Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences that contributed to the development of a systems thinking paradigm in instructors in a college of agriculture. Design/Methodology/Approach: A phenomenology design was used to understand the lived experiences of eleven instructors. Findings: Three themes emerged regarding how they perceived their development of systems awareness, (a) they were primed to be systems aware, (b) they were in environments that nurtured systems awareness, and (c) the educational system impacted their development of systems awareness. Practical Implications: Practical implications focus on creating opportunities for curiosity-driven thought and behavior for students throughout primary, secondary, and tertiary schooling. Theoretical Implications: Our results also advance theory about the development of systems awareness which can be tested in other settings and with other people. Originality/Value: This research addresses a gap in the literature on systems thinking.