Get to know University of Minnesota’s MANRRS chapter

MANRRS, which stands for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences, is a national organization with collegiate and pre-collegiate chapters. At the University of Minnesota, MANRRS is advised by the CFANS Office for Inclusive Excellence. 

Learn more about this student organization from Aina Pérez, third year student majoring in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems and International/Global Studies, and president of CFANS’ MANRRS chapter.

Tell us about MANRRS’ mission and goals.

MANRRS is a national organization, and at the University of Minnesota, we are one of its many chapters. MANRRS promotes academic and professional development for minorities in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences. As a chapter, we seek to offer professional development opportunities and community building to our members. 

Are there any requirements for joining MANRRS?

We welcome anyone and everyone to join our chapter. 

How would you describe the community this group fosters?

MANRRS fosters a community of acceptance where we all want to see one another succeed in our career and academic goals. 

What events and traditions does MANRRS participate in each year? 

Every year we attend the Region V Cluster and the National MANRRS conference. These meetings change location every year, but offer workshops, networking events, career fairs, and public speaking competitions. 

At the chapter level, we hold monthly meetings where we hear from industry professionals, complete service projects, and network. Just recently we hosted a fall social where we wrote letters to children in the hospital while eating some delicious soup. 

Future events will include our MANRRS Team Challenge where students will form teams and compete against each other to provide the best solutions to case scenarios. This event will involve building critical thinking skills as well as team work in solving problems.  

We are also extremely excited for our first annual MANRRS Elevator Speech Contest. Participants will prepare a 30-45 second speech that introduces who you are, share your strengths through your skills, talents and abilities and provide professional goals. 

How does MANRRS support students in their academic and professional journeys?

MANRRS has numerous workshops and sessions that support students' needs in the areas of time management, organizational skills, decision making and goal setting.  

How did you get involved in MANRRS? 

I got involved with MANRRS my first year at college when our now current secretary, Hilariia Ponce, reached out to me about MANRRS. My first MANRRS event was attending the Region V Cluster in Columbus, Ohio.

What skills and experiences have you gained through your involvement with, and leadership within, MANRRS? 

Throughout my time in MANRRS my professional skills have developed the most. I’ve been able to practice my interview skills, create connections that will help me within my career, and become a better communicator for issues that I care deeply about. 

What are some memorable moments from your time in MANRRS? 

My favorite memory from my time in MANRRS was during my freshman year at the MANRRS National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia when in between workshops I was able to get some fried chicken with other members. 

If people want to learn more or get involved, what are the next steps? 

Check out our instagram, @manrrs_umn! We post notices about our events and other opportunities for our members. You can also reach out to me and I’ll get you more information about how to get involved.