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

Outstanding Women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock: Mia Phillips

Fri, 29 Mar 2019 21:32:11 +0000

In honor of Women’s History Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is featuring stories about the “Outstanding Women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” faculty, staff, students, and alumni who are serving as leaders and making a difference for the university and their communities. Dr. Mia Phillips is never one to shy away from confronting issues related to culture and diversity on ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s campus. Instead, she’s building a program to address them head-on. As the director of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s new campus Multicultural Center, Phillips often finds herself at the forefront of many contentious social issues facing not just ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, but the nation as a whole. Above all else though, Phillips’ passion for serving her community, the university, and its students has made her into the person she is today. A native of El Dorado, Phillips came to Little Rock shortly after finishing her bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Arkansas. She enrolled at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a student, obtaining both a Master of Arts in professional and technical writing and a Ed.D. in higher education. While working toward her master’s degree, she was offered a position as a writing assistant for the chancellor’s office, which kick-started her career in higher education. “I got to do so many wonderful things and meet so many wonderful people,” Phillips said. “I got to move more into overall communications and special projects quickly and experienced working under two chancellors who each brought different things to the office that I was able to learn from.” In 2018, Phillips was presented with a life-changing opportunity: ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was preparing to open its new Multicultural Center and needed a director. Having recently finished her Ed.D., Phillips applied for the position and was selected. “Chancellor Rogerson and my office were incredibly supportive when this opportunity came up. They told me to go for it, so I did and now I’m here,” she said. As director of the Multicultural Center, Phillips has been tasked with building an extremely important program from the ground up. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Multicultural Center opened in October 2018 and seeks to provide culturally responsive programming and education to promote student success, personal growth, and a culture of respect and inclusion on campus. “Because the Multicultural Center is brand new, every day here has been something a little different,” Phillips said. “My primary job so far has been taking care of the infrastructure issues that come with establishing a new program and interacting with students to both let them know about the services and resources we can provide to them as well as asking them what they need as far as support, programming, and training.” Phillips’ interest in higher education began at a young age; her grandmother, Virginia M. Smith, was the first African-American administrator at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia. “My grandmother would have to be one of my biggest role models. She mentored so many women throughout her career that even to this day, 40 years later, people are still talking about the impact she had in their lives,” Phillips said. Phillips also credits the women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s faculty and staff as daily inspirations for her. “Dr. Sandra Robertson served this university for 40 years and was a huge inspiration for me as well. I learned so much from her when I started working in the chancellor’s office,” Phillips said. “I think that our deans, like Dr. Jane Wayland and Dr. Ann Bain, are absolutely amazing. Watching them navigate complex professional spaces and lead ethically and professionally has been very encouraging to watch.” For any woman wishing to become a part of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s community, Phillips offers the following thoughts: “��Vlog��ý Little Rock really is a place where you can do anything. There’s an expert here in any field you can imagine. We have women in leadership who can help you determine the path that’s best for you and how to be successful. You’ll learn a lot from your coursework, but you’ll learn even more from the experiences of the people around you. It’s simply a wonderful place, where you’ll have unique opportunities with wonderful people.”

Outstanding Women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock: Ronjanae and Raeyana DeGray

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 19:45:05 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock women’s basketball player Ronjanae DeGray (right) battles against South Alabama. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

Raeyana will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and minor in marketing. After graduation, she plans to stay in the sports world by working as a sports analyst. “I’ve always been into sports, and I love to talk about sports and watch sports,” she said. “Being a student-athlete, I thought it would be fun to stay involved in sports in a different way.” The DeGrays are finishing their basketball careers on an incredible season. The Trojans ended the season as Sun Belt Conference champions, finishing atop the conference and making an NCAA Tournament appearance for the second straight season. The sisters are the only two of the Trojans’ four seniors who played during all four seasons at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “During my freshman year, I saw the boys go to the NCAA tournament and saw how fun it was for them,” Raeyana said. “Being able to experience how they felt when they went to the NCAA tournament as a junior and senior was the most memorable experience for me at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” The DeGrays are the daughters of Ronald DeGray and Donelle Harris and have a younger brother, Ronald, and a younger sister, Ramiyah. Since their mother worked in corrections, the family often traveled for her work, and the sisters lived in Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Colorado, and Tennessee while growing up. Both sisters identify their mother and grandmothers as the women they look up to the most. “My mom and my grandmothers have shown me that no matter what your circumstances are, it’s always your job as a woman to get the job done without making any excuses,” Raeyana said. “A lot of the women in my family are very strong, especially my mother and grandmothers,” Ronjanae added. “They are in the church constantly. When the odds are stacked against you, they always lean on God, and I do that because of the example they have given me all my life.” The DeGrays have been playing basketball with their family since they were kids and said a love of basketball runs in their blood. “We started playing basketball competitively when we were in the fourth grade,” Ronjanae said. “Basketball is in my family. Our parents played basketball at the community college where they met, and our mother played at the University of Texas at San Antonio.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock forward Raeyana DeGray is surrounded by Texas State defenders during the Trojan’s game at the Jack Stephens Center. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

While some people find the idea of playing basketball at the college level with your twin sister interesting, the sisters say it’s not as exciting as people might think. “We’ve been playing together pretty much all our lives,” Raeyana said. “It’s cool to have someone to share your experiences with, but it’s like having another teammate you go home to.” As student-athletes, the DeGrays and their teammates are active volunteers who give back to the community that supports Little Rock’s Team. “We do a lot of volunteering with children,” Raeyana said. “We play basketball with children with special needs. We’ve visited the Arkansas School for the Deaf. Giving back to our community lets people know that we appreciate their support and that we are not just people with jerseys running up and down the court. We appreciate the community!”

Outstanding Women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock: Markia Herron

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 19:16:29 +0000

Markia Herron create one of her signature hats in her apartment in Little Rock.

“There are some major people speaking my name,” she said. “Tyler Perry knows about my hats. A lot of entertainers and people in the fashion business really like the hats because they are funky and it’s something they haven’t seen before. I am inspired that, being from Arkansas, you can do anything that your heart desires no matter where you are from.” Herron, who usually makes 5-10 hats a month, relies on word of mouth, fashion shows, and charity events to build her business. “Your people drive your business more than celebrities. I have a good relationship and word of mouth with the local Arkansas community. I have found so much inspiration in family since I am from the South. I have always relied on support from family and friends. I find a lot of inspiration in people who like funky hats. I get so many encouraging words that it makes me want to push forward. Building my brand around people.” For any woman who is considering starting a business, Herron would advise them to follow their passion. “For any women who want to start a business or go back to business, we always say that there are so many things that hold us back because of our responsibilities,” she said. “You are going to have to sacrifice something. I believe the best advice I can give a woman is to do it for yourself and not for anyone else. Don’t let someone talk you out of it because you have kids, or you are going to school, or because you are the only person in your family working. Not trying is the worst thing a person can do.” Herron will present her spring/summer line, at the Argenta Gallery on April 5 as well as the Designers Choice Fashion Preview Show on April 6 in Little Rock.

Outstanding Women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock: Christina Drale

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 12:42:47 +0000

Dr. Christina

She took her first academic position at Missouri State University, where she stayed for nearly 20 years and served as chair of the Department of Art and Design as well as associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters. “When I came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, I was looking for another opportunity,” Drale said. “Angela Brenton (former dean of the College of Professional Studies) had worked at Missouri State for a year as a department chair. She called me one day and said, ‘Why don’t you come here and work for us?’ I had heard good things about ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and there was a personal connection with several people who had already come here. Angie had a really cohesive and great set of chairs she was working with, and it seemed like a very positive environment. (Chancellor Emeritus) Joel Anderson was very welcoming, and it seemed like a very good fit.” Drale joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2006 as associate dean of the College of Professional Studies before becoming the associate vice chancellor for academic affairs in 2011. “I have most enjoyed the work I’ve done with faculty and staff groups,” she said. “Once I got into the provost’s office, we spent a lot of time on the restructuring of the colleges. It did give me an opportunity to work very closely with colleagues across the board. One of the parts I was responsible for was the operational transition. This meant that we had to rearrange budgets and staff, and we had to arrange something new that was fair to all the parties. We had to fit together a thousand puzzle pieces to make this work. It was a very positive outcome in the sense that we had a lot of involvement, and everyone tried to do what was best for the entities involved.” Drale’s immediate projects are geared toward the university’s accreditation process, the Institutional Effectiveness Committee, and recruiting and retention efforts. “I will say the accreditation process has brought together a broad array of participants and stakeholders,” she said. “I think we’ve done some very good work here. In most of the roles I’ve had at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, my role has been a supportive role. This position is the first leadership role where I have been in a position to set the agenda at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. My most immediate goal is to help the institution get through its current financial challenges to get the institution stabilized and refocused on its academic and student-based goals.” On the national level, Drale has been encouraged by the wave of women who are running and being elected to political positions. “Since this is Women’s History Month, I’ll say I’m really heartened to see all the women who have been running for public office, who have been stepping forward to lead,” Drale said. “I think that the more that women get into these environments, the more normal it will become. Right now, it’s not normal in most people’s minds. It’s like diversity. The more you mix it up and the more different kinds of people are working together, the more accepted and comfortable it will be to everyone. The sooner we can get past those artificial barriers the better.” In the upper right photo, Athletic Director Chasse Conque (right) presents a signed game ball to Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Christina Drale (left) during a men’s basketball game at the Jack Stephens Center. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

Outstanding Women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock: Tusty ten Bensel

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 21:52:48 +0000

In honor of Women’s History Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is featuring stories about the “Outstanding Women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” faculty, staff, students, and alumni who are serving as leaders and making a difference for the university and their communities. Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, graduate coordinator and associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, is a firm believer in using her research to make positive changes in the world. “One of my research areas is looking at sexual violence against women and children, both internationally and domestically,” she said. “My goal is to provide solid research on sexual victimization, offending patterns, and how we can reduce victimization from happening in the future. I hope my research paves the way to reform and sheds more light on what happens in our communities.” Ten Bensel is a premier scholar specializing in violence and victimology in the criminal justice field with over 20 published articles in peer-reviewed journals, two books completed, and multiple grants. One of the ways she is giving back is by organizing ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s “Take Back the Night” event on Wednesday, April 10. The event, which was held at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for the first time last year, is a nationwide effort to raise awareness of sexual violence and human trafficking. Statistically, college-aged women (18-24) are three times more likely to be victims of sexual violence, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). “The reason we do this event is to bring awareness of sexual assault on college campuses and the community,” ten Bensel said. “The more educated we are about sexual assault on our campus and the community, the more likely we are to reduce the amount of sexual assault that occurs in our state.” She is a founding and current board member of Sex Offense Policy Research, a national organization that focuses on policy research in sexual offending and victimization. Additionally, ten Bensel is an active mentor who is involved with multiple research studies with students. “My students are gathering data on end-of-life care in corrections and the life histories of violent female offenders,” she said. “I also have students who are working on identifying services available for victims of sexual violence in Arkansas, neighborhoods and reentry into society after being in the criminal justice system, and homeless LGBT youth and their experiences with victimization.” In 2018, ten Bensel was awarded the College of Social Sciences and Communication Innovative Program award for the Juvenile Justice Mentoring Program. The mentoring program began years ago after criminal justice faculty members received a grant. “When the funding dissipated, the program ended,” ten Bensel said. “I really liked the idea of our students learning how to work with and learn from different agencies and stakeholders in the juvenile justice community as well as being good role models for our youth who need that extra support.” Ten Bensel restarted the program in 2017 with four pairs of mentors and mentees for both academic years. She’s added several educational and social components to the program. Mentors learn about the best practices in the juvenile justice system and meet with a variety of guest speakers, including judges, lawyers, guards, detectives, and community advocates. The mentees also learn about financial literacy, education opportunities, and employment preparation. “We’ve also incorporated hands-on activities so the mentors and mentees stay bonded together,” she said. “We’ve gone to a Trojan basketball game, went bowling, and had a college day where the mentees shadowed their mentors at college all day. These kids come to campus and are unaware that they could go to college. It’s seems so unattainable to them. I hope it will help the mentees stay out of the criminal justice system. Even if we can pave the path of one mentee of going to college or getting a full-time job and staying off the streets, I think we have done our job.” She is also the director of the Justice Research Policy Center at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. This summer research program, currently in its second year, provides an opportunity for criminal justice students in Arkansas to participate in a one-month intensive research course. “Students learn how to conduct research step-by-step and work with criminal justice professors to collect and analyze data, write a research study, and present it on campus as well as at a regional or national conference,” ten Bensel said. “Students live in ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s dorms and receive a $2,000 stipend. All four of last year’s participants have joined or are about to join our criminal justice graduate program.” Ten Bensel graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and criminal justice and a master’s degree in criminal justice. She received her Ph.D. in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Nebraska Omaha. She is also a member of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, the American Society of Criminology, has completed the Women in Education Leadership program conducted by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and received the 2018 Educator of the Year award from the Single Parent Scholarship Foundation of Arkansas. For women who are looking to work in the criminal justice field, ten Bensel offers the following advice. “I would advise females to figure out what their passion is within criminal justice,” she said. “Doing research in criminal justice can be extremely difficult because we are going out into the field and talking to victims and offenders. It can take an emotional toll. I would find the one area you are dedicated to and see where that leads you. At the end of the day, I think that is what will keep you grounded.”

Outstanding Women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock: Paula Rogers

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 12:53:09 +0000

In honor of Women’s History Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is featuring stories about the “Outstanding Women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” faculty, staff, students, and alumni who are serving as leaders and making a difference for the university and their communities. A University of Arkansas at Little Rock employee has dedicated her life to helping children in Arkansas get a better education and prepare for a better future. Paula Rogers, program engagement manager at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Children International, spends her days finding partners and supporters for more than 2,300 students in the central Arkansas area enrolled in the Children International program. “We serve students in kindergarten through age 24 in four areas of focus,” Rogers said. “We want to make sure that our kids are healthy, educated, empowered, and employable. We have health programs to develop healthy habits and connect kids with the services they need. We provide quality after-school and summer programs with tutoring and mentoring. We build leadership, teamwork, and competence in our youth so they can go out and empower their communities. We help them develop life skills and social responsibility.” Children International celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and Rogers has been a part of the organization for 23 of those years. She began as a volunteer in 1996 as a neighborhood leader who taught art classes and came on board as a full-time education manager in 2002. Rogers ran after-school programs and summer camps for Children International. Rogers utilized her expertise in art education and her interest in social justice to cultivate numerous programs that have left a lasting impression on Little Rock youth. She loved developing programming that inspired the children to be better citizens who gave back to the community. The after-school program Kids’ Club includes homework help and tutoring as well as activities in art, literacy, and service learning. She began the “Mind Your Own Business” summer camp, where students become entrepreneurs by making and selling their own products to the community and then donate the profits to a local charity. Another favorite activity was the Empty Bowl Project, where students made ceramic bowls in partnership with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and then sold the bowls to raise money for the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. “These children may have their own needs, but teaching them to give back is an important part of what we do,” she said. “The kids grow beyond themselves so they can see beyond their own circumstances and see a future that is much brighter.” She’s also recruited many ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students to volunteer at Children International. “All of the college students that come through our doors are just so grateful to have the opportunity to change a child’s life,” she said. “I’ve seen many college students change their majors after being involved in our after-school program.” In 2014, Rogers was one of 10 honorees – and the second Arkansan – who received the prestigious Lewis Hine Award. The National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) presents the award to those who have given a lifetime of unheralded and exception service to young people. It is named for the acclaimed NCLC photographer who documented the exploitation of children in the early 20th century. “To be honored with the Hine Award was a big honor,” she said. “It’s important to think that the work you are doing matters. I see kids who were in my after-school program in the third grade who are now sending me invitations to their weddings. I see all these kids I taught doing great things in life. When you see that, you know that somewhere along the line you made a difference.” Rogers has a long history as a staunch advocate for helping children and improving neighborhoods in Little Rock. As a single parent in the 1990s, Rogers experienced firsthand the lack of local after-school activities for her children. She decided to take action and organized a 4-H club to teach leadership and community action. She has been highly involved in the leadership of neighborhood organizations. Additionally, Rogers directed a puppet ministry for 15 years at Greater Center Star Baptist Church and previously served on the Single Parent Scholarship Fund Board of Pulaski County and the University District Board. She’s also a dedicated member of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Staff Senate and organized last year’s Fall Open House event. “I live, work, and play in this neighborhood, and it’s very important to me,” she said. “I helped write the Oak Forest Initiative back in the 1990s and have always been an advocate for this community. Fighting for sidewalks and streets and the community garden was big for me. I’m fighting for the need to be a community. It’s still my hope that we can enlarge our capacity to service our kids in this community.” Rogers has a daughter, a son, and three grandchildren. Her biggest inspirations in life are her mother and daughter. “The woman I look up to the most is my mother. She’s a very strong woman. She went back to school late in life. She worked in the schools in Gary, Indiana, for 55 years and retired at 85. Anyone who is babysitting their great-grandchild at 90 and working until they are 85 is someone I want to be like,” she said. “My daughter is my inspiration as well. She’s shown me how to hold on to faith and hope. I’m a two-time cancer survivor, and I believe I am here because people prayed for me. My daughter has shown me what faith and love can really do. I think the women in my family are very strong women. We have four generations right now, and I am very proud of them.” Once Rogers eventually retires, she wants to take her vision of bringing art to communities across Arkansas on the road. “After I retire, I want to have an art bus where I can travel around from community to community,” she said. “I want the bus to be a mobile art room where we will go neighborhood to neighborhood and bring art to the community.”

Outstanding Women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock: Deborah Baldwin

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 12:58:24 +0000

In honor of Women’s History Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is featuring stories about the “Outstanding Women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” faculty, staff, students, and alumni who are serving as leaders and making a difference for the university and their communities. Dr. Deborah Baldwin, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock associate provost of collections and archives and director of the Center for Arkansas History and Culture, has always had a passion for history. Growing up in Indianapolis, Baldwin learned the value of discipline at a young age. She was a competitive swimmer who practiced three times a day from age 8 until she entered college at Ball State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in history. She also completed teaching certificates in biology and chemistry to make herself more employable after college, but she is thankful she never had to teach either subject since neither surpasses her first love, history. While earning a Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago, she discovered she had to specialize as well as pass a language. “I like to tell people that I entered the study of Mexican history because I thought this through very carefully and it was logical … when in fact, it wasn’t,” she said. Over the years, she developed a great interest in Mexican history and culture as well as in Latin American, Chicano, and women’s history. Throughout her career at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, she has traveled to Mexico for research many times, started an exchange program in Guadalajara, and previously served as the state coordinator for the Open Door Student Exchange Program. “One of the most interesting studies I explored was on widowhood along the U.S.-Mexican border,” Baldwin said. “This was funded by the National Institutes of Health. The intent of the grant was to understand how widows survived in frontier areas in the late 19th century — what economic, social, and cultural factors contributed to better quality of life.” After some time at the University of Chicago, Baldwin took a break from college and spent a year working various jobs in New Haven, Connecticut, including teaching at a mental health hospital, at a center for unwed mothers, and in a program for at-risk teenagers. Baldwin joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1980 as an assistant professor to teach Mexican and Latin American history in the Department of History. She has served the university in a number of positions, including interim provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs, six years as the chair of the Department of History, and nearly 20 years as the dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, where she put her focus on introducing technology in core classes. “There were other professors who urged me to consider becoming chair of the department,” she said. “T. Harri Baker, historian and former administrator at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, helped me steer my way into and through administrative positions. I was the only woman who was chair at the time, and the school newspaper did a front page article. That tells you how unusual and long ago it was.” Throughout her years of administrative service, Baldwin has continued to teach in the public history program and has overseen graduate student work with community organizations. Baldwin has played an important role in preserving history for the state of Arkansas. She heads the Center for Arkansas History and Culture, a unique resource that explores and promotes Arkansas’s rich history through identifying, collecting, and preserving records that are of enduring value. “Preserving history is important for many reasons,” Baldwin said. “Nothing in the present or the future happens in a void. We make decisions based on our experiences and relationships in the past. We need to understand the past to make a better future.” The collection houses local gubernatorial papers s, including those of Winthrop P. Rockefeller and Jim Guy Tucker, and it holds information about various groups and organizations from the past, including historic city plans and buildings. It serves as a key location for researchers and educators, housing virtual exhibits on the Elaine Massacre of 1919, Arkansas women’s suffrage movement, and the Little Rock Central High School Crisis of 1957. “New historical collections and new technology have allowed us to study the past differently and with more precise interpretations,” she said. In her spare time, Baldwin volunteers as an Odyssey of the Mind team coach for Mount St. Mary Academy and has taken 15 teams to an international competition. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. She has also served on the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History Commission, the Arkansas Humanities Council Board, and the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute board of directors.

Outstanding Women of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock: Linda Holzer

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 15:17:52 +0000

Deborah Baldwin (left) accepts a donation of Florence Price artifacts from Linda Holzer (right) on behalf of the Center for Arkansas History and Culture. Photo by Ben Krain.

Holzer first began playing piano at age 7 and became the first person in her family to become a professional musician. “My extended family certainly loved music, but there were no professional musicians in the extended family,” she said. “My dad played the accordion, and my mother loved to sing. She would put on records of Broadway musicals while she cleaned the house and would sing along. I joined in. I started piano lessons after my aunt Jessica purchased a piano for her family. My mother was inspired by that to get a piano for our family. My first piano teacher was the organist/choir director at our church, Mrs. Krause.” Among the most inspiring women in Holzer’s life are Dr. Lynn P. Dieter, a high school English teacher, and Mrs. Seagal, her third-grade teacher, who each set an example for Holzer of the importance of being dedicated teachers. “I’ve been blessed to work with a number of phenomenal teachers. Dr. Dieter and Mrs. Seagal stand out for their impact on my growth and development,” she reflected. “I love learning, and I love helping others learn,” Holzer said. “I learn new things constantly. When I think back over the years that I’ve taught, the wonderful range of students I’ve met, thoughtful individuals with their goals, I know it’s a privilege to be part of the process to help students reach their goals of learning about a subject like creativity, or women in music or how to play an instrument. I suppose it’s a matter of paying it forward. I feel so grateful to my teachers. By working as a teacher myself, I am honoring what they gave me, precious learning opportunities.” Holzer carefully considers her students’ needs and circumstances and relies on a variety of teaching approaches to accommodate different learning styles and deliver web-enhanced content. Her teaching encompasses individual private lessons, traditional face-to-face instruction, and online instruction. Holzer was an early adopter of technology in the classroom. To better serve her online classes, she obtained the Quality Matters certification and chaired the past College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Teaching with Technology Committee for several years. Holzer has also contributed to the development of a variety of courses, including interdisciplinary collaborations. She has co-taught the Donaghey Scholars course, Creative Arts I, and developed an interdisciplinary course with Professor Dan Berleant in the College of Engineering and Information Technology called Strategies for Innovation. She is also an active member of several teaching-oriented organizations, has received several teaching awards, and even dedicated her 2012 off-campus duty assignments to the study of the learning process and student success. “Being a teacher is a bit like working in agriculture. It’s farming for the mind and spirit. It’s not all sunshine and easiness,” Holzer said. “Part of what teachers do is challenge students. It’s about giving students an opportunity for a meaningful learning experience.”

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

Outstanding Women of ����Vlog��ý Little Rock: Mia Phillips

Outstanding Women of ����Vlog��ý Little Rock: Ronjanae and Raeyana DeGray

Outstanding Women of ����Vlog��ý Little Rock: Markia Herron

Outstanding Women of ����Vlog��ý Little Rock: Christina Drale

Outstanding Women of ����Vlog��ý Little Rock: Tusty ten Bensel

Outstanding Women of ����Vlog��ý Little Rock: Paula Rogers

Outstanding Women of ����Vlog��ý Little Rock: Deborah Baldwin

Outstanding Women of ����Vlog��ý Little Rock: Linda Holzer