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

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Celebrates Military Heroes

John Hill — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 14:37:42 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock held a Veterans Day Ceremony to commemorate the university’s military students and veterans. “Friday’s Veterans Day ceremony and the ending of this year’s Homecoming week demonstrated how amazing this university’s staff is daily,” said Travis Weigel, director of military student success. “The Arkansas weather threw a wrench in our plans, but these professionals and our outstanding students adapted quickly. I thank everyone who helped or just came out to honor our ��Vlog��ý Little Rock veterans. During the ceremony, Chancellor Drale spoke of supporting our veterans and their importance to our community. While veteran student Jameice Flowers discussed how vital support and community are to adjusting to higher education after taking off the uniform. I would also like to thank Lakaia Massey for her wonderful rendition of the National Anthem.” Chancellor Christina Drale thanked ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s 548 student veterans and 81 faculty and staff veterans for their service. She recalled the history of Veterans Day. It began as Armistice Day at the end of World War I when Americans believed that would be the war to end all wars. After World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day in 1954, a day for Americans to gather and celebrate all veterans who have served their country. “We needed a day that would recognize that we will always have veterans and that veterans will always be the ones who have made the biggest sacrifices for our nation,” she said. “I want to recognize our Director of Military Student Success Travis Weigel for all of the great support he and his team provide for our military students and their families. We have made a commitment to our military students. We will help you, we will support you, and we will celebrate your success.” U.S. Navy Veteran Jamiece Flowers, a senior from McGehee, described how she plans to help fellow veterans through a career in social work after Arkansas social workers helped her through one of the darkest times in her life.

Chancellor Christina Drale speaks during a Veterans Day ceremony on campus. Photos by Ben Krain.

The ceremony ended with a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem by Lakaia Massey, a veteran and sophomore at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Following the ceremony, the Military Student Success Center and William H. Bowen School of Law’s Student Veteran Organization provided food truck vouchers to military and veteran attendees as part of the Homecoming Week celebrations. Chancellor Drale invited everyone to consider how to honor veterans not just on one special day of recognition, but all year-round. “For the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, that way is to commit to being a military-friendly campus and to encourage veterans and active military to further their education with us as they translate their experience and their ambitions into the next chapter of their lives,” Drale said. “We further that commitment through participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program to ensure that earned military benefits cover 100 percent of a veteran’s education. We are proud of our designation as a Purple Heart University as we pledge to honor and support wounded veterans and their families.”

First-Generation Student and Navy Veteran Finds Success at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:30:51 +0000

After spending six years in the U.S. Navy, Bryan Hernandez, a first-generation college student from Clinton, Arkansas, has found success as a marketing major and storyteller at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, a skill he hopes to use after graduation to highlight the Latinx culture. Hernandez joined the Navy a year after graduating from the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts in Hot Springs. “It was definitely something I considered since I was a kid, but it became more realistic my senior year of high school,” Hernandez said. “I am the first in the family to join the military. It was a very new experience for myself and my family. It definitely helped my parents not having to pay for college. It has its challenges, but it definitely provided some stability and security that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.” Hernandez served as a SONAR technician. He analyzed real-time data to search for, track, and engage submarines. Since no one serving on a naval vessel has just one job, as Hernandez pointed out, he also assisted the public affairs director with photographing events and managing social media accounts. Hernandez confirmed that he sated his appetite for travel during his time in the Navy. He traveled to places like Barbados, Norway, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, Nova Scotia, Guantanamo Bay, and Panama. “I think the most beautiful place was the Norwegian Sea,” he said. “It was crazy to look out in the distance and see snow-capped mountains. This is what made me want to join. I thought it was pretty cool to go to sea and see different ports.” In 2021, Hernandez left the Navy ready to earn his college degree. The pandemic played a factor, making Hernandez realize that he was ready to transition out of the military and spend more time with his family. Having already completed many college credits through concurrent enrollment classes in high school, Hernandez resumed his college career at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with high hopes for the future. “Coming here and realizing there are so many other nontraditional students and veterans made it feel like the right choice,” Hernandez said. “The fact that it’s a Yellow Ribbon School means I know my education will be completely covered here. The familiarity with Arkansas and being close to Little Rock and my family, I couldn’t beat it. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock feels like home. They have a commitment to first-generation students and veterans. That is more aligned with what I believe in. If that’s not what higher education is about, then what is it about?” Since joining ��Vlog��ý Little Rock last year, Hernandez has kept busy as a student ambassador with the School of Business, assistant editor of The Forum student newspaper, and the social media coordinator for the Military Student Success Center. “I am so grateful to have a center like this on campus. I think that has been the most impactful program in terms of my transition from the military to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” Hernandez said. “Being around other students who are going through the same thing is a huge support system that I was not counting on. A lot of the concerns I had; I realized a lot of the other veterans had too. Working through those fears with other veterans on campus is pretty big.” Hernandez will graduate from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock during the spring 2024 semester with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing degree. His goal is to promote storytelling for the Latinx community. “Ultimately, I’d like to contribute to storytelling for Latinx people who aren’t represented as much,” he said. “I find there are a lot of stories that are being missed out on. There are some misconceptions about what it means to be Latinx that could be corrected. There’s a lot of good stories about who we are.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to Host Celebration in Honor of Veterans Day

John Hill — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 22:19:52 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is hosting a Veterans Day commemoration for the campus community, especially veterans and military families, on Nov. 11. Students, faculty, and staff will gather on the Fine Arts Lawn at 11 a.m. to honor ��Vlog��ý Little Rock veterans and their service. Chancellor Christina Drale will give the keynote address, followed by the playing of the National Anthem. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has a robust veteran population, from undergraduates and university staff to Ph.D. candidates and department chairs. This celebration gives the campus community an opportunity to honor them. The Homecoming food truck festival will commence at 11 a.m. The Military Student Success Center and William H. Bowen School of Law’s Student Veteran Organization staff will provide food truck vouchers to military and veteran attendees. “This is a small token of our appreciation to these men and women,” Director of Military Student Success Travis Weigel said. “We hope to serve them as honorably as they served our nation.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Military Student Success Center, Arkansas National Guard host first ‘Trojan Warrior Games’

John Hill — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 20:23:38 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Military Student Success Center is partnering with the Arkansas National Guard Officer Candidate School (GOLD Program) to host a public event featuring a 4.5-mile obstacle course on March 14. The first “Trojan Warrior Games” will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock campus. The event will give members of the community a chance to interact and learn about military students and programs and their impact in the community. “It’s good for the community to interact with the military, especially the National Guard,” said Second Lieutenant Davis Morris. “The camaraderie building that you can get from an event like this will only aid in bringing a good light to the National Guard. We’re eager to show how we can help make a difference in the community.” The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock chapter of Students Affected by the Military, the Arkansas Guard Officer Leadership Development program, and Sheep Dog Impact Assistance are also sponsoring the event. The “Trojan Warrior Games” will feature multiple events for individuals or teams of five. The competition will allow for three different divisions based on ability, including military/athletic, high school, and beginner. All teams are competing for prizes based on the fastest completion time of the obstacle course in their division. The obstacles include crossing a 100-foot rope, scaling a 10-foot climbing wall as a team, carrying a litter with a dummy to the top of Stabler Hall, a 100-meter swim to be completed by one person, and one-half of a modified CrossFit routine called The Murph Challenge. The challenge honors Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, who died in Afghanistan in June 2005, and includes runs, 100 jumping jacks, 200 push-ups, and 300 air squats, all while carrying a 20-pound vest or body armor. Each participant will be asked to carry a backpack filled with 20 pounds of dry food or water, which will be donated to the Trojan Food Pantry after the event. All of the proceeds from the event will fund scholarships and other services that assist military veterans who are earning their college degree. The entry free is $20 per person or $85 for a team of five. Register online. For more information, contact Second Lieutenant David Morris at 501-681-8745 or dvmorris@ualr.edu.

Student organizations host cleanup days at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 15:45:13 +0000

Two University of Arkansas at Little Rock student organizations are leading the charge to beautify campus by organizing volunteer campus cleanup days on Friday, Feb. 7, and Saturday, Feb. 8. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock military students and veterans are partnering with students at eStem High School from noon to 3 p.m. Feb. 7. Volunteers from the Military Student Success Center, Students Affected by the Military, and the Arkansas Guard Officer Leadership Development program, and eStem will be weeding, mowing, trimming hedges, and cleaning sidewalks. “There are some touchups around campus that could be done, and we are doing what we can to help out,” said 2nd Lt. Davis Morris. Morris, who is in charge of the officer leadership development program, said students involved in the program complete at least 25 hours of community service per year, since it’s important for future military leaders to be active in the community. “We are trying to get student veterans involved in campus,” said Sean Lewis, freshman biology major and president of Students Affected by the Military. “Our veterans want to be active on campus. They want to make a difference.” Members of the community are welcome to join this afternoon of service. Anyone who would like to volunteer can meet in front of eStem High School at noon on Feb. 7. For more information, email Sean Lewis at slewis@ualr.edu or Josh Keyes at jdkeyes@ualr.edu. In the second campus cleanup day, members of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock NAACP collegiate chapter will volunteer from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 8 to remove trash on Fair Park Boulevard between West 19th and West 28th streets. Safety vests, gloves, water, and Gatorade will be provided. Any member of the community who wants to volunteer can meet in ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Parking Lot 15, next to the Windgate Center of Art and Design, at 10 a.m. For more information, email NAACP collegiate chapter President Angelica Clark at aclark@ualr.edu or follow @ualr_naacp on Instagram.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to host military appreciation week for servicemembers

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 22:33:32 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will honor its veterans and military servicemembers with a week of events beginning with a Veterans Day ceremony on Monday, Nov. 11.�� The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Fine Arts Building. Kathy Oliverio, director of Military Student Success, will give the opening remarks.�� Kaycee Greenwood, master sergeant with the U.S. Air Force Reserves; Sean Lewis, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps; Alexis Harris, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and Neva Martin, the spouse of a U.S. Navy veteran, will talk about their experiences serving in the military, after leaving the military, and life as a student veteran at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. The Military Student Success Center will hold an open house following the ceremony from noon to 2 p.m. in the Applied Communication Building Room 111. The Veteran Education Training (VET) 365 Program will host a seminar at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, in the Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter Hall to introduce faculty and staff to the strengths, challenges, and realities that military service members and their families encounter. Oliverio will give a presentation on veteran education at 2 p.m. Nov. 12 in Ottenheimer Library 535. Attendees should RSVP by. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock veterans, faculty, staff, and students can enjoy a free lunch provided by Sodexo in the Military Student Success Center. Those attending lunch can also take a picture with the selfie screen and post it to social media using #��Vlog��ýLRVeteransDay. Student veterans and military student success staff members will host an open discussion on understanding Veterans Affairs educational benefits from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, in the Military Student Success Center. The final event will include an open forum for military students to discuss any topic in relation to military benefits, education, or services military students would like to see at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. The forum will take place from noon to 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, in the Military Student Success Center. For more information, contact Kathy Oliverio, director of military student success, at 501-682-8387 or kmoliverio@ualr.edu.

Student veterans and spouses share experiences at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Veterans Day Ceremony

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 17:54:17 +0000

For ��Vlog��ý Little Rock social work student Jackie Fowler, Veterans Day is a day of solace, contemplation, and reflection on the events in her life that brought her to where she is today. Five years ago, Fowler’s life took an unexpected turn when she learned that her husband had been seriously injured in an accident while deployed. He would pass away a few months later. Today, Fowler has dedicated her life to working with both veterans and other military spouses who have gone through similar experiences, and has bravely shared her story with the campus. “When my husband passed, his GI Bill scholarships passed to me. I decided to use that to pursue a degree in social work and focus on veterans’ services,” Fowler said. “I want to do the best I can to give them the best they deserve.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock joined the rest of the nation in celebration of the 100th observance of Veterans Day at a Nov. 12 ceremony featuring student and employee veterans along with spouses of veterans. Kathy Oliverio, an Air Force veteran and director of Military Student Success at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, opened the ceremony with remarks about the history of Veterans Day, its origins as Armistice Day following the end of World War I a century ago, and the importance of its observance to those who have served. Student veterans Josh Keyes and Andy Wertherington shared their experiences in the armed forces as well as the difficulties that they had re-adjusting to life after their service ended. Both pointed to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Military Student Success Center as an important player in their new lives as students. “I don’t know really where I’d be without Kathy and the services she provides to veterans here,” Keyes said. “It’s been a long process readjusting to civilian life but ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has people that have gone through the same thing and are there to help you work through it.” Solo piano arrangements of “The Star Spangled Banner” and “Taps” were performed by Dr. Linda Holzer, professor of music and coordinator of classical piano studies, with music major and Wind Ensemble member Stephanie Gimenez performing on the snare drum. For more information about ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Military Student Success Center, click here. Military Student Success Center Assistant Director and Coast Guard veteran Cheryl Kleeman prepares flags for the Nov. 12 ceremony.

Veteran Looking Forward to Future Career as Engineer Exploring Renewable Energy

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 04 Oct 2018 14:49:12 +0000

Victor Ruiz, a senior systems engineering major at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has a lot to be thankful for. He’s a U.S. Air Force veteran with a beautiful wife and two young daughters. Now in his last semester as a systems engineering major, Ruiz is looking forward to a future career where he explores his passion for renewable energy.�� “As the world gets bigger, and there are more homes and ��buildings built that use more computers, lights, and phones, energy consumption will continue to boom,” he said. “I think people need to be educated more and learn to save what we have left on this world. People always assume energy is free and we can keep producing as much as we want at no cost, but it’s not the case.” A native of San Leandro, California, Ruiz graduated high school in 2006 and worked in an auto parts store “until a 6-foot, 6-inch mountain of a man walked into my auto parts store dressed in crisp Air Force Blues uniform and said, ‘Son, I am about to save your life.’” At 18, Ruiz joined the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base. He worked as an aircraft loadmaster, earned an associate degree in applied science in aviation operations, and even met and married his wife, Alba, who he met at Cajun’s Wharf. Life was going well for Ruiz, who thought he would spend his whole life in the military and retire. Things changed after Ruiz’s first child, Zoё, was born in 2014. Ruiz had already been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait, but the thought of leaving his newborn child was devastating. “Leaving to go fight a war was never hard for me. I accepted the fact that this is what came with the job,” Ruiz said. “The military turned this skinny boy from the suburbs of California into a man. The Air Force saved my life. It gave me goals, ambition, and a drive to never settle. I have never been terrified in my life except for one time. When I watched my 5-pound, 11-ounce baby girl come into this world, I was petrified. My baby was my world, and that’s when I knew I had to do the scariest thing imaginable. I had to leave the Air Force.” In 2014, Ruiz left the Air Force after eight years of service and moved his family to California and enrolled in college. However, life in California, with its expensive housing market and colleges, did not turn out well. He was only in his second semester at Ohlone College when he developed a devastating case of meningitis that left him unable to complete his classes. After he recovered, Ruiz and his family moved back to Little Rock, and he started at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock during fall 2015. With a strong belief that the world can no longer rely on fossil fuels as its main source of energy, Ruiz studies renewable energy and energy savings solutions “to put myself in a position to leave the world a little better than I found it.” His senior capstone project involved the development of a solar-powered irrigation system. Ruiz appreciates the small class sizes in the College of Engineering and Information Technology, something he wasn’t used to in California. “The small class sizes really make the learning environment intimate and student driven. Instructors are able to move at individuals’ pace making sure no one is left behind,” Ruiz said. “The passion EIT professors show for their students keeps me coming back every semester. Coming from California and large college classes really makes me appreciate the time and care everyone at the EIT college spends with the students.” He is also thankful to Amy Frets, EIT director of student services and retention, whose “mentoring and motivation makes you believe that when everything seems hopeless it can still be done.” As a full-time, nontraditional student, Ruiz said he has faced the challenges of working two, sometimes three, jobs while attending school in order to support his family, which now includes a second daughter, 1-year-old Khloё. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock is an institution that allows people like me who are getting up at 4 a.m. to run a truck route and then go to class all day to then go load and unload trucks until 10:30 at night,” Ruiz said. “A student that raises a 4-year-old and 18-month-old baby in their free time. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is an institution that does something no other college around here does. It gives nontraditional people that struggle to survive hope – hope for a better tomorrow. Hope that at the end of it all, that once you earn that degree, your dreams can become a reality. So last but not least, thank you ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for making my dreams a reality.” Ruiz is grateful to staff members of the Military Student Success Center including Cheryl Kleeman, assistant director of military student success, and Kathy Oliverio, director of military student success. “The Military Student Success Center has been vital to my success during my time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. It is often thought of as a sanctuary for military students where they can share their college experience, troubles, and accomplishments. I owe all my success and complete turnaround in my GPA, from failing to three straight semesters on the Dean’s List, directly to the MSSC,” Ruiz said. “The Office of Financial Aid has made returning back to school feasible, affordable, and a reality. As a father with two beautiful little girls, I thought I could never be able to afford going back to school while providing for my family. Financial Aid’s support and easy access to scholarships has really eased the stress of college.” Ruiz is now completing an internship as an assistant energy engineer at Entegrity, an energy consulting business where he hopes to work after his graduation in December 2018. He also plans to pursue a master’s degree in systems engineering. In the upper right photo,��Victor Ruiz is shown with solar panels that he works with at his internship as an assistant energy engineer at Entegrity. Photo by Ben Krain.

New signs acknowledge ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as ‘Purple Heart University’

Jenny Lambert — Wed, 02 May 2018 21:40:08 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock recently received the signage for its designation as a “Purple Heart University,” a moniker signifying the university’s recognition and support for veterans who were wounded in combat while serving the country. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock received this honor in the fall of 2016 and is now among 40 colleges and universities with the distinction, as awarded by the Military Order of the Purple Heart, a national nonprofit organization whose membership consists of veterans who have been awarded the Purple Heart medal for wounds received in combat. In 1992, the organization instituted a National Purple Heart Trail Program to create a symbolic and honorary system of roads, highways, bridges, cities, counties, monuments, military installations, universities, and other institutions that give tribute to Purple Heart recipients. The Department of Arkansas and Central Arkansas Chapter 431 of the National Order of the Purple Heart awarded ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a plaque and proclamation that reads, in part, “The University of Arkansas at Little Rock appreciates the sacrifices our Purple Heart recipients made in defending our freedoms and believe it is important that we acknowledge them for their courage and show them the honor and support they have earned.” Both items hang in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Military Student Success Center. For more information, contact Kathy Oliverio, director of military student success, at 501-682-8387.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock introduces two ROTC courses

Janea Snyder — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 22:25:11 +0000

Two new introductory classes at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock are available this semester for students interested in the or exploring a U.S. Army career.�� Both classes are one-credit classes offered Wednesdays in the Military Student Success Center and will be taught by Eric Weatherman, an Army major and ROTC instructor. MSCI 1101 Leadership I��(10-10:50 a.m.)��emphasizes the importance of communication, decision making, and the understanding of human behavior in leadership situations. MSCI 1101 Leadership II��(11-11:50 a.m.) is a continuation of Leadership I��and focuses on leadership development and basic tactical skills. The deadline to register is Tuesday, Jan. 16. The first classes meet Wednesday, Jan. 17. Both courses are��requirement for students who want to qualify for college scholarships through the ROTC program, but any student can take the courses as one-hour electives. ROTC is a college and university-based program for training commissioned officers of the U.S. Armed Forces. “Taking the��introductory classes are a great way for students to figure out if a military career might be��right for them,”��said Kathy Oliverio, Director of Military Student Success at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Students take��an��elective curriculum along with their required college classes in any major they choose. They are eligible for scholarships that cover college costs and are guaranteed a job upon graduation. For more information, contact Kathy Oliverio, Director of Military Student Success, at��kmoliverio@ualr.edu��or��501-682-8387��or go to ualr.edu/military/rotc. ��

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

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Celebrates Military Heroes

First-Generation Student and Navy Veteran Finds Success at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

����Vlog��ý Little Rock to Host Celebration in Honor of Veterans Day

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Military Student Success Center, Arkansas National Guard host first ‘Trojan Warrior Games’

Student organizations host cleanup days at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

����Vlog��ý Little Rock to host military appreciation week for servicemembers

Student veterans and spouses share experiences at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock Veterans Day Ceremony