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

Single Mother Who Left College to Care for Autistic Son Earns Bachelor’s Degree 15 Years Later

John Hill — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 00:20:11 +0000

In 2006, Veronica Tess Myers, of Little Rock, made the difficult decision to leave college to ensure her son, Alexander, got the education he deserved. Myers promised herself that she would one day return to complete her college education. “I started my college journey at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2000, and then stopped out in 2006 due to the dynamics of being a single mother and to take care of my profoundly autistic son, Alexander,” Myers said. Fifteen years later, Myers fulfilled her lifelong goal of completing college and graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in applied communication at the end of the fall 2021 semester. “Veronica was one of our outstanding graduating seniors of 2021,” said Dr. April Chatham-Carpenter, chair of the Department of Applied Communication. “She returned to complete her remaining 18 hours of coursework this past summer at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. She has started a nonprofit, entitled ., to help other parents and caregivers of autistic children better advocate and educate their children.” In 2007, Myers’ management position with Bombay Company was coming to a close as the company filed for bankruptcy. She considered returning to college, but decided to focus on Alexander’s schooling instead. “Of course, I chose the latter and went to school with my son nearly every day of his four years of high school until 2011 when he received his diploma,” she said. After Alexander graduated from Hall High School, Myers said she faced immense challenges in finding support for individuals with autism who are transitioning to their adult lives and beyond. She became a staunch supporter and advocate for disability rights in Arkansas. Retired State Sen. Uvalde R. Lindsey invited Myers to serve as an advisory parent member of the Arkansas Legislative Task Force on Autism, where she was the first African American to sit on the committee. She also joined the Disability Rights Center of Arkansas, now known as Disability Rights Arkansas PAIMI (Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness) Advisory Council, during the same timeline. “My son can’t step forward into the spotlight to tell his story,” Myers said. “That’s why I’m here to share his story and others like his. We can’t ask for change without being on the forefront making that change happen. I have to fight for his right to stay at home with me and still fight for the services and support that he is entitled to due to his lifelong disability diagnosis. That is a fight every year, and he’s 28.” In fall 2020, Myers met with her academic advisor with the intention to start classes again during the spring 2021 semester. Her college plans faced one more life challenge. “I got blindsided with the guardianship responsibilities of my estranged father who was allegedly assaulted in his high-rise apartment and left unconscious and suffered a 2/3 massive left-brain stroke,” Myers said. “After advocating for my father’s rights for fair and decent treatment in a nursing home and in doing so becoming a member of both Arkansas Advocates for Nursing Home Residents and Arkansas Caregivers for Compromise support groups, I was finally able to return to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” While transitioning to a virtual learning environment during the pandemic, Myers said several applied communications professors – Drs. Chatham-Carpenter, Kristen McIntyre, Carol Thompson, and Avinash Thombre – served as mentors who helped her graduate. “I also want to say a very special thank you to the ladies of the Communication Skills Center,” she said. “Your patience and love for what you do is beyond exceptional.” Now that she’s finished with college as a first-generation graduate, Myers said the research she completed for her capstone project, “Autism advocacy: Single mothers saving face among a world of chaos,” will help her in the development of the autism strategy consulting services and workshops she creates with her nonprofit. Myers is also looking to finish her memoir, “Raising Alexander,” an attestment to her and Alexander’s journey. She is also working on a business plan for an autism transition residential facility in Little Rock to help individuals with autism transition to adulthood in a community-inclusive environment. “There are families going outside of Arkansas to enroll their autistic loved one in places like 29 Acres, an autism transition academy located in Crossroads, Texas,” Myers said. “Having a facility in Little Rock will ensure an effective transition process of life after high school to give individuals with autism spectrum disorder here in Arkansas a true quality of life on their own terms.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public History Graduate Spotlight on Acadia Roher

John Hill — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 14:30:26 +0000

Acadia Roher is graduating this month with a master’s degree in public history from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. After completing her thesis, “Urban Renewal in Little Rock’s Dunbar Historic Neighborhood: A Walking Tour,” the new graduate will begin her career as a historical research associate in Maryland. Why did you choose to study at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock?�� I chose to study at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock because I didn’t want to move out of Little Rock. It was really important for my community work that I stayed here. There also aren’t that many programs in Arkansas available to get a master’s degree in public history. Dr. Barclay Key, a friend and neighbor who is a professor in the history department, encouraged me to apply. This was a really good option. What is the topic of your thesis? My thesis is titled, “Urban Renewal in Little Rock’s Dunbar Historic Neighborhood: A Walking Tour.” I decided to do a project thesis. When working as a graduate assistant for the Center for Arkansas History and Culture (CAHC), the project I was most involved in was mapping renewal. We digitized and analyzed all of the materials that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has about mapping renewal in Little Rock and its impact on the city. I have been really interested in all the forces that shape our city, particularly in relation to segregation. The Dunbar neighborhood was the first urban renewal project in Little Rock that set the stage in Little Rock, so it felt like the best place to start. Who was your favorite professor or mentor? Dr. Marta Cieslak, from Poland, taught an incredible women’s history class. In all of our readings and discussions with her, the way that she brought out everyone in the classroom was absolutely incredible. What are some of the highlights from your college career? My graduate assistantship/internship at CAHC was the highlight from September of 2018 until September 2021. I got to do so many cool projects there, and they really saw it as an extension of our learning process. All of the GAs had meetings every week to grow and learn together academically. I feel like I walked away knowing what an archivist does and basically how to do every step that we would need to know. Were you involved in any community work or have a job? I was involved in a lot of community work, with the main one being public education. I think having democratic control of our schools is really important. The LRSD was under state control for five years starting in 2015, so I was a part of a group that was holding the state accountable for what was happening within the school district. We were pushing for them to hand over control back to the community. I also was a nonprofit consultant with contract work doing anything from facilitated meetings to a strategic planning process. What are you looking forward to after graduation? I will be making a big move to Maryland. I got a job at the Montgomery County planning department to be a historical research associate. We will be looking into racial covenants. Racial covenants were created when a subdivision developer would require that only white Americans could buy or rent certain properties. It still has a huge impact on our landscape today and how they continue to develop. Montgomery County is looking at this history to undo and repair some of the harm that was done. I’m looking forward to being in a new place, and this research is really important to me. I think this is the kind of work that needs to be happening all over the country. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? One of the reasons I’m moving to Maryland is because my sister just had a baby, and I really want to be close to her. So hopefully, I will have a 10-year-old nephew that I will be close to. I also want to get involved in housing justice work in Maryland, being there for my family, and making a living wage. Doing research or working as an archivist is something that matters and is meaningful to me. What is the best advice you were given or would like to give to new college students? If you have to write a paper that involves any kind of historic research, ask archivists and librarians. Don’t be afraid to ask the reference desk. What I’ve learned from being at CAHC, people who work there know all these treasures that are waiting for students to find them. They’re difficult to come by on your own, but if you speak with an archivist, they’ll be ecstatic that you’re interested and will want to help you.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Graduate Finds Success While Supporting the Community

John Hill — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 14:18:02 +0000

Anitrea Graydon is a wife, mother of two, a student, a business owner, and community volunteer from Jacksonville, Arkansas. She will receive a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice degree from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on Dec. 18. She is not only a dedicated community leader, but she worked consistently to maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout her academic career. Why did you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock?�� ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is a local university, and the Criminal Justice program has a high ranking nationwide. Moreover, the instructors are employed in this field and serve as great resources to enhance my knowledge of the field. Who was your favorite professor or mentor? Shannon Avra is my favorite professor. She has been amazing and she has always supported me. She encouraged and pushed me to be the very best version of myself while she was experiencing a health challenge herself. She never lost hope for herself or her students. My favorite mentor is Verlancia Tucker with BOHEMIA Cares, a local nonprofit organization. She had no idea how much she pushed me to go above and beyond. She encouraged me, gave educational support, gave tough love, prayed, and worshiped with me to help keep me on the path of success. What are some of the best highlights from your college career? The best highlights from my college career are making the Chancellor’s and Dean’s lists during my college experience at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and graduating with honors. In addition to this Criminal Justice degree, I have earned three associate degrees from Pulaski Technical College. Were you involved in any clubs or organizations? I am the assistant secretary of the NAACP-Jacksonville Branch. I am a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. What are you looking forward to after graduation? I am looking forward to a brief moment of relaxation. Once I am recharged, I will start looking for a job within the federal government, the juvenile justice system, or with the Arkansas Department of Human Services. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself owning a facility that houses troubled teens. The purpose of the facility will be to rehabilitate and restore the teens. I also see myself serving on boards of community organizations within the city of Little Rock or surrounding areas. Another goal is to become a franchise owner. Currently, I own a food truck called “Bird On a Leash!” What is the best advice you were given or would like to give to new college students? The best advice that I was given was that no matter what it looks like, NEVER give up or say what you can’t do. Always focus on the main goal and that’s to finish in excellence. I would advise new college students to always pace themselves and make time for self-care. Is there anything else you’d like to add? I would tell anyone that even though it may seem like it’s not doable, it’s doable. I’ve been happily married for almost 19 years with two teenage sons. I own two businesses and spend a lot of time serving in the community, all while maintaining my GPA. I live by this quote, “If you sacrifice a little bit, you can gain a lot.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public History Graduate Spotlight on Christy Hendricks

John Hill — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 14:45:43 +0000

A ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student is graduating this fall with a master’s degree in public history. Christy Hendricks, a native of Ward, Arkansas, will graduate Dec. 18. For her thesis, Hendricks made a comprehensive interpretation analysis of the Quapaw Native Americans and created fact sheets for the Arkansas Post National Memorial Visitors Center that would further the knowledge of Native American history in the area of Arkansas Post. The Quapaw were agricultural people who lived near the confluence of the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers. When the French arrived, they set up a trading post near a few Quapaw villages in the same area. The French and Quapaw had mutually beneficial alliances allowing the two cultures to coexist. “When I began my educational journey, I was a single mother with a young child,”�� Hendricks said. “I didn’t have to relocate to attend class. Luckily, I worked for people who supported me in my education and allowed me to have a flexible work schedule, which meant I was able to attend day classes, put in hours at work, and still be home with my child in the evenings.” The graduate student began her master’s program in 2019 and has enjoyed meeting people of various ages with similar interests as well as proving to herself that she can achieve her life goals. “As an older, non-traditional student, I had a lot of insecurities throughout my journey, but when I began the master’s program, I realized I’m not the only non-traditional student and that my goals were within reach,” said Hendricks. While pursuing her master’s degree, she worked two jobs. She spent 20 years as the creative director of The Leader newspaper and held graduate assistantships at the Clinton Presidential Library and the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. Hendricks was particularly interested in research methods, as well as a general understanding of archeological and anthropological approaches, which helped her prepare for her job position. “Dr. Krista Lewis, Dr. Kristin Dutcher-Mann, and Dr. Andrew Beaupre all played a part in guiding me through my education – particularly in the past couple of years,” said Hendricks. “I really enjoyed all my classes�� and teachers throughout my journey.” Hendricks will begin her new career as an archeologist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service following graduation. On a normal day, she and her colleagues visit a project site to assess whether there are any cultural resources that may be impacted by the project and write reports. Hendricks intends to spend as much time as she can with her daughter, Teagan, who will graduate from high school in May. Teagan, like her mother, intends to continue her study and obtain a Ph.D. in the future.

Graduating Student Spotlight on Josiah Johnson

John Hill — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 13:51:39 +0000

Josiah Johnson, a Donaghey Scholar and senior from Sherwood, is graduating this semester with a BBA in finance and a BBA in economics. During his time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Johnson has been an integral part of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center’s Startup Team, which specializes in assisting clients who have never been in business or had to learn about business before. He’s also been recognized for his research that looked into the impact on small towns that have been featured on the TV show “Small Business Revolution.” His research project earned first place in economics during the 2021 Student Research and Creative Works Expo. What are your thoughts on graduating? I am excited. I started college a little later in life, and it’s nice to catch up to where my friends are. In this last semester, it feels that a lot of my efforts have been recognized. It’s validating that my four years have been worthwhile. Why did you start college a little later in life? I’m 25, so I started my freshman year when I was 21. I had a little later start than most people. I had Lyme disease in middle school that went undiagnosed for a while, and I actually never attended high school. After getting my GED, my first full-time job was a transition back into the real world. I knew I couldn’t go to a university straight off the bat, so I saved money for a little while. I actually wrote my Donaghey Scholars essay on the value of attending college. It allowed me to research the pros and cons of getting a degree. Why did you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock?�� The first thing is that the college is close to my family and where I grew up. I wasn’t sure about relocating. For me, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was a good opportunity because of the proximity and familiarity. I was preparing to take out quite a bit of loans until I found out about the Donaghey Scholars Program, which ended up working out really well for me. Who were your favorite professors at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I have to mention Dr. Rhet Smith. I am co-authoring with him, and I am still entertaining the idea of getting a Ph.D. in economics because of him. Dr. William Jergins, Dr. Moiz Bhai, and Dr. Casey Rockwell were all wonderful professors as well. I am thankful to both Dr. Simon Hawkins and Dr. Jessica Scott from the Donaghey Scholars Program for their support and open office where I could always ask questions. What are some of the highlights from your college years? My favorite class has been applied econometrics with Dr. Jergins. I looked at the effect of earned income tax credit programs on personal consumption and estimated the effect it would have in Arkansas. Understandably, we might expect people who have earned income tax credits to increase their personal consumption. I was able to utilize everything I’ve learned in class and work. Going to present my research at the Southern Economics Association Conference this November was a totally new experience, and I was grateful for that opportunity. One professor liked my research so much that he wanted me to apply to his university’s Ph.D. program in economics. I also studied abroad right before COVID. It made me more open to international travel. I was in Seville, Spain, during spring 2020. I got to go skiing for the first time, and I actually thought I picked it up pretty quickly. Tell me about your work with the ASBTDC? My work at the ASBTDC has been great. I first went to one of their events, and asked if I could just volunteer for them. It just so happened that they needed someone to cover an employee who was going on vacation. After that, they offered me the job. The work I’ve done has complimented my education and made me realize my interest in market research. I love working with data and transforming that data into something that makes sense for people who don’t like crunching the numbers. With the Startup Team, I definitely have clients that I check in with often. I hope they will be very successful. The things I’ve learned in class and on the job can help entrepreneurs who haven’t done something like this before or maybe didn’t go to college or business school. It’s empowering that I can give recommendations to new business owners andI hope to visit those businesses once they open. What are you looking forward to after graduation? I have a great job here at the ASBTDC and I am weighing getting a master’s degree in business information systems. I’m still open to other job opportunities. Whatever I do, I would like it to involve research, big data, or business consulting. Those are the three areas that interest me the most. What advice would you give to new students? I’m a big fan of Google Calendar. I spent my first week of classes with my syllabi, and I put all of my due dates and all of my class dates in my calendar. I didn’t want to be caught by surprise. I definitely recommend the Mathematics Assistance Center where I had several tutors that were wonderful. I also encourage going to all the on-campus events and making connections. I loved living on campus and hosting game nights. Is there anything else you’d like to add? Part of me wishes I could be here longer. I’ve done a lot at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and I’ve enjoyed my time here. I couldn’t have imagined going to another school. The benefits that the Donaghey Scholars provided exceeded my college expectations. I loved my cohort and the community we’ve built. It’s intimidating starting college from scratch, and I felt that I started with a great group of friends.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Graduate with a Passion for Green Energy is Putting His Engineering Skills to Work at Little Rock Startup

John Hill — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 13:44:40 +0000

Joseph Sepulveda, of Cabot, Arkansas, is fulfilling his dream of making the world a better place by designing solar arrays at an up and coming Little Rock startup company. Sepulveda will graduate Dec. 18 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Since May, Sepulveda has worked as a solar coordinator at Entegrity Energy Partners, where he is responsible for designing, constructing, and selling solar arrays. “I’ve always been passionate about the environment,” he said. “I had the opportunity to work at a green energy startup, and I realized I could work in solar. I wanted to learn how they design solar arrays and what are the layers of engineering that go into that. That passion has driven me to work in this field. I have a unique opportunity here to learn design for a company that is learning solar in real time. It’s been a great journey.” Sepulveda’s love of engineering came from his father, who would spend his days wiring homes and repairing radios, televisions, and other electronic devices. “Growing up, my dad was intrigued with electronics and electricity,” Sepulveda said. “I fully believe my dad is an electrical engineer without the degree. The military guided that knowledge and introduced it into airplanes. One of my dad’s friends from the Air Force had retired and started a small company in Memphis. He needed someone to be the floor manager, and the owner of the company said my dad was a perfect fit.” His parents and older brother and sister moved from Chile to Memphis, Tennessee, in the 1990s. The family later moved to Cabot after his father got a job at Falcon Jet in Little Rock. “I’ve followed along with my father by being an engineer, but I didn’t follow along the path of electricity, because electricity is still magic to me,” Sepulveda said. In 2017, Sepulveda graduated as valedictorian from Cabot High School and joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a member of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program. “I also had an older brother who went through the Donaghey Scholars Program seven years earlier,” Sepulveda said. “When he was 21, my brother was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. The Donaghey Scholars were very accommodating and understanding of my brother’s situation. It was wonderful to see him accomplish his economics degree. I already had a warm feeling about the Donaghey Scholars and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock engineering, so I made the decision to join ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” Sepulveda started off his career at Entegrity as an inside sales intern. He found out about the green energy startup company from another Donaghey Scholar who was interning there. After interning for seven months, Sepulveda was promoted to a sales and operations coordinator. During this time, he closed more than $20 million worth of energy service performance contracts and solar sales.

Joseph Sepulveda

In 2019, Sepulveda studied abroad to work as a lab assistant involving sustainability projects at Universidad del Desarrollo in Santiago, Chile. One of Sepulveda’s assignments was to design a housing unit for an air quality monitoring device. Sepulveda and his colleagues traveled to Coyhaique on the southern tip of Chile. This small tourist town is also known as the most air polluted town in all of South America. Sepulveda’s team visited the town to measure air quality levels and to help the people of Coyhaique understand how bad the air is polluted due to a heavy amount of wood burning. “Since it’s in the very south of Chile, it’s very cold there, even in the summer and especially at night,” Sepulveda said. “That coldness transforms into more wood burning. If you imagine a town of 25,000 people just burning wood throughout the day, there is an immense amount of smoke. Over the past 5-10 years, Chile has seen an unusual amount of respiratory issues coming from this town. It was troubling to realize some of the areas with the highest amounts of pollution are elementary schools. It’s a very complicated issue. You can’t just tell the residents to stop heating their homes by burning wood, or they will freeze to death.” The study abroad trip was also a homecoming for Sepulveda, who used the opportunity to learn more about his Chilean roots. “That was the most impactful moment of my college career,” he said. “I was raised in a Chilean household. Since I was born in the U.S., I’m very Americanized. I didn’t know the struggles that my parents went through in their country of origin. It was a very profound and impactful identity experience, and I wouldn’t have that experience without ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and the Donaghey Scholars.”

Assadi Earns Doctorate at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 14:29:46 +0000

For more than a decade, Aresh Assadi has been helping the students and employees of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with career and personal counseling and mental health education. This month, Assadi, assistant director of counseling services at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, will graduate with a Doctor of Education in Higher Education with a concentration in student affairs. “It really feels amazing to be graduating,” Assadi said. “It’s been a long process to see this day. I’ve been working on my dissertation for six years. People are calling me Dr. Assadi, and it’s still a shock to me.” Assadi joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2010 as a therapist and career counselor, and began working on his Ph.D. in 2013. “I always knew I wanted to get a doctorate. It’s something I knew from a very young age,” Assadi said. “My father was a big proponent of higher education. He was an immigrant. Due to not having a firm grasp of the English language, he was often passed over on promotions. He instilled in me a strong work ethic and a love of education.” Over the years, Assadi said he learned important skills that helped him excel in his career. “I just learned so much in that program,” Assadi said. “It’s one of the biggest reasons I got promoted to begin with because I learned so many things along the way. One example is fundraising. During Dr. Barrett’s class, Bob Denman came in and talked about fundraising. After that, we ended up raising $60,000 for mental health programs and scholarships on campus.” In February 2020, Assadi was promoted to assistant director of Counseling Services just one month before the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools down. “With classes being remote, you would think it would be less busy, but it was the opposite for Counseling Services,” Assadi said. “We were the busiest we have ever been in the past year. I think the pandemic shone a light on how important mental health is. People were dealing with isolation, hopelessness, depression, financial problems, health issues, and more.�� It was a scary time for people, and it made the stigma of going and getting counseling less severe.” Meanwhile, Assadi completed his dissertation exploring masculinity, mental health, and attitudes towards willingness to seek help among male college students. “This is a common phenomenon across campus colleges,” Assadi said. “There is a lot of stigma when it comes to mental health in general. Younger people and men have even more negative attitudes when it comes to seeking help for mental health. That is very bad considering the high rates of suicide among college students. Early detection and treatment is crucial to treating mental health disorders. Stigma delays the process a lot and results in horrible consequences.” His advice for college students is to take care of their mental health. Assadi said students can get tips on how to keep healthy minds and bodies by checking out the Wellness and Inclusion Instagram page. “I really encourage students to take care of their mental health and engage in self-care,” Assadi said. “College students shouldn’t be scared to ask for help. It doesn’t matter how big or small your problem is, there is someone on campus who can help you.”

Graduate Chance Melby Has Provided Cybersecurity Education for Hundreds of Arkansas Students

John Hill — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 14:17:49 +0000

Chance Melby, a Donaghey Scholar from Cabot, first got hooked on cybersecurity when he interned with the Cabot Public School District Technology Department during high school.�� “Originally, I was accepted into the Donaghey Scholars Program and that solidified my choice into going to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” Melby said. “I also heard the Computer Science Program was one of the best in the state. I saw the opportunities that computer science and the City of Little Rock could give me. I wanted to get my foot in the door and learn new things. I knew ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was a place where I could excel.” He graduated this semester with a bachelor’s degree in computer science with a focus on cybersecurity and is looking forward to a future career in cybersecurity. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is starting its first bachelor’s degree program in cybersecurity this fall. Melby has been instrumental in the development of the Cyber Arena, which provides cloud-based cybersecurity education for K-12 students in Arkansas. “I discovered that Arkansas has too many unfilled cybersecurity positions and not enough skilled professionals,” Melby said. “To address this issue, I dedicated myself to ensuring that each Arkansas student has the opportunity to learn about cybersecurity so that our communities may use their future expertise to protect everyone’s data and privacy.” As a hands-on learner, Melby dedicated himself to studying and participating in competitions that would propel his skills in cybersecurity. He served as president of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Cybersecurity Club and participated in events like the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, Jolt Hackathon, United States Cyber Challenge, and Walmart’s Sp4rckCon 2.0. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Cyber Arena hosts educational materials and threat exercises on cybersecurity for students and teachers on the Google Cloud platform. Melby has created nine out of the 24 labs available on the cloud. These labs have been used by more than 450 K-12 students across 80 Arkansas schools. “Chance has worked on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Cyber Arena since the beginning and has seen it reach schools all across Arkansas,” said Philip Huff, assistant professor of computer science at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “The workouts he develops are always popular among students. He has a gift for communicating the complexities of cybersecurity in a way students connect with and enjoy.” Melby recently won second place in the university’s Student Research and Creative Works Expo for one of the educational projects he’s developed for the Cyber Arena, “��Vlog��ý Little Rock Classified: An Intentionally Vulnerable Web Application Focused on Teaching K-12 and Undergraduate Students about Web Application Security.” “The web application is called ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Classified because it has a story element attached to it in which fictional Cyber Arena employees try to secure classified flags,” Melby said. “They do a horrible job at it, hence the vulnerable web application. The student is tasked with finding those flags. By providing fun, engaging scenarios about ‘secret classified documents’ and challenging yet straightforward exercises to retrieve these ‘documents,’ more students could excel and learn about web application security.” As he became more adept in web application development and cybersecurity, Melby used his skills to work with Cyber Arena partners.�� “The first partnership I worked with was the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC) for a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification assessment hosted as a Google Cloud container web application,” he said. “After that project, I took up my current project with the NSA on threat exercises to teach about protecting private healthcare information from IoT attacks.” Melby counts Dr. Simon Hawkins and Dr. Jessica Scott from the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program as mentors who “gave me an opportunity that changed my life.” “Chance is going to go do great things in cybersecurity. He has an evangelical zeal on the topic,” said Hawkins, director of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program. “He explains the complexity of the field so well that he can make even the most befuddled liberal arts professor feel that they understand the ideas. He is committed to working with the growing cybersecurity industry in Central Arkansas.” Chance is also thankful to Philip Huff for always making his life interesting in college. “He is my primary advisor, professor, my mentor, and boss,” Melby said. “He gave me the opportunity to work with Arkansas students through the Cyber Arena, and taught me so many technical skills. He’s taught me so much. If Philip Huff wasn’t at this university, I believe we’d be having a different conversation. My story might not even have been interesting enough to tell.” Melby also volunteers with Girls of Promise as part of a virtual program to educate and encourage young women interested in STEM about career opportunities in cybersecurity through the Cyber Arena. “There are not enough skilled cybersecurity professionals out there,” Melby said. “Women are underrepresented in the STEM area. With this program and my volunteering, I was hoping to encourage these young women to get interested in a STEM career, hopefully cybersecurity.” Following his graduation, Melby will start an internship at Arkansas Electric Cooperative, begin testing for more certifications, and look for a permanent position in cybersecurity. “What’s next is to get my foot in the door to find a career in cybersecurity in Arkansas,” Melby said. “Even though I’ve graduated, I’ll still be a student at heart going for these certifications in computer science and cybersecurity. Now that I’ve graduated, it’s surreal to think how four years went by so fast. Now I’m ready to get out there and put what I learned to the test.”

First-Generation Graduate Cassie Gehring is Giving Back to the Community

John Hill — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 15:16:05 +0000

Graduate Cassie Gehring is ending the spring semester on several high notes. Not only is she the first person in her family to earn a graduate degree, but Gehring has recently been promoted and is writing a grant proposal that could help single parents at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock afford childcare.�� Gehring, a native of Helena who now lives in Searcy, is graduating this month with a Master of Public Administration degree and a graduate certificate in nonprofit management. “Since I work in Alumni and Development, I wanted an educational background in nonprofit work,” Gehring said. “I wanted to learn more about this sector. Since I started the program, I have been promoted within my department so I feel like I’ve already got the job I would have applied for after graduation. I feel lucky to be able to achieve synergy between work and school. There are a lot of applications for real-world experiences while working in nonprofit development.” In addition to her graduation, Gehring received a promotion in April to associate director of advancement services at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. She works in the areas of gift processing, accounting, prospect research, and data management. As a first-generation college student, Gehring said her relatives are especially excited now that she has earned a master’s degree. “Even though my parents and grandparents didn’t have a college degree, they have always been supportive in every way of my goals,” she said. “From the beginning of my life, they helped prepare me for college. I am grateful that they raised me with that thought. I always knew that was the path that I would take. Even now, they are so proud of me graduating with a master’s degree. They always support me going further in my education.”�� This marks the third degree Gehring has earned from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. She graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s degrees in professional and technical writing and Spanish. She worked as a national consultant for Chi Omega Fraternity and a Spanish teacher at DeSoto School before taking a full-time position in Alumni and Development. This semester, Gehring has completed two capstone projects with the Arkansas Department of Education.�� “We’ve been doing research and analysis on community service learning programs,” Gehring said. “One team is analyzing survey results from different administrators of the programs in Arkansas. In my nonprofit capstone group, we are putting together a report to provide recommendations on how to improve community service learning programs in Arkansas and their implementation.” Gehring named Dr. Kirk Leach, Dr. Jerry Stevenson, Dr. Derek Slagle, Dr. Daryl Rice, Chris Hamilton, and Christian O’Neal as mentors who have inspired her to meet her full potential at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Leach, who is Gehring’s professor for all of her spring classes, said that she is an excellent example of how graduate lessons and projects can be used for professional applications that make a difference in the community. “Cassie’s partnerships with external stakeholders and commitment to public service, shows that she seamlessly connects her scholarly and applied work,” said Dr. Kirk Leach, assistant professor of public administration. “For instance, Cassie and her team are currently working on a project to address a lack of access to childcare in the University District. From this work, it is quite clear that Cassie embodies all that a graduate student in public administration should be with her professionalism and quality of work. I am looking forward to seeing the results of her work, and I am confident she will continue to make a positive contribution to our community.” As part of the Social Entrepreneurship course, Gehring is a co-principal investigator writing a grant that, if funded, will help ��Vlog��ý Little Rock establish a new program to support students by providing funding for childcare.�� “My most memorable college experience is happening right now in my last semester,” she said. “I am taking a social entrepreneurship course with Dr. Leach, and you come up with an innovative idea that can make a positive change in society. I picked childcare at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I talked to several people who had been involved with childcare initiatives. I’m applying what I learned into a federal grant proposal. It’s opened up me working with other departments on campus and stakeholders in the community.” Gehring lives in Searcy with her husband, Andrew, and 7-year-old daughter, Scarlett. “I would like to thank my husband, Andrew, for helping me achieve my educational and career goals as if they were his own,” she said. “He always puts my wants and needs above his, and I’m grateful for the love and support he provides as my husband and as the father to our daughter, Scarlett.”

Graduating Student Spotlight on Zachary Stine

John Hill — Thu, 27 May 2021 17:23:29 +0000

Zachary Stine, of Little Rock, is a spring 2021 graduate with a Ph.D. in computer and information science from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. As a member of the Collaboratorium for Social Media and Behavioral Studies (COSMOS), Stine has conducted research on computational social science, machine learning, natural language processing, cultural analytics, digital humanities, and network science. Stine will work in COSMOS as a postdoctoral fellow next year while he continues his research and mentors students. His ultimate goal is to enter academia as a professor of computer or information science. He completed a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and a minor in English from the University of Central Arkansas in 2010. Since then, he has worked at a health insurance company, an environmental consulting firm, and at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Office of Institutional Research before becoming a doctoral student. Stine said people often wonder how he went from a bachelor’s degree in religious studies to his current field. “It has been a very indirect path with a lot of twists and turns,” Stine said. “When I graduated in 2010, I was just starting to hear things about artificial intelligence and machine learning. I thought there is no better way to learn about these things than to start taking computer science courses. I was lucky because I worked for a company that reimbursed you for any undergraduate college course you were taking. I got hooked and kept going.” By 2017, Stine had been taking computer science courses part-time for five years at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock when he decided to take the plunge and turn his part-time academic pursuit into a doctorate. “I left behind a stable job to become a full-time graduate assistant,” Stine said. “It was a little scary, but it’s worked out.” Through his work at COSMOS, Stine has studied complex social systems, machine learning, natural language processing, network science, and information theory. He already has eight papers published in academic conference proceedings and a journal. He even developed his own course on natural language processing that he taught during the fall 2020 semester. Some of his research has included a study to determine how effective artificial agents, which are often used in online disinformation campaigns, can be at changing people’s opinions online.

Zack Stine is doing research on the of type of common language used across cultures in online religious discussions. Photo by Ben Krain.

Stine was also accepted into the 2019-2021 (Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Alliance and Collaboratory) Scholars Program, a student-driven community of graduate and undergraduate students who are working at the intersection of technology and the arts, humanities and sciences.�� While he’s led an interesting career path, Stine has come full circle and found a way to blend his love of religious studies and information science through his dissertation. In his dissertation, “Computational Methods for Comparative Discourse Analyses,” Stine used computational text analysis and information theory to compare the underlying structure of discourses in several online discussion communities. He compared discourses from several online religious communities to determine if there are universal features across discourses. “I have been able to collaborate on interdisciplinary research with a scholar of philosophy and religion who was my undergraduate mentor many years ago,” Stine said. “As part of my research, we are using computational models to study how people talk about religion. It’s been a nonlinear path, but it all makes sense now.”

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