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

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Launches Leadership Academy to Provide Professional Development Opportunities for Business Community

John Hill — Wed, 12 May 2021 21:57:56 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has launched a new Leadership Academy to provide customized and affordable professional development training for local businesses and organizations. The Leadership Academy provides leadership development to support professional growth within the organization. The Leadership Academy offers a variety of training in areas including business decision-making, personnel management, and communication. Courses are offered in person or in hybrid learning. “The need for the Leadership Academy came from the industry,” said Dr. Otmar Varela, director of the Leadership Academy and professor of management. “After conducting several focus groups last year with local business experts in leadership development, we realized the need for the academy. We believe this program offers a tremendous opportunity to provide unique training for the business community.” The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Leadership Academy is a joint effort between the School of Business, the Department of Applied Communication, and the Office of Extended Education. “I love that the School of Business and the Department of Applied Communication are teaming up on this venture,” said Dr. April Chatham-Carpenter, chair of the Department of Applied Communication. “We both have offered these types of workshops separately for years, but teaming up allows us to expand our offerings and tailor them to the needs of specific businesses in the community.” Training programs are tailor-made for each organization. The Leadership Academy experience begins with a client meeting to understand their specific needs. An expert facilitator will assess the organization and collaborate with the clients to create a custom-learning curriculum that supports the needs and goals of the organization. Clients are able to design their own curriculum and set the schedule and learning method that best fits their organization. Courses are offered in a variety of topics including strategic decision-making, performance management, and public speaking for professionals, as well as diversity management, emotional intelligence, and workforce engagement. The Leadership Academy faculty members will also work with organizations to create a personalized training that adapts to the attributes of participants. “I am thrilled that the School of Business and the Department of Applied Communication will be offering the Leadership Academy to Little Rock,” said Dr. Jane Wayland, dean of the College of Business, Health, and Human Services. “Businesses will be able to customize the training they need at a reasonable cost. High-quality instruction is assured by using full-time faculty who are experts in their fields.” The faculty instructors in the Leadership Academy include Drs. Naeem Bajwa, Richard Woodridge, and Otmar Varela from the School of Business as well as Drs. April Chatham-Carpenter, Gerald Driskill, Kristen McIntyre, Julien Mirivel, Bailey Oliver, Avinash Thombre, and Carol Thompson from the Department of Applied Communication. Christine Cotton serves as the partner from the Extended Education office. McIntyre, director of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Communication Skill Center, has collaborated with Varela for many years on offering communication workshops to business students and is excited to see the effort expand to the Leadership Academy. “It’s exciting to see our years of collaboration together formalized in the offering of such a valuable program,” she said. For more information on the Leadership Academy, including a free assessment of your organization’s training needs, contact Dr. Otmar Varela at oxvarela@ualr.edu or visit the Leadership Academy’s website.

Tre’ Day 8th Annual Tennis Tournament raises $7,500 for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock scholarship

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 12:56:08 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received more than $7,500 for student scholarships in mass communication after a successful tennis tournament Power 92 organized by radio deejay and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumnus Travis ��Ƿɲ��.�� “The tournament went great,” Tre’ Day said. “We had fantastic weather and 125 players and a stupendous silent auction. I want to thank Dairy Queen and Whole Hog Café for donating food for all the players and volunteers. I just want to thank everyone for giving back. People always thank me, but it’s really about the people who participate and the businesses who support us who make the difference.” Dr. Julien Mirivel, interim dean of the College of Social Sciences and Communication, said the tennis tournament is a key example of how alumni can combine their passions with the spirit of giving to help the university. “Every year, tennis players across the state come to compete to raise funds to benefit mass communication students in the College of Social Sciences and Communication,” Mirivel said. “This scholarship project supports high school students who want to pursue a degree in journalism or radio, television, and film. Not only are we able to provide financial support to our students, but we can use this wonderful scholarship to recruit high school students across the state. We are so grateful for Tre’ Day’s leadership and for his continued support of our students.” Education has always been important to Tre’ Day, who graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication in 2000 and a 4.0 GPA. Once supported by a scholarship from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Tre’ Day has continuously and generously invested in education through his longtime scholarship program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. In 2018, he celebrated his milestone 40th birthday with a $10,000 donation to the scholarship fund. “If I hadn’t gotten that scholarship, I would have gone into the military and who knows where I would have ended up,” Rowan said. “Somebody before me raised money for a scholarship for me, and now I want to pass on the gift of education.” The 8th annual Tre’ Day Charity Classic was held over Labor Day weekend. This year’s tournament featured 125 players in the double-elimination tournament. Tre’ Day’s wife Malika also had a big day as the winner of two of the tournament’s divisions. “It was an amazing day,” Malika Rowan said. “I’ve played in the tournament the past three years, and it was my first time to take home one of the coveted bobble head trophies. It’s always fun to play with people you know and want to beat, but I always say to have fun first. It’s for a good cause after all.” Tre’ Day began his radio career in 1996 right out of high school. The name of his popular radio personality was given to him by his basketball teammates after hitting 11 three-pointers in a single game. While a full-time student at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Tre’ Day worked his way up from an internship to a full-time position at KIPR 92.3 FM, where he currently works as both the assistant program director and the host of the popular afternoon drive show, “Take it to the House.” Tre’ Day’s scholarship is open to students in the Department of Mass Communication pursuing a degree in film, radio, or television and who graduated from an Arkansas high school. Freshman applicants will have preference, but upper-level students are eligible. What a difference that scholarship has made. Each of the 11 students who have received the have gone on to graduate from college, and Tre’ Day remains a mentor to many of them. “It’s been a joy to see how they grow in college and where they are today,” Tre’ Day said. “It makes your heart feel good.” Anyone who is interested in making a donation to the scholarship can click on this link and select the Treday.com Scholarship Project/Fund. In the upper right photo, Power 92 radio deejay and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumnus Travis “Tre’ Day” Rowan competes in his annual tennis charity tournament to raise money for mass communication scholarships at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.��

��Vlog��ý Little Rock receives $21,000 for criminal justice scholarships in honor of John Boyeskie

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 07 May 2019 13:16:17 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received a $21,000 gift to provide student scholarships in honor of the late John Boyeskie, a 1999 graduate of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.�� Ron Boyeskie, vice president of , Inc. and his wife, the late Connie Boyeskie, former general manager at ASCO Hardware who passed away in January, made the donation to provide scholarships for criminal justice students in honor of Ron Boyeskie’s late brother, John. “The reason Connie and I wanted to do this is to provide a legacy for John,” Ron Boyeskie said. “He had such a passion for criminal justice and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. The Criminal Justice Department is where John really connected with people later in life. He bonded with the professors, and they challenged him.” In 2003, the Boyeskies established the John A. Boyeskie Memorial Scholarship in honor of John, who passed away in 2002 at age 54, with a $15,000 donation. The new gift raises the scholarship endowment to $50,000. “Ron and his late wife Connie have made such a wonderful gift to the Department of Criminal Justice and our students,” said Dr. Julien Mirivel, interim dean of the College of Social Sciences and Communication. “Their gift is especially meaningful because it is designed to support our graduate students and provide the right financial support to help those students be successful. With their additional gift, Ron and Connie have created a legacy of influence and a shining memory of John, which will live on in every student awarded a scholarship in his name.” John Boyeskie returned to school in 1997 after selling his business to take on a new challenge in life. He graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a master’s degree in criminal justice. “John was always very disciplined, an avid reader, and a genius,” Ron Boyeskie said. “He had a burning desire for more knowledge. He found a place to call home in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Criminal Justice Department. He dearly enjoyed his time here because he was challenged and enjoyed relationships with the professors. My wife and I started the scholarship with the intention of helping students follow their dreams in criminal justice.” Dr. Mary Parker, chair of the Department of Criminal Justice, remembers John Boyeskie as a very intelligent student who challenged the status quo. “John was one of the most challenging students I ever had in the classroom – in the best way possible,” Parker said. “He forced you to question your own perspective on issues and topics while you were forcing him to question his perspective. He had no tolerance for the status quo. Through his unique way of making us dig deeper, he made us all better students, faculty, and human beings.” While pursuing their undergraduate degrees at what is now the University of Central Arkansas, the Boyeskie brothers roomed together and worked multiple jobs to pay for their college education. Ron Boyeskie hopes that this gift will make it easier for working adults to earn their college degree. “John was my baby brother, and he left the world too soon,” Ron Boyeskie said. “I wanted everyone to know who he is and have a scholarship to champion his name. It’s something that Connie and I wanted to do in his memory. Last year, Connie and I started talking about what an additional donation could provide. This scholarship is giving someone an opportunity, especially upperclassman students who are working and struggling to get a degree. John and I both did the same thing when we were getting our undergraduate degrees. This is an opportunity to give back.”

Gift to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock September Fund will help children of Arkansas first responders

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 20:26:23 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received a $19,000 donation to help children of first responders in Arkansas afford a college education while carrying on the memory of first responders who tragically lost their lives on 9/11.�� The donation will benefit the September Fund Endowed Scholarship in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock College of Social Sciences and Communication and will provide assistance for any education-related expenses for the children of Arkansas first responders, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians. “This donation is a wonderful gift that will benefit many students over the years. It will double the endowment and provide stability for the scholarship,” said Dr. Julien Mirivel, interim dean of the College of Social Sciences and Communication. “This is also a special scholarship that helps the children of our first responders who sacrificed so much for others. It matches the college’s mission to make a difference in the lives of our students.” The September Fund emerged in 2003 after Jake Goheen, an attorney and graduate of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, answered a call from his favorite talk radio show, “The Corey and Jay Show” (now ), in 2002. “Corey and Jay put out a call for attorneys to help them start a project honoring first responders of 9/11,” said Goheen, head of the September Fund Board. “A while later, I realized no one called in. Not a lot of attorneys listen to alternative rock stations. That’s the first and only time I’ve called in to a radio talk show. We formed a wonderful board and had a great 15-year run.” Goheen joined forces with John Beck, a local law enforcement officer, and his wife, Laura Beck, who previously worked at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. In addition to helping with the law enforcement and educational portions of the scholarship, the Becks sold barbecue sauce and salsa to help fund the scholarship as well as created an annual chili cook-off event. “The September Fund has been a lot of fun, and we’ve had some faithful friends that have stayed with us over the years,” John Beck said. “This effort came from the heart. I remember exactly where I was on 9/11. A lot of good people gave up their lives that day. It’s our duty to never forget them.” Others who were instrumental in helping the September Fund over the years include board members Corey Deitz, Patrick Beam, and Matt Cruz, on-air talent at 100.3. In the past, others have given countless hours of their time and donated their skills and money to the cause. Matt Brumley, an emergency medical technician and director of MEDTRAN Ambulance Service of Saline Memorial Hospital, helped spread the word in the early years, as well as the Saline County Sheriff’s Department and accountants Michael Glenn and Michael Storey.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock honors friends of the College of Social Sciences and Communication during a basketball game at the Jack Stephens Center. Those pictured (L to R) include: Chasse Conque, Dr. Julien Mirivel, Jake Goheen Ashley Gore, Tom Bailey, Miguel Lopez, Summer Khairi, Nancy Rowen, Tre’ Day Rowan and son, and Mike Blain. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

Now that the scholarship is housed at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, they hope the scholarship will carry on forever. “At this point, the kids that are getting the scholarship do not remember 9/11. We don’t want there to ever be another 9/11, but we don’t want people to forget what happened that day,” Goheen said. “We want this to be a permanent fund that lives on forever to honor the first responders who are out there dealing with fires, accidents, medical emergencies, and tragedies. The first responders are still on the ground every day, and their children still need an education.” Preference will be given to students majoring in a department or school in the College of Social Sciences and Communication. These include applied communication, criminal justice, psychology, rhetoric and writing, mass communication, public affairs, and sociology and anthropology. Academic accomplishments and financial need will be strongly considered. “Many of us remember life before 9/11, but the students who receive this scholarship will have no concept of that previous life,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor of university advancement. “We had so many local heroes that participated in the heroic efforts of that day, and this scholarship keeps the memory of their sacrifices alive.” In the upper right photo, Dr. Julien Mirivel, interim dean of the College of Social Sciences and Communication (right), Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor of university advancement (middle), and Jake Goheen (right) sign papers signifying a $19,000 donation to the September Fund Endowed Scholarship Fund. Photo by Benjamin Krain.��

‘Positive Communication’ topic of next ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown lecture

Janea Snyder — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 17:58:01 +0000

The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown Lecture Series continues on Wednesday, Feb. 6, with a talk on “The Art of Positive Communication: How Small Behaviors Create Your Best Moments” by Julien C. Mirivel, dean of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s College of Social Sciences and Communication. The lecture begins at 6 p.m. at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown, 333 President Clinton Ave. Miravel’s talk will offer an introduction to the art of positive communication, built on the premise that “the spoken word, spoken honorably and well, can make a difference that no other form of communication can equal.” In the talk, Mirivel will share a simple model to inspire audience members to communicate more positively. With personal examples and stories, he will show how concrete behaviors can have a positive effect at work, at home, and in the community. By the end of the talk, audience members will be able to create their best moments and to connect with others more deeply. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown Lecture Series features ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty discussing issues in science, health, community, the arts, and other topics every Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. All lectures are free and open to the public, but individuals are encouraged to RSVP by emailing downtown@ualr.edu. For more information, contact Ross Owyoung, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown director, at 870-501-2700 or rlowyoung@ualr.edu.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown lecture series kicks off Feb. 6

Janea Snyder — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 19:56:59 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown kicks off its lecture series on Wednesday, Feb. 6, with Chancellor Andrew Rogerson giving the inaugural lecture. The weekly lecture series will feature ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty discussing issues in science, health, community, the arts. and other topics. The lectures will be presented on Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown, 333 President Clinton Ave. Dr. Rogerson’s lecture – “Tales of A Wandering Microbiologist,” – will give attendees the opportunity to discover the enthralling life of microbes. Before becoming chancellor of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Rogerson spent 30 years as a researcher and professor at eight universities and two government laboratories. He has worked on a diverse range of research projects all united by the fact they have involved microbes. Rogerson’s research was funded by various federal agencies including the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The schedule is as follows: Feb. 13 – “The Art of Positive Communication: How Small Behaviors Create Your Best Moments,” Julien Mirivel, dean of the College of Social Sciences and Communication This talk is an introduction to the art of positive communication. It is built on the premise that “the spoken word, spoken honorably and well, can make a difference that no other form of communication can equal.” In the talk, Mirivel shares a simple model to inspire audience members to communicate more positively. With personal examples and stories, the talk will invite everyone to practice concrete behaviors that will have a positive effect at work, at home, and in the community. By the end of the talk, every person in the audience will be able to create their best moments and to connect with others more deeply. Feb. 20 – “Poverty, Food, and Nutritionism,” Don Willis, assistant professor of sociology Food is more than its nutritional and caloric content. It can shape our identity, our social relationships, and even act as a resource to blur or distinguish people across social categories. Dr. Willis will discuss a particular form of poverty—namely, food insecurity—and how it impacts lives and health through social, or non-nutritional pathways, such as one’s sense of social positioning in an unequal world. In asking this question, he also grapples with more fundamental questions about the character of food itself, and its role in shaping social experiences such as trust and belonging. Come for a fresh take on the role of food in shaping unequal lives. Feb. 27 – “Nonprofit Capacity Building Strategies,” Kirk Leach, assistant professor, School of Public Affairs Dr. Leach will discuss collaboration and social entrepreneurship in the context of nonprofit capacity building. The goal for the discussion is to engage nonprofits in a shared learning environment, to learn with, and from each other. March 6 – “Religion and Community Engagement in Little Rock,” Rebecca Glazier, associate professor, School of Public Affairs Attendees will learn about religion, politics, and community engagement in Little Rock. Using data from more than 2,000 congregants and 200 clergy in Little Rock, Dr. Glazier will share information about the benefits of faith-based community engagement and take suggestions for questions and topics for the 2020 Little Rock Congregations Study survey of congregants. March 13 – “Deviant Mobs of the Internet: Bots, Trolls, and Misinformation,” Nitin Agarwal, Maulden-Entergy Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor of Information Science Social media platforms are widely used for sharing information. Although social media use is generally benign, such platforms can also be used for malicious activities, including the dissemination of propaganda, hoaxes, and fake news to influence the public. The availability of inexpensive and ubiquitous mass communication tools has made such malicious acts much more convenient and effective. This talk will touch upon various research efforts that demonstrate how disinformation campaigns work, examine the critical link between blogs and other social media platforms (viz., YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, VKontakte, etc.), and the different media orchestration strategies. Using socio-computational models that leverage social network analysis and cyber forensics, prominent information actors, and leading coordinators of disinformation campaigns are identified. Further, the talk will highlight tactics, techniques, and procedures used by the deviant groups to propagate disinformation. The talk will further illustrate application of the research methodology to prominent cases of massive disinformation campaigns in the Baltic region and NATO’s military exercises, conducted primarily through blogs but strategically linking to a variety of other social media platforms. March 27- “The Climate Reality Project: Need for Change and Reasons for Hope,” Dr. Jessica Scott, assistant director of the Donaghey Scholars Program Must we change? Can we change? Will we change? These three questions will be the focus of Dr. Scott’s presentation on climate change and the work of The Climate Reality Project. Although climate change is often misunderstood by the public, more than 97 percent of climate scientists agree that it is real and caused by the burning of fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas. Understanding climate change can be overwhelming because our atmosphere, oceans, soil, and weather are driven by a complex network of interconnected factors. Dr. Scott’s talk, targeted at non-scientists, will not only summarize the evidence for climate change, but will also give an overview of what we know about its impacts and the policy and industry changes that experts predict will be necessary to mitigate these effects. All lectures are free and open to the public; however, individuals are encouraged to RSVP by emailing downtown@ualr.edu. For more information, contact Ross Owyoung, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown director, at 870-501-2700 or rlowyoung@ualr.edu. More information is available online.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown opens, announces lecture series

Janea Snyder — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 22:24:41 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock celebrated the opening of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown on Wednesday, Jan. 16, with a reception and unveiling of the historic Joe Jones’ 1935 mural, The Struggle in the South.

Chancellor Andrew Rogerson welcomed more than 200 people who attended the event at the new center at 333 President Clinton Ave., which will host weekly lectures, some non-credit classes, and provide rental space.

“From the beginning of my tenure at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, there was a lot of encouragement for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to develop a visible, engaged presence downtown,” Dr. Rogerson said. “We understand the importance of making our vital urban campus relevant and accessible here in the heart of the city. We wanted a space that honored the past, engaged the present, and imagined the future, and that is what this multi-use space reflects.”

The new center will serve as a bridge to the main campus and will provide university information, student recruitment and promotion of outstanding programs.

“We will have informative and entertaining lectures, lunchtime panel discussions, career-enhancing short courses, and certificate programs of benefit to the downtown community, and a place for our faculty to offer the community highlights of their cutting-edge research,” Rogerson said.

Newly elected Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, an alumnus of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, spoke at the grand opening and praised ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s efforts.

“I’m so grateful to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for having the forethought to bring this downtown center to fruition,” he said. “A great thriving city must have a great thriving university. This space will connect all areas together.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown Director Ross Owyoung announced the center’s weekly lectures series, beginning Feb. 6, and Extended Learning classes beginning in March. The non-credit extended learning classes include two-day writing workshops, led by Sally Crisp, faculty emerita in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Department of Rhetoric and Writing, and Sherry Rankins-Robertson, associate professor of rhetoric and writing.

“Telling Your own Stories” will be offered March 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. “Writing Family Stories” will be offered April 13 from 1 to 3 p.m.

The weekly lectures will feature ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty members discussing issues in science, health, community, the arts and other topics. The lectures will be presented on Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. at . The schedule is as follows:

Feb. 6 – “Tales of A Wandering Microbiologist,” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Andrew Rogerson

Before becoming chancellor of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Andrew Rogerson spent 30 years as a researcher and professor in eight universities and two government laboratories. Fascinated by the hidden, and continually engaged in the possibilities of the invisible, Dr. Rogerson has worked on a diverse range of research projects all united by the fact they have involved microbes. Rogerson’s research was funded by various federal agencies including the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This fun lecture requires no prior knowledge of science. Enjoy a rare opportunity to discover the enthralling life of microbes through the life’s work of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s chancellor.

Feb. 13 – “The Art of Positive Communication: How Small Behaviors Create Your Best Moments,” Julien Mirivel, dean of the College of Social Sciences and Communication

This talk is an introduction to the art of positive communication. It is built on the premise that “the spoken word, spoken honorably and well, can make a difference that no other form of communication can equal.” In the talk, I share a simple model to inspire the audience to communicate more positively. With personal examples and stories, the talk will invite everyone to practice concrete behaviors that will have a positive effect at work, at home, and in the community. By the end of the talk, every person in the audience will be able to create their best moments and to connect with others more deeply.

Feb. 20 – “Poverty, Food, and Nutritionism,” Don Willis, assistant professor of sociology

Food is more than its nutritional and caloric content. It can shape our identity, our social relationships, and even act as a resource to blur or distinguish people across social categories. Dr. Willis will discuss a particular form of poverty—namely, food insecurity—and how it impacts lives and health through social, or non-nutritional pathways, such as one’s sense of social positioning in an unequal world. In asking this question, he also grapples with more fundamental questions about the character of food itself, and its role in shaping social experiences such as trust and belonging. Come for a fresh take on the role of food in shaping unequal lives.

Feb. 27 – “Nonprofit Capacity Building Strategies,” Kirk Leach, assistant professor in the School of Public Affairs

Dr. Leach will discussing collaboration and social entrepreneurship in the context of nonprofit capacity building. The goal for the discussion is to engage nonprofits in a shared learning environment, to learn with, and from each other.

March 6 – “Religion and Community Engagement in Little Rock,” Rebecca Glacier, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs

Attendees at this talk will learn about religion, politics, and community engagement in Little Rock. Using data from more than 2,000 congregants and 200 clergy in Little Rock, Dr. Glazier will share information about the benefits of faith-based community engagement and take suggestions for questions and topics for the 2020 Little Rock Congregations Study survey of congregants.

March 13 – “Deviant Mobs of the Internet: Bots, Trolls, and Misinformation,” Nitin Agarwal, Maulden-Entergy Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor of Information Science.

Social media platforms are widely used for sharing information, but they can also be used to disseminate propaganda, hoaxes, and fake news to influence the public. The availability of inexpensive and ubiquitous mass communication tools has made such malicious acts more convenient and effective. This talk will touch upon various research efforts that demonstrate how disinformation campaigns work and examine the critical link between blogs and other social media platforms ( YouTube, Twitter, Facebook). Using socio-computational models that leverage social network analysis and cyber forensics, leading coordinators of disinformation campaigns are identified. The talk also will highlight tactics, techniques, and procedures used by groups to propagate disinformation. Prominent cases of massive disinformation campaigns in the Baltic region and NATO’s military exercises will be discussed.

All lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Ross Owyoung, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown director, at 870-501-2700 or rlowyoung@ualr.edu.

More information is available online.

Photos by Benjamin Krain

��Vlog��ý Little Rock receives gift to encourage service learning in College of Social Sciences and Communication

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 17:10:53 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received a $37,500 gift to promote the importance of service learning in college education.�� John and Shannon Chamberlin of Little Rock have made the gift to create the Champions for Service Learning Fund that will benefit the College of Social Sciences and Communication at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Our interest in service learning stems originally from service-learning experiences Shannon had in college,” John Chamberlin said. “Because those experiences had such a transformative effect on her personally, she wanted the same for her students, so she assigned service learning in the writing courses she taught at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Her doctoral dissertation research centered on interviews with university faculty regarding their experiences with service learning. We hope that support from this fund will address some of the needs revealed through that research.” Shannon Chamberlin spent two summers during college working with the Dayton Urban Summer Project, living in a neighborhood settlement house in a distressed neighborhood. There were so many families living together in some of the neighboring houses that children had to sleep four to a bed in four-hour shifts. Children were turned out in the night to fend for themselves when it wasn’t their turn in the bed. Shannon’s assignment was to keep the children occupied and safe.” “My eyes were opened to the difficult lives some folks live, and I wanted to help make that better,” she said. “I also wanted to help bring others to that same realization and commitment. When I taught classes, I assigned service learning to encourage students to find ways to help others and to reflect upon and write about their experiences.” The fund will cover the cost of travel and conference fees for at least two faculty members a year from the College of Social Sciences and Communication to attend a service learning conference. “Our hope for this fund is to encourage and support faculty who aim to expand service-learning opportunities for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students,” the Chamberlins said. “Over time, we hope new Champions and those already assigning service learning will form a supportive learning community and that service learning will spread throughout ��Vlog��ý Little Rock campus culture. The more service-learning opportunities students have, the better for them, for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and for our community.” Additionally, the gift will provide funding for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio stations K��Vlog��ýR and KLRE to run spots to showcase service-learning projects and to share learning outcomes with faculty and students. “Spots on K��Vlog��ýR radio will spotlight service-learning projects, faculty research in the field, and accomplishments of students and their community partners,” the Chamberlins said. “We hope these spots will act as encouragement by recognizing and valuing those involved and will also be regarded as models for others who might want to get engaged.” The Chamberlins, both former instructors at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, serve as inaugural members of the College of Social Sciences and Communication Dean’s Community Advisory Council. Additionally, Shannon also served on the Writing Council, Ottenheimer Library Board, Community Engagement Council, and is a lifetime member of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association. Dr. Julien Mirivel, interim dean of the College of Social Sciences and Communication, said the gift will make an important impact on faculty and students. “In CSSC, we believe that the most important part of an education is deep learning. Faculty can make a tremendous difference in students’ lives by connecting the material of their discipline with service in the community,” Mirivel said. “Students can learn about the criminal justice system while mentoring young people and listening to their stories. In applied communication, students can learn to give an effective presentation about their community engagement with a non-profit. The gift will support the professional development of two CSSC faculty per year for the next five years so that they can deepen their teaching methods and incorporate service learning. In turn, they will improve the structure of their course with a service-learning component and create better learning for our students. This gift supports our mission to be excellent teachers who are also improving the community around us.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock professor creates scholarship that honors son’s legacy

Janea Snyder — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 14:43:10 +0000

Dr. Carol Thompson, a long-time faculty member in ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Department of Applied Communication, has established a scholarship that will help students pursuing a degree or continuing their education in the Department of Applied Communication. Thompson established the scholarship in memory of her son, Lance. The Lance Thompson Memorial Endowed Scholarship will be awarded beginning in fall 2019 to a full- or part-time student majoring in applied communication in the College of Social Sciences and Communication. The scholarship, to be endowed via planned gift, will provide assistance for education-related expenses, including tuition, books, fees, and room and board. “Scholarships are crucial for our students’ academic and professional success. Dr. Thompson’s endowed scholarship is a gift that will make a real impact on students’ lives,” said Dr. Julien Mirivel, interim dean and professor of applied communication in the College of Social Sciences and Communication. “We look forward to honoring the very first recipient of her scholarship at our CSSC Awards Ceremony in Spring 2019. I am grateful to Dr. Thompson for her gift and the many contributions she has made to our students and our campus.” Academic accomplishments will be considered in the awarding of the scholarship, and preference will be given to students with an interest in the visual, literary, and performing arts. Lance Eric Thompson was a lifelong artist, who at age 6 began designing basic computer games and by junior high wrote grading programs for his teachers. He later moved to Memphis and became part of an artistic group known as Superman Damn Fool, which painted huge canvases with nontraditional materials such as house paint, blended with other mediums. Thompson’s individual works were all sold to collectors in the area. He attended the Art Institute of Phoenix, Arizona, where he majored in animation and computer graphics. He got a job as a computer analyst for FedEx corporation in Memphis. Carol Thompson said her son learned to combine his proficiency with art with his proficiency with computers and was aiming for a career at FedEx before he succumbed to cancer in 2018. After one successful training session he said, “Even if you have all the talent and intelligence in the world, it doesn’t help if you can’t communicate with an audience,” Carol Thompson said. The scholarship will be awarded at the end of each spring term for use in the following academic year. As the endowment grows, multiple awards may be possible. Anyone wishing to contribute to the endowment may do so online. Students interested in applying for this scholarship should use the Trojan SMART application and write a paragraph about their view of communication in relation to ethics and the arts (visual, literary, or performing). Lance Eric Thompson is pictured with his son. Photo courtesy of the Thompson family

College of Social Sciences and Communication starts mentoring program for graduating students

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 14:37:51 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Social Sciences and Communication is making the transition from college life to professional life a little easier for graduating seniors by starting a new mentoring program.�� “A lot of graduating students do not have a mentor and are not experienced at networking,” said Rachel Jones, assistant dean of learning and student success. “Students are wondering, ‘How do I transition from a student to a professional? How do I take what I learned in a classroom and make that relevant in the real world?’” The new mentoring program pairs graduating seniors with College of Social Sciences and Communication alumni as well as career professionals. More than 35 mentoring pairs have already joined the new program, which began with a welcome reception on April 3 where the mentors and mentees met for the first time. This is a flexible mentoring program with mentors participating from as far away as Yemen. Jones thinks that the mentoring program could be an important way to guide graduating students during a key time in their early professional careers. Mentors can help mentees understand the job market, make decisions about graduate school, and gain professional experience and contacts. “Many of the students are just looking for help and for someone to voice their concerns to,” Jones said. “It can be hard to share those vulnerabilities with friends and family, but it’s easier with a professional in their field who knows what they are going through.” The new mentoring program is a key component of the college’s College to Career program, a series of workshops and events designed to help graduating seniors get a job or accepted into graduate school. The CSSC Signature Experience: College to Career program includes CSSC Research and Creative Works Showcase, CSSC Career Day, career preparation and graduate school workshops, and site visits to potential employers. “This is a win-win situation for everyone involved,” said Dr. Julien Mirivel, interim dean of the College of Social Sciences and Communication. “We are offering graduating students a good mentor at a key time in their lives. Mentors who want to help students are making a meaningful impact in their lives. This is a relationship we hope will continue well beyond graduation.” In the upper right photo, Dr. Julien Mirivel addresses the participants of the College of Social Sciences and Communication’s new mentoring program on April 3.��

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����Vlog��ý Little Rock professor creates scholarship that honors son’s legacy