- University News Archive - 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock /news-archive/tag/human-performance-and-rehabilitation/ 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Thu, 20 Apr 2017 13:10:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 College of Education and Health Professions honors top faculty, staff, and students /news-archive/2017/04/20/college-of-education-and-health-professions-awards/ Thu, 20 Apr 2017 13:10:50 +0000 /news/?p=66921 ... College of Education and Health Professions honors top faculty, staff, and students]]> College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.聽 Ortega received the Faculty Above and Beyond award at the college鈥檚 annual awards ceremony April 7 in Dickinson Hall. In addition to teaching four classes and coordinating the second-largest graduate program on campus, Ortega took on additional administrative responsibilities due to the departure of the program support person. 鈥淒r. Ortega is extremely humble and has continued to go above and beyond for his students, peers, the program, the college, and 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock,鈥 Jason Kushner, professor of counselor education, wrote in his nomination letter. 鈥淗e is highly regarded as a motivated, professional, detail-oriented, inspiring professor who uses his extensive knowledge of the field of rehabilitation in informing the next generation of practitioners in the area of disability students and rehabilitation.鈥 Linda Stauffer, associate professor of interpreter education and program coordinator of the Interpreter Education Program, received the Faculty Excellence in Teaching award for the college. 鈥淒r. Stauffer鈥檚 commendable record of teaching exemplifies the caliber and type of individuals many universities desire among faculty members,鈥 said Dr. Glenn Anderson, Stauffer鈥檚 co-worker and assistant professor of the American Sign Language and English Interpreter Education program. Cari Reeves, director of the Environmental and Spatial Technology program, received the Trojan Excellence Award, which goes to an outstanding College of Education and Health Professions staff member. Sara Fruechting, assistant professor of nursing, and Catherine Crisp, associate professor of social work, were the recipients of the Dean鈥檚 Awards. The student award winners include:
  • 听听听听听Outstanding Associates Degree Seeking Student: Dawn Moline, nursing major
  • 听听听听听Outstanding Bachelors Degree Seeking Student: Josh Gray, interpreting major
  • 听听听听听Outstanding Master’s Degree Seeking Student: Suzanne Rogers, communications and speech disorders major
  • 听听听听听Outstanding Doctoral Degree Seeking Student: Lindsey Sloan, audiology major
At the ceremony, departmental friends were recognized for their outstanding service and commitment to the College of Education and Health Professions, including:
  • 听听听听听Friend of the Audiology and Speech Pathology Department: Little Rock School District
  • 听听听听听Friend of the School of Counseling, Human Performance and Rehabilitation: Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  • 听听听听听Friend of the School of Education: Dr. Danyell Crutchfield Cummings, director of testing and evaluation at Little Rock School District
  • 听听听听听Friend of the Jodie Mahony Center: Family of Martha Gaunt Bass
  • 听听听听听Friend of the School of Social Work: Dave Hoffpauir
  • 听听听听听Friend of MidSouth: Shelia Garrett, cessation section chief for the Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program at the Arkansas Department of Health
  • 聽 聽 Friend of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Speech and Hearing Clinic: Martha Alman
]]> 糖心Vlog传媒LR student veteran plans career in health education in honor of family /news-archive/2016/12/13/ualr-student-veteran-health-education/ Tue, 13 Dec 2016 15:29:42 +0000 /news/?p=65957 ... 糖心Vlog传媒LR student veteran plans career in health education in honor of family]]> When Fernandez Evans graduates from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Dec. 17, his thoughts will be on his mother who passed away shortly after he was accepted to 糖心Vlog传媒LR.聽 鈥As I carried the grief of my mother Katrena Evette Thomas into my university years, the one thing I regret is that my mom did not get to see me graduate,鈥 said Evans, 22, of Maumelle, Arkansas. Evans will graduate with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in health education and promotion. In January, he will start graduate school at 糖心Vlog传媒LR with the goal of one day becoming a professor of health education at 糖心Vlog传媒LR. Evans is especially grateful for his mentors in the 糖心Vlog传媒LR School of Counseling, Human Performance and Rehabilitation, Dr. Britney Finley and Dr. Janea Snyder, for helping with his studies. 鈥淚 want to thank them for always supporting and guiding me in the right direction in this field, because I want to be just like them. They are my idols,鈥 Evans said. Although his mother will not be able to see him graduate, he will be reunited with the older sister he has not seen in over a year and a half. Evans thinks it is fitting that his sister, Vashanti Williams, will see him graduate, since she is the one who inspired him to become a teacher. 鈥淢y big sister is a teacher for people with special education in Pine Bluff,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 have wanted to be a teacher since junior high. It is going to be very emotional to meet up and celebrate an accomplishment like this.鈥

Facing challenges

Evans has faced many challenges on his path to higher education. He is a five-year member of the Arkansas National Guard, serving as a radio operator and communications specialist. 鈥淚n my unit, I am the man in the middle who has a backpack and a phone and is telling you what the orders are,鈥 he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 like the guy in the movies who tells you when an airstrike is coming.鈥 During his time in the National Guard, Evans鈥 squad leader, Sgt. First Class Charles Beck, became like a father to him. Sadly, Beck passed away from stomach cancer in May 2015. 鈥淗e was not my biological father, but he was the only father figure in my life,鈥 he said. 鈥淗e was my squad leader and a great man. He was very respectful, and he always taught me to just stay on the right path and be kind to everyone.鈥 After the loss of his father figure, Evans鈥 grades slipped. However, he found support in his best friend, John Barnes, and through 糖心Vlog传媒LR Student Support Services. 鈥淎ll of our professors have motivated me, but I have to shout out to Student Support Services in the TRIO programs,鈥 Evans said. 鈥淭hey always made me feel like I am never alone. Ms. Julie Shelby always helped me.鈥

Giving back

Going into health education, Evans has always felt an urge to help others. During his internship, Evans was able to work at a wellness center in Atlanta, Georgia, to spread awareness of HIV and work on a suicide prevention hotline for African American gay men. During his internship, Evans is thankful he met a fellow advocate, Randall Whipple, who helped him come to terms with his own identity as an African American gay man. 鈥淩andall helped me realize that there is nothing wrong with my sexuality, and he helped me realize that I make my own happiness.鈥 As he thinks about the many people in his life who have helped him reach this point, Evans has a special message for the person who inspired him the most. 聽 鈥淭hank you, Mom. You were afraid as I grew up that I would not make friends. You were afraid that I was not going to get out in the world and live,鈥 Evans said. 鈥淚 am living, I have friends, and I have a life that you would be proud of.鈥]]> Graduating student: 鈥楨very struggle was worth it鈥 /news-archive/2016/12/12/graduating-student/ Mon, 12 Dec 2016 18:48:25 +0000 /news/?p=65948 ... Graduating student: 鈥楨very struggle was worth it鈥]]> For the past six years, Davis fought tirelessly to complete graduate school while her husband and son were incarcerated. 聽 During the Dec. 17 fall graduation ceremony, Davis expects to complete her journey of obtaining master鈥檚 degrees in adult education and rehabilitation counseling 鈥 with a 3.5 GPA. 鈥I was told that I would never be able to accomplish this goal, especially while working full time and trying to maintain everything for myself,鈥 Davis said. In October 2014, Davis鈥 son was incarcerated, leaving her as the caretaker of his two children. While stepping in as a mother figure for her grandchildren, Davis also cared for her adult daughter, who has developmental disabilities. 聽 鈥淭his load seemed unbearable,鈥 Davis said. 鈥淚 felt like giving up. I just wanted to say I am never going to accomplish such an unreachable goal, but little did I know, God had a plan for me.鈥 Although she encountered setbacks, such as retaking courses, she did what was necessary to keep going. 鈥淚n May 2016, my husband was incarcerated,鈥 Davis said. 鈥淚 felt so alone and abandoned. My focus to study was nearly destroyed. I felt that I鈥檇 reached the point of no return where academics were concerned.鈥 Knowing that her end results would be greater than her circumstances, Davis kept at it. Thanks to the support of her family and the faculty and staff at the university, she made it through the fall semester, bringing her one step closer to walking across the commencement stage. 鈥淚 appreciate everyone who helped me in some way or another to achieve my goals,鈥 Davis said. 鈥淚 also appreciate those who never gave up on me and cheered me on even when I wanted to give up. Every struggle was worth it.鈥 With two degrees under her belt, Davis plans to become an educational trainer as well as a counselor and therapist. She also aspires to become a bestselling author and entrepreneur, traveling the world to help young children and families dealing with abandonment issues. 鈥淚 will take what I have been given and work hard to leave a legacy for not only my children and grandchildren, but others whose lives I will touch along the way.鈥]]>