The primary mission of AgFoodLife is to bring attention to careers in agricultural, food, environmental, human and life sciences, and to focus on potential careers with degrees from Bumpers College and successful professionals who are graduates of our programs.
Students, current and future, need to know the U of A has a Career Development Center dedicated to helping them prepare for and find employment after graduation.
Donna K. Graham, a Bumpers College graduate of the School of Human Environmental Sciences, is our Director of Employer Relations, splitting time between the college and the Career Development Center.
Why should students consider a Bumpers College major?
“Our majors prepare students for successful careers. Students graduate with specific skill sets needed in today’s workplace. We take advantage of opportunities to bring industry experts into the classroom or take students to visit companies. We also integrate real-world problems into course activities and assignments. Our students have opportunities to learn from their faculty experts, course curriculum and working professionals. We are fortunate in Northwest Arkansas to be surrounded by so many successful companies, but we also make an effort to promote opportunities across the country, and even around the world, to students.”
Graham says graduates have career choices based on industry options, but also based on their educational experiences:
“Many of our majors prepare students to work in a specific field, but it is important to know that many of the skills developed in our programs are transferrable to different industries. Most people’s careers evolve throughout their life and their career does not follow a linear path. Bumpers College majors do a great job developing soft skills in students important in all fields. A few of these key soft skills include adaptability to change, analytical thinking, communication skills, leadership skills, organizational skills, emotional IQ, professionalism, teambuilding and trustworthiness.”
Why should students consider careers in areas of agriculture and food?
“This is an incredible time to pursue a career in agriculture. I can’t open my Internet browser without reading an article about the rapidly increasing demand for skilled individuals with degrees in agriculture. These career paths are not just well-paying, but they also provide an opportunity to do meaningful work that addresses some of the world’s most complicated challenges. On the University of Arkansas campus, we created an Agricultural Career Fair in 2013. Since the initial fair, the number of employers attending and recruiting students has doubled in size. We anticipate continued growth in the future.”
Check out this story on the national shortage of graduates in areas of agriculture, food, the environment and renewable energy sources, meaning there are more jobs than graduates to fill the openings.
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