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

First-Generation Student Spotlight: Casey Williams

John Hill — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 14:58:23 +0000

In honor of First-Generation College Student Celebration Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is profiling some of its outstanding first-generation students. Casey Williams is a first-generation student from Fort Smith, Arkansas. What is your major? My major is Interdisciplinary Studies, focusing on professional and technical writing, history, and political science. What does it mean to you to be a first-generation student? It means breaking barriers and setting your own course in life as you explore the possibilities of the world. How did your family react when you told them you wanted to earn a college degree? My parents were proud. My husband Craig is the most supportive man I’ve ever met. He has believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. What has been the most rewarding aspect of college so far? I love being able to do what I love in writing but also having the ability to study political science and history. It meant I was able to pursue all of my passions and have a more complete understanding in my studies. What made you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I came to dance here as a little girl for dance recitals and fell in love with the campus. I told my mom when I was eight that I wanted to go here, and she told me to go for it! What do you plan to do after graduation? I’d love to write for a local magazine. I also want to work for the Ronald McDonald charities as they supported my family immensely when we had our baby girl, Olivia prematurely. I want to give back and help tell other people’s stories so their voices are heard. Everyone has a right to their voice. Do you have any advice for future first-generation students? The acceptance letter that you get is your treasure map. Use it and know no one can take it away from you. Life is full of mountains to climb and narrow dark valleys. With an education, determination, and hard work, you can guide yourself to opportunity. You are worth pursuing, just like that treasure.

Clement awarded Jefferson County Single Parent Scholarship

John Hill — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 20:32:10 +0000

Erin Clement, a recent graduate of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock from Pine Bluff, received a 2020 scholarship from the Jefferson County Single Parent Scholarship Fund.�� The $750 scholarship was essential in helping with Clement’s final semester for her undergraduate degree. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in December 2020 and plans to begin the Master of Social Work program this fall. “The Jefferson County Single Parent Scholarship Fund is incredible,” Clement said. “They are very kind people. From the first time I applied, I always felt like I was in good hands with them. Single parent scholarships in themselves are essential and tremendously helpful. It not only helps the parent and child, but also helps the economy. It helps us attend school and contribute to the economy after we graduate and start working.”�� Scholarships were awarded based on academics, financial need, recommendation letters, essay quality, and community service. These awards were made possible by grants from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund. Awards were also supported in part by donations from Relyance Bank, Simmons Bank, Mayor Shirley Washington, and the First Trinity Church of God in Christ.�� Clement is the first person in her family to earn a college degree. She was raised by a single mother who taught her the value of education. “My mother instilled in me a desire to go to school and get an education,” Clement said. “She told me that no one can take your education away from you. 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.” As a single parent, Clement’s inspiration to complete her degree is to provide a better future for her 4-year-old son, Ehren. “Since I recently graduated with my bachelor’s degree, I told him that I would get a master’s degree and that there are more degrees after that,” Clement said. “He is very curious. He said, ‘Mommy, I want to get a doctor {doctorate} degree.’ Every chance, I try to include him in my education.”

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.”

Graduating Student Spotlight: Cedneshaja Jones

John Hill — Thu, 14 May 2020 13:30:32 +0000

Cedneshaja Jones, of Sherwood, will graduate this May with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies. Jones describes her experience at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as an amazing and heartfelt journey. Tell us a little bit about yourself. I joined the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock campus community in 2014 as a transfer student from ��Vlog��ý Pulaski Tech. Spending time with family is very important to me, and I wanted to remain close to home in central Arkansas. Some of my family members previously attended ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, so this school felt like a natural fit for me. It took me some time to decide what to study. After changing my major several times, my academic advisor recommended pursuing an interdisciplinary studies degree, which would make good use of all the classes I had already taken while also keeping me on schedule to graduate on time. Dr. Johanna Miller-Lewis, associate dean of the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences, and nurse Chanell Smith in ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Health Services provided key help in establishing my expedited interdisciplinary studies degree plan. What was your biggest challenge or most difficult decision you had to make during college? Part way through earning my degree, I had to take two semesters off before returning in fall 2019. Thankfully, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock offered me a graduation incentive grant in 2019 that covered half of my tuition, and I was able to work at Kroger Pharmacy to pay the other half. Spring 2020 has been an emotional semester. The cancellation of the Spring 2020 Commencement Ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been disappointing. However, I am excited to walk in the Fall 2020 Commencement Ceremony. It will be a meaningful celebration not only of the degree I’ve earned, but of all the hard work and perseverance I put into earning the degree. I can’t wait to walk in December! What is your favorite memory of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? Achieving a 4.0 GPA during the fall 2019 semester. What advice would you give to incoming students? College is a place where you can be open-minded and express yourself. Work hard but also make time to experience life by balancing your school and personal life. Also, make sure you are financially prepared to handle the expenses of college. Look for scholarships that will help pay for essentials like tuition, books, and supplies. Don’t stress over the plan that you have set, and make sure you have backup plans if your initial plan doesn’t work out the way you want it to. Most importantly, remember to have fun. What do you plan to do after graduation? Following graduation, I plan to continue working at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Kroger Pharmacy to save up money to attend graduate school and earn a master’s degree in social work.

Graduating Student Spotlight: Leslie Oden

John Hill — Wed, 13 May 2020 13:10:11 +0000

Meet Leslie Oden, a first-generation college student from Little Rock who enrolled at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to complete her degree after being away from college for several years. Oden will graduate this May with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies. Tell us the story of your degree. I began my college journey almost 30 years ago. After taking a year and half off from school and getting married, I began attending Texas Tech University in the spring of 1991. My brothers and I were the first generation of our family to attend college. During my time there, my first major was phased out, and I could not work full time while trying to complete the heavy workload required to complete that degree in time. The second major just wasn’t right for me, and the third major lost its accreditation during my junior year. Deflated but very gainfully employed, I opted to leave school and work full time to support my husband through medical school. Over the years, our family grew. I would start small work-from-home businesses, rather than apply for jobs and have to admit that I did not have a degree. When new friends, or even my children, would ask about my college experience, I would gracefully say, “I attended Texas Tech,” and would let them draw their own conclusions. When we moved to Little Rock, I had the opportunity to begin working as the principal’s secretary at my daughter’s middle school. I loved the job and working with the kids, but increasingly felt overlooked for better opportunities because I did not have a degree. I was allowed to voice my opinion, but was never really allowed a seat at the table because I did not finish school. Not being one who appreciates being overlooked, I began attending ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Online. It was the same semester one of my daughters began her freshman year of college at Ole Miss. Only needing 33 hours to complete my degree, I have been able to continue to raise a family and work full time. How has earning a degree already started to change your life? Seeking a degree at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has given me new confidence and bolstered my career. Last fall, I was invited to apply and gained a new position working at the Arkansas Supreme Court. This April, I was awarded the 2020 Outstanding Interdisciplinary Studies Award. Also this spring, I was honored to be asked to introduce , the former director of the Arkansas Department of Health and U.S. surgeon general under President Bill Clinton, at a regional conference of medical professionals, where she received a lifetime achievement award. I have also been the master of ceremonies for a local 5k run for the past three years and for the 2020 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation virtual gala in Arkansas.��If these opportunities have arisen because of the confidence gained while working on my degree, I cannot wait to see what the future holds! What are your plans after graduation? Pursuing this degree has empowered me to reach for and obtain a job that was beyond even my boldest dreams. Following graduation, I plan on staying on at my new position at the Arkansas Supreme Court. Additionally, I look forward to utilizing the communications portion of my degree to gain more opportunities to be the master of ceremonies for events. What advice would you give to other students? The greatest advice I can offer other students is to “be.” Be flexible. Be bold. Be forgiving. Just be. Be flexible. Your education process might not look like other people’s process, and that is alright. Be bold. It is never too late to work on your degree. Be forgiving (especially of yourself). You don’t have to take a set amount of hours each semester, and you don’t have to answer to anyone but yourself on this journey. Some days and some topics you will have the ability to complete ‘A’ quality work, while on other days or topics, you might only be able to complete ‘C’ quality work. It’s okay. Give yourself some grace. In the upper right photo, Oden (left)�� is pictured with Dr. Joycelyn Elders (right).

Boy next door leads to new campus family at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 23:32:39 +0000

A tip from the boy next door led Lucee Lugo, a senior interdisciplinary studies major, to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she gets the intimacy of a small, family campus that appeals to this small-town girl from De Queen, Arkansas. “While I never pictured myself at this university, the moment I set foot on campus, I knew it was the school for me,” she said. “My next-door neighbor, James Sellers, who is a year ahead of me mentioned that I should apply. I remember being so afraid to move from a small, rural town to the big capital city of Little Rock. This university has a family type feeling that appealed to me.” Lugo started college with a full scholarship through the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps (CLC), a competitive scholarship based on leadership, service, and high school performance. She is doing well in CLC and is now a student peer mentor and event coordinator for the academic year. “I received the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps Scholarship Program and so that was where I began to make my first friends,” Lugo said. “We all lived together on the third floor of West Hall. As I began to make friends and meet people on campus, I became involved in Greek life, the Baptist Campus Ministry, intramural sports, admissions, and an orientation leader. I really began to find my place at the university the more I put myself into various activities and organizations. I am now going into my senior year and can’t wait to spend my last year at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock actively involved.” She is thankful to CLC Coordinator Amber Wolf for making a positive impact on her college experience. “The Chancellor’s Leadership Corps has blessed me in a plethora of ways that range from scholarships to lifelong connections to providing me with knowledge and skills that I will be able to use in the real world,” she said. “The coordinator, Amber Wolf, has always been an advocate for CLC scholars and it’s comforting to know her door is always open. In addition to this, I have worked for the program as a peer mentor for a year and half, and it’s very inspiring to be able to give back to the program that gave so much to me.” While at campus, Lugo has also been active in West Hall Council, Maroon Mob, and Pre-Health Club. This past spring, she had the opportunity to complete an internship as a research assistant in the emergency room at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. “My favorite part of being on campus and the thing I will miss the most when I leave is the community,” she said. “No matter what you are involved in, I feel like we are all tied together. Being able to be in a class and know some of my classmates, or being in Greek life and CLC, I know that all these people have my back, I have some great teachers, and I like the small student-to-teacher ratio. I like how we still have a close-knit feeling. There are a lot of faculty and staff who want us to grow not only in the classroom, but in our lives as well. That is something you don’t always find in larger campuses.” Lugo started off as a biology major, but she recently switched to interdisciplinary studies so she can make the most of her education. The interdisciplinary studies degree allows Lugo to combine three areas of study – biology, Spanish, and health and exercise science – into one unique degree that fits her academic and professional interests. She is especially looking forward to improving her language skills to connect with her own heritage. She also thinks knowing more Spanish will be of help in her work as a patient care technician at Baptist Health.

Lucee Lugo studies in Ottenheimer LIbrary. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

“My father is Puerto Rican and is the pastor of a Hispanic church in De Queen,” she said. “My dad is fluent, but I did not grow up speaking Spanish, and it gives me a chance to learn about my own culture.” Faith has always been a strong part of Lugo’s identity, whether it is being active in the Baptist Campus Ministry at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock or the annual trip to Ethiopia that her hometown church, First Baptist Church, takes. “There are about 175 students in Ethiopia who are orphans or have lost one parent,” she said. “A bunch of people from our church sponsor them for $38 dollars a month because the students cannot go to school without uniforms and supplies. We bring toys, do crafts, play soccer, and do Bible camp. It’s so neat to just give back. It’s one of the best feelings ever.” After she graduates in 2019, Lugo plans to earn a master’s degree and is considering working in student affairs or public health. “While I am still not 100 percent sure of what my future plans are, I would like to pursue a master’s degree,” Lugo said. “Whatever path I choose, I am confident I will succeed because this university has done a phenomenal job of preparing me for whatever lies ahead.” Lugo’s advice for new students is to take advantage of all the resources that are available on campus. Whenever she needed advice or someone to talk to, there was always someone available for Lugo. “I think something we all have in common, whether we realize it or not, is that we all need help from time to time,” she said. “Whether that be a need for counseling services, health services, financial aid, or even tutoring assistance, it’s important to remember that we are all struggling in one way or another. The transition from high school to college and from college into adulthood is difficult and utilizing the resources that have been made so readily available to students here at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock can make all the difference in terms of one’s college experience.” In the upper right photo,��Lucee Lugo plays soccer on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Intramural league. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

Grad shares love of music, dance through educational website

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 10 May 2018 14:55:50 +0000

Michael Heavner has a deep-seeded love of music and began taking piano lessons at the age of 7. His mother bought him his first guitar from a garage sale when he was 12. Since he is left-handed, he was so engrossed in learning how to play the instrument that he didn’t even realize he was playing it with the strings upside down for an entire year.�� After his mother passed away when he was 14, Heavner lived with an older brother. He moved out at 17, and music has pretty much been his life ever since. “I grew up playing in a rock band and dropped out of high school,” Heavner said. “One day, I woke up and said, ‘What the heck did I do?’ I got my GED and then came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to take voice, piano, and guitar lessons. Then they gave me a scholarship to be a music major.” Heavner earned a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1998. Even before his graduation, he worked as a musical director, keyboardist, and conductor for several theatrical productions that went on national tours. He’s worked on productions at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, such as “Always Patsy Cline,” “Blues in the Night,” “The Sound of Music,” “DreamGirls,” “Annie,” “My Fair Lady,” and “The Full Monty.” He is very active in the field of recording arts technology and produces custom recorded musical orchestrations for many regional theatres in central Arkansas. Nearly every Saturday night, Heavner can be found playing country music at Jimmy Doyle’s Country Club in North Little Rock. In 2006, his national touring days were limited to the summer months as he joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as an instructor in both the Department of Music and the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance. At the university, Heavner wears many hats – as an instructor, musical director, dance musician, and website and social media manager for the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance. He’s even worked a few semesters concurrently as a guest musical director and pianist at Hendrix College and Artist in Resident at the University of Central Arkansas. In 2016, Heavner decided to pursue a graduate degree at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to be a better instructor for his students. He will graduate May 12 at the Jack Stephens Center with a Master of Arts in interdisciplinary studies. “I have had instructor status for quite some time, and I felt that to serve the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students better as an instructor, I personally wanted to expand my education and knowledge of Blackboard,” he said. “I am dedicated to lifelong learning. In addition, I play piano for ballet and modern dance classes, so I wanted to study piano techniques, music composition, and jazz since it has been so long since I have had my formal music training.” The Interdisciplinary Studies program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock allowed Heavner to create a program that met his unique educational and professional interests. He studied music, rhetoric and writing, and interdisciplinary studies courses. “The Interdisciplinary Studies program has been amazing,” he said. “It’s the only program where you can tailor it to your specific needs of study. There is no other program like it.” His favorite professors, many of whom are his colleagues, included Naoki Hakutani, Tom Richeson, Robert Boury, and Rolf Groesbeck from the Department of Music as well as Jan Thomas from the Department of Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies, J. Bradley Minnick and Angela Hunter from the Department of English, and Karen Kuralt from the Department of Rhetoric and Writing. Heavner is also thankful to Dr. Daryl Rice, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, for serving as his administrative advocate and mentor. His final project for his master’s degree, is an educational website that Heavner hopes will serve as a resource for dance and music students, teachers, and researchers. The website is dedicated to Martha Graham, an American modern dancer and choreographer for over 70 years. Her style, the Graham technique, is widely regarded as the first codified modern dance technique and is taught worldwide. “I played piano for Martha Graham technique classes here at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock from 2008 to 2016, and it is so unlike any other dance technique that I had to research to find out more about Martha Graham,” he said. The website includes online educational resources about Graham as well as 25 original pieces of music composed specifically for beginning students of the Graham technique. “I am the kind of person who takes things day by day,” Heavner said. “I got that degree to be a better employee and to be a better teacher to my students. I wanted to know what it is like to be a student in this day and age, to see what this generation of students is experiencing in class.” For additional information about Heavner, visit . In the upper right photo,��Michael Heaver plays the piano for dance students at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Photo by Ben Krain.��

��Vlog��ý Little Rock adds bachelor’s degree programs on Benton Campus

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 14:46:03 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Benton business leaders are taking steps to make getting a college degree more convenient and affordable for people living in Saline County and surrounding communities.�� Beginning next fall, students will be able to complete two new bachelor’s degree programs at the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Benton Campus. The degree programs include a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies. The programs are open to recent high school graduates, transfer students, and students who left college and want to complete a degree. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Andrew Rogerson announced the new degree offerings during a Sept. 26 news conference on economic development called by Benton Mayor David Mattingly at the Benton Municipal Complex. “Our university’s commitment to Saline County is to provide a better pathway to a four-year degree,” Rogerson said. “To achieve this goal, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock must find creative ways to make college more accessible and affordable—and ensure that students graduate in a timely way with a meaningful degree that sets them up to thrive in careers and life.” �� Mattingly said the two degrees will benefit Benton residents and aid in economic development of the city. “I am sure the new two degrees – Interdisciplinary Studies and Business Management – will be successful and assist in our continued partnership to strengthen economic development in our community,” he said. “Education has always been the key to a community’s vitality, and we are most appreciative of the growth in educational offerings that are being implemented here in Benton.” At the Benton Campus, the interdisciplinary degree allows students to customize their degree plan to fit their professional needs. It combines three minors – two from the social sciences and a third from any discipline. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is teaming with the Mayor’s Office and the Benton Campus Advisory Board to raise scholarship funds specifically for students who want to attend the university in their local community at the Benton campus. These scholarships, along with other university scholarships and financial aid, will be available to qualified entering freshmen and transfer students.

Benton Mayor David Mattingly and Chancellor Andrew Rogerson shake hands during a news conference announcing new bachelor degree programs at the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Benton Campus. Photo by Lonnie TImmons III/��Vlog��ý Little Rock Communications.

In addition, the university has already secured partnerships with six Saline County businesses to offer paid internships that will allow students to earn college credit while on the job:

Bryant branch of Arvest Bank, owner-operator of 16 community banks in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas.
Saline Memorial Hospital, a Benton hospital that has served residents of Saline County and surrounding areas for 60 years.
Access Control Devices, Inc., (ACDI), which specializes in print management software and helps organizations lower their print costs and environmental impact.
Pear Tree Wealth Management, an independent financial planning and wealth management firm that helps clients with their financial goals and life’s dreams.
Ferguson’s Furniture, one of Saline County’s oldest furniture retailers.
Slim Chickens, a casual dining restaurant that’s one of Saline County’s newest businesses.

“In a nutshell, this initiative gives students the convenience and cost savings of taking classes close to home, the ability to work and go to college or find a paid internship with college credit, and the opportunity for scholarships and financial aid,” said Rogerson. “That’s what affordability and accessibility is all about.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has partnered with the City of Benton for more than 40 years. The collaboration started in 1975 with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock providing evening college courses at Benton High School. In 1995, in partnership with the Saline County Education Association and Benton city leaders and the business community, the university opened the Benton Campus in the heart of the city. About 250 students are currently enrolled in classes on the campus, which offers full student services including financial aid, admissions, academic advising on site, as well as computer labs, and student lounge areas.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock grad going to med school to help rural communities

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 09 May 2017 17:20:20 +0000

Dustin Brown grew up in the small town of Hermitage, Arkansas, where life was good, but there were few doctors. “So many of my friends in high school did not get to go to the doctor,” Brown said. “With a community clinic, I think I would get to spend more time changing my patients’ lives, educating them, and getting to know them better.” The 23-year-old will graduate May 13 with bachelor’s degrees in biology and interdisciplinary studies. He also earned his credentials as a Certified Nonprofit Professional. Brown will attend the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in the fall. After becoming a doctor, he plans to give back by working at medical clinics in small towns just like the one where he was raised. “I want to work in a community-based health care clinic that will provide services for underserved communities and people that can’t afford health care,” Brown said. “ I want to make sure that everyone has access to health care.” Brown came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on a scholarship through the highly competitive Chancellor’s Leadership Corps, which taught him the value of community service. Brown is a volunteer at the Reptile Rescue Center, where he works with rescued turtles and reptiles. At the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Brown volunteers with myeloma patients. “It’s made me realize how important volunteering is to contributing as a citizen to your community,” he said. One of his most memorable volunteer experiences was in New York City, where he spent the summer of 2014 volunteering at, a nonprofit organization that inspires the next generation of diverse technology leaders from underserved communities. “They do a summer coding program,” Brown said. “I helped create program logistics for a young entrepreneur summit, where students create social apps that do good in their own communities. Some of the kids even earned jobs right out of high school with the coding skills they learned at this summer camp.” Brown has also been active on campus, as a member of Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Professional Honor Society, Delta Chi Fraternity, Friday Fellows, Nonprofit Leadership Student Association, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and University Science Scholars. In summer 2016, Brown participated in the INBRE Research Fellowship, spending 10 weeks at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences researching the effects of Metformin, a drug used to treat Type II diabetes, on endometrial cancer. “There are a lot of research partnerships with people at ��Vlog��ýMS that most students don’t know about,” he said. “Because of the proximity to ��Vlog��ýMS, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is able to offer unique research opportunities.” At the end of the summer, his faculty adviser, Dr. Rosalia Simmen from the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, offered him a full-time position as a biomedical research technician. They are now studying the effects of other drugs on endometriosis and endometrial cancer. Brown recently received the Thomas Hogue Memorial Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Research in the Field of Biology and the Martha Couch Memorial Award for Outstanding Senior in Biology from the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock College of Arts, Letters and Sciences. As his time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock comes to a close, Brown is thankful he chose to come to a university that has taught him to be more open minded and open to new experiences. “I think ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a whole has helped me grow into a positive person that wants to do good in the world,” he said. “It’s shaped me into who I am. I don’t think I would have turned out the same way if I had gone somewhere else.”

Mother and daughter graduate ��Vlog��ýLR together

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 16 May 2016 16:59:34 +0000

When Pamala Stanley graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on May 14, she didn’t have to look far to find the smiling face of a family member. Stanley’s 23-year-old daughter, Arial King, was up on stage with her, graduating with a degree in speech communication, while Stanley earned a degree in interdisciplinary studies with a certificate in nonprofit leadership studies. As a single mother raising two daughters, Stanley has always taught her children the value of education. “I wanted a better life for myself and my children,” said Stanley, research assistant for the College of Education and Health Professions at ��Vlog��ýLR. “I didn’t want them to just go out into the world. I wanted them to be prepared for the world with education.” Already a 1999 graduate of New Tyler Barber College, Stanley also earned an associate degree from Pulaski Technical College in 2004. The same year, Stanley had the opportunity to work in a temporary position at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences that she came to love. Without a bachelor’s degree, she could not be permanently hired for that position. That experience led to Stanley’s desire for a four-year��degree. Once she began working at the ��Vlog��ýLR Department of Psychology, Stanley enrolled as an undergraduate student in 2006. For the next 10 years, Stanley took a couple classes every semester, gradually earning her degree while working full time and raising two daughters. “I think it has been a long road,” Stanley said. “With God’s help and me stepping out on faith as far as raising my children and getting an education, I did it. I think it’s a big accomplishment.”

A family affair

While Stanley was attending ��Vlog��ýLR, her oldest daughter, Arial King, also started college after graduating No. 8 in her class at Hall High School in 2011. “My mom instilled the importance of education in me,” King said. “When I was in school, we had to have A’s. No C’s or D’s. That was not acceptable at all when I was in school. When I got my first B in high school, I cried because I thought I was going to be in trouble.” King didn’t need to worry. “My mom said it was OK,” King said. “She said you can make a B every once in a while, but no C’s.” After two years at Arkansas Tech University, King transferred to ��Vlog��ýLR in 2013. She graduated with a degree in speech communication in the same ceremony as her mother. “It’s different to graduate at the same time as my mom,” King said. “I guess I can share the shine, since a lot of people don’t get this opportunity.”

Post-graduation plans

King recently got engaged and moved to Atlanta to be with her fiancé. Like her mother, King wants to work for a nonprofit agency that helps children. Stanley dreams of one day starting her own nonprofit agency to help women reclaim their lives. “With me and my daughter graduating, I think it will be a big encouragement for other single parents to graduate,” Stanley said. “I encourage them not to give up. You have to be strong for you and your children.” In the upper right photo,��Arial King (left) hugs her mother, Pamala Stanley (right), during their graduation from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock May 14 at Jack Stephens Center.��

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