News
TAMU Professor Recounts AFE’s Impact on Her Career
January 17, 2025
While pursuing her Master of Science in Horticulture at Texas A&M University (TAMU), Dr. Xuan (Jade) Wu, AIFD, CFD, EMC, CEJ, had the opportunity to serve as a lab instructor for a floral design course. This experience sparked her passion for the field and introduced her to the American Floral Endowment (AFE).
It was a moment in her educational path that fused her future ambitions with an organization that was well-equipped to help her achieve them.
“AFE significantly impacted my whole professional development journey,” she said.
After completing her undergraduate studies at Beijing Forestry University in China, Wu traveled to the United States to work toward her master’s degree with a concentration in rose breeding and genetics. She set her sights on obtaining her PhD in floral education, marketing, and economics. During that time, she became more involved with AFE and eventually joined the organization’s Young Professionals Council (YPC).
As a member of YPC, Wu said she was privy to industry resources, educational materials, leadership training, and professional connections that would serve her well in her career. Additionally, Wu received multiple AFE scholarships throughout her graduate studies that afforded her the financial support to attend conferences, connect with industry leaders, and learn how to research career possibilities. But even more important to Wu, she said she found a sense of belonging in an organization full of people who were just as in love with the industry as she was.
“I will always be grateful for the AFE professionals who are dedicated to the industry,” she said. “This is an industry that makes you feel so supported, loved, and cared for all the time. We are a big family that supports each other and the younger generations. You are never alone with all the connections you make from YPC and the AFE family.”
Sharing Knowledge
Today, Wu is an assistant professor and extension specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife. She said those connections she built during her graduate studies were crucial in finding her niche in the floral industry, especially because she graduated in 2020 during a pandemic with a sluggish labor market.
With a decade of teaching experience at TAMU, Wu said she frequently finds opportunities to draw from her experience with AFE and incorporate that education into her curriculum.
Wu said one of the resources that has enriched her curriculum is AFE’s recently launched Sustainabloom initiative. She said the industry news, guides, publications, and other information collected as part of the project enhance her lessons with environmentally aware, younger generations.
“Because I got to know so many industry professionals, I am able to invite them into my class as guest speakers and add significant value to my students’ education,” she said. “Through AFE, I also stay informed of current industry practices and changes. I am always checking AFE’s website for new information and other resources that I can bring into my classroom.”
Family Ties
Years before Wu brought insights from Sustainabloom into her classroom, she actually had the opportunity to work with one of the researchers who eventually became a member of the Sustainabloom team. While in graduate school, Wu and Dr. Melinda Knuth, Assistant Professor of horticulture sciences at North Carolina State University, conducted seven research studies together with AFE and the Floral Marketing Fund (FMF).
“Our floral marketing team at Texas A&M wrote a proposal together and received funding. Those studies involved gaining a better understanding of the consumer needs in the industry and aligning our research with those needs,” she said. “It was a way to connect academia with the industry and the professionals within the industry. We were able to do seven studies in a year and they were distributed throughout multiple publications. These studies help industry operators develop effective business strategies and make informed decisions to better meet the needs of floral consumers.”
Wu noted that collaborative opportunities strengthen the floriculture industry. She said the ability to easily share resources, information, and support contributes to a bigger cause. Now, as a professor, she said she is better able to serve the industry because of AFE and the FMF.
“There are just so many things that AFE has brought into my life – both professionally and personally,” she said. “It has become part of everything I do. Every time I think about this organization, it just makes me smile.”
By Carla Dempsey
