THE NALPEXPERIENCE
Meet Daniel Greenwell, Outstanding Educator of the Year for 2024
By Jill Odom
THE NALP FOUNDATION NAMED DANIEL GREENWELL, DEPARTMENT head of horticulture and agriculture for Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood, South Carolina, the 2024 Outstanding Educator of the Year.
Greenwell dual-enrolled at Tallahas-
see Community College and earned his Associate of Arts degree before finding his passion for horticulture. He then transferred to the University of Florida and graduated with a degree in plant science with an emphasis in landscape and nursery horticulture. He also attended the Auburn Univer-
sity Public Horticulture program, where he graduated with a Master of Science degree in horticulture and a graduate certificate in public horticulture. Greenwell constantly looks for ways
for his students to learn, grow and gain professional experience. He is described as humble, supportive, and an example other educators should follow. He is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get dirt under his fingernails as he instructs
students in their hands-on calling. At the National Collegiate Landscape
Competition, Greenwell was recognized for his commitment to his students. NALP recently chatted with Greenwell about his journey as an educator.
WHEN WERE YOU FIRST ATTRACTED TO HORTICULTURE? I did not grow up in a family that was involved in any real way with agriculture or horticulture. I first gained interest in horticulture through picking up landscape jobs in my neighborhood as a teenager. I would gear up with my backpack blower, push mower, and weed eater and head down the street to take care of a couple different yards. I think what I enjoyed most was paying attention to the details, especially when weed eating and edging – it was so satisfying creating those clean, crisp lines. My parents encouraged me to explore
this interest more, which is when I applied for a seasonal position at Talla- hassee Nurseries for the Christmas tree season. I was hired on seasonally, which transitioned into a full-time job work- ing in the tree and shrub department. My boss, John, and co-worker, Sean, generously shared their passion and knowledge for plants with me, which is ultimately what sealed my fate and sent me packing to the University of Florida to pursue my BS degree.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING AN EDUCATOR? I love being able to give my students new experiences that they likely wouldn’t be able to have outside of being in a program like ours. The more that I can get students hands-on with equipment, meeting with industry, going on exciting field trips, working on real-life projects on campus, and going to as many conferences and tradeshows as is practical, the more value I believe they get in return for their investment of time and money into our program. All of these experiences boost stu-
dents’ excitement and enthusiasm for this career path and their future. Seeing the students get excited when they see or experience something new is what gets me excited.
36 The Edge //July/August 2024
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