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

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Celebrates Spring 2021 Graduates

John Hill — Tue, 11 May 2021 22:08:18 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will hold a variety of in-person and virtual events to celebrate the approximately 1,300 students who have applied for graduation from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock during the spring 2021 semester. College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education (Graduate Students) Tuesday, May 11, 6 p.m. | School of Social Work (Graduate Students) Wednesday, May 12, 6 p.m. | Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Graduate Students) Thursday, May 13, 6 p.m. | School of Nursing Friday, May 14, 3-7 p.m. | Video will be added later.�� College of Business, Health, and Human Services��(Graduate Students, not including Social Work) Friday, May 14, 6 p.m. | Little Rock Baseball Graduating student-athletes from the Little Rock Baseball Team will be honored during the May 15 game against Appalachian State that begins at 6 p.m. William H. Bowen School of Law Saturday, May 15, 7 p.m. | The Honorable Rita Gruber, a member of the Court of Appeals, will serve as the commencement speaker for the William H. Bowen School of Law. She previously served as a circuit judge for the Sixth Judicial District for 18 years. While serving on the trial bench, she helped establish a Volunteer Probation Officer program to work with first-time juvenile offenders. She also established a specialized teen parenting program, a truancy alternative school, and helped plan the CSTP juvenile boot camp at Camp Robinson. A 1979 graduate of Bowen, Gruber works closely with the Bowen School of Law developing mediation programming, particularly for juvenile cases, and currently serves on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Law Leadership Advisory Board. As part of the hybrid commencement celebrations, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock held an event for graduates to have their pictures taken April 24-25 at the Jack Stephens Center. Those pictures will be featured in ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s virtual commencement ceremony��on June 5.

Center for Simulation Innovation provides ��Vlog��ý Little Rock nursing students with valuable educational experiences

John Hill — Tue, 11 May 2021 15:04:19 +0000

The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Center for Simulation Innovation (CSI) provides nursing students with valuable experience that prepares them for their future careers in the healthcare industry. Located on the first floor of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Pat Walker Center for Nursing Education, CSI is a 20-bed state-of-the-art simulation hospital offering simulation-based clinical learning experiences within a 9,500 square foot facility. Even in COVID times, CSI stays busy, typically running simulations five days a week, eight hours a day. Nursing students comprise the largest department at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “CSI is one of the most innovative simulation facilities in the South and provides simulation-based experiences to students and professionals,” said Josy Nduku, RN-BSN program coordinator. “The experiences are not just for nursing students or professional nurses.” Nursing students are not the only ones who find the CSI invaluable. “We have a lot of high school tours that come through our simulation center, and we let them go through the simulation-based escape rooms,” said Joanna Rostad-Hall, CSI interim director. “It’s a really innovative and unique recruitment opportunity.” The School of Nursing has also collaborated with MidSOUTH, the School of Social Work, and the Interpreter Education Program. Additionally, future collaborations with the Department of Theatre Arts look promising to allow theater students to practice their acting skills by playing the role of patients during simulations. “We also had a legitimate movie that was recently shot here that will soon be on TV. That was a huge deal,” Rostad-Hall said. “This is the direction that we are going. We are trying to open our simulation center doors to approach education and collaboration in a more innovative way.” The School of Nursing isn’t allowed to say much about the movie, but they plan to hold a watch party when it is released. Last summer, CSI completely overhauled its audiovisual system. “We are fortunate to be a part of a university that wholly sees the value of simulation in education. We now have a completely new AV set up with state of the art functionality that allows students to watch video playback of their simulation experiences,” Rostad-Hall said. “This has significantly enhanced our simulation debriefs.” If the School of Nursing receives a grant they’ve applied for, future plans for CSI include converting second floor space into flex classrooms “to allow us to bring simulation into the classroom.”

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

“Instead of sitting in class and watching someone lecture for three hours, we may ask students to complete a simulation while the other students watch and debrief the simulation. It will really bring simulation in the classroom, encourage more critical thinking, and make learning more fun,” Rostad-Hall said. “The next generation NCLEX licensure exam is slated to come out next year. It will be focused more on application rather than textbook knowledge. We want to include more dynamic, immersive student experiences rather than static theory lectures.”�� CSI simulations include scenarios focused on a variety of concepts including communication, education, and patient health and safety. The simulations include caring for post-operative patients, treating critically ill patients, and the ever-popular birthing simulation. “We have a birthing simulator that gives birth routinely to a manikin baby several times a week,” Rostad-Hall said. “She’s a tired mama.” Among the simulation center’s five-year strategic plan is to purchase an even more advanced birthing manikin named Lucina with augmented reality features. “She’s the most state of the art birthing manikin available. Participants can wear augmented reality goggles, and you can see inside the stomach as the baby is being birthed,” Rostad-Hall said. “This manikin addition will aid in our pursuits to keep our exceptional School of Nursing as competitive as possible.” At the end of the spring semester, CSI provided a valuable learning opportunity for graduating nurses preparing to take the NCLEX exam this summer. “We ran a multi-patient simulation-based learning experience for our students who are about to graduate,” Rostad-Hall said. “We developed a riff on ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ aptly called ‘Trojan’s Anatomy,’ It was essentially a three hour-long episode of the show where students had to care for and prioritize numerous patients coming into the Trojan Memorial Hospital. The students on campus got the opportunity to play the role of nurses and patients while other nursing students were able to watch and engage via Zoom. We are always trying to push the envelope here in CSI and believe learning opportunities like this very much align with our simulation center vision.”

Clement awarded Jefferson County Single Parent Scholarship

John Hill — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 20:32:10 +0000

Erin Clement, a recent graduate of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock from Pine Bluff, received a 2020 scholarship from the Jefferson County Single Parent Scholarship Fund.�� The $750 scholarship was essential in helping with Clement’s final semester for her undergraduate degree. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in December 2020 and plans to begin the Master of Social Work program this fall. “The Jefferson County Single Parent Scholarship Fund is incredible,” Clement said. “They are very kind people. From the first time I applied, I always felt like I was in good hands with them. Single parent scholarships in themselves are essential and tremendously helpful. It not only helps the parent and child, but also helps the economy. It helps us attend school and contribute to the economy after we graduate and start working.”�� Scholarships were awarded based on academics, financial need, recommendation letters, essay quality, and community service. These awards were made possible by grants from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund. Awards were also supported in part by donations from Relyance Bank, Simmons Bank, Mayor Shirley Washington, and the First Trinity Church of God in Christ.�� Clement is the first person in her family to earn a college degree. She was raised by a single mother who taught her the value of education. “My mother instilled in me a desire to go to school and get an education,” Clement said. “She told me that no one can take your education away from you. It’s an honor to be the first college graduate in my family, and it’s an honor to set an example for my son. He will see that his mom got a college degree, and he will see that he can too.” As a single parent, Clement’s inspiration to complete her degree is to provide a better future for her 4-year-old son, Ehren. “Since I recently graduated with my bachelor’s degree, I told him that I would get a master’s degree and that there are more degrees after that,” Clement said. “He is very curious. He said, ‘Mommy, I want to get a doctor {doctorate} degree.’ Every chance, I try to include him in my education.”

Earning bachelor’s degree puts ��Vlog��ý Little Rock employee one step closer to fulfilling childhood dream

John Hill — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 18:14:33 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock employee has completed her bachelor’s degree and is one step closer to fulfilling her childhood goal of becoming an advocate for the elderly. Cadence Baize, an administrative analyst in the Facilities Management office at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, will graduate this month with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and minor in sociology. A native of New York City, Baize said she is thrilled to complete her college degree after previously attending colleges in New York and Wyoming after she graduated from Aquinas High School in 1992. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock is not the first college I’ve attended, but it has become my home, not just with my job but as a student. It’s basically my home to me in every way,” Baize said. “I am happy to be graduating. It feels satisfying that I am finally done. I’ve been pursuing this off and on for a very long time. It’s great to see an end to this where I have checked it off my list.” She is also celebrating the fact that she will graduate during the same academic year as her son, Aaron Garcia, who will graduate from eStem High School in May 2021. “I think my son is happy that I am graduating,” Baize said. “I think he definitely wants me to do it before he enters college. I think he appreciates that I am pursuing this, and I have persisted with my goals.” At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Baize is an active member of Staff Senate and the Golf FEST Tournament, which provides scholarships for Facilities Management employees. She is a past recipient of the Facilities Management Scholarship, and her co-workers are impressed by her hard work and dedication to her education. “Cadence is a wonderful, hardworking, invaluable member of the Facilities Management team,” said David Millay, associate vice chancellor of facilities management. “I am so proud of her for pursuing her degree, and I know we will all benefit from her diligence. As well as handling her day-to-day workload and her classwork, she provides tremendous support of our scholarship tournament, our annual holiday luncheon, and serves on many committees. Cadence personifies the concept inherent in our scholarship program and I know she will go on to a wonderful career.” Now that she’s completed her undergraduate degree, Baize has no plans to slow down her academic pursuits and has applied for the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology in the spring 2021 semester. The Gerontology Program focuses not only on skills needed to work with aging individuals and their families but also with the greater social issues that impact older adults. Following the graduate certificate, Baize plans to complete the Master of Social Work program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and become a social worker that advocates for the elderly. “I’ve always felt drawn to the elderly, a connection I guess you would say,” Baize said. “Even as a child, I would go to nursing homes and sit and talk to the elderly. I’m drawn toward making sure they are living the best life that they can. I care that they have all the opportunities that they should. That matters to me.” Baize is most thankful for her fellow Facilities Management employees, who have helped her achieve her dream of a college degree. “Here in my department at Facilities Management, it’s been an amazing experience,” Baize said. “Everyone is supportive and encourages you to advance yourself and to grow. That is something you don’t find everywhere. In their own way, everyone here has been so encouraging like David Millay and Shanna Fitzgerald. Everyone encourages you to pursue your education and to move up. I would have to say this department in general has been that.”

Mother of six plans career as social worker after graduating from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 14:05:50 +0000

As a first-generation student at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock who is about to graduate, LaKendra Mackey, a senior social work major, is working hard to show her six children the importance of a college education. “I waited so late in life, but I’m doing it,” Mackey said. “I feel like I have to prove that I have a right to be here because of my age, my race, my gender, everything. I am showing my daughter and my sons that you shouldn’t let obstacles stop you from achieving a degree. My oldest child is 21 and is a junior while I am senior. I am trying to beat him to graduation. I feel that having a degree will assist me and my children in having a better quality of life.” Mackey moved to Little Rock after serving 10 years in the U.S. Navy and earned an associate degree at University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College before joining ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. She’s found the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock TRIO programs and staff, which help first-generation college students succeed, to be of immense support during her college career. “They are giving me the tools to stand on my own two feet,” Mackey said. “TRIO has helped me in a lot of ways to stay afloat in my courses. The advisors let me talk to them and give me a sense of relief that it’s just not me. You just have to get over that hump. They take your small successes, and they make it into a big deal.” Mackey will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in May 2021 and plans to enter the Master of Social Work program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock next fall. After facing homelessness, PTSD, and raising one child with special needs, Mackey wants to become a social worker to help others the way social workers helped her. “I found that when I was at my lowest in my life that it was a social worker that assisted me and helped me get on my feet,” she said. “They were there for me more so than a family member or friend. They assisted me by making me realize that it was already within me to achieve what I wanted to do. Since I was new to Little Rock, they helped me get my bearings of where to go. I like helping people. I want to help fellow veterans and people who are disabled like my son.” Working as a social work intern at Hall High School is providing Mackey with valuable experience for her future career, and she is working hard to connect students with resources that can help them during a pandemic. “Hall High School has recently changed into a magnet school, and their student body has changed drastically. A lot of the students are virtual, and it can be harder to reach out to them,” Mackey said. “I feel like we are reaching out to the students more so because of the pandemic. I feel that it is affecting students more. They are not engaging with their friends, and they may be getting depressed or mentally anguished.” Mackey also strongly believes in service to the community and setting a good example for her students and future social work clients by staying active in volunteer work and community organizations. At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, she is a volunteer for the Mentoring Veterans Program and the Student Affairs Diversity Initiative. In the community, she volunteers with Arkansas Food Bank and Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, as well as passes out student breakfasts and lunches at Dee Brown Library.

First-Generation Student Spotlight: Erin Clement

John Hill — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 18:01:58 +0000

Erin Clement, a senior interdisciplinary studies major on the Chancellor’s List from Pine Bluff, is studying sociology, psychology, and criminal justice all in preparation for her future career. She was raised by a strong single mother who taught her the value of hard work and encouraged her to get a college education. “Being raised by a single mother, that’s a pretty big thing,” Clement said. “She worked in the freight industry, and she worked as a cook and an attendant at a convenience store. She had an incident at the freight industry that made her partially disabled, which led to her working at the convenience store. She also had a business named the Candle Lady. Every weekend when I was a kid, we set up tables at craft fairs and flea markets to sell our products. That is where she taught about having a work ethic.” Clement transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock after earning certificates as a nursing assistant and home care aide at Southeast Arkansas College. She earned an associate’s degree there in 2007 and returned to school in 2018, two years after her son was born. She said one of her biggest challenges as a first-generation student is not being able to connect her college life with loved ones. “Sometimes, it’s not easy being a first-generation college student. If I pass a test or do well on a writing assignment and I want to share it with my family, sometimes it feels like we aren’t able to connect. It’s not always easy for others who haven’t attended college in my life to understand that I have to do this and that school is like my job,” Clement said. “Overall, it’s a very rewarding experience. It’s all about finding the balance.” After she graduates in December, Clement plans to enroll in the Master of Social Work program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in the fall 2021 semester and later become a social worker and psychotherapist. “Mental health has a very special place in my heart,” Clement said. “My goal is to be that person who intervenes between life and death for someone. I also want to teach positive coping mechanisms to people to help them survive trauma and to help them unlearn maladaptive behaviors.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock first-generation student and single mom Erin Clement tries on her graduation cap with her son Ehren. Photo by Ben Krain.

Clement, who is a single mother to 4-year-old Ehren, said it’s hard to describe how much being the first person in her family to earn a college degree means to her. “I don’t know if there are words to describe what it means,” Clement said. “It’s a sense of honor above all else. My mother instilled in me a desire to go to school and get an education. She told me that no one can take your education away from you. I feel like I have listened to her very well. It’s an honor to be the first college graduate in my family, and it’s an honor to set an example for my son. He will see that his mom got a college degree, and he will see that he can too.” While Clement is taking a break from studies in the spring semester, she doesn’t plan to be idle and will devote time to researching the importance of having childcare centers on college campuses, a topic she delivered in a TEDx talk at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. “While I’m on a much-needed break, I want to do a lot of things,” Clement said. “I want to get published. I’d like to take my TEDx talk about the need for on-campus childcare facilities and expand the research. I think there is a lot that needs to be done.” Clement’s greatest motivator to complete her education is her son, and her advice for college students, who are also parents, to be successful is to think about how much their story will inspire their children. “For those first-generation students out there with children, they are setting the bar so high for their children,” Clement said. “The reward will continuously pay off. They will be able to help their children do the same or more when they apply for college, and they will be an example for their children. I hope that when my son gets to the age to apply for college that he wants to aim so much higher because his mommy did that too. I’m trying to instill a constant drive for education in him.”

First-generation student plans to give back to community through career as social worker

John Hill — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 16:44:24 +0000

As the first person in her family to go to college, Mercades Parker, a native of Ashdown, Arkansas, wasn’t sure she could afford to go to college without taking on a large amount of student loans. Now she will graduate this spring with a Master of Social Work degree and begin a career of giving back to others. “It all started with the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps (CLC) program,” Parker said. “They gave me practically a full ride, along with receiving the Arkansas Challenge Scholarship, and the Pell Grant that made it so I could attend college. The rest is history. I made lifelong friends, and I got a good introduction to everything about life at college. If you were struggling, there were resources offered that made sure you succeeded. They did everything they could to make sure you stayed in school.” Since beginning at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2013, Parker earned her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2017, where she studied psychology, sociology, and health sciences. One of the first challenges she faced was learning the skills to be successful in a college environment. “In the beginning, I didn’t really know how to study, and I didn’t have anyone I could go to in my family,” Parker said. “It was important to utilize all the resources that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock offered. I’ve always been a go-to person, so I put myself in positions where I had to learn things. That helped me learn to rise to life’s challenges.” Throughout her college career, Parker has worked multiple jobs to support herself. She worked as a program aide at Children International, a resident assistant, an assistant in the Academic Advising Center, an administrative specialist for the College of Education and Health Professions, a janitor, and currently an alternative teaching parent at Methodist Family Health. All of her hard work has paid off with her many unforgettable college experiences. “I loved being in the CLC program and getting to meet the different people who I’ve come to call my sisters. I made one of them my child’s godmother,” Parker said. “I got to be on the Homecoming court, and I never even got to do that in high school. I also have a great cohort of friends in the social work program. Getting accepted into a graduate program was a great success. I honestly did not think about going to graduate school until I had an eye opening conversation with an intern with the College of Education and Health Professions. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve found a career, and I’m thankful for all the experiences I’ve had at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” Heather Reed, director of student retention initiatives and one of Parker’s former supervisors, called Parker a “true Trojan success story.” “The first time I met Mercades, I could sense she had a spark about her and she was willing to do the work that needed to be done in order to better herself and her newborn daughter,” Reed said. “She started working in the College of Education and Health Professions Advising and Support Center right after having her daughter, and we connected because she had been an RA on campus before graduating. Mercades was an extremely hard worker and I could tell she had a very inquisitive mind. She wanted to learn more than what her job description entailed. When she applied and was accepted to the MSW program, I knew she had found her calling. I have seen Mercades grow into an amazing young professional, and I know she is going to be able to turn the challenges she has overcome into learning opportunities when working with others in the Little Rock community.” Parker was inspired to become a social worker because of her aunt, who became her rock after a family tragedy. Parker’s mother died when she was just 8 months old. Parker’s aunt, who had two children of her own, took Parker in along with her brother and sister and raised all five children. “My aunt Ruby did everything right,” Parker said. “She gave up her life for us. She didn’t have to take all of us in. She is the reason I got into social work. She is a warrior, even through her struggles. Everyone needs someone at some point in their life. I want to be there for people who need it.” Parker is completing an internship with Arkansas State Hospital, where she has a caseload of four patients. After she graduates in May 2021, Parker wants to work with adults with mental disabilities as a social worker. Additionally, she wants to use another skillset to help prepare them to reenter the workforce. “I do hair in my spare time,” Parker said. “I plan to get my license and put it together with my social work. I want to counsel individuals and then get them ready to go back into the workforce. I want to help with their self-esteem and make them feel good about themselves.” While finishing her degree, working, and completing an internship at the same time is challenging, Parker said her daughter is the reason she is so determined to succeed. “My daughter, Zhane, is a very important piece of my life,” Parker said. “She pushes me to keep going and makes me smile on my darkest days. She’s looking to me. She attends some of my classes. She comes to all my Association of Black Social Workers meetings. It’s like she is growing up in the field. I want her to know that she can do whatever she sets her mind to. Being a single mother was not the plan, but with the support system I have, I am going to graduate.”

GRAD��Vlog��ýTE STUDENT SPOTLIGHT ON CHRISTY CRAWFORD

John Hill — Mon, 11 May 2020 13:21:49 +0000

Christy Crawford, a mother of four grown children and grandmother of two, will graduate magna cum laude in May with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in social work. She will start graduate school this fall in the Master of Counseling program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. In the future, she would like to work as a licensed professional counselor in Arkansas.�� Tell us a little bit about yourself. I raised three daughters and a son (mostly as a single parent) who are now grown, and all of them have college degrees. One daughter has her master’s degree in nursing, and another daughter is a teacher in the LRSD, and is also an alumni of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. My son has a degree in construction management, and my youngest daughter will graduate in December with a degree in psychology. My stepson just finished his master’s degree in engineering last May. While I will always be a mom first, I’m ready to start the career phase of my life. When my children got older, I got back into tennis. That’s where I met my husband for the second time almost eight years ago, and we’ve been happily married for over six years. The first time we met I was a junior tennis player at Southwest Tennis Center, and he was my coach. Why did you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? After being a realtor for seven years, I wanted to switch to a career in a behavioral health profession. I got a job at the Center for Youth and Families (CYF) after starting in psychology at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. My program manager at CYF suggested the social work program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I was accepted into the Social Work program and this is where I completed my minor. After much deliberation, I switched back to psychology this past summer as a college senior. I applied with an antiquated transcript on cardstock from a little private school that no longer exists. Fortunately, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock still had my little high school in their records! When I took the college entrance exam, I tested out of English Composition I and II because I had done a lot of reading and writing as a hobby and even had a couple of articles published.�� I completed my bachelor’s degree at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 5 ½ years, taking both online and on-campus classes, while balancing work and home life. During this time, three of my grown�� children got married, several graduated from college, one started college, and I became a mamaw times two.

Christy Crawford

What teachers inspired you? My math teacher Melissa Hardemann made quantitative math and reasoning fun, and I had not taken math for 30 years since high school. She made it easy to learn new concepts and relearn old ones. Dr. Carol Thompson in Applied Communications and Dr. Heidi Skurat in Rhetoric and Writing were great influences. Dr. Michael Simon, my teacher in abnormal psychology, worked at the state hospital for 30 years and provided lots of hands-on experience. Dr. Elvon Chris Lloyd from the Social Work Department was the ultimate statistics teacher and set me up for success transitioning back to a degree in psychology.�� What advice would you give to future students? Just get started. People get overwhelmed because they think they can’t get in, can’t pay for it, and then they get discouraged. You may start out and have difficulties because you took too many classes and got overloaded. Don’t give up. Try to find a way. Look for classes that work for you.�� Find positive quotes about education that encourage you. There are so many more opportunities with a college degree. I’ve worked at three different jobs while I was a single mom because I had to make ends meet. I got tired of not having the ability to choose what I wanted to do. That’s why all of my children have college degrees, because they saw their mother struggle.�� What do you plan to do after graduation? Enjoy my break before I start graduate school in the fall. I have two grandbabies I haven’t been able to hug or hold since mid-March because of COVID-19. Hopefully, this social distancing will taper off so I can hold them again, and we can get together as a family. Right now, I can only wave to them from a distance, and it is very hard. The other day I got a call from my daughter’s phone, and it was my three-year-old granddaughter just wanting to say, “Hey.” That is just the best thing ever! This story was compiled by Toni Boyer-Stewart.

Graduate Student Spotlight on Infinity Wallace

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 14:33:08 +0000

Infinity Wallace is a first-generation student who will graduate on Dec. 14 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She graduated this past May with a bachelor’s degree in social work, and is currently enrolled in the Master of Social Work program.�� Tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m originally from Little Rock and graduated from Hall High School. I have lived in places such as Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans. I have three sisters on my mom’s side and three brothers on my dad’s side. Why did you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? It’s complicated. My mom had a drug problem and experienced domestic violence with my dad. I wanted to stay close to home to be near my sisters while my mother and father were in prison. They have since been released. My sisters are now 21, 26, and 30. While my parents were incarcerated, we had to take care of ourselves. Why did you choose your major? While growing up, I had a hard time in school and at home and couldn’t make academics a priority. The struggle was even harder for my peers. At least I had my sisters as resources because there wasn’t a lot of help in school. It’s hard to focus on school when you have so many problems with drugs and poverty in the community.�� I wanted to make a change in the world, so I talked to someone in the psychology department from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and they suggested social work. I took criminal justice electives and learned that people of color are overrepresented in prisons and jails. What were your favorite courses? I loved the policy course taught by Dr. Michael Pelts. I learned about policy and how we are all affected by it. Being a first-generation student, I didn’t know about politics and the broader system. This course taught me about policy and how we can affect change. In my juvenile mentor class with Dr. Tusty ten Bensel and Mrs. Raptopoulos, I learned about at-risk youth and the juvenile justice system. In addition to being a mentor, we also got to go to the courthouse and meet with judges. What activities and work are you involved in? I write spoken word poetry and performed at events such as the Arkansas Literary Festival. I’m a juvenile mentor in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Criminal Justice program, a graduate assistant and intern in the School of Social Work, an ILEAD Life Skills Coach at Children International, and a relief hotline advocate at Women and Children First Domestic Violence Shelter. How would your friends describe you? Dependable, strong, determined, and caring. I always hear I have a good heart. I get this from my mom. Who were some of your mentors? My sisters and several teachers from high school and college. Ms. Diggs at Hall High School and Ms. McAdoo from Central High helped me with my poetry. Dr. Pelts and Dr. Burse at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock went the extra mile to help out. Their doors were always open. What is your favorite memory of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? When I graduated in May, it was the best memory in my life. I am the first person in my family to get not one but two degrees! I wasn’t going to walk in December since I had already done it in May, but now I’ve changed my mind. My family and friends will all be there. What do you plan to do after graduation? I want to stay home, help our community, and maybe work in a juvenile detention center. Some day, I want to run for president! The policy course I took here has inspired me to do so much. My passion was already there, but the policy course cemented it. What would help our community? People deserve the resources if they don’t have them. If you haven’t experienced this, you don’t know how severe the pain is. I know from first-hand experience what it is like not to have shelter, food, and clothes. I’ve stayed in every shelter in Little Rock. I want to help all people, such as people of color who are oppressed and over-represented in the criminal justice system. Most people are oblivious and feel they don’t need to act on anything. We need to provide shelter, quality education, employment, and more resources and opportunities to underserved communities.�� What makes you different? My ability to use my past experiences as a way to make life better. Some of us don’t make it out. God wanted me to make a difference. Infinity is a great name. Why were you named that? My mom was being creative and said it was a Christian’s destiny to go to heaven for infinity. My sisters’ names are Heaven, Destiny, and Kristian. This story was compiled by Toni-Boyer Stewart.

Academic programs from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock recognized for excellence

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 18:02:55 +0000

Multiple academic programs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have been ranked among the best in the nation.�� , a student-focused comprehensive research guide, named six of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s programs among its top rankings, based on an assessment of 1,604 accredited colleges and universities. Each program was evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and employment after graduation.�� Vlog��ý Little Rock was recognized in the following degree programs:��

�� Master’s degree in communication, ranked second
�� Master’s degree in information science, ranked third
�� Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, ranked third
�� Master’s degree in criminal justice, ranked fourth
�� Master’s degree in social work, ranked eighth
�� Bachelor’s degree in accounting, ranked 22

The 2020 rankings are calculated through a unique scoring system, which includes student engagement, potential return on investment, and leading third-party evaluations.

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

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Celebrates Spring 2021 Graduates

Center for Simulation Innovation provides ����Vlog��ý Little Rock nursing students with valuable educational experiences