Virginia Tech’s Kohl Centre, Virginia Soybean Association partner to provide student experiential learning opportunities
The partnership enables students to help shape the future of the agri-food sector in a capstone project assessing markets for Virginia soybeans.
Two student junior fellows with the Kohl Centre at Virginia Tech will have the opportunity to support Virginia’s soybean trade through a capstone project in partnership with the Virginia Soybean Association’s Board.
The Kohl Center, within the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, offers students hands-on learning experiences with faculty to develop and apply advanced data analytics solutions. Kohl junior fellows are undergraduate or graduate students chosen through a competitive application process to gain hands-on professional experience and learning opportunities. This program is designed to help develop skills and prepare them to become future leaders in agribusiness and applied economics.
In collaboration with the Virginia Soybean Association and its advisory board members, two Kohl Centre student junior fellows and Mario Ortez, collegiate assistant professor of agribusiness and entrepreneurship, will work on an assessment of domestic and export market opportunities for Virginia soybeans.
“We’re so excited to partner with the Kohl Centre on this unique project,” said Rachel Gresham, executive director of the Virginia Soybean Association. “Our producers are currently facing challenges on many fronts, and we’re looking forward to exploring new possibilities that can contribute to long-term economic sustainability for Virginia’s soybean industry.”
The Kohl student fellows — both seniors — working on the project are agribusiness management major Wilmer “Billy” Stoneman IV and Kealyn Greenwell, an applied economics management major.
Stoneman is also a senior corn analyst for the Commodity Investing by Students (COINS) student organization. Greenwell is a student in the department’s accelerated master’s degree 4+1 program.
U.S. corn and soybean producers are navigating challenging economic times with output prices expected to remain among the lowest in many years. The project will help Virginia soy producers explore alternative value-add outlets for production including new export markets, increased local processing, and alternative end uses for Virginia soy.
The project will evaluate the viability of alternative end-use markets for Virginia soy and export potential in new and emerging markets. Specifically, this project has four objectives:
- Assess production capacity and end-use trends in Virginia
- Assess crushing capacity and trends
- Explore several value-added domestic use opportunities
- Explore several new and emerging value-added export opportunities
“There’s often much excitement about what our student leaders will do to shape the future of the agrifood industry after graduation, but what about what they can do while at school?” Ortez said. “The increased focus of providing experiential learning opportunities, combined with the energy of our stakeholders and partners, has yielded a unique model where students can start contributing and practicing their skills here and now.”
Jason Grant, the W.G. Wysor Professor of Agriculture and director of the Center for Agricultural Trade, and Olga Isengildina Massa, the John B. and Kristi L. Rowsell Professor and lead advisor for COINS, will help advise the team on this project.
“I believe in my peers and our ability to innovate and address the pressing challenges of our time,” Greenwell said. “This fellowship offers a unique space for me to increase my knowledge and contribute meaningful work that aligns with my aspirations in life.”
“This endeavor is near and dear to my heart, having grown up on a farm in Henrico County in Virginia,” Stoneman said. “I’d like to see farmers succeed and prosper. I will be able to give back through this fellowship opportunity.”
This project is just one of the many capstone initiatives led by the Kohl Centre. Currently, the Centre is inviting applications for the 2025 fellowships in agri-food finance. The fellowship focuses on the food and agricultural sectors, equipping students with essential skills to analyze financial aspects, articulate business models, and craft business plans. Students will learn to leverage modern AI/machine learning tools for financial applications.
