- University News Archive - 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock /news-archive/tag/social-mobility/ 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Tue, 13 Sep 2022 18:22:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 U.S. News and World Report Recognizes 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock for Undergraduate Education /news-archive/2022/09/13/us-news-and-world-report-rankings/ Tue, 13 Sep 2022 18:22:30 +0000 /news/?p=82178 ... U.S. News and World Report Recognizes 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock for Undergraduate Education]]> 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has once again been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a continued leader in social mobility Arkansas with a ranking of #197. The ranking measures a university鈥檚 success in graduating economically disadvantaged students who are less likely to finish college. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is committed to providing an affordable college education for its students with a focus on student success initiatives and a competitive scholarship portfolio. 鈥溙切腣log传媒 Little Rock continues to prioritize student success while simultaneously improving access to higher education,鈥 said Dr. Cody Decker, vice chancellor for student affairs and chief data officer. 鈥淕iven the increase in students choosing to enroll at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, the increase in student retention rates, and the decrease in the net price of attendance, it is no surprise that 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has been recognized with this social mobility ranking.鈥 The social mobility indicator measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. Students receiving these grants typically come from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000. The social mobility ranking was computed by assessing Pell Grant graduation rates and Pell Grant graduate rate performance. U.S. News rankings are widely recognized as symbols of excellence in higher education that are conferred by an unbiased trust agent. With more than 15 measures of academic quality, the U.S. News Best Colleges report provides data-driven information and guidance to help prospective students and their families understand their higher education options. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 in U.S. News and World Report 2022-23 Best College Rankings include:
  • Best Undergraduate Engineering #184
  • Best Undergraduate Nursing #206
  • Best Undergraduate Business #219
  • Best Undergraduate Computer Science #234
The Department of Computer Science ranking is up 18 spots over last year. Initially accredited in 1990 and the first Computer Science program accredited in the state, the program offers a minor in information insurance, a bachelor鈥檚 degree in computer science with an option that focuses on games, a bachelor鈥檚 degree in cybersecurity, a master鈥檚 degree in computer science, and a Ph.D. in computer and information science. Students study a wide range of in-demand fields including cybersecurity, virtual and augmented reality, data visualization, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and mobile, smart systems, and software for Internet of Things. While 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock began its first bachelor鈥檚 degree program in cybersecurity last year, the university was already a proven leader in cybersecurity education and workforce development in the state. Earlier this year, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock received a $1.96 million workforce development grant from the Arkansas Office of Skills Development to create the , a consortium of seven University of Arkansas System campuses to expand and diversify workforce education in emergency cyber technologies throughout the state. The Cyber Learning Network began offering a new certificate of proficiency in cybersecurity fundamentals this fall with a second certificate program due to start in the spring 2023 semester. 鈥淭he undergraduate computer science programs again being recognized in the U.S. News and World Report rankings is a credit to the faculty and teaching staff in the Department of Computer Science,鈥 said Dr. Albert Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science. 鈥淭he commitment and energy of these scholars to the nurturing of our student鈥檚 professional careers is leading to our continued success. Undergraduate students in the department have unique opportunities to participate in funded research and development projects. We are proud that our students are well-prepared to join the workforce in Arkansas and beyond.鈥 The School of Nursing, the university鈥檚 largest undergraduate program, has a variety of well-respected undergraduate degree programs, including the Student to RN, Student to BSN, Online RN to BSN, and LPN/Paramedic to RN. “The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock School of Nursing continues the tradition of being a leader in nursing education in Arkansas,鈥 said Dr. Sloan Davidson, director of the School of Nursing at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淲e are proud to be recognized again by U.S. News and World Reports as one of the best undergraduate nursing programs in the country.” Joanna Hall, director of simulation and assistant professor of nursing, has recently become the first person at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock to earn the Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator certification. Hall leads the Center for Simulation Innovation, a 20-bed state-of-the-art simulation hospital offering simulation-based clinical learning experiences within a 9,500 square foot facility. The center ensures students graduate having experienced a variety of scenarios they will likely face in the nursing profession. This July, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock launched the new School of Engineering and Engineering Technology to bring together the university鈥檚 competitive engineering programs. The school includes the university鈥檚 programs in electronics and computer engineering technology, mechanical engineering technology, mechanical engineering, and electrical and computer engineering. 鈥淚t is a great achievement for engineering programs at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock to be ranked 184 out of so many qualified ABET-accredited engineering programs,鈥 said Dr. Srikanth Pidugu, director of the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology. 鈥淭his recognition demonstrates the commitment of the faculty to teaching, research, and service excellence and the high caliber of undergraduate students.聽 It is a fantastic accomplishment considering that the engineering programs started only a little over two decades back.鈥 The School of Business serves as a catalyst to advance education and economic development in the state of Arkansas. 鈥淭he 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock business program produces undergraduates with well-developed business acumen and refined technical skill sets which are in high demand in business,鈥 said Dr. Robert Mitchell, director of the School of Business at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淥ver 85% of our graduates are employed upon graduation, and 85% of our alumni indicate their degree as a contributing factor in their career advancement. Business graduates indicate the required high impact experiential learning experience in their program of studies helps them make a smooth transition into the workforce.鈥漖]> U.S. News and World Report Recognizes 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock for Social Mobility /news-archive/2021/09/16/2022-best-college-rankings/ Thu, 16 Sep 2021 13:05:38 +0000 /news/?p=79904 ... U.S. News and World Report Recognizes 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock for Social Mobility]]> Several academic programs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have made the grade by earning a spot in U.S. News and World Report’s 2022 Best College Rankings. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 top ranking came for #143 in Social Mobility 鈥 National Universities. The university has risen 48 spots since last year. U.S. News and World Report also previously ranked 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock as the top university in Arkansas for social mobility. The ranking measures a university鈥檚 success in graduating economically disadvantaged students who are less likely to finish college. “Helping our students advance involves offering more than excellent academic programming,” said Chancellor Christina Drale. “We have intentionally developed resources and expanded services to support students in the transition from classroom to career. Improving our ranking in social mobility reflects a concrete measure of our focused attention on student success.” The social mobility indicator measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. Students receiving these grants typically come from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000. The social mobility ranking was computed by assessing Pell Grant graduation rates and Pell Grant graduate rate performance. At 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, 39 percent of undergraduate students from the fall 2021 semester are Pell Grant recipients, and 55 percent of undergraduate students with known generation status are first-generation students. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 student body is the most diverse of any college or university in Arkansas. About 45 percent of the student population reports to be in a minority population, two or more races, or international. U.S. News rankings are widely recognized as symbols of excellence in higher education that are conferred by an unbiased trust agent. With more than 15 measures of academic quality, the U.S. News 2022 Best Colleges report provides data-driven information and guidance to help prospective students and their families understand their higher education options.聽 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 in U.S. News and World Report 2022 Best College Rankings include:
  • Best Undergraduate Nursing #148
  • Best Undergraduate Business #212
  • Best Undergraduate Computer Science #252
The School of Nursing, the university鈥檚 largest undergraduate program, has a variety of well-respected undergraduate degree programs, including the Student to RN, Student to BSN, Online RN to BSN, and LPN/Paramedic to RN. The online RN to BSN program was ranked the best in the state this year for the second year in a row by RegisteredNursing.org.
Senior nursing students in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock School of Nursing prepare for transition to practice by participating in an Emergency Room simulation in the Center for Simulation Innovation.

Senior nursing students in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock School of Nursing prepare for transition to practice by participating in an Emergency Room simulation in the Center for Simulation Innovation. Photo by Ben Krain.聽

“We are very proud of our faculty, staff, and students at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock School of Nursing to gain recognition with U.S. News and World Report, a gold-standard in rankings,鈥 said Dr. Sloan Davidson, director of the School of Nursing at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淢any innovative learning opportunities are happening in the School of Nursing.” The School of Business serves as a catalyst to advance education and economic development in the state of Arkansas. It is home to the Arkansas Economic Development Institute, the state鈥檚 lead Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, the State Farm Business Skills Lab, and the Kenneth Pat Wilson Center for Economic Education. 鈥淲e are honored to be recognized as a top undergraduate program in business,鈥 said Dr. Robert Mitchell, director of the School of Business at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淥ur business graduates are well equipped to become excellent employees and help grow the Arkansas business industry to its potential.鈥 The Department of Computer Science, initially accredited in 1990 and the first Computer Science program accredited in the state, offers a minor in information insurance, a bachelor鈥檚 degree in computer science with an option that focuses on games,聽 a master鈥檚 degree in computer science, and a Ph.D. in computer and information science. The department also welcomed its first cybersecurity majors this fall in a new bachelor鈥檚 degree program that prepares students for one of the fastest growing careers in the world. 鈥淭he department’s areas of opportunity for our students enable undergraduate students to participate in projects outside the classroom,鈥 said Dr. Al Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science. 鈥淭hese areas include cybersecurity, virtual and augmented reality, data visualization, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and mobile, smart systems, and software for IoT (Internet of Things). These opportunities in an ABET-accredited degree program make 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock an outstanding place to study computer science.鈥]]> 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock ranked top university for social mobility in Arkansas /news-archive/2020/11/19/social-mobility-arkansas/ Thu, 19 Nov 2020 15:57:56 +0000 /news/?p=77855 ... 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock ranked top university for social mobility in Arkansas]]> The ranking measures a university鈥檚 success in graduating economically disadvantaged students who are less likely to finish college. “Facilitating social mobility is a fundamental value at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. It is inherent in our role and scope as a metropolitan university,鈥 said Chancellor Christina Drale. 鈥淲e also know that helping our students advance means more than providing excellent programs. We must also provide a success infrastructure that will keep them engaged, help them solve problems, and enable them to build relationships with professionals in their field that will assist in their transition to a career path after graduation.” 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock alumnae Reteisha Byrd, was able to afford college with the help of Pell grants, scholarships, a graduate assistantship, and student loans. She graduated from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration in 2014 and a Master of Public Administration聽in 2016. An internship at Little Rock Port Authority led to her current job as a research manager for Boyette Strategic Advisors. 鈥淚 knew I wanted to attend 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock upon graduating from high school,鈥 Byrd said. 鈥淭he university had a great business program and was in the capital city with plenty of job opportunities. The College of Business provided plenty of opportunities for students to network with local businesses. My education at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has allowed me to apply what I learned in the classroom, make connections within the community, and advance in my personal life. I鈥檝e also made lifelong friends who were either classmates or roommates while attending 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.鈥 The social mobility indicator measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. Students receiving these grants typically come from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000. The social mobility ranking was computed by assessing Pell Grant graduation rates and Pell Grant graduate rate performance. At 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, 47 percent of undergraduate students from the fall 2020 semester are Pell Grant recipients, and 48 percent of undergraduates are first-generation students. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 student body is the most diverse of any college or university in Arkansas. More than half of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students are over the age of traditional college students, with an overall average age of 27. Mercades Parker, a single mother who will graduate in May 2021 with a Master of Social Work degree, would not have been able to afford college without taking on substantive loans if she had not been selected for the Chancellor鈥檚 Leadership Corps at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and the Academic Challenge Scholarship from the Arkansas Department of Education. Parker said that the advancement of social mobility is shown at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock by the way people take care of the students. 鈥淚 think 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock really cares about its students,鈥 Parker said. 鈥淔rom 2013 and on, I always felt like there was someone to help me when I needed help the most. College is challenging and tough. Having those different outlets to go to is what helped me. Having a professor who would go back and look over your work with you is very helpful. They really want you to succeed. I think social mobility is shown in how people care about their students.鈥 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has proven to be the higher education institution in Arkansas that can transform your life and empower graduates through education. When Dr. Brian Berry came to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock as a first-generation college student, he never imagined that he would get his Ph.D. and go one to become 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 even dream of a Ph.D. when I first got here. I was just happy to be going to college,鈥 Berry said. 鈥淭his place gave me more to dream about. I鈥檝e always been thankful for the opportunities that 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has given me. Not only has this institution given me an education, but it鈥檚 given me a career.鈥 Dr. Erin Finzer, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, emphasized the many programs 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has available to help underrepresented students as one of the reasons for the university鈥檚 high social mobility ranking. Those programs include the Charles W. Donaldson Scholars Academy, a year-round program open to students in the Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD) that provides academic support and mentoring for underrepresented students at the university. Additionally, the Summer Bridge Academy is a three-week residential program that prepares incoming freshmen socially and academically for college-level work and accelerates their progress toward degree completion. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is also home to the African American Male Initiative, African American Female Initiative, Hispanic Latino Initiative, TRIO Talent Search, and McNair Scholars, which also support underrepresented students towards degree completion and graduate school enrollment. 鈥淥ur academic programs, service to students, and commitment to community engagement are determined by our mission to improve students鈥 lives through engaged teaching and learning,鈥 Finzer said.]]>