Jonesboro, AR – (Contributed) – The College of Agriculture at Arkansas State University, in collaboration with Riceland Foods, has launched its inaugural group of Riceland Scholars.
This program will provide opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students to be exposed to educational, real-world challenges at a world-class facility.
“The College of Agriculture strongly values student research experiences, and this program takes that commitment to a new level,” said Dr. Mickey Latour, dean of the college. “Students design their own projects, develop budgets, pitch their proposals before a review board for funding, respond to questions, and, once approved, carry out the project alongside a faculty mentor.”
Eight faculty and student teams from the College of Agriculture, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and the Neil Griffin College of Business submitted proposals addressing specific marketing and engineering initiatives. The teams were invited to “pitch” their project ideas to Riceland executives earlier this semester.
“The involvement of students from agriculture, business, engineering, and computer science really strengthens this collaborative industry partnership,” said Dr. Jerica Rich, associate professor of animal science and coordinator of the Riceland Scholars program. “Riceland is able to provide invaluable training experience catered to desired career paths of A-State students, something that is very relevant for both students, A-State, and employers, creating work-ready professionals. The College of Agriculture is very grateful to facilitate these ‘beyond the classroom’ experiences as it aligns with our strategic plan.”
Lionel Riley, chief human resources officer at Riceland, expressed his enthusiasm for Riceland’s involvement with A-State and its students.
“At Riceland Foods, we believe talent grows when students are given real opportunities to solve real problems. The Riceland Scholars program reflects our commitment to developing the next generation of leaders in agriculture, engineering, and business,” Riley said. “These students bring fresh perspectives and innovative thinking, and we are proud to collaborate with A-State and partner to provide meaningful projects and experiences that will prepare students for successful careers.”
By harnessing motivated and skilled student research assistants from different areas, Riceland is able to achieve a multifaceted approach to applying talent to improve its operations, Rich added.
Five faculty and student teams were selected to complete their projects. The College of Agriculture was awarded for its “Riceland Cooperative Membership Survey project,” submitted by Dr. Jacob Manlove, associate professor of agricultural economics, along with student Wade Jones.
The Neil Griffin College of Business was awarded for its submission, “Leveraging Emotional Intelligence Assessment to Improve Leadership Effectiveness and Cultivate Prompt Workforce,” led by Dr. Matthew Hill, associate professor of finance, associate dean of research, and director of graduate programs, and student Samita Rana Maga.
Hill also led a team with student Yushika Uprety. They were awarded for their project “AI-Enhanced Consumer Insights: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Riceland’s Marketing Strategy.”
The College of Engineering and Computer Science was awarded for one of its projects titled “Lifecycle Analysis of Rice Hull Ash (RHA) as a Green Alternative for Stabilizing Weak Foundation Soils,” led by Dr. Zahid Hossain, professor of civil engineering and director of graduate programs in engineering, along with student Fletcher Pearson.
The College of Engineering and Computer Science was also awarded for “Think out of the Box: Developing a Novel Zero-Waste Platform to Convert Rice Hulls into Various Value-Added Products,” submitted by Dr. Chiqian Zhang, assistant professor of civil engineering, and student Kamana Kafle.
“Faculty and student research teams will have the opportunity to apply their expertise and garner hands-on learning experiences,” Rich also said. “As mentioned, this is crucially important for our A-State students as it includes a very practical and specialized learning opportunity that prepares them for the workforce. For faculty, this is an excellent funding initiative that can help strengthen their research programs while fostering industry connections with a strong and supportive partner like Riceland.”
In addition to project funding, Riceland Scholars will have the opportunity for professional development through student-focused conferences, dining etiquette banquets, and internship experiences.
“I expect this program will strengthen an already strong relationship with Riceland,” Rich said. “I’m confident it will increase interest of other industry partners or affiliates to explore meaningful experiences like this in the future.”
Rich will continue to work with Riceland on future initiatives and will coordinate a site tour of the Jonesboro Riceland Plant later this semester.
About Riceland
Riceland Foods is the world’s largest miller and marketer of rice, serving 5,500 farmer members in Arkansas and Missouri. As a farmer-owned cooperative, Riceland stores, transports, processes, and markets more than 2.5 million metric tons of grain each year, and its products are sold across the United States and around 25 countries. It’s also one of the Mid-South’s major soybean processors. Riceland products include white, brown, and parboiled rice, rice bran oil, soybean meal, and oil and feed ingredients. Learn more at Riceland.com.
