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

Love is in the Air: ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Couple Gets Engaged at Fall 2022 Commencement

John Hill — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 15:32:03 +0000

Commencement is a time when new college graduates celebrate with their loved ones and look to the future as they start the next chapter of their lives. One ��Vlog��ý Little Rock graduate celebrated another milestone in life by popping the question to his high school sweetheart and fellow ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student – who, of course, said yes! Tobaquious Howard, the graduate from Eudora, Arkansas, said he has been planning to propose to his fiancé Kenya Daniels, a senior finance major from McAlmont, for a whole year. “I was talking to my friends at school, and I said that graduation would be a great place to propose because my family would be here and her family would be here, so it all worked out,” he said. Howard invited many family members and high school and college friends to commencement to celebrate his graduation with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Associate of Arts in General Studies degrees. After the ceremony, the large group of family and friends gathered outside for a group picture, which is when Howard made his move. “I told everyone to get in a group picture,” he said. “She was turned away from me, and I got on one knee so when she turned around she saw me proposing. Everybody knew except for her. We had it all planned out!” Daniels was absolutely thrilled as she got to spend the moment surrounded by her family – her mom, dad, grandmother, sisters, and niece. “I was shocked,” Daniels said. “I did not expect a lot of our family to be there. I was nervous and shocked and excited.” The couple met during a football game at Jacksonville High School when Daniels was an eighth grader and Howard a freshman. Their love story blossomed during high school to the point where they decided to attend the University of Arkansas at Little Rock together. “We wanted to stay in Arkansas, and we had heard a lot of good things about ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” Howard said. “It was an easy decision for us to come to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” While the couple enjoyed attending college together, the one drawback was that they had to separate in order to study because “we have completely different study habits,” Daniels said. “We couldn’t be around each other because we would distract each other,” Howard added. Looking back, Daniels, who is a business student ambassador and Student Affairs Diversity Initiatives mentor, realizes there were hints – lots of family visiting, everyone dressing up, her family’s insistence that she get her nails done – that something special was going to happen on Saturday in addition to commencement. They celebrated Howard’s commencement and their engagement with a large dinner outing to Longhorn Steakhouse. Now that they are engaged, the couple said that they have recently moved into their first apartment and are looking forward to spending more time together now that Howard’s schooling is finished. While they haven’t set a date for their wedding yet, Daniels, who will graduate from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in May, said she “would definitely like a fall or winter wedding for sure.”

First-Generation Student Finds It’s Never Too Late For an Old Dog to Learn New Tricks at College

John Hill — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 13:59:07 +0000

First-generation college student and entrepreneur Steve Foster has worn many different hats in his life – everything from a merchant marine to an owner of a liquor distribution company to a marketing consultant. But the one thing Foster never thought he would be successful at – at least until much later in life – was college. “Being an older, nontraditional student, there may be a story that needs to be told to let others know that it is possible to teach an old dog new tricks,” he said. A native of Pascagoula, Mississippi, the 61-year-old is not only the first person in his family to go to college but also the first born in the United States as his family emigrated from the Cayman Islands. After graduating high school in 1979, he followed his family’s long history of working on the sea. “In my ancestry, all the men went to sea,” Foster said. “I went on ships. I was a captain on tugboats and an officer on ships.” Foster was working as a deck officer on a tanker when the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred on March 24, 1989, spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska’s Prince William Sound that covered 1,300 miles of coastline. He said that the shipping industry was forever changed after the incident, one of the worst oil spills in U.S. history. “The little company I was working for went out of business,” Foster said. “I was one of the first ones laid off because I didn’t have a degree. I was much more expendable not having the education. I took off in another direction and have done lots of things since then.” Losing his job came with a silver lining. Foster moved to his family’s home in the Cayman Islands and was hit with the entrepreneurial bug, running a number of successful businesses. He bought a liquor store, which turned into a multi-island distributorship business. He later became a diving instructor, which grew into a water sports business for fishing and diving excursions. “I even got to work with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism when they negotiated to buy a Russian destroyer from Cuba,” Foster said. “They sunk the ship to create a new dive site. It was the first Russian warship ever sunk during Russian peace time. Jean-Michel Cousteau even did a documentary on it.” The Cayman Islands bought the abandoned 330-foot Russian destroyer for about $275,000. It was sunk in 1996 to create an artificial reef, an attractive spot for marine life and divers. Foster spent 12 years living and working in the Cayman Islands before he returned to the U.S. without a set plan for the future. When asked about why he chose to settle in Little Rock, Foster will tell you that he stayed because he needed to get his computer fixed. “When I left the islands, I bought an RV and traveled around for about 18 months,” he said. “My laptop broke down on me. Toshiba told me to go to Complete Computing. Little Rock just felt like home, and that is why I stayed. Most people live life in a linear fashion, and that is not me.” Fast forward to 2018 and Foster has decided that now is the time to go after a college degree. He enrolled for one semester at Pulaski Tech and then transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to complete a bachelor’s degree in applied science with minors in management, applied communication, and nonprofit leadership studies. “One of my biggest reasons to come here was the opportunity to have the nonprofit leadership studies minor,” Foster said. “Dr. Joe Giammo was over that minor. I took a political science class at Pulaski Tech, and Dr. G came over to explain the ballot issues, and I was just enamored with someone who could explain all of it. I talked to him some years ago about the nonprofit leadership studies program. Everything felt serendipitous for me. I’ve been involved in nonprofit work for a number of years, and I wanted to learn how to do it right.” Since graduating from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2020, Foster earned a Master of Public Service from the Clinton School of Public Service this year. He is now completing an MBA with an emphasis in organizational communication at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock that he plans to finish next year. Now the question on everybody’s mind is what Foster is going to do with all his college success, but he’s still on the lookout for the right opportunity. “I’m open to anything,” Foster said. “I did not walk into my education laser focused on what I am going to do. That’s not my story. I am trying to grasp everything that comes along because I want to be in a position to help people. At this point in my life, I want to know how I can be of maximum service. I got an education to help people.” Foster said the message he truly wants to get across in his story is that it’s never too late to earn a college degree, even for a self-described old dog like himself. “I want others to know that it’s never too late to come back if you have a dream,” he said. “I didn’t even consider the meaning behind being a first-generation student to begin with. I didn’t have any concept of what college was truly like and the advantages it gave until I got here on this campus. I started to talk to other first-generation students, and it gave us the opportunity to be in a better position than our parents and those who came before us.”

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 Presents Professor Kim with Harper W. Boyd Jr. Professor of Excellence Award

John Hill — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 12:57:14 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has honored Dr. Sung-kwan Kim, professor of business information systems, with the 2022 Harper W. Boyd Jr. Professor of Excellence Award. “I am honored, excited, and proud to receive this award,” Kim said. “I feel very humbled because we have a strong assortment of dedicated faculty in the School of Business. I consider this award as encouragement to work harder, learn more, and share more with my students, colleagues, and fellow faculty members.” The Boyd Professor of Excellence Award was established to recognize a professor in the School of Business for his or her distinction as a scholar, a teacher, and a leader in the college, university, and community. The winning professor receives a $5,000 award to use toward research and pedagogy. “Dr. Boyd was a renowned professor of marketing at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, known in academic circles throughout the United States,” said Dr. Robert Mitchell, director of the School of Business. “Fittingly, the Boyd Professor of Excellence must be at the top of his or her field of scholarship, participates in varied activities within the School of Business, and provides leadership within the academy. Dr. Sung-kwan Kim exemplifies these accomplishments. He is highly respected by his students, earning commendations from our graduates.” Kim earned a Ph.D. with a concentration in management information systems from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and an MBA from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His research focuses on data and knowledge modeling, particularly the development of a universal view for the conceptual data model. His work has been published in renowned journals, including the “Journal of Knowledge Management,” “Journal of International Technology and Information Management,” and “International Journal of Knowledge Management.”

Professor Sung-kwan Kim, right, is pictured with Brad Eichler, the School of Business Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, and Chris Raper, winner of the Dean’s Award for Excellence.

He has served as coordinator of the Master of Science in Business Information Systems program and currently teaches courses in system analysis and design, system development methodology, and database design. He has previously earned both the College of Business Faculty Excellence in Research and Faculty Excellence in Teaching awards. Prior to coming to the United States, Kim held administrative positions and strategic planning positions in Ssangyong Shipping Company, Seoul, Korea. “I thank my colleagues and faculty in the School of Business for this award,” Kim said. “I am from South Korea, and this school and country gave me every support and opportunity for my career. If not for the school, I would be in a very different situation right now.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Announces Search for Dean of College of Business, Health, and Human Services

John Hill — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 14:40:09 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has launched a national search for a leader for the College of Business, Health, and Human Services (CBHHS). The College of Business, Health, and Human Services is the largest college at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and contains eight departments and schools as well as the Arkansas Economic Development Institute, the state’s lead Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, and MidSOUTH. The dean will be responsible for working with many business and industry leaders in the area and cultivating students to help build the state’s growing workforce and economic development. The search committee brings together a wide variety of university, industry, and community leaders to choose the next leader of this distinguished college. Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School, is leading the search committee as chair. “We are excited to begin the search to fill this critical leadership position on our campus,” Berry said. “The committee that has been assembled includes representation from all of the schools in the college as well as community stakeholders. I am hopeful that we can identify the right candidate to help lead this college and continue to build upon the strength of the faculty and students.” Other search committee members include Melvin Beavers, the Chancellor’s DEI fellow; Mike Blain, captain with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Jay Chesshir, president and CEO of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce; Sloan Davidson, director of the School of Nursing; Mark Funk, chair of the Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance; David Gilliam, associate professor of marketing; Michael Johnson, director of development and external relations; Kim Jones, professor of social work; Mary Parker, professor of criminal justice; Janae Snyder, associate professor of counseling, human performance, and rehabilitation; Michael Stewart, CEO of Saline Health System; Cathy Tuggle, owner and principal broker of Tuggle Services, Inc.; and Sharon Vogelpohl, president and CEO of MHP/Team SI. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will continue for the position until it is filled, though the priority application review deadline is Oct. 30. Interviews will begin in November, and the new dean is expected to begin during the spring 2023 semester. They will take over for Dr. Deborah Baldwin, associate provost of collections and archives at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, who has been serving as the interim dean of CBHHS since August.

ASBTDC Launches Free Summer Series to Prepare Small Companies to Compete for Federal SBIR Funding

John Hill — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 14:12:34 +0000

The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC), based at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, is offering a free summer series designed to help small businesses win federal funding for research and development of innovative technologies with the potential for commercialization. ASBTDC is offering a virtual accelerator and live webinars this summer, all at no cost, to give tech-based Arkansas small businesses and entrepreneurs opportunities to explore the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding program. SBIR awards early-stage funding to help small companies pursue the commercial potential of innovative technologies. “This is essentially free money – the federal government isn’t seeking any form of ownership of your company, and it’s not a loan to be repaid,” said Rebecca Todd, innovation specialist at ASBTDC. “Research-based companies that are in the early stages of developing new technology are generally not strong candidates for funding from traditional sources, such as a bank. The SBIR program was created to offer these ventures a way to secure seed capital that could be used to create and fully vet their innovations so that, by the time they exit this program, awardee companies are ready to sell directly to customers. All that is required to win is a great idea for a new technology that aligns with the interest of at least one federal agency and meets a specific customer need.” Eleven agencies fund innovative research that supports their unique missions and objectives. Therefore, their SBIR programs have different requirements, deadlines, and research topics. The accelerator and webinars delve into SBIR programs at four agencies: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institutes of Health, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of Defense. SBIR Summer begins with the the week of July 11. The accelerator is for early-stage Arkansas companies seeking a first SBIR/STTR grant or contract. Over eight weeks, the program covers topic selection, budget preparation, technical writing and editing, market research, and more. The fully online accelerator program will focus on the U.S. Department of Agriculture. After the program, ASBTDC will work one-on-one with Lab2Launch program participants to finalize their proposals by the USDA’s Oct. 6 submission deadline. Those interested . “USDA is interested in improving quality of life for rural America,” Todd said. “So, there are tons of great ideas that might fit into the Rural and Community Development topic area, ranging from healthcare to employment to education. Unlike some of the SBIR agencies, the USDA allows its SBIR awardees to pay for marketing activities through many of its topics. So, these companies are able to really hone their sales and marketing strategies from the very beginning of their SBIR projects.” The SBIR Summer webinar series includes: , 10-11:30 a.m. July 12 , 10-11:30 a.m. July 19 , 10-11:30 a.m. Aug. 16 , 9-11 a.m. Aug. 25 A grant from the Small Business Administration’s Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership program supports ASBTDC’s services for innovative, technology-driven small businesses. Thanks to FAST, the center is able to offer the summer series to Arkansas entrepreneurs and companies at no charge. In 2021, ASBTDC client CelluDot after participating in the Lab2Launch Accelerator program. CelluDot was awarded the grant to demonstrate feasibility of its patent-pending biopolymer technology, BioGrip, for reducing herbicide drift. “ASBTDC has been a huge resource for CelluDot right from the beginning,” said CelluDot CEO Joseph Batta-Mpouma. “Their staff assisted us with market research, which helped us identify some key industry trends in the agrochemical space. In 2020, we participated in the NSF cohort of their Lab2Launch accelerator program, which was extremely valuable in learning the details of the SBIR/STTR application process and simply keeping us on track.” If an Arkansas small business wins SBIR funding, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission has a SBIR Matching Grant. Created to leverage the federal SBIR program and innovation and growth among the state’s technology businesses, this program provides matching grants of up to $50,000 for Phase I and $100,000 for Phase II SBIR awards. “These companies need a lot of money to get innovative new technologies ready for the market,” Todd said. “Luckily, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission has a matching grant program that can provide extra state funding for companies when their research and development projects are between Phase I and Phase II of the SBIR program or help bring the product to the market after Phase II funding ends.”

Green Appointed to National Marketing Committee for Small Business Development Centers

John Hill — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 19:45:56 +0000

Gwen Green, marketing and communications manager for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock-based Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC), has been appointed to the Marketing and Communications Committee for America’s SBDC national network. “I’m excited to be part of a national team focused on effectively telling stories and sharing data to showcase the work of the Small Business Development Center network,” Green said. “Serving on the national Marketing and Communications Committee also provides an opportunity to learn from peers in other parts of the country and to share successes from Arkansas with them.” In her new role, Green will help develop strategies and tactics to promote the nation’s largest small business assistance network. The Marketing and Communications Committee is one of seven committees that address the national priorities of the association. Working closely with America’s SBDC staff and Board of Directors, the committee supports the national network’s marketing and communications strategies and activities. Some of these include planning for national SBDC Day, preparing the annual report, providing communication tools and resources for state and local SBDCs, and branding. Green received her bachelor’s degree from Lyon College and earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Mississippi. She joined ASBTDC in 2008, where she manages ASBTDC branding, marketing, and communication. “I most enjoy learning and sharing the stories of the entrepreneurs ASBTDC serves,” Green said. “They have such different backgrounds and types of businesses but a similar creative spirit and ingenuity that I admire.” She was recognized as the Arkansas State Star by the Association of Small Business Development Centers in 2014. She has presented on social media marketing at the America’s SBDC national conference and has served as a resource for new marketing professionals in the national network. “Gwen is an exceptional marketing and communications professional,” ASBTDC State Director Laura Fine said. “Her extensive experience leading ASBTDC’s marketing, communications, and branding for the past 14 years makes her a great choice for this committee. She is well respected in the national network, and I am thrilled that her talents will be used to elevate the work of America’s SBDCs and the 63 member programs in our national network.”

Nduku, McElwee, Hendon Named 2022 Faculty Excellence Winners for College of Business, Health, and Human Services

John Hill — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 14:51:48 +0000

The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock College of Business, Health, and Human Services has honored Josy Nduku, Tracey McElwee, and John Hendon as its top professors of 2022. Nduku, assistant professor of nursing, has received CBHHS’s Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award, while McElwee has received the Faculty Excellence in Research and Creative Endeavors Award. Hendon, a senior instructor, has been honored with the Faculty Excellence in Public Service Award. More information about the winners:

Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service

Hendon is a 24-year veteran of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and serves as a senior instructor in the Department of Management and Human Resources. He served as a board member for the Small Business Institute from 2012 to 2017. He also served in a number of executive positions over the years, including vice president of programs, president-elect, and president. He continues to serve as a mentor and fellow. He also holds the title of Small Business Institute Fellow, which is the highest honor the organization bestows on its members. This honor goes to those who have significant and noteworthy accomplishments in teaching, research, and service involving small businesses. One of his major accomplishments is creating a link between traditional large organization human resources research and small business/entrepreneurial research. Hendon also serves as a member of the Central High School Technology Committee. His service to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock includes being on the Institutional Effectiveness Committee and several terms on the Faculty Senate. “During his time here, he has routinely gone above and beyond in his efforts to serve, amplify, and promote our university,” said Joseph Bell, professor of entrepreneurship. “He is quick to assist others in the college while at the same time shuns personal credit. His significant corporate knowledge of the university and willingness to share that information with others makes our job easier. His extensive volunteerism is a significant illustration of John’s devotion to our institution, while also demonstrating his competency and tenacity.”

Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching

Josy Nduku

Nduku also serves as the RN-BSN online program coordinator. She earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice, all from the University of Central Arkansas. Since taking on a leadership role in the School Nursing, Nduku has also become a mentor to new faculty members and is instrumental to the program through curriculum revisions, policy updates, recruitment, and research endeavors. “The School of Nursing is fortunate to have Dr. Nduku as a leader on our team that educates over 800 nursing students every year,” said Dr. Sloan Davidson, director of the School of Nursing. “She embodies the description for the Excellence in Teaching Award and is an outstanding representative of everything our school stands for, particularly our vision of inspiring excellence, transforming care, and creating leaders.”

Faculty Excellence Award for Research and Creative Endeavors

McElwee has an impressive research agenda that has resulted in 20 peer-reviewed publications, four manuscripts under review, and four book reviews.

Tracey McElwee

“Tracey has maintained a commitment to students and service, all while maintaining a stellar publication record that rivals those at R1 institutions,” said Dr. Laura Danforth, assistant professor of social work. “Dr. McElwee is a scholar and master researcher, and is always pursuing her goal of adding to the literature in the field of social work. She has demonstrated a passion and commitment to her research agenda, loves challenges, and is one of the most perceptive and prolific researchers in our department and field.” Her research agenda includes being a part of a team of researchers, led by Dr. Taren Swindle, who received a $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to complete a seven-year project to address early habits in early childcare and education settings with the goal of reducing cancer. The project will reach 5,000 children and 500 teachers across Arkansas and Louisiana. McElwee is also studying the results of a research study conducted with a $10,000 grant from the Council on Social Work Education’s Policy Practice in Field Initiative through the New York Community Trust. Approximately 125 students participated in this high-impact learning experience embedded in social work and political science courses at Philander Smith College and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. In 2017, McElwee and her students assessed the state of campus food insecurity at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock after the creation of the Trojan Food Pantry. This project led to her next research endeavor involving a partnership with the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and exploration regarding how reduction in SNAP funding would affect SNAP recipients. McElwee and students in her policy course called grocery stores, food pantries, farmers markets, and SNAP recipients across all 75 Arkansas counties. In 2018, McElwee was invited to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to present findings from this study.

Women to Watch at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock: Cynthia Taylor

John Hill — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 18:11:50 +0000

As a woman to watch at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Dr. Cynthia Taylor, an associate professor of accounting, has been breaking barriers at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock ever since she stepped foot on campus. A native of North Little Rock, Taylor started at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1986 as a member of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program and was the first minority student to be accepted to the program. “My elementary school teachers always said I should become a teacher, and I started to think that I should become a professor,” Taylor said. “As a student here at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, I realized I didn’t have any minority professors in accounting. I realized there was a shortage of minority professors, and that I could combine my love for accounting with teaching.” In 1993, Taylor’s department chair, Dr. Jim Gaunt, encouraged her to join the Teaching Enhancements Affecting Minority Students (TEAMS) program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. TEAMS started in 1992 to encourage and support minority students as they travel down the educational pipeline. The program offered tuition assistance, textbook grants, professional development, and a network to help students achieve their academic goals. As a part of the Teams Program, Taylor earned a Master of Business Administration from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and a Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting from Oklahoma State University. “I do believe I was the first TEAMS scholar to complete the program and return to campus as a faculty member,” she said. “It was a great program, and I think ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is to be commended for trying to increase the number of minority faculty on campus. Some might not know about the effort. I graduated with my Ph.D. in 1998, and I have been a faculty member since 1998.” During her 24 years as a professor at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Taylor is known on campus and in the School of Business as an advocate for students, receiving multiple awards for impacting students’ lives in a positive way. She also serves as the faculty advisor for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Beta Alpha Psi Chapter, an international honors society in the School of Business that focuses on the recognition and success of financial information students and professionals. Taylor said that there is nothing in the world she enjoys more than helping her students. “Teaching really is my passion and my calling,” Taylor said. “I enjoy working with students. One of the most rewarding things for me is to see my students advance in accounting and do great things. A number of my former students are CPAs and CFOs at nonprofits and corporations, while many own their own businesses.” When Taylor received tenure in 2004, she became the first African American tenured professor in the former ��Vlog��ý Little Rock College of Business. She hopes her story has inspired other minority students at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to complete their education. “One of the objectives of the TEAM program was to have minority faculty in the classroom to encourage minority students to complete their degrees and to do good things in education,” Taylor said. “I think I have helped a number of minority students. I think it encourages them to complete their business degrees, particularly in accounting. I’m thankful that I have the opportunity to encourage minorities to pursue accounting as a career.”

ASBTDC Helps Student Entrepreneurs with Build Your Own Business Initiative

John Hill — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 13:55:45 +0000

The (ASBTDC), based at the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Business, is continuing a program specifically designed to help student entrepreneurs at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. ASBTDC introduced the Build Your Own Business (BYOB) program for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students who want to become entrepreneurs, start a side business or startup company, or have research with commercial potential. ASBTDC is offering a free three-part webinar series this semester as well as free business consulting for students with entrepreneurial goals. The spring 2022 webinars include:

Getting Ready to BYOB – Feb. 25 – Discussing what it means to be an entrepreneur, and what it means to be ready to Build Your Own Business.
How to BYOB – March 16 – Laying out the process of starting your own business.
BYOB Startup Story: Flyway Brewing – April 22 – Sharing how local brewing company Flyway Brewing started. Learn about the humble beginnings of the iconic beer and how owner Matt Foster built his own business.

The virtual Zoom sessions will be from 2-3 p.m. and will count towards a career development Career Catalyst badge for School of Business majors. On the first and third Fridays of each month, ASBTDC business consultants will provide virtual office hours exclusively for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students from 1-4 p.m. Visit to register for the webinars and for more information on the program.

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

Love is in the Air: ����Vlog��ý Little Rock Couple Gets Engaged at Fall 2022 Commencement