MTSU agribusiness senior receives national Phi Kappa Phi Pioneer Award

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University senior Anna Collins, of Pleasant View, was recently awarded a Pioneer Award of $1,000 from The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.

Collins, who was initiated into the MTSU Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi in spring 2024, is one of 50 students nationwide to receive the award.

The Pioneer Awards are designed to encourage and reward undergraduate members for developing the research, engagement and leadership skills necessary to become a successful scholar. Recipients are selected based on their academic achievement, honors and awards, relevant research experience, service and leadership experience on and off campus.

Shown here in an undated photo on the Middle Tennessee State University campus in Murfreesboro, Tenn., senior agribusiness major Anna Collins, of Pleasant View, Tenn., was recently awarded a Pioneer Award from The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, one of 50 students nationwide to receive the award. (MTSU photo by Robin E. Lee)

“Receiving the Pioneer Award will allow me to further my research and focus on my academics,” said Collins. “I am incredibly thankful for Phi Kappa Phi’s support and for those at MTSU who shared this opportunity with me!”

An agribusiness major, Collins is preparing for graduate school. Before her senior year, the Honors student had already contributed to three significant research projects.

“Anna has embraced the challenges of academic exploration,” said Justin Gardner, associate professor of agribusiness. “Her work is a testament to the pioneering spirit of Phi Kappa Phi. She is pushing boundaries, challenging old assumptions, fostering innovation and leading the way for future scholars.”

Under Gardner’s guidance, Collins embarked on her Honors thesis, “The Ordinary Price of Zero.” This research challenges prevailing economic models by demonstrating that consumer behavior toward free goods can be predicted by incorporating a budget constraint, thus questioning the necessity of invoking “affect” as an explanatory variable.

Her work, which utilizes mathematical programming and the Cobb-Douglas functional form, addresses a significant oversight in classical demand theory and contributes foundational insights to the burgeoning field of behavioral economics.

Dr. Ibtissam “Sam” Zaza, assistant professor, Department of Information Systems and Analytics, Jones College of Business — Dr. Ibtissam “Sam” Zaza

Dr. Justin Gardner, School of Agriculture associate professor — Dr. Justin Gardner

In another ambitious project, “The Impact of Connectivity and Accessibility on Farmers’ Intention to Leave their Land,” Collins worked under Sam Zaza within the MTSU Chair of Excellence Urban and Regional Planning Scholars Group. This research aims to unravel the complexities of internet access on agricultural lands, exploring its perceived value among farmers and its potential role in decisions to sell land.

By leveraging survey data and preliminary interviews, her work sheds light on the digital divide in rural Tennessee, offering critical perspectives that could guide future legislation and support for rural connectivity.

“Anna showed exemplary commitment and eagerness to learn while working on the project,” said Zaza. “She went above and beyond compared to her counterparts; I foresee a great future ahead for her. I cannot be prouder of her.”

Laura Clippard

Dr. Steven Sprick Schuster, assistant professor of economics and member of the Political Economy Research Institute at MTSU — Dr. Steven Sprick Schuster

Collins’ third project, guided by Steven Sprick-Schuster, delves into the historical impact of newspaper political endorsements on voter decisions during the 1968 election. This independent research seeks to understand the baseline influence of traditional media on political outcomes, providing a nuanced perspective on the evolution of information control and its implications for contemporary digital platforms.

“Beyond her academic prowess, Anna’s leadership skills shine brightly in her roles as vice president of the Lambda Sigma Honor Society and an MTSU School of Agriculture ambassador,” explained Laura Clippard, Honors College advisor and undergraduate fellowship specialist. “Her dedication to community service is evident through her involvement in various initiatives, from scholarship workshops for high school students to volunteering at local animal shelters.”

About Phi Kappa Phi

Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi inducts approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni annually. The Society has chapters on more than 325 select colleges and universities in the United States, its territories and the Philippines. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10% of seniors and graduate students and 7.5% of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. The Society’s mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and engage the community of scholars in service to others.” For more information, visit www.phikappaphi.org.

— Robin E. Lee (Robin.E.Lee@mtsu.edu)