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

Montague, Bowers Receive Georgia Author of the Year Award

John Hill — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 13:01:23 +0000

Dr. David Montague, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and his co-author Paige Bowers have received the in the biography category for their 2021 book, “Overnight Code: The Life of Raye Montague, the Woman Who Revolutionized Naval Engineering.” The late Dr. Raye Montague, an internationally registered professional engineer with the U.S. Navy, is credited with creating the first computer-generated rough draft of a U.S. naval ship. She is the mother of Montague, who promised his mother that he would complete her biography with Bowers after Dr. Montague passed away in 2018 at the age of 83. “I think my mother would be blown away by this award,” Montague said. “She was so excited to get the book out. To have it be selected for this award is truly phenomenal.” The Georgia Author of the Year Awards celebrate the best literature by Georgia writers. The biography category is open to a life history that is a fact-based, referenced life story of a person, a group of people, or a family. Montague and Bowers are eligible for the award because Bowers, a nationally published news and features writer, lives in Atlanta. “Though I may be the Georgia-based author in this duo, this was absolutely a team effort for a book that was nothing short of a labor of love,” Bowers said. “At the end of the day, Raye Montague told simply wonderful stories. I honestly believe that all David and I did was weave those threads from her together with research and original interviews we did with other people from her life. The result was magical, touching countless readers across the nation, and a judge who felt ‘this well documented and incredible book demonstrates that perseverance and passion are truly the keys to success in fulfilling your life-long ambitions.’”

Authors David Montague and Paige Bowers

The magic of “Overnight Code” reached across the country. Since the book was released in early 2021, Montague and Bowers have participated in dozens of book readings, discussions, and interviews. They’ve included appearances on Good Morning America and IHeart Radio as well as a lecture at the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence. “I’m so grateful to David and the Montague family for trusting me to help them tell this story about a truly remarkable woman’s life,” Bowers said. “It was the honor of a lifetime, and on top of that it was very, very fun. David is a fantastic writing partner, and I can’t wait to collaborate with him again on another book in the not-too-distant future.” Bowers may soon get her wish since Montague has said that the success with his mother’s biography has convinced him to finally write a book about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy that he has been planning for decades. Montague served as the senior investigator of the from 1995 to 1997. “This has inspired me to think about what to do next,” Montague said. “Now that we have this award, I’m hoping that Paige will work with me to get that book done of the JFK assassination.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to host March 11 Conversation with Authors David Montague, Paige Bowers

John Hill — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 22:26:52 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host a with authors David Montague and Paige Bowers to discuss their new book on the life and legacy of the U.S. Navy’s ‘Hidden Figure’ Raye Montague. The event, “Overnight Code: A Conversation with Paige Bowers and David Montague,” will take place from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 11. , the award-winning anchor of FOX16 News since 2004, will moderate the conversation.�� “It is a privilege for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown Center and the Center for Arkansas History and Culture to work with David Montague and Paige Bowers to bring the extraordinary life of Raye Montague to our community through their discussion and the rich assortment of archival material that her family so kindly gifted to the university,” said Dr. Deborah Baldwin, associate provost of collections and archives at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Raye Montague’s story is an inspiration to all of us and a legacy to�� be protected.” Montague, executive director of online learning and faculty mentoring at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and Bowers, a nationally published news and features writer, released “,” in January.

“Overnight Code” by David Montague and Paige Bowers

The book tells the story of Montague’s mother, Dr. Raye Montague, an internationally registered professional engineer with the U.S. Navy who is credited with creating the first computer-generated rough draft of a U.S. naval ship. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown and the Center for Arkansas History and Culture are co-hosting the event in celebration of Women’s History Month and Diversity Month. In addition to the virtual conversation, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown is hosting an exhibit of materials on display from the center’s Raye Montague Collection as well as some items donated from David Montague. The collection can be seen at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown from March 11-31.�� “We are grateful to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for hosting us in what promises to be a very special book talk,” David Montague and Paige Bowers said. “Not only will we be able to discuss the narrative arc of Raye Montague’s remarkable life, but we will be able to further illuminate it with her personal artifacts that are being lovingly preserved at the Center for Arkansas History and Culture. Archives like these are vitally important to the community at large, giving us tangible reminders of who we are and what we can become. Raye’s collection there is perfect proof of that.” The collection includes Montague’s awards from the Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame,�� the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame, the Arkansas Academy of Computing, and the National Computer Graphics Association. They also include a scrapbook and sweatshirt from Montague’s sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and a framed photograph of a battleship that Montague designed digitally. The event is free and open to the public and can be

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Professor Montague co-authors book on mother, Navy Hidden Figure Raye Montague

John Hill — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 19:18:40 +0000

For years, people would tell the U.S. Navy’s Hidden Figure Dr. Raye Montague that she should write a book about her incredible life.�� The late Dr. Montague, an internationally registered professional engineer with the U.S. Navy, is credited with creating the first computer-generated rough draft of a U.S. naval ship. Montague was recognized as the U.S. Navy’s real-life “Hidden Figure” during naval events in Washington, D.C. and Virginia and on the Feb. 20, 2017, live episode of “Good Morning America.” In the last years of her life, Raye Montague decided to write the long-awaited book with her son, Dr. David Montague, executive director of online learning and faculty mentoring as well as a professor of criminal justice at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and co-author, Paige Bowers.�� Bowers brought to the table the experience of a published author. She wrote “The General’s Niece: The Little-Known de Gaulle Who Fought to Free Occupied France” and is a nationally published news and features writer. Just as the trio had finished a book proposal and was about to secure a publisher, Raye Montague passed away in October 2018 at the age of 83. One of the last promises David Montague made his mother was to finish her book. That book, “,” will be published Jan. 12, 2021, by Chicago Review Press Inc.

Paige Bowers, author of “The General’s Niece: The Little-Known de Gaulle Who Fought to Free Occupied France,” co-wrote “Overnight Code” with David Montague.

“Even though my mother couldn’t stay for the whole process, she was able to contribute a lot to the book,” Montague said. “When she was in hospice, I promised her that I would finish the book. I’m really excited about it. It gives us a chance to give her story, which is much broader than her amazing career. It also talks about encouragement for so many types of people and overcoming obstacles against impossible odds.” ��“Overnight Code” is equal parts coming-of-age tale, civil rights history, and reflection on the power of education. The 240-page book is described as a tale about persistence and perseverance when the odds against you seem insurmountable. “We believe there is so much in this book for so many people,” Bowers said. “Yes, it is a story about a woman with a formidable life who became a very gifted engineer just through her sheer determination and through often teaching herself computer science and coding when they were still in infancy. But there is also a huge takeaway about resilience, about not giving up if you have a setback or if something is blocking your way to success.” Raye Montague earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff at a time when the engineering school at the University of Arkansas did not accept minorities. She began her career with the U.S. Navy in 1956. She held a civilian equivalent rank of captain and was the Navy’s first female program manager of ships. Among many other honors, she was awarded the U.S. Navy’s Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 1972, the Navy’s third-highest honorary award. She was also nominated for the Federal Woman of the Year Award the same year. After her 33-year naval career, Raye Montague retired in 1990 and was presented with a flag that had flown over the nation’s capital in her honor. She was passionate about highlighting the value of education and encouraging girls to get involved in STEM education, receiving many awards and commendations over the years for volunteering with youth. After returning to Arkansas in 2006, she spent many years as a mentor, volunteer, motivational speaker, and dedicated mother and grandmother in Little Rock. Montague mentored prison inmates through ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s community re-entry program and was honored with the 10th Annual Fribourgh Award in 2019. Beyond all of Raye Montague’s admirable achievements, Bowers described the book as a story about the power of a mother’s love across generations.��

“Overnight Code” will be released Jan. 12.

“Raye’s mother was the foundation that helped her become the woman she was meant to be, and Raye’s love for David helped him become the Dr. Montague that we know,” Bowers said. “David has taken the baton from his mother. He continues to encourage people to stay in school. He is doing her proud by continuing this outreach. That is a testament to her and a testament to him.” During the process of researching, conducting interviews, and writing the book, David Montague discovered hidden depths about his mother. “I learned my mom was more of a firecracker than I ever thought her to be. People came at her from every direction, but she didn’t let that stop her,” David Montague said. “After she passed, there were people who talked about how much she had done to open doors for them. Until recently, they had no clue that she had done all these things in the Navy. That is something I have tried to do as a faculty member and administrator and that is something that I learned from her. Even when she was struggling in hospice, she was trying to encourage people in those facilities to go to school and so many people have come to school at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and beyond because of her.” “Overnight Code” is widely available for pre-order online, at your , or via the publisher’s website at .

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

Montague, Bowers Receive Georgia Author of the Year Award

����Vlog��ý Little Rock to host March 11 Conversation with Authors David Montague, Paige Bowers

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Professor Montague co-authors book on mother, Navy Hidden Figure Raye Montague

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

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to host March 11 Conversation with Authors David Montague, Paige Bowers

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Professor Montague co-authors book on mother, Navy Hidden Figure Raye Montague