Meyer Earns National Award

A national family and consumer sciences honor society has recognized the distinguished service of Sonya Meyer, who recently retired as a University of Idaho professor.

Each year, Phi Upsilon Omicron recognizes one collegiate chapter advisor. Meyer, who retired May 9 as a professor of apparel, textiles and design within the Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), will be presented with the Phi Upsilon Omicron 2025 National Bachtel-Holbrook Collegiate Advisor Award in the fall of 2026 during the organization’s annual Conclave in Lubbock, Texas.

Meyer, who was co-advisor of the organization’s Zeta Chapter at U of I along with Assistant Professor Adrianne Griebel-Thompson, was nominated for the award by chapter members, including past President Isabelle Higgins. In her nomination, Higgins described Meyer as a mentor to faculty and students alike.

“As student advisor, professor of apparel, textiles and design and curator of the Leila Old Historic Costume Collection, her ability to inspire, support and empower those around her has left a lasting impact on our chapter and our university,” Higgins wrote.

Higgins emphasized Meyer’s commitment to community service projects, including leading the chapter in sewing more than 100 Christmas stockings to donate to local food banks during the past seven years and making baked goods for local first responder and staff at the university’s Dean of Students Office and Counseling and Mental Health Center following a tragedy on campus.

Meyer earned her undergraduate degree in vocational home economics education from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, before becoming a high school home economics teacher in Dodge City, Kansas. She went on to earn a master’s degree and a doctorate, both in adult education, from Kansas State University, working at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, while pursuing her doctorate.

“Teaching has been my passion,” Meyer said. “From an early age, probably first grade, I decided I wanted to be a teacher.”

From 1986 through 2012, Meyer worked for the University of Wyoming, where she managed the university’s costume collection. She joined U of I in 2012 as FCS director before returning to the classroom in 2018, when she became collections manager of the Leila Old Historic Costume Collection. Her favorite piece in the collection is a basic pair of men’s overalls with white and blue stripes and patches that once belonged to a farmer.

“When I give tours of the collection, I like to tell people those garments tell a story about the individual,” Meyer said.

Professor Shelley McGuire, the current FCS director, believes the word that best describes Meyer’s contributions is “useful.”

“What we are supposed to be doing as a land-grant institution is teaching useful classes so people can be useful citizens,” McGuire said. “She has spent her entire career doing that.”

In retirement, Meyer plans to be a busy emeritus faculty member and is already planning on participating in a student-led international experience to Ireland focused on FCS disciplines during the coming school year. She’s also a tenor drummer who plans to join the Border Highlanders pipes and drums, performing alongside Dean of the Libraries Ben Hunter, Shelley McGuire and U of I Distinguished Professor Mark McGuire.

Published in Catching Up with CALS