As the Hispanic population grows in the United States, a new project aims to increase educational opportunities for Hispanic students in Arkansas and Texas.

The University of Arkansas and Texas A&M University at Kingsville are undertaking the collaborative project to assist Hispanic students in developing leadership skills and qualifications for professional careers in agriculture, food, natural resources and human sciences.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture is supporting the work with a $291,395 grant as part of its Higher Education Challenge. Jill Rucker, associate professor of agricultural education and agricultural leadership in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, is the project's director.

The Higher Education Leadership Proficiency (HELP) in Agriculture project aims to increase the number of Hispanic students participating in agriculture-based programs, improve cultural competency and assist in developing leadership skills among a broad group of food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences majors in higher education.

"This grant invests in students, the future agricultural workforce, equipping them with leadership skills to succeed and lead with confidence," said Rucker.

The program will work with up to 40 combined undergraduate students at the U of A and TAMU-K. Students will be aided by asynchronous agricultural leadership curriculum modules, and project leaders will work closely with industry leaders from Fortune 500 companies such as Walmart and Tyson Foods, along with other Arkansas-based organizations like Simmons Foods and Arkansas Farm Bureau, to ensure the emphasis of soft skill areas of leadership, professionalism, teamwork, self-management, decision-making, problem-solving and communication.

The project will begin with teacher training and module development. Engaging interactive content will be created, including reflective exercises, case studies, hands-on activities, videos, active learning guides, individual and team assignments, industry expert career highlights and a capstone leadership industry experience. Industry experts will conduct a curriculum evaluation.

"This project utilizes industry mentorship and experiential leadership activities to expose students to the diversity of the agricultural industry and provide them with essential career readiness skills," said Casandra Cox, assistant professor of agricultural communications and co-principal investigator of the project.

The curriculum will be implemented with 40 undergraduate students over a three-year period (20 at each institution). Students will be paired to work on team projects and a capstone industry project. Students will participate in joint online discussions and travel to Washington, D.C., with supervision by grant personnel, for an immersive experience in agricultural policymaking and global leadership.

The agricultural education and agricultural leadership programs are part of Bumpers College's Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology.

This work is supported by the Research, Education & Economic Information System Program, grant No. 2024-7003-43593/project accession No. 1033118 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

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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 $3 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 and Economic Development News.