A Bumpers College Graduate student from the Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology department has been selected as a student for the Professional Awareness, Advancement and Development program, PAAD.

Olivia Caillouet has been selected as a 2018 PAAD Student. She was chosen as one of 18 STEM graduate students to represent one of the 11 different departments participating in the NSF-supported program. This will be the inaugural year for the PAAD program.

"I am thrilled to be accepted into the inaugural year of the UofA NSF-PAAD program," Caillouet said. "This opportunity will undoubtedly add value to my master's degree while preparing me for the changes technology will have in the fields of education, agriculture, horticulture, and sustainability."

By being a PAAD student, Caillouet will receive professional development, access to industry, government and nonprofit leaders, and a travel allowance of up to $1,500 for an enrichment activity. PAAD will provide Caillouet the opportunity of mentorship, career fair attendance, active involvement in outreach projects and the ability to attend a professional conference. This program will advance Caillouet's personal skills while providing unprecedented experience for professional development and networking.

The PAAD program is an opportunity for STEM students to supplement their graduate education training with preparation in the areas of commercialization, problem-solving, economics, and intellectual property to prepare them for a wide range of careers and grant them a competitive edge in the global marketplace.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number 1735204. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.