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

Graduate Spotlight on Daysia Klossner

John Hill — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 18:22:57 +0000

Daysia Klossner is a first-generation student who will graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management this month from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She is currently a project estimator at Baldwin & Shell construction company. Tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m from North Little Rock, Arkansas, and attended North Little Rock High School, home of the Charging Wildcats! This year, our football team placed second in our division, and we won the state championship in 2017. Rooting for our football team was one of my favorite memories about high school. During high school, I took Mandarin Chinese. This was a great experience because most high schools only offer Spanish. The hardest thing about learning Mandarin Chinese is confusing the meaning of some words because they sound alike. For example, “mom” sounds a lot like “horse.” You could accidentally offend someone. How did you develop an interest in construction management? I worked at Home Depot for almost four years where I sold lots of different types of materials and equipment. I always wondered what some of the customers did for work and what they were creating with these materials. Later, I found out that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has a great construction management program. One of my earlier mentors, Dr. Lashun Thomas, taught me that you can rock the construction world and still be feminine. You’re currently a project estimator at Baldwin & Shell. What does an estimator do? An estimator meets with owners and provides cost estimates and timelines. They also give owners advice about things that might affect their initial vision of the project. Every project is completely different. My latest project is a fire station in Malvern, Arkansas. Now, when I pass a fire station, I’ll have a good idea of what’s inside. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the construction industry? Due to COVID, everyone is required to wear masks and have their temperature taken wherever you go. I’ve also noticed the home improvement industry is drastically growing since we all are spending a lot more time at home. In commercial construction, K-12 campuses are expanding so they can have more space to keep students six feet apart and safe. What were some of your favorite courses at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I loved the building information modeling course because it gave me the experience to work with architecture-based 3D computer modeling. For my project, I designed a “pink palace,” a four-story hotel with a second floor state-of-the-art gym with a view of the city, decorated with cherry blossom trees on the exterior. The best part was being able to walk through my model using a virtual headset provided by Dr. Manry. The best thing about studying construction management is the overlap with other disciplines. For example, I took classes about human resources, business management, and accounting. These courses have been extremely helpful with my career and my networking abilities. What organizations do you belong to? Last year, I was the vice president of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Honor Society, National Society of Black Engineers, and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and secretary of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock American Institute of Steel Construction. Currently, I serve as president of the National Society of Black Engineers, where I aid members in finding scholarships and job opportunities. Who were some of your mentors? Mike Tramel, former chair of the construction management department, is absolutely amazing. He’s well-known in Little Rock, which really helps create opportunities for his students. What is your favorite memory of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? Last academic year, when I was an ambassador for the College of Engineering and Information Technology, I really enjoyed helping new students move into dorms and teamwork and organization on a large scale. Why should prospective students get into construction management? Construction management creates a huge impact on the community and the people in it. For instance, Baldwin & Shell built the new North Little Rock High School, buildings on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock campus, and medical facilities. This makes me feel like I’m part of something bigger than myself. What is your advice for new students? My advice to other students and new professionals would be: don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t ask questions, you won’t learn. Lastly, there’s a place for everyone in construction, especially if you are a team player. The commencement story was compiled by Toni Boyer Stewart.

EIT employees take pie in the face for a good cause

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 17:32:00 +0000

Three University of Arkansas at Little Rock employees from the George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Technology graciously took pies in the face to raise money for the university’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers. Three eager students got to shove a pie in the faces of Dean Lawrence Whitman, Dr. Steven Minsker, professor of computer science, and Amy Frets, EIT director of student services and retention, during Pi Day activities. Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant pi, which is celebrated on March 14 (3/14). The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Society of Women Engineers raised money by holding a bake sale, selling T-shirts, and holding an online auction of 20 pies donated by students and faculty. For every $1 spent, a person was able to cast a vote for one of seven EIT employees who volunteered to get a pie in the face. The other volunteers included Assistant Dean Vernard Henley; Ashley Henry-Saorrono, EIT senior recruitment and outreach coordinator; Dr. Mike Tramel, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering; and Treasure Williamson, EIT recruitment and outreach coordinator. Some volunteers worked hard to keep themselves from getting chosen. Tramel bought $50 worth of T-shirts and promptly placed his 50 votes for Dean Whitman. In the end, fundraiser organizers decided to use the top three people who received the most votes, leaving Whitman, Minsker, and Frets as the lucky winners. Olivia Pate, a sophomore majoring in geology and mathematics, said it was “very satisfying” to hit Minsker in the face with a pie, while Minsker said he would be happy to take a pie in the face every day for a good cause. “Who wouldn’t want to help out our future engineers?” Minsker said. “My only objection is that I am so good looking, and the crème covers up my good looks.” For more information about the Society of Women Engineers, contact Frets at amfrets@ualr.edu or Henry-Saorrono at alhenry@ualr.edu. In the upper right photo, Amy Frets, EIT director of student services and retention, and Dr. Steven Minsker, professor of computer science, stand next to the students who shoved pies in their faces to raise money for the Society of Women Engineers on Pi Day.

��Vlog��ýLR honors veterans during Veterans Day Ceremony

Jenny Lambert — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 22:51:50 +0000

Tears flowed throughout the Student Services Center auditorium as family, friends, faculty, and staff expressed their deepest gratitude to those who have served our country during the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Veterans Day Ceremony Nov. 11. Mike Tramel, chair of ��Vlog��ýLR’s Construction Management Department and a Vietnam veteran, began the ceremony with warm, welcoming remarks along with a brief history lesson acknowledging the roots of Veterans Day. “This day was originally known as Armistice Day, the day that celebrated the ending of World War I, the great war to end all wars,” Tramel said. Reading a snippet of President Woodrow Wilson’s Armistice Day proclamation, Tramel continued, “So on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, we come together to celebrate our heroes and those who died while serving our country, but also to say thank you for all who have served this great nation of ours.” He goes on to reveal the observance of Veterans Day, “the national day of observation honoring American veterans of all wars.” Following Tramel’s remarks, veterans in attendance stood to be recognized, receiving extended praise and thanks from audience members. Soon after, Kevin McGee, a veteran and president of ��Vlog��ýLR’s Students Affected by the Military, gave a word of prayer before the presentation of colors by the Jacksonville High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

The Jacksonville High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps served as the color guard during the Veterans Day celebration.

Almost immediately after, ceremony participants stood with hands over hearts as the words of the National Anthem filled the room, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. As the ceremony neared its closing, the guest speaker, Eddie Pannell, ��Vlog��ýLR graduate and U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran of Vietnam, spoke of the courage it takes to leave loved ones behind for the sake of freedom. “We’re here to celebrate our veterans for their patriotism, their love of country, and their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good,” he said. “Hopefully, people can appreciate our service, but they will never truly know what it means to be a veteran until they put on that uniform.” As he shared of his personal experiences, Pannell became overwhelmed with emotion. “I’m getting older now, but as I get older, toward the end of this journey, I grow even more proud to be called a veteran, having served my country,” Pannell said. “I was, am, and always will be a United States Marine.” At the age of 14, Pannell couldn’t wait to join the marines after hearing what he’d deemed to be a lie told by President Lyndon B. Johnson. “He said that during the Gulf of Tonkin incident, one of our destroyers was fired on by a North Vietnamese patrol boat in south China sea. At 14, I thought that was terrible,” he said. “They can’t get away with that.” Five weeks after his 17th birthday, Pannell begged his mother to sign him into the Marine Corp, and so she did. He begin boot camp January 2, 1968. Not knowing that he couldn’t be sent to combat before 19, Pannell tried everything that he could to get to Vietnam. After completing boot camp, he was sent to Cherry Point in North Carolina where he quickly requested mast, or the right to speak with the commanding officer and for the officer to consider and respond to the matter. “You do what the Marine Corp tells you, but I joined the Marine Corps to fight,” Pannell said. “You see I wasn’t that bright.” Upon his request, the career planner saw what Pannell was attempting and offered him a deal. Due to Pannell’s high scores on the language portion of his tests, he was given the option to attend language school for one year and be shipped to Vietnam afterwards. “I did that, and I really believe that was God’s way,” Pannell paused as he choked up and his eyes begin to swell with tears. “Anyway, I went to language school and studied the language, the customs, the culture, the religions, and I fell in love with the Vietnamese people.” As a still silence covered the room, tears fell from the face of many who were captivated by Pannell’s story.

An audience member is moved to tears during Eddie Pannell’s speech during the Veterans Day celebration.

After upholding the requirements of his deal, Pannell was on a plane headed for Vietnam. “As we’re walking off of the plane, there was a guy there with a water hose and there were some green looking trash bags by him,” Pannell said. “Someone had asked the guy what he was doing and he said that these boys were going home.” Pannell remembers about 20 to 30 body bags laying there, ready to be shipped back to the states. “I thought, this wasn’t John Wayne anymore,” he said. “This was real. People were getting killed over here.” Pannell reminisced about the pain he felt after losing the war and the tragedies that he witnessed in hope of encouraging young people to question politicians and their decisions. “Your voice does make a difference,” he said. “Stand up for yourself, your families, and veterans. We need you.” The ceremony concluded with a moment of silence for a ��Vlog��ýLR fallen veteran, Neotero Isalm. Following the ceremony, veterans were offered a free lunch in the Diamond Cafe as a token of the school’s appreciation. In the upper right photo, guest speaker and alumnus Eddie Pannell speaks during the Veterans Day 2016 celebration Nov. 11 in the Student Services Center auditorium. Photos by Lonnie Timmons III/��Vlog��ýLR Communications.

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

Graduate Spotlight on Daysia Klossner

EIT employees take pie in the face for a good cause

����Vlog��ýLR honors veterans during Veterans Day Ceremony

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

��Vlog��ýLR honors veterans during Veterans Day Ceremony