By Megan Lutz, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Communications Service
"I've always loved learning," said Jen Bundy, assistant professor in the animal science department.
She is passionate about all aspects of learning, whether it's teaching, advising or working with the learning community. That may be the reason she was earned the 2018 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Learning Community Coordinator Award.
"I've never won a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences award before," Bundy said. "I'm here for the students."
Originally from St. Louis, Bundy started at Iowa State in the fall of 2014 teaching genetics and coordinating the learning community.
Bundy comes in contact with almost all of the 1,100 students in the department. This semester she's training 44 peer mentors who will work with the incoming freshman.
Cori Siberski, graduate student in the animal science department, works closely with Bundy within the learning community.
"She is a great role model to have and a wonderful mentor," Siberski said. "I can without a doubt say that the animal science learning community would not be nearly as successful without Bundy."
Bundy values the interaction with students and the impact her work has on their lives.
"The coolest thing in the world is when you're with a student and teaching something and they just get it," Bundy said.
Bundy describes learning as a never-ending process.
"It's not just acquiring knowledge, but acquiring experiences as well," Bundy said. "And it's more than just memorizing and regurgitating information."
Bundy received her Ph.D. in 2008 and her master's degree in 2005 from in breeding and genetics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Columbia in animal science in 2002.
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