Senior Vice President
Jimmy G. Cheek
Jimmy G. Cheek, senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida, is a Texas native. He earned his B.S. degree and his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. He received his master’s degree from Lamar University. He is married to Ileen and they have two adult children, Jennifer and Jeff.
Prior to his role of senior vice president, Cheek served for six years (1999-2004) as Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) and from 1992-99 he served as Assistant Dean. At UF since 1975, he is a Professor of Agricultural Education and Communication. His research has focused on the influence of experiential learning on student achievement and educational accountability. Cheek has authored more than 80 journal articles and reports and one book. He has received numerous awards including: Teacher of the Year for CALS, Alpha Zeta Professor of the Year, and received the Morton Wolfson Faculty Award from UF for outstanding contributions to the quality of student life at the University of Florida. He is a Fellow of the North American Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture and was named Distinguished Educator in 2005. He is also a Fellow of the American Association for Agricultural Education.
Cheek has held major leadership positions in professional organizations and has served in numerous leadership and governance roles at the University of Florida.
Appointed senior vice president in January, 2005, Cheek is the administrative head of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) which includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the School of Natural Resources and the Environment, the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, elements of the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Florida Cooperative Extension Service with offices in each of the state’s 67 counties.
