Meet the Dean

As dean of CAEHS, Dr. Douglas LaVergne plays a crucial role in Lincoln University's mission to empower underserved populations through education, innovation, and research. His leadership fosters multidisciplinary collaborations in teaching, research, and service, benefiting Missouri residents.

As vice president of land-grant engagement, Dr. LaVergne supports Lincoln University’s mission through multidisciplinary collaborations, oversees the University's 1890 Research and Extension activities, and leads the land-grant engagement operations team. He works on public relations and marketing activities aligned with the University’s mission and strategic plan, liaises with state and federal agriculture committees and stakeholders, and serves as an expert on land-grant matters from an 1890 perspective. He also promotes campus-wide collaborative, multidisciplinary discoveries and enhances funding opportunities by developing multidisciplinary proposals.

Before joining Texas A&M University, he taught agricultural and extension education courses at West Virginia University. As a high school agriculture teacher in Morgan City, Louisiana, he established the school’s first agricultural education/FFA program. He also served as an extension specialist for Louisiana State University.

Dr. LaVergne has received numerous teaching and research awards. In 2003, he was a George Washington Carver Fellow at the University of Arkansas. His research focuses on the importance of diversity and the inclusion of underrepresented groups in agricultural and extension education.