N.C. A&T MANRRS Students Receive Awards from National Chapter

Twelve members of N.C. A&T’s MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences) student chapter received national recognition, scholarship and internship opportunities from the organization’s national chapter.

Success Okafor, a doctoral student in applied economics, was chosen for the 2025 Farm Bureau MANRRS Fellowship Program, alongside fellow doctoral students Omowunmi Odeyomi and Oludotun Adelusi, laboratory animal science major K’la Green, sustainable land/food systems major Lauren Agnew, animal science graduate student Joel Alabi, and food & nutritional sciences student Ebenezer Aning-Dei.

“Being a member of MANRRS, I feel like this is going to help me develop my research,” said Okafor. “I thank God everyday for MANRRS and for the opportunity this will provide, as well as thank A&T, the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, and my advisor, Dr. Kathleen Liang.”

As MANRRS Farm Bureau Fellows, all recipients were selected to participate in the 2025 FUSION Conference in Denver, Colorado, where they will join with other conference attendees and Farm Bureau leadership to gain skills and knowledge to apply in their MANRRS chapter and career, network with farmers, ranchers and agriculturalists from across the country, learn from industry leaders about emerging issues in production agriculture and tour local farms, and receive a one-year Farm Bureau membership in their home country.

“National MANRRS has developed a robust platform that allows our students to expand their knowledge beyond the classroom and our local chapter by providing them with training and development opportunities as well as access to industry leaders across the country,” said Chantel Simpson Carroll, Ph.D., assistant professor and MANRRS chapter advisor. “We are extremely proud of our students for continuing to seek these prestigious opportunities to excel inside and outside of the classroom. These successes have continued to contribute to the growth, success and standing of our local chapter as a National MANRRS chapter of excellence.”

A national organization founded in 1985, the MANRRS mission across all national and collegiate entities has been to promote academic and professional advancement, achievement and inclusion for members of all racial and ethnic groups in agricultural and related sciences.

In addition, several CAES students were recognized with scholarship and internship opportunities through their participation in MANRRS.

Environmental studies major Jordan King and animal science major Naylah Maple were named VIP Farm Credit Scholars. As part of the scholarship, King and Maple will receive VIP Farm Credit merchandise, the opportunity to participate in the Farm Credit VIP Track of the National MANRRS Conference, a travel scholarship to the conference and a $1,000 academic scholarship.

Animal science doctoral student Tunde Ogundare, laboratory animal science major Karla Branch and integrated animal health systems student Sydney Roberts were also chosen for MANRRS’ Animal Health and Care Academy program, which provides mentorships to students looking to obtain information about animal health careers, builds networks with animal health professionals, provides access to internships and job opportunities with participating companies and awards certificates of completion by partner organizations.