Project Overview
A Young Scholar Enhancement Grant was awarded to this project in 2025.
Information Products
Commodities
Practices
- Education and Training: mentoring, youth education
Abstract:
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.
Project objectives:
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.