Progress 08/01/24 to 07/31/25
Outputs
Target Audience:During this reporting period, the Experiential Scholars Program (ESP) directly served eight undergraduate students from colleges and universities across Arkansas. These students represented a variety of academic majors and were selected based on their interest in Extension and their alignment with the program's focus areas: Agriculture & Natural Resources, Food Safety, Nutrition & Health, and Rural Community Development. Each student was paired with Extension mentors and hosted invarious locations around the state to gain hands-on experience. These mentors, county agents, and other Extension staff formed a key secondary audience and played a significant role in guiding, training, and evaluating the interns throughout the summer. ESP also reached university faculty, Extension administrators, and stakeholders through presentations, project showcases, and reports. Scholars shared their internship experiences and outcomes during a final seminar attended by internal and external audiences. The program further extended its reach through campus visits, social media posts, and classroom presentations aimed at promoting future participation. This multi-tiered audience--students, Extension staff, university partners, and prospective applicants--was engaged through structured programming, supervision, outreach, and regular communication. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Throughout the nine-week internship period of 2025, ESP Scholars engaged in a variety of professional development experiences designed to support skill-building, technical learning, and workforce preparedness. These opportunities included both program-wide training and focus area-specific activities, allowing each Scholar to explore their interest while gaining exposure to the broader work of Extension. Soil & Water Conservation: Scholars in this area participated in Extension field-based research across multiple locations. They attended field days and conducted several site visits to Discovery Farms, where they observed ongoing conservation efforts and water monitoring practices. In addition, they were actively involved in collecting and analyzing environmental data related to soil quality, grazing patterns, and other changing conditions in agriculture systems. This direct involvement in applied research helped Scholars understand the challenges and innovations surrounding sustainable land management. Food Nutrition, Health and Safety: Professional development in this focus area emphasized both field research and community engagement. Scholars attended the Extension Homemakers Council state conference, participated in food and nutrition programming, and joined their mentors at the Anheuser-Busch field days, where they observed educational demonstrations. These Scholars also contributed to departmental projects, assisting in content development and outreach execution which were expanded into their final capstone presentations. Rural Community Development: Scholars working in this area were provided with professional development that extended beyond the state. They attended an out-of-state conference, National Association of Community Development Professionals (NACDEP), focused on rural leadership, economic development, and civic engagement. At the conference, the Scholars co-presented with the project coordinator and their mentor, the session on "Engaging Future Leaders: The Experiential Scholars Program (ESP) for Undergraduate Students in Community Development Internships". Additional activities included exposure to grant writing, community asset mapping, and public communication. These Scholars also got to participate in internal professional development seminars, including participating in iLead sessions hosted by the Division of Agriculture. These sessions emphasized leadership styles, communication in professional settings, and effective program planning. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The ESP internship finished on July 18, 2025. No results from this cohort have been disseminated yet, however, results from the 2024 cohort have been disseminated in internal newsletters, a formal presentation at a national conference, and through REEU Education Coordinated Network. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The project director will continue to seek opportunities to share results through blog posts, newsletters, and conference presentations. Project will also: Expand outreach and recruitment efforts across Arkansas universities Strengthening partnerships with academic advisors and student organizations Update mentor training materials and offer orientation sessions Conduct follow-up surveys with past Scholars to assess long-term outcomes Revise and add new professional development sessions Improve final project guidelines and presentation support Refresh ESP website and promotional materials Participating in campus career fairs and academic events Deepen collaboration with internal Extension programs like iLEAD and Future Ag Leaders
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In its second year of implementation, the Experiential Scholars Program continues to provide undergraduate students with meaningful, hands-on experiences that support the mission of Extension across Arkansas. A total of eight Scholars were placed in internships aligned with one of three focus areas: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Food Nutrition, Health and Safety, and Rural Community Development. These placements allowed students to work closely with Extension professionals and apply their academic knowledge in a practical, service-oriented setting. Throughout the program, Scholars engaged in a wide range of technical activities and professional development opportunities. In addition to their core assignments, many Scholars had the opportunity to attend professional conferences alongside their mentors. These events provided valuable exposure to emerging research, Extension initiatives, and networking with professionals across multiple disciplines. As a result, students not only deepened their understanding of their chosen focus area but also gained insight into the broader scope of Extension work. Students completed a capstone project that demonstrated their ability to apply their learning in a meaningful and impactful way. These projects ranged from educational programming and field research to community assessments and were presented during a closing seminar. Participants also complete impact statements about their projects. Here are a few excerpts from statements submitted. "For my summer internship, I have decided to conduct a manuscript over a study on poultry litter effects upon water-stable aggregates in loamy soils of eastern Arkansas. The issue, and reason for conducting this study, is that there is not much information out there over this specific subject, especially with poultry litter in eastern Arkansas. It is important to perform studies such as this as they are addressing issues of soil erosion and loss of soil fertility." "My project addresses the housing needs within two counties and four communities in those counties, Altheimer, Wabbeska, Humphrey, and Elaine. This issue is important because individuals within a community should have access to tools that help them reach their housing goals and assess their housing needs. I collected data from all 75 counties in regard to the tax rates, population, and per capita income. I met in person with the Mayors of Altheimer and Humphery and got to see firsthand what their housing looks like and why they need this opportunity. The intended outcome of collecting this data is getting and overview of the state's data and how it relates to the four communities within my project." "Beef cattle is one of the largest industries in Arkansas, comprising over 53% of our farms and six million acres of land. However, its economic benefits frequently come with high environmental costs, as conventional cattle grazing results in land degradation, soil erosion, and water pollution. Rotational grazing is an alternative grazing strategy that utilizes smaller, short-term enclosures to prevent land degradation by reducing over-grazing and allowing the land time to rest, helping vegetation recover quicker. This not only benefits the environment but allows farmers to extend the length of time that they are able to graze without supplemental feeding--the highest cost associated with raising beef cattle--and increase their profits. However, switching to rotational grazing can be a daunting task, particularly for lifelong farmers and the small, family-run operations that are abundant within Arkansas. It is important to conduct research and provide information on rotational grazing to help farmers currently using or looking to use rotational grazing to set them up for success, and this includes information on how heavily they should stock their fields. This project evaluated a rotational grazing operation in southwest Arkansas to determine the optimal stocking rate within pastures to maximize both grazing time and number of cattle, as well as analyze the impact of fertilization on grazing time. The study concluded that within unfertilized fields, stocking rates should be kept low at 1-1.5 head/acre, which provides about four weeks of grazing time. Forage biomass and canopy coverage rapidly decrease at higher stocking rates, and time and labor costs would increase with the more frequent field changes that would be required at rates above 1-1.5 head/acre." This year, one Scholar demonstrated exceptional commitment to her professional development and the mission of Extension. Due to her strong work ethic, initiative, and clear interest in continuing her involvement beyond the internship, she was invited to remain engaged with Extension programming following the conclusion of her placement. She will assist with the planning and facilitation of the upcoming Future Ag Leaders tour, serving as a bridge between her experience as aScholar and her aspirations for a future career in community development and leadership. Her continued involvement is a testament to the programs' impact and the valuable connections through mentorship and hands-on learning. In addition, an intern from the 2024 cohort who recently graduated college is still employed by UADA Cooperative Extension Service in the agriculture and natural resources focus area.
Publications
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Progress 08/01/23 to 07/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for the Year One progress report was eight undergraduate students to participate in Experiential Scholars Program (ESP) and increase their knowledge of the land-grant mission. The student demographics are four males and four females. From a voluntary demographic form, all indicated: Ethnicity-Not Hispanic or Latino. Five indicated Race as White. Two indicated Race as Asian and White. One indicated Race as Black or African American. Changes/Problems:No major changes in approach have been identified. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Scholars participated in numerous and various (depending on their focus areas) training and professional development opportunities throughout their ESP internship. All were engaged in one-on-one mentorships with Extension educators. All received leadership development programming through personality assessment and discussion, crucial conversations training, teambuilding, professionalism, etc. Professional development activities led to increased knowledge or skills in Scholar's focus area. Focus Area Specific Highlights: Water Conservation: Scholars attended rice field day, traveled to Discovery farms, and created a display flume and box to house water sampling equipment. Soil Conservation: Scholar worked in soil lab and conducted study to measure soil carbon and nitrogen change in the soil profile over one year on two rice-producing farms. She also attended the rice field dayand a national conference. Food Nutrition, Health, and Safety: Scholars complete Serv-Safe training, participated in food demos, manned a booth at the rice field day, and created their own healthy, nutritious recipes. Rural Community Development: All scholars in thisfocus area attended a national conference. Otherwise, each scholar participated in professional development related to their specific interests in asset-based community development, grant writing, broadband expansion, and/or program marketing. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The ESP internships finished on July 19, 2024. No final results have been disseminated to communities yet. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The project director will seek opportunities to share results through blog posts, newsletters, and conference presentations. Project will also: Increase relationships with other organizations to recruit for the next cohort of ESP scholars. Work with mentors to identify training, professional development, and other opportunities for the next cohort. Prepare and distribute follow-up career surveys for first cohort. Update ESP website and recruiting materials. Schedule presence at university career fairs. Debrief with cohort 1 mentors for continuous improvement practice.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Experiential Scholars Program (ESP) at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA), successfully provided eight undergraduate students with real-world experience and increased expertise in their chosen focus areas. The program enhanced technical skills through experiential learning and a culmination project. Evaluators gathered feedback from Scholars on their internship experiences and assessed their perceived readiness for the workplace. Results found that 100% of Scholars reported feeling better prepared for entering the professional workplace after completing the program; 50% of participants indicated an interest in a career in their focus area either within Extension or elsewhere, including one will pursue a master's degree with her mentor and one was hired to continue on for the remainder of the summer. Scholars also indicated they benefited from the leadership development programming. Scholars demonstrated their program development and delivery skills through an independent project and delivered final presentations showcasing their ability to translate learning into practical outcomes. Overall, ESP fostered career readiness, leadership skills, and the ability to deliver effective educational programs, thereby advancing the mission of Extension and benefiting both the Scholars and the broader Arkansas community.
Publications
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