Mission to serve brings Osburn to floral design

Wendy Osburn, the newest floral design professor of practice at the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life SciencesDepartment of Horticultural Sciences, had a winding path to the role she assumed in January.

"I joined the department because I have the heart of a servant, and I truly believe this is my calling," she said. "I am 55, and I can tell you that everything I have done the last 25 years was preparation for this job, even though I didn't know it at the time. I would have never, ever thought about having this exact job. You know, there are powers that be that have a plan."

That "everything" includes being a high school agriculture teacher, a visual design instructor, raising five children and being a minister.

Osburn is just what the department was looking for

Amit Dhingra, Ph.D., head of the Department of Horticultural Sciences, said the department wanted someone who could connect with students and share life experiences learned in the floral design field.

"Floral design seems deceptively simple, but it's not," Dhingra said. "We knew we had to identify just the right individual for this role. If you think about floral design, it really connects people's hearts and minds. It involves structure, so it's not just about art. It's also about the science, the design and the choices of materials and how they all come together."

Osburn said not settling for the ordinary has always worked for her and allowed her and her programs to stand out, and that, in part, is why she is such a good fit.

"I took an unconventional route to teaching at a university," she said. "I didn't follow the standard path of academia but I'm here because of my experience and what I can bring to the classroom and my students. There's no place else I'd rather be."

The path to her passion

As drawn as Osburn is to the horticultural sciences and the beauty and creativity of floral design, her passion for the subject comes from the people she touches through her teaching and those she can empower through flowers.

Osburn had just accepted a job at a high school when, while taking a class at the Benz School of Floral Design, she was approached about joining the department.

Months later, she said that the floral design job was posted once again, and this time, she had to go with her gut.

Even her interview for the position wasn't traditional. Osburn asked if she could prepare and teach a floral design lesson as part of her interview.

"I have such a passion, and I thought they had to see it to really understand what I can do and what I bring to the classroom," Osburn said.

Dhingra said the lesson she gave was on the concept of a cornucopia, and that one lecture was transformative. He saw how Osburn could really connect with people from all backgrounds.

"I have no floral design background, but I was transfixed and so interested in what she was teaching those of us on the committee," he said. "I think we all could have sat there for hours. She is such a bright light and brings so much to our department."

Osburn puts students first

Osburn has 108 students in HORT 203 floral design and is adamant that no one ever be "just a number." As a high school teacher, she'd try to attend the games of her students who participated in sports and take a real interest in getting to know and helping all her "kids" - especially those who needed a little extra encouragement, guidance and/or support.

"I think being a high school teacher for years and then being a minister for years means I can see a need in people and then help them meet it," she said. "I'm the person who is going to encourage them and help students out however I can."

Saying Osburn was the right person for the job "would be a big understatement," Dhingra said. "She brings a real light to the department and her students."

Osburn often had students with disabilities in her high school classes, which prepared her for her floral design class that brought together students of all different backgrounds, interests and abilities.

Giving students the skills to think and create motivates Osburn as a teacher and drives her to always do her best for them.

"I have always approached teaching as a way to open the door of a student's mind so they can see the world differently," she said. "Every student deserves the same opportunity to be successful. Knowing I could be one of the most important influences in their lives is a responsibility I do not take lightly."

Walking in her father's footsteps

Osburn's father, Hubert Nelson '62, was an Aggie. An outstanding athlete, he ran hurdles and was a pole vaulter.

Osburn started her studies at Texas A&M with hopes of emulating her father's athletic contributions, but a broken arm the week before school started derailed her tennis team dreams. While at Texas A&M she met her husband, Kelly Osburn '86, in the architecture department.

Ultimately, her desire to pursue a major not offered at Texas A&M led her to North Texas University, now the University of North Texas, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in visual studies. In 2003, she graduated from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and then spent the next decade ministering to women, high school and college-aged girls before returning to the high school classroom.

Osburn is embracing her return to Bryan-College Station.

"There is a part of my dad here in the department," she said. "My dad was in landscape design and then urban planning, so I feel very at home in the horticulture department."

Before his death, her father saw her son accepted at his beloved alma mater. Osburn knows her dad and late mother would be thrilled with where she is.

"If my dad were still alive and healthy, he'd be here in College Station volunteering at the department full-time," she said.

Another thing that made returning to Texas A&M feel like home is her youngest son Jake, a senior majoring in political science at Texas A&M, is now her roommate.

"My husband and I live in Celina, so I moved in with my son here for the time being," she said. "I'm sure he never dreamed he'd be back living with his mom, but it is wonderful to be with him."

Military heart

Osburn is inspired by her students, but student veterans are especially dear to her. From a military family herself, her son Kyle served as a Marine until his death from cancer. Her son Luke is a captain in the Air Force where he is a pilot.

"My heart is for military families and watching veterans return to school, especially ones overcoming obstacles and persevering," she said.

She is inspired by the veterans in her classes and hopes to see more men and women who have served in the future.

Osburn envisions a day when her department can reach more veterans through outreach by her former students and future projects.

"Maybe that's going to be my legacy, being able to serve and help people through floral design and gardening," Osburn, who is also a Texas Master Gardener, said. "Maybe I can share the love I have with them and help veterans in their healing process."

Floral design courses can benefit every student in any major

"Students probably don't realize that their degrees, whether in business or marketing or anything else, can blend with horticulture, and they can set themselves up for a successful career in the industry," Osburn said.

Osburn encourages all students to investigate taking a floral design course. There is also a certificate for those students who complete the required courses.

"Whether you're a researcher creating a flower color never seen before or developing a flower with a scent, selling and buying flowers for wholesalers, controlling or managing greenhouses, or doing marketing or public relations for the horticulture industry - there really is a place for almost anyone from any field of study here," she said.

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