Dr. Amber Overholser, director of the master of public administration program, returned from a National Study Tour of Washington D.C. as a member of LeadAR’s 21st cohort, bringing the latest in agriculture policy and advocacy to SAU students.
Overholser applied for LeadAR looking for a new challenge that was relevant to the work she does. Joining over 500 alumni, she has begun the 18-month program which consists of discussions, expert panels, and site visits, engaging with issues facing Arkansans, particularly those in rural and agricultural regions. The program’s first meeting kicked off in May at the Arkansas 4-H Center in Little Rock.
“We started as strangers; now we’re friends,” Overholser said of her cohort, a small yet diverse community of individuals representing a wide variety of fields, such as healthcare, education, entertainment, government, and business. “Even though we’re throughout the state, we can help each other with different things. It’s nice to have that collaborative spirit.”
Since their first meeting, Overholser and her team have studied the forestry industry in Monticello, met with representatives in Washington D.C., and will visit Northwest Arkansas next month to learn about local food and food production.
“I teach throughout the MPA curriculum, and my visit to D.C. and really all of these LeadAR opportunities offer relevant experiences and knowledge that I actively share with my students,” Overholser said. “I’m teaching policy and budgeting this semester, for example, and everything we’ve discussed in LeadAR plays into these topics.”
While in Washington D.C., the group met with the American Farm Bureau Federation and learned more about policies guiding the Farm Bill 2.0 and the One Big Beautiful Bill as well as received media training. She walked the halls of theCapitol, meeting representatives and their staff. Among those representatives was Congressman Westerman, who represents Overholser’s district.
When asked about her favorite parts of the program, Overholser mentioned, “Meeting my Representative Bruce Westerman in the Capitol was an amazing experience, he sat down with us —got to know us—and was fully present. He led us on a night tour of the Capitol with another group from Arkansas. We saw the new statue of Johnny Cash in Emancipation Hall.”
Among the many stops on their trip, Overholser’s group visited Arlington National Cemetery, where several members laid the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Memorial; the Library of Congress; the Japanese Embassy; the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial; and the National Archives Museum.
Overholser grew up in Carlin, Nevada. She completed her bachelor’s degree from Great Basin College in Nevada, master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University, and doctoral degree in public affairs at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She currently resides near Magnolia, Arkansas, serving as an 
associate professor and the director of the MPA program at SAU.
To learn more about SAU’s MPA program, please visit https://web.saumag.edu/mpa/.
About SAU:
SAU, located in Magnolia, Arkansas, provides students with the complete college experience in a caring environment of service, innovation, and community. With more than 100 degrees in four distinct colleges and the School of Graduate Studies, SAU initiates new degree programs to fit the needs of career and professional trends of today. As part of this commitment, SAU proudly offers the Next Step Guarantee program, ensuring that students receive the necessary resources, career guidance, and support to transition successfully from college to their chosen careers or graduate studies. To learn more about SAU, visit www.saumag.edu.
