UW Family and Consumer Sciences Leader First Male Phi Upsilon Omicron President

University of Wyoming Department of Family and Consumer Sciences Head Bruce Cameron in 2015 will become the first male president in the 105-year history of Phi Upsilon Omicron.

Phi Upsilon Omicron is a national family and consumer sciences honor society with more than 95,000 members. Cameron is an associate professor in the UW College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

According to outgoing president Karol Blaylock, an associate professor at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, few men entered the field until a restructuring of what was then referred to as home economics.

“The honor society grew out of the need to honor scholars majoring in home economics in 1909,” she says. “Until the 1980s, very few males majored in home economics. So, here we are now with Dr. Cameron leading this honor society of still mostly females. He will impact the rest of the history of this wonderful organization.”

Blaylock says Cameron’s two-year position as president-elect, his advisory status for UW’s Delta Chapter and experience with leading other organizations have proven he has the skills necessary to be a successful leader for Phi U.

“Professor Cameron is a very intelligent, personable man with a great sense of humor, who will continue the feeling of family among the organization’s members,” Blaylock says. “He believes in nurturing leaders and supports students in all of their scholarly and professional endeavors. His continued contact with Phi U alumni will provide networking opportunities that will lead to internships and jobs for the graduating Phi U students at the national level.”

Cameron joined the UW faculty in 1986. He received a B.S. (1983) and a Ph.D. (1986) in textile technology at the University of New South Wales, Australia.