Dr. Taylor Rezvani and Corey J. Butler receive the Clifton Bryant Animals & Society Course Award from the American Sociological Association

BANGOR, ME / ACCESS Newswire / August 12, 2026 / Husson University Assistant Professor Dr. Taylor Rezvani and Online and Distance Education Senior Instructional Designer Corey J. Butler have received the Clifton Bryant Animals & Society Course Award for their course, Anthrozoology: Animals, People, and Society.

The award from the Animals and Society Section of the American Sociological Association recognizes outstanding course design in the study of human-animal relationships. In a competitive field this year, the Husson course stood out for its interdisciplinarity, global perspective and emphasis on reflexivity. Reflexivity is the practice of having students examine how their own identity and assumptions shape what they know.

Anthrozoology: Animals, People, and Society serves as the entry point to Husson's Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare master's degree program. Built on the Understanding by Design framework, the course centers each student as an active participant in the discourse rather than a passive learner. Students identify an audience, interaction, culture and species of their choosing, then synthesize global cultural perspectives through a structured literature review that culminates in a capstone Anthrozoological Visiting Scholar Welcome Talk. By interrogating their own biases and research process, learners develop a foundation for careers in animal care, policy, advocacy and research.

Rezvani, who has 20 years experience working in veterinary practices and in animal behavior education, earned an interdisciplinary Ph.D. integrating biology, education, and psychology from Washington State University. She co-founded a nonprofit focused on canine-human interaction outreach and serves as education committee chair for the Human Animal Bond Association. At Husson, she has helped build both the undergraduate Animal Care and Behavior program and the graduate Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare program.

Butler brings more than a decade of experience in asynchronous online curriculum development and has been instrumental in building Husson's animal studies programs.

Rezvani and Butler will be recognized at the Animals and Society Section's Human-Animal Futures in a Changing World mini-conference, following the American Sociological Association Annual Meeting on August 12 at New York University.

Prospective students interested in the field can learn more about the Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare program at Husson Online.

For more than 128 years, Husson University has prepared future leaders through innovative undergraduate and graduate degree programs. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, Husson offers quality educational programs in areas including emerging technologies; business; finance; education; animal care; legal studies; healthcare; science and humanities; and communication. For more information about educational opportunities, visit Husson.edu.

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Name: Sarah Walker Caron
Company: Husson University
Email: admit@husson.edu
Website: https://www.husson.edu/

SOURCE: Husson University