Final report for EDS23-052
Project Information
Purpose: There is a strong need to create agricultural sciences and technology curriculum for rural and first-generation students in the state of Arkansas. Audience: UA CommUniversity collaborated with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, UAF Bumpers College and Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools to create the annual Arkansas Lighthouse Summer Enrichment Academy (ALSEA) for 7th to 11th grade students partnering with Discovery Farms, Crystal Bridges, AR Soul, and other agriculture researchers. Products included: (a) immersive hands-on learning opportunities for students; (b) mentorship opportunities with collegiate students and (c) representation with Discovery Farms partnerships and stakeholders. Impact: The ultimate goal is to increase the number of rural and first-generation students pursuing agricultural degrees and expand the community of agricultural leaders in Arkansas to foster more expansive representation and mentors for future students. AR CommUniversity plays a key role in expanding the state of Arkansas’ capabilities in agricultural research and supporting its land-grant mission.
The overall goal for AR CommUniversity is to increase the number of rural and first-generation students who pursue an agricultural degree with land-grant institutions; in order to do that, the central goals of AR CommUniversity are the:
Goal 1. Creation of high experiential agricultural curriculum programming for K-12 students in the Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools Summer Enrichment (ALSEA) program; and bi-yearly tours with Discovery Farms;
Goal 2. Mentorship opportunities in partnership with collegiate students; and
Goal 3. Collaborating with Discovery Farms partnerships and stakeholders who will provide representation in agriculture fields for K-12 students.
Cooperators
Education
ALSEA program includes high experiential learning (hands-on activities) throughout the 3-day program; including (a) Ice Cream social event to welcome students, (b) on-campus residential housing, (c) touring campus and agriculture facilities and spaces; (d) visiting laboratories on rice, soil, poultry, plants, and more where students are introduced to experimental materials and methods to give them an experience of the fun and excitement of experimental science; (e) visiting with agriculture faculty and collegiate students who serve as mentors for hands-on experiments in labs; (f) touring industry partners such as Simmons Foods and Tyson Foods Inc. campus; (g) touring Crystal Bridges, located in Northwest Arkansas, a public non-profit charitable organization that includes a museum, art collection, five miles of sculpture and walking trails. And finally (h) presenting and awarding students with a science white lab coat and launching them on their journey towards AGRI-STEM careers.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Between June 2023 and June 2025, 60 7th through 11th grade rural students attended a 3-day camp (each year); 90% of students had never attended an AGRI-STEM program, and after attending the 3-day ALSEA program, 94% left knowing a great deal or a lot about agriculture research, 65% were excited about attending college; over half of students indicated they were interested in a career in AGRI-STEM; 70% indicated ALSEA was “excellent”; 71% rated the lab sessions as excellent, and 71% indicated they would apply for next year’s ALSEA program and all would attend if accepted (see Scales, Wiersma-Mosley, et al., 2023). Flyers were used to recruit, and students (and parents) are required to attend an orientation. ALSEA program includes (a) Ice Cream social event to welcome students, (b) on-campus residential housing, (c) touring campus and agriculture facilities and spaces; (d) visiting laboratories on rice, soil, poultry, plants, and more where students are introduced to experimental materials and methods to give them an experience of the fun and excitement of experimental science; (e) visiting with agriculture faculty and UAF MANRRS students (n=30, currently) who serve as mentors for hands-on experiments in labs; (f) touring industry partners such as Simmons Foods (2024, 2025) and Tyson Foods Inc. campus (2023); (g) touring Crystal Bridges, located in Northwest Arkansas, a public non-profit charitable organization that includes a museum, art collection, five miles of sculpture and walking trails. And finally (h) presenting and awarding students with a science white lab coat and official membership into JR MANRRS, to launch them on their journey towards AGRI-STEM careers.
In addition, 100 students toured Arkansas State University (March '25), Arkansas Tech University (May '25), and attended the National Black Growers Council Field Day in Pine Bluff (June '24), as well as visiting with the Department of Agriculture (and Secretary Wes Ward) each year in Little Rock (November '23, '24).
Products:
Scales, W., Wiersma-Mosley, J.D., Dilley, K., Bruce, T., Bledsoe, A., Best, S., & Wray, C. (2023). Creating a pathway program through CommUniversity partnerships. The Agriculture Education Magazine, 95(4), 32-34.
Wiersma-Mosley, J.D. (December 2023). Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Panel and Keynote Speaker. Invited panel member and keynote speaker for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Agriculture Research Day.
Wiersma-Mosley, J.D. (February 2024). Fulfilling the Land-grant Mission through Cultural Competency. Invited speaker for the National Ag Innovation Agriculture Experiment Station Directors. *National webinar
Project Outcomes
1. Provided summer programming and 1-day field trip, all experiential learning opportunities related to AGRI-STEM for students (7th to 11th graders). 90% of students had never attended an AGRI-STEM program, and after attending the 3-day ALSEA program, 94% left knowing a great deal or a lot about agriculture research, 65% were excited about attending college; over half of students indicated they were interested in a career in AGRI-STEM; 70% indicated ALSEA was “excellent”; 71% rated the lab sessions as excellent, and 71% indicated they would apply for next year’s ALSEA program and all would attend if accepted.
2. Collegiate students (n=30) served as mentors for 7-11th grade students.
There are numerous factors that influence rural students enrolling in agriculture programs, including location, other peers or mentors, scholarship and financial support, and career exploration of agriculture (Talbert et al., 1997). AR CommUniversity will provide a holistic innovative program in meeting objectives, goals, recruitment, retention, and sustainability for future rural student leaders, which includes partnering across community agencies and all major Universities in the state of Arkansas. The goal of our program is to expand the already-existing partnership between UAF and Lighthouse, by including partners across AR, including UAF (NW AR), UAPB (eastern AR), AR Tech (central AR), and AR State (NE AR) to break down location barriers for rural students, by serving as regional locations across Arkansas, including other partnerships (Dept of Agriculture in central AR; UADA’s Discovery Farms and NERREC in eastern AR), as well as other peers and mentors from all these partnerships who can provide opportunities for scholarships, financial support, other peers/mentors, and career exploration of agriculture.