Welcome to the HNR Department
The people of the Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources (HNR) at Kansas State University are dedicated to improving lives through dynamic, diverse education and research programs.
We are delivering the news to you! Find out what the HNR faculty, staff and students are doing and major events that are coming up. If you missed one of our news stories that you would like to review, all news stories can be found on the HNR News Page.
Students & Faculty in the News
Local Floral Designer Earns Certification and Invite to Distinguished Floral Group
Irina Sheshukova, instructor at Kansas State University has been recognized by the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD®) as a recipient of its coveted Certified Floral Designer (CFD®) designation.
Irina was granted this designation after successfully completing the Professional Floral Design Evaluation (PFDE) that took place on July 4, immediately prior to AIFD's National Symposium "Awaken" in Las Vegas, Nev. Symposium is the floral industry's leading floral design education event. Read more...
Student Spotlight, Ethan Taylor - Lawn & Landscape
At one time, Ethan Taylor figured he would end up in the Marines.
That's what his role model and uncle, John Taylor, did when he graduated high school, and it's what a lot of Ethan's peers did as they grew up, too. Ethan grew up in a suburb near New Orleans, where many of his classmates dropped out of school. His brother and mother each did that, albeit at separate times, and Ethan – the "black sheep," as he calls himself – wondered if college was even going to be an option for him.
He also says he was in a rocky spot with his family, so when his uncle stepped in and relocated him to Houston at 15 years old, he was exposed to a whole different world. Read more...
Swimming Upstream - Lawn & Landscape
Contractors and educators alike are trying to find ways to properly teach irrigation methods to college students.
Just a few weeks ago, Kansas State's Cathie Lavis addressed a room full of homeowners and contractors to give them the basics on irrigation work.
Lavis says – pun intended – that she was trying to "water down" the presentation to make sure nothing went over anybody's head. The information she shared would give them enough background knowledge to keep their lawns green and that's about it. But some of the contractors seemed to already know how to do what Lavis told them, and they clearly had worked in the industry for several years and had plenty of experience. Read more...
