No ag background? No problem. CFAES grad blossoms into a future PhD

No ag background? No problem. CFAES grad blossoms into a future PhD
CFAES grad blossoms into a future PhD at

By Tracy Turner

COLUMBUS, Ohio — When Haley Kruest arrived at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), she didn’t know the difference between agronomy and horticulture. Now, the suburban student who once knew little about agriculture graduated May 4 with a bachelor’s degree in sustainable plant systems and a focus on horticulture.

“I started at Ohio State as a suburb kid with next to no knowledge of the agriculture sphere, but I had felt called to it for multiple years,” Kruest said. “I initially started in agronomy, not knowing what the different classifications meant, but switched to horticulture after realizing that corn and soybeans was not where I was supposed to be.”

Her interest in hydroponics is what drew her to Ohio State. A chance meeting in a speech class with an upperclassman working in the Kubota Lab helped her land a spot as an undergraduate research assistant.

“I just recently hit my three-year anniversary in the Kubota Lab,” she said. “I have had the incredible opportunities to help with at least half a dozen projects in the lab, helped teach the hydroponics class lab twice, and conduct some of my own research in conjunction with the food science department in the Cooperstone Lab.”

“I started here as a wide-eyed 18-year-old who dreamed of being able to call herself a scientist one day, and now I can proudly say I’m well on my way to that”Haley Kruest

She also completed a summer internship in the ornamental pathology lab led by Francesca Hand, an associate professor in the CFAES Department of Plant Pathology, where she gained additional research experience and technical skills.

That experience, along with her work at Ohio State, prepared her for her next step: graduate school. Kruest recently accepted a position in the controlled environmental pathology lab at the University of Georgia, where she plans to pursue a PhD.

In addition to her research, Kruest was actively involved in student organizations — eight in her first semester alone.

“From learning how to throw grown men on the Oval in Krav Maga Club to tearing out invasive plants with the Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association as a member of Botany Club, my wide range of experiences has greatly shaped the person I am today,” she said.

She served as president of Pi Alpha Xi, the horticultural student honors society, during her sophomore and junior years and currently serves as vice president.

“My fellow officers are what made this possible,” she said. “Events like the poinsettia sale would not be possible without a group of supportive individuals.”

Kruest also credited the faculty and staff in CFAES for their dedication and support.

“I started here as a wide-eyed 18-year-old who dreamed of being able to call herself a scientist one day, and now I can proudly say I’m well on my way to that,” she said. “I’ll soon be a published coauthor on my own scientific research, and it would not have been possible without the incredible knowledge and guidance of my peers and mentors in the Ohio State family.”

“CFAES has been more than I could ever ask for from a college program,” Kruest said. “Community, intelligence, rigor, and kindness are all so prominent here, and I know that wherever life takes me next, there will most likely be a fellow Buckeye not far away.”