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

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to Host Grad School Night at Dec. 12 Basketball Game

John Hill — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 20:22:53 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Graduate School will host an event for graduate students and prospective graduate students during the men’s basketball game on Monday, Dec. 12. It will be an exciting night as the Trojans battle Little Rock rival Philander Smith University beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Jack Stephens Center. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock graduate students will be honored throughout the night. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Graduate School will be on hand with information on the university’s more than 55 graduate programs for prospective students. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s graduate programs from certificates to doctoral programs are designed to help students advance through exceptional internships and research opportunities. Prospective graduate students will also be able to apply for free and will receive information on the Get Your Feet Wet Scholarship, which is designed to support new graduate students who have not been awarded graduate assistantships by paying tuition for one three-credit-hour course during their first semester of graduate school. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students have free admission to the game, while discounted tickets for family members of graduate students and prospective graduate students, including Philander Smith students, will be available for just $2. Tickets for free concessions will also be available. Discounted tickets can be using code “GRADSCHOOL.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Announces Search for Dean of College of Business, Health, and Human Services

John Hill — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 14:40:09 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has launched a national search for a leader for the College of Business, Health, and Human Services (CBHHS). The College of Business, Health, and Human Services is the largest college at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and contains eight departments and schools as well as the Arkansas Economic Development Institute, the state’s lead Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, and MidSOUTH. The dean will be responsible for working with many business and industry leaders in the area and cultivating students to help build the state’s growing workforce and economic development. The search committee brings together a wide variety of university, industry, and community leaders to choose the next leader of this distinguished college. Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School, is leading the search committee as chair. “We are excited to begin the search to fill this critical leadership position on our campus,” Berry said. “The committee that has been assembled includes representation from all of the schools in the college as well as community stakeholders. I am hopeful that we can identify the right candidate to help lead this college and continue to build upon the strength of the faculty and students.” Other search committee members include Melvin Beavers, the Chancellor’s DEI fellow; Mike Blain, captain with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Jay Chesshir, president and CEO of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce; Sloan Davidson, director of the School of Nursing; Mark Funk, chair of the Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance; David Gilliam, associate professor of marketing; Michael Johnson, director of development and external relations; Kim Jones, professor of social work; Mary Parker, professor of criminal justice; Janae Snyder, associate professor of counseling, human performance, and rehabilitation; Michael Stewart, CEO of Saline Health System; Cathy Tuggle, owner and principal broker of Tuggle Services, Inc.; and Sharon Vogelpohl, president and CEO of MHP/Team SI. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will continue for the position until it is filled, though the priority application review deadline is Oct. 30. Interviews will begin in November, and the new dean is expected to begin during the spring 2023 semester. They will take over for Dr. Deborah Baldwin, associate provost of collections and archives at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, who has been serving as the interim dean of CBHHS since August.

GRAD��Vlog��ýTE SPOTLIGHT ON UCHENNA “UCHE” UMOGA

John Hill — Thu, 27 May 2021 13:23:04 +0000

Uchenna “Uche” Umoga graduated this spring with a master’s degree in computer science. He worked with Dr. Nitin Agarwal in COSMOS (Collaboration for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies).�� Tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m from Abuja, Nigeria, and have three brothers and one sister. I worked for two companies as a senior software engineer prior to getting my master’s degree at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I have a��bachelor’s degree in computer science in 2016 at Landmark University in Nigeria.�� I love playing soccer. It has always been my dream to become a professional soccer player and play for Nigeria. In Little Rock, I play semi-professional soccer for the Arkansas Wolves FC. However, my favorite experience was playing on ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s intramural soccer team. Also, I enjoy hiking. Some of my favorite places to hike are Pinnacle Mountain and Emerald Point.�� Why did you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I considered two other universities in the U.S., but I had friends that told me how awesome the Computer Science Program was at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I contacted Dr. Nitin Agarwal about his research projects, and he gave me an opportunity to participate. Did you experience culture shock when you moved to the United States? Yes! I’ve been in the U.S. for just two years. Everyone here goes to bed so early, and they eat dinner at 6 p.m. In Nigeria, I personally have dinner a bit later and go to bed around 11 p.m. Also, eating fried ice cream for the first time was a shocking experience. In Nigeria, we call soccer “football.” People in Arkansas were so welcoming to me. They brought gifts and checked on me. You were one of Nitin Agarwal’s students in the COSMOS program. What is this program? The COSMOS research team studies various aspects of social media and online behavior. The primary goal is to combat misinformation. I used data-mining tools that provide actionable information on blogs, keywords, etc., and conduct cluster analyses. As a full-stack engineer, I work on both the front-end and back-end of web applications. What do you think is the future of social media? We are still battling misinformation. But I think social media is super useful and does more good than harm. In the future, we are headed toward a better place. Why did you choose computer science? Since high school, I’ve always wanted to learn computer science since it is the driving force behind technological advancements. Computer science has an impact on so many different areas (e.g., agriculture, chemical engineering, civil engineering), and I want to do something that makes a difference regardless of the field. Who were some of your mentors at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? Dr. Nitin Agarwal (Dr. A) was phenomenal. Dr. Mariofanna Milanova was my advisor and taught a class in machine learning. Nihal Hussein, then a doctoral candidate, worked with me on the COSMOS research team. Former classmate Adewale Obadimu, who currently works at Linkedin, was a big influence. What were some of your favorite courses? Analysis of Algorithms was my favorite class. An algorithm is a step-by-step process to achieve a certain goal. This was my most difficult course. In this class, Dr. Jan Springer taught me how to present data to a lay audience and carry out effective presentations in an efficient manner. I also enjoyed Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning with Dr. Mariofanna Milanova. How did you celebrate your graduation? My mother came to my graduation from Nigeria! Then my friends and I had a picnic at Two Rivers Park. We ate Nigerian Jollof Rice, which is some spicy stuff. And we played soccer, of course. What do you want to do now? I already have a couple of job offers. I want to be a full-stack engineer and eventually own my own company. Personally, I want to improve technology in Nigeria and give back to my country. This graduate profile was compiled by Toni Boyer.

Graduating Student Spotlight: Babatunji Ogunjobi

John Hill — Tue, 18 May 2021 14:13:55 +0000

Babatunji “Ted” Ogunjobi is graduating this month with a master’s degree in business information systems from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and a perfect 4.0 GPA.�� Even though he had previously founded three startup companies, Ogunjobi had never joined a business program before ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “I chose the Business Information Systems Program because the curriculum blends acquiring business management and technology skills relevant for the technology driven world we live in today,” he said. A native of Nigeria, Ogunjobi is putting his business skills and entrepreneurial mindset to good use as a senior business program manager at Microsoft. “There I will join the team in the quest to build products that empower every individual and organization in the world,” Ogunjobi said. Tell us about yourself. My name is Babatunji Ogunjobi, but most people call me Ted. I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, and lived there for 31 years. My first degree was a bachelor’s degree in engineering in information and communication technology, which I obtained in 2012 from Covenant University, Nigeria. I am very entrepreneurial, having previously founded three startups. In 2019, after having worked in Nigeria for six years at an insurance company, I decided to leave to acquire a Master of Science degree in Business Information Systems at ��Vlog��ý little Rock. I also wanted to gather more knowledge and apply my skills to organizations on a more global scale. I will be graduating from this program with distinction and a 4.0 GPA. How do you feel about your upcoming graduation? I am very excited. This degree is coming nine years after I obtained my first college degree and 15 years after I was refused a visa to study in the U.S. because the consular officer said I was a mediocre student. I am glad I am graduating against all odds with distinction. I have received different awards and scholarships along the way including:

2019 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock International Students Scholarship Award
2020 National Sales Network Leadership Award
2020 National Society of Black Engineers Apex Scholar Award
2020 Grad Cohort for the Underrepresented Minorities and Persons with Disabilities Workshop by the Computer Research Association
2021 National Society of Black Engineers BCA/Affiliate/ Fellows Scholarship

Why did you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I chose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock originally because of the international student diversity, graduate assistantship opportunities, affordable cost of living in Little Rock, the Business School’s AACSB certification, and huge research base through centers like COSMOS and ASBTDC. Why did you choose to study business information systems? I had spent the last decade gathering technology skills and spent some time building startups/businesses. However, I had never formally enrolled for a business program. I chose Business Information Systems because the curriculum blends acquiring business management and technology skills relevant for the technology driven world we live in today. What teachers inspired you at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? All of my teachers were great. I am especially thankful to Dr. Robert Michell, Dr. Sung-Kwam Kim, Dr. Karen Leonard, and Dr. Alan Boss. What do you plan to do after graduation?

Babatunji “Ted” Ogunjobi

This June I will be commencing work at Microsoft as a senior business program manager. There I will join the team in the quest to build products that empower every individual and organization in the world. Did you participate in any extracurricular or service activities? I was a member of the Association for Information Systems, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chapter. I was also a digital decoder volunteer with Amnesty International. What is your favorite memory of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? The opportunity to meet students from diverse cultures and taste cuisines from different countries especially at Karl Lenser’s Friday lunch for international students. This made my first year here very memorable. What advice would you give to future students? ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is a great place to achieve your educational goals. The student base is very diverse, the curriculum is top notch, and the university provides a pedestal for the audacious to achieve the impossible. Is there anything else you’d like to add? I was a summer scholar intern for HP in 2020, and I interned at First Orion Corporation in Little Rock as a product analyst between January and April 2021. On campus, I worked as a graduate research assistant within the Records and Registration department for Malissa Mathis, registrar, and Dana Steele, associate registrar. Their managerial styles were worthy of emulation, and I gained a lot of knowledge working for them.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Celebrates Spring 2021 Graduates

John Hill — Tue, 11 May 2021 22:08:18 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will hold a variety of in-person and virtual events to celebrate the approximately 1,300 students who have applied for graduation from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock during the spring 2021 semester. College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education (Graduate Students) Tuesday, May 11, 6 p.m. | School of Social Work (Graduate Students) Wednesday, May 12, 6 p.m. | Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Graduate Students) Thursday, May 13, 6 p.m. | School of Nursing Friday, May 14, 3-7 p.m. | Video will be added later.�� College of Business, Health, and Human Services��(Graduate Students, not including Social Work) Friday, May 14, 6 p.m. | Little Rock Baseball Graduating student-athletes from the Little Rock Baseball Team will be honored during the May 15 game against Appalachian State that begins at 6 p.m. William H. Bowen School of Law Saturday, May 15, 7 p.m. | The Honorable Rita Gruber, a member of the Court of Appeals, will serve as the commencement speaker for the William H. Bowen School of Law. She previously served as a circuit judge for the Sixth Judicial District for 18 years. While serving on the trial bench, she helped establish a Volunteer Probation Officer program to work with first-time juvenile offenders. She also established a specialized teen parenting program, a truancy alternative school, and helped plan the CSTP juvenile boot camp at Camp Robinson. A 1979 graduate of Bowen, Gruber works closely with the Bowen School of Law developing mediation programming, particularly for juvenile cases, and currently serves on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Law Leadership Advisory Board. As part of the hybrid commencement celebrations, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock held an event for graduates to have their pictures taken April 24-25 at the Jack Stephens Center. Those pictures will be featured in ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s virtual commencement ceremony��on June 5.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Student Research and Creative Works Expo Begins April 16

John Hill — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 17:29:25 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s 2021 Student Research and Creative Works Expo will debut to the public Friday, April 16, featuring the latest research and innovations of student researchers at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.�� The event will be hosted virtually through Whova, a free event app. The expo will be open to the public through July 12, allowing members of the Little Rock and campus community to attend the presentation of students’ projects. Judging will take place from April 16-19.�� Both graduate and undergraduate students are eligible to present their ongoing research projects, service or professional work, and creative projects. Student researchers are exploring everything from using combination therapy to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria to the creation of micro droids inspired by the “Star Wars” universe to an assessment of the university’s graduate student orientation program. The expo will feature presentations by the 2021 winners of the Signature Experience Awards, which provides students with grants to fund a signature experience, such as 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. “As we look forward to our second virtual expo and celebrate the adaptivity and endurance of our students, we have made several important changes. Shifting to a mainly web-based platform will allow attendees and judges to experience enhanced portfolios with handouts, pictures, asynchronous videos, and even live-streaming presentations.” Some of the projects at the Student Research and Creative Works Expo include:�� In a project entitled, “Wireless Charging with Magnetic Resonance,” students Christa Hindman, Joshua Maxwell, Alexandria Smith, Samuel Zargari, and Hirak Patangia are exploring a more efficient method to charge electric vehicles. In “Detecting Plant Diseases with AI,” Maximilian Holzmueller plans to build and train a machine learning model to identify common plant diseases in hydroponic produce. The goal of the project is to develop a plant disease detection application and a business case with a local startup (Agrowponics). If the business model is feasible and Agrowponics is satisfied with the final concept and the analysis, it will be rolled out as a complementary service for the company’s customers. In “Estimating the Impact of Small Businesses on Crime in the Local Community,” Josiah Johnson is utilizing a contest among small towns for a $500,000 revitalization award to study the spillover effects and general efficacy of small business initiatives in small towns. By surveying towns nominated for the TV show “Small Business Revolution,” the project compares and quantifies the impact of the award on various economic outcomes of winning towns relative to non-winning nominees. The results of this project will be of interest to investors and policy makers for future small business initiatives and programs in the U.S. “As we have come to expect with the Student Research and Creative Works Expo, this year’s projects highlight the innovation and diversity of student research at its best,” Ecke said. “Please join us on April 16 to learn more about the many exciting projects at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” To register for the event, you can sign up . Once you have been registered, participants will receive notification from an expo committee member and can sign in or create an account to join the event . A brief video outlining the registration process and Whova event platform is available .��

��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s graduate programs named to 2022 U.S. News and World Report Rankings

John Hill — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 19:19:12 +0000

Several graduate programs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock were named in the 2022 Best Graduate School rankings by U.S. News and World Report.�� Some of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s top graduate programs listed in the most recent U.S. News and World report include: 36th in Best Criminology Schools, 39th in Best Part-time Law Programs, and 111th in Best Public Affairs Programs. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock also ranked in the #154-202 category in Best Engineering Schools.�� “These rankings from U.S. News and World Report confirm what we have known for some time,” said Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost of research and dean of the Graduate School. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock has a lot to offer in graduate education. These programs are shining examples of the great things that happen at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Criminal Justice has been ranked 36th in the . The School of Criminal Justice is home to the state’s only doctoral program in criminal justice as well as two master’s degree programs, one of which is completely online. “We are thrilled that our Criminal Justice and Criminology program is being nationally recognized by the U.S. News and World Report,” said Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, director of the School of Criminal Justice. “Our school is dedicated to ensuring that we provide the best possible education for our undergraduate and graduate students through innovative teaching strategies, one-on-one mentoring, and community-engaged research. It’s exciting that our colleagues across the nation see this too.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s William H. Bowen School of Law has been ranked 39th among the . Part-time law programs play a vital role in legal education, as they allow working professionals to balance a career while earning a law degree through evening and weekend courses. Bowen offers the only part-time law program in Arkansas. In specialty rankings, Bowen was ranked 25th in Best Legal Writing Programs and 52nd in Best Dispute Resolution Programs. Bowen has also been noted as one of the law schools where graduates have considerably lower average indebtedness and graduate with an average student loan debt of under $70,000. “We are pleased our part-time program has been recognized by U.S. News,” said Dean Theresa Beiner. “With our location in the state capital and our low student debt, we are proud to offer our working students a quality education that allows them to accomplish their career goals.” The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Public Affairs brings together academic, applied research, and training units that share a focus on government, politics, nonprofit organizations, and public service. The School of Public Affairs houses a Master of Public Administration degree as well as graduate certificate programs in nonprofit management and conflict mediation. The program has been ranked 111th in .

Berry makes planned gift to support ��Vlog��ý Little Rock STEM students

John Hill — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 15:55:54 +0000

Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School, has made a planned gift, currently valued at about $50,000, to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to support the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). “I love this institution, and I love its mission,” Berry said. “This place has meant a lot to me. I am a first-generation college student. I couldn’t even dream of a Ph.D. when I first got here, but this place gave me more to dream about. I got hooked into chemistry and research, and I decided to get my Ph.D. I’ve always been thankful for the opportunities that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has given to me, and it’s natural to want to establish something to give back to the institution that has given me so much.” The Dr. Brian Berry Endowed Scholarship for the Sciences will provide funds for undergraduate ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students who are majoring in the sciences in the Donaghey College of STEM for education-related expenses, including tuition, fees, books, and room and board. “The great thing about being in STEM is there are so many opportunities,” Berry said. “Majoring in STEM gives you a broad-based education. Moving into the future, a STEM major gives you a lot of possibilities. The skills that you learn are transferable to so many different areas. The future is consistently moving in a technological direction. STEM majors will be set up well to achieve great things as society continues to move in that direction.” Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Donaghey College of STEM, thanked Berry for providing students a way to achieve their dream of a college education. “Our college reaches students from many backgrounds with different needs,” Whitman said. “This scholarship is a welcome addition for our students who would not previously be able to complete a science degree, but will now have a scholarship opportunity to fulfill their dream of a career in the sciences.” Berry earned a Ph.D. in applied science/chemistry and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, both from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. He completed a postdoc at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a National Research Council postdoc fellowship at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) before returning to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as an assistant professor of organic chemistry in 2008. He’s served as the graduate coordinator and chair of the Department of Chemistry as well as the director of the Applied Science Program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.�� Berry’s advice for students to be successful in college is to choose a major that they love. “My parents never pushed me in a particular direction,” Berry said. “They told me to find something that you love, and you’ll never do a day of work in your life. That is what I would encourage students to do. Find something that you love and are passionate about, and everything will fall into place after that.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s online Master of Arts in Mass Communication program ranked among best in nation

John Hill — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 13:22:48 +0000

College Consensus, a college review aggregator, has ranked the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s online Master of Arts in Mass Communication program 16th on its list of the degree programs for 2020.�� Vlog��ý Little Rock’s fully online master’s degree in mass communication emphasizes critical thinking in mass media and its strategic communication and journalistic practices as they relate to media content and its effects on the public as a whole. “The master’s degree is a well structured and flexible program for all interested in pursuing a graduate degree in strategic communication, journalism, and media research,” said Dr. Kwasi Boateng, graduate program coordinator. Divided into 11 courses, the 33-hour degree provides a media research choice that prepares distance learners to evaluate and conduct academic research in mass communication. Students are equipped with how to write and present their research findings to both academic and non-scholarly audiences. The professional mass media option gives students advanced professional experience in strategic communication/public relations or multi-platform journalism. All students will either create a professional project or write a master’s thesis for their capstone experience. College Consensus compiled its list of colleges and universities with online or hybrid master’s degree programs based on reputation, convenience, and affordability. Ranks were calculated with data from U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and each school’s College Consensus Score.

Public service, law, emerging analytics, and other graduate programs to be featured at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock informational mixer Oct. 3

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 18:40:12 +0000

People who are interested in attending graduate school are invited to explore advanced programs Thursday, Oct. 3, at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “Explore Graduate Programs in the Rock!” will offer a daytime mixer from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and an evening mixer from 5-7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Register at .�� Representatives from the , William H. Bowen School of Law, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Online, George W. Donaghey Emerging Analytics Center, and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Tech Launch will be onsite, as well as representatives from Financial Aid and Scholarships. The event provides an opportunity for curious participants to chat with professors and career advisors about their interests and to discover avenues for funding graduate education. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock offers graduate certificates in addition to master’s and doctoral degrees. Many of these programs are offered in hybrid formats, such as weekend, evening, and online courses, that allow all students the convenience to pursue higher education.

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

����Vlog��ý Little Rock to Host Grad School Night at Dec. 12 Basketball Game

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Announces Search for Dean of College of Business, Health, and Human Services

GRAD����Vlog��ýTE SPOTLIGHT ON UCHENNA “UCHE” UMOGA

Graduating Student Spotlight: Babatunji Ogunjobi

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Celebrates Spring 2021 Graduates

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Student Research and Creative Works Expo Begins April 16

����Vlog��ý Little Rock’s graduate programs named to 2022 U.S. News and World Report Rankings

Berry makes planned gift to support ����Vlog��ý Little Rock STEM students

����Vlog��ý Little Rock’s online Master of Arts in Mass Communication program ranked among best in nation

Public service, law, emerging analytics, and other graduate programs to be featured at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock informational mixer Oct. 3