WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University College of Agriculture awarded the Frederick L. Hovde Award of Excellence in Educational Service to Rural People of Indiana to Maria Marshall, the James and Lois Ackerman Professor in Agricultural Economics. Sponsored by Indiana Farm Bureau and awarded during the organization’s convention on Dec. 13, this prestigious award is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to providing educational services to rural communities across Indiana.
With over two decades at Purdue, Marshall has demonstrated leadership and impact within the Department of Agricultural Economics. In addition to holding an endowed professorship, Marshall is the founding director of the Purdue Institute for Family Business (PIFB) and the director of the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD).
Jay Akridge, Trustees Chair Professor of Teaching and Learning Excellence, provost emeritus and 2024 Hovde Award recipient, echoed these remarks: “Maria has excelled in all three of our land-grant missions — teaching, research and service. She is an extraordinary teacher, a highly regarded researcher and a national leader in Extension. Every aspect of Maria’s extraordinary professional career has been focused on rural citizens and communities.”
Marshall earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska, a master’s degree from the University of Missouri and a PhD in agricultural economics from Kansas State University.
“My doctoral dissertation centered on trade and development, so when Purdue had a job in rural business development, it felt like a really good fit — and it still does 22 years later,” Marshall said. “As an applied economist, I want to support rural households and small businesses, especially where disparities exist. I want to make a meaningful impact and hope that receiving this award reflects that I am making a difference one family at a time.”
Marshall’s family management course, which launched in 2018, directly addressed management succession challenges facing family agricultural enterprises. Her research explores areas such as household-business resource exchange, family business management and disaster recovery, with a particular focus on how households and their businesses adapt to both expected and unexpected events.
Recognizing the often-underserved needs of family businesses — many of which are rural — Marshall built upon her research and Extension work to establish PIFB, a nationally and internationally recognized entity dedicated exclusively to helping Indiana’s family businesses succeed.
PIFB stands as a model Extension program, offering resources to family businesses in Indiana and beyond through online publications and materials, applied research and in-person programs. Key areas of PIFB include estate planning, strategic business planning, maintaining family bonds and succession planning.
“With 94% of Indiana farms being family owned, Maria’s impact on citizens has been extraordinary, especially in rural settings,” said Ken Foster, professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics. “What truly sets Maria apart is her humility and generosity. She does this work because she genuinely cares about the community and the people she serves.”
Additionally, Marshall’s disaster recovery research was critical during the COVID-19 pandemic, directly influencing federal relief programs to ensure rural Indiana businesses could access essential assistance. In 2020, she assumed leadership of the NCRCRD, which brings together land-grants across the North Central region to advance rural resilience, civic engagement and leadership, and rural health and wellness. The NCRCRD serves as a regional hub for conducting applied research, developing and delivering education programs, sharing best practices and warehousing rural-focused data.
“Maria’s leadership and service set a remarkable example for our college and the profession. Through her direction of the NCRCRD and the PIFB, she brings people together to strengthen rural communities, support Extension professionals and prepare the next generation of agricultural leaders,” Widmar said.
Marshall has received other prestigious awards, including the College of Agriculture’s 2017 Corinne Alexander Spirit of the Land-Grant Mission Award, which recognizes sustained excellence across all three pillars of the land-grant mission. She is also a widely respected scholar, authoring more than 65 peer-reviewed journal papers.
Bernie Engel, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, praises Marshall’s exceptional contributions to both the college and Indiana’s rural communities. “Maria is highly deserving of the Frederick L. Hovde Award. Her research, outreach and teaching have strengthened the resilience and success of family businesses, and her support for farm families, community leaders and businesses facing natural disasters and unexpected challenges has made a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
