The program is an entirely online resource that can be used for self-help or with a counselor to supplement sessions or add to them. Counselors at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock are pushing clients to use this in order to get the best help possible.

Director of Health Services and Counseling Services, Dr. Mike Kirk, described the grant work that went into purchasing this resource for 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. When he was approached about writing the grant in 2018, he was only the director of counseling services. They didn鈥檛 get the grant in 2018 and were surprised to receive it after all this time.

Kirk chose TAO after he met the director of counseling at the University of Florida. The University of Florida was overwhelmed with requests for counseling sessions that the university was unable to meet. Even hiring new counselors was not a solution. There was not enough of a budget to hire enough counselors to meet the needs of the university.

鈥淪he realized she could not hire her way out of it,鈥� Kirk said. 鈥淭here was a waitlist of sometimes three weeks to a month to get in to see a counselor.鈥�

The United Health Foundation released America鈥檚 Health Rankings data for 2020 that states, 鈥淲hile the majority of the population (70%) lives in close proximity to a mental health treatment facility (less than 10 miles), mental health provider shortages remain common.鈥�

Within a pandemic, it is even harder to access resources, especially mental health resources that are already in high demand. The United Health Foundation also stated that increasing the use of telemedicine might help populations cope with this mental health provider shortage.

Kirk said TAO at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is, 鈥渁 way to provide online resources for our students that might be beyond what we could possibly provide with our limited staff. Or, to supplement the work counselors can do when they are working with our students.鈥�

Aresh Assadi, assistant director of counseling services, described the perks of TAO. It allows more control of the subject matter and can be done at their own pace. TAO also allows safe video-conferencing between counselors and clients.

鈥淧eople can go in on their own time and listen to different videos on different subject matters that they might be dealing with on their own time,鈥� Assadi said. 鈥淭hat will make it easier for them.鈥�

For 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students there is no need for an enrollment key as long as the user signs up using their 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock email. Students, staff, faculty, and alumni of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock who still have access to and use their 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock email can access TAO.

Assadi said that TAO allows counseling services to make groups. If any group on campus or student organization is interested in a group where all members can work together on TAO, Assadi urges leaders to get in contact with counseling services. Any member of the group can email counselingservices@ualr.edu.

鈥淲e would be happy to touch base with them and create programming just for them with their own enrollment key,鈥� Assadi said.

Assadi and Kirk encourage students to follow @ualrwellness on Instagram to receive more information about resources that 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Counseling Services is providing.

To access more information about TAO or register for TAO, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students can go to /counseling/tao/. There is no need to be referred to TAO by a counselor, it is open, free and accessible to all members of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Community.

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Bolton, who is professor emeritus of history at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, was surprised as he had won this award once before in 1999. The Booker Worthen Literacy Prize was originally awarded to the best books in nonfiction that were history-related to Arkansas. Now, the literacy prize is given to the best published book by an Arkansan.

鈥淚 was particularly excited,鈥� said Bolton, 鈥渢o win a prize that applied to all Arkansans and was open to fiction and nonfiction. That鈥檚 a really big deal for me.鈥�

His book focuses on the topic of being a fugitive and escaping slavery. He got this idea when he was working on other research for the National Park Service. He found that he was interested in runaway slave advertisements, especially how slave owners were portraying these advertisements as wanting to get their property back.

鈥淔ugitivism: Escaping Slavery in the Lower Mississippi Valley, 1820-1860鈥� was a project that took Bolton eight to nine years to write. He was working on it before he retired from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in 2009. The book was published Aug. 22 2019 by the University of Arkansas Press. He strived to make his book as full of information as possible but also wanted to avoid making it too technical. Bolton described the book.

鈥淲hat I was trying to do,鈥� said Bolton, 鈥渨as write a book that would appeal to a broad segment of the population who might be interested in not only African-American issues but racial justice…at the same time you have to write a book that will be accepted by professional historians.鈥�

He hoped his book would be able to enter the conversations about race that are happening today. Bolton tried to denounce the myth that most escaped slaves ran to the north. Escaped slaves escaped for a variety of reasons.

鈥淟ots of times they wanted to go to a city,” Bolton said. “People in the lower Mississippi Valley escaped to go to New Orleans. I mean they鈥檙e just like me and you. They鈥檙e attracted to cities.鈥�

The book received positive reviews and is now the winner of the Booker Worthen Literacy Prize. Bolton enjoyed the positive parts of writing, like spending time learning and researching new topics and new places. He described how much easier technology makes research. The accessibility makes it easier to find information about the topics he was interested in. There are more learning opportunities now than before.

Bolton gave advice to students that are interested in academic research and writing.

“Take all the courses, professors want you to write,” Bolton said. “The history department you now have at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is as good now as it ever has been.鈥�

He continued, 鈥淚f you want to write, you鈥檝e got to write. Work with the best people you can work with. Look for people who are going to give you solid criticism, you have to learn to accept that. It鈥檚 not that your critics are always going to be right. But, your stuff is going to be better if you do.鈥�

The post Dr. Charles Bolton Wins 2020 Booker Worthen Literacy Prize appeared first on The Forum.

Women鈥檚 History Month celebrations date back to 1978 when it started as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. Eventually, in 1980, the fight for this celebration to become nationwide was successfully lobbied and then-President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8, 1980, as National Women鈥檚 History Week.

There were multiple resolutions that were passed between 1988 and 1994, and since 1995, it officially became a month of honoring women that have made contributions to the United States and to recognize all wonderful and impactful women. 

During Women鈥檚 History Month, we honor all women who have made a positive change within their industries and other people鈥檚 life. All over the country, there are impactful women at all levels and Little Rock is no exception. 

Lena Moore is the chief development officer at the Baptist Foundation who works every day to ensure pragmatic progress for Arkansas. Her journey was one of perseverance but also chances. 

Coming from Malvern, a small town in Arkansas, a lot of her leadership skills and development came from sports as she had a full-ride scholarship playing basketball at Henderson State University. 

 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 really a well-planned journey,鈥� said Moore. 鈥淚t was a journey of opportunities and chances that just came up along the way. I actually learned a lot of my skills through team sports. I learned a lot about how important it is to know your role. I learned a lot about how to lead and then I learned a lot on how to follow because you have to do both.鈥�

Pamela Freeman is an elementary principal in Little Rock who thrives in her role as an educator and leader and strives for equity within the education system. She started her journey in education after graduating with an elementary education degree from the University of Central Arkansas. 

She taught for three years and decided to become a business owner. After 10 years in that industry, she realized that there was more to the educational journey she wanted to explore and eventually acquired two master鈥檚 degrees, one from UCA and one from Arkansas Tech University in educational leadership.  

鈥淚 went back into teaching and ended up working for a female principal that saw some leadership qualities in me,鈥� said Freeman. 鈥淪he encouraged me to pursue a degree in library media, so I went back to UCA and got a master鈥檚 degree.鈥�

Many times women have to show up twice as much or work twice as hard as their male counterparts to achieve similar positions of power or goals, especially as mothers. However, the balance that comes from motherhood and professional life is one to be proud of. 

鈥淚 am definitely proud to be able to be a mother but also to be a leader in the workplace,鈥� said Moore. 鈥淭here is something about mother guilt and balancing the two, and it is not easy, but I am proud that I am able to get up every day and start the day knowing I got another chance to get it right and be okay with that.鈥� 

Freeman felt that while running her own business, she had the opportunity to be very present during the developmental years of her son. 

鈥淚 loved being self-employed,鈥� said Freeman. 鈥淎 really cool part about that was when I had my son, I took him to work with me, so I was able to work but still be a mom too, so that was a blessing.鈥� 

Both Moore and Freeman have had their struggles but their experiences have made them wiser and they share a few words of advice for young women seeking leadership positions in any industry. 

鈥淎lways speak up, have a voice in the room, and don鈥檛 be afraid to,鈥� said Moore. 鈥淲hen you approach anything with observation and with a listening ear, you will probably be able to gain way more than you would if you walked in with a loud voice.鈥� 

 鈥淵ou have to know what your core values are, who you are,鈥� said Freeman. 鈥淸You have to] lean into those as you lead so that you鈥檙e authentic to who you are…and that we believe our voice is valuable regardless of who鈥檚 in the room.鈥� 

Female empowerment is vital to the betterment and progress of this country; there is an understanding that in order to be stronger and fight for equality, working together is the best way to start. Women鈥檚 History Month is a great time to focus on that and continuously try to make an effort for extraordinary chances within our country. 

鈥淏ecause I value working as a team,鈥� said Freeman. 鈥淚 always say I don鈥檛 have to be the smartest person in the room, I just had to bring all the smart people with me. I like to make sure that that room is diverse and surrounding yourself with other strong women…and knowing who your support group is, is valuable as a leader.鈥� 

鈥淚 am very proud that women are starting to find their voice,鈥� said Moore. 鈥淲e are starting to appreciate who we are, even our imperfections and I think that is something that we often as women try to hide that we are imperfect because we feel like we are already judged before we walk [into a room] as being as such. There is some confidence that you gain in knowing that I am not perfect and it is okay.鈥� 

A woman in leadership brings diversity within an organization as well as a different perspective. Because this country is a melting pot, women鈥檚 voices should be as recognized just as much as a man鈥檚. Women鈥檚 rights matter and this country can only progress when there is a mutual goal in mind. 

鈥淚 do love that it seems like women are doing more to build each other up in this day in time than we have in the past,鈥� said Moore. 鈥淭here is definitely strength in that.鈥�

The post Women’s History Month: Celebrating women in leadership who are making a difference appeared first on The Forum.

Wilson appreciates that 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is diverse, but no university is perfect. 

鈥淭he Multicultural Center is important not only to provide programs and safe spaces for students of color who haven鈥檛 found a place on campus yet,” Wilson said. “But it also provides educational programming to teach about other cultures. Come learn something you didn鈥檛 learn before, come meet someone with a different perspective鈥� We don鈥檛 just provide support, but also education to engage people [to meet peers] they wouldn鈥檛 have met otherwise.”

As an undergraduate at Fayetteville, Ark., Wilson participated in mentor programs and valued connecting with others. The program there paired freshmen with upperclassmen and allowed students who endured similar experiences and practiced similar cultures to automatically connect.

鈥淓verything came full circle,鈥� Wilson said, as she has been working to improve SADI or the Student Affairs Diversity Initiatives, to make the program more successful and able to help more people. 

鈥淚 learned I had a passion for mentoring as a graduate student and as a teacher,” Wilson said. “Forming mentor relationships with students came naturally, so that revitalizes SADI. I hope to provide similar experiences [that I had] to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students.”

Wilson taught 10th grade English after receiving her undergraduate degree, then came to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock to work in higher education at the Ottenheimer Library as a student support and training specialist. Wilson helped students, faculty and staff learn about the services and technology that the library provides. 

Wilson was not aware that she could finish her graduate degree here until she connected with the graduate department and learned that her credits from a previous graduate program would transfer.

That鈥檚 when she met Dr. Mia Phillips, who had just started working as the director of the Multicultural Center. Wilson became her graduate assistant and the rest is history.

鈥淚 [have been] really fortunate to connect with the people at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, and that鈥檚 why I was drawn to stay here,鈥� Wilson said.

She knew after being a graduate assistant in the Multicultural Center that it was the perfect area of higher education for her to work in. She started full time in her current position in December of 2020.

Wilson recommends that students get involved in 鈥渆verything on campus, but definitely SADI.鈥� 

SADI partners a freshman student with both an upperclassman mentor and a professional mentor, as well as Wilson herself. That way, every student has a support group behind their endeavors, not just one person. 

鈥淭he goal of SADI is to provide students with a team,” Wilson said. “We let them know about events and opportunities, and they have a community even though we haven鈥檛 gathered in person. We see the same faces and names virtually鈥� It [creates] a space where you know that you have folks you can reach out to if you鈥檙e struggling.”

The Multicultural Center also hosts “First Fridays.” These sessions are currently being held over Zoom on the first Friday of every month, and they are open for anyone to attend. They will be in person at the Multicultural Center on the second floor of the Ottenheimer Library once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted on campus. 

“First Fridays” often have a theme, from mental health to how to become a resident assistant.

鈥淲e get 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock faculty and staff to speak on topics they are familiar with,鈥� Wilson said. 

First Fridays are more than educational. They are a space for regular conversations where students can discuss their feelings. 

鈥淲e provide a space for people to get things off their chest,鈥� she said. 

The Multicultural Center also hosts “Reality Checks,” where students learn about life skills from financial literacy to self-care. This programming takes place on the third Thursday of each month.

The Multicultural Center recently hosted Black History Month activities in February and is hosting Diversity Month activities during the month of March.

鈥淚 [am] so happy to collaborate with students, faculty, and staff to put forth the effort for amazing programming,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淲e started meeting back in December 2020 to pull together different departments and student organizations, and we鈥檝e been hearing some really awesome feedback.鈥�

SADI student mentors Kayla Maxwell and Lakendra Mackey value what the Multicultural Center has added to their college experience.

鈥淲hat I can tell from this first semester working with my group is that they will provide an amazing, unconditional support team [to each other],鈥� Maxwell said. 鈥淚 feel so comfortable with the staff and other mentors being open about my college experience. I know that this is the start of a lifelong relationship.鈥�

Both mentors have been checking in with their mentees virtually. 

鈥淟ike many things during the time of COVID-19, this has taught me how to connect with people from afar,鈥� Maxwell said. 鈥淚 have never met any of my mentees in person, but when I first introduced myself, I was open [about] who I am and what I like to do. It has taught me to expand my horizons and not be afraid to open up.鈥�

Mackey was pleasantly surprised at the tasks that being a SADI mentor entailed. 

鈥淚 became a mentor because I thought it would be easy鈥� but it鈥檚 not like that at all. I am worried about my mentees when they reach out to me [with] something bothering them,鈥� Mackey said. 鈥淚 am deeply invested in them having a good college experience. I don鈥檛 want them to drop out for any reasons that could have an easy solution that they might not see.鈥�

While they are both helping their mentees, the Multicultural Center and Lauren Wilson are helping them.

鈥淢s. Lauren Wilson kept me in touch with reality鈥� the whole Multicultural Center has continually encouraged and cheered me on during this pandemic,鈥� Mackey said. 鈥淚 was able to walk out in faith, knowing that I would have genuine support regardless of the outcome. Even when I am no longer a student here, I feel that people I encounter will always be rooting for me, and I will be for them.”

Both students recommend that others get involved. 

鈥淲hen I saw the opportunity to join the team that Ms. Wilson was heading, I took a leap of faith and started something new despite my nerves and it was honestly a great decision that I don鈥檛 regret one bit,鈥� Maxwell said. 鈥淚 am not afraid to get out and do more on campus. I believe the Multicultural Center had a lot to do with that.鈥�

Mackey is proud of how many different groups of students can interact through the Multicultural Center. 

鈥淭he point is, we have workshops that make us all interact, connect, and make lasting friendships,” Mackey said. “I can see how someone from a different culture feels about a topic that does not seem important to me but is to them. It can open my eyes to their plight.” 

More information about the Multicultural Center can be found on their social media pages, @糖心Vlog传媒LRMC on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. They are also hoping to develop a TikTok in the near future.

鈥淲e are here for all students, reach out and let us know how we can help you,鈥� Wilson encouraged. 鈥淚f we need to connect you with other departments, [we can]. We have a nice physical space that people can come into… Holla at us! We can find someone to talk to you.”

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Aisosa Osaretin, a third-year concurrent Juris Doctor student at the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, was crowned Miss Nigeria International at the 2nd annual Miss Nigeria International Pageant in Minneapolis over winter break.

Miss Nigeria International Pageant (MNI) is a pageant based in Minnesota that seeks to empower women beyond just natural beauty. The organization’s mission is to celebrate beauty in diverse forms, uplift intellect and promote corporate social responsibility in the community. Anyone from any part of the world can participate as long as they are of Nigerian decent, meaning they have at least one parent who is Nigerian.

Osaretin first heard about the pageant from a family friend who gave them the number of the pageant director.

“At first, I refused without even thinking twice,” Osaretin said. “My mum encouraged me to speak with the contact and that was how I decided to participate.”

Osaretin, along with the contestants, had three months of pre-pageant activities which included phone interviews, pre-pageant judging and appearances at a variety of events. This gave the judges an opportunity to access the contestants’ communication skills, team work, self and mutual respect as well as their professionalism. The actual pageant itself included five different rounds. The first round was the contestants’ introductions, which included them stating the state of Nigeria they were representing as well as the slogan of that state. Osaretin represented Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in which its slogan is “Centre for Unity”. The second round was the “beachwear” portion of the competition. The contestants didn’t wear tradition bikini swimsuits and were instead scored based on their confidence and physical fitness. The third round had the contestants wearing traditional attire that represented the culture of the state they were representing while dancing to a traditional song. The fourth round was the talent portion of the competition where Osaretin performed the song “Great Nation” by Nigerian singer Timi Dakolo. The fifth and final round was the evening gown portion, where the contestants are judged on their pose, grace, catwalk and intelligence.

“I told myself that I was going to have fun and at the same time, I will do my best to win,” Osaretin said. “I resolved to do my best, but was also aware that all contestants came to win and I may not be the winner.”

Osaretin won three separate awards at the pageant before being crowned Miss Nigeria International; Best Traditional Attire, Best Beachwear (both decided by the judges), and Miss Congeniality (decided on by her fellow contestants).

“I was in so much shock for the rest of the week,” she said. “My parents and some friends were at the event and they ran up front screaming in jubilation the moment I was announced as Queen. My entire family and friends, both at home and abroad, were elated and I spent a good amount of time responding to congratulatory messages. I was most grateful for winning because it was a way of telling those who had supported and encouraged me from the start that their confidence and trust in me was not misplaced.”

It means a lot to Osaretin as a Nigerian living in the U.S. to be crowned Miss Nigeria International.

“As a Nigerian in the United States, I have always been aware of the fact that I represent my country in so many aspects, in the sense that people gain a perception on Nigeria just from interacting with me,” she said. “However, as the Queen, I take it more seriously and it feels more official. Also, it makes me proud to know that I embody all the values MNI supports enough to be an ambassador of the values of Nigeria.”

Because of her win, Osaretin must now participate in at least four hours of community service every month and must represent Nigeria in another pageant.

“For my community service, I try as much as possible to focus on human rights advocacy because I am most passionate about issues pertaining to human rights,” she said.

Osaretin has volunteered for a variety of different organizations and participated with some human rights organizations such as Write for Rights in Amnesty International, which is the world鈥檚 biggest human rights event that has people write millions of letters for those whose basic human rights are being attacked. She will also be appearing at events aimed at boosting the Nigerian culture and will be visiting the Nigerian consulate in New York. For personal reasons outside of the pageant, she is also in collaboration with her sisters, who are in the medical field, to start a group aimed at sensitizing children in her hometown of Benin City, Nigeria, on sex education.

“As through my research, this is very much needed to address issues on sex-related violence in my hometown,” she said.

Osaretin got her Bachelors in Philosophy from the University of Benin in Benin City, Nigeria and is currently a third-year student at the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and concurrently pursuing a masters in Public Service at the Clinton School of Public Service. She is also a Post-Baccalaureate student at the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock main campus for biology and chemistry classes.

“My goal after graduating is to be the lawyer you want to represent you,” she said. “The one who gives you hope that something can be done and it’s not time to give up yet. I plan to apply myself as a human rights advocate, specifically in relation to women and children. I am also working towards becoming a patent attorney, hence my post-baccalaureate status.”

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