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

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Graduate Completes Thesis on Content in German-Language Newspaper During WWI

John Hill — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 16:00:44 +0000

A graduating ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student is thankful to the history department for helping prepare him for a career as an archivist through the extensive research he was required to do for his thesis.�� Little Rock native Harrison Mitchell earned his bachelor’s degree in news editorial journalism from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2011. Now over a decade later, he graduated with a master’s degree in public history on Dec. 17. Mitchell’s thesis explores written content in , a German-language newspaper based in Little Rock during World War I. The Echo is the only surviving newspaper source about Arkansas’s German community, as well as the only insight into what the German press was printing during the war. Mitchell got his inspiration for the topic from the year he spent as a foreign exchange student in Vienna, Austria, in high school. “That experience really cemented the language for me,” Mitchell said. “Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to do this research at all, since most of it was in German.” Mitchell focused his research on the years between 1914 and 1918, comparing the tone and content before and after the United States entered the war to see how the newspaper handled the growing anti-German sentiment in the country during the shift. Research also came from, “Das Arkansas Echo: A Year in the Life of Germans in the Nineteenth-Century South” by Kathleen Condray, associate professor of German at the University of Arkansas. The book examines the topics covered during its inaugural year, including the newspaper’s crusade against prohibition, advocacy for German schools and language, and stance on immigration. “Overall, I’d say the program prepares you for the field really well, especially when it comes to research,” Mitchell said. “I even had a graduate assistantship for the Center for Arkansas History and Culture downtown to supplement my archival learning and give me hands-on experience.” He organized his information on a database, the idea of which he credits to Dr. Charles Romney, professor of history and graduate coordinator of the public history program. “I collected about 300 articles, so it was a lot to keep track of,” Mitchell said. “The database gave me key searchability, helped me identify common themes, and what was going on. Staying organized is one of the most important parts of a research process.”

Transfer Student Spotlight on Payton Dhooge

John Hill — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 13:16:08 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock is highlighting some of its outstanding transfer students in celebration of , Oct. 18-22. Payton Dhooge is a mass communication major at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. What is your hometown? I was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tell us about yourself. From the ages of 6-14, I grew up in central Africa (Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda) since my mother worked for Land O’ Lakes international development. Why did you decide to transfer to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I transferred schools because I wanted to pursue my specific degree and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has really good transfer scholarships. What is your major, and what do you plan to do after graduation? My major is Mass Communication and Journalism. I plan to work in the digital news space. What is special about being a transfer college student? As a transfer student, I’ve met all different kinds of people especially since I transferred from a community college. Why did you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock because it was not too far from my mom’s house so I feel like I still have support after moving out. What opportunities have you gotten through ��Vlog��ý Little Rock that you might not have had otherwise? I have had the opportunity to work for The Forum, the school newspaper, which has been an amazing experience.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Web Design and Development Recognized as Great Degree Program

John Hill — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 13:53:05 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has been featured as having one of the best bachelor’s degree programs in web development in the country.�� Vlog��ý Little Rock was ranked fifth on College Rank’s list of . ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Web Design and Development Program is designed to cater to both traditional university students as well as working professionals in multiple fields. This is an interdisciplinary program designed collaboratively by faculty from the departments of Art and Design, Rhetoric and Writing, Mass Communication, Information Science, and the Information Technology Program. “The faculty and community partners instrumental to the Web Design and Development Program are proud of this recognition of the importance of the program,” said Thomas Wallace, web design and development/information technology program coordinator. “The collaboration across campus has allowed us to build a relevant and adaptive curriculum tapping into a broad range of faculty expertise. Recent graduates have found success at securing jobs in the industry, and we have built a solid foundation for the program to continue to grow and succeed in the future.” The program pairs well with another major or minor like bioinformatics or information technology. Students complete 120 credit hours divided up into core, foundation, content, information science, art, and mass communication credits, along with a six-hour cooperative experience capstone course. Sample courses include mobile web design, web technologies, introduction to media production, and usability testing and design. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock web design and development graduates often pursue careers as web designers, UX/UI designers, applications developers, and web content managers. College Rank synthesizes data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the Bureau of Labor Statics, Payscale, and the College Scorecard. Ultimately, colleges are scored based on their commitment to online education, admission rates, student satisfaction, alumni debt, and specialty in the program in question.

Study.com Recognizes Four ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Degree Programs

John Hill — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 20:23:45 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has been recognized by Study.com as having some of the top ranking bachelor’s degree programs in web design, business analytics, sociology, and journalism.�� More than 40 million visitors per month use Study.com to research potential schools, degrees, and careers. The lists of the top school rankings help Study.com users and potential students learn about excellent college programs. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock received the following 2021 rankings from Study.com:��

7th on the list of
18th on the list of
27th on the list of
36th on the list of

��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s highest ranking comes for the Web Design and Development Program, which is designed to cater to both traditional university students as well as working professionals in multiple fields. This is an interdisciplinary program designed collaboratively by faculty from the departments of Art and Design, Rhetoric and Writing, Mass Communication, Information Science, and the Information Technology Program. “We are thrilled to receive this designation, and I am very proud of the faculty and community partners that have been instrumental to our success,” said Thomas Wallace, web design and development/information technology program coordinator. “The collaboration across campus has allowed us to build a relevant and adaptive curriculum tapping into a broad range of faculty expertise. We are also very pleased with the success of our recent graduates and their ability to secure jobs within the industry. Through the efforts of both faculty and students, we have built a solid foundation for continued growth and success in the coming years.” Next, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Business Analytics Program was recognized as 18th on the list of best bachelor’s degrees in business intelligence. This program in the Department of Business Information Systems is an interdisciplinary business degree that develops the technical and analytical skills that students can apply to decision making in today’s increasingly competitive business environment. The university’s Bachelor of Arts in mass communication degree with an emphasis in journalism prepares students for careers in newspapers, magazines, radio, television or internet journalism as reporters, writers, photographers, or editors. “I think one of the things that makes us stand out is the level of experience the faculty members have as practitioners,” said Dr. Sonny Rhodes, associate professor and faculty advisor of The Forum. “We have decades of practical experience in our fields that we can share with our students. The quality of the training can be seen in the success of our graduates, who are leaders in their professions throughout the nation. For example, one of our graduates is a national board member of the Society of Professional Journalists, while another is president of the Arkansas Professional chapter of SPJ.” Mass communication majors can also focus on mass media, media production and design, motion picture, and strategic public relations. “Students and their success not only in the program after they graduate drive our program,” said Dr. Tim Edwards, interim director of the School of Mass communication. “We meet students where they are and push them to new heights. Faculty build relationships with students beyond the classroom and become their mentors. Our program strives to be cutting-edge and forward thinking to prepare students for the journalism and media jobs of today, tomorrow, and years into the future.” The final ranking comes for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s online Bachelor of Arts in sociology degree, which is a 120-hour program dedicated to the study of the social lives of people, groups, and societies. It promotes effective communication, critical thinking, and data analysis through its broad selection of courses. Graduates of this program receive a valuable foundation for direct entry into meaningful careers or graduate study in a wide range of fields including law, education, counseling, social work, public health, and public administration. The rankings by Study.com are based on academic and career resources, the quality of education, faculty, and more.

Graduating student-athlete returns to Germany to pursue professional soccer career

John Hill — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 16:53:00 +0000

After graduating with two bachelor’s degrees, a University of Arkansas at Little Rock soccer star has returned home to Germany with her sights set on a professional soccer career.�� Dorothea Greulich, a native of Potsdam, Germany, graduates this month with bachelor’s degrees in mass communication and political science. She joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2016 after playing two years for the soccer team, FFC Turbine Potsdam. “When I was in my senior year in high school, I decided I wanted to study in the states and play soccer at the same time,” Greulich said. “I got in contact with the coaches at Little Rock. I really liked the coaches and the team, and I decided to come here. It was very nice for an international student. I automatically had 20 friends. It’s like having a second family.” Having played soccer for the past 15 years, Greulich developed a love for the sport and team camaraderie at a young age. “I started playing soccer when I was 8 years old,” Greulich said. “I fell in love with it and never stopped. I think it’s about being around people and trying to accomplish something together.” During her career as a Trojan, Greulich experienced some major highs and lows. One of the highlights of her career was when the soccer team won the Sun Belt Conference Championship for the first time in program history and earned their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2018. Greulich was selected for the All-Sun Belt First Team for the second year in a row. “It was a really good team that year, and it was very nice winning,” she said. “It was so much hard work that we felt had really paid off. We got so much support from campus and from people who we didn’t even know cared about us.” In her senior year, Greulich experienced two devastating injuries that she had to overcome to make it back on the field. “I tore my ACL late in the season my junior year, and then I came back 10 months later and tore it again my second game back during my senior year,” Greulich said. “Because of the injuries, I was eligible for another year of college soccer. It took almost 10 months, and then I played the rest of this season.” In addition to her career as a student-athlete, Greulich has coached youth soccer teams, participated in the Model Arab League, and interned with the Little Rock Athletic Communications Department in 2020.

Doro Greulich

“Doro came to Little Rock from Germany and was a key member of our soccer team for five years,” said Rand Champion, assistant athletic director for communications. “An All-Sun Belt player, she was a major factor in helping the Trojans win the program’s first ever Sun Belt title and NCAA tournament appearance, facing Arkansas in the first round in 2018. She also suffered a major knee injury and fought back to play her final season this year. She has also been an intern in our office and a great ambassador for our university, earning all-academic honors in each of her five seasons.” With two degrees in hand, Greulich has moved back to Germany, where she is looking forward to spending time with the family she hasn’t seen in a year, as well as pursue opportunities in professional soccer. Since Greulich came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock not knowing what she wanted to study, her advice for fellow students to be successful is to be open to new possibilities. “If you come in and don’t know what you want to study, it’s important to try different classes and see what fits. You should always be open minded to what the professors throw at you, because you don’t always know what will help you in the long-term.”

Announcement on Mark Giese’s Passing

John Hill — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 21:45:10 +0000

Dr. Mark Giese, retired associate professor of mass communication, passed away Aug. 6 following a brief illness.�� Giese came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2003. He earned a bachelor’s degree in radio, television, and film in 1981 and a master’s degree in radio, television, and film from the University of North Texas in 1991. He earned a Ph.D. in the Interdisciplinary Program for Mass Communications at Pennsylvania State University in 1996. He was recognized for his work in the community in 2012, when he received the Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service. “He has worked tirelessly and successfully, going far beyond the bounds of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to engage students in educational experiences, to help secondary teachers broaden their technical expertise, and to aid community organizations,” colleague Carlton M. “Sonny” Rhodes said at the time. An active supporter of journalism training for high school students, Giese conceived the idea for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Summer Media Camp, a one-week residential experience for Arkansas high school students. From 2010 to 2011, he directed the camp and oversaw every aspect, from fundraising to producing promotional material, teaching seminars, and chaperoning campers to tours of local television stations. To ensure students could attend the camp at no cost, he raised more than $24,000 to provide scholarships for Arkansas students.�� In another service project, he enlisted McClellan High School students in writing and producing a public service announcement promoting healthy habits for teens. As part of the grant-supported project, he wrote the curriculum for McClellan’s first media production course. Giese served on the advisory board for the Metropolitan Career-Technical Center and Accelerated Learning Center and presented talks to middle school students in the Duke TIP program. Additionally, he served as a judge for the 48-hour Film Festival that helped establish the national competition in Little Rock while engaging ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students in intensive movie making in the community. He judged video competitions and organized workshops for EAST conferences, which brought together elementary, middle, and high school students with an interest in technology.�� After 14 years at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, he retired in 2017, and he and his wife, Rebecca, settled in Mississippi. “One can appreciate just how great an influence he had on so many people by checking Facebook and seeing the outpouring of love by his former students,” Rhodes said. “He was a beloved mentor to many.”

Arkansas Newspaper Foundation selects Woodson for summer internship

John Hill — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 18:28:32 +0000

Jordan Woodson, a mass communication major and political science minor, is one of five college journalists selected for a summer internship by the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation. Woodson, of Cabot, will spend the summer gaining professional journalism skills at a newspaper that is a member of the Arkansas Press Association. He will receive a $3,000 stipend for the 10-week internship that is provided by the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation.

Jordan Woodson

“Now more than ever our newspapers need assistance reporting on their communities and producing a quality product during difficult economic times, said Rusty Fraser, president of the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation. “Given the current circumstances, the ANF board believed now was the best time to fully fund these positions. Participating newspapers reap the benefits of having a talented student journalist from an Arkansas university in the newsroom, and students earn first-hand knowledge and skills from reporting in a professional newsroom.” Woodson has been involved with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper, The Forum, since his freshman year. During the 2019-20 school year, he served as the executive editor and has previously worked as the entertainment editor. During his time at The Forum, Woodson has won three awards from the Arkansas College Media Association: first place in Online In-Depth Reporting and Online Election/Political and second place in Online Sports Writing. Woodson also is involved with the campus chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. During his freshman year, he interned at the Arkansas Community Health magazine as a writer and photographer.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s online Master of Arts in Mass Communication program ranked among best in nation

John Hill — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 13:22:48 +0000

College Consensus, a college review aggregator, has ranked the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s online Master of Arts in Mass Communication program 16th on its list of the degree programs for 2020.�� Vlog��ý Little Rock’s fully online master’s degree in mass communication emphasizes critical thinking in mass media and its strategic communication and journalistic practices as they relate to media content and its effects on the public as a whole. “The master’s degree is a well structured and flexible program for all interested in pursuing a graduate degree in strategic communication, journalism, and media research,” said Dr. Kwasi Boateng, graduate program coordinator. Divided into 11 courses, the 33-hour degree provides a media research choice that prepares distance learners to evaluate and conduct academic research in mass communication. Students are equipped with how to write and present their research findings to both academic and non-scholarly audiences. The professional mass media option gives students advanced professional experience in strategic communication/public relations or multi-platform journalism. All students will either create a professional project or write a master’s thesis for their capstone experience. College Consensus compiled its list of colleges and universities with online or hybrid master’s degree programs based on reputation, convenience, and affordability. Ranks were calculated with data from U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and each school’s College Consensus Score.

Graduating student journalist selected for internship with Arkansas Newspaper Foundation

John Hill — Fri, 22 May 2020 15:47:25 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock spring graduate with a passion for storytelling has been selected for a competitive summer internship that will serve as the next step in his promising career as a journalist.�� Kolton Rutherford, of Maumelle, has graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and a minor in sports management. Following graduation, Rutherford has been selected for a summer internship with the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation, which sponsors college journalists to work as interns in newspapers who are members of the Arkansas Press Association. Rutherford will spend the summer working at the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway.�� In the fall, Rutherford has been accepted into ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s graduate program in professional and technical writing. After earning his master’s degree, he plans to work as a reporter or in sports communication, though his love of journalism began long ago. “I’ve been interested in journalism for most of my life,” he said. “I loved sports growing up. While I played sports until I was 14, I wasn’t very good at playing, but I knew a lot about sports. I come from a family who has done a lot of writing. First, I got into sports writing. Being a sports writer one day was my plan coming into school, but now I’ve grown to love all kinds of journalism.” Just as Rutherford always knew he would become a journalist, he was just as certain that he would one day join the Trojan family. “I knew from the ninth grade on that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was the school for me,” he said. “It was close to my home, and I had heard good things about its mass communication program. After speaking to the professors when I was in the 11th grade, that is when I made the choice.” He came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on a Chancellor’s Leadership Corps scholarship with a goal to gain as much experience as possible. He’s stayed true to that goal, serving as sports editor of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper, The Forum, an athletics communication intern for Little Rock Athletics, and a news intern for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio. “The most important thing I’ve learned in college is to learn as much as possible,” Rutherford said. “I worked at The Forum for four years. I’ve done two internships. I’ve learned new skills. I’ve really worked hard to become a well-rounded journalist. I have experience in multiple fields now, and I’m not closing the door on any path.”�� Rutherford is thankful to several of the professors and journalists who have guided him during his time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “I would say two of my favorite professors were Sonny Rhodes and Chris Etheridge in the mass communication department,” he said. “Sonny’s been my advisor for the past four years. He’s been a great help. I really look up to him. Last May, I met Professor Etheridge. He was my internship advisor, and he helped me to understand how much I could learn by going to K��Vlog��ýR. The staff at K��Vlog��ýR, including Michael Hibblen, Sarah Kellogg, and Daniel Breen, has been a great help this past semester during my internship.” Rutherford is an award-winning college journalist who’s received honors in feature writing, sports writing, and outstanding reporting from the Arkansas College Media Association and the Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. As a freelance journalist, he’s been published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Daily Record, and the Lewiston Sun-Journal on stories covering local news, sports, education, and government affairs. “On the academic side, my internship with K��Vlog��ýR was by far my favorite experience. A close second was working for our campus newspaper,” he said. “Outside of that, I met my soon-to-be wife at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Katie Kornreich graduated last year. She was an American sign language interpreting major, and we met in a science class. We were supposed to get married this August, but we’ve now moved it to August 2021.” His advice for new students to be successful is to take advantage of all available opportunities to gain as much experience as possible. “I would tell new students to try to learn as much as you can in many different areas,” Rutherford said. “It will pay off if you can do multiple things, and you can do them well. When I first came to school, I thought I would just be a writer. I’ve now learned how to use cameras and work for a radio station. I’ve learned so much more than I ever imagined.”

Forum staff wins 14 awards in Arkansas college media contest

John Hill — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 22:11:10 +0000

Nine student journalists at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock won 14 awards in the 91st annual Arkansas College Media Association awards, announced April 4, for their work in The Forum, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper.�� “I’m incredibly proud of the staff,” said Sonny Rhodes, faculty adviser of The Forum. “If you look at the variety of categories in which they won awards, ranging from spot news photo to election/political coverage, you will get an idea of the talent they have. I’m very happy for them and grateful for the hard work they put in.” The Arkansas College Media Association is composed of private and public colleges and universities throughout the state, including Arkansas State University, Arkansas Tech University, Central Baptist College, Harding University, Henderson State University, Ouachita Baptist University, and the University of Central Arkansas. The Forum competed in the ACMA’s newspaper and online divisions. The student winners, places of finish, and categories include:

Alex Ball, third place, online personality profile.

Miriam Battles, first place, online sports photo; third place, newspaper sports photo.

Ashish Bhakta and Ivan Henley, second place, newspaper cartoon strip or single panel entertainment cartoon.

Oksana Durkee, second place, online meeting/speech coverage; third place, online news writing; honorable mention, newspaper personality profile.

Chloe McGehee, first place, online election/political coverage.
Kenneth Reed, first place, online art/illustration.

Kolton Rutherford, first place, online spot news photo; second place, online feature writing; second place, newspaper spot news photo.

Jordan Woodson, first place, online personality profile; third place, newspaper headlines.

For further information, please contact Forum Executive Editor Jordan Woodson at editor@ualr.edu.

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

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Graduate Completes Thesis on Content in German-Language Newspaper During WWI