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

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Breaks Ground on Transformational Campus Improvement Projects

John Hill — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 14:49:04 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock broke ground on a series of campus improvement and renovation projects that will significantly transform the face of the university for years to come during a Dec. 2 groundbreaking ceremony outside Ottenheimer Library. The center points of the campus improvement projects include the construction of a new north to south promenade called Trojan Way and a new Library Plaza. A generous $5.5 million grant from the Donaghey Foundation will fund these projects. Trojan Way will run through campus from 28th Street to University Drive and will create enhanced walkways, seating areas, and gathering spaces. In addition, the space outside Ottenheimer Library will be reimagined as a new outdoor campus learning environment with expanded seating and places for groups to gather. It will include a seat wall, a stage to hold events, and beautiful canopy trees for shade. “The upcoming campus improvements will transform the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock campus for many years to come,” said Chancellor Christina Drale. “By providing shaded spaces, gathering areas, and additional seating, we are creating an atmosphere that will help foster connections and provide enhanced living-learning experiences for the campus community.” Those who participated in the groundbreaking included Chancellor Drale, Charles Nabholz, chairman emeritus of Nabholz, Dr. Dean Kumpuris, chair of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Board of Visitors; Shawn Luther, principal and landscape architect of DCI; Jerry Ganz, vice chancellor for finance and administration at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock; Leslie Hutchins, associate vice chancellor of facilities and management at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, David Sargent of WER Architects, and Thomas Forcum, president of the Student Government Association at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Construction began in October and will last from 12-18 months. The University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees previously approved the Library Plaza and Trojan Way projects in May. “I’m very excited about the Library Plaza and Trojan Way project beginning soon,” Ganz said. “Thanks to the generous support of the Donaghey Foundation, we were able to plan a project that will significantly enhance the beauty of our campus. I think the entire campus community will be very pleased with the end result and, especially, some of the key design elements that we have built into the project.” has been selected as the project architect, while has been selected as the contractor. “The Trojan Way is a landmark investment that will improve the campus’ connectivity and accessibility for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students and community members for generations to come,” Nabholz said. “Nabholz is proud of our long relationship with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, which dates back to construction projects our company built on campus over 50 years ago. As a former student myself who attended night classes on campus in 1967/68, I know how much students will enjoy the additional paths, landscaping, and lighting.”

Charles Nabholz, chairman emeritus of Nabholz, speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Trojan Way project at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on Dec. 2. Photo by Ben Krain.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock officials decided to complete additional planned improvement projects at the same time since all the projects are so interconnected to creating a learning-living community to enhance student success. The additional projects include a new West campus entrance that will connect directly to the Library Plaza, the demolition of the former education building, and an Alumni Patio that will connect with Trojan Way on the north side of campus. “I’m also looking forward to beginning work on the new entrance on the West side of campus along University Avenue, as well as, the Alumni Patio project, which is where we are moving the named bricks that are currently in the Library Plaza,” Ganz said. “The Alumni Patio project will connect three different patios with a winding brick walkway and will be a fantastic event space that will surely get lots of use by all kinds of groups around campus in the future.” The campus improvements will also include a new patio and outdoor area on the north side of the Fine Arts Building, which will complement the new disc golf course that has recently been built on the south side of the Fine Arts Building to provide more campus recreational opportunities. “We have a beautiful campus, and we have this unused space available,” said Provost Ann Bain. “This will be a real inviting space for our faculty, staff, and students to utilize. We want to bring a bit of vibrancy to this side of campus.”

Chancellor Christina Drale addresses the crowd during a Dec. 2 groundbreaking ceremony on how the Trojan Way projects will improve the living-learning environment on campus for generations to come. Photo by Ben Krain.

The total cost of the improvement projects is estimated at $9.7 million. The ��Vlog��ý System Board of Trustees approved these campus improvement projects during its September meeting. The remaining projects will be funded by a combination of university reserves and private funding. The additional campus improvement projects include:

Campus Grove – The university is upgrading the north side of the Fine Arts Building to install an outdoor area for students, faculty, and staff. This shaded area will have additional seating and offer students a place to enjoy campus with friends.
Alumni Patio Project -The university is installing a new gathering space outside of the Bailey Alumni & Friends Center featuring the bricks that are currently located outside of Ottenheimer Library. The gathering space will allow alumni and friends easy access to view their bricks and allow the university to utilize the space as another campus gathering location.
Demolition of Education Building – The university has demolished the existing education building that is located between Dickinson Hall and Ross Hall. This building has not been in use for some time and will allow for the creation of additional campus green spaces.
Campus West Entrance – With the removal of the old Earth Science Building earlier this year, the university is enhancing the West entrance to campus at the intersection of University Avenue and 32nd Street with better walkways and a green space for students and faculty to enjoy.

“We at DCI are delighted to be a part of the design team for such a transformational project,” Luther said. “Just over a year ago, we were invited by WER Architects to join in an effort to take a look at a few small areas of campus. Little did we know that exercise would become a project which will literally shape the campus for decades.��It is our hope that this project will help energize the campus and open the doors to the local community.” These projects are a part of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Centennial Campaign, the university’s largest fundraising effort in university history to raise $250 million ahead of its 100-year anniversary in 2027. Learn more about ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s efforts to provide great learning environments that encourage student success at the Centennial Campaign website.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Welcomes Brittany Straw as Director of Career Services

John Hill — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 14:24:13 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has named Brittany Straw as the new director of Career Services. “We are thrilled to welcome Brittany to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” said Dr. Sarah Beth Estes, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education, where Career Services is housed. “Brittany is a dynamic and visionary leader. Her experience and enthusiasm make her the ideal person to build on the investments the Donaghey Foundation has made in Career Services over the last couple of years.” Straw is looking forward to making Career Services a useful and innovative center to help ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students and graduates find great internships and careers. In her new position, Straw is responsible for managing Career Services, advising students and recent graduates on career readiness and job search processes, overseeing a professional development and career skills program for students, and running career fair and career exploration programs at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock has been very welcoming,” she said. “What makes this a great place for me is the energy I’ve seen for Career Services. I want to help our students find rewarding careers. If students have great careers, they will have more opportunities as alumni to give back to future students. Students come here to better their career and for career development, so I think it’s important that we have new services and tools to help them be successful.” Before joining ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Straw served as the assistant director of Career Services at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where she increased the Career Track Razorbacks faculty partners by 160 percent by enhancing and scaling the Career Track Razorbacks Professional Development program. She also was working on implementing a new diversity, equity, and inclusion career readiness programs for students. A native of Batesville, Straw is a first-generation college student who learned the importance of hard work and higher education by participating in the Upward Bound program at Lyon College. Originally a ballet minor, she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Master of Science in Vocational-Technical Education from Arkansas State University. Straw started her career as a career consultant at Arkansas State University, where she provided career counseling services to around 1,000 students at the university’s Career Management Center. She also worked as a career counselor with ASU’s Career Services. After six years in career services, Straw joined the executive board of the Arkansas Association of Colleges and Employers. She has served in various roles including student recruitment and relations coordinator, past-president, president, and president-elect. Straw loves to give back to the field and hopes to become more involved on a regional level. “I love higher education,” Straw said. “I started off in the First Year Studies Program and then I went to financial aid. A mentor recommended I try career counseling, and I fell in love with being able to help students reach their goals. I am a leader who helps people achieve�� their career goals and live their dreams.” Straw is implementing several new initiatives at Career Services. She will hire a new career specialist this fall to help more students develop their career skills and develop a guide for professors to help students learn career competency skills in the classroom. With funding from the Donaghey Foundation, Brittany is piloting a new program underwriting internships at non-profit, governmental, arts, and start-up entities that typically cannot afford to pay student interns. She is also incorporating work study positions and non-academic graduate assistants into Handshake, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student career portal. Both of these initiatives are designed to enhance equity in career exploration, one through experiential learning opportunities and the other in the student job search and application process. Career Services has two upcoming events for students who are looking for career experience. During the week of Sept. 20-24, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is partnering with JCPenney for a Suit-Up event that will give students a 30 percent off coupon to help with the purchase of business clothes. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will host a Virtual Career Fair from 1-4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 28.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Honors Winners of 2021 Student Research and Creative Works Expo

John Hill — Fri, 07 May 2021 14:16:19 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has selected the winners of the 2021 Student Research and Creative Works Expo. The annual event features the latest innovative research, service or professional work, and creative projects by the student researchers at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.�� The expo also featured presentations by the 2021 winners of the Signature Experience Awards, which provides students with grants to fund a signature experience, including a research project, creative activity, or community project, to enrich the students’ academic experience at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.�� “In its fourth year, the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Signature Experience has matured into a foundational pillar of undergraduate and graduate student research and creative work with the generous support of the Donaghey Foundation,” said Dr. Jeremy Ecke, director of undergraduate research at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.�� The winners include:�� Undergraduate Creative Works Cristie Armstrong, first prize, “The Album Keeper” Logan Sellen, second prize, “Goodbye: An Exploration of Death and Grieving in a Time of Separation” Andrew Chun and Caleb LeFevre, third prize, “From Campus Tree to Campus Table” Economics Josiah Johnson, first prize, “Estimating the Impact of Small Businesses on Crime in the Local Community” Aleigha Smith, second prize, “NBA and the Tax Problem” Maximilian Holzmueller, second prize, “Detecting Plant Diseases with AI”�� Education Sarah Carlat, first prize, “The American Canon is Outdated” Engineering Elias Perez Reyes, first prize, “Crossbow Loading Mechanism” Chance Melby, second prize, “��Vlog��ý Little Rock Classified: An Intentionally Vulnerable Web Application Focused on Teaching K-12 and Undergraduate Students about Web Application Security” Phillip Bryan, third prize, “Continuous Improvement Web Application” Humanities Jaelan Nelson, first prize, “The History Behind Lorraine Hansberry’s Famous Play A Raisin in the Sun” Lindsey Carl, second prize, “The Mermaid Hunter” Alyia Goudeau, third prize, “Beyzus: The Duality and Complexity of the Nature of Beyoncé Giselle Knowles” Life Sciences Avery McLean, first prize, “The Future of Agricultural Herbicide Regulation: The Biological Evaluation and International Response in Regard to Impending Glyphosate Regulation” Tram Nguyen, first prize, “Removal of Estrogens from Drinking Water Using Graphene Oxide-Based Filtration Membranes” Gabrielle Roberts, second prize, “Enzymatic studies of F104G SaMTAN mutant enzyme from Staphylococcus aureus” Mataya Duncan, second prize, “Active Transport Processes of Dictyostelium discoideum Rab32C” Physical Sciences Hannah Krehbiel, first prize, “Novel FRET-based ionic materials for bio imaging applications” Tripti Shukla, second prize, “Refolding of S. aureus MTA nucleosidase to analyze biological activities” Stuti Chatterjee, second prize, “Tunable sized combination nanodrugs based on ionic materials” Kajal Desai, second prize, “Revisiting the chemical stability of molybdenum disulfide membranes” Lauren Langmaid, third prize, “Studies in the hydridic reduction reactions of alkynyl hydrazones via sigmatropic rearrangement to form allenes” Mariela Saavendra-Duran, third prize, “Carbon storage in Fourche Creek Wetlands” Hayley Turner, honorable mention, “Ouch! Determining Factors that Affect Kidney Stone Growth, Formation, Mineralogy, and Morphology” Shannon Bione, honorable mention, “Dirt on the street: Environmental and Health Impacts of Urban road dust” Shiraz Atif, honorable mention, “Cigarette litter-derived carbon materials for the adsorption of dye pollutants from water” Social Sciences Landon DeKay, first prize, “Community Issues in Little Rock: The Interplay of Religion, Politics, and Income” Savannah James, second prize, “The Effects of Political Party Issue Focus” Alex Corrales, second prize, “Statute of Limitations Reform: A Window of Hope” Graduate Education Codi Blackmon, first prize, “Begin Again: Reassessing Graduate Orientation” Engineering Awaad Al Sarkhi, first prize, “Building a Data Washing Machine for Unsupervised Entity Resolution of Unstandardized References Sources” Humanities Mackenzie Nunnally, honorable mention, “Women in Ceramics: Forms of Femininity” Life Sciences Ashley Esparza, first prize, “Localization and Functional Characterization of Dictyostelium discoideum Rab32c” Quinshell Smith, first prize, “Nanostructured Antibacterial Aluminum Foil Produced by Hot Water Treatment against E. coli in Meat” Qingfang He, second prize, “Molecular Mechanisms and Anatomical Development of Transfer Cells” Ilham Kadhim, third prize, “Up-regulation of Osh6 boosts an anti-aging membrane trafficking pathway toward vacuoles” Physical Sciences Zach Smith, first prize, “Calculating the Urban Contribution of Surface Water Quality through Cl and 87Sr/86Sr Mixing Models within the Fourche Creek Watershed” Thuy Le, second prize, “Conductive thin film characterization” Social Sciences Melissa Herrington, first prize, “Image-Based Sexual Abuse and Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery as Intimate Partner Violence” In the upper right photo, Josiah Johnson, a finance and economics major, completed a statistical analysis of the spillover effects and general efficacy of small business initiatives in small towns featured in the TV show Small Business Revolution for his first-place project for the Student Research and Creatives Works Expo. Photo by Ben Krain.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock sets fundraising record, endowment tops $80 million

Janea Snyder — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 20:37:24 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock raised $20 million in private gift support during the fiscal year that ended June 30, marking an 11% increase over the previous fiscal year. This also marked the largest fundraising year in the university’s history since receiving gifts for the Jack Stephens Center and the Windgate Center for Art and Design. More than 7,600 individuals, corporations, and private foundations gave 26,366 gifts between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019. This is the third consecutive year of gift growth. New endowments totaled $2,774,937, bringing ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s total endowment to more than $80 million. ��“These gifts from our generous donors support efforts to maintain our distinction as a recognized research university while advancing the social and economic well-being of our students and the community,” said Chancellor Andrew Rogerson. “Making college education affordable remains a top priority for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. With the help of private philanthropy, the university is able to make a college education more affordable and ensure this generation has access to a world-class education close to home.” One of the largest gifts this year includes a $754,000 gift from the Windgate Foundation supports the Windgate Center for Art and Design and its programs. “The fundraising success ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is experiencing is possible thanks to the generous donations of alumni, parents, foundations, friends, and businesses,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. “Our donors are helping to grow our city, our campus, and giving students a world of opportunity. We are extremely grateful for their support in changing lives.”�� Trojan Athletics received more than $3 million this year. The Donaghey Foundation helped fund a $725,000 renovation of the Donaghey Athletic Center on ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s campus. The project provided significant upgrades and much-needed enhancements that have allowed the athletic program to better serve and prepare student-athletes for success. This investment has also helped the athletic program with recruitment of student-athletes and with competition for championships. All 15 Division I Trojan athletic programs are benefitting from several legacy gifts totaling more than $1 million from donors. Some of the gifts were in the form of three naming rights throughout the Jack Stephens Center. The Lot 16 entrance on the northwest corner is named the Dr. Bob Young Entrance. The student-athlete entrance, located on the ground floor, is the Mary and Rick Edwards Family Entrance. The Athletic Administrative offices located on the third floor are named the Patricia and Mark L. Pollack Athletics Suite. Included in the suite is the Victor Jacuzzi Family Office of Director of Athletics.�� “The Little Rock Trojans continue to benefit from tremendous support from our community,” said Chasse Conque, vice chancellor and director of athletics. “This past year provided another strong fundraising campaign leading to nearly $7.5 million in support over the past two years which has directly enhanced our student-athlete experience. We are most grateful to our loyal supporters who continue to invest in Little Rock’s Team and our mission of graduating champions.” “Our development team is dedicated to changing lives through education,” added Holly Rose, executive director of development. “It is through their work with our generous donors that we can provide students a quality, affordable education, some of the best facilities and programs in the region, and teaching excellence.” Other noteworthy achievements in FY 2019:��

The university awarded $1.52 million in private scholarships, an all-time high. These scholarships helped students with tuition, books, and other school-related expenses. Some students who were near graduation but had particularly dire financial hardships received “Last Mile” funds to help them complete their degree.
The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association membership grew to a record 3,300 members�� and raised $113,452 in online gifts from 131 donors in one day. The popular Taste of Little Rock event also generated $141,000 in sponsorships, ticket sales, and in-kind and general donations.��
First-ever nationwide development efforts celebrated alumni in 21 cities across America. University events were held in Atlanta; Austin; Chicago; Dallas; and Hollywood.
$100,000 in private funding was awarded to 100 students for Signature Experience grants to pursue research and creative endeavor projects. This is the second year that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students could receive grants to work on faculty-mentored projects, allowing them to gain knowledge and skills to compete in a competitive work workforce after graduation.��
Forty-six percent of benefits-eligible employees donated through the annual faculty and staff giving campaign, demonstrating an investment in future students, faculty, and staff.

In the photo above right, a student discusses her breast cancer research with a group of students during the Research and Creative Works Expo. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock awarded $100,000 in research grants to 100 undergraduate students this year. The grants were made possible by private donations from university supporters.�� Photo by Benjamin Krain

50-year-old fieldhouse gets new look, new name

Janea Snyder — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 22:06:27 +0000

Little Rock Athletics officially unveiled the updates to the newly named Donaghey Athletic Center (DAC) on the University of Arkansas at Little Rock campus on Feb. 8. The renovations are a significant upgrade to one of the original athletic facilities, which was constructed as the Trojan Fieldhouse in 1969. The $725,000 project was funded in part through a generous private donation from the George W. Donaghey Foundation. The project will provide much needed enhancements and updates to areas used by Little Rock student-athletes. “Today marks another milestone moment for Little Rock Athletics,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque said. “The investment from the Donaghey Foundation has helped better position our programs. We will see a positive impact on recruiting as well as our ability to compete for championships. The renovations have surpassed our expectation, and I know our coaches, student-athletes, and administrators are proud to call the Donaghey Athletic Center their new home.” The nearly 15,000-square-foot Donaghey Athletic Center houses coaches’ offices and meeting space, locker room and training facilities, and academic support services for the Trojan swimming and diving, soccer, men’s and women’s golf, and men’s and women’s track and field/cross country programs. It also houses the Aquatic Center, the home pool for the Trojan swimming and diving team. “This was a great project, and I know Little Rock will be good stewards of the new Donaghey Athletic Center,” said Greg Flesher, president of the George W. Donaghey Foundation. “This looks tremendously different, and it’s a great accomplishment.” “This building was built in 1969 – 50 years ago – and we can now compete with other schools at a top-tier level in the recruiting arena,” said Senior Associate Athletic Director Richard Turner. “This is where our coaches have graduated student-athletes and have trained world-class athletes, Olympians and national champions. Ten of our 15 sports and over 50 percent of our student-athletes will be able to benefit from the Donaghey Athletic Center.” The renovated center provides student-athletes with an updated weight room and team meeting space, as well as the addition of a nutrition center. The coaching and administrative offices were also remodeled, along with the locker rooms and common areas. Renovations began in August, and most of the work was completed in January. Photo top right: ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student-athletes visit the newly remodeled Donaghey Athletic Center. Above: ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Andrew Rogerson, Greg Flesher, and Chasse Conque attend the grand opening ceremony for the Donaghey Athletic Center on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. Photos by Benjamin Krain

��Vlog��ý Little Rock undertakes major renovation of fieldhouse

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 16:27:53 +0000

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Athletics has announced a major renovation to the Trojan Fieldhouse, one of the original athletic facilities constructed in 1969. The $725,000 project will be funded in part through a generous private donation from the Donaghey Foundation as the fieldhouse will be renamed the Donaghey Athletic Center. The project will provide much needed enhancements while updating areas utilized by Little Rock student-athletes. “The renovation to the Donaghey Athletic Center will provide expanded opportunities for our student-athletes,” said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics��Chasse Conque. “This project is crucial to our future success and will aid our coaches in recruiting and competing for championships. We are grateful to the Donaghey Foundation for their generous support in helping us continue to enhance the experience for the Little Rock Trojans and giving our coaches a first-class facility in which to work.” Located inside the Donaghey Student Center, the Donaghey Athletic Center houses coaching offices, locker room and training facilities and support services for the Trojan swimming and diving, soccer, men’s and women’s golf, and men’s and women’s track and field/cross country programs. It also houses the Aquatic Center, the home pool for the Trojan swimming and diving team. The renovations will provide Trojan student-athletes with an updated weight room and athletic training area, as well as the addition of a nutrition center. It will also provide a complete remodeling of coaching and administrative offices as well as locker rooms and common areas. Enhancements will begin in August with the entire projected expected to be completed by December.

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

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Breaks Ground on Transformational Campus Improvement Projects

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Welcomes Brittany Straw as Director of Career Services

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Honors Winners of 2021 Student Research and Creative Works Expo

����Vlog��ý Little Rock sets fundraising record, endowment tops $80 million