Wendell Scales
“I worked in loaded crop dusters in the summer, but nobody told me that I could be a part of the industry, not just as a laborer,” recalls Scales, now a first-year Ph.D. student in agricultural leadership at the University of Arkansas. “They didn’t say, ‘hey, you know, you can be the pilot. You can be the chemist making the chemicals for the herbicides. You could be the architect designing the airport.’ Nobody gave me an in.” That realization has become the driving force behind Scales’ mission to reimagine agricultural education and create pathways for students who, like himself, might never have considered the vast opportunities within agriculture-related fields. At 36, he brings over a decade of professional experience in education and workforce development to his doctoral studies, having recently served as deputy director of innovation at Arkansas Lighthouse Academies.
Scales’ journey to graduate school began unconventionally. Starting at a community college, he found his calling working in the Office of Admissions, where he gained firsthand insight into the barriers that underrepresented populations face when trying to access higher education. This experience launched him into roles as a college recruiter and high school counselor, before transitioning to executive charter school leadership. The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a pivotal moment. As his organization focused on aligning with state industry and workforce needs, Scales connected with Dr. Deacue Fields III, the first African-American dean of what is now Bumpers College of Agriculture at the University of Arkansas. That mentorship opened his eyes to new possibilities.
Over the past six years, Scales has been instrumental in creating innovative pathway programs that challenge traditional perceptions of agriculture. His work has centered on what he calls “the 30,000-foot view of agriculture” — showcasing the industry’s breadth beyond conventional farming stereotypes.
Dr. Jacquelyn Wiersma-Mosley, the associate dean of Bumpers College, emphasizes the transformative nature of Scales’ contributions, adding that he is “creating opportunities in AGRI-STEM for historically marginalized young K-12 scholars, providing professional development for educators as well as educators of color, and supporting the upward mobility of historically marginalized communities.”
Through partnerships with the University of Arkansas, Tyson Foods, Simmons Foods, Crystal Bridges Museum, and the organization Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS), Scales helped create AR CommUniversity — a comprehensive program designed to increase underrepresented students’ participation in agricultural fields. One of his most significant achievements has been the development of the Arkansas Lighthouse Summer Enrichment Academy (ALSEA), a three-day, three-night immersive experience for students in grades 7-11. The program provides hands-on exposure to AGRI-STEM fields and careers, deliberately targeting students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Perhaps most notably, Scales spearheaded the creation of the state’s first Junior MANRRS chapter, providing K-12 students with direct mentorship from university students and exposure to research opportunities, including presentations at regional and national conferences.
The success of these initiatives has attracted significant recognition and funding. The program recently secured USDA-NIFA funding for several years, supporting scholarships for first-generation transfer students and transformative experiences for K-12 students across Arkansas.
Now in graduate school, Scales is conducting research that builds directly on his professional experience. His doctoral work focuses on understanding perceptions of agriculture-related careers and how pathway programs can spark interest among underrepresented, rural, first-generation students.
“My research is going to really unpack what is the perception of ag-related careers, but how do these pathways untap interest for underrepresented rural first-gen students?” he explains. “We eat every day. We put clothes on every day. We go to Walmart. Students don’t realize that they’re already opting in as a consumer and there are so many different jobs related.” His research will include a nationwide study of high school summer academies, seeking scalable models that can effectively bridge the gap between student interest and agricultural career opportunities.
Despite the challenges of balancing full-time doctoral studies with his professional commitments, Scales remains focused on his ultimate goal: becoming an impactful college leader both in and outside of the classroom.
“I love higher ed,” he says. “Politically, there’s no more important role than being in higher ed and influencing higher ed, because when you’re impacting and influencing your state, you’re influencing the next generation, you’re influencing policy.”
For others considering a similar path, scales offers straightforward advice: “with everything going on right now in our landscape, now is the most important time to level up. Education transforms not just yourself, but it transforms spaces that you walk into.”
