- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Haire looking forward to bright future as travel nurse

Janea Snyder — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 14:00:42 +0000

For sophomore Tanner Haire, a city the size of Little Rock was the perfect place to attend college. He has family in Arkadelphia, but prefers the vibe of a larger city since he grew up in San Antonio. Haire enrolled at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in August 2017 and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is on track to graduate in 2021. He comes from a family of college-educated professionals. His father, Darrell Morrison, is an associate vice chancellor for finance at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and his mother, Kelli Morrison, works at the University of Texas San Antonio. His older siblings both work in healthcare. His sister is a nurse, and his brother is a physician’s assistant in the U.S. Army. “Seeing what they do interested me,” Haire said. “I’ve always wanted to be a travel nurse and go around the country. If I don’t end up doing that, I’d like to work in an emergency room.” As a freshman, Haire took mainly core classes. He took chemistry this summer, so that he can start taking nursing classes this fall. One of his favorite classes was Anatomy and Physiology with Dr. Jeremy Chamberlain. “He made it interesting, and he’s super energetic,” Haire said. While college can be a huge adjustment, Haire found campus life relaxing and the academic workload manageable. “The biggest part was coming from high school and having someone remind you every day to not having someone telling you what to do,” he said. Although he lives off-campus, he stays connected with with campus organizations. He’s a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, works in Student Affairs at the help desk, and serves on the Student Alumni Board, which assists the Alumni Association with fundraisers such as Burgers at Bailey and Taste of Little Rock. “I’ve been able to meet people from all over the campus,” he said.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock announces 2018 Distinguished Alumni, Presidents Award honorees

Janea Snyder — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 15:48:04 +0000

The CEO of Arkansas’ largest healthcare system has been named the 2018 University of Arkansas at Little Rock Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. Troy Wells, who earned a master’s degree in health services administration in 1997 at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, joined Baptist Health in 2006, and became the CEO and president in 2014. Wells will be honored during the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration on Friday, May 11, at 11:30 a.m. in the Great Hall of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library. Joining Wells is the 2018 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Presidents Award recipient, Mauri Douglass, a retired gifted and talented educator who serves on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association Board and has chaired Taste of Little Rock for four years. She also is the alumnae liaison for the Chi Omega chapter at the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association, her Gamma Zeta chapter sisters, and the Little Rock Chi Omega Alumnae Club. “The contributions and dedication of Troy and Mauri bring credit to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and exemplify the heart of a Trojan,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. “While their backgrounds vary, they are both united by outstanding accomplishments and service back to their alma mater.” The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor presented by the university while the Presidents Award is bestowed on individuals with career success and a profound dedication to the university.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumni endow new golf scholarship

Janea Snyder — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 18:40:56 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumni Richard and Sharon Baugh are impacting students through an endowed scholarship created in memory of their son, Rick Baugh. The scholarship will assist student-athletes on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Men’s and Women’s Golf teams. Both Richard and Sharon have strong ties to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Sharon is a graduate of the College of Arts, Letters and Sciences, and she taught biology at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock from 1996 to 2002. Richard earned his MBA from the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock College of Business in 1980. Sharon was very active on campus in the sorority and remained connected with the chapter upon graduation. They both credit the institution with providing them a quality education and believe ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was instrumental in their ability to find excellent employment after receiving their degrees. The Baughs understand the importance of financial assistance while earning a degree. Sharon received a scholarship through the March of Dimes organization during her undergraduate studies. Richard’s MBA was funded by a previous employer. When asked why they chose to support the golf program, the Baughs stated that golf was their son Rick’s favorite pastime. Cheering on Trojan athletic teams is a part of life for the Baugh family. Richard, Sharon, and their son and daughter-in-law, Rodney and Andrea Peel, attend many Trojan basketball games and golf tournaments. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is grateful to the Baughs and their commitment to students. In the photo above right are Richard and Sharon Baugh with their daughter-in-law and son, Andrea and Rodney Peel, and granddaughter Braxton.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock records successful fundraising year

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 20:46:10 +0000

Donors contributed $18 million in new gifts and pledges to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock during the recently completed fiscal year — the third-highest total in university history. About 7,300 individuals, corporations, and private foundations made nearly 22,600 gifts from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, including pledges, cash and cash-equivalent contributions. “The commitment from our donors and the community is both powerful and inspiring,” said ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Andrew Rogerson. “We are enormously grateful for their continued confidence in our university. Many of these gifts will be used to make ��Vlog��ý Little Rock more accessible and more affordable to more students.” During the past three years, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock raised $57.5 million, including a transformational gift from the Windgate Foundation for the construction of the Windgate Center of Art + Design. The nearly 65,000-square-foot facility is set to open for classes in January. As part of a related initiative, the university is working to complete a $3 million match for art scholarships. The university raised $750,000 toward that purpose during the recently completed fiscal year. In addition, the university set a record for athletics fundraising, raising $2 million in gifts and pledges, $4 million in student support, and $6.3 million in estate commitments. Alumni played a pivotal role in the university’s fundraising. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association lifetime memberships increased 42 percent from the previous year, and the association generated more than $250,000 in revenue. The association continues to expand its reach with chapter cities throughout the country. “We are extremely grateful to our passionate alumni and friends from around the nation who continue to support ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. “We see this year as a key step as we make our way to embarking on the university’s second comprehensive capital campaign.” Faculty and staff support was an additional highlight from the recent fiscal year. Nearly 50 percent of employees gave to the university through the annual campus giving campaign, which school officials say demonstrates that faculty and staff believe in ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s mission. “I appreciate the hard work of our external team, led by Andrea Angel, associate vice chancellor for alumni and development, and our directors of development in the colleges for helping us engage our community in effectively raising much-needed private resources,” O’Neal said. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock foundation now exceeds $73 million in endowed funds. To learn more about how private giving is making a difference at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and to get involved, visit the development website or call 501.569.3194.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock MBA graduate Jay Wisener promoted to bank regional president

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 14:25:16 +0000

A graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Master of Business Administration program has been promoted to a key leadership position with a $937 million banking organization. First National Bankers Bankshares, Inc., holding company of , announced Jay Wisener is the new president of the organization’s Arkansas region, effective Aug. 1.

Jay Wisener

“Jay has the leadership qualities and experience to lead our Arkansas office,” company Chairman Joe Quinlan said in a . “His understanding of our banker’s bank model and the relationships he has formed with the bankers in Arkansas provides for a smooth management transition for our organization and our customers.” For the past five years, Wisener was a senior vice president, responsible for the company’s lending in Arkansas. He previously served as executive vice president of Arkansas Capital Corporation Group, where he worked for 17 years. In addition to earning an MBA at the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock College of Business, Wisener holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and he’s a graduate from the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Colorado. First National Bankers Bankshares, Inc. is a holding company with subsidiaries that serve the needs of financial institutions across the southeastern United States. First National Bankers Bank has offices in Little Rock; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Birmingham, Alabama; Ridgeland, Mississippi; Lake Mary, Florida; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Marietta, Georgia.

2017 Taste of Little Rock hits top fundraising, attendance marks

Shanna Fitzgerald — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 20:32:59 +0000

The 2017 Taste of Little Rock set attendance records and raised the most money for University of Arkansas at Little Rock scholarships in the event’s 14-year history. On Thursday, April 27, more than 700 people dined on the culinary specialties of 35 central Arkansas restaurants at the Jack Stephens Center on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock campus. Thanks to this year’s Taste of Little Rock — ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s largest annual scholarship fundraiser — the university’s alumni scholarship endowment will grow by $120,764. The endowment also increased this fiscal year by an additional $67,000, as 134 people became lifetime members of the Alumni Association. The 2017 Taste of Little Rock event, presented by Warren and Cindy Simpson, celebrated the Bailey family for their decades of generosity to the university. “It was a privilege last night for Cindy and I to be able to support ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and to honor the Bailey family,” Warren Simpson said April 28. “The Baileys’ dedication to this institution is an inspiration to all of us. Cindy and I will remain diligent in helping ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to continue to be the great university that it already is.” Among the many contributions of the Bailey family were a 2002 donation that facilitated the construction of the Bailey Alumni and Friends Center and a 2015 gift of $2 million for student scholarships. Pictured above: ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Andrew Rogerson (left) greets Dr. Ted Bailey II during the 2017 Taste of Little Rock event. Photo by Lonnie Timmons III/��Vlog��ý Little Rock Communications

Cassandra Steele to be honored at 2017 Jazz & Juleps

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 08:28:40 +0000

An educator devoted to improving the lives of special education students in Little Rock will be the guest of honor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock eighth annual Jazz & Juleps event. The Thursday, May 25, event, which celebrates Better Speech and Hearing Month, will be held at the Clinton Presidential Library in downtown Little Rock. Doors open at 6 p.m. There will be a silent auction and a live auction will begin at 7:30 p.m. Craig O’Neill of KTHV will serve as the special guest auctioneer. The honoree, Cassandra Steele, is the director of special programs for the, where she previously held the position of coordinator of speech and hearing services for 14 years. “It’s exciting to be honored, but I consider myself more of a behind-the-scenes person,” Steele said. “The things I have accomplished for children with hearing and speech-language disorders are very rewarding, but it’s not something for which I seek credit out front. I enjoy seeing the improvement in communicative skills and partnering with parents and individuals in the community to better lives for children with hearing and speech disorders.” In her role at Little Rock School District, Steele oversees nearly 60 speech pathologists and more than 200 special education teachers who work with the more than 2,700 students who receive special education lessons within the district. “My job is one of those jobs that touches the lives of so many different people from all backgrounds,” she said. “It just crosses all cultures, all socioeconomic backgrounds. Serving children and serving people with disabilities is one of those things that you just love.” Among her accomplishments is the formation of a parent advisory committee to help guide professional development for teachers and to serve as a resource for parents of children with disabilities. She also formed a partnership with educators from Japan to facilitate a learning environment for Japanese students with disabilities. In the higher education arena, she helped establish a partnership that started during the 2016-17 school year that allows 10 audiology and speech pathology graduate students from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to earn practical experience and stipends by working with students in Little Rock School District. All proceeds from the event will be used to create an endowed scholarship fund in Steele’s name to assist future students in the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology. Steele, who graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1988, was previously recognized as the 2014 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni of the Year for the College of Education and Health Professions for her outstanding service on the Audiology and Speech Pathology Development Council. She is the first graduate of the audiology and speech pathology department to be named the Jazz & Juleps honoree. Tickets are $50, of which $30 is tax deductible, and will be available at the door. Tickets also can be ordered online. Sponsorships are available. For more information or sponsorship opportunities, contact Kristi Smith, senior director of development for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Office of Alumni and Development, at klsmith4@ualr.edu or 501.569.8739. More about Cassandra Steele: Steele graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in 1984. She next earned a master’s degree in audiology and speech pathology from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1988. Steele is currently working toward the education specialist certificate in educational administration and supervision. Steele and her husband, former state Sen. Tracy Steele, live in North Little Rock and have two children. Their daughter, Sumone, is a sophomore at Tennessee State University and their son, Tracy, is an eighth-grader at North Little Rock Middle School. She belongs to multiple organizations whose missions encourage quality of life and leadership, including the local chapter of the American Heart Association, Greater Little Rock Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, the Council for Exceptional Children, and the American Speech-Language & Hearing Association.

��Vlog��ýLR grad named president of Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 18:49:57 +0000

University of Arkansas at Little Rock alumnus Greg Kirkpatrick has been named president of the Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association. Kirkpatrick took over the post Jan. 1. He succeeded Dennis Jungmeyer, who was the association’s president the past 38 years. Kirkpatrick graduated from ��Vlog��ýLR in 2002 with a master of public administration. He also earned his juris doctorate from ��Vlog��ýLR’s Bowen School of Law in 2007. The ��Vlog��ýLR graduate held positions with former Gov. Mike Huckabee’s administration, including director of intergovernmental affairs. He also served as executive director of the Arkansas Motor Vehicle Commission for 11 years. Kirkpatrick serves as an administrative hearing officer for several state boards and commissions and was president of the National Association of Motor Vehicle Boards and Commissions from 2011 to 2014. He is actively involved with Camp Aldersgate, a nonprofit organization enriching the lives of children and youth who have medical or physical conditions or developmental delays. The camp provides educational and recreational opportunities in an outdoor environment.

��Vlog��ýLR’s Leah Thorvilson wins professional cycling contract

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 19:16:18 +0000

, director of development and external relations for the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, earned a professional cycling contract after taking part in a talent search for female cyclists. Eleven months ago, Canyon-SRAM teamed up with Zwift, an online social cycling community, to hold, a competition that offered a chance to earn a professional cycling contract with Canyon-SRAM women’s racing team for the 2017 season. More than 1,200 women from around the world participated in the competition, which culminated with three finalists— Thorvilson, Jessie Donavan, and Yvonne van Hattum — competing in a one-week training academy in Mallorca, Spain. Thorvilson was announced the winner on Dec. 19. Thorvilson took up cycling after experiencing a series of injuries that impacted her competitive distance running career. She competed at ��Vlog��ýLR and after her graduation, eventually making it to the trials for the Olympics marathon competition in 2012. After the Olympic trials, Thorvilson ran eight marathons and completed a 50-mile run in six months, which led to four surgeries over three years. “I figured out about a quarter of my life over the past four years has been spent on crutches,” Thorvilson said in an. “I was told earlier that year I might not ever be able to run again, so for sanity’s sake, I begrudgingly bought a bike.” Originally, Thorvilson was “terrified” of cycling when she began riding in July 2015. Now, she has ridden nearly 12,000 miles and is well on her way to an anticipated spring debut as a professional cyclist.

��Vlog��ýLR alum named Marco Rubio chief of staff

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 17:59:10 +0000

Clint Reed, a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has been promoted to chief of staff for former Republican presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Reed, who holds a Master of Public Administration from ��Vlog��ýLR, previously served as Rubio’s 2016 campaign manager for his Senate re-election campaign. He also managed Rubio’s presidential primary campaigns in Iowa and Florida. “For over a year, I’ve gotten to know and work closely with Clint on my campaigns, including two in Florida. He’s a superb manager who loves Florida, has earned my trust, and relishes the challenge of solving tough problems,” Rubio said in a press release. Since 2009, Reed has been a partner at Impact Management Group, a public affairs firm headquartered in Little Rock with clients that have included federal, state, and local political campaigns; the Republican Governors Association; trade associations; and businesses. He also served as executive director of the Republican Party of Arkansas and successfully managed grassroots operations for the 2004 Bush-Cheney re-election in Arkansas. Reed earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas, where he has been inducted into the school’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Haire looking forward to bright future as travel nurse

����Vlog��ý Little Rock announces 2018 Distinguished Alumni, Presidents Award honorees

����Vlog��ý Little Rock alumni endow new golf scholarship

����Vlog��ý Little Rock records successful fundraising year

����Vlog��ý Little Rock MBA graduate Jay Wisener promoted to bank regional president