Bumpers College Students Recognized as ComGroup Women in Industry Inductees

Photos Submitted

Brooke Bradford, Josie Kelley and Anna Mathis

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – U of A students Brooke Bradford, Josie Kelly and Anna Mathis were announced as inductees by The Communications Group into its Women In Industry podcast series.

For the month of February, the ComGroup, a full-service marketing and public relations firm in Little Rock, and its WIN initiative highlighted Arkansas FFA as a way to commemorate National FFA Week, which was celebrated last month.

Bradford, Kelly and Mathis are all agricultural education, communication and technology students in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

The series honors women who have inspired action, achieved success, excelled in their field and encouraged generations of women to follow in their footsteps.

Brooke Bradford

Bradford is a former Arkansas FFA president and was a national officer candidate this past November, representing the organization at the national level. Bradford is currently involved as a FFA Alumni and Collegiate FFA member.

"In all my years in FFA, one of the hardest battles I fought was believing I would be taken seriously in the agriculture industry," she said. "Being from a nontraditional ag background, a pageant girl and a social media micro-influencer all at once wasn't always easy. I walked into most rooms knowing I was likely going to be the odd man out, but I never let it stop me or change who I was. To be recognized in the Women in Industry series as a female leader for agriculture is an honor and privilege. Over the years I've watched role models in my own life be featured in the series and to now get to join their ranks is epic. I'm beyond grateful for the space I get to take up in our industry and hope I can help other young women create their own space as well."

Bradford is a sophomore agricultural communications and agricultural leadership double-major with a double-minor in event management and journalism.

Josie Kelly

In the second week of February, the ComGroup and WIN highlighted Kelly, who is the current Arkansas FFA state president for 2021-22.

"Being an inductee to the Women In Industry series has been an honor to say the least. To be able to share my perspective was an absolute privilege, but also to share the experience with powerful women leaders that I have personal connections with was special within itself. I hope that our messages reached other women in the industry or even touched some upcoming young women that are seeking to further their involvement in agriculture," Kelly said.

Kelly is a freshman double-majoring in agricultural education and crop science.

Anna Mathis

The last week of February, Mathis was featured. Mathis was the National FFA Secretary for the 2020-21 school year and the 2019-20 Arkansas FFA state president.

"I'm honored to join the Women In Industry podcast and group because of the other women represented there," Mathis said. "Agriculture and FFA lends itself to a linear progression where young students can find positive role models in students ahead of them, and I, too, found my positive role models. I'm proud to join these inspirational women and keep the tradition going."

Mathis is a junior agricultural communications and agricultural leadership double-major.

The WIN podcast series, individual episodes featuring all three, can be found on the ComGroup website.

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. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.