Bumpers College, Scottish Students Meet Virtually, In-Person Through Agricultural Exchange Program

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Ten students from Scotland's Rural College, along with instructors Craig Davidson and Nicola Strachan, spent part of the summer at the U of A as part of an "agricultural study tour exchange" program coordinated by agricultural communications professor Jefferson Miller.

After years of planning and coordinating, students from the U of A and Scotland's Rural College met virtually and then face-to-face through a pair of agricultural international exchange programs this summer.

Jefferson Miller, professor of agricultural communications in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology, led a study tour of U of A students to Scotland in May before hosting students from Scotland in July.

Students from the two institutions met through "pen pal" and social media activities prior to the trips, so they were acquainted before meeting in person through an "agricultural study tour exchange."

"The exchange idea has been a concept under construction for several years," Miller said. "It was really fulfilling to see it come together."

Miller led 20 Bumpers College students on a two-week study tour of the United Kingdom in May. Students were immersed into agricultural and environmental issues of the UK, and learned techniques to address those issues from journalists and public relations professionals.

In July, Miller hosted 10 students from Scotland's Rural College for four weeks. The SRUC group was led by instructors Craig Davidson for the first two weeks and Nicola Strachan for the third and fourth weeks. Their students learned about Arkansas agriculture through a combination of lectures and tours.

Students from the U of A and Scotland's Rural College were able to interact during both study tours.

"(Exchange students from Scotland) finished their experience by participating in the Arkansas 4-H O-Rama event where they created an educational booth and put on two workshops about Scottish agriculture," Miller said. "While in Fayetteville, they stayed in Holcombe Hall. They had the social experience of living like U.S. college students."

More than 200 4-H students from across the state, along with teachers, advisors and extension agents, were in Fayetteville and on campus using U of A, Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and UA System Division of Agriculture facilities and spaces for O-Rama statewide competition finals.

U of A students traveling to the UK included Colin Keady, Mary Maus, Madeline Belford, Grace Martin, Madison Price, Emma Mitchell, Jill Antonowicz, Olivia Larson, Gracie Hewat, Noralee Townsend, Caroline Cheek, Jack Norris, Emily Traylor, Sarah Shoup, Carson Haller, Brooklyn Johnson, Hannah Howard and Molly Parker. They were accompanied by Miller and doctoral teaching assistant Shane White.

SRUC students traveling to Arkansas with Davidson and Strachan included Karen Shepherd, Philippa Shell, Sophie Cameron, Samuel Shearlaw, Myles Cannings, Jennifer Mitchell, Rhona Campbell-Crawford, Hazel Turner, Holly Rodger and Jenny Leech. 

"I had excellent assistance planning and delivering this program from the U of A Office of International Students and Scholars," Miller, who worked with ISS program manager Nami Bagirimvano, said.

SRUC is a public, land-based research institution focused on agriculture and life sciences.

Find out more about Bumpers College's international programs and study abroad opportunities.

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.