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

Gov. Hutchinson Touts Benefits of Tech Careers during Euronet Panel at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 18:13:30 +0000

Gov. Asa Hutchinson spoke about how education and industry partners like and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock can work together to build the state’s technology workforce during a Technology Careers Town Hall Meeting hosted by Euronet and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on Nov. 5. Gov. Hutchinson spoke with Tony Warren, Euronet Software president and managing director, and Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, about the work that Euronet is doing in the software industry in Arkansas and what ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is doing with education. “I am very proud of Dr. Whitman and the work you are doing here to focus on computer science and cybersecurity,” Gov. Hutchinson said. “The role ��Vlog��ýLR plays is critical to our state. You are the hub right here in the capital city. You have a great program that is very historic, that is well recognized, and producing graduates. I’m here today to kick off and emphasize how important this is to our state.” The town hall meeting was dedicated to encouraging students to pursue careers in information technology and coding. “Euronet Software is a huge supporter of the great programs at University of Arkansas at Little Rock,” Warren said. “We believe the people in this room represent the future of technology in our state, our nation, and our world. The university teaches students to be well rounded in all aspects of Information Technology (IT) and produces excellent candidates for our many job openings in IT.” The technology career panelists included Whitman; David Sanders, technical product owner, Euronet; T.J. Mahaffey, software development manager, Euronet; Mary Gay Olsen, senior director of development, Euronet; Jerry Horani, chief technology officer and chief information officer for VCC Construction; Joshua Carroll, client solutions architect, Euronet, and an announcer for Little Rock Trojans, who moderated the panel. “I really do believe that the future is what you guys are doing,” Whitman said. “The opportunities are limitless, and I am glad you are taking advantage of this panel. I really think the key is paying attention to what they are saying. They want people who really care about what they are doing, who are innovative, and who are really passionate about their work.”

Getting an inside track on technology careers

The panelists also gave students an inside look at their careers, how the hiring process works, and what they should be doing as students to get an edge in their careers. Horani, who is a 2002 graduate of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, spoke about the value of internships for students. Horani got an internship at VCC Construction, which builds and develops software solutions for the construction industry, and has worked there ever since. “I really feel that being a student, going to school, and having the school find an internship helped make a bridge from a student to the workplace,” Horani said. “I think it’s a really awesome thing that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock does. I try to do more of it now that I can. I go and work with students to bring their talents to the workplace. There is a lot of need for your talent. I can tell you almost every company in town is looking for technology engineers to be a part of their teams.”

Gov. Asa Hutchinson speaks about career pathways and opportunities during a Euronext technology careers panel hosted by the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Donaghey College of STEM. Photos by Ben Krain.

At Euronet, the recruiting process begins with a screening with an internal recruiter, followed by an interview with a hiring manager and members of the team to make sure you fit in with the team. “We have internal recruiters because they understand our company and our culture and our needs,” Olsen said. “It’s really to get a feel for if the position is what you are looking for. Believe it or not, the interview process is a two-way street. The company wants to make sure you are a right fit for them, but you also need to make sure the company is a right fit for you.”

Expanding technology education and careers in Arkansas

One of Gov. Hutchinson’s goals has been to expand computer science education in the state. Arkansas became the first state in the nation to mandate that computer science classes are offered in high school. High school students taking computer science in Arkansas has increased 20 percent in the last year alone. There are now more than 12,500 high school students in Arkansas taking computer science classes. “Arkansas is leading the nation in comprehensive computer science education programming,” Gov. Hutchinson said. “The fact is that the national average for schools that offer computer science is 52 percent. Arkansas leads the nation with 92 percent of our high schools offering computer science.” In addition to increasing computer science education, Gov. Hutchinson said that working with industry partners has been a key to success for expanding computer science education and workforce opportunities. “That is where Euronet Global has been so critical,” Gov. Hutchinson said. “They are here because we have to make sure education matches the needs of industry and that we have a good communication flow. We are partnering with industry and this panel today demonstrates that.” Gov. Hutchinson has also worked to make sure that job opportunities are available in Arkansas so that graduates don’t have to move out of state. “I wanted to create a micro hub of technology companies and startup companies here in this state as well as to have the talent pool understand the needs of our long-term industries,” Gov. Hutchinson said. “We created an accelerator program where the state puts in money and partners with industry in certain categories, (fintech and healthcare). We put in funds and industry matches it and all of a sudden we’re bringing startup company talent from across the globe right here in Little Rock, Arkansas. We are growing in our technology startup companies as well as our major industries that need our tech talent. That has exceeded my expectations.” The day after the panel, Gov. Hutchinson traveled to Israel on an international economic development trip where he would speak at the Prime Minister’s Smart Mobility Conference that focuses on technology and solutions for the future of transportation.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Euronet Worldwide to Host Technology Careers Town Hall Meeting with Gov. Hutchinson

John Hill — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 19:56:08 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Euronet Worldwide will host a Technology Careers Town Hall Meeting featuring Gov. Asa Hutchinson as the opening speaker on Friday, Nov. 5. The Town Hall Meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in the Schueck, McCarty, Lexicon Inc. Auditorium in the Engineering and Information Technology Building at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Gov. Hutchinson and the panelists will discuss career pathways and opportunities in technology with students at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.��The goal of the Town Hall event is to encourage college students to pursue careers in coding. “Euronet Software is a huge supporter of the great programs at University of Arkansas at Little Rock,” said Tony Warren, Euronet Software president and managing director. “The university teaches students to be well rounded in all aspects of Information Technology (IT) and produces excellent candidates for our many job openings in IT. We are so honored that Gov. Asa Hutchinson will be speaking at the event. His actions to grow high-tech jobs in Arkansas are achieving phenomenal results.” The panelists include Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; David Sanders, technical product owner, Euronet; T.J. Mahaffey, software development manager, Euronet; Mary Gay Olsen, senior director of development, Euronet; and Jerry Horani, chief technology officer and chief information officer for VCC Construction. Joshua Carroll, client solutions architect, Euronet, and an announcer for Little Rock Trojans, will moderate the panel. “As the governor has promoted computer science and coding in the state, we must ensure that our curriculum aligns with the changing opportunities in information technology,” Whitman said. “We are grateful that Euronet is hosting this town hall on our campus to support all the IT majors on campus. The career paths are much more than just becoming a coder, and the process to prepare and achieve the first IT job is different than it has been in the past. The panel will help students navigate to the first step in a rewarding career.” Following the panel, students will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with the panelists, and a pizza luncheon will be provided.

Profiles in Cybersecurity: Becky Passmore

John Hill — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 13:32:33 +0000

To celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is profiling those in the Trojan community who are involved in cybersecurity. Meet Becky Passmore, an information technology specialist and senior forensic examiner and program coordinator for the Federal Bureau of Investigation as well as an adjunct instructor for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Please tell us about yourself. I have been married to my husband for 19 years. We have two dogs, Casper and Buffy. We recently built our dream home in Cabot, Arkansas, where we plan to retire and enjoy. I have worked in the federal government for over 23 years. I attended ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in the 90s where I started working on my Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree. I finished at University of Phoenix online while working full-time. In 2017, I completed my Master of Science degree in Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigations. What is your experience with the cybersecurity field? Over the past 16 years, I’ve worked on several cases involving digital forensics and cybersecurity with the federal government. I have developed, instructed, and created content for digital forensics and cybersecurity courses for the federal government and universities I teach with. What made you want to get involved with cybersecurity? When I applied to work with the federal government, the recruiter encouraged me to study information technology. He stated, “criminals are using computers to commit crimes and that will be the future.” I took his advice and have been assigned to the Computer Analysis Response Team since 2004. How important do you think cybersecurity is and why? Why is now a good time to work in cybersecurity? Most everyone carries a mobile device; this is nothing short of a small computer in your hands on a daily basis. These devices connect to other devices, networks, and know your location and habits regularly. If not careful, all your information is vulnerable and should be protected in the same manner you protect your home and family. Educating individuals on the importance of cybersecurity is key in today’s society. Computers, networks, mobile devices, Internet of Things, and transportation are going to continue to evolve which includes vulnerabilities and malicious activity, therefore now is the time to learn as much as possible about cybersecurity and secure a job in the field. October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. What are a few pieces of advice the average person can do to protect themselves from cyber-attacks? We are one “click” away from being attacked or everything being taken away! Don’t click on links sent through text messages or email that you are unaware of. There are individuals trying to obtain your information and will send realistic emails and text messages for you to click on. Be aware of the websites you visit. Keep your passwords safe and strong. Don’t connect to unsecure networks. To stay connected, stay protected.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock grad looks forward to career in tech industry, starting orphanage

John Hill — Thu, 21 May 2020 13:26:27 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate is looking forward to a future in the tech industry, followed by fulfilling her lifelong goal of helping children.�� Mariam Bouzihay, of Jonesboro, has graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in information technology.�� In the fall, she will attend the New York University Tandon School of Engineering in the Management of Technology program to study user experience and interface design. The program is designed for college graduates and professionals who aim to make a difference in a world where economic and social advancement is increasingly dependent on integrating technology and business. Her lifelong goal, after establishing a career in the tech industry, is to open an orphanage. “My ultimate goal is to open an orphanage, but I want to have a career first,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed helping people, and I feel if people had that one person who was there for them that they could achieve so much. A child needs a support system, so I want to be there for those children and help others.” Bouzihay’s decision to come to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was a family affair. Her older sister, Nora, attended ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a Donaghey Scholar, so, naturally, Bouzihay was intrigued. She has been an active participant in the EAST Scholarship Program at Nettleton High School in Jonesboro and wanted to continue that at her university. After being accepted as an EAST Scholar, Bouzihay has been involved in a number of community service activities. “As an EAST Scholar, you teach yourself technology skills, and you put them to use to create a service project to help your community,” she said. “During my sophomore year, I worked with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Children International. We created an after-school EAST program at Wakefield Elementary, where the students created designs for their dream playground. During my junior and senior years, I helped plan events and get volunteers for the STEM Education Center, so I coordinated events like the robotics competitions, community engineering nights, and girls coding competition.”�� Throughout her time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Bouzihay has had some amazing experiences that make her stand out. She was a fellow in the Career Connections Powered by Facebook program, served as a strategic communications intern for the Judge David L. Bazelon Center of Mental Health Law in Washington, D.C., as well as an events and donor relations intern at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island. Last year, Bouzihay was one of 10 U.S. college students selected for the Joseph J. Malone Fellowship in Arab and Islamic Studies cultural immersion program in Qatar. Bouzihay traveled to Qatar to learn about the country’s culture, society, and economics, as well as government priorities, concerns, and needs as pertaining to Qatari-U.S. relations. “My favorite off-campus college experience was going to Qatar,” she said. “It was exciting to meet with different diplomats and consulates. We were guests of the government, and we learned about the culture and met other students and professors from the U.S. who shared the experience. We experienced things that most students will never get to see.” Her favorite on-campus experiences included being involved in activities that made a difference to the university and the community, like serving as president of the Model Arab League and the Student Alumni Board as well as serving as the chief of staff and public relations officer for the Student Government Association. “My best on-campus experience is creating connections with people and being able to give back to the university,” Bouzihay said. “I love ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I think it’s Arkansas’s best kept secret. We have so many amazing programs, and I’ve been glad to help grow and shine some light on these programs. Since my freshman year, I’ve wanted to make changes on this campus, and that has pushed me to succeed. SGA helped me gain connections on campus, like being on the reaccreditation steering committee, and learning how things work in higher education.”�� Bouzihay was thankful to a number of mentors who helped her succeed during her time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “My biggest mentor is Rebecca Glazier, since I was in Model Arab League. She opened a lot of doors, and that is why I went to Qatar,” Bouzihay said. “Sandra Leitermann at the STEM Education Center has also been an inspiration to me. I really look up to her. I work very closely with Kristi Smith and Samantha Wiley in the Bailey Alumni Center in my job as a communications intern. They have given me great opportunities to grow and advice.” As someone who participated in the Upward Bound college preparation program, Bouzihay knows the importance of having a good mentor, which is why she decided to serve as a mentor to students in ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Charles W. Donaldson Scholars Academy and the Student Affairs Success Initiatives. “I saw how important it was to have positive mentors and have someone to relate to you,” she said. “I always wanted to give back, especially since the Charles W. Donaldson Scholars Academy and the Student Affairs Success Initiatives focused on minority students. Some people just need one person to listen and help them. Anyone can be a mentor, but it takes a lot to be a positive mentor. I’m a first-generation student, so I know what it’s like and how to help new students navigate the system.” While looking back at her college career at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Bouzihay is grateful for the journey that has left her with a lifetime of exciting memories. “It was a learning experience. It opened doors I didn’t think would be possible or even existed,” she said. “It showed me the importance of giving back to the university and, no matter what, to give it your all. Without ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, I wouldn’t have had the experiences I’ve had or met the people I have. I thank ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for that. I’m excited to move on to new experiences and use what I’ve learned these past four years.”

Completion of new wireless network brings easier and faster Internet access to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 03 Dec 2018 15:25:30 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock celebrated its conversion to a new uniform wireless network that has greatly improved the internet experience for the entire campus community. Student Government Association President Larry Dicus removed the last legacy wireless access point on campus and installed the final modern wireless access point in its place during a ceremony on Nov. 13 in the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, the last of the 57 buildings on campus where the wireless network has been upgraded in the past 39 weeks. “It’s a great achievement for campus,” said Dr. Thomas Bunton, associate vice chancellor and chief information officer. “For the first time, all classrooms, residence halls, shared spaces, and dining halls have similar technology that provides very fast wireless speeds and coverage. In previous years, the coverage and speeds students, staff, and faculty would experience depended on what building or department they were in and how much they could afford.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has invested more than $5 million to improve the university’s core network environment that consists of technology that originally was implemented in 2008. “A project like this is significant,” said Dr. Mark Allen Poisel, vice chancellor student affairs. “The ability to access wireless is critical to our students. As we imagine how to reinvent the classroom experience, access to wireless is critical. We are at a time when technology changes so rapidly. This puts us in a position where we can change with that technology.” When Bunton arrived on campus in March 2016, he saw a need to improve the campus’s aging network. IT Services has been working diligently to upgrade the campus network with current technology to support the university’s teaching and research missions, both now and into the future. The new network will provide campus users a modern, wireless networking environment that is sufficient to support faculty, researchers, student, and staff needs.��

Student Government Association President Larry Dicus��removes the last legacy wireless access point on campus��in the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences. Photo by Ben Krain.

“I am very appreciative of the new wireless network,” Dicus said. “As a student, Netflix is important. Being able to do homework on campus, as opposed to going off campus to get wireless access, is something we really need.” Among the improvements to the wireless network is an increased number of access points, faster speeds, and easier access for guests. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock increased its Wi-Fi access points by a factor of seven from 600 to more than 3,200. While the average speed of those access points was 11 Mbps (megabytes per second), the speed has increased to nearly 500 Mbps. The new wireless network also allows the university to better monitor and profile user devices, with an improved guest-user function that provides easier self-service access and more security features. In addition, the technology lays the groundwork for video surveillance and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), which will save the university $200,000 a year. “This is an amazing accomplishment for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” Bunton said. “We are probably one of the very few campuses in the country with a completely uniform, modern Wi-Fi network.” Bunton thanked vendors HPE Aruba, Next Step Innovation, and Advanced Cabling for their hard work in bringing the new wireless network to fruition. He also thanked Chancellor Andrew Rogerson, Steve McClellan, vice chancellor of finance, the Student Government Association, and the Student Advisory Committee for their help in completing the project. Now that all the wireless access points on campus have been transitioned to the new network, the next goal is to replace all the wired ports on campus – a project that should be finished in a year, according to Bunton. In the upper right photo,��Thomas Bunton, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock director of Technology Infrastructure and Operations, holds a sign marking the completion of a campus wide networking system upgrade after installing the last piece of equipment in the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences. Photo by Ben Krain.

FBI Special Agent Shun Turner to speak Oct. 18 at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:21:37 +0000

Shun Turner, supervisory special agent for FBI Little Rock’s cyber squad, will be on campus to present and discuss topics related to National Cyber Security Month on Thursday, Oct. 18, in the Student Services Center 104 auditorium from noon to 1 p.m. This is the 15th year that October has been observed as National Cyber Security Awareness Month. The observance, an initiative by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance, focuses on educating consumers, students, young people, and businesses of all sizes about the importance of staying safe online. The presentation is sponsored by ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Information Technology Services and is free and open to the entire campus.

Information technology students make a difference with capstone projects

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 16:12:42 +0000

University of Arkansas at Little Rock students who are completing a minor in information technology are using their skills to help nonprofit organizations and city governments in central and northwest Arkansas.�� The class of 23 students completed six projects as part of their capstone project, which, once defended as part of their portfolio, is the final step to earning a minor in information technology. “The students were all quite successful at working with professionals in the community to assess their needs and to design and deliver high-quality products to support the missions of these hard-working organizations,” said Chad Garrett, capstone instructor and director of technology and digital initiatives. Participating students include Zatches Allen, Chase Ballard, Jaylen Callahan, Brooke Davis, Ashi Franke, Colby Hamilton, Eric Holsomback, Layne Huddleston, Addy McClenny, Elvis Mull, Jason Nation, Victoria Pearce, Liliane Poirot, Kennedy Quarders, Zachary Randolph, Christina Redmann, McKenzie Self, Christopher Thompson, Matthew Vang, James Watts, Antwane Wilkerson, Tanaya Williams, and John Yankowskas. “The course is designed to challenge students to apply the skills they learn in the previous two semesters in a professional setting, complete with ambiguity, frustration, negotiation, problem solving, and ultimately triumph,” Garrett said. “These students now have a unique experience under their belts in which they overcame challenges and created great products as a result of the challenges.” In Little Rock, one team redesigned Little Rock’s website for the Creative Corridor, an area along Main Street where arts and culture mix in the center of Little Rock. A second team developed a map-based interface prototype website for locating amenities in city parks for Little Rock Parks and Recreation. Kennedy Quarders, a junior math major, led the team that mapped amenities in Little Rock’s parks. “Little Rock Parks and Recreation does not have an interactive map that allows park-goers to see where they are and what is near them,” Quarders said. “For this project, we mapped three parks: Boyle, Allsopp, and War Memorial. Our mapping included us marking all park amenities with icons, taking pictures, and outlining trails. This project will tremendously help out the park-goers, especially those who are unfamiliar with the park that they are at. Since this was done in a short amount of time, we gave our client working demos, which will eventually be implemented onto the City of Little Rock’s website.” An additional two teams redesigned the city government websites for Jasper, Arkansas, and Berryville, Arkansas. Meanwhile, the final two teams worked with historic preservation nonprofit organizations to create new websites for their organizations, which include, a group dedicated to preserving, restoring, and documenting African-American cemeteries, and Save Hillcrest, a group looking to preserve historic homes in Little Rock’s Hillcrest neighborhood. Christina Redmann, junior political science major who led the Preservation of African American Cemeteries website project, said the team attended a cemetery clean up and learned how to clean historic headstones as part of the preparation for the website development. “It was a lot of fun. We met members of PAAC, toured a cemetery in Little Rock, and learned how to properly clean headstones. It was a great experience and helped us to understand our clients better,” Redmann said. “Our main objective was to create a website that served as a resource for individuals who want to work on preserving a cemetery, know more about cemetery preservation, locate a gravesite, become a member of the Arkansas chapter, and many other things.”

Single mother works hard to provide better life for her son

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 18 Dec 2017 16:18:15 +0000

When Emily “Addie” McClenny gave birth to her son, Phariss, seven years ago, that was the moment she decided to go back to college.�� “He’s the reason I do any of this,” McClenny, of Little Rock, said. “The sole reason to come back to college was to give my son and I a chance at a better life.” McClenny has faced several hardships since starting at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2014. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in applied communication and a minor in information technology on Dec. 16 in the Jack Stephens Center. During her second semester, McClenny went blind in her left eye in spring 2015, which led to a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. “My first treatment didn’t go so well, and I was in and out of the hospital three times,” she said. “The last time I left the hospital in a wheelchair and started the fall 2016 semester having to learn to walk again. I was in physical therapy for three months.” McClenny is very grateful to friends and family members who stepped in to help take care of her and her son. “I am grateful to all my friends and family who stepped up to help make this degree possible,” she said. “You really feel down when you can’t take care of your own child. I wouldn’t have stayed in school if it wasn’t for their support. Being a single parent, it truly takes more than just myself. That is why I work so hard.” Her hard work, academic excellence, and perseverance has led McClenny to receive the Making a Difference award from the Department of Applied Communication, the Outstanding Student award from the Department of Information Technology, and the Scholar of the Year award from the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Pulaski County. McClenny cites the staff at the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Pulaski County, which awards $900 a semester to single parents to be used for living expenses and child care, with being one of the reasons she was able to stay in college. “They helped me stay in contact with my professors and got me connected with disability resources and helped me go through all these things to keep me successful in my coursework,” she said. “They are the only scholarship I know that does that.” Despite the hardships she has faced, McClenny has worked hard and come out on top. She has worked for the Communication Skill Center, the Department of Applied Communication, and the Division of Student Affairs. Additionally, she has served as president of the National Lambda Pi Eta, honor society of the National Communications Association, and is a member of three more honor societies, Phi Kappa Phi, Delta Epsilon Iota, and National Society of Collegiate Scholars. McClenny isn’t finished with her education. She will begin a master’s degree in education program focusing on learning systems technology in January and will work as a graduate assistant in the Division of Student Affairs. After earning her master’s degree, McClenny wants to help faculty and students by creating online courses. “My goal is to make educators’ lives easier by creating online curriculum, and I want to help students with different learning styles be able to master those courses,” she said. “I want to transform the in-class experience to an online platform.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock online information quality program nationally ranked

Shanna Fitzgerald — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 20:54:36 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has one of the country’s best online information technology programs, according to an independent digital publication that provides resources to students and their families. College Choice recently released its list of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, the only Arkansas school included in the ranking, was No. 27 in the nation. In compiling the list, the publication factored tuition costs and the College Choice Score — created based on schools’ reputations and their return on investment. The organization derives its score from a national survey of freshmen by UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute and from data compiled from sources such as U.S. News & World Report, the National Center for Education Statistics, and PayScale.com. “The end result is a list of schools that balance cost, reputation, and, ultimately, what they can do for you and your unique goals,” a College Choice article announcing the rankings said. Since the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Master of Science in information quality online program began about 10 years ago, the university has focused on giving students options in how they learn and prepare for their careers, said Dr. Elizabeth Pierce, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock chair of the Department of Information Science and associate professor. “I think the biggest benefit — and what makes us unique — is that we do not do the canned online experience, where the material is put out there and it’s static,” Pierce said. “It’s very important to us that everybody feels like they’re getting a quality experience.” While students taking the course online can review materials and watch replays of lectures, they also have the option to participate in the sessions live through video streaming. The technology lets them view everything the professor is presenting while also interacting with the lecturer and fellow students. “We want them to feel like they’re sitting right ‘front and center’ in the classroom,” Pierce said. Students who regularly attend the physical class also can participate in the online version or view the recorded sessions as their needs and schedules change from week to week, Pierce said.

Strong job outlook

Now is an excellent time to consider an information technology career, said Dr. John Talburt, professor of information science and one of the founders of the university’s program. College Choice, citing U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics projections, called the outlook for the profession excellent, with high median earnings and a job growth rate in the double digits by 2024. Many employers are starting to recognize data as a valuable asset separate from the information technology infrastructure, Talburt said. As those organizations look for the best ways to get value out of their data, Pierce said, some are struggling to find employees with the right mix of talent, training, and interest. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock program fills that gap by equipping graduates to collect and validate data and then get it into a format that can be used for the company’s competitive advantage, she said. As the goals and strategies of employers have changed, the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock program continues to position students for success, Talburt said. Employers are increasingly finding the need for data governance, Talburt said, and a data governance course has been part of the Information Quality master’s degree program from the beginning. “We’ve always taken a very broad view of information quality,” Talburt said. “We feel the students are very well rounded coming out of the program.” The university has collaborated with the on its information quality programs, most recently on the Institute for Chief Data Officers at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. The institute is led by Executive Director and Founder Dr. Richard Wang, who also has been the director of the MIT information quality program. Talburt redited ��Vlog��ý Little Rock College of Engineering and Information Technology Dean Larry Whitman for his role in the Information Quality department’s success, noting that Whitman put an excellent team in place for the program that celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2016.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock students earn 4 Acxiom Diversity Scholarships

Shanna Fitzgerald — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 14:43:43 +0000

University of Arkansas at Little Rock students won four of this year’s 10 Acxiom Diversity Scholarships. In its sixth year, the highly competitive program provides $5,000 and an opportunity for a paid internship at , a leading data provider for marketers. The company selects recipients from throughout the country based on their professional interests and academic achievement in an information technology-related field of study. “Acxiom is passionate about helping the next generation of leaders pursue their dreams through computer science and information technology careers,” said Scott Howe, Acxiom CEO and president, in a news release. “Our support positions them for future success and helps foster a more diverse pool of qualified talent, which will benefit the marketing and technology industries for years to come.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students who received Acxiom Diversity Scholarships include:

Gary Dewayne Blanks II, an information science student from Little Rock
Mukti Barole Shobha Sangappa, a computer science student from Little Rock, who also is a graduate research assistant with COSMOS — the Center Of Social Media and Online behavioral Studies, Dr. Nitin Agarwal’s research lab
Vishnu Pillai, an information quality student from Little Rock
Aziz Eram, an information quality graduate student from Little Rock, who received a $5,000 renewal scholarship

All four award winners are students in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology. This year’s award decisions were particularly challenging because of the quality of the scholarship applications, said Tammy Sanders, Acxiom director of engagement. “We look forward to the contributions these students will make to Acxiom and to the marketing industry,” Sanders said in the news release. Pictured above:��Mukti Barole Shobha Sangappa, one of four University of Arkansas at Little Rock students to earn 2017 Acxiom Diversity Scholarships. Contributed photo.��

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

Gov. Hutchinson Touts Benefits of Tech Careers during Euronet Panel at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

����Vlog��ý Little Rock, Euronet Worldwide to Host Technology Careers Town Hall Meeting with Gov. Hutchinson