Creating a New Sense of Belonging

You’ve heard the saying before - “college is the best four years of your life.” In many ways, that sentiment does ring true. College delivers unlimited independence, access to world class education, social events and new friends, anytime dining, and other luxuries not reminiscent of high school life. But for some, the transition is not easy, and the college experience may introduce feelings of isolation and lack of a true community. 

Since joining AGNR as a freshman, this has been on the mind of Mikayla NaSya Lewis, a senior Animal Sciences major, who made her career choice before even hitting the acceptance button. She wants to be a veterinarian, and the college’s animal sciences concentration offers her the training she needs to apply to vet school. But as a BIPOC person in a traditionally white field, it could have been difficult to find a sense of belonging.

“I was one of only three Black students in my freshman year animal science 101 class,” said Lewis. “However, I was able to meet Jarvis Scott, a current doctoral student in AGNR, who invited me to the first general body meeting of an organization that would help me think about and approach diversity here at UMD in a totally different way.”

Now, Lewis is dedicated to advancing minority representation in the agricultural sciences, as the most recent president-elect of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS). In its 36th year of existence, MANRRS is a nationally recognized club with dozens of chapters across the country, with a laser focus on academic and professional advancement for minority students. 

“The organization started at Michigan State University, and was initially very small, but news of its existence spread quickly as minorities in our fields began to realize they didn’t have much of a community,” said Lewis. “Then Penn State jumped onboard, helping to build momentum for the first national conference in 1986. With this new platform, people realized how small the minority population in ag was. Now, we have much better representation with 65 colleges participating in the national organization.” 

There can be some misperceptions about those studying and working in the agriculture and natural resources-related fields. Certain individuals fail to see the growing number of programs of study (AGNR just introduced Fermentation Science) and career paths available, don’t perceive agriculture disciplines as STEM driven, or miss the connection to opportunities to contribute to major global issues like food insecurity, disease prevention, or climate change. A core initiative of MANRRS is the provision of resources, opportunities, and mentorship to reverse these misconceptions, to lay all of the information out on the table for interested students. Lewis and her fellow MANRRS members work hard to demonstrate a variety of career arcs for minorities, and that there are wider paths to success.

“One of our main talking points is, ‘There is more to your future than what you see on the web or in an advertisement for a major,’” explains Lewis. “The academic system sometimes tends to prioritize one linear path, but through conversations with our members and some of our partnering organizations, we’ll show you that there is so much more out there to shape your future.”

The signature event for MANRRS is its annual conference, hosted this year in Jacksonville, FL, where close to three dozen companies and organizations are scheduled to attend, looking to recruit and mentor minority students. This is where MANRRS members can plug into the breadth of opportunity available in their fields across technology, government, academia, non-profit, private business, finance, and more. Lewis and her fellow MANNRS leaders put tremendous value on this opportunity, where everyone can come together, build community, and find their lane through networking and professional mentorship. 

“Our members might be far apart but we’re such a close-knit community,” said Lewis. “Similar to my experience, it can be intimidating to be one of the only minorities in the classroom. The experiences we facilitate through MANRRS help our members clear their heads of imposter syndrome. The sense of belonging that MANRRS creates is very empowering. Everyone is willing to help you get as far as you can.”