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

��Vlog��ý Little Rock international students celebrate food, fellowship, and friendship

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 13:07:43 +0000

For a group of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock international students, the best table in town isn’t found at a fancy restaurant downtown. Instead, the best food and conversation can be found inside the Campus Wellness Center, where this small group of friends comes together every Friday in fellowship to share their weekly adventures. Ranjitha Hari, who is earning a doctorate in physics, started attending this informal Friday lunch club after meeting Campus Wellness Coordinator Karl Lenser during her first semester on campus. “Karl is the backbone behind this group,” Hari said. “He has met international students at different campus events, and he thought we would enjoy meeting for lunch every Friday. We cook different foods, and we talk about our different cultures. The conversations help us to improve our communication skills in English. The group has also helped me make friends. It’s good stress relief after a long week. We talk about different things, play cards, and enjoy food from around the world.” Beginning last semester, anywhere from five to 15 international students from India, Iraq, Pakistan, Ukraine, Moldova, Nepal, Nigeria, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Bangladesh meet for lunch every Friday. The members range in age from 6-month-old Ameera Alzaid, the daughter of lunch club members Wejdan Alhamad and Mohammed Alzaid from Saudia Arabia, to Lenser, who considers himself the “grandpa of the group” at 60. “This is the best restaurant in Little Rock,” Lenser joked. “Where else will you get food from four or five countries in one location? This is social wellness at its finest. There is definitely a family atmosphere at these lunches.We learn words and phrases from a variety of languages from the various countries that are represented at the lunches. We discuss the differences in our cultures and enjoy hearing stories from a variety of topics including dating, arranged marriages, politics, religion, weddings, and education. The lunch gatherings promote social wellness and are very educational and fun.” Most members also appreciate the chance to build a sense of family and community while they are living far away from their homes. “I just met an international student earlier this week, and she didn’t know anyone,” said Shubham Ghorpade, a graduate student in construction management from India. “It’s like a family here. For others who are alone, it’s important for them to socialize.” Muize Lemboye, a mass communication graduate student from Nigeria, enjoys the bond that he has formed with other lunch club members. “My favorite part of lunch, I will not lie, is the food,” Lemboye said. “I am a foodie, and I also love learning about new cultures. I love to talk to people, and this group will laugh at my jokes, even if they are not funny. It’s nice to have a community like that.” For more information, contact Lenser at 501-907-8974 at kjlenser@ualr.edu.

The informal international student Friday lunch club enjoys a meal in the Campus Wellness Center. They include, from left to right, Karl Lenser, Rehnuma Seheli, Ameera Alzaid, Wejdan Alhamad, Mohammed Alzaid, Professor Avinash Thombre, Shubham Ghorpade, and Muize Lemboye. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

Graduating student plans to make difference by teaching in high-needs urban schools

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:39:28 +0000

When Jessica Tate, a 22-year-old native of Nashville, Arkansas, spent this summer teaching English as a second language in China, what she experienced led her to make a life-changing decision. “What I saw in China blew my mind,” Tate said. “I went to five different schools over the course of my internship, so I got to see the disparities in educational access. It gave me a totally new perspective.” Tate will graduate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Saturday, Dec. 15, earning two Bachelor of Arts degrees in international studies and Spanish. For many years, Tate assumed she would join the United Nations as an interpreter following her graduation, or perhaps a think tank to do research on international policies. But the internship she completed in China, a part of her requirement for her international studies degree, changed those plans. “The internship legitimately changed my life,” she said. “There was one school where we had to teach in this building that seemed so disconnected from the rest of campus. I remember being in this building that was meant to be a gym. I didn’t have access to a computer, projector, or desks. I only had a small board, and I had to squat down in order to write anything to teach. It was really that experience that opened my eyes to that I should be doing something that is fulfilling to me.” Tate applied and has been accepted to a four-year teacher residency position with the, a nonprofit organization operating in Dallas, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. The mission of Urban Teachers is to prepare highly effective teachers who are committed to teaching students in school districts that need them most. In June, Tate will move to Baltimore, where she will teach secondary mathematics in high-need schools, all while earning her state teacher license and earning a Master of Science degree in education from Johns Hopkins University School of Education. After graduating high school at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts in 2014, Tate started at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a recipient of the Donaghey Scholars Program. The campuswide honors program includes full tuition and fees, a living stipend, financial assistance toward a study abroad program, a housing subsidy, and a new laptop computer. “I was very fortunate to have the Donaghey Scholars Program,” she said. “I get to graduate debt free, and I am very thankful for that. Meeting new people was the most enjoyable part.” Dr. Simon Hawkins, director of the Donaghey Scholars Program, described Tate as an inspiring student who always rises to the challenge. “Jessica is one of those inspiring students who takes advantage of everything ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has to offer, both in the classroom and the world,” Hawkins said. “She is the model of a well-rounded student who always seeks challenges, whether it be teaching English in Mongolia or learning photography and piano or tackling world quality research with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty. She is driven by a desire to understand the world. Many of her experiences have been hard and have pushed her personally and intellectually, but she has always risen to the challenge.” She credits Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm and Dr. Joseph Giammo, professors in the School of Public Affairs, as two of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock professors who helped her the most. “I have been very lucky to have some professors like Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm and Dr. Joe Giammo. Dr. Brahm has helped me a lot to try to figure out my life. He’s been a great mentor to have, and I have learned a lot from him. He is one of the most knowledgeable people I know. He cares about his students and wants to see the best for them. Dr. Giammo was very helpful and understanding. I enjoyed his classes, and he was a good mentor.” Working with Wiebelhaus-Brahm also gave Tate amazing research experience. She completed three research projects with him. The most memorable project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a hybrid peace operation in South Sudan, a project that she presented in the university’s Student Research and Creative Works Expo and the College of Social Sciences and Communication Research Symposium. During the six months between graduation and her move to Baltimore, Tate plans to get a job and earn some money, but she also has some major life events to look forward to. As part of her graduation present, Tate and her mother will travel to the Philippines to visit her mother’s family. “My mom and I are going to the Philippines for a whole month as part of my graduation present to visit the homeland and visit my family,” Tate said. “My mom and I have been planning this for a long time. It’s part of the reason I studied so hard. I wanted to do this for my mom. I’ve never been there before, and I’m going to meet my family for the first time over there.” On May 17, 2019, Tate will marry her fiancé, Zachary Cochran, a senior economics major at the university who will graduate next May. They met at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock when Cochran was taking a Spanish class and needed a tutor, who turned out to be Tate. “I was reading a book, ‘The End of Poverty,’ she said. “He looked at the book, and said ‘I know that book.’ We talked about how much we like the Penguin publishing company. We hit it off first thing. It happens when you have two bookish people. We even have these book dates where we go to Barnes and Noble to sit down and read.” In the upper right photo, graduating senior Jessica Tate is an avid reader and origami artist. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock students selected as finalists in national legal writing competition

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 13:55:40 +0000

Two University of Arkansas at Little Rock students were selected as finalists for a national legal writing competition held by the Academy for Legal Studies in Business. As finalists, Maddie Burke, junior international studies major, and Ian Wren, senior economics major, presented their papers at the academy’s national conference Aug. 11-14 in Portland, Oregon. Wren received third place for his paper, “When Equity Fails the Employee: ERISA and the Specter of Absolute Subrogation.” He was able to travel to the conference with the assistance of the Undergraduate Research Signature Experience Award he received in the spring semester. Burke received an honorable mention for her paper, “Fear of the Unknown: Drawing Back the Curtains on Shielding Laws and Regulations on Drugs Utilized in Animal Euthanasia and Lethal Injection.” Wren’s paper is about a section of employer-provided insurance plans that can leave employees worse off in some cases than if they had different insurance or no insurance at all. These plans operate under ERISA—the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974—which was passed with the intent of protecting employees’ finances from insolvent or unscrupulous employers. “Because most Americans receive insurance from their private-sector employer or belong to the plan of a family member who gets it through their employer, this area of the law can affect the lives of tens or hundreds of millions of people,” Wren said. “I think it’s important to trace the interpretation of this law over the years to see how we’ve arrived at the current, decidedly inequitable situation, and I think it’s important to discuss potential solutions.” Burke’s paper focuses on some of the controversial issues surrounding lethal injection as a method of execution, including the rising number of problematic executions, the shortage of lethal injection drugs, state secrecy statues that protect those who participate in an execution as well as the supplier of drugs, and the absence of assistance from medical professionals. Additionally, Burke finds it odd that the drugs used in lethal injection often lack Food and Drug Administration regulations, especially when drugs used in animal euthanasia are strictly regulated. “I think this is important because, almost every day, we see something in the news about lethal injection as a method of execution,” Burke said. “I wanted to highlight some of the controversies and add to the literature about Oklahoma being the first state to adopt nitrogen asphyxiation as their primary method of execution instead of lethal injection.” Last year, Burke won the top student honor, the Outstanding Student Research Paper award, for her paper, “The 1920 Death on the High Seas Act: An Outdated and Ambiguous Admirality Law Shielding Cruise Lines Companies from Civil Liability,” at the 2017 Academy for Legal Studies in Business Conference. The Academy for Legal Studies in Business is an association of teachers and scholars in the fields of business law, legal environment, and law-related courses outside of professional law schools. Utilizing their resources, they provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and encourage support and cooperation among those who teach and conduct research in the field of legal studies. In the upper right photo, students Ian Wren (left) and Maddie Burke (middle) are shown with their advisor, Dr. Casey Rockwell (right).

��Vlog��ý Little Rock students win free trip to New York City to explore African-American history

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 17 May 2018 14:23:19 +0000

Eight University of Arkansas at Little Rock students have won a free trip to New York City to explore African-American history after winning an essay contest. In honor of Black History Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity held an essay contest in February for undergraduate students. In 600 words or less, students answered the question: How has any one organization, movement, place, or period in New York City’s history contributed to the African-American struggle for freedom and equality? Winners include McKenzie Baker, international studies major; Deuntay Bennett, economics major; Sean Corrothers, accounting major; Jessica Doyne, professional and technical writing major; Ravan Gaston, political science major; Kimberly Maurer, English-secondary education major; Tieranee Ransom, elementary education major; and Tori Williams, English major with a creative writing emphasis. The eight winners will visit New York City July 9-15. Airfare, lodging, meals, and entrance to site visits will all be covered. Students will stay at and visit sites such as the Studio Museum of Harlem, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the African Burial Ground National Monument, Black Theater of Harlem, Apollo Theater, Ellis Island, Louis Armstrong Museum, and Grant’s Tomb. The Anderson Institute began the essay contest in 2017 in which eight ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students won a trip to Washington, D.C. to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture and other historical sites.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock student travels the globe to aid in fight for human rights

Jenny Lambert — Mon, 07 May 2018 20:29:09 +0000

Graduating student Andrea Elias couldn’t have imagined having a better experience at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. While pursuing her passion to help others, she encountered one-of-a-kind professors, met friends who became family, and traveled to Asia, Africa, and Europe, meeting new people and making unforgettable memories. During her time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Elias, a native of Leon, Mexico, learned about the plight of vulnerable groups throughout the world, and through the study abroad program and other campus organizations, she was able to visit and work with a number of groups whose basic human rights had been abused. “Andrea has taken advantage of multiple opportunities to learn more about the world and to get involved,” said Joseph Giammo, associate professor of political science and international studies. “She volunteered at a school for refugee children in Thailand, helped to create a Spanish-language program for Women and Children First, a local non-profit she interned with that helps victims of domestic abuse, and volunteered over spring break with two groups in Houston that help victims of human trafficking.” Elias also traveled to Morocco for a Model Arab League conference and served as a tutor for French students learning Spanish during her study abroad stay at the University of France. Elias has enjoyed actively preparing herself for an employer that matches her love for people. She wants to continue to work toward helping to protect and guarantee the human rights and freedom of the underprivileged and disadvantaged. “Modern day slavery continues to exist today, and it needs to be eradicated,” she said. To assist in the fight to make this happen, Elias has been adamant about obtaining an exceptional education. She understands that it is a personal investment in herself, her future, and others. This is what drove her to persevere despite the long nights, little sleep, and loads of caffeine. “It wasn’t easy, nor was it cheap, but it will all be worth it,” she said. Elias’ biggest supporters, her mom, dad, step-dad, and sister, have encouraged her throughout her entire educational journey. In addition, she had professors who saw and nurtured her potential. “I cannot express my gratitude enough toward my professors and the faculty who truly invested in me,” Elias said. “I am so thankful for Drs. Rebecca Glazier, Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, Joseph Giammo, Zachary Hagins, Avinash Thombre, Brian Mitchell, professor Rosalie Cheatham, Emily Bell, Larry Rhodes, and so many others.” Throughout her journey, Elias met extraordinary people, but none compared to those who became her second family. After joining the Genesis Ministry and Chi Alpha campus ministry, Elias found a home away from home and established friendships unlike any she’d ever experienced. “These people have made an incredible impact on my life,” Elias said. “I enjoyed all of the game nights, retreats, and study nights, but what I enjoyed most was gaining long-lasting friendships. I got to be in my friends’ weddings, travel around the country, and go to Asia with this group, where we grew and matured, got to help others, and shared the love that God gave us.” On May 12, Elias will graduate from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with two bachelor’s degrees in international studies and French. “Looking back, I never thought this season would be anything like it was,” she said. “Besides much growth and knowledge, it was one of such sweet memories.” Following graduation, Elias plans to take life one step at a time. Her future goals are to learn two more languages and later, pursue a master’s degree. “Through my university experience, I now know what I am capable of,” she said. “It has been one incredible ride, but it’s far from over. This is just beginning.”

��Vlog��ýLR to host International Celebration Week Nov. 14-17

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 14:15:49 +0000

Hundreds of University of Arkansas at Little Rock students, employees, and families will gather for an international Thanksgiving celebration on Nov. 16. The annual dinner is a tradition of International Celebration Week, which runs Nov. 14-17 at ��Vlog��ýLR. The week of events strengthens awareness of national cultures and encourages interaction between diverse student organizations and departments on campus. The Thanksgiving celebration provides a free meal for those who cannot travel home for the holiday. The event will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, in the Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter Hall. Reserve tickets by stopping by Donaghey Student Center Room 216. International Celebration Week will kickoff with the International Middle Eastern “Short” Film Festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 14 in the Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter Hall. The festival will feature documentaries and films that focus on a variety of contemporary issues. A brief commentary and discussion will follow each film. Snacks will be provided. International Celebration Day will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, in the Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter Hall. With interactive displays, intercultural communication posters, music, and food, this fun-filled event will feature students representing their cultures and discussing worldwide career and volunteer opportunities. Complete the International Celebration day to participate. Students can learn about study abroad opportunities and apply for a passport during the Study Abroad-Passport to the World event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter C. To wrap up the week, two interfaith dialog lunches will take place from noon to 1 p.m. Nov. 16 and 12:05 to 1:15 p.m. Nov. 17. This event, sponsored by the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps, will provide students with the opportunity to understand the faith and worldviews of other students. To register for the event, please complete the . For more information on International Celebration week, contact Jenny Dodson at 501.569.3308 or jmdodson@ualr.edu or Dr. Gerald Driskill at 501.569.3158 or gwdriskill@ualr.edu.

Kristi Smith named ��Vlog��ýLR senior director of development

Shanna Fitzgerald — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 18:41:21 +0000

Kristi Smith, a University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate, has been selected to fill a key fundraising role for the university. Smith, who earned a ��Vlog��ýLR bachelor’s degree in international studies in 1995 and a master’s degree in public administration two years later, has been named the ��Vlog��ýLR senior director of development. She will create and execute donor prospect strategy and will work with priority philanthropic initiatives at ��Vlog��ýLR, such as the Chancellor’s Circle, the Center for Arkansas History and Culture, and the Foundation Fund board of directors. The North Little Rock native began her undergraduate studies as a Donaghey scholar, which enabled her to spend time abroad in Strasbourg, France. She graduated magna cum laude and worked as a graduate assistant in the Arkansas Institute of Government while she pursued her master’s degree. “I cherished my time as a student here and will forever be grateful to ��Vlog��ýLR for being able to graduate from college debt-free,” Smith said. “Unfortunately, many students who attend ��Vlog��ýLR don’t have the same experience. Many are dependent on loans to get them through, which leads me to why I will be calling (potential donors) soon.” She has a message for those potential donors: “The gifts you make will truly impact a student’s life and will allow them to realize the dream of graduating from the world class institution that is ��Vlog��ýLR,” Smith said. Smith served as assistant to the dean of the ��Vlog��ýLR Graduate School, where she remained four years. She also spent four years working at the College of Medicine at the (��Vlog��ýMS). She later worked in pharmaceutical sales for , earning numerous sales awards including being named to the Circle of Excellence during her nine years with the company. Smith and her husband, Greg, have two miniature schnauzers, Dottie and DiDi, at home in Little Rock. She is an active member of the Beta Pi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Spanish major hones skills in Costa Rica

Taylor Aldana — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 21:02:40 +0000

When University of Arkansas at Little Rock junior Forrest Goss received a substantial tax return in 2014, he decided to take a trip somewhere he’d never been. He chose Costa Rica — a place where he could practice and build confidence in his second language. A Spanish major and legal studies minor, Goss obtained a passport and booked a round-trip flight from Dallas, following a recommendation from his cousin, who had visited the Central American country while in the Peace Corps. During his eight days in Costa Rica, Goss spoke mostly Spanish. From the first day, his intermediate Spanish-speaking skills were extremely helpful, he said. “A few tourist-oriented towns have a lot of English speakers, but in the capital and the smaller towns, it was nearly all Spanish,” he said. “I was meeting some new friends for dinner and had to navigate my way through town by asking directions,” Goss said. “My Spanish skills were not as good as I had thought, but I also got good at speaking a lot quicker than I expected.” He knew he was making progress when he took a two-hour bus ride to a town called Quepos and conversed with the woman next to him. She did not speak a word of English. “By the time I got off the bus, we had talked about our families, our work lives, and the places we lived,” he said. “I thought to myself, ‘Wow, I learned all that without a word of English!’ That was one of the most memorable parts of my trip.” Goss’ mentor and Spanish professor, Dr. Erin Finzer, has been an incredible resource for him not only in learning Spanish, but also advising, applying for scholarships and in providing letters of recommendation, Goss said. He met Finzer his first semester at ��Vlog��ýLR while taking her Spanish 1 course. “I have had a great relationship with her ever since,” he said. Goss, a data quality manager at the ��Vlog��ýLR Survey Research Center, has had about half a dozen courses with Finzer. “Being a full-time employee and student can be very taxing, and it feels good to have someone like her in my corner,” he said. “I can honestly say I wouldn’t be where I am without her help.” Besides the Spanish language, Goss also is interested in human rights. He takes particular interest in the legal system in the U.S. and its accessibility to minorities, low-income citizens and undocumented immigrants, many of whom do not speak English. “These groups are at an extreme disadvantage in our legal system and oftentimes do not get the legal assistance and fair treatment under the law to which they are entitled,” Goss said. “Furthermore, I suspect many people are not even aware of their legal options and thus are vulnerable to unfair treatment in the criminal justice system.” After Goss graduates with his bachelor’s degree, he plans to go to the ��Vlog��ýLR Bowen School of Law and combine his Spanish-speaking skills with legal knowledge to become a resource to those who need it. In the long run, he would like to become involved in local and state politics and policymaking.

Student earns summer scholarship in Taiwan

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Fri, 09 May 2014 21:52:13 +0000

An international studies and political science double major at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock will earn six college credit hours through study in an intensive program at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan this summer. ��Vlog��ýLR senior Jessica Cone of Harrison was offered a spot in the Taiwan-United States Sister Relations Alliance Ambassador Summer Scholarship Program. Her scholarship includes tuition, housing, paid excursions, time with a host family, and a one-on-one language partner. The unique eight-week program is designed for students who want to represent their state, as well as the United States, acting as ambassadors to Taiwan. Upon their return, the students are expected to be ambassadors of goodwill for both the U.S. and Taiwan. Cone heard about the opportunity from Joshua Thomsen, an international studies administrative assistant at ��Vlog��ýLR and a TUSA alumnus himself. She is interested in East Asian studies and expects the ambassador program to be an excellent cultural experience. “I feel there’s only so much I can pick up from classes and books, and it’s really time to go out there and be in the middle of it,” she said. “I’m extremely honored to have been chosen for TUSA’s 2014 Ambassador class.” The program will enable her to study Chinese, her language emphasis at ��Vlog��ýLR. The TUSA program also gives students the opportunity to tutor Taiwanese high school students in English, according to Cone. She is considering teaching English in China, Taiwan, or South Korea when she graduates. “I’m extremely excited, but at the same time I’m really scared. I’ve never studied abroad before, and this will be the furthest I’ve ever been from home,” she said. “If I didn’t have the support of my parents, family, friends, the political science and international studies departments, and the staff at ��Vlog��ýLR, this wouldn’t be possible,” Cone added. As a transfer student from Oregon State’s e-campus political science program, Cone said she has been impressed with how willing faculty and staff at ��Vlog��ýLR are to help ambitious students reach their goals. She earned her associate degree from North Arkansas College in Harrison.

Learn more about ��Vlog��ýLR’s political science and international studies programs.

Keep up with what’s happening at ��Vlog��ýLR; Subscribe to E-News.

Grad Lands State Department Scholarship

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:44:35 +0000

Bartly Carfagno of Sherwood who graduated in December with a degree in international studies at ��Vlog��ýLR has been awarded a Critical Language Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State. Carfagno is one of 575 U.S. undergraduate and graduate students selected for the scholarship. He will study Chinese in a seven to 10-week, group-based intensive language instruction and cultural enrichment experience program in China. The CLS Program is part of a U.S. government effort to expand dramatically the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages. Selected finalists for the 2012 CLS Program hail from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. The finalists represent 239 institutions of higher education from across the United States, including public and private universities, liberal arts colleges, minority-serving institutions, and community colleges.

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

����Vlog��ý Little Rock international students celebrate food, fellowship, and friendship

Graduating student plans to make difference by teaching in high-needs urban schools

����Vlog��ý Little Rock students selected as finalists in national legal writing competition

����Vlog��ý Little Rock students win free trip to New York City to explore African-American history

����Vlog��ý Little Rock student travels the globe to aid in fight for human rights

����Vlog��ýLR to host International Celebration Week Nov. 14-17

Kristi Smith named ����Vlog��ýLR senior director of development