The Range Science Education Council (RSEC) and the Society for Range Management (SRM) proudly present the 2018 Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award to Dr. Clenton E. Owensby of the Department of Agronomy at Kansas State University. This award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, advising, and mentoring over an extended period, often a career.

Dr. Owensby has been actively engaged in teaching, advising, and mentoring undergraduate students at Kansas State University for 50 years, and has taught over 6,000 students. Throughout his career, he has developed and taught a wide variety of undergraduate courses, has written a text for introductory range management courses, and has published books on prairie grasses and wildflowers of the Great Plains.

His approach and philosophy for undergraduate teaching is to know his students, all of them, and to find a way to not let them fail. He meets with students who are struggling in his classes and works with them to address and rectify the problems they are having with the material. He learns about his students’ backgrounds and, when something in a lecture is pertinent to a student’s life, he personalizes it to that student. Dr. Owensby also uses his many years of experience in rangeland research and management to illustrate his points and provide practical examples that students can relate to.

Colleagues, administrators, and students hold Dr. Owensby in high respect and esteem as evidenced by their comments:

  “He requires his students to think, apply, and evaluate information…”
“…he was able to communicate and instruct in a way that learning was fun
  and interesting.”
“His desire to see me succeed made all the difference.”
“…obviously cared about the success of the students in his classes…”
“…the epitome of what a university professor should be”
Taught that “science is not static but ever changing…”
Classes “are all set up for the students to succeed.”
Able “to bring out the best in his students.”
“If a student is struggling Dr. Owensby is always available to give advice
and help them out.”
“Dr. Owensby is someone that absolutely loves what he does, and it shows
  through his teaching.”
“He cares about the long-term success of his students not only in school, but
  also in life.”
“…he has been a mentor, leader, exemplary citizen, and, because of his desire
to learn, will always be a student.”

For his exemplary dedication to achieving excellence in teaching, advising, and mentoring, the Range Science Education Council and the Society for Range Management are delighted to present Dr. Clenton Owensby with the 2018 Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award.