Blannie Bowen retired from Penn State in 2017 after almost 29 years as a professor of agricultural and extension education. He also held various administrative positions including Vice Provost for Academic Affairs from 2004-17, Head of the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education from 1998-2004, and Associate Dean of the Graduate School from 1995-98. He was on the faculty at Ohio State from 1985-88 and Mississippi State from 1980-85.
Blannie earned his Ph.D. from Ohio State in agricultural education in 1980. He was the editor of both the Journal of Agricultural Education and The Agricultural Education Magazine. After completing his bachelor’s in 1974 and a master’s degree in 1976, both at North Carolina A&T State University, Blannie taught agricultural education for two years first at Person Senior High School in Roxboro, NC, and then at Smithfield High School in Virginia. After graduating from high school, he was a North Carolina state FFA vice president from 1971-72. Blannie grew up on a small family farm in Riegelwood, NC. His wife (Cathy) is also a professor emerita at Penn State and she is from Roanoke Rapids, NC. Blannie and Cathy reside in State College, PA. Blannie’s hobbies include gardening, cooking, walking, writing the church newsletter, and
genealogy.
In retirement, Blannie serves on several boards, councils, and committees. From 2018-23, he served on the Board of Visitors for NC A&T. Also, he served on the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania College of Technology from 2016-23. Currently, he is serving a 3-year term on the Advisory Board for NC A&T’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.