Fall semester 2018 Professor Sonya Meyer, returned to teaching and scholarship after serving as the director of the Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences and University of Idaho Extension’s state program leader for family and consumer sciences until June 2018. Her academic career focuses on developing in students and faculty a greater global awareness and increasing socially responsible family and consumer sciences professionals.
Sonya received her undergraduate degree in home economics education from Emporia State University and both her master’s and doctorate in adult education from Kansas State University. Prior to her position at Idaho, Sonya spent over 26 years on faculty at the University of Wyoming in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences where her position allowed her leadership experiences in all areas of the land grant system. Sonya spent her first five years in a split appointment as an Extension clothing and textiles specialist and as teaching faculty in textiles and apparel.
She was selected to participate in ESCOP/ACOP Leadership Development Program (now Lead 21) Class 10, and gained valuable experience in her college’s experiment station office. Currently serves as interim chair and associate administrative advisor on W2192, Wildland Firefighters’ PPE. Her research foci includes on Wildland Firefighters PPE and the scholarship of design and scholarship of teaching. She is an active member of the International Textiles and Apparel Association, currently serving on the association council as secretary, and council of administrators for family and consumer sciences, serving as membership chair.