Fryar Center debuts scholarship program to recruit next-gen ag economists
Oct. 14, 2026
By Mary Hightower
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast facts
- Fryar Center to select two scholars each year
- Application deadline is Dec. 15
- Scholars receive assistantship, stipend, travel allowance
(558 words)
DOWNLOAD Fryar Center logo, portrait of Mitchell, portrait of Nalley
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Recruiting next-generation economists to analyze the complex issues facing the agriculture sector is the impetus behind the Fryar Center Scholars Program, now seeking its first applicants.
“Graduate students have been an important part of the Fryar Center’s mission since it was established in 2020,” said James Mitchell, the center’s associate director of extension. “The Fryar Center Scholars Program gives us an opportunity to recognize exceptional students and invest in their development.
“Our hope is that these students will carry the Fryar Center name with them throughout their careers, wherever those careers take them,” he said.
Mitchell said that the program will give students opportunities beyond the classroom.
“They’ll get to work with leading researchers in agricultural risk management, present their research at regional and national conferences, and connect with industry professionals through the Fryar Center’s network,” Mitchell said. “Those are experiences and relationships that can be valuable long after they graduate.”
“As members of the Fryar Price Risk Management Center of Excellence, selected scholars will work closely with center faculty and engage directly in research, outreach, and industry activities advancing the center’s mission,” said Lanier Nalley, director of the center and head of the agricultural economics and agribusiness department for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.
“The program is designed to provide an intensive graduate experience that combines rigorous academic training with meaningful exposure to the real-world economic challenges facing agriculture and the food system,” he said.
The program
Each year, the program will select two incoming agricultural economics master’s students based on demonstrated academic excellence, quantitative ability, intellectual curiosity, leadership potential and having a strong interest in conducting applied research that addresses important challenges related to risk and risk management in agriculture and the food system.
Fryar Center Scholars will receive a fully supported graduate assistantship, including coverage of 31 credit hours of tuition and an annual stipend of $28,000 for two years. Scholars will also receive an annual professional development and travel allowance to support participation in academic conferences, industry meetings, and other activities that advance their research and career development.
Research is key
Nalley said research is central to the Fryar Center Scholars experience.
Each Fryar Center Scholar will complete a master's thesis addressing a substantive issue aligned with the mission of the Fryar Center. Thesis committees will include a major professor and two additional faculty members affiliated with the center, providing the scholars with broad engagement and mentorship throughout the research process.
The scholars will participate in monthly Fryar Center meetings where faculty, students and postdocs discuss emerging research questions, industry developments and critical issues affecting agricultural risk management.
Application requirements
Fryar Center Scholar applicants must first apply to the University of Arkansas Graduate School and seek admission to the M.S. program in agricultural economics.
The graduate application requires:
- GRE scores
- Two letters of recommendation
- Official undergraduate transcripts
Applicants must also submit a statement of purpose describing their academic background, professional goals, research interests, and specific interest in areas consistent with the mission of the Fryar Price Risk Management Center of Excellence.
The statement of purpose should be submitted to: Lanier Nalley, director, Fryar Price Risk Management Center of Excellence, llnalley@uark.edu.
To receive full consideration for a Fryar Center Scholars award, applicants should submit all required application materials by Dec. 15.
About the Fryar Center
Established in 2020 through a generous gift from Dr. Ed and Michelle Fryar, the Fryar Price Risk Management Center of Excellence is housed within the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas.
The Center advances the University's land-grant mission through research, teaching, and outreach focused on critical risk-management challenges facing agriculture and the broader food and fiber system. While the Center places particular emphasis on industries important to Arkansas agriculture, its faculty and programs address risk-management questions with national and global relevance.
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 Bumpers College.
About UADA
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, UADA conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
UADA is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three university campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, UADA offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
# # #
Media contact:
Nick Kordsmeier
nkordse@uada.edu