2024 MANRRS Chapter of the Year Celebrates 35 Years

This year, the Purdue University College of Agriculture’s Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) chapter is celebrating its national recognition as the 2024 MANRRS Chapter of the Year and also its 35th anniversary.

“This is the first time the chapter has received the prestigious national Chapter of the Year Award,” says Zachary Brown, Purdue MANRRS chapter co-adviser, as well as the assistant director for student recruitment and retention in the Office of Multicultural Programs. “It’s an honor that speaks to the organization’s impressive growth and impact.”

The mission of MANRRS is to promote academic and professional advancement. Collegiate chapters nationwide host various activities to provide members with valuable experiences, foster growth, and strengthen community connections. The annual national conference also provides members with opportunities to network with industry leaders, attend small-group breakout sessions, and engage in a career expo with companies such as John Deere and Syngenta.

MANRRS Membership

In n 1982, Michigan State University started MANRRS to increase support for students from historically excluded backgrounds. Today, the organization boasts 110 collegiate chapters nationwide, representing about 20,000 student members. The conferences, workshops, and mentorship opportunities offered by MANRRS help members build skills and confidence, and create a strong sense of belonging.

“MANRRS empowers students and professionals by creating a community that blends personal growth, professional development, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion,” says Carla M. Soto, university relations coordinator for MANRRS. “By joining, you become part of a movement shaping the future of these industries, and energy and purpose are contagious to anyone considering membership.”

In addition to collegiate membership, MANRRS offers a Pre-College Initiative program for students in grades 7–12, and a professional membership, which provides valuable industry connections and resources to those working in science, technology, engineering, agriculture, mathematics, and technology careers.

Growing Membership

According to Brown, Purdue’s chapter has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. After dipping to 12 members immediately post-COVID, the organization has rebounded to more than 80 active, dues-paying members. The surge in membership led to increased representation at the national level, with three Purdue students currently serving as national officers, and one as a national ambassador.

“We have some amazing students who want to transform the world,” Brown says. “They want to be engaged and connected throughout their entire undergraduate experience and seek out opportunities to be leaders.”

Brown credits much of the chapter’s growth to strong support from its industry partners. Many industry organizations want to work with the land-grant university, and some of those funds translate into direct support for the campus MANRRS program. 

“Having that financial support gave the organization the money it needed to really kick things back off as they came back from COVID,” Brown adds. “But even bigger than that are the students. Our students are spending as much time as I do helping support the organization.”

Eyes on the Future

Students active in Purdue MANRRS devote countless hours to fundraising. During the spring 2025 semester, six scheduled fundraisers support current members and future Boilermakers. In the last two years, students have raised nearly $70,000. 

“That’s the type of leadership our students are putting forward,” Brown says. “They’re thinking about the future and the students coming in after they graduate because they want to see MANRRS be here to support and engage students in the future.”

One of the organization’s biggest events is the annual year-end celebration. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the event, which invites college leaders, sponsors, and student members to come together to celebrate the chapter’s accomplishments. 

“When it started, it was a pop-up event that took everyone pitching in to make it happen,” Brown says. “Now, it’s a top-notch event — a plated dinner, with leaders from multiple departments, alumni, industry leaders, and managers of businesses who hire our students and sponsor the organization. The national MANRRS president may even attend this year.” Purdue MANRRS credits Cargill with providing financial support to grow the event. 

A Lasting Impact

Brown knows the impact of MANRRS membership firsthand. He joined as a student member in 2015 while completing his master’s degree in agricultural education at Iowa State University. Membership introduced him to Purdue, where he is enrolled in the agricultural sciences education and communication doctoral program.

“Purdue wasn’t even on the list of universities that I thought of applying to as a high school student or when I was thinking about what grad schools I wanted to attend,” Brown says. “By attending the national and regional conferences, I got engaged with students, staff, and faculty, and met my current academic adviser.”

Since joining a decade ago, Brown has served as the Region Five graduate student vice president, as a national officer for half of the last decade, and jumped at the opportunity to be the Purdue chapter’s adviser when the position opened. “MANRRS has presented me with opportunities and connections I didn’t realize I needed,” he says.

How to Join

Visit the MANRRS website to see if your school has a chapter on campus. If it does, contact the chapter adviser via phone or email. If it doesn’t, you can join as an independent student member or help establish a chapter by filling out the interest form at manrrs.org.