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

Cultivating Student Success: How ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Resources Empower First-Generation Students

John Hill — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 21:44:55 +0000

November is First-Generation College Student Celebration Month. With more than 40 percent of its student population being first-generation students, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is especially committed to providing resources that help this special group of students reach their potential. “One of the biggest challenges first-generation students face in college is navigating a complex system such as a university,” said Heather Reed, director of Student Retention Initiatives. “There are so many processes that involve many offices. Luckily, Student Retention Initiatives can assist first-generation students in learning the university. It can be difficult to ask for help, and we make it easy through the Care Team, a support network for all students.” Members of the Care Team work closely with students to establish steps to reduce barriers to success. They take proactive action to support students in their pursuit of academic success, connect individuals to campus and community resources, create a supportive and caring culture for students, and establish best practices and standard protocols of response for academic referrals. Students who need assistance can contact the Care Team by filling out while faculty and staff who are concerned about a student can fill out . “We also offer peer mentors who are upper-class students who have successfully navigated various processes and have knowledge of the university,” Reed said. “First-generation students can request to be matched with a peer mentor to help them with a variety of issues, such as building locations, learning traditions, tips for academic success, and how to get involved on campus. Many of the staff in our office are first-generation college students so we understand first-hand the challenges students face and how to overcome those challenges.” The Office of Student Retention Initiatives also holds welcome events for new students and celebrates first-generation students every November during First-Generation College Student Celebration Month. “For me, being a first-generation student is a catch-22. I’m very excited that I decided late in age to go back to school,” said Veronica Tess Myers, a first-generation student studying applied communication who attended the Nov. 8 celebration. “I finally finished getting my bachelor’s and am looking forward to acquiring my master’s degree. However, it’s also a little bit of sadness. I’m considered to be a know-it-all because I went further. A lot of the reason why I went further is because of my autistic son and having to learn what I needed for him to succeed.” Since 1978, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s TRIO Student Support Services has provided resources to help increase the rates of academic achievement, retention, and graduation among historically disadvantaged students. “TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) provides services to a limited number of eligible ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students,” said Dr. Desarae Nelson, director of TRIO SSS. “Eligibility requirements include: first generations, and/or limited income, and/or disabled. SSS offers: a scholarship, weekly workshops, financial literacy, cultural events, textbook loans, tutoring, career readiness, and graduate school trips. SSS seeks to motivate students toward the successful completion of their post-secondary education. The goal of the program is to increase participants’ college persistence, support them through graduation, and facilitate the transition from one level of higher education to the next. The program is funded by the US Department of Education.” Dr. Mike Kirk, director of health services and counseling services, said that both units offer great resources to help first-generation students adapt to college life. “Health Services for certain can immediately impact first-generation students,” Kirk said. “To have a convenient family care clinic right here on campus is excellent for them. They can get in and take care of virtually any medical issue that you go to the doctor’s office. Also, the cost is going to be less here than when you go outside to your doctor’s office.

Dr. Mike Kirk

Counseling Services can help normalize the college experience. It’s not as easy to get students to come see us in Counseling Services. We know students can get anxious and concerned about succeeding in college. We can help normalize those feelings and give students strategies to help make them successful.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock also supports students in several other ways. The office of Student Retention Initiatives coordinates peer mentoring, academic coaching, and tutoring to help all students thrive. Additionally, student researchers in the Signature Experience Program receive grant funding and are mentored by ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty, helping prepare students for advanced study and improving persistence. The Multicultural Center provides several mentoring programs that help empower, support, and assist African American students, Hispanic/Latinix students, and students of color in achieving their goal of earning a college degree. Students in these programs meet with career and professional mentors for regular support. The university’s Learning Commons, which opened during the spring semester, provides a space where students have access to study space and tutoring assistance. The Learning Commons is the home of the Communication Skills Center, Math Assistance Center, University Writing Center, World Languages Center, and Trojan Tutoring. “The Learning Commons is a great free resource available to students,” said Brandon Sollars, Learning Commons coordinator. “In this space, we can help students be successful by providing them with direct access to resources that can help them in their courses. Collectively our centers cover a large variety of subjects, everything from intro-level courses, math, writing and communication. We also provide a comfortable space for students to study individually or to study in groups. Here in the Learning Commons we aim to equip our students with the necessary skills and strategies that they need to be successful.” Genesis Dominguez, a junior double major in Spanish and anthropology and first-generation student, helps many students in her work at the Communication Skill Center. “The Communication Skill Center is a great opportunity for the students,” Dominguez said. “This center helps students do presentations, organize slide presentations, prepare them for a speech or interview, rehearse, organize ideas, and manage anxiety while speaking. It has a great team that is willing to help you every step of the way and will celebrate with you every win that you make.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has a number of student ambassador programs that create leadership opportunities for successful students who serve as tutors, mentors, and guides for their fellow students.

Learning Commons Coordinator Brandon Solllars and Michelle Malone and De’Ja Johnson, applied communication graduate students, give a presentation in the Communications Skills Center in Ottenheimer Library. Photo by Ben Krain.

“I intend to help create pathways for opportunities for other ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students and specifically veterans, students of color, and nontraditional students to gain access to resources that hopefully will help generate more student success,” said Bryan Hernandez, a first-generation student and ambassador for the School of Business. “I hope to show that programs like the student ambassador program work! That they help to create a sense of community at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and build confidence in students that may deeply need it.” Additional campus resources that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students will find useful include:

Trojan Works is an institutional work study program that provides on-campus employment opportunities as well as a unique experience that prepares students for success beyond graduation.
Career Services provides opportunities for students to prepare for careers through internships, job postings, career fairs, and career coaching.
Trojan Career Closet offers a career closet to help ensure students are dressed for interviews and internships. Each semester, students can select outfits to wear for professional settings.
Trojan Food Pantry is open to assist students, faculty, and staff with food needs they may have throughout the year.
The Military Student Support Center offers support for the university’s more than 700 Active Duty, Reservists, National Guard Members, Veterans, and their families utilize the center each year.

First-Generation Student Spotlight: Yolanda Grayson

John Hill — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 14:27:58 +0000

In honor of First-Generation College Student Celebration Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is profiling some of its outstanding first-generation students. Yolanda Grayson, from Marianna, Arkansas, is a first-generation law student at William H. Bowen School of Law. What degree are you pursuing? I am pursuing my Juris Doctor (JD) in hopes of serving my community further. How did your family react when you told them you wanted to earn a college degree? Growing up the 10th child of 12, my parents instilled in all of us a strong work ethic, honesty, integrity, volunteerism, and the value of a higher education. It was no surprise to my family when I told them I wanted to earn a college degree because they always saw me reading a book and learning was natural for me. What has been the most rewarding aspect of college so far? The most rewarding aspect of college so far is having opportunities to serve the community. Whether I am performing a random act of kindness, mentoring youth, reading books to children, providing school supplies, serving at a shelter, or donating blood, I am always delighted to volunteer my time and effort. What do you plan to do after graduation? I plan to practice law in rural communities to assist the underserved. Do you have any advice for future first-generation students? For future first-generation students, I am excited for you! Being first is challenging, but you can do this! You do not have to navigate through college alone. I did not have prior exposure or knowledge of the higher education system. I found support through my professors, peers, student services, academic and financial aid advisors, and even student organizations.

First-Generation Student Spotlight: Lakeisha Falls

John Hill — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 14:21:35 +0000

In honor of First-Generation College Student Celebration Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is profiling some of its outstanding first-generation students and alumni. Lakeisha Falls is a first-generation ��Vlog��ý Little Rock nursing faculty member from Blytheville, Arkansas. What does it mean to you to be a first-generation student? Being a first-generation student means that I can pave the way for my younger family members. I have enjoyed being a role model, and I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others. I hope to encourage others to set high standards and then meet those standards. How did your family react when you told them you wanted to earn a college degree? They were very supportive and made sure that I had access to the resources necessary to be successful. What has been the most rewarding aspect of college so far? Networking and creating lifelong friendships. I learned so much from my peers and it truly changed my way of thinking. What made you choose to work at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I received three degrees from here, and I really loved the culture. It is definitely a student friendly university, and there are so many resources available to increase student success. I wanted to give back to the university that believed in me. It is my goal to be a mentor to others as they navigate adulthood. Do you have any advice for future first-generation students? My advice is to stand out and set high goals for yourself. Life is going to happen, and things will not always go as planned, but take that as an opportunity to become a stronger person. Hardships are truly life lessons that make us tougher. Is there anything else you’d like to add? I am thankful for the support that I received from TRIO and the Chancellor’s Leadership Corp. I was given preview to many opportunities that helped me to become successful in my career.

U.S. News and World Report Recognizes ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for Social Mobility

John Hill — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 13:05:38 +0000

Several academic programs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have made the grade by earning a spot in U.S. News and World Report’s 2022 Best College Rankings. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s top ranking came for #143 in Social Mobility – National Universities. The university has risen 48 spots since last year. U.S. News and World Report also previously ranked ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as the top university in Arkansas for social mobility. The ranking measures a university’s success in graduating economically disadvantaged students who are less likely to finish college. “Helping our students advance involves offering more than excellent academic programming,” said Chancellor Christina Drale. “We have intentionally developed resources and expanded services to support students in the transition from classroom to career. Improving our ranking in social mobility reflects a concrete measure of our focused attention on student success.” The social mobility indicator measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. Students receiving these grants typically come from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000. The social mobility ranking was computed by assessing Pell Grant graduation rates and Pell Grant graduate rate performance. At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, 39 percent of undergraduate students from the fall 2021 semester are Pell Grant recipients, and 55 percent of undergraduate students with known generation status are first-generation students. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student body is the most diverse of any college or university in Arkansas. About 45 percent of the student population reports to be in a minority population, two or more races, or international. U.S. News rankings are widely recognized as symbols of excellence in higher education that are conferred by an unbiased trust agent. With more than 15 measures of academic quality, the U.S. News 2022 Best Colleges report provides data-driven information and guidance to help prospective students and their families understand their higher education options. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s in U.S. News and World Report 2022 Best College Rankings include:

Best Undergraduate Nursing #148
Best Undergraduate Business #212
Best Undergraduate Computer Science #252

The School of Nursing, the university’s largest undergraduate program, has a variety of well-respected undergraduate degree programs, including the Student to RN, Student to BSN, Online RN to BSN, and LPN/Paramedic to RN. The online RN to BSN program was ranked the best in the state this year for the second year in a row by RegisteredNursing.org.

Senior nursing students in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Nursing prepare for transition to practice by participating in an Emergency Room simulation in the Center for Simulation Innovation. Photo by Ben Krain.

“We are very proud of our faculty, staff, and students at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Nursing to gain recognition with U.S. News and World Report, a gold-standard in rankings,” said Dr. Sloan Davidson, director of the School of Nursing at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Many innovative learning opportunities are happening in the School of Nursing.” The School of Business serves as a catalyst to advance education and economic development in the state of Arkansas. It is home to the Arkansas Economic Development Institute, the state’s lead Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, the State Farm Business Skills Lab, and the Kenneth Pat Wilson Center for Economic Education. “We are honored to be recognized as a top undergraduate program in business,” said Dr. Robert Mitchell, director of the School of Business at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Our business graduates are well equipped to become excellent employees and help grow the Arkansas business industry to its potential.” The Department of Computer Science, initially accredited in 1990 and the first Computer Science program accredited in the state, offers a minor in information insurance, a bachelor’s degree in computer science with an option that focuses on games, a master’s degree in computer science, and a Ph.D. in computer and information science. The department also welcomed its first cybersecurity majors this fall in a new bachelor’s degree program that prepares students for one of the fastest growing careers in the world. “The department’s areas of opportunity for our students enable undergraduate students to participate in projects outside the classroom,” said Dr. Al Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science. “These areas include cybersecurity, virtual and augmented reality, data visualization, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and mobile, smart systems, and software for IoT (Internet of Things). These opportunities in an ABET-accredited degree program make ��Vlog��ý Little Rock an outstanding place to study computer science.”

Student Retention Initiatives Hosts First-Generation, Transfer Student Welcome

John Hill — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 20:11:00 +0000

The office of Student Retention Initiatives hosted a student success welcome event Aug. 24 filled with food, fun, and great activities for first-generation freshmen and transfer students. “Growing up my parents never got their education so they always wanted the best for me, so I went for my education and followed in my sister’s footsteps,” said Oreana Roman, a first-generation freshman. Student success coaches and student support specialists engage with students one-on-one to help them develop skills for success throughout the semester, navigate ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and maintain a healthy balance between school and life. The initiative helps students get connected to resources on campus and match them with peer mentors to “help answer questions, guide them, and be a student leader,” said Laura Casey, student success coach. “I know how hard it was for me to be a first-gen,” said Maria Roman, peer mentor of five. “I hope this event will draw more people to the program.” The event featured numerous programs such as the Multicultural Center, the Disability Resource Center, Student Support Services, etc. “I saw a lot of organizations like TRIO that I didn’t know about, and learned about some different events that I wouldn’t have known about if I didn’t come here,” said Hayden Henderson, a first-generation freshman. Student Support Services is a federally-funded program located in Suite 105 of the Speech building that provides online and in-person tutoring, academic advising, workshops for financial and economic literacy, scholarships, textbook loans, graduate school trips, and career readiness.

First-generation college students and new transfer students participate in a Welcome Week event on Aug. 24. Photo by Benjamin Krain

“We focus on career readiness and enrichment workshops,” said Desarae Nelson, TRIO SSS Director. “We offer academic advising in resume writing, mock interviews, internships, and help with employment after graduation.” Experienced staff and upper-class students advised that students don’t hesitate to ask questions about anything hindering academic success. Any undergraduate student who identifies as a first-generation college student, taking at least one class at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, can Request a Peer Mentor through the end of September. “We work with students and faculty to make sure that the learning environment is as accessible as possible,” said Reed Claiborne, director of the Disability Resource Center. “Get to know all the departments on campus, find a department that will help you find resources all over campus, and get involved.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock ranked top university for social mobility in Arkansas

John Hill — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 15:57:56 +0000

U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as the No. 1 university in Arkansas for social mobility. The ranking measures a university’s success in graduating economically disadvantaged students who are less likely to finish college. “Facilitating social mobility is a fundamental value at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. It is inherent in our role and scope as a metropolitan university,” said Chancellor Christina Drale. “We also know that helping our students advance means more than providing excellent programs. We must also provide a success infrastructure that will keep them engaged, help them solve problems, and enable them to build relationships with professionals in their field that will assist in their transition to a career path after graduation.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumnae Reteisha Byrd, was able to afford college with the help of Pell grants, scholarships, a graduate assistantship, and student loans. She graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2014 and a Master of Public Administration in 2016. An internship at Little Rock Port Authority led to her current job as a research manager for Boyette Strategic Advisors. “I knew I wanted to attend ��Vlog��ý Little Rock upon graduating from high school,” Byrd said. “The university had a great business program and was in the capital city with plenty of job opportunities. The College of Business provided plenty of opportunities for students to network with local businesses. My education at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has allowed me to apply what I learned in the classroom, make connections within the community, and advance in my personal life. I’ve also made lifelong friends who were either classmates or roommates while attending ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” The social mobility indicator measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. Students receiving these grants typically come from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000. The social mobility ranking was computed by assessing Pell Grant graduation rates and Pell Grant graduate rate performance. At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, 47 percent of undergraduate students from the fall 2020 semester are Pell Grant recipients, and 48 percent of undergraduates are first-generation students. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student body is the most diverse of any college or university in Arkansas. More than half of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students are over the age of traditional college students, with an overall average age of 27. Mercades Parker, a single mother who will graduate in May 2021 with a Master of Social Work degree, would not have been able to afford college without taking on substantive loans if she had not been selected for the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and the Academic Challenge Scholarship from the Arkansas Department of Education. Parker said that the advancement of social mobility is shown at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock by the way people take care of the students. “I think ��Vlog��ý Little Rock really cares about its students,” Parker said. “From 2013 and on, I always felt like there was someone to help me when I needed help the most. College is challenging and tough. Having those different outlets to go to is what helped me. Having a professor who would go back and look over your work with you is very helpful. They really want you to succeed. I think social mobility is shown in how people care about their students.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has proven to be the higher education institution in Arkansas that can transform your life and empower graduates through education. When Dr. Brian Berry came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a first-generation college student, he never imagined that he would get his Ph.D. and go one to become ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School. “I couldn’t even dream of a Ph.D. when I first got here. I was just happy to be going to college,” Berry said. “This place gave me more to dream about. I’ve always been thankful for the opportunities that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has given me. Not only has this institution given me an education, but it’s given me a career.” Dr. Erin Finzer, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, emphasized the many programs ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has available to help underrepresented students as one of the reasons for the university’s high social mobility ranking. Those programs include the Charles W. Donaldson Scholars Academy, a year-round program open to students in the Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD) that provides academic support and mentoring for underrepresented students at the university. Additionally, the Summer Bridge Academy is a three-week residential program that prepares incoming freshmen socially and academically for college-level work and accelerates their progress toward degree completion. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is also home to the African American Male Initiative, African American Female Initiative, Hispanic Latino Initiative, TRIO Talent Search, and McNair Scholars, which also support underrepresented students towards degree completion and graduate school enrollment. “Our academic programs, service to students, and commitment to community engagement are determined by our mission to improve students’ lives through engaged teaching and learning,” Finzer said.

First-Generation Student Spotlight: Erin Clement

John Hill — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 18:01:58 +0000

Erin Clement, a senior interdisciplinary studies major on the Chancellor’s List from Pine Bluff, is studying sociology, psychology, and criminal justice all in preparation for her future career. She was raised by a strong single mother who taught her the value of hard work and encouraged her to get a college education. “Being raised by a single mother, that’s a pretty big thing,” Clement said. “She worked in the freight industry, and she worked as a cook and an attendant at a convenience store. She had an incident at the freight industry that made her partially disabled, which led to her working at the convenience store. She also had a business named the Candle Lady. Every weekend when I was a kid, we set up tables at craft fairs and flea markets to sell our products. That is where she taught about having a work ethic.” Clement transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock after earning certificates as a nursing assistant and home care aide at Southeast Arkansas College. She earned an associate’s degree there in 2007 and returned to school in 2018, two years after her son was born. She said one of her biggest challenges as a first-generation student is not being able to connect her college life with loved ones. “Sometimes, it’s not easy being a first-generation college student. If I pass a test or do well on a writing assignment and I want to share it with my family, sometimes it feels like we aren’t able to connect. It’s not always easy for others who haven’t attended college in my life to understand that I have to do this and that school is like my job,” Clement said. “Overall, it’s a very rewarding experience. It’s all about finding the balance.” After she graduates in December, Clement plans to enroll in the Master of Social Work program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in the fall 2021 semester and later become a social worker and psychotherapist. “Mental health has a very special place in my heart,” Clement said. “My goal is to be that person who intervenes between life and death for someone. I also want to teach positive coping mechanisms to people to help them survive trauma and to help them unlearn maladaptive behaviors.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock first-generation student and single mom Erin Clement tries on her graduation cap with her son Ehren. Photo by Ben Krain.

Clement, who is a single mother to 4-year-old Ehren, said it’s hard to describe how much being the first person in her family to earn a college degree means to her. “I don’t know if there are words to describe what it means,” Clement said. “It’s a sense of honor above all else. My mother instilled in me a desire to go to school and get an education. She told me that no one can take your education away from you. I feel like I have listened to her very well. It’s an honor to be the first college graduate in my family, and it’s an honor to set an example for my son. He will see that his mom got a college degree, and he will see that he can too.” While Clement is taking a break from studies in the spring semester, she doesn’t plan to be idle and will devote time to researching the importance of having childcare centers on college campuses, a topic she delivered in a TEDx talk at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. “While I’m on a much-needed break, I want to do a lot of things,” Clement said. “I want to get published. I’d like to take my TEDx talk about the need for on-campus childcare facilities and expand the research. I think there is a lot that needs to be done.” Clement’s greatest motivator to complete her education is her son, and her advice for college students, who are also parents, to be successful is to think about how much their story will inspire their children. “For those first-generation students out there with children, they are setting the bar so high for their children,” Clement said. “The reward will continuously pay off. They will be able to help their children do the same or more when they apply for college, and they will be an example for their children. I hope that when my son gets to the age to apply for college that he wants to aim so much higher because his mommy did that too. I’m trying to instill a constant drive for education in him.”

First-Generation Student Spotlight: Janette Muñoz

John Hill — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 17:44:32 +0000

Janette Muñoz, a senior double majoring in nursing and Spanish, is fulfilling a dream for herself and her parents by being the first in her family to attend college. “My parents in Mexico couldn’t receive a proper education. My grandparents couldn’t afford to send them to school,” Muñoz said. “I know the reason they came to the U.S. is to give me a better opportunity to be a better person, and if I can do that I will make them so proud.” After she graduates in the spring 2022 semester, Muñoz hopes to help mothers bring their children into the world. “I’m hoping to get a job here in Arkansas, and I want to be an OB/GYN nurse,” Muñoz said. “I want to get a job working with babies and mothers. I love babies. Growing up, I always cared for my siblings. It’s like I was their second mother. Bringing a baby into this world is an awesome experience, and I want to help make that happen.” After graduating from Little Rock Central High School in 2017, Muñoz was looking for a college that is close to home and affordable. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock is close to home, and I didn’t want to be far away from my parents. This is the family that I knew and grew up with, and I didn’t want to leave them behind,” she said. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock has definitely given me the resources to be successful. I remember thinking about how I would afford college before I applied. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock gave me a lot of scholarships to apply for, and the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps (CLC) is what determined me going here. I’m working with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock TRIO, and these are some of the best co-workers I’ve had the experience of working with. The staff is very friendly, and I’m not afraid to ask for help if I need it.”

Photo of Janette Munoz by Ben Krain.

At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Muñoz also volunteers with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Trojan Food Pantry and the Little Rock Marathon. She is a member of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and is in the middle of helping plan LULAC’s Drive for the Homeless. During the week of Thanksgiving, LULAC members hand out gift baskets with coats, blankets, hand sanitizer, toothbrushes, and other hygiene products to the homeless. Muñoz was on track to graduate with a nursing degree in spring, but an unexpected medical emergency in March delayed her plans. “I got a sharp sudden pain on my abdomen,” Muñoz said. “It kept getting worse. I knew it was not normal. I called my mom, and she suggested I drink some soothing tea. I remember not even being able to drink the tea. I went to the emergency room, and they thought it was my appendix. They noticed I had an ovarian cyst wrapped around a fallopian tube. I had to have surgery.” Muñoz was in recovery for weeks and needs to retake a course that is offered once a year. She feels that every challenge can come with a silver lining. She took advantage of her extra time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and is now pursuing a second bachelor’s degree in Spanish. “I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason,” she said. Inspired by her own experience as a first-generation student, Muñoz is helping other Spanish-speaking families navigate the education system. She is an intern and volunteer with the Unidos Se Puede program with Mamás Unidas to connect families and volunteers. “Spanish families sometimes can’t help their kids because of a language and technology barrier that prevents them from communicating with their kids’ teachers,” Muñoz said. “I help set up volunteers for parents when they need translators for a parent-teacher meeting or a tutor for their kids.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to Honor First-Generation College Students in November

John Hill — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 16:24:11 +0000

In honor of First-Generation College Student Celebration Month, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is launching a campaign to celebrate first-generation students, employees, and alumni throughout November. “Attending college for the first time is a big step for any student, especially first-generation students,” said Dr. Christina Drale, chancellor at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “First-generation students are a vital part of our community, making up approximately half of the undergraduate student body. We actively support each student and are proud to celebrate this special month with our first-generation students.” Throughout the month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will be sharing the stories of first-generation Trojans, whether they are current students, faculty or staff members, or alumni. The community is encouraged to share stories of their first-generation ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students by posting their story on social media with the hashtag #FirstGenTrojan and tagging the university’s official page. Students highlighted in the #FirstGenTrojan social media campaign will be automatically entered for a chance to win a free swag bag from the university. One such student is Lakendra Mackrey. She said this of her experience as a first-generation student at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock: “As a first-generation student, I have the insatiable need to achieve greatness. My professors encouraged me to keep up the good work and my peers cheered me on when I felt I was going down the wrong academic path. True grit allowed me to stay the course and make the Chancellor’s List Spring 2020.” First-generation students make up 41% of the university’s total student population, and 48% of its undergraduate population. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is dedicated to helping each student succeed through financial aid and scholarships, engaged faculty and staff, excellent resources for student success, and through real-world learning experiences like internships, applied research, study abroad, and service learning projects. For example, the university recently received a $2.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support the university’s Student Support Services (SSS) program, which provides resources to undergraduate college students who are low-income, first-generation, and/or have a disability.

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

Cultivating Student Success: How ����Vlog��ý Little Rock Resources Empower First-Generation Students