing from central Kansas, Clint Krehbiel, Ph.D., joined Davis College in January 2023. With a plethora of agriculture in West Texas, Krehbiel is no stranger to the region after years of collaboration through research led him back here. When the right doors opened, Krehbiel said he answered a higher calling by coming to Texas Tech.
“I’ve never been on a track to get somewhere,” Krehbiel said. “I’ve always just wanted to be the best I could be wherever I’ve been.”
After responding to the need for leadership in Davis College, Krehbiel said his favorite part of academia is getting to work with the students and faculty. He adds that higher education is one of the few places he feels “energized by younger generations.”
When asked about how he defines success for the college, Krehbiel said he wants our students to be well-known and respected.
“Students that are recognized for [being] … bright, incredibly smart, with great work ethics, and still have a degree of humility, is a really good attribute of humankind,” Krehbiel said. “And I think you all model that here.”
Being known for student success and the college’s focus on this success is what Krehbiel said separates Davis College from other institutions.
“We’re growing students that look more like the world that we’re feeding all the time,” Krehbiel said.
In the next centennial, Krehbiel said the college won’t let go of the culture or history at Texas Tech, instead, adapting to the ever-changing world and continuing to grow.
“We should have twice as many students and twice as impactful research. I think the opportunity… is going to be less students coming from traditional ag backgrounds,” Krehbiel said.
In order to do that, Krehbiel said we have to start recruiting these nontraditional students to Davis College. An important aspect of attracting these students is telling the story of Davis College. Krehbiel said it’s important to continue adapting with the world so our students have opportunities to engage in hands-on experiences. However, he says we don’t have to let go of our culture and history to do this.
“It’s really linking the past with the present,” Krehbiel said. “But, thinking into the future and what the needs will be for the next generations of farmers and ranchers.”