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

Vibhakar appointed to Arkansas District Export Council

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 14:10:40 +0000

Dr. Ashvin Vibhakar, Joe T. Ford Chair of Finance at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, is among 15 new members of the Arkansas District Export Council appointed by U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. The is a private, non-profit organization, whose members are appointed for four-year terms by the Secretary of Commerce. The council brings together experienced international business people who provide support, advice, and assistance to Arkansas companies interested in entering into or expanding into international markets. “The Arkansas District Export Council engage a group of individuals who are familiar with exporting and doing business in other countries,” Vibhakar said. “The goal is for state businesses, especially small businesses, to become familiar with how to expand their businesses globally as well as teach them about the resources that exist in the state, especially at the Arkansas U.S. Export Assistance Center.” Vibhakar is looking forward to the opportunity to help small businesses expand to the international market. “I think Arkansas has a lot of potential, particularly when you think about small businesses,” he said. “I have always believed that the more education people have, the less intimidated they would be about doing international business. From my perspective, education and learning about the culture of different parts of the world plays a great role in business.” Vibhakar holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from M.S. University in Baroda, India, and a Master of Business Administration from Central Missouri State University as well as a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Arkansas. He came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1981 as an assistant professor of finance. After 27 years at the university, Vibhakar left his position as the director of the Institute for Economic Advancement to pursue a career at Charter Financial Analyst Institute in Hong Kong. As managing director of the Asia Pacific region and later a global assignment, Vibhakar conducted business in 54 countries. He returned to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as the Joe T. Ford Chair of Finance in the College of Business in 2015. Vibhakar is the chair of the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission. He also served on the Governor’s Economic Advisory Council and the Arkansas Promise steering committee to provide access of resources to young people to succeed. He served on the CFA Institute Board of Governors, was a member of the board of directors of Arvest Bank, currently serves on Arvest Group audit committee, and is past president of the Association of University Bureaus of Economic Research.

Sister Cities Sculpture finds permanent home in South Korea

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 22:00:24 +0000

With hundreds of people gathered around, Michael Warrick, while wearing pure white gloves that matched the chilly Dec. 15, 2017, weather, pulled on a golden rope to reveal a beautiful 7-foot sculpture previously hidden by a white satin sheet. While confetti was released to celebrate the dedication of the sculpture, “Youth,” Warrick, a professor of sculpture at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, looked upon the permanent resting home of his artistic creation in the new and beautiful Shinjangdong International Sister Cities Park in Hanam City, South Korea, smiled, and thought, “This is a beautiful site.” “The dedication was very memorable,” Warrick said. “In honoring the theme of youth, the activities included young drummers, dancers, karate kids, and teens demonstrating breaking boards. The American Taekwondo Association was one of the sponsors for the sculpture, so the Hanam City Martial Arts youth group also performed.” Warrick created the sculpture to commemorate the 25-year partnership and friendship between the sister cities of Little Rock and Hanam City, which began in 1992. Warrick, Joon Park, president of the Korean American Federation of Arkansas, and three members of the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission – Melanie Berman, Robert Coon, and Ashvin Vibhakar – traveled to South Korea in December to dedicate the sculpture given in the spirit of international friendship. A video of the ceremony can. “Hanam is one of Little Rock’s longest and most vibrant sister city relationships, and the commission was honored to participate in such a meaningful ceremony to celebrate our 25th anniversary,” Coon said. “Michael’s sculpture perfectly encapsulates Little Rock’s strong and growing relationship with Hanam, and our desire for that friendship to continue on for many years to come.” The sculpture is a 7-foot figurative female sculpture cast in bronze and composed of vines, leaves, and a small bird. The figure has a traditional green finish, while the small bird is coated with 23.75 karat gold leaf.

Michael Warrick visits a local temple on Jeju Island, South Korea.

“The South Koreans were very proud and honored by the focus and quality of the work,” Coon said. “It doesn’t matter where you are from. You are always looking toward the future, and your children, the youth, are an important part of that. Your culture, community, and businesses are grown from involvement with you. They felt the subject and approach to the sculpture were very appropriate.” Warrick found inspiration for the sculpture while watching the 2014 Summer Olympics in Rio, and finds it fitting that the sculpture was dedicated shortly before the 2018 Winter Olympics are held in PyeongChang, just a few hours from Hanam City. “I was very impressed by the grace of the women’s gymnastics team member,” Warrick said. “The figure of the young woman in ‘Youth’ was inspired by the gymnasts.” He also infused the sculpture with elements of nature – green vines, golden leaves, and a small bird that is meant to represent a person’s soul. Warrick gifted Hanam City Mayor Oh Boo Bong with a small sculpture of a bird and goal leaf, the same elements used on the “Youth” sculpture, on a cherry wood base. The South Korean delegation gifted the Arkansas visitors with a trip to Jeju Island, a volcanic island and World Heritage Site. During the Dec. 16 tour of the island, the group stopped at a Buddhist Temple. Warrick wrote a prayer in remembrance of his first art teacher, Joe Corsello, who fought in the Korean War. Warrick described this as one of the most memorable experiences of the trip. “Joe taught for 53 years, 30 in high school and 23 with grade school kids twice a week,” Warrick said. “Our tour guide offered to pay for me to write a prayer on a roofing tile with a white-paint style marker.” In the future, Hanam City will also donate a Sister Cities sculpture to Little Rock. In the upper right photo, a delegation from Little Rock attends the dedication ceremony for Michael Warrick’s sculpture, “Youth,” which was gifted to Hanam City, South Korea. The group includes (L to R) Robert Coon, Warrick, Joon Park, Ashvin Vibhakar, and Melanie Berman.

Warrick creates sculpture to be given to Little Rock’s sister city in South Korea

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 18:20:11 +0000

As a professor with 40 years experience teaching art, Michael Warrick finds great inspiration from young people. “It’s hard not to be inspired by young people and your own children,” said Warrick, a professor of sculpture at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “Part of the reason why we are here is to nurture and help young people develop, but to also see the world the way they do with open eyes and excitement.” Warrick, who worked with kindergarten through 12th-grade students for five years and has been a college instructor for 35, is now using youths as the idea behind one of his newest sculptures. His creation will soon cross oceans and cultures to symbolize the partnership and friendship between the City of Little Rock and its sister city in Hanam City, South Korea. Hanam City will also give Little Rock a sculpture later this year. “Hanam City is one of our most vibrant relationships,” said, one of the liaisons to the South Korean city and a partner at Impact Management Group. “They have frequently done the youth exchange program, which has been a strong piece of our relationship. We have sent a number of high school delegations to Hanam City to learn about their culture and way of life, and we have received a number of delegations from Hanam City to share our culture as well.” The gift will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the sister city relationship with the two cities, which began in 1992.

A Sister Cities delegation from Hanam City, South, Korea visited ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to see the progress of a sculpture created by Michael Warrick that will be given to Hanam City as part of a sculpture exchange between the sister cities. Pictured from left to right are: Commissioner Kim Kapchul, Vice Mayor Lee Jong Soo, Chancellor Andrew Rogerson, Professor Michael Warrick, Commissioner Kuk Seunghyun, Ashvin Vibhakar, and Tom Clifton, dean of the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences.

With a goal of using the youth exchange program as a symbol for the bond between the communities, Warrick’s sculpture is titled “Youth” and is inspired by pieces he created for his own children, Annika and Phillip, when they turned 13 and transitioned into young adulthood. “Youth” is a 7-foot figurative female sculpture cast in bronze and composed of vines, leaves, and a small bird, Warrick said. The figure has a traditional green finish, while the small bird is coated with 23.75 karat gold leaf. “The use of the vines and the bird represent the Natural State and also represent the idea of growth, and that is what we are investing in as teachers, administrators, and staff. We are investing in the youth to have a better future,” Warrick said.

Members of a South Korean Sister Cities delegation watch as Professor Michael Warrick pours bronze for a sculpture that will be given to Hanam City as part of a sculpture exchange between Hanam City and Little Rock.

During an annual visit to Little Rock on Feb. 8, an eight-person delegation from South Korea recently got firsthand experience with Warrick’s creative process. Using the university’s foundry, Warrick poured bronze that will be used in the sculpture — to the delight of the visiting delegates, who captured the event with their cameras. “It was pretty amazing to see the sculpture being cast in bronze,” Coon said. “The delegates were very impressed. The experience makes the sculpture exchange that much more special when you see the artist going through the artistic process yourself.” The South Korean delegation presented Warrick with a beautiful box in the shape of a house containing a variety of teas. In turn, Warrick gave each delegation member a small sculpture of a house made in purpleheart wood with a gold leaf at the top. “It’s called a spirit house,” Warrick said. “I told the vice mayor of Hanam City that I started making these spirit houses about 19 years ago when my wife almost died giving birth to our son. Family and friends came out often to help us during the first six months of my son’s life. I wanted to give them something special as a way to say thank you.” Now, whenever Warrick wants to thank or honor someone, he often creates a spirit house. Once Warrick’s sculpture is completed, it will be delivered to South Korea sometime this summer and will stand in Hanam City’s new Sister City Park. Though a final destination for the sculpture that Hanam City will give to Little Rock has not yet been determined, the delegates toured several sites that might house the sister city sculpture, including Main Street, the River Market, or MacArthur Park. In the upper right photo, Patrick Fleming (left), Marianne Hedinger (center), and Michael Warrick (right) pour bronze for the sculpture, “Youth,” which will be given to Hanam City as part of a sculpture exchange between Hanam City and Little Rock. Photos by Lonnie Timmons III/��Vlog��ý Little Rock Communications.

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

Vibhakar appointed to Arkansas District Export Council

Sister Cities Sculpture finds permanent home in South Korea

Warrick creates sculpture to be given to Little Rock’s sister city in South Korea

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