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Ties to Teac
s another day begins, Wyatt Hoback prepares to teach classes at Oklahoma State University. Unlike some of his faculty colleagues who wear OSU ties to work, Hoback chooses the perfect insectthemed necktie. This early morning routine is typical for Hoback, who is an entomology and plant pathology professor. He knows the importance of creating unique teaching methods to spark students’ interests, he said, and one method he uses is pairing his neckties to his lectures. “I have 84 arthropod-themed ties separated into two categories — available and already worn,” Hoback said. “Every morning, I choose a tie out of 22 | COWBOY JOURNAL
the available pile that will be used as a teaching tool during lecture.” In November 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Association of Public Land-Grant Universities honored Hoback with the National Teaching and Student Engagement Award through the Excellence in College and University Teaching in Food and Agricultural Sciences award program. This award honors only two professors each year. “Doing something I love and being recognized for it is amazing,” Hoback said. “It is very humbling and exciting.” Hoback started his education at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in biology with an
emphasis in environmental science. After graduation, he worked in construction almost three years. Hoback knew construction was not his life plan, he said, which led him to pursue a master’s degree in biology from Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. Within this program, he taught a biology laboratory section focusing on cell parts. “My first teaching experience was teaching students outside of the biology major,” Hoback said. “However, I realized I was really enthusiastic about the students learning and being able to guide them in understanding biology concepts by using concrete examples.” From that point, Hoback knew he
