Alexander Gavitt, better known as "Bud," is a lifelong resident of southern New England. Moving to Westerly, RI, at the age of eight, Gavitt expanded his interests in vegetable gardening to raising chickens and active participation in 4-H . With his interest growing, he sought to inform others of agriculture’s benefits and as part of his 4-H activities, appeared on a local radio station sharing farm-related news with listeners. He also produced a twice monthly column for the local daily newspaper, and three other weekly papers in the area. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island, Gavitt began his editorial career there as assistant agricultural writer/editor in 1957, producing Rhode Island Agriculture . Four years later, he joined UConn as agricultural writer/editor with the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and served in that capacity for nearly 31 years, writing news and feature stories on agricultural, natural resources, environmental and nutritional sciences.
Gavitt’s passion for agriculture extends well beyond his own writing. In addition to his editorial duties, he taught news and feature writing to student interns from the Departments of English and Animal Science for 12 years and established CANR’s Gavitt Scholarship Grant for students interested in communications and agriculture.
Among the honors that have been accorded him are the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award from Gamma Sigma Delta, agriculture’s honor society, the Communication Excellence in Agriculture (ACE) Award of Excellence in Writing, and ACE Pioneer Award, several Northeast Farm Communicators Association writing awards, and the Connecticut Christmas Tree Growers Association Merit Award, which marked the first time a non-grower ever received the organization’s highest award.
Mr. Gavitt is retired and lives in Lebanon, CT .
From the guide to the Alexander "Bud" Gavitt, Jr. Papers, undated, 1920-2005, (Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries)
