Feeding Communities Inspires Horticultural Science Student Ariana Phouangkeo

For Ariana Phouangkeo, the path to a degree in agroecology and urban ecology at NC State ran through culinary school and food science courses. But her interest in finding ways to feed communities eventually led her to the Department of Horticultural Science 

Following high school in Cleveland County, North Carolina, Phouangkeo considered colleges, but started in culinary school at Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte.

Culinary school helped her learn more about the “real world” and gain a variety of perspectives from the chefs and students there, who were from all over the world. 

“I didn’t like the idea of commercializing food, and it felt like restaurants can’t really impact the community like they used to or how other areas could,” Phouangkeo says, adding,  “Food gets depersonalized in the culinary world in some ways, but there are amazing restaurants out there.” Her concern came from realizing that while restaurants can serve the community, they have to make a profit to stay afloat, limiting their ability to contribute.

When Phouangkeo was at Johnson and Wales, its food science program was new. She heard about NC State’s program and was accepted. While in the program, she took Jodi Driedger’s class, World of Horticulture, and after talking with Driedger, Phouangkeo felt the agroecology-urban horticulture major was the best fit for her. 

“I really like the mixture of crop and soil sciences and horticultural science in the agroecology program. Both departments are very welcoming,” Phouangkeo says. She credits faculty and staff like Bob Patterson, Helen Kraus, Diane Mays and Lis Meyer for guidance along the way.

Phouangkeo says working with a research program allows her to apply things she learned in class. She’s been working with professor and vegetable researcher, Jonathan Schultheis, helping harvest and collect data on watermelon and squash. ”I enjoy being involved with the team, the importance of the research, and it feels like this work is closer to the industry and is doing things to help the growers.”

The opportunities to get out of her comfort zone have also been plentiful and part of the reason Phouangkeo feels she made the right decision to come to NC State. She was able to do a May semester study abroad program in Ireland, and she went to Greece to study abroad last summer. 

Phouangkeo is graduating this fall, but when she reflects on her experiences, her time at NC State has been rewarding. 
“I felt lost at times early on, but the instructors and courses were really enlightening. There were a lot of classes where I was just having one eye-opening experience after another,” she says. “Also, seeing people like associate professor and fruit tree researcher, Mike Parker and others who are passionate about their field makes me feel like I am in the right place. Even when the path is unclear, being in a community that is so passionate makes me feel like I will be OK.”