UA-Monticello scholarship honors former dean, center director Kelly Bryant
Student interactions "brought him a special joy and he excelled in his role as a mentor and teacher." — Mark Cochran
By the U of A System Division of Agriculture
Aug. 25, 2023
Fast facts
- Bryant remembered as passionate about students, agriculture
- Bryant passed away in 2019
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(Newsrooms: with art)
MONTICELLO, Ark. — The University of Arkansas at Monticello's College of Forestry, Agriculture, and
Natural Resources is honoring the legacy of Kelly Bryant, its former dean of agriculture,
by naming an endowed scholarship for him.
Bryant served as dean from 2004-2018. During he also served as director of the Southeast Research and Extension Center at Monticello for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The center closed, and in 2018 Bryant moved to Fayetteville to become interim department head of the agricultural economics and agribusiness for the division and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. He served in that role until he passed in 2019 at age 56.
Bryant earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Arkansas and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M. He began his career in Arkansas as a professor and extension specialist for the University of Arkansas at Monticello in 1992.
The Dr. Kelly J. Bryant Endowed Scholarship for Agriculture is open to full-time junior and senior students at UAM majoring in any agricultural field with a GPA of 2.0 or higher. The scholarship awards two recipients $1,000 each. The application deadline is Sept. 15 and students may obtain applications from any agriculture faculty member.
Mark Cochran, former head of the Division of Agriculture and adviser to Bryant while he earned his master’s degree, said it was fitting to have Bryant’s former students, colleagues and friends honor him with this scholarship.
“His interactions with his students were truly a highlight for him,” Cochran said. “It brought him a special joy and he excelled in his role as a mentor and teacher. This scholarship will truly honor his legacy and his many achievements.”
Alumni Society at work
The scholarship was initiated by the Ag Alumni Society at UAM.
“This was such a group effort made possible by more people than could ever be listed,” said Bill Stephens, Ag Alumni Board president. “The UAM ag faculty and staff, the agriculture student body, alumni and corporate sponsors all made this possible. I think it is a true testament to what this agriculture department’s” past and present faculty, staff and alumni can do.”
Paul Francis, a retired UAM professor, said “Dr. Bryant genuinely cared about UAM agriculture students and was passionate about helping them discover their potential and ensure their success. He would be proud of the scholarship recipients.”
“This is a very humbling honor,” said Chris Bryant, alumni board secretary and Bryant's eldest son. “This program meant a lot to our father, and I know he is beyond proud to see the progress that has been made in that last year. Getting all of the alumni involved in helping the department advance was always his dream. I am thankful to get to be a part of this and for everyone who has helped make this happen.”
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension
Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division
of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture,
visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen
agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption
of best practices. The Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work
within the nation’s historic land grant education system through the Agricultural
Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas
System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension
and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex,
gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital
or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and
is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media contact: Lon Tegels
870-460-1852 office or 419-303-4223 cell
tegels@uamont.edu