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

Graduate Student Spotlight on Infinity Wallace

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 14:33:08 +0000

Infinity Wallace is a first-generation student who will graduate on Dec. 14 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She graduated this past May with a bachelor’s degree in social work, and is currently enrolled in the Master of Social Work program.�� Tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m originally from Little Rock and graduated from Hall High School. I have lived in places such as Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans. I have three sisters on my mom’s side and three brothers on my dad’s side. Why did you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? It’s complicated. My mom had a drug problem and experienced domestic violence with my dad. I wanted to stay close to home to be near my sisters while my mother and father were in prison. They have since been released. My sisters are now 21, 26, and 30. While my parents were incarcerated, we had to take care of ourselves. Why did you choose your major? While growing up, I had a hard time in school and at home and couldn’t make academics a priority. The struggle was even harder for my peers. At least I had my sisters as resources because there wasn’t a lot of help in school. It’s hard to focus on school when you have so many problems with drugs and poverty in the community.�� I wanted to make a change in the world, so I talked to someone in the psychology department from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and they suggested social work. I took criminal justice electives and learned that people of color are overrepresented in prisons and jails. What were your favorite courses? I loved the policy course taught by Dr. Michael Pelts. I learned about policy and how we are all affected by it. Being a first-generation student, I didn’t know about politics and the broader system. This course taught me about policy and how we can affect change. In my juvenile mentor class with Dr. Tusty ten Bensel and Mrs. Raptopoulos, I learned about at-risk youth and the juvenile justice system. In addition to being a mentor, we also got to go to the courthouse and meet with judges. What activities and work are you involved in? I write spoken word poetry and performed at events such as the Arkansas Literary Festival. I’m a juvenile mentor in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Criminal Justice program, a graduate assistant and intern in the School of Social Work, an ILEAD Life Skills Coach at Children International, and a relief hotline advocate at Women and Children First Domestic Violence Shelter. How would your friends describe you? Dependable, strong, determined, and caring. I always hear I have a good heart. I get this from my mom. Who were some of your mentors? My sisters and several teachers from high school and college. Ms. Diggs at Hall High School and Ms. McAdoo from Central High helped me with my poetry. Dr. Pelts and Dr. Burse at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock went the extra mile to help out. Their doors were always open. What is your favorite memory of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? When I graduated in May, it was the best memory in my life. I am the first person in my family to get not one but two degrees! I wasn’t going to walk in December since I had already done it in May, but now I’ve changed my mind. My family and friends will all be there. What do you plan to do after graduation? I want to stay home, help our community, and maybe work in a juvenile detention center. Some day, I want to run for president! The policy course I took here has inspired me to do so much. My passion was already there, but the policy course cemented it. What would help our community? People deserve the resources if they don’t have them. If you haven’t experienced this, you don’t know how severe the pain is. I know from first-hand experience what it is like not to have shelter, food, and clothes. I’ve stayed in every shelter in Little Rock. I want to help all people, such as people of color who are oppressed and over-represented in the criminal justice system. Most people are oblivious and feel they don’t need to act on anything. We need to provide shelter, quality education, employment, and more resources and opportunities to underserved communities.�� What makes you different? My ability to use my past experiences as a way to make life better. Some of us don’t make it out. God wanted me to make a difference. Infinity is a great name. Why were you named that? My mom was being creative and said it was a Christian’s destiny to go to heaven for infinity. My sisters’ names are Heaven, Destiny, and Kristian. This story was compiled by Toni-Boyer Stewart.

Graduate Student Spotlight on Malik Williams

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 14:53:41 +0000

Meet Malik Williams, a native of Waldo, Arkansas (pop. 1,283), who will graduate this December with a bachelor’s degree in business information systems. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will celebrate the graduation of Williams along with hundreds of other students during a commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Jack Stephens Center.�� Tell us about a little bit about yourself. I’m an only child who is still a little country. I love hanging out with close family and friends, learning new things, and traveling to different places. I work part-time at the Genius Bar at the Apple store in Little Rock while going to school full-time. My mom taught me how to cook, clean, do laundry, and mind my Ps and Qs. My dad taught me the importance of hard work and said that I could do anything I set my mind to. Why did you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? When I was in 10th grade, the TRIO Talent Search college prep program helped me learn about colleges and universities in the state. My career coach helped me fill out college and scholarship applications. It was a choice between Southern Arkansas University and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I chose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock because it is in the capital city and had the top business school in Arkansas. My mom wanted me to stay at home, but I felt like I needed a challenge and wanted to get out of my comfort zone. TRIO and all of the wonderful mentors helped me do just that. I can definitely say that I would not have been so exposed to so many opportunities if I had stayed in my hometown. Another thing that helped my decision was the Dr. Charles W. Donaldson Summer Bridge Academy (SBA) for high school students. I came up here for three weeks before the beginning of my freshman year to attend this program. This program pairs students with mentors that help them with their weaknesses in different areas to get them ahead of the curve in the first year of college. Why did you major in business information systems? During my freshman year, I was undecided, but I knew I wanted to do something in the business field that would help me make a good living. I chose business information systems because it is a versatile degree that contains all aspects of business mixed with information technology. I’ve always been interested in technology. (I’m the IT person in our family.) What kind of careers can you do with a business information systems major? There are so many choices such as marketing, management, project management, database administration, business analysis, coding, and software development and others. What companies are you interested in? Apple, Blue Cross Blue Shield or Southwest Power Pool would be great companies to work for. I’d like to stay in Little Rock to build a foundation, but would consider relocating. How would your professors describe you? I think they would say I am laid back and easygoing. I’m versatile and soak in new information like a sponge. My job at Apple has helped me develop people skills. Who were your mentors? My mom and dad are my life coaches. My cousin Montrell Turner is a business information systems graduate from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and has always had good advice for me. My hometown friend Corrigan Revels helped me early in my college career. The Summer Bridge Academy program helped me stay on track and connected me to the right people. What was your biggest challenge in college? Procrastination, and the balance of social life, school, and family. You have to figure out what is important. Learning about “delayed gratification” helped me put things into perspective. I listen to podcasts that motivate me and help me self-reflect. What was the toughest decision you had to make? Working part-time while going to school full-time. My parents wanted me to focus solely on school. What advice would you give to incoming students? Stay focused and keep a good balance. Don’t overwhelm yourself, because stress is real. Take care of everything on the front end and network. You can’t get by without help. Most of all, never lose sight of the goal and reason why you made the decision to come to college. This story was compiled by Toni Boyer-Stewart.

KATV Reporter Uses Law Degree to Advocate for Arkansans

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 17:20:07 +0000

A KATV reporter is using the skills and knowledge she learned at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law to serve as a better advocate for Arkansans.�� Janelle Lilley Cline, a 34-year-old weekend anchor who lives in Little Rock, will graduate with a Juris Doctor during ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s fall commencement ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at Jack Stephens Center.�� As a journalist who covers the Arkansas legislature, Cline feared her gap in legal knowledge was impacting her ability to accurately report complex issues to the public.�� “I’d ask different legislators about a bill, and I would get completely different answers about how the law would affect Arkansans,” she said. “As a journalist, you want to fact check what people are telling you, but I couldn’t do that with the law. I wanted to understand the law better and how proposed laws would affect Arkansans.” On Nov. 7, 2014, Cline searched the internet on “how to go to law school” and learned she needed to take the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) to apply. She took the test four weeks later and entered Bowen’s part-time law school program, the only program of its kind in the state, on a full ride in August 2015. “Bowen is the only law school I applied to, and they offered me a full scholarship,” Cline recalled. “I love my job, and I didn’t want to leave it. I decided to go to law school even if it meant working and going to school at the same time. It was worth it.” During law school, Cline had some life-changing experiences; she got engaged and married fellow Bowen law student, Jason Cline, a member of the Arkansas National Guard, in January 2017. The birth of their son, Luke, caused Cline to miss a final exam. “I had my son during the first day of exams in April 2018,” Cline said. “I missed my insurance law exam because I was having a baby. I had to call my professor and tell her I wouldn’t make it, but I was able to take the exam the next week. I have a funny picture of me in the hospital studying insurance law in between contractions.” Cline counts Bowen professors Lindsey Gustafson, André Douglas Pond Cummings, and Michael Flannery as her mentors. Gustafson recalls Cline as an active student who made class discussions interesting. “Despite her busy life and the demands on her time, Janelle was always prepared to engage in and raise the level of discussion in class,” Gustafson said. “She is incredibly hard working, curious, and detailed in her learning. Beyond that, she is a kind, generous human being. She was a joy and will do great things in the world, and by that I mean great things for the world.” Cummings described Cline as a gifted law student and talented news anchor who inspired his own son to study broadcast journalism in college. “I fully expect that Janelle will become an important and consequential legal reporter and news anchor that could very well successfully practice entertainment law or First Amendment law if she so chooses,” Cummings said. “When I mentioned to Janelle that my teenage son was interested in a career in broadcast journalism, she immediately set him up with a two-week internship at KATV, which my son completed this summer. My son loved the experience.” At Bowen, Cline was able to gain practical legal knowledge through work opportunities. She served as a law clerk for Steel, Wright, & Collier and completed externships with Chief Judge Rita Gruber in the Arkansas Court of Appeals, Judge Carlton Jones in the Eighth South Judicial Circuit, and the Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. She’s especially grateful for the experience she gained working for Judge Gruber.�� “I will cherish my externship with Judge Rita Gruber for as long as I live,” Cline said. “Judge Gruber is everything I hoped a judge would be. She is thoughtful and serious about her job and was open to my recommendations in the memoranda I would write for her. It was memorable and so rewarding. I learned so much working in the actual court. It’s completely different than covering it as a reporter.”�� Cline says she fell in love with journalism completely by accident while attending the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. “As an undergrad, I was a double major in political science and communication studies,” Cline said. “I had to do an internship that satisfied the requirements for both, and I thought, ‘What’s better than NPR?’ That’s communication and politics all in one.” On her first day at NPR, Cline hit the ground running. Her new boss handed her a sheet with directions from MapQuest, a press release, and an audio recorder with instruction to complete her first assignment. “I called my mom and cried because I didn’t know how to be a journalist,” she said. “I was never planning on being a journalist. I overreported, but they helped me craft a story. That night, I heard my story on the radio, and I knew I had to do this for the rest of my life. From then on out, it was journalism forever.” As for her goal of being a better journalist, Cline’s legal knowledge has been especially helpful in reporting complex issues including legislation, court cases, and crimes. She recalls broadcasting for 10 hours straight in 2017 when reporting on the eight executions originally scheduled in Arkansas for April 2017, four of which were carried out. “During the executions, you had dozens of court cases making their way through the system with appeal after appeal,” Cline said. “I was able to explain to viewers why each appeal was happening, who was making the decision, and condense the legal arguments for the viewers. I never would have been able to do that without going to law school.” Earlier this year, Cline was part of a group of KATV journalists who won a Mid-America Emmy for their news special, “Arkansas Growing: The Journey from Legalization to Cultivation,” covering Arkansas’s legalization of medical marijuana and its impact on employment law. “I came to Bowen because I saw this deficiency in myself and my reporting, and I’m walking away feeling so much more confident in my ability to understand the law,” Cline said. “Being in law school has made me a better reporter. The questions I ask are sharper, and I know more going into interviews. I’m a little sad to graduate because it was such a good experience. I love learning, and I’ll be sad not to engage in my legal education every day.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock grad ready to take next step in research, community, and med school

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 12:41:57 +0000

With a father as a doctor and an older sister in medical school, being a doctor would seem the obvious choice for Arooba Ilyas, a recent graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in biology.�� “Ever since I was little, just seeing how happy my dad, a pediatric nephrologist (kidney doctor for kids), is and how many people he gets to help is inspiring,” she said. “Ever since I was little, I thought I would be a doctor. When I get into high school, something about marine biology piqued my interest.” Choosing ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was an easy choice for Ilyas. She was familiar with campus since she conducted research with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock professors in high school. Her older sister graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and was a member of the Donaghey Scholars program. Ilyas was thrilled when she was also accepted to the program, which covers her tuition, fees, computer, housing, and study abroad experience. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock really stood out to me,” she said. “In high school, I worked with faculty from the Chemistry Department, and I got to see how willing ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is to promote research in youth. That is something I am very passionate about, since I think it is important to expand young minds. Since my sister was in the Donaghey Scholars program, I know that they really help students to become who they are during college.” Ilyas started at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in fall 2015 as a biology major with no plans to enter medicine, but those plans quickly changed. “I came into college saying I’m not pre-med, but I really gained a passion for medicine working as a volunteer in the ��Vlog��ýMS Emergency Department,” Ilyas said. “I realized that I didn’t want to be a doctor just because I wanted to be like my dad.” While at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Ilyas has been passionate about educating the public about world cultures and developing services in the Muslim community. Ilyas’ parents are from Pakistan, and she is a first-generation American college student. As part of the Muslim Student Association, she helped organize the World Hijab Day celebration on campus as well as a multicultural fashion show. “World Hijab Day is Feb. 1, and we encourage people to wear scarves to step into the world of a hijabi woman. I put on the hijab in ninth grade, and I remember getting so many stares when I was walking down the hallway,” she said. “If people are looking at me, I realized I can be an example of what a Muslim is instead of what Muslims are perceived as. And the multicultural fashion show is a way for us to get in touch with different cultures on campus.” In the community, she volunteers with the Islamic Center of Little Rock as part of a team that is working to bring counseling and therapy to the mosque. “The Islamic Center of Little Rock want to start implanting counseling services and couples therapy. Muslim couples have been turned away from other places for counseling because they are Muslim,” Ilyas said. “My team is also trying to get counseling services for high school kids. I’ve become a mentor for a lot of the younger Muslims that I know. They often tell me that they feel like they don’t’ fit in or have to conform to things that don’t fit with their religion. Having a therapist who is Muslim or who understands the Muslim experience is helpful to these kids.” Now that she has graduated, Ilyas is taking a gap year to focus on her research and volunteer work with the Islamic Center of Little Rock as well as study and take the MCATs (Medical College Admission Test) and apply for medical school. At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, she received a Signature Experience Award, which provides $1,000 for a student to conduct a research or creative project, to study how renewable resources can be used to purify water with Dr. Noureen Siraj, assistant professor of chemistry. “I’m using consumption waste materials, such as used tea leaves and cigarette buds, as a green chemistry source to purify water,” she said. “I walked around campus with little baggies and gloves and picked up the old cigarette buds. Why not use something that is littering the world and put it to better use?” She has even come full circle by mentoring high school students that work in Siraj’s lab during the school year, just like she did in high school. “I could have just done a baking soda volcano for a high school science fair project, but the fact that I got to work in a real lab was very cool,” Ilyas said. “I’ve got to help high school students in Dr. Siraj’s lab, since I want to encourage students to pursue their passions at a young age.”

Doctoral student creates software that can detect emotions

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 22 May 2019 12:47:32 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate has created a computer program that can identify emotions on a person’s face in real time.�� Suzan Anwar, of Little Rock, graduated May 11 from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a Ph.D. in computer and information science. In August, she will begin a new position as an assistant professor of computer science at Philander Smith College, where she has taught robotics courses for the past year. �� Anwar and her dissertation advisor, Dr. Mariofanna Milanova, professor of computer science, created a face analysis package that uses face and eye detection and eye tracking software to recognize emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, disgust, fear, and surprise. The second part of the system can track the position of a person’s head and what their eyes are looking at when they feel a specific emotion. The software has the potential for a variety of real-world applications. “I’d like for it to be used in the medical field to help kids with special needs,” Anwar said. “It can be used in marketing to see what products are grabbing people’s attention. In education, you can use it for non-native speakers to see what emotions they experience while learning a new language.” The software has already been used to ensure that weary truck drivers do not fall asleep at the wheel. “A trucking company uses it to give alerts to truck drivers who are falling asleep while driving,” Anwar said. “An alarm will go off on the driver’s phone, and the trucking company will receive a call to say they have a driver asleep.” Anwar also sees a future for the application in security to identify people who are about to commit a criminal act. “We’ve previously worked on a project for airport security,” she said. “We can link facial and emotion recognition with behaviors to learn if a person is acting suspiciously. When we see images or videos of attacks in the news, the people responsible are often acting suspiciously. If someone had noticed, I think eventually we could avoid a lot of these attacks.” Anwar earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science in Iraq, where she worked as a lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at Salahaddin University for 12 years. “My husband (Jarjees Khaidir) started here in 2009 while I was back in Iraq completing my master’s degree,” she said. “He encouraged me to apply to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock after he saw how good the Department of Computer Science is.”

Suzan Anwar is a graduate student researching real-time facial recognition and eye-gaze estimation. Photo by Ben Krain.

Now that her studies are completed, Anwar, her husband, and three children are going on a trip to visit her family in Iraq before she begins her faculty position at Philander Smith in August. The couple has two daughters, 14 and 17, as well as a 4-year-old son, whom Anwar calls her “Ph.D. baby,” since she had him during her first year of doctoral studies. As an instructor and research assistant at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Anwar’s research all began with a memorable trip to Arkansas Children’s Hospital. “I had a course with Dr. Milanova, and you have to submit a project at the end of the semester,” she said. “We took a trip to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, where the researchers showed us a computer with a special camera. Children with autism would sit in front of the computer, and it would do emotion detection and eye gaze analysis. The problem is that kids don’t want to sit still for the research. The researchers asked if we could develop software that can detect emotions and gaze estimation on a tablet.” After a year, Anwar and Milanova completed a program that can track the children’s emotion and eye gaze all while they are playing games on a tablet. “The kids don’t even know the system is working while they are playing on the tablet,” Anwar said. “Children with autism don’t often look people in the eye. Sometimes, they only communicate through games. We saw that children show emotion while they are playing on the tablet, and the researchers are hoping to learn how this can help children with autism communicate better.” At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Anwar has won several awards, including the Outstanding First Year Ph.D. Student Award and the Top Ph.D. Student Award from the Department of Computer Science. Additionally, she has won the Applied Innovation Award and Outstanding Publication Award at the College of Engineering and Information Technology Open House.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock grad uncovers history of oldest state law enforcement agency in Arkansas

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 21 May 2019 16:29:30 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate has honored his family’s legacy by devoting his graduate research to uncovering the history of the Arkansas Highway Police.�� Cody Besett, 27, of Rogers, graduated May 11 with a Master of Arts in public history with an emphasis in archives and digital collections. Since his father and grandfather were both officers with the Arkansas Highway Police, he was inspired to write his thesis about the state law enforcement agency. “I have a personal tie to the Arkansas Highway Police,” Besett said. “My grandfather retired from the agency many years ago, and my father will retire from there in a few years. My dad thought it was interesting, but he knew it would be quite an undertaking.” Besett wanted to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the formation of the agency but found it difficult to locate official documents related to the agency. “My father gave me contacts for retired officers and administrators, and I did some oral histories with them. That was very beneficial because some of the official documents don’t exist,” he said. “The Center for Arkansas History and Culture has some records. There was an auditor in the 1950s who complained that the agency didn’t keep records long enough. There have been many iterations of this agency, but there are not many official records. My greatest source was a Highway Department magazine that was put out by the employees.” The Arkansas Highway Police is the oldest state law enforcement agency in Arkansas. Established as the State Road Patrol in 1929, its duties involve speed enforcement, protection of the highways, hazardous materials enforcement, and federal motor carrier safety. “Actions of state law enforcement agencies, like the AHP, have made a measured impact on the history of 20th century Arkansas,” he said. “The AHP has played a less visible role at times, but one that is important to the safety, construction, and maintenance of the highway system and drivers in Arkansas.” In 1933, the agency was transferred to the Revenue Department. When the State Road Patrol dissolved in 1937, the enforcement duties were split between inspectors with the Arkansas Highway Department and Arkansas State Police officers. The enforcement of weight standards was transferred from the Revenue Department to the Weights and Standards Division of the Arkansas State Police in 1953. A decade later, the division was transferred back to the Highway Department. The current Arkansas Highway Police Division of the Highway Department was created in 1979. In 1989, the Transportation Safety Agency transferred to the Highway Department and an additional 34 officers to the Arkansas Highway Police. One figure that ��Besett found particularly vital to the history of the Arkansas Highway Police was John Bailey, who spent 27 years in Arkansas law enforcement and served as both chief of the Arkansas Highway Police and director of the Arkansas State Police. “Chief John Bailey is the only officer in my knowledge to serve as the head officer of both the highway and state police in Arkansas,” Besett said. “He worked very hard to build the image of the Arkansas Highway Police. He emphasized hiring educated officers. He used standardized training for police officers and wanted to use the most up-to-date training tactics. He took his ideas on recruitment and training when he became chief of the Arkansas State Police.” While there have been calls over the years to merge the Arkansas Highway Police with the Arkansas State Police, Besett said the agency’s unique duties have kept it alive over the decades. “Arkansas is very unique in that we have two major state police forces, and they are not under the same umbrella,” he said. “In my opinion, it is the state highway police’s specialization that makes them special and keeps them from getting absorbed by the state police.” Besett earned his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Lyon College in Batesville. He worked as a social studies teacher in Farmington until 2017, when his wife got a job in Little Rock after finishing medical school. While at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Besett has gained valuable experience as researcher and interviewer with the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas, where he conducted oral history interviews with women in Arkansas. He also interned with the Arkansas State Library, where he was responsible for making digital scans of historic state documents for preservation efforts. He feels he has gained the most experience working as a graduate assistant in the Center for Arkansas History and Culture. “I knew I wanted to go back to school, and I chose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I’ve really enjoyed my two graduate assistantships,” he said. “The value of those positions has certainly kept me here. The program at the Center for Arkansas History and Culture has really ticked off all the boxes for everything I need to learn to become an archivist. Dr. Deborah Baldwin sat down with each of us and reviewed our resumes. I feel like I am fully prepared to apply for full-time positions after working my two graduate assistantships.” Now that his graduate education is complete, Besett plans to work in archival sciences. He also enjoys his work as an archival digitization specialist with Ancestry.com, where he captures digital images of microfilm records to assist people looking for vital records in Arkansas, including birth, marriage, death, and divorce certificates. In the upper right photo,��Cody Besett stands between two Arkansas Highway Patrol vehicles. Photo by Ben Krain.��

Helgestad looks forward to giving back to the community through dentistry

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 20 May 2019 13:06:56 +0000

Ingrid Helgestad, 22, of Bryant, has been considering becoming a dentist since she was 14. To encourage this goal, Helgestad’s parents, Karl and Tara Helgestad, took her on a mission trip to Guatemala with St. James United Methodist Church when she was 17. She can remember the exact moment when she decided to become a dentist.�� “When we went to Guatemala, I asked specifically to assist in the dentistry portion. I assisted Dr. Tina Nichols,” Helgestad said. “Since they don’t have enough time to do bridges, the dentists pull all the teeth and the patients get dentures. I remember standing there holding 20 bloody teeth for one woman who was getting dentures. Even though these people were in pain, they were leaving with so much hope because they were about to get their health back. This is when I solidified that dentistry is what I wanted to do in college.” Helgestad graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on May 11 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and is well on her way to becoming a dentist. She already works as a registered dental assistant with Dr. Kathleen Good Ederle in Little Rock and is applying to dental schools this month. “I like dentistry because I enjoy doing art and being creative, but I also enjoy business. Combining these areas together is what general dentistry is like,” she said. “Working as a dental assistant, I see how happy people get even with just a little cosmetic work to their teeth.” After graduating from Bryant High School in 2015, Helgestad decided on ��Vlog��ý Little Rock after meeting the faculty and being accepted to the Donaghey Scholars program, which covered her tuition, fees, and housing while providing a living stipend, computer, and study abroad assistance. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock was the perfect medium between a small school environment and a big school environment,” Helgestad said. “Once I got a tour of the facilities, met the professors, and received the Donaghey scholarship, it was a no brainer. I had a great experience with every professor I met.” While at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Helgestad found she had a knack for business and entrepreneurship. She was part of a medical startup company, Spiritum Solutions, with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students Noah Asher and Nick Lester. The start-up was selected for the Delta I-Fund Business Accelerator program in the fall 2017 semester and won first place in the undergraduate division of the Arkansas Governor’s Cup in April 2018. Helgestad developed a prototype for a device that reduces unplanned extubations in critical care units. “Winning the Governor’s Cup is a highlight of my college career, but the thing that sticks out the most to me at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is how close I am to my professors,” Helgestad said. “To me, that is way more important than being in a lecture hall with 400 students. Dr. Brian Berry from the Chemistry Department, Dr. David Tonkyn from the Biology Department, and Dr. Jessica Scott and Dr. Simon Hawkins from the Donaghey Scholars have always been there for me. Having support from my chairs and the Donaghey Scholars program has led to my success.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Donaghey Scholars and best friends Ingrid Helgestad, left, and Abby Resendiz, right, congratulate each other after their commencement ceremony on May 11. Photo by Ben Krain.

As someone who is very grateful for the help she received in her college career, Helgestad has given back to the community by volunteering with Girls of Promise Annual STEM Conference, Girl Scouts, CARE for Animals, Habitat for Humanity, and the 12th Street Health and Wellness Dental Clinic. “The Girls of Promise STEM Conference was my favorite volunteer experience in college,” she said. “I became a team leader, and I was kind of afraid because I was in charge of 13- and 14-year-old girls. I’ve always been an advocate for girls and women to do what they can do without feeling like they aren’t good enough. I tell these girls that they are worthy and smart and totally capable of doing anything they want to do. All the girls in my group wanted to do computer science or physics and biology, and it was really fun to see their faces light up when they talked about it.” Helgestad also continued her love of service in the dental area. At the beginning of the 2018-19 school year, she and a classmate, Brendan Frazier, started a student chapter of the Natural Teeth Ambassador program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Theoutreach program focuses on dental care that educates at-risk elementary school students and families in the Little Rock area. Last year, the ambassadors visited two elementary schools and hope to reach more this year. “It’s called the Superhero program, and we use lots of different fun activities to get kids excited about being superheroes,” she said. “They combat the bad guys, plaque and acid, with their special tools, toothpaste and floss. At the end of the program, we give them dental supplies donated by Delta Dental.” At the end of her ��Vlog��ý Little Rock education, Helgestad said that combining her love of dentistry, engineering, and business is what made the journey so special. “I definitely have enjoyed getting to incorporate business and entrepreneurship into my college experience,” she explained. “I was unsure when I first started how I was going to do that. It’s crazy that I combined everything I love into my college experience – dentistry, engineering through the medical device, and business. I’m really proud and excited that this community has supported me in doing that.”

Doctoral student lands criminal justice faculty position in California

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 17 May 2019 13:21:01 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate will soon be sharing his knowledge of the criminal justice system with students on the west coast.�� Dr. Marc Glidden, visiting assistant professor of criminal justice, graduated May 11 with a Ph.D. in criminal justice and a tenure-track assistant professor position at California State University, Northridge. “Criminal justice is such a developing field,” Glidden said. “Since it is such a new field of study, there will always be topics to be curious about.” Glidden came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2013 to pursue his doctorate. He has taught for the Department of Criminal Justice since fall 2014 and adheres to a student-centered, high-impact approach, which emphasizes active learning, critical thinking, and learning assessments. “Now that I’ve graduated, I’m looking forward to having a successful career in academia by providing the mentorship and unique learning experience that I had throughout my education to my future students,” he said. Since Glidden has a background in housing at East Carolina University and McKendree University, he was thrilled when an opportunity to work as the assistant director of student housing came up in 2014. He later served as the director of campus living and assistant dean of students from 2016 to 2018. “With my interest and passion in working for students, the ability to continue working in the classroom as an adjunct instructor and also work with students in housing provided me with the opportunity to work closer with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students and to gain experience in the administrative part of the university as I continued to prepare to go into academia.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock criminal justice doctoral student Marc Glidden, a visiting assistant professor of criminal justice, is hooded by Dr. Molly Smith, assistant professor of criminal justice, during the May 11 graduation ceremony. Photo by Ben Krain.

The opportunity to participate in field research with criminal justice professors is an experience that Glidden says ��greatly enhanced his career. “I really appreciated the one-on-one mentorship with faculty in criminal justice and the experience to get to work with Tim Brown on hands-on fieldwork. We went to prisons to conduct surveys with inmates and to rural counties to interview gang members,” Glidden said. “I can talk about research all day, but understanding that experience of how we gain knowledge about these nuanced topics in criminal justice is a unique experience in itself. Having the experience of collecting my own data before I was a professor was very valuable.” In his dissertation, “Forget the Olive Branch, What About the Bank Branch? An Examination of the Relationship between Financial Access and Community Crime,” Glidden explored how access to banks and financial institutions in a community impacts the amount of crime from a social disorganization framework. “Similar to churches, banks offer a platform for individuals within a neighborhood to engage in ways of forming bonds within the neighborhood,” he said. “The world runs on money. Money and currency are the basis of any society. Banks are still relevant, especially in rural communities.” While Glidden has found that access to banks reduces crime rates in communities, he plans to conduct follow-up research to understand why. “As the number of banks goes up, the amount of crime in a community goes down,” he said. “More research is needed to know how. This has never been looked at before.” As he gets ready to take the next step in life, Glidden is thankful for all the people who helped him succeed at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “My favorite part about ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is all the people I have met from colleagues in housing to students in the classroom to faculty in criminal justice,” he said. “Each has contributed to my success and my story at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and has made it a positive experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.”

Graduating associate dean says ‘it’s all about the students’

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 17 May 2019 13:10:21 +0000

A well-known associate dean at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock said he is looking forward to helping the “most important people on campus” after completing his college education. Richard Harper II, associate dean of students, graduated May 11 with a Doctor of Education in higher education administration. He wears many hats on campus, serving as the immediate past president of Staff Senate and the advisor to the Student Government Association. �� “Now that graduation is over, I plan to continually live by my professional motto,” he said. “I’m here to positively impact the lives of students. The other motto I live by is that students are the most important people on campus. Without them, there would be no purpose for us to be here. I will continue to advocate for students and make sure our services are high quality and continue to be an asset for higher education.” Although he usually attends graduation as a member of the administration to show support for students, Harper said he enjoyed taking his administrative cap off for a day to enjoy his graduation just like any other student with his immediate family, cousins from Mississippi, and godparents from Texas. “This year, I was just a student, and I loved walking across the stage in front of my friends and family and just cherishing the moment,” he said. Harper’s students have known of his doctoral aspirations and have been calling him “Dr. Harper” for some time, motivating him to complete his degree sooner rather than later. “Since I am currently SGA’s advisor, it’s a very cool experience, but also scary, that I get to help shape and mold our student leaders for the future,” he said. “A lot of the students were calling me Dr. Harper before I was done and that served as motivation. I want to inspire and motivate the students as well. If you work hard, stay focused, and do the right thing, you can achieve anything you want, whether it’s in education or in life.” Harper graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Central Arkansas. He came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2011 to pursue a Master of Arts in higher education administration. After working two years as a graduate assistant in the Office of the Dean of Students, Harper was hired full time as the assistant dean of students. “I was recruited as a graduate student by John Kuykendall, a faculty member in the higher education department at the time. I got a graduate assistantship, and I’ve been here ever since. I’m happy to be graduating and glad that chapter has come to an end. It’s been a lot of hard work, and it’s great to see my hard work actually be approved by my dissertation committee.” Harper’s dissertation, “A Wrong Made Right: A Qualitative Cross-Case Comparison Study Examining Program Influences On College Readiness, Persistence, and Student Success Outcomes at a Predominantly White University and a Historically Black College,” explored the outcomes of the implementation of the at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and Philander Smith College. The Donaldson Scholars Academy helps students who are at risk due to socioeconomic disadvantages or other factors improve their academic achievement and prepare for college. The programs include ACT Prep Express, which helps high school students in Pulaski County Special School District, Little Rock School District, and the North Little Rock School District prepare for high school graduation, the ACT, and college. The academy also participates in college fairs, hosts meetings with school counselors, facilitates college and ACT prep sessions, and offers fall retreats.

Richard Harper receives a Doctor of Education in higher education administration from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on May 11. Photo by Ben Krain.

Students can participate in the Summer Bridge Academy, a three-week residential program that prepares incoming freshmen for college-level work by eliminating the need for them to take remedial math and English courses. Students who complete the program and attend ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Philander Smith, or University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College are eligible for a $2,500 annual scholarship that is renewable for up to four years. “This program is a direct result from a 30-year plus desegregation school case,” Harper said. “Part of the settlement was that all the parties agreed that $10 million worth of funds be utilized to increase student success for minority students from Pulaski County Special School District. The students graduate high school, then come to the Summer Bridge Academy, and then they can get up to $10,000 in scholarships for four years to attend ��Vlog��ý Little Rock or Philander Smith. I call it a pipeline to student success.” Harper said he was interested in studying what makes the program successful so that it can be replicated at other colleges. “I believe that program can be replicated and can really change the narrative of underprepared students coming out of school districts,” Harper said. “When you look at this program, you see how many lives its touching, how many scholarships are awarded, and how many remedial classes are bypassed. How do they get students to bypass remediation, believe in themselves, and matriculate through college? These students are graduating at rates higher than other colleges.” Richard believes that factors like experiencing college life through the Summer Bridge Academy helps incoming students alleviate many of their fears about college. Having mentors that help them adjust to college, clearly outlined goals and expectations to progress in the program, and a group of peers to share their experiences all help students succeed in college. “High school students are often told that if you don’t get a high enough ACT score or do well enough in school that college is not for you,” Harper said. “You almost get trapped in another life. If you get these students in a specialized program that helps with academic, social, and financial problems, it exposes them to a different way of learning. We found that students respond well to that. They bypass remediation, do well in their college courses, and persist to graduation. At the end of the day, that is what we are here for.”

Surprise family visit makes commencement even more special for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock grad

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 16 May 2019 17:53:28 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate got the surprise of a lifetime when her family from California flew all night to surprise her on graduation day.�� Vivian Littrell’s May 11 graduation from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice was already a special event, since the 71-year-old grandmother of four and mother of two was finishing her lifelong goal of earning a college degree. “I decided that I wanted to complete my bachelor’s degree before my youngest grandchildren were out of high school,” said Littrell, a first-generation college student from Little Rock. “I’ve been out of college since 1984, when I last attended Philander Smith College. I wanted to major in adult education with a minor in psychology. That was my objective back then, but now many years later, I have a different agenda.” Littrell has always been passionate about helping others and dreamed of being an attorney. She now hopes to use her degree to help minorities navigate the criminal justice system. “I want to volunteer with a nonprofit to help people navigate the criminal justice system who have no idea what is going on,” she said. “So many people are caught up in the criminal justice system that don’t know anything at all about the procedures, and I want to use my knowledge to help them.” As a divorced single mother, Littrell left college 35 years ago to concentrate on providing for her children. She spent her career working in employment training and counseling and as a recruiter for adult education, so Littrell never forgot the importance of a good education and career. Her family has been immensely supportive and gave her a nudge to return to college. “It was my daughter Tyrneese who suggested that I return to college after I had bilateral knee surgery in 2011,” she said. “She told me to find something to do, and a good thing to do would be to return to school and complete my bachelor’s degree.” When Littrell enrolled at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2013, she took classes on the Little Rock campus but eventually opted to go online because it was more convenient for her as she cares for her 93-year-old mother. She’s grateful to the many professors and staff members who have helped make her time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock a success. “When I first came, I was nervous. I’m thankful to Ms. Susan Boling, who helped me a lot. She taught me academic literacy,” Littrell said. “I’m also grateful to criminal justice professors Dr. James Hurst and Dr. Timothy Brown and Ms. Karen Wisdom. Most of my instructors were sensitive to the needs of a nontraditional student and worked with me in getting a clear understanding of what was expected of me. Many of my classmates were kind enough to help me with notetaking in class. I also have to give kudos to the entire staff in Student Support Services and the Disability Resource Center.” Littrell is also especially grateful to Dr. Andrew Deiser, interim chair of the Department of World Languages, who helped her pass her foreign language requirement. “I didn’t know anything about a foreign language, and Dr. Deiser tutored me one-on-one himself,” Littrell said. “There are also two young ladies in that division, Bryana Herrera and Autumn Payne, who tutored me as well. Dr. Deiser has helped me more than any other professor at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. He did everything he could to help me pass my Spanish course. Without him, I wouldn’t have graduated. I also wouldn’t have graduated without the help of my department chair, Dr. Mary Parker, or Reed Claiborne from the Disability Resource Center. ” Since Mother’s Day was the day after graduation, Littrell’s son Corey planned a brunch on Saturday where family members from Bryant, Dumas, Hot Springs, and Little Rock were planning to visit. Littrell, an inquisitive woman who loves a good mystery, had suspicions that her son was keeping a secret.

Graduate Vivian Littrell, right, reacts reacts in shock after her niece Chauntee Coleman, off camera at left, makes a surprise visit to Littrell’s graduation ceremony at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on May 11. Photo by Ben Krain.

“My son told me I better clean my room before ‘they come,’ and then he trailed off,” she said. “I don’t know who ‘they’ are, and I wonder if someone is coming that I don’t know about.” On the other side of the country, Littrell’s niece, Chauntee Coleman, graduated from the University of Southern California with a Ph.D. in social work on May 10, one day before Littrell’s graduation. Littrell was disappointed that she wouldn’t get to see her niece graduate, but didn’t know her family had a big surprise in store. “My aunt has been the rock of the family and has made many sacrifices for her children, nieces, and nephews along the way,” Coleman said. “My entire family and I flew overnight after my graduation to attend my aunt’s graduation and support the final stop of her educational journey. She was quite disappointed that she would not be able to see me graduate due to the proximity of dates.” At the special brunch where Littrell did not suspect she would receive a surprise visitor, the appearance of her baby sister from California was the first of many surprises. “During the prayer, while we were holding hands, I felt a sudden jerk then opened my eyes. I saw my baby sister standing next to me! They say I jumped out of my shoes!” Littrell said. “At the graduation, Ben Krain (university photographer) came up to me and told me he had another surprise for me. A woman walked out covered in graduation regalia. I couldn’t figure out who it was. When I realized it was my niece, I lost it. I couldn’t believe she was there. It was just so special. And to learn that my niece’s husband and children had come too, it was more than I could take!” Littrell’s special day was made even more perfect since her niece was allowed to attend the ceremony and be by her side as she received her degree. “For the school to take the time to help with this and to let my niece walk and sit with me while I received my degree, it was just overwhelmingly special,” she said. “I will cherish this special moment forever, and I will forever be grateful to God and everyone for making my day so special.” In the upper right photo, Vivian Littrell, right, reacts with tears of joy after her niece Chauntee Coleman, left, makes a surprise visit to Littrell’s graduation ceremony at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Photo by Ben Krain.��

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