Barb Clawson, third from left, was announced as one of the 2026 Golden Owl awardees during a surprise gathering Feb. 23. Pictured with her are, left to right, Lori Lorenzen of Pledge Insurance Advisors – Story City, Shannon Latham of the Iowa FFA Foundation, Mallary Westhoff of Nationwide, Laura Steinkamp of the State FFA Officer team, and Alan Spencer of the Iowa Department of Education. Photo by Whitney Baxter
AMES, Iowa—Coincidentally wearing a gray FFA quarter-zip, Barb Clawson was dressed appropriately for a surprise announcement that she is one of this year’s Golden Owl awardees.
Clawson, student services specialist and adjunct associate professor for Iowa State University’s Department of Horticulture, walked into a room filled with colleagues, family and friends Feb. 23 in Curtiss Hall, where she received the news.
The Golden Owl Award, presented by Nationwide and the Iowa FFA Foundation, is given to agriculture educators who make outstanding efforts to inspire the next generation of agricultural leaders. Of the seven honorees selected each year, one is named the Iowa Golden Owl Award Winner and Iowa Agricultural Educator of the Year at the annual Iowa FFA State Leadership Conference.
“Barb is the epitome of what it means to be an educator and an advisor,” said Mike Retallick, associate dean for personnel and finance at Iowa State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “She’s done it at all levels – high school, community college, formally, informally. I suspect that she bleeds FFA’s blue and gold just as much as Iowa State’s cardinal and gold.”
After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural education from Iowa State, Clawson was an agricultural education instructor and FFA advisor for Dexfield Community School District in Redfield for nine years. She then spent four years as a commercial horticulture instructor at Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny before returning to Iowa State in 1998 to begin advising and teaching in the horticulture department.
“Barb is an exceptional Golden Owl recipient who has dedicated her professional career to agriculture and agricultural education within Iowa,” said Scott Smalley, professor of agricultural education and studies at Iowa State. “She is a servant leader who has impacted countless students at the secondary and post-secondary levels. This award is a small recognition for the countless hours she has provided the profession.”
Clawson is the first person prospective students meet when they visit the department. She is known for going out of her way to show students and their guests any labs or research facilities they are interested in, ensuring the students have a complete picture of the many hands-on learning opportunities available.
She also teaches Horticulture 1100, which introduces first-year students to the horticulture curriculum and to professional and educational development opportunities. The class aligns well with Clawson’s responsibilities as an advisor in the department, and students often turn to her for assistance or just someone to talk to. Her efforts as an advisor have earned her several advising and staff excellence awards over the years.
“Barb embodies the spirit of horticulture education, cultivating not only crops, but confidence, curiosity and the next generation of agricultural leaders,” said Ajay Nair, professor and chair of the Department of Horticulture.
Each year, during the state FFA conference in Ames, Clawson organizes tours of horticulture-related fields on campus to show high school students the many opportunities Iowa State offers.
“It is my pleasure to do what I do; it is my passion that I do what I do,” Clawson said.
Clawson joins a list of previous Iowa State Golden Owl awardees:
- 2023 – Scott Smalley
- 2022 – Jon Davis
- 2021 – Mike Retallick, who went on to be named the Agricultural Educator of the Year
- 2019 – the late Robert Martin
(contributed press release, ISUCALS)
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