Dean Beyrouty Tribute

When Dean Craig Beyrouty reflects on his 10 years leading the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland, he does so with humility and grace. Having known early on that he wanted to dedicate his life to academics and become a member of a university community, he has spent almost his entire professional career in higher education.

Before arriving at the University of Maryland in 2015, he spent 17 years as a faculty member at the University of Arkansas, 8 years at Purdue University as head of the Agronomy Department and 6 years at Colorado State University as dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. Beyrouty has always felt fortunate to have an enduring, rewarding career and expresses deep gratitude to have had the opportunity to be part of AGNR. His tenure as dean at UMD has been the most enjoyable and rewarding experience of his career.

This May, Beyrouty will step down after finishing his second term as dean, and will remain at UMD to begin a new phase of his academic career. “AGNR is filled with people that have passion and direction and are driven to positively impact the lives of others,” Beyrouty said. “I feel so blessed to be part of this community and to have helped lead several new and exciting initiatives.”

His list of accomplishments is long, with a measure of impact that many in the college believe will lead to positive, institutional change. Drawing on multiple rounds of feedback and shared visioning from his faculty and staff, Beyrouty helped develop the college’s five strategic initiatives. He has greatly elevated the visibility of the college, rebuilt positive relationships with statewide groups like the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Maryland Farm Bureau, rededicated AGNR to the statewide land-grant mission, launched new majors, refocused efforts on international development, renovated existing facilities and built new facilities.

But he sees his proudest accomplishment as something more cultural. “I’m very proud of the people I have hired during my 10 years as dean,” he said. “I’ve never been associated with such creative, can-do, pleasant people as I have here across leadership, faculty and staff.”

As he steps down, he hopes folks remember his tenure fondly. He also hopes that the college continues to prioritize a shared vision, and doubles down on its commitment to recruiting and attracting talented students who are excited about solving the world’s most immediate problems.

“If new programs that have developed under my tenure have made a positive impact then they will become part of the DNA of AGNR. But ultimately, the college needs to decide what is in the best interests of our students and our stakeholders, and develop and support programs that contribute to their success. That is what I hope for the future of this outstanding college.”

Thank you, Dean Beyrouty.