- Degree: Bachelor (Spring 2021)
- Advisor: Dr. Brian Jackson
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-owen-b351ab176
- Award: Outstanding Senior, Spring 2021
What was your degree(s) or focus?
Major: Horticultural Science- Production Systems and Entrepreneurship; Minor: Agricultural Business Management
How are you planning to use your degree?
I plan to use my degree in the future to work in the Cooperative Extension service to promote better, more sustainable practices for homeowners and producers alike. By using the best management practices I learned while studying horticulture while having access to industry-leading research through NC State, I feel I can make a positive impact in my local community and make our landscapes and production operations better. I would like to work back home in western NC to benefit my local community there, and that’s what I hope to achieve after I obtain my graduate education.
Whom do you want to thank?
I would first like to thank my family and friends back home and in Raleigh for always providing a support network that allows me to be successful. Without you I would’ve never pursued my dreams and wouldn’t be the person that I am today, I love you!
I would also like to thank the faculty and staff in the Horticulture department for always striving to keep students first. It is very evident that our department is a family that genuinely cares about the well-being of each and every student. Our faculty are willing to put in the extra time and effort to ensure that each student has the tools needed to be successful. They are always there for guidance, advice, or just to lend a listening ear or provide a word of encouragement. This is just one of the many reasons why the Horticulture department at NC State is industry-leading, and I’m proud to be a member of the Wolfpack. I would also like to thank the Goodnight Scholars program for giving me the chance to pursue my dreams, and open up doors of opportunity that I never knew were there. I would not be where I am today without your generosity, support, and mentorship and I am looking forward to paying that forward in the future.
Lastly, I would like to thank all of my fellow graduating seniors and fellow students in the Horticulture department. Y’all are some of the brightest, most brilliant people I have met and I have no doubt that you will go on to do big things. I look forward to seeing what you all accomplish, and it’s great to know that we have each other as a support network for our professional careers well into the future.
What is the best thing about studying horticulture at NC State?
There are many things I could say here about why studying horticulture at NC State is amazing. From the innovative technology and production facilities to the resources and education of a land-grant university there are many reasons why NC State is industry-leading. But I think it is the faculty and the students in the Horticulture department that make the biggest difference. It truly is a family atmosphere in this department where some of the country’s leading professionals develop a personal relationship with their students. Each faculty member is actively invested in teaching a curriculum in an applied, innovative way that provides for the best educational experience out there. The students and faculty in the horticulture department at NC State are truly some of the finest people you will ever meet, and I am glad I went to NC State to continue my education.
Clubs and Activities
- Horticulture Club-Vice President
- Pi Alpha Xi-Iota Chapter- President
- HortPack Competition Team
- Goodnight Scholar
- CALS Dean Student Council
- Collegians for Christ
Do you have plans for after graduation? Are you currently working?
I will begin my pursuit of a master’s in science starting this upcoming fall at NC State within the horticulture department. I then plan to work in the Cooperative Extension service upon graduating from NC State.
Advisor Comments (Brian Jackson)
Luke….I am so proud of you! From the first day you walked into my office you have been a pleasure to work with. You made my “job” easy in that you were (and are) always well prepared, punctual, and organized. Those traits among many others have helped you be incredibly successful in your tenure as an undergraduate. I salute your hard work, tremendous effort, and determination to succeed. I am also VERY pleased you will be staying at NCSU for your graduate work. Well done sir!