Wendell Scales, a U of A doctoral student in agricultural, food and life sciences, was one of eight students from across the country selected to present at the first Farm Foundation Round Table meeting led entirely by Ph.D. students during the summer.
The theme of the conference was Automation for a Resilient Future for Agriculture: Technology, Tools and Trends.
Scales, whose Ph.D. concentration is agricultural leadership in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, brought a distinct voice rooted in community, youth development and the urgent need to reimagine how the next generation of agricultural leaders is prepared.
Scales is a graduate assistant in the Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology, and co-adviser of U of A's Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences student organization.
His presentation focused on the vital role of statewide partnerships in building AgriSTEM pathways through youth development. His work is grounded in one belief: the future of agriculture depends not just on innovation in the field, but on intentional investment in people, especially youth.
He challenged land-grant institutions to take responsibility for leading this effort.
"Shaping the future of work in agriculture requires more than updated curriculum or access to technology," he said. "It demands dedicated advocates and champions who are cultivating bold, pre-college pathways that reach first-generation and rural students where they are early, often and with purpose. From middle school mentorship to high school engagement, youth development must be central to the conversation."
Scales was a member of the Farm Foundation July 2025 Cultivators group, which also included Natalie Espinoza and Jordan Knapp-Wilson from the University of Georgia, Duplicate Sambani of the University of Florida, Jared Tusk from Purdue University, Yasin Yildirim from North Dakota State University and Ike Inniss from Southern University.
Source : uark.edu