Introducing our PSU Visiting Global Teach Ag! Fellow: From Pineapple Town to Pennsylvania - Nur Husna Wahid

Editors Note: In the Spring, Nur will host a Teach Ag! Malaysia Seminar. Keep an eye out for the programming annoucement!

Hello! My name is Nur Husna and I am proud to become the first PSU Visiting Global Teach Ag! Fellow. My journey to Penn State started in a little town called 'Pekan Nanas' . Pekan means town and Nanas means Pineapple. The town is located in Pontian district, Johor, Malaysia. Pekan Nanas is Malaysia's largest production base for pineapple planting area. My family was not originally from the town, but in 1999 my father decided to purchase a piece of land and he started to build his dream house. Our house surrounded by tropical fruits tress like bananas, pineapples, mangos, and the king of fruit durian. We also have Tilapia fish ponds. I would say that though out my life agriculture has affected me in many different ways.

I graduated from University Putra Malaysia (an agriculture based university) in 2005 with a Bachelor Degree in Science majoring in Microbiology and I completed agriculturally related courses. In 2010, I completed my Master Degree in Technical and Vocational Education emphasized in agriculture education from the same University. Being at an agricultural based university during my undergraduate had sparked my interest in agriculture!

It has been my genuine interest to pursue a career in the academic world. I joined College of Education, University Technology Malaysia in May 2006 as one of their tutors/ junior lecturer at the Department of Technical and Engineering Education. The department strives to produce teachers and trainers for Malaysia technical and vocational education. I was eligible for the post because the department was planning to introduce agricultural science and biotechnology in the existing curriculum. Since my employment, I have been given the opportunity to share my knowledge and experience teaching agricultural courses such as Horticulture Science, Plant Propagation and Management, and Agro-technology. I am deeply committed in my task to improve the curricular and also the teaching and learning approaches in agricultural education. Therefore, to show my commitment and passion in education, in August 2012, I flew almost 10,000 miles from Malaysia to Penn State to become a doctoral student in Workforce Education & Development at Penn State. After completing my doctoral study at Penn State, I hope to develop a better understanding in education and help improve the quality of our program at my home university.

When I return to ‘Pineapple Town’ I chose to continue to teach agricultural education because I know the pleasure of being a part of a team producing future agriculture teacher for the country that can further contribute to mankind. I am passionate about helping students. I always believe in the saying that “A teacher takes a hand open a mind and touches a heart”. As far as teaching and learning activities are concern, I will always have the passion to venture into new ideas and being part as PSU Global Teach Ag! have given me the opportunities to learn more in making a positive impact on the lives of people across the globe.

Best,

~Nur Husna~

@nba107Nur

For more information on the PSU Global Teach Ag! Initiative: http://aese.psu.edu/teachag/global