Twenty-six U of A student members of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences participated in the 39th National MANRRS Conference earlier this month, with four placing in the top three in graduate student presentation competition, one getting elected to a national officer position and seven selected for national scholarships.

Original Research

A total of 18 students presented original research at the conference in Memphis, Tennessee.

Eniola Ola, a master's degree student in food science from Nigeria, won the graduate student division 3-Minute Thesis contest with Beyond the Label: Unpacking Sensory Perception and Consumer Acceptance of Gluten-Free Cookie (mentor Han-Seok Seo, food science professor of sensory and consumer science).

Damilola Oni, a master's degree student in agricultural economics from Nigeria, placed second in the Graduate Poster Presentation and Graduate Research Oral Presentation competition with Factors Associated With Time to Adopt Irrigation Water Management Practices by Rice Farmers in the Arkansas Delta Region (mentor Qiuqiong Huang, professor in agricultural economics and agribusiness).

Chetanjot Romana, a Ph.D. candidate in food science from India, was third in the 3-Minute Thesis contest with Nutrition Innovation for the Aging: Characterizing Rheological, Functional, Textural Analysis and In-Vitro Digestibility of Protein-Enhanced Gluten-Free Formulations (mentor Jamie Baum, food science professor of nutrition).             

Agnes Amfo-Adu, an M.S. student in human development and family sciences from Ghana, placed third in the Graduate Research Poster division, presenting Advancing Student Learning and Success by Imbedding Financial Wellness Into the Classroom (mentor Betsy Garrison, professor of human development and family sciences). In addition, she received the Gold MANRRS Scholarship. The Gold Scholarship provides $500 and conference support, and helps students gain skills and knowledge for careers, networking with MANRRS members and chapters from across the country and learning from leaders about emerging challenges and solutions in agriculture, natural resources and related sciences.

National Officer

Cris Caballero, an M.S. student in agricultural economics from Panama, was elected to the MANRRS national officer position of vice president for Region IV. She also received the Gold MANRRS Scholarship and participated in an application, Zoom interview and the final round two-minute speech at the conference.

"MANRRS is a powerful avenue for helping students build connections with peers, faculty and industry leaders at a local and national level," said recently appointed adviser Isabel Whitehead-Adams. "Our students gained valuable experience participating in a variety of research and business presentations and professional networking. The energy of the conference was undeniable, and it was rewarding to see many of our group be recognized for their submissions."

National scholarship recipients

Kelvin Rivera (animal science major, from Panama) received the National Farm Credit VIP Scholarship, which provides a $1,000 academic scholarship, complimentary registration with a travel stipend for transportation to the MANRRS National Conference and the opportunity to join fellow scholars at a special session at MANRRS National Conference featuring a variety of inspiring speakers and leadership development activities.

Akwasi Tagoe (Ph.D. student in agricultural education, communications and technology with a focus on digital agriculture science and technology, from Ghana) received the National Grain and Feed Association Scholarship, which includes $5,000 as well as exclusive networking activities with the NGFA's Executive Team and participants of the Committee Apprentice Program. He also competed in the 3-Minute Thesis Competition.

Paul Dahunsi (M.S. student in animal science with a meat and muscle biology concentration, from Nigeria) received the John Deere Scholarship which awards one $2,500 graduate student scholarship per region to those who excel in academics, extracurricular activities, MANRRS and community involvement. Dahunsi was selected to attend the Ag Policy Summit and received $200 for the Farm Bureau Fellowship and is a National MANRRS Ambassador (2024-25). He also competed in the Graduate Student Oral Competition.

Ashley Rivera (animal science major, from Panama) received the John Deere Scholarship, which awards two undergraduate students per region, and presented a non-competitive Undergraduate Poster Presentation.

Misuly Cedeno (animal science major, from Panama) received the John Deere Scholarship for an undergraduate student and presented her non-competitive poster.

Competition Presenters

The U of A contingent was among 120 universities and schools represented. The national contest is limited to just 10 presenters in each category. Other U of A presenters making the top 10 included:

• Kobina Danful Fanyinkah (Ph.D. student in agricultural education, communications and technology, from Ghana) competed in the Graduate Research Poster Presentation;
• Candis Angoe (Ph.D. student in public policy, from Ghana) competed in the Graduate Research Oral Presentation;
• Surbhit (M.S. student in information systems, from India) competed in the Graduate Poster Presentation and Graduate Research Oral Presentation; 
• Barira Rashid (Ph.D. student in geosciences in biological and agricultural engineering, from Pakistan) competed in the Graduate Student Poster Presentation; 
• Besuthu Nkambule (M.S. student in agricultural economics, from Eswatini) presented in the Graduate Student Poster Presentation.

"A picture is worth a thousand words, and I am proud of the representation showcased from Arkansas at MANRRS39," said Wendell Scales, graduate assistant adviser and a Ph.D. student in AECT, said. "Our goals will align with next year's national theme, with a twist: AR Leadership to Legacy. Our collaboration across institutions and communities makes the collection of talented future agriculture professionals amazing."

Research in Non-Competitive Category

This year allowed non-competitive opportunities so additional students could also present their research. Other U of A presenters included:

• Hellen Molina (animal science major, from Panama) in Undergraduate Research Poster Presentation; 
• Oluwatobi Amusat (M.S. student in food science, from Nigeria) Graduate Student Poster;
• Annie Wang (M.S. student in food science, from Taiwan) Graduate Student Poster;
• Felix Boamah (M.S. in agricultural economics and agribusiness, from Ghana) Graduate Student Poster; 
• Clement Asamoah (M.S. student in AEAB, from Ghana), Graduate Student Poster.

Other students who attended included

• Taylor Domineck (undergrad in AEAB, from Arkansas);
• Karen Rivera (undergrad in animal science, from Panama);
• Yanis Vasquez (M.S. student in cell and molecular biology within crop, soil and environmental sciences, from Panama); 
• Md. Nurul Azmir (Ph.D. student in biological and agricultural engineering, from Bangladesh); 
• Rupasri Sura (M.S. student in AEAB, from India).

Also attending were Ron Rainey, professor and assistant vice president of the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, and JR MANRRS advisers Jill Herrin with Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools in Jacksonville and Kanesa Adams, lead teacher at Microschool in Pine Bluff.

"We would like to thank our numerous sponsors and supporters this year so that more of our students could attend the conference, including Farm Credit Mid-America, the Division of Agriculture and so many friends and family members who supported our fundraiser last fall," said Bumpers College Assistant Dean Jacquelyn Dee Mosley.

The MANRRS RSO provides students with academic support, networking and career development and is open to anyone with an interest in agriculture, natural resources and related sciences. The club is housed in U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, but is open to all students on campus.

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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 $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 and Economic Development News.