Source: NCSU COLLEGE OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES, Spring 2021


Dalton Dockery has dedicated 27 years to making connections to those he serves.

“Building relationships is the core of North Carolina Cooperative Extension. It’s one of the reasons I enjoy my job,” says Dockery, Extension director for Columbus County. “I’ve tried to instill that belief in the agents that I’ve hired.

“We want to make sure we distribute research and education from NC State, but we have to show our community that we care first.”

Dockery has shown his steadfast support for the people of Columbus County through times of crisis. When Hurricane Florence hit in 2018, flooding left many residents without power, food and water.

“The National Guard was able to get food to the county, but we had to find a way to distribute it to all of the communities. We worked with local leaders to set up a transit system to make sure everybody received food. We wanted to take care of our people,” Dockery says.

The CALS alumnus also works to address racial and political division within the predominantly white county.

For the full story, click here.