By Ellen Bombela, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Communications Service
Receiving a teaching award is nothing new for Cynthia Haynes, the recipient of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Outstanding Achievement in Teaching Award.
In 2017, Haynes, an associate professor of horticulture, received the American Society of Horticulture Science Outstanding Undergraduate Educator Award and has received numerous awards during her 19 years at Iowa State.
Her success may be in her teaching philosophy. For Haynes, teaching means being centered on student learning.
"I try to motivate students to want to learn more," Haynes said. "Once they're engaged and motivated, the rest usually falls into place. They study more, ask questions because they're curious and they want more hands-on work."
Haynes' teaching responsibilities include home horticulture, principles of horticulture, herbaceous ornamentals, sustainable and environmental horticulture and educating youth through horticulture courses. Her goal is to help students become better gardeners and consumers by clearing up misconceptions involving plants and plant care.
"There are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there, so I want to help students distinguish bad information from the facts," Haynes said.
Haynes supports student learning not only as a teacher, but as an advisor for a learning community, an advisor for the learning and leadership minor and by leading study abroad trips. Last semester she led a study abroad trip to South America.
"With most of the study abroad trips that we do, it's to see some aspect of production in horticulture, so this one was very focused on the tropical fruits, vegetables, ornamentals and chocolate," Haynes said. "Along with the horticulture and agriculture side - we also learn more about the cultural side as well."
Haynes joined Iowa State in 1999. She earned doctorate and master's degrees in horticulture from the University of Georgia in 1991 and 1996; and a bachelor's degree in horticulture from Louisiana Tech University in 1988.
Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will present awards to faculty and staff on March 8 at its Spring-Semester Convocation and Awards Program in the Memorial Union.
March 1, 2018