Alexandria, Va. – August 26, 2020 – The American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) honored their 2020 Distinguished Service Award Honorees during the AAFCS Virtual Conference in an online recognition event, Salute to the Stars - Toast of Blue!, held on June 25th with AAFCS staff and conference participants. AAFCS’ Annual Conference was transformed from an in-person conference into a 2-day conference via Zoom this year, which allowed many new attendees from all over the world to participate.
Among those selected for the associations’ most prestigious award was Elizabeth Jane Steiner, CFCS-Retired, whose 50+ years in teaching family and consumer sciences for 43 years, also includes serving as department chair, FCCLA adviser, and mentor at the university level. She also co-chaired the Elementary, Secondary, and Adult Education section of AAFCS, as well as the Awards and Recognitions Committee and the AAFCS Communities Coordinating Team and was recognized with the national Leader Award.
“Jane has demonstrated professionalism in family and consumer sciences for over
fifty years and AAFCS has been a benefactor of that commitment to the profession."
- Dr. Carol R. Werhan, Clinical Assistant Professor at Purdue University
Her ground-breaking career education curriculum elevated FCS in distance-learning and led to her recognition as the esteemed AAFCS National Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Steiner remains a committed member of AAFCS and the Indiana Affiliate, teaches for Purdue University, and volunteers for church and community endeavors. She continues to promote and advocate for FCS in education and community settings.
She has been an enthusiastic force for family and consumer sciences for more than 50 years, beginning with her membership in Indiana State University’s AAFCS Student Unit, which she served as president. Since being appointed to the AAFCS-Indiana Executive Board in 1965, she has been a leader in the Indiana Affiliate serving as President and filling many Board and Council positions. Her notable career showcases her dedication to the FCS profession and industry.
Click on these links to read about the
2020 DSA Honorees.
About the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) Based in the Washington, D.C., area, AAFCS was founded in 1909 as the American Home Economics Association and is the only association for family and consumer sciences students and professionals across multiple practice settings and content areas. For 111 years, AAFCS has focused its mission on providing leadership and support for professionals whose work assists individuals, families, and communities in making more informed decisions about their well-being, relationships, and resources to achieve optimal quality of life. Through research, experiential education, and technology, our members help people develop the essential knowledge and skills to lead better lives, be work and career ready, build strong families, and make meaningful contributions to our communities.
About Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Family and consumer sciences or FCS is the field of study focused on the science and the art of living and working well in our complex world. The field represents many areas, including human development, personal and family finance, housing and interior design, food science, nutrition, and wellness, textiles and apparel, and consumer issues.