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

Little Rock couple’s $37,000 gift endows business scholarship

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 15:00:36 +0000

University of Arkansas at Little Rock business and finance students can now look forward to an additional scholarship to help them complete their dream of finishing a college education, thanks to a generous gift from a community-minded Little Rock couple. ��Henry “Hank” Kelley Jr. and his wife Stephanie have donated $37,000 to the A.P. Vibhakar Endowed Scholarship, named in honor of Dr. Ashvin Vibhakar, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s long-time Joe. T. Ford Chair of Finance. ��“I am touched and honored to have this scholarship endowed in my name,” Vibhakar said. “I am thankful to Hank and Stephanie, who I consider to be my close friends and family, for their gift. Hank was one of my MBA students in the 1980s, and having a past student honor me this way gives me the sense that I have a made a difference in the community.” Chancellor Emeritus Joel Anderson created the scholarship in 2009 with a $5,000 gift, and the Kelleys’ donation brings the scholarship’s endowment to $50,000. Now that the endowment has reached that level, the scholarship will be awarded annually to a ��Vlog��ý Little Rock minority student majoring in international business or finance. ��Hank Kelley and Vibhakar are both members of the . Kelley, incoming president of Rotary 99, said his new responsibility led him to understand how important higher education is to the future of Little Rock.

�� Dr. Ashvin Vibhakar

“The scholarship that Stephanie and I funded is a recognition of Ashvin Vibhakar’s service to his students and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” Hank Kelley said. “We share membership in Rotary 99 of Little Rock with many other members of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock community, and Stephanie and I know Little Rock’s trajectory is directly tied to having a student-focused research university in our city. We know no better way to express our appreciation to Ashvin and Diane as friends than to help fund this important scholarship in his name.” Chancellor Andrew Rogerson, also a Rotarian, said the university is indebted to Hank Kelley and other donors like him in central Arkansas who understand the importance of helping ��Vlog��ý Little Rock thrive.�� “Hank and Stephanie are pillars of the community who have given their hearts and souls to Little Rock,” Rogerson said. “Their latest gift to support business scholarships is yet another investment in the future of this university that will help us cultivate future leaders in central Arkansas.” ��Hank Kelley is the CEO, partner, and executive broker in his brokerage and property management firm, . He received an MBA from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, both with honors. In addition to his Rotary membership, Kelley is involved with the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Foundation, Baptist Health Foundation Board, Fifty for the Future, and the Board.�� Stephanie Kelley works as a Pilates instructor, coach, and mentor in the community. She is a graduate of Mount St. Mary Academy and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, where she and Hank met. The couple has four children and nine grandchildren.�� Hank and Stephanie Kelley (photo above right) have endowed a scholarship in honor of Dr. Ashvin Vibhakar (photo above left), chair of finance at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.

Business students take third place in financial competition analyzing Dillard’s, Inc.

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 02 Apr 2019 13:04:00 +0000

A team of students from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business have placed third in the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Research Challenge on Feb. 23 at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. The students include Noah Asher, senior finance and economics major; Rita Chowdhury, Master of Business Administration student; and Alex Howell, senior finance major. Dr. Ashvin Vibhakar, Joe T. Ford Chair of Finance, served as the team’s faculty advisor while Ben Bienvenu of Stephens, Inc. was their mentor. “The competition is sponsored by the CFA Institute with the goal of teaching students the practical side of equity research as well as understanding ethical principles,” Vibhakar said. “The students learn institutional equities research. In the challenge, the students do exactly what a research analyst at Stephens would do.” The CFA Research Challenge is an annual global competition for finance students pursuing the CFA certification, which provides hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis. Students work in teams to research and analyze a publicly traded company and then write a research report on their assigned company with a buy, sell, or hold recommendation. All teams researched Dillard’s. They produced a 30-page report with financial models, revenue forecasts, and various financial schedules.

Business students, Alex Howell, left, Noah Asher, center, and Rita Chowdhury, right, say team work is the key to their success in the Chartered Financial Analyst Research Challenge. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

Asher, Chowdhury, and Howell met during the fall 2018 semester while taking Vibhakar’s Applied Equity class in which the students manage an investment fund with a little over $400,000 for the Joe Ford Investment Portfolio. Each student in the highly-competitive class performs a sector economic analysis and screens a company within their assigned sector for inclusion in the Ford Trust. Students present their analysis of a company to prominent finance professionals on the Finance Advisory Board. The class then determines the composition of the portfolio by buying and selling equities consistent with the investment policy statement and the specific constraints of the fund. “We enjoyed the Applied Equity class so much that we we decided to kept it going with this competition,” Asher said. “Our diversity of backgrounds and viewpoints is our strength.” The team has been working on the materials for this competition since October on top of their classes, work, and home lives. “We still share market reports once a week with each other,” Chowdhury said. “A testament to the fact that we are highly motivated individuals ��and share the same passion for the industry. Even though we might not always see eye to eye, we value each other’s point of view and continue to remain good friends.” “My favorite part of this competition was finishing it,” Howell said. “It was nice to see all of our hard work pay off. Dillard’s released their fourth quarter results, and our earnings per share estimate was incredibly close to the actual figure. We were cautiously optimistic with our valuation. I don’t think any of this would have been possible without faculty mentorship and support. They provided a wealth of knowledge that we didn’t otherwise think to incorporate.” Asher, Chowdhury, and Howell said the skills they learned during the CFA Research Challenge coupled with the Applied Equity class have helped all of them secure internship and job offers. “In the end, the knowledge and understanding they gained is what’s important,” Vibhakar said. “A lot of industry experts wish they had this competition when they were college students because the competitors have such an expert level of knowledge when they enter the job field.” In the upper right photo,��Professor Ashvin Vibhakar, second from left, and three of his students, Alex Howell, left, Rita Chowdhury, center right, and Noah Asher, right, won third place in a Chartered Financial Analyst Research Challenge. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

Vibhakar appointed to Arkansas District Export Council

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 14:10:40 +0000

Dr. Ashvin Vibhakar, Joe T. Ford Chair of Finance at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, is among 15 new members of the Arkansas District Export Council appointed by U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. The is a private, non-profit organization, whose members are appointed for four-year terms by the Secretary of Commerce. The council brings together experienced international business people who provide support, advice, and assistance to Arkansas companies interested in entering into or expanding into international markets. “The Arkansas District Export Council engage a group of individuals who are familiar with exporting and doing business in other countries,” Vibhakar said. “The goal is for state businesses, especially small businesses, to become familiar with how to expand their businesses globally as well as teach them about the resources that exist in the state, especially at the Arkansas U.S. Export Assistance Center.” Vibhakar is looking forward to the opportunity to help small businesses expand to the international market. “I think Arkansas has a lot of potential, particularly when you think about small businesses,” he said. “I have always believed that the more education people have, the less intimidated they would be about doing international business. From my perspective, education and learning about the culture of different parts of the world plays a great role in business.” Vibhakar holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from M.S. University in Baroda, India, and a Master of Business Administration from Central Missouri State University as well as a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Arkansas. He came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1981 as an assistant professor of finance. After 27 years at the university, Vibhakar left his position as the director of the Institute for Economic Advancement to pursue a career at Charter Financial Analyst Institute in Hong Kong. As managing director of the Asia Pacific region and later a global assignment, Vibhakar conducted business in 54 countries. He returned to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as the Joe T. Ford Chair of Finance in the College of Business in 2015. Vibhakar is the chair of the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission. He also served on the Governor’s Economic Advisory Council and the Arkansas Promise steering committee to provide access of resources to young people to succeed. He served on the CFA Institute Board of Governors, was a member of the board of directors of Arvest Bank, currently serves on Arvest Group audit committee, and is past president of the Association of University Bureaus of Economic Research.

Sister Cities Sculpture finds permanent home in South Korea

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 22:00:24 +0000

With hundreds of people gathered around, Michael Warrick, while wearing pure white gloves that matched the chilly Dec. 15, 2017, weather, pulled on a golden rope to reveal a beautiful 7-foot sculpture previously hidden by a white satin sheet.�� While confetti was released to celebrate the dedication of the sculpture, “Youth,” Warrick, a professor of sculpture at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, looked upon the permanent resting home of his artistic creation in the new and beautiful Shinjangdong International Sister Cities Park in Hanam City, South Korea, smiled, and thought, “This is a beautiful site.” “The dedication was very memorable,” Warrick said. “In honoring the theme of youth, the activities included young drummers, dancers, karate kids, and teens demonstrating breaking boards. The American Taekwondo Association was one of the sponsors for the sculpture, so the Hanam City Martial Arts youth group also performed.” Warrick created the sculpture to commemorate the 25-year partnership and friendship between the sister cities of Little Rock and Hanam City, which began in 1992. Warrick, Joon Park, president of the Korean American Federation of Arkansas, and three members of the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission – Melanie Berman, Robert Coon, and Ashvin Vibhakar – traveled to South Korea in December to dedicate the sculpture given in the spirit of international friendship. A video of the ceremony can. “Hanam is one of Little Rock’s longest and most vibrant sister city relationships, and the commission was honored to participate in such a meaningful ceremony to celebrate our 25th anniversary,” Coon said. “Michael’s sculpture perfectly encapsulates Little Rock’s strong and growing relationship with Hanam, and our desire for that friendship to continue on for many years to come.” The sculpture is a 7-foot figurative female sculpture cast in bronze and composed of vines, leaves, and a small bird. The figure has a traditional green finish, while the small bird is coated with 23.75 karat gold leaf.

Michael Warrick visits a local temple on Jeju Island, South Korea.

“The South Koreans were very proud and honored by the focus and quality of the work,” Coon said. “It doesn’t matter where you are from. You are always looking toward the future, and your children, the youth, are an important part of that. Your culture, community, and businesses are grown from involvement with you. They felt the subject and approach to the sculpture were very appropriate.” Warrick found inspiration for the sculpture while watching the 2014 Summer Olympics in Rio, and finds it fitting that the sculpture was dedicated shortly before the 2018 Winter Olympics are held in PyeongChang, just a few hours from Hanam City. “I was very impressed by the grace of the women’s gymnastics team member,” Warrick said. “The figure of the young woman in ‘Youth’ was inspired by the gymnasts.” He also infused the sculpture with elements of nature – green vines, golden leaves, and a small bird that is meant to represent a person’s soul. Warrick gifted Hanam City Mayor Oh Boo Bong with a small sculpture of a bird and goal leaf, the same elements used on the “Youth” sculpture, on a cherry wood base. The South Korean delegation gifted the Arkansas visitors with a trip to Jeju Island, a volcanic island and World Heritage Site. During the Dec. 16 tour of the island, the group stopped at a Buddhist Temple. Warrick wrote a prayer in remembrance of his first art teacher, Joe Corsello, who fought in the Korean War. Warrick described this as one of the most memorable experiences of the trip. “Joe taught for 53 years, 30 in high school and 23 with grade school kids twice a week,” Warrick said. “Our tour guide offered to pay for me to write a prayer on a roofing tile with a white-paint style marker.” In the future, Hanam City will also donate a Sister Cities sculpture to Little Rock. In the upper right photo, a��delegation from Little Rock attends the dedication ceremony for Michael Warrick’s sculpture, “Youth,” which was gifted to Hanam City, South Korea. The group includes (L to R) Robert Coon, Warrick, Joon Park, Ashvin Vibhakar, and Melanie Berman.

Former dairy farmer finds new career, earns MBA from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 14:15:45 +0000

Howell Andrew Fielder grew up working on his family’s dairy farm in Guy, Arkansas, where the whole world became a classroom filled with science experiments.�� “I am the third generation of my family to have a college degree,” Fielder said. “Education has always been something that has been very important in my family. We lived on a farm, so everything was a science experiment. That is how I learned to logically think through things.” Except for the four years he spent at Ouachita Baptist University playing baseball and earning a degree in psychology, Fielder expected to spend his life working in the wide open spaces of the family’s farm. The economic downturn in the last decade destroyed that plan. In 2010, Fielder took over his father’s vacant job as an HVAC mechanic at University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “After the recession, my dad, Larry Fielder, started working at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” he said. “Dad got offered a higher paying job elsewhere, so he told me if I wanted to go to school again, I should apply. People call me junior because my dad worked here first.” Fielder began taking classes while working full time. He first earned a graduate certificate in conflict mediation with much appreciated assistance from Dr. Linda Pledger. He will graduate Saturday, Dec. 16, with a Master of Business Administration��degree, something that he largely gives credit to the Facilities Management department. “The Facilities Management Scholarship is what allowed me to earn both my graduate certificate and master’s degree,” he said. “The scholarship started five years ago, and my boss, David Millay, utilizes it to help employees go to school for free. We earn a 90 percent tuition discount from the university, and this scholarship covered the other 10 percent.” Fielder has worked as a building optimization technician with the university energy conservation project for the past three years. “Andrew is a shining example of how hard work and dedication positively impact one’s life,” said Millay, associate vice chancellor of facilities management and planning. “We are justifiably proud of Andrew and the many other facilities management employees who take advantage of our scholarship programs to improve their lives and the lives of those around them.” Among his most memorable experiences at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is participating in the CFA Institute Research Challenge financial analyst competition earlier this year, when Fielder and three teammates competed against 50 teams in Seattle after winning the Mid-South competition in Memphis, Tennessee. Led by faculty advisor Ashvin Vibhakar, the Joe T. Ford chair of finance in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock College of Business, the students gained real-world experience as they researched a publicly traded company and presented their stock recommendations — buy, sell, or hold — to judges who play the role of investors. “ The other memorable experience is the energy conservation project that I am a part of,” Fielder said. “The CFA Research Challenge forced me to utilize my MBA education as well as my people and my presentation skills. The energy conservation project allowed me to learn a new skill of helping people learn how to manage energy using computer software. Both of these experiences helped make me a better person.”