/news-archive/tag/joseph-giammo/ 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:39:28 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /news-archive/2018/12/11/jessica-tate-grad/ Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:39:28 +0000 /news/?p=72930 ... Graduating student plans to make difference by teaching in high-needs urban schools]]> 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.聽 鈥淲hat I saw in China blew my mind,鈥� Tate said. 鈥淚 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.鈥� 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. 鈥淭he internship legitimately changed my life,鈥� she said. 鈥�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鈥檛 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.鈥� 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 糖心Vlog传媒 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. 鈥淚 was very fortunate to have the Donaghey Scholars Program,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 get to graduate debt free, and I am very thankful for that. Meeting new people was the most enjoyable part.鈥� Dr. Simon Hawkins, director of the Donaghey Scholars Program, described Tate as an inspiring student who always rises to the challenge. 鈥淛essica is one of those inspiring students who takes advantage of everything 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has to offer, both in the classroom and the world,鈥� Hawkins said. 鈥淪he 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 糖心Vlog传媒 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.鈥� She credits Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm and Dr. Joseph Giammo, professors in the School of Public Affairs, as two of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock professors who helped her the most. 鈥淚 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鈥檚 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.鈥� 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 family. 鈥淢y 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,鈥� Tate said. 鈥淢y mom and I have been planning this for a long time. It鈥檚 part of the reason I studied so hard. I wanted to do this for my mom. I鈥檝e never been there before, and I鈥檓 going to meet my family for the first time over there.鈥� On May 17, 2019, Tate will marry her fianc茅, Zachary Cochran, a senior economics major at the university who will graduate next May. They met at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock when Cochran was taking a Spanish class and needed a tutor, who turned out to be Tate. 鈥淚 was reading a book, 鈥楾he End of Poverty,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e looked at the book, and said 鈥業 know that book.鈥� 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.鈥� In the upper right photo, graduating senior Jessica Tate is an avid reader and origami artist. Photo by Benjamin Krain.聽]]> /news-archive/2018/05/07/ua-little-rock-student-travels-globe-aid-fight-human-rights/ Mon, 07 May 2018 20:29:09 +0000 /news/?p=70450 ... 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock student travels the globe to aid in fight for human rights]]> Graduating student Andrea Elias couldn鈥檛 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 糖心Vlog传媒 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. 鈥淎ndrea has taken advantage of multiple opportunities to learn more about the world and to get involved,鈥� said Joseph Giammo, associate professor of political science and international studies. 鈥淪he 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.鈥� 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. 聽 鈥淢odern day slavery continues to exist today, and it needs to be eradicated,鈥� 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. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 easy, nor was it cheap, but it will all be worth it,鈥� she said. Elias鈥� 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. 聽 鈥淚 cannot express my gratitude enough toward my professors and the faculty who truly invested in me,鈥� Elias said. 鈥淚 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.鈥� 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鈥檇 ever experienced. 鈥淭hese people have made an incredible impact on my life,鈥� Elias said. 鈥淚 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鈥� 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.鈥� On May 12, Elias will graduate from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock with two bachelor鈥檚 degrees in international studies and French. 鈥淟ooking back, I never thought this season would be anything like it was,鈥� she said. 鈥淏esides much growth and knowledge, it was one of such sweet memories.鈥� 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鈥檚 degree. 鈥淭hrough my university experience, I now know what I am capable of,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t has been one incredible ride, but it鈥檚 far from over. This is just beginning.鈥� ]]>