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

Community Leaders Share Experiences with Improving Religious Tolerance in Arkansas

John Hill — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 13:00:30 +0000

Three Little Rock community leaders and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumni shared their efforts to promote religious tolerance in Arkansas during a Sept. 1 community event.�� The panel, “,” was hosted by the Middle Eastern Studies Program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and organized by students who participated in a study abroad trip to Spain this summer. The students wanted to connect what they learned in Spain with what community leaders in Little Rock are doing to promote religious tolerance. Panel members included Mayor Frank Scott Jr., Dr. Sara Tariq, co-founder of the Madina Institute and board member for the Interfaith Center, the Hon. Annabelle Imber Tuck, board member for the Interfaith Center and , and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students and study abroad participants Torri Richardson and Nick Junker. The course, Islam and Migration in Modern and Historical Spain, included topics like identity, religious head coverings, demographic change, and immigration. Students met with non-government organizations who work with Muslim refugees, visited historical sites of inter-religious cooperation and conflict, and learned about government programs that “help heal past wounds and build bridges today.” “The students wanted to connect what they learned studying in Spain to the challenges our own city faces with religious tolerance, and they wanted to learn about what was happening in Little Rock to address those challenges,” said Dr. Rebecca Glazier, a professor in the School of Public Affairs who led the study abroad trip. “It was inspiring to see them share what they learned and to also hear community leaders talk about great programs in our community, like those hosted by the .” These events include interfaith dialogue events, a summer friendship camp for elementary school students, and monthly dinners for people of different faiths. Dr. Tariq also remarked on how even small events like these can be meaningful in making religious minorities feel like they are no longer in the margins. “I’m a co-founder of the , a mosque that opened five years ago,” she said. “One of the major foundational pillars is interfaith understanding. The only path to peace that I have ever found effective is through interfaith understanding. It occurs conversation by conversation. I’ve been in Little Rock since third grade, and post 9/11, I think you all know what we felt. We’ve always lived in the margins in the south, and 9/11 made us want to hide and made us very defensive. It also created urgency for me. It’s important for us as leaders to help people of all faiths and bring everyone together for these collective conversations.” At 72, Tuck said it’s taken her a long time to learn that promoting religious tolerance happens person to person and through small projects that positively impact other people’s lives. “Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week, and that is really very sad to me,” Tuck said. “One of the biggest problems I see is lack of education. We live in a part of the United States that has been basically populated by Christians, but we are becoming more diverse religion wise. It’s about educating people on different religions. I don’t pretend to know the answer to the mystery of life, but I know every one of us has a soul. Our congregation is sponsoring an Afghani family with Trinity Episcopal. It feels good to help another family integrate into a different culture.” For the city to truly embody religious tolerance, Mayor Scott said he follows three rules:

Respect and love one another
Responsibility to demonstrate peace
Representation matters

“It is my honor and mission to truly ensure the City of Little Rock is an inclusive city, and we are unapologetic about our intention to include,” Mayor Scott said. “We are a melting pot of many different people, religions, sectors, and genders. I have participated in the worship practice of every major religion in the city. A true leader should understand that while there is a separation of religion and state, there is no separation of citizens. We focus on unity and facing real issues. As an alum of this institution, what you see today is Little Rock at its finest. Little Rock is a welcoming and inclusive city. We still have more work to do. We need more events like this to encourage people.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Students, Community Members to Discuss Study Abroad Trip to Spain and Religious Tolerance Efforts in Aug. 31 Panel

John Hill — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 20:42:36 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host a free community panel where students will share their experiences studying abroad in Spain and prominent community members will discuss efforts to promote religious tolerance in Arkansas and their experiences with prejudice.�� The panel discussion, entitled “Together Little Rock,” will take place in the Legends Room of the Jack Stephens Center at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31. The panel will include Mayor Frank Scott Jr., Dr. Sara Tariq, co-founder of the Madina Institute and board member for the Interfaith Center, the Hon. Annabelle Imber Tuck, board member for the Interfaith Center and Congregation B’Nai Israel in Little Rock and the first woman elected as a justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students and study abroad participants Torri Richardson and Nick Junker. The students who attended the trip, all part of the course, will also be in attendance to talk about their experiences abroad and share photos and souvenirs with the audience. Students who went on the trip include Steve Abouem, Armando Arellano, Madison Ellis, Scott Filek, Owen Hayes, Nicholas Junker, Kenedy Kuchinski, Torri Richardson, Misty Roberts, Alexander Shahegh, and Isaac Thomas. Dr. Rebecca Glazier, professor in the School of Public Affairs, accompanied the students on this trip as their faculty advisor. The group spent 12 days in Spain this summer visiting spots in Madrid, Toledo, Granada, and Salobreña. “Most of them had never been out of the country, and some hadn’t even been on an airplane before,” Dr. Glazier said. “I’m glad they were all able to come. We went deep and saw much more than just the top tourist attractions, and it was a unique experience that the students wouldn’t have gotten by themselves or with a tour group.” One of the most significant activities was the opportunity to connect with a nonprofit organization centered in Spain called Arco Forum. It is run by refugees, mostly from Turkey, who have set up cultural programs and efforts to help other Muslim refugees integrate to Spain. “The students had a lot of fun, but the trip also opened their eyes to Islamophobia and prejudice in the country and around the world,” Dr. Glazier said. “This event will be a good way to open that conversation here in Little Rock and ask what we can do better and how we can better connect with their community.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Win Awards at National Model Arab League Conference

John Hill — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:42:03 +0000

University of Arkansas at Little Rock students were honored for their skills in international diplomacy. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student diplomats competed in the National University Model Arab League Conference March 23-27 in Washington, D.C., where they represented the country of Iraq. The Model Arab League is a student leadership development program created by the . It is a simulation of an international organization, the League of Arab States, which has 22 member countries. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students Lamar Townsend and Caleb Simms won the Outstanding Delegation Award for representing Iraq on the Economic Affairs Council. This represents the highest award for the committee as well as the highest award ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students have ever won at the national conference. Additional award winners include Chloe McGehee and Owen Haynes, who won the Distinguished Advocate Award for serving on the Arab Court of Justice. Owen also received the Distinguished Justice Award. “After not being able to attend the national conference for two years because of COVID, it was really wonderful to take such a great team to D.C.,” said Dr. Rebecca Glazier, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs and faculty advisor to the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Model Arab League. “None of the students on our team had competed at the national level before, so I am especially impressed with how great they did. We were also able to meet with the staff of the Iraqi embassy. It was a fantastic trip, all around.” The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Model Arab League participation is supported by the Middle Eastern Studies program, which subsidizes the student travel and conference participation costs.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Win Awards at Model Arab League Conference

John Hill — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 12:44:16 +0000

Five University of Arkansas at Little Rock students have won awards highlighting their skills in representing Arab countries in international politics. The student diplomats received awards during the Bilateral Chamber Regional Model Arab League held Feb. 12-13 in Houston. The Model Arab League is a student leadership development program created by the National Council on US-Arab Relations. It is a simulation of an international organization, the League of Arab States, which has 22 member countries. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students who won awards include:

Distinguished Delegation Award to Faith Herd for her representation of Qatar in the Special Council on Poverty and Unemployment
Outstanding Delegation Award to Chloe McGehee for her representation of Qatar in the Joint Defense Council.
Best Chair Award to Caleb Mimms for his leadership of the Council of Arab Social Affairs for Qatar
Distinguished Delegation Award to Logan Mosley for his representation of Iraq in the Council of Social Affairs
Distinguished Delegation Award to Yvonne Rodriquez for her representation of Iraq in the Council of Social Affairs

Altogether, 14 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students presented at the Bilateral Chamber Regional Model Arab League. The students and their assignments include:

Ibraheem Abbood, Special Council on Poverty and Unemployment for Iraq
Dana Abou-Diab and Isabel Ward, Council of Arab Environmental Affairs Ministers for Iraq
Armando Arellano, Council of Arab Social Affairs for Iraq
Owen Haynes, Council on Political Affairs for Iraq
Alex Martin, Council on Political Affairs for Iraq
Jack Schlotter, Joint Defense Council for Iraq
Tripti Shukla, Council on Political Affairs for Qatar
Lamar Townsend, Council of Arab Environmental Affairs Ministers for Qatar

The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Model Arab League participation is supported by the Middle Eastern Studies program, which subsidizes the student travel and conference participation costs.

Graduating SGA President DeKay Headed to George Mason University to Pursue Law Degree

John Hill — Fri, 14 May 2021 16:48:45 +0000

After just three years at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Landon DeKay, of Maumelle, has completed his studies one year ahead of schedule and will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in political science this month. “I feel like I just started school, but I’ve loved my time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” DeKay said. “Initially, I was not set in stone in going to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I initially wanted to attend a larger university. After studying abroad and doing research with professors and being involved in all the student organizations, I’ve really learned to love ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and all that it offers its students. I’m sad to be leaving, but I’m looking forward to the new adventures I will have in law school.” This fall, DeKay will attend Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia. “I am planning on concentrating my studies on national security law,” he said. “Throughout my undergraduate tenure, I focused much of my studies on foreign policy and the Middle East. I have also been involved with the Middle Eastern Studies Program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and have competed in numerous Model Arab League competitions in the U.S. and in Morocco. I have grown to love studying the implications to our national security following 9/11 and the rise of domestic terror groups here in the United States. To me, national security is one of the most interesting areas to study, and that is why I want to continue learning about how we can better protect our security interests while in law school.” As president of the Student Government Association, DeKay is best known around campus for his work advocating on the behalf of students. “I’ve loved being involved in the SGA and seeing the work I’ve done with different senators come to fruition,” DeKay said. “After the mass protests after the killing of George Floyd, I worked with SGA to advocate for the creation of the Racial Barriers Committee to look at current university policies and procedures that might disproportionately impact students of color at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I hope that SGA has inspired positive change at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” DeKay’s time as president also included a global pandemic that left most students taking classes from home and some facing emergencies on an unprecedented level. “I knew coming into the school year that my term as president would be impacted by COVID 19, but I didn’t realize how impacted it would be until I experienced it firsthand,” he said. “I met with the leaders on campus to see how COVID-19 impacted our students. I also served on numerous university committees to see how we could help students negatively impacted by COVID 19, like delivering computers for students who needed technology to take classes online.” Since there were few on-campus events during the 2020-21 school year, DeKay said the SGA spent much of its time revising the constitution and donating portions of the SGA budget to student groups on campus who needed funds for projects or events. “It’s essentially been a year of rebuilding SGA,” DeKay said. “We made 11 different changes to our constitution. I hope the next president will see SGA grow exponentially.” In addition to his work with the SGA, DeKay counts conducting research with the Little Rock Congregations Study, a 2020 summer internship with U.S. Rep. French Hill’s office, and a 2019 trip to the International Model Arab League Conference in Morocco among his most memorable college experiences at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “I would definitely say my trip to Morocco has been one of my most influential parts of going to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” he said. “It was partially funded by the Middle Eastern Studies Program, so having the opportunity to study abroad for a reduced cost was life-changing. This trip was my first time going abroad. I saw firsthand how people in other countries live their daily lives, which was eye-opening. This trip made me even more invested in international service and public affairs.” DeKay highlights Dr. Richard Harper, dean of students, and Dr. Rebecca Glazier, professor of public affairs, as two mentors who made a significant impact on his life at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Dean Harper has been a huge mentor. He’s the advisor for SGA so I worked with him on numerous projects,” DeKay said. “I would also definitely say Rebecca Glazier has been a great mentor. She was also my faculty mentor for my Signature Experience Project. I’ve been in one of her classes every semester I’ve been at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. She has been one of the most motivating professors I have ever had. I would also like to thank all the professors from the School of Public Affairs, like Dr. Williams and Dr. Giammo. Both of you have made a big impact on my life and have prepared me for my future studies in law school.” As DeKay reflects on his time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, his advice for new students is to find and get involved in something they love. “I tell new students not to be afraid to get involved in things they are interested in,” he said. “I know coming to college can be intimidating for new students, but you should take it one day at a time, meet new people, and then go from there.”

Fall 2020 Middle Eastern Studies Program call for proposals for faculty, student, and staff

John Hill — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 20:18:03 +0000

The Middle Eastern Studies Program Committee at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock has called for proposals for faculty, student, and campus activity grants. They are seeking proposals for faculty grants to support teaching and scholarship related to the Middle East and its people. Grants for full-time faculty typically will not exceed $3,000 and funding generally ranges from $500-$2,500. Part-time (adjunct) faculty can apply for small grants of up to $500. For the student grants, they are inviting proposals from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students to support their activities and scholarship related to the Middle East. For the Campus Activity Grant, they are inviting proposals from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty, staff, and students for special events on campus that support the program’s mission of advancing Arkansas’ understanding of the Middle East. For each call, the Middle Eastern Studies EST Committee will begin reviewing applications on Oct. 20 and will continue accepting proposals on a rolling basis until the budgeted funds have been exhausted. Grants will be reviewed on a competitive basis by the Middle Eastern Studies Committee. Grants can be used at any time during the 2020-2021 academic year. For more information and to apply for a grant, contact Dr. Neveen Shafeek Amin at nxshafeekam@ualr.edu

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to share Moroccan adventures with community, honor Miguel Lopez

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 15:41:14 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host a community event on Friday, Nov. 8, recounting the adventures of 17 students who competed at the International Model Arab League conference in Morocco in October.�� The community event, free and open to the public, will take place from 5-8 p.m. at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown, 333 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock.�� The Model Arab League is a student leadership development program created by the. It is a simulation of an international organization, the League of Arab States, which represents 22 countries. From Oct. 17-26, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students served as representatives of Sudan, Kuwait, Oman, Tunisia, and Morocco in the conference simulation, followed by a cultural immersion in Morocco. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s School of Public Affairs will present the inaugural ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Model Arab League Alumni Excellence Award to Miguel Lopez, Hispanic resource officer for First Community Bank. Lopez graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in political science, graduate certificate in nonprofit management, and master’s degree in public administration. As an active member in the community, Lopez serves on the boards of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Board, Just Communities of Arkansas, Harmony Health Clinic, Museum of Discovery, and Goodwill of Arkansas Education Initiatives. “Miguel Lopez is an outstanding ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alum who attended our first trip to the International Model Arab League in Morocco in 2016,” Glazier said. “Since then, Miguel has become an active community leader. We hope that hearing about his journey will serve as an inspiration to students who hope to become leaders like him.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock students ride camels while camping in the Moroccan desert. Photo by Larry Rhodes.

The event will also feature a silent auction with items brought back from Morocco, including hand-crafted rugs, jewelry, tea glasses, pottery, and scarves. Framed photographs from Morocco taken by Larry Rhodes, learning technology coordinator in the College of Social Sciences and Communication, will also be available for sale. All funds raised from the silent auction will go to the creation of a new scholarship fund to help students who have participated in Model Arab League simulations study abroad. First Community Bank has generously donated $2,500 toward the new scholarship. In the upper right photo, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students visit the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco, the largest mosque in Africa. Photo by Larry Rhodes.

Three ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students win awards at Model Arab League

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 13:19:40 +0000

Three University of Arkansas at Little Rock students won awards during the Feb. 15-17 in Houston.�� The Model Arab League is a student leadership development program created by the. It is a simulation of an international organization, the League of Arab States, which has 22 member countries. Julie O’Hara, senior political science major, won the Outstanding Delegation Award, while Solane Nemera, senior political science major, and Sydney Brazil, junior philosophy major, won the Distinguished Delegation Award. “Winning an award was a huge surprise because Solane Nemera and I were in a committee with very talented and prepared delegates,” Brazil said. “I thought we did a great job, but it was still a shock to win an award at my first Model Arab League conference.” Brazil and Nemer represented Egypt on the Special Council on Women and Children, where they spent a majority of time discussing the impact of displacement and conflict in preventing children from accessing a stable education and evaluating ways in which the Model Arab League can reduce the number of children who are out of school. “The amazing thing about the Model Arab League is that you are debating about very relevant issues,” Brazil said. “Negotiating with other delegates and working on draft papers really gets your adrenaline pumping, while passing a resolution that offers a potential solution gives you such a sense of accomplishment.” More than 20 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students participated in the conference. They met with the Egyptian Consulate to help them prepare to represent Egypt during the conference. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students also represented Kuwait and Morocco. “I applied for Model Arab League because it sounded really fun,” Brazil said. “I have always been interested in international relations and was curious as to how diplomacy worked. My experience thus far has been so amazing. I’ve made new friends, learned about a part of the world I wasn’t very familiar with, and improved my presentation and critical thinking skills. It has added so much value to my life through awareness of issues in other parts of the world and truly awesome friends.” Students who competed in the Bilaterial Model Arab League include Anna Aguilar, Mariam Bouzihay, Nora Bouzihay, Sydney Brazil, Angela Burton, Colin Davies, Landon DeKay, Molly Edwards, Ravan Gaston, Jorge Gonzalez, Dorothea Greulich, Leon Kockaya, Faith Madkins, Kristen Miller, Claire Mitchell, Solane Nemera, Jonathan Nwosu, Jessica Olson, Julie O’Hara, Hope Roberts, Madison Rogers, Makell Swinney, and Issac Thomas. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students will next compete in the National University Model Arab League Conference April 4-7 at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Middle Eastern Studies Program seeking grant applications

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 14:30:00 +0000

University of Arkansas at Little Rock faculty, staff, and students are invited to apply for grants to support pedagogy, campus activities, student research in Middle Eastern studies.�� The��Middle Eastern Studies Program��will award faculty grants of up to $3,000; part-time faculty, up to $500; student grants, up to $2,500; and campus activity grants, up to $2,000. Applicants are encouraged to think creatively about the activities the grants could fund. Projects related to any aspect of the Middle East or Middle Eastern studies are eligible. Examples of student grants include participation in an archaeological expedition in a Middle Eastern country, historical research, summer language study program, study abroad in a Middle Eastern country, and internships. Faculty grants are intended to support the development of a course, or a course component, about the Middle East or research or creative activity related to the region. Campus activity grants will sponsor events on campus that support the mission of advancing Arkansas’s understanding of the Middle East. Events can include guest speakers, performers, and film screenings made by and/or about the Middle East or its people and cultures. The priority deadline for faculty grants is Sept. 1; campus grants, Sept. 15; and student grants, Oct. 1. The Middle Eastern Studies program will continue to accept grant applications until��all available funds have been awarded. For more information, visit the Middle Eastern Studies program��student grant webpage��or contact Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm at 501-569-3331 or��ejwiebelhaus@ualr.edu.

Turkish diplomat visits ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Janea Snyder — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 22:20:15 +0000

The Honorable Aki̇l Öktem, Consul General from Turkey, paid a goodwill visit to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Tuesday, July 17, visiting with the chancellor and faculty members. The consul general met with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Andrew Rogerson,��Dr. Rebecca Glazier, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs, and Dr. Krista Lewis, chair of sociology and anthropology. Both Glazier and Lewis teach in the Middle Eastern Studies Program and discussed with the consul the possibility of faculty exchanges and study abroad opportunities for students. In the past, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has offered faculty-led study abroad trips to London, Paris, Berlin, and Morocco. Glazier is hopeful that by summer 2020, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students may have such an opportunity in Turkey. “The students would get the combination of politics, sociology, and that physical on-the-ground experience,” Glazier said. “That is the kind of high-impact student experiential learning opportunity we love to provide for students.” The consul’s visit was one stop on his visit to central Arkansas. He also planned to meet with the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce and Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Photo: The Honorable Aki̇l Öktem, Consul General from Turkey, presents a plate to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Andrew Rogerson.

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

Community Leaders Share Experiences with Improving Religious Tolerance in Arkansas

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Students, Community Members to Discuss Study Abroad Trip to Spain and Religious Tolerance Efforts in Aug. 31 Panel

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Win Awards at National Model Arab League Conference

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Win Awards at Model Arab League Conference