Education
Ph.D. – Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences – Agricultural Communications, University of Arkansas
Dissertation: A grounded theory study of White educators’ conceptualizations and negotiations of culturally centered practices in colleges of agriculture and related sciences.
M.S. – Agriculture and Extension Education – Agricultural Communications, University of Arkansas
Thesis: Assessing a peer mentor program in an honors college of agriculture.
B.S. – Animal Science – Agricultural Education, Sul Ross State University
Undergraduate Thesis: Agricultural knowledge and perceptions among students enrolled in agriscience programs in Texas counties bordering Mexico.
Undergraduate Thesis: Experiences of Hispanic students enrolled in a college of agriculture.
Work Experience
University of Arkansas
Coordinator for Honors Programs (2020-Present)
Adjunct Instructor (2018-2020; Fall 2025-Present)
Graduate Teaching Assistant (2016-2018)
Fort Hays State University
Adjunct Instructor (Fall 2024)
Courses Taught or Co-Taught** (10 courses)
HDFS 24903 – Introduction to Cultural Competence
HDFS 44703 – Multicultural Families
AGRI 332 – Agricultural Communications and Public Relations
AFLS 341H3 – Honors Proposal Development and Research Methods**
AFLS 102H3 – Honors Perspectives (First-Year Seminar)
AFLS 401VH – Honors Special Topics for Peer Mentors
AFLS 4543 – Agricultural Publications Special Topics
AFLS 3243 – Agricultural Reporting and Feature Writing
AFLS 3993 – Professional Growth and Critical Career Skills**
AFLS 5343 – Communication Campaigns**
Research Advising – Chair (8 complete, 2 ongoing)
Cheek, C. (Ongoing). Environmental storytelling: Creative approaches to science and environmental education.
Pimentel Atencio, Y. (Ongoing). Developing and evaluating a communications campaign for NWA extension. (Co-mentor)
Smith, A. (2025). Developing a multi-sensory room at the University of Arkansas.
Brantley, V. (2023). Comparing allistic and autistic honors students’ perceived barriers to succeeding in honors and their preferred resources. (Co-Mentor).
Cox, S. (2022). Pandemics and animal welfare: How the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the companion animal industry in Northwest Arkansas.
DeSmet, K. (2022). Pandemics and animal welfare: A quantitative inquiry into how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the companion animal industry in Northwest Arkansas.
Beyer, R. (2022). Exploring consumer attitudes toward marketing messages using rhetorical devices.
Cunningham, M. (2021).Developing a food assistance informational graphic and implementation plan based on consumer evaluation.
Connor, C. (2021). Consumer perceptions and purchasing behaviors of packaged versus unpackaged foods (Co-Mentor).
Williams, E. (2020). Evaluating the perceived stressors and benefits of sole dog ownership in full-time college students.
Research Advising – Committee Member (16 complete, 7 ongoing)
Schaefer, M. (Ongoing). Creating inclusive classes for preschool age neurodivergent children.
Garretson, L. (Ongoing). Using meat rabbits to enhance food security and nutrition in Stann Creek, Belize.
Sammons, A. (Ongoing). Mother of champions: The genetic significance of blue hen mares in thoroughbred racing
Reeves, D. (Ongoing). Clawing our way to inclusion.
Axtell, R. (Ongoing). Bridging the gap: Educating students on the neurodiverse experience.
Forbes, A. (Ongoing). Hope or fear: The communication battle to engage Southern college students in the issue of climate change.
Keith-Powell, G. (Ongoing). Unpacking the pantry: Evaluating and addressing nutritional gaps in Full Circle Food Pantry service.
Stroud, K. (2026). The future of sustainable fashion: How VR can transform retail into an eco-friendly shopping experience.
Flesher, E. F. (2025). Understanding university-level food recovery programs’ approaches to minimizing food waste while combatting food insecurity in the United States.
Fernandez, V. (2025). Relationship between nutritional knowledge and eating disorder risk levels.
Davis, A. K. (2025). Researching the perceptions of 4th and 5th graders on the origins of Arkansas food.
Denham, A. (2025). Designing and installing a disability inclusive teaching garden.
Illum, D. (2024). A content analysis of fast fashion and luxury fashion.
Tolbert, M. (2022). Recipe modification for cardiovascular health.
Rainbolt, L. (2022). A communications audit of selected Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) in Northwest Arkansas.
Greenwood, L. (2022). Comparing carbon footprints of school lunches in Belize and Northwest Arkansas.
Moss, L. (2021). “Blazing the trail for the future”: BIPOC students’ experiences with colleges of agriculture.
Thao, J. (2021). Cultural impact on identity and how it is expressed through dress.
Moore, J. (2021). A Comparison of the environmental effects of renewable and Non-Renewable Energies.
Parker, A. (2021). Experiences of individuals pursuing Equine Assisted Therapy.
Stewart, E. (2021). Effects of equine assisted activities and therapies on hope and depression in court-involved youth.
Smith, S. (2020). The fusion of fashion and rap.
Giebler, M. (2019). Developing a social marketing plan for direct-to-consumer agricultural operations.
Journal Articles (5)
Jordan, L. S., Whitehead-Adams, I. M., & Gonzalez-Pliss, A. (2024). A term in search of a meaning: A critically oriented scoping review of the state of culturally responsive research. Methodological Innovations. (Under Review.)
Morris, O., Miller, J. D., & Whitehead, I. M. (2019). A website content analysis of corporate positions on animal welfare. Journal of Applied Communications.
Whitehead, I. M. & Edgar, L. D. (2019). Lessons learned from an assessment of an Honors program in a college of agriculture. NACTA Journal.
Shoulders, C. W., Morrison, C. C., & Whitehead, I. M. (2018). Using images to engage online and on-campus students in meaningful reflection. NACTA Journal.
Whitehead, I. M. & Estepp, C. (2016). Agricultural knowledge and perceptions among students enrolled in AgriScience programs in Texas counties bordering Mexico. Journal of Human Sciences & Extension.
Refereed or Invited** Paper Presentations (6)
Yarber, K. S., Estepp, C. M., & Whitehead-Adams, I. M. (2024). “I can’t just leave for two weeks!” Portraits of rural community college students’ decisions to (not) study abroad. Paper to be presented at the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference.
Jordan, L. S.; Whitehead-Adams, I. M., & Gonzalez-Pliss, A. (2024, April). Illusory presence: A Critical assessment of culturally responsive qualitative research. Roundtable to be presented at the 2024 AERA Annual Meeting.
Whitehead-Adams, I. M., Yarber, K. S., & Wood, L. S. (2023). Determining students’ preferred qualities, experiences, and perceived barriers to studying abroad. Paper presented at the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference.
**Korth, D. Adams, D. Whitehead, I. M., Calabretta-Sajder, R., & Razaghi, J. (2021). Things that HIP Teachers Do (High Impact Practices). TFSC Publications and Presentations. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/wctfscpub/22 (non-refereed)
Whitehead, I. M.*, Rucker, K. J., & Cox, C. K. (2019). Cultivating a Culture of Awareness: Using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference.
Edgar, L. D., Whitehead, I. M., Davis, K. J. (2017). College of Agriculture Honors students’ needs: Developing a process for faculty change to enhance student success. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference.
Refereed Poster Presentations (9)
Clark, W. W., Wood, L. S., & Whitehead, I. M. (2020). Students’ international program preferences for destination, cost, and scholarships.Poster submitted to the meeting of North American Teachers and Colleges of Agriculture, Las Cruces, New Mexico. (Conference canceled)
Shoulders, C. W., Johnson, D. M., & Whitehead, I. M. (2020). Stakeholder perceptions of the proper role and focus of a flagship land grant university. Poster presented at the meeting of Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Louisville, Kentucky.
Whitehead, I. M., Rucker, K. J. (2019). Cultural engagement among agriculture, food and life science honors students. Poster presented at the meeting of Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Birmingham, Alabama.
Whitehead, I. M., Johnson, D. M., Shoulders, C. W. (2019). Rural student risk factors. Poster presented at the meeting of Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Birmingham, Alabama.
Whitehead, I. M., Edgar, L. D., & Davis, K. J. (2018). Assessing and evaluating an honors program in a college of agriculture. Poster presented at the meeting of Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Jacksonville, Florida.
Ehlers, K., Whitehead, I. M., & Miller, J. D. (2018). Integrating experiential learning into ag reporting and feature writing coursework to develop metacognitive skills and international relations. Poster presented at the meeting of Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists Conference, Jacksonville, Florida.
Whitehead, I. M. & Edgar, L. D. (2017). Creating and implementing a peer mentor program in a college of agriculture. Poster presented at the meeting of North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture, West Lafayette, Indiana.
Whitehead, I. M. & Shoulders, C. W. (2017). The impact of visual reflection on student stress and teacher immediacy. Poster presented at the meeting of North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture, West Lafayette, Indiana.
Whitehead, I. M. & Estepp, C. (2015). Agricultural knowledge and perceptions among students enrolled in agriscience programs in Texas counties bordering Mexico. Poster presented at the meeting of National American Association of Agricultural Educators’, San Antonio, Texas.
Recognition
NACTA Educator Award (2024)
Outstanding Departmental Ph.D. Student (2024)
Golden Tusk Award (2019; 2022)
Outstanding Departmental M.S. Student (2018)
NACTA Graduate Student Teacher Award (2018)
Isabel Whitehead-Adams 