Dr. John Williams, mechanized ag faculty, received an honorary degree at the recent California FFA state conference for helping shape agricultural education teacher and student curriculum across the state.

His expertise has been tapped by the California Ag Teachers Association executive committee, where he oversaw services to its more than 1,000 members as its president in 2023-24. This year, he is still on the committee, serving in its past president role.

Since the Fresno State alumnus returned to campus as a faculty member in 2015, he has helped oversee the mechanized ag FFA Field Day state final contests for high school students, the most recent of which were held on April 12.

Fresno State’s mechanized ag program is considered by many as the state’s best, and he has taught classes tied to ag design and fabrication, electro-hydraulics, farm machinery, metallurgical processes, power trains, small gasoline and diesel engines and tractors.

He is a Briggs and Stratton Certified Master Service Technician, and also serves as the faculty advisor for Ducks Unlimited student chapter.

Williams began his teaching career as an agriculture teacher at Madera South High School in 2009.

A Los Alamos native, he was active in FFA as a high school student, and raised swine and beef projects for the Righetti High School chapter in Santa Maria.