Evaluating the Impact of University-Led Experiential Learning on Rural Development and Sustainable Manufacturing in Louisiana

Mysha Ahmed, Fatemeh Ghafari, Zhihong Pang, Chao Wang, Chandler Hayes, Jonathan Shi and Michael Hayes ()
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Mysha Ahmed: School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
Fatemeh Ghafari: Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
Zhihong Pang: Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
Chao Wang: Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
Chandler Hayes: Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
Jonathan Shi: Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
Michael Hayes: School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-17

Abstract: This paper seeks to establish the impact of university experiential learning programs on small- to medium-sized enterprises while emphasizing the benefit to rural workforce development and sustainable manufacturing practices. Data were collected from diverse partners of Louisiana State University’s experiential learning program over the last 7 years to illustrate the types of recommendations and implementation statistics for sustainable manufacturing practices. The study found that rural enterprises favored the adoption of short-term, high-saving solutions to mitigate the impact of utility costs resulting from geographical isolation, while there was low implementation of long-term, large investment projects. This highlighted the practical feasibility of a project over a focus on long-term sustainability plans, which require significant capital investment, management planning, and employee training. This study outlines a university-led experiential learning program’s engagement through academic–industrial partnerships that serve student development and the economic advancement of small- to medium-sized enterprises. The data can direct future incentive opportunities for sustainability projects that have more immediate payback, to increase the adoption rate in rural facilities. The larger implication provides a framework and validation that can support the development of similar programs for extension and enterprise engagement to impact sustainable manufacturing practices.

Keywords: rural development; experiential learning; sustainable; manufacturing; workforce; university-led (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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