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

Briscoe Elected Division II Vice President of Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

John Hill — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 12:51:27 +0000

Dr. David Briscoe, Inaugural University Professor of Sociology and Distinguished Teaching Fellow at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, has been elected the Division II vice president for the Honor Society of . Briscoe was elected during the 47th Biennial Convention of Phi Kappa Phi Aug. 4-6 in Orlando, Florida. In his new role, he will provide advice, counsel, and leadership to dozens of Phi Kappa Phi chapters within Division II. “Phi Kappa Phi is a wonderful organization that recognizes thousands of outstanding college students every year,” Briscoe said. “I am thankful for being elected the Division II vice president since this gives me another opportunity to serve others as a labor of love.” Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective multidisciplinary collegiate honor society and initiates approximately 25,000 members a year on more than 325 campuses in the United States, its territories, and the Philippines. Briscoe was inducted into the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock chapter of Phi Kappa Phi in 1994 and served as chapter president in 2002. In 2005, he became a distinguished member of Phi Kappa Phi and the first African American in the United States to receive the National Phi Kappa Phi Ray Sylvester Distinguished Service Award in 2018. He has participated in three national conventions and served on three national committees. He earned a B.A. in sociology and an M.A. in criminal justice at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and a Ph.D. in family sociology from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He is also an alumnus of numerous leadership and education institutes at Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Oxford. He is the 2020 university-wide recipient of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Faculty Excellence Award in Public Service and the recipient of the 2021 university-wide Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching. He was inducted into the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Trojans Athletics Hall of Fame this year. He is a Distinguished Eagle Scout and a recipient of the Silver Buffalo Award, scouting’s highest award for distinguished service to youth on a national level.

Mother of Six Earns Fourth Degree from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Mon, 09 May 2022 13:23:51 +0000

Cassandra Dean, a mother of six, is set to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in sociology May 14, marking the fourth degree she’s earned from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Dean has a tried-and-true history with the university. A native of Little Rock, Dean first enrolled at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1998 after graduating from high school. “I started out fresh out of high school and life happened,” Dean said. “The big picture is that I am leading by example. My children are watching me, and it’s good that they see me going to college. My children are my biggest motivation to pursue my education.” Dean returned to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2014 to continue her education. She graduated in 2016 with an associate degree in general studies, an associate degree in law enforcement, and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. In 2017, Dean moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where she is a property manager for a senior community. When she decided to earn a second bachelor’s degree in sociology to help with her work with seniors, Dean was determined to earn her degree from her beloved alma mater and became an online student. “I love ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” Dean said. “That’s the best school. This is the only school I want my name to be on any degree.” Dean’s return to college also created an interesting family dynamic. She started her sociology degree during the pandemic in 2020, when all six of her children were also taking online classes at home. Dean thanked her oldest child, Rose, now 19 and a college student herself, for being “my biggest support system while helping me to help her siblings.” Dean insists that this is indeed her last foray into college. “I have a daughter in college now, so it’s time to be done, but I am excited for my children to see me graduate,” Dean said. “My mom was also big on education, and I know she will be there in spirit. I would tell new college students to remember your purpose for going to college. That is what got me through, remembering my children. If I can do it with six children, I think anybody can.”

Women to Watch at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock 2022: Sarah Beth Estes

John Hill — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 13:31:24 +0000

In celebration of Women’s History Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is profiling women in leadership positions who are making a difference at the university and in the community. The next Woman to Watch at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock of 2022 is Dr. Sarah Beth Estes, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASSE) and a professor of sociology. Tell us about yourself and your background? My parents are Conway natives and both were college educated, so I grew up with an expectation that I would go to college. I had a great public-school education in Monett, MO. The town really supported the educational institutions, and there were almost endless opportunities to learn inside and outside the classroom at that time. I did not understand the privileges my background afforded me until I began to really consider structural inequality in college and graduate school, where I studied sociology. But no one grows up thinking they are going to be a sociologist. At Hendrix College I cycled through just about every major in the social sciences and humanities. At the end of my junior year, they said: you must choose a major! I had a sociology class I loved, and I ended up majoring in it. I went on to graduate school, thinking that I would learn how to organize social movements. My major professor who did social movements left, which resulted in the opportunity to�� study race and gender and equality at work and in families. My first faculty position was at the University of Cincinnati, a regional metropolitan university that reminds me a lot of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I had my children on the tenure clock and pretty quickly decided I needed more childcare support to be able to be successful in my work. I came back to Arkansas for that support. It’s ironic because my dissertation was a study of how families handle work and family responsibilities after the birth of a child. Every time I left a research participant’s house after listening to them tell me how they managed children and working, I just thought it sounded like magic. And it really is in this country with such little structural support for working families.�� So I came here to have family support. At the time, I never imagined I would go into administration. And I wouldn’t be able to do the job I’m in now without the assistance from my family in my caregiving responsibilities. What is your current position and professional duties at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I am currently the dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. Deans are academic leaders of colleges—which are collections of disciplines and degrees.�� Deans hold managerial, fiscal, and academic responsibilities for colleges. We house many of the traditional liberal arts disciplines in CHASSE as well as more professional degrees such as education and the Master of Public Administration. We also have several non-academic units including Career Services, Extended Education, Study Abroad, Children International, and the Public Radio station K��Vlog��ýR/KLRE. Like the other colleges on campus, we were founded during COVID. That has presented extra challenges to everyone, faculty, students, and staff. I am also a faculty member in the Department of Sociology. I am not currently teaching, though I am listed as an instructor of record for an ongoing internship course. Career Services was fortunate enough to receive Donaghey funding to underwrite paid internships and have been building out our capacity to do that. What woman has inspired you the most and why? This question is always very difficult for me, because it’s impossible to limit inspiration to just one woman. But foundationally I am inspired by bell hooks’ concept of the love ethic. She said that love is an act (rather, or not, just a feeling) in which we express responsibility and commitment to each other with care, affection, and knowledge, in an open, honest, and trusting way, that we nurture toward growth in all kinds of relationships, not just romantic ones. This conceptualization is foundational to the way that I do my work. How have you adapted to working in a world with COVID-19? Working during COVID-19 was extremely difficult for everybody. It was a real challenge for faculty and students to be able to move into a different world almost overnight. And that hardship has continued for two years now, which is just hard to fathom. The Dean’s office worked very well in a remote environment. We had a weekly staff meeting to try to keep that human aspect where we are a community. We had a show and tell each week, and it was delightful to learn what we did about our colleagues, things we really wouldn’t have learned in our “normal”/”regular” work lives. At the same time, I was very glad to get back to work on campus. I appreciate being able to see and work with people in person. What is your favorite moment and/or most significant accomplishment at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock?�� I’ve had the opportunity to experience so many good things, and I don’t really have just one favorite moment or accomplishment. My favorite aspect of working at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is my colleagues and our students. I’ve been here for a long time and worked in so many different roles. I’ve worked with faculty across the university. And I’ve had the great good fortune to work with a large, very dedicated and talented, staff in the Dean’s Office. We’ve all come to know each other so well, and that is a real driving momentum to me. We share a dedication to our community and our students. To me, it’s the people that make ��Vlog��ý Little Rock special. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders? One piece of very practical advice I would offer is to figure out how to get good sleep and when you are young. I didn’t prioritize that because even though my sleep was always terrible, I had great stamina for so long. In terms of the “it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon,” I would also say to believe in yourself even when you have doubts. Nobody is a better champion of yourself than you. And ask questions. Ask for help. People want to share what they’ve learned with you. So don’t be afraid to ask. You will quickly see that asking, that connecting, is a great power.

Briscoe Receives Chapel of Four Chaplains Legion of Honor Bronze Medallion

John Hill — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 17:18:18 +0000

Dr. David Briscoe, a university professor of sociology at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, has recently been awarded the Legion of Honor Bronze Medallion by the Chapel of Four Chaplains for his humanitarian efforts. The Legion of Honor Bronze Medallion is granted for extraordinary contributions to the well-being of others at the national or world level to world peace and inter-faith and inter-ethnic understanding. “To whom much is given, much more is required,” Briscoe said. Briscoe’s award honors his service to the youth of America and his commitment and dedication to academic excellence worldwide. He has participated in the Boy Scouts of America for 55 years. As a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, Briscoe became the inaugural national chairman of Learning for Life, an academic and character development program serving more than 1.7 million students throughout the United States. Briscoe has taught at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for 30 years. He has more than 60 honors for academic excellence and service, including the 2020 recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award in Public Service, the 2021 recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching, and being the first ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty member appointed the honorific title of university professor this spring.

The Legion of Honor Bronze Medallion by the Chapel of Four Chaplain

The award publicly recognizes and honors outstanding members of society whose lives model the giving spirit and unconditional service to community, nation, and humanity without regard to race, religion, or creed as exemplified by the Four Chaplains. honors those who encourage sacrifice and interfaith cooperation just like the four chaplains who gave their lives on the U.S.A.T. Dorchester. On February 3, 1943, a German U-boat torpedoed the ship just 90 miles short of its destination in Greenland. Out of the 902 passengers on board, only 230 survived. The four chaplains of different faiths gave their life jackets to four men that they might be saved, and they themselves went down with the ship to a watery grave. Those chaplains were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed.

Study.com Recognizes Four ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Degree Programs

John Hill — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 20:23:45 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has been recognized by Study.com as having some of the top ranking bachelor’s degree programs in web design, business analytics, sociology, and journalism.�� More than 40 million visitors per month use Study.com to research potential schools, degrees, and careers. The lists of the top school rankings help Study.com users and potential students learn about excellent college programs. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock received the following 2021 rankings from Study.com:��

7th on the list of
18th on the list of
27th on the list of
36th on the list of

��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s highest ranking comes for the Web Design and Development Program, which is designed to cater to both traditional university students as well as working professionals in multiple fields. This is an interdisciplinary program designed collaboratively by faculty from the departments of Art and Design, Rhetoric and Writing, Mass Communication, Information Science, and the Information Technology Program. “We are thrilled to receive this designation, and I am very proud of the faculty and community partners that have been instrumental to our success,” said Thomas Wallace, web design and development/information technology program coordinator. “The collaboration across campus has allowed us to build a relevant and adaptive curriculum tapping into a broad range of faculty expertise. We are also very pleased with the success of our recent graduates and their ability to secure jobs within the industry. Through the efforts of both faculty and students, we have built a solid foundation for continued growth and success in the coming years.” Next, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Business Analytics Program was recognized as 18th on the list of best bachelor’s degrees in business intelligence. This program in the Department of Business Information Systems is an interdisciplinary business degree that develops the technical and analytical skills that students can apply to decision making in today’s increasingly competitive business environment. The university’s Bachelor of Arts in mass communication degree with an emphasis in journalism prepares students for careers in newspapers, magazines, radio, television or internet journalism as reporters, writers, photographers, or editors. “I think one of the things that makes us stand out is the level of experience the faculty members have as practitioners,” said Dr. Sonny Rhodes, associate professor and faculty advisor of The Forum. “We have decades of practical experience in our fields that we can share with our students. The quality of the training can be seen in the success of our graduates, who are leaders in their professions throughout the nation. For example, one of our graduates is a national board member of the Society of Professional Journalists, while another is president of the Arkansas Professional chapter of SPJ.” Mass communication majors can also focus on mass media, media production and design, motion picture, and strategic public relations. “Students and their success not only in the program after they graduate drive our program,” said Dr. Tim Edwards, interim director of the School of Mass communication. “We meet students where they are and push them to new heights. Faculty build relationships with students beyond the classroom and become their mentors. Our program strives to be cutting-edge and forward thinking to prepare students for the journalism and media jobs of today, tomorrow, and years into the future.” The final ranking comes for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s online Bachelor of Arts in sociology degree, which is a 120-hour program dedicated to the study of the social lives of people, groups, and societies. It promotes effective communication, critical thinking, and data analysis through its broad selection of courses. Graduates of this program receive a valuable foundation for direct entry into meaningful careers or graduate study in a wide range of fields including law, education, counseling, social work, public health, and public administration. The rankings by Study.com are based on academic and career resources, the quality of education, faculty, and more.

Briscoe Named University Professor at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 09:22:02 +0000

Dr. David Briscoe, a professor of sociology, has the distinction of being the first ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty member appointed the honorific title of university professor.�� This is a special honor conferred only upon active faculty in recognition of an extended period of exemplary service in a spirit of collegiality to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as well as a combination of service in their profession and to the public through their professional activities.�� In order to achieve the distinction, faculty members must have been a full professor for 10 years and have gained wide recognition at the national or international level for their sustained excellence in service, teaching, research, or creative activity relevant to their respective disciplines and academic roles. “I am beyond words that the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas conferred the distinguished title of University Professor on me,” Briscoe said. “It’s historical in the sense that I became the Inaugural University Professor at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. It means the world to me.”�� Briscoe is known for a legacy of teaching excellence at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock that stretches for nearly three decades. He is the 2021 recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching as well as the 2020 recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award in Public Service. “This is a historic year for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as we recognize our first Distinguished Professors and our first University Professor,” Provost Ann Bain said. “These outstanding faculty have had long standing careers that have been, and continue to be, full of accomplishments. Their dedication to their profession, our university, and our students is commendable. We are thankful to have the opportunity to honor our faculty with these prestigious awards.” Since beginning his career at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1992, Briscoe has been awarded nearly 60 honors, including being named a Distinguished Teaching Fellow for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence twice, voted among the Best of the Best Professors three times by the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student body, and receiving the Graduate and Retention Advocate Award four times. He supports student-athletes as the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative and serves on the National Phi Kappa Phi Awards Committee, the Chancellor’s Race and Ethnicity Advisory Committee, the Centennial Campaign Cabinet, and the Institutional Effectiveness Committee.�� “Dr. Briscoe is tireless in his service to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, its students, and the wider community,” said Dr. Krista Lewis, chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. “It seems that hardly a week passes in which I, in my role as department chair, am not contacted by students, community members, or organizations who wish to reach out just to praise the service and care that Dr. Briscoe has extended to them.” In addition to his teaching and university service, Briscoe has participated in the Boy Scouts of America for 55 years. As a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, Briscoe became the inaugural national chairman of Learning for Life, an academic and character development program serving more than 1.7 million students throughout the United States.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Honors Briscoe, Agarwal, and MacFarlane as Top Professors of 2021

John Hill — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 16:15:03 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has selected Drs. David Briscoe, Nitin Agarwal, and Bronwyn MacFarlane as the 2021 winners of the Faculty Excellence Awards.�� Briscoe, professor of sociology, has been named the 2021 recipient of the Bailey Teaching Award and will receive a $5,000 award. Briscoe began his teaching career at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1992 and has consistently been honored for excellence in teaching and public service over the past three decades. Agarwal, Maulden-Entergy Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor of Information Science, was named the Faculty Excellence in Research and Creative Endeavors winner and will receive a $5,000 award. Agarwal is an internationally known researcher who pioneered work in the social computing discipline. He launched the Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies (COSMOS), which was designated last year as a research center by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. MacFarlane, professor of gifted education, received the Faculty Excellence in Public Service Award and will receive a $5,000 award. She has contributed extensively to public service in the field of gifted education and serves as a nationally elected and recognized leader in the National Association for Gifted Children. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock annually celebrates the achievements of the top professors of the year who are making a difference in the community through their contributions in teaching, research and creative works, and public service. This is the highest honor ��Vlog��ý Little Rock awards its faculty members. “Our faculty excellence winners represent the university’s commitment to superb instruction, outstanding research, and community service,” Provost Ann Bain said. “Each of the winners has made immeasurable contributions to the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock community and to the lives of their students and colleagues. We thank them for their service.” Created in 1989, the Faculty Excellence Awards has provided a way to recognize the great work of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty for the past 32 years and is made possible through the valued contributions of the Office of the Chancellor, the Office of the Provost, the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor’s Circle, and the Bailey Foundation. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Board of Visitors selected the university-wide winners from the 12 faculty members who were selected as the top faculty members for the 2020-21 academic year in each of the three categories in their respective colleges and the William H. Bowen School of Law. Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching – Dr. David Briscoe, professor of sociology�� Briscoe has created a legacy of teaching excellence at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock that stretches for nearly three decades. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in criminal justice from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and a Ph.D. in sociology from Southern Illinois University.

Dr. David Briscoe

He began teaching at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1992 and has been consistently honored for excellence in teaching and public service. Briscoe has been awarded nearly 60 honors; earned professional development certification from Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard Divinity School, Princeton Theological Seminary, Oxford Round Table; and was twice named a Distinguished Teaching Fellow for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Academy of Teaching and Learning Excellence. He has received the Graduate and Retention Advocate Award four times and received the Faculty Excellence in Public Service Award in 2020. Briscoe is known as an advocate for students with disabilities and was voted among the Best of the Best Professors three times by the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student body. He serves on the National Phi Kappa Phi Awards Committee, the Chancellor’s Race and Ethnicity Advisory Committee, the Centennial Campaign Cabinet, and the Institutional Effectiveness Committee.�� As the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative, Briscoe assists with the certification and undergraduate education of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student-athletes, serves on a number of committees at the Sun Belt Conference, and served as a panelist at the 2019 Inaugural Diversity Summit. He is also well-known and admired for his role as a national volunteer for the Boy Scouts of America. As a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, Briscoe became the inaugural national chairman of Learning for Life, an academic and character development program serving more than 1.7 million students throughout the United States. He also has the distinction of being the first African American in the state to serve on the Boy Scouts’ national executive board as well as the first African American in the country to be selected as the Alumnus of the Year in 2013, where he was chosen from among 50 million alumni of Boy Scouts. Faculty Excellence Award in Research – Dr. Nitin Agarwal, Maulden-Entergy Endowed Chair and Distinguished professor of Information Science Agarwal is an internationally distinguished researcher whose pioneering work in the social computing discipline has significantly advanced this fledgling area and helped open many doors for innovation for the scientific community. His primary research interests are in social computing, (deviant) behavior modeling, studying group dynamics, influence, trust, collective action, social-cyber forensics, health informatics, data mining and privacy aims to be at the vanguard of the ever-evolving online behaviors.

Dr. Nitin Agarwal

At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, he created the Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies (COSMOS), which was designated as a research center by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education in 2020.�� “STEM education needs to be research-driven so that we can expose our students to cutting-edge technologies to prepare them as the next generation workforce that is capable of developing innovative solutions to real-world problems,” Agarwal said. “Our students are the lifeblood of research projects at COSMOS. Our mission is to conduct competitive research, transition research from publications to practice, and inspire thought leaders that communicate science to society and contribute to the social good.” COSMOS has produced more than two dozen projects, published 10 books and more than 200 publications, and three important tools: Blogtrackers, YouTubeTracker and Focal Structure Analysis. In the past year, COSMOS has assisted the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office track scams and disinformation related to COVID-19 that led to the development of COVID-19 Misinformation Tracker. “Our research examines some of the very complex and interdisciplinary problems that challenge science and society alike,” Agarwal said. “For a meaningful impact, we partner with educators, researchers, businesses, practitioners, journalists, policymakers, defense and security agencies across our state, nation, and the world.” Since joining ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2009, Agarwal has brought in more than $10 million in funding for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock from sponsors like the U.S. Army Research Office, U.S. Office of Naval Research, U.S. Air Force Research Lab, U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, U.S. National Science Foundation, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Most recently, Agarwal edited a IEEE Internet Computing special issue on cyber social health that highlights developments of social media analytics used to gain a better understanding of online human behavior, as research in social media analytics has seen significant development of new and advanced techniques. and his co-editors, Drs. , , and , introduce a conceptual design that demonstrates modeling at cognitive, neural, and social levels for cumulative measurements in prediction, explainability, and mitigation of misinformation.�� Faculty Excellence Award in Public Service – Dr. Bronwyn MacFarlane, professor of gifted education Bronwyn MacFarlane has contributed extensive public service in the field of gifted education. She has served as a nationally elected and recognized leader in the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) in the roles of chair of the STEM Network with more than 1,000 members and chair of the Counseling and Guidance Network, which serves over 700 members.��

Dr. Bronwyn MacFarlane

For three years, MacFarlane wrote the popular column “The Curriculum Corner” in NAGC’s national magazine, “Teaching for High Potential.” She also serves as an editorial assistant and guest editor for the academic journal “Roeper Review.”�� MacFarlane has served as chair or a representative on more than 25 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock committees, on over 15 national and state education committees, and has held or continues to hold several state and national leadership positions in gifted education. In Little Rock, MacFarlane is a regular volunteer judge and guest speaker for events like the Central Arkansas Regional Science Fair, Arkansas 4-H, and Girls in STEM Leadership Conference. She provided expert commentary in interviews to the local media for parents to support children’s learning and mental health during the pandemic.�� MacFarlane has received national and international recognition in the field of gifted education. Some of her awards include the Early Leader Award from the National Association for Gifted Children in 2018, the Wedge Distinguished Scholar Award at Western Kentucky University in 2017, and the Challenger Award from the Arkansans for Gifted and Talented Education Association in 2016 for her cutting edge book “STEM Education for High Ability Learning.”�� She twice received the Faculty Excellence Award for Research, for the College of Education in 2014 and for the College of Education and Health Professions in 2019. She has been named a Distinguished Teaching Fellow for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Academy of Teaching and Learning Excellence, received the New Faculty Teaching Commendation, and twice received the Graduate and Retention Advocate Award.�� “Public service is integrated into my work, and my activities focus on ways to develop talent in different settings,” MacFarlane said. “My service activities at each level, whether local, university, state, national, or international, can be best summarized as contributing my time and expertise to supporting the talent development of others. Whether I am volunteering locally, evaluating federal projects and university programs, or speaking to parents and teachers about education, I am always focused on doing what I can to support someone’s talent development and growth.”

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.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock grad Tichina Taylor overcomes stroke to earn college degree

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 16:50:54 +0000

After her freshman year of college at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Tichina Taylor experienced a debilitating stroke. Thanks to her strong will to continue pursuing her degree, with lots of support from the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Disability Resource Center and Student Support Services, Taylor will graduate Dec. 14 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a certificate in nonprofit management.�� How were you able to overcome the effects of having a stroke and complete your college degree? I was 19 years old when I experienced the stroke. It happened during the summer break after my freshman year at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. My family and I were shocked because we had assumed that only elderly people have strokes.�� A stroke is so frustrating. I was partially paralyzed and suffered memory loss. I couldn’t get my thoughts out, and when I did speak, I sounded like a preschool child. The stroke forced me to learn everything all over again. My memory couldn’t grasp any information given to me.�� I survived, though, and was determined to finish my education. So, I went to the Disability Resource Center at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and spoke to the director, Reed Claiborne, and he helped me. I was not going to give up on a college degree, and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was committed to supporting my goal.�� The Disability Resource Center would ensure I had access to alternative formats of my textbooks and most other course materials that I could listen to for each of my classes. They notified my instructors of the appropriate accommodations for each of my courses. The Disability Resource Center focuses on making the learning experience accessible. The DRC helped me meet my needs as a stroke survivor. Student Support Services played a big role in my success, too. If I could not understand what I was reading or a concept from class, it used to make me so frustrated I would cry and not know what to do. Once I started working with tutors, I knew that I could highlight a passage of text or bring notes from class and talk with them about it. They helped me understand what I was reading and the concepts explained in class. It made all the difference in my ability to complete assignments. I discipline myself to always keep a smile on my face and never let myself give up. I also give praise to God. He helps me. God brought wonderful people into my life to support me, and opened my mind so that I can learn. I am so thankful for my professors’ support, the Mathematics Lab, Student Support Services, and the Disability Resource Center. I could not have completed my degree without each of them. Everyone who serves as a tutor on this campus personally benefits the lives of the people they coach, probably more than the tutors even realize. What are your goals and why did you choose to study sociology and nonprofit management? I’ve been interested in the study of social problems since high school. My youth experience in the Boys & Girls Club’s Go Girls program shaped my thinking a lot in terms of what it means to live a healthy life with a positive mindset. My life goal is to open a nonprofit center to support verbally and physically abused women. I want to help other women learn to live a happy life, free from abuse. I’d also like to work in real estate. What does having a college education mean to you? ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has made a significant difference in my family’s life. My sister and I are first-generation college students, and our degrees are empowering us to contribute good things in the world at a higher level than if we hadn’t been exposed to higher education.�� My sister, , earned two degrees at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, all while raising young children. Her influence and support in my life has been amazing. We wrote a book together about my stroke and recovery. It’s called, “,” and was published under her own business label, de. I am so proud of her. I want to encourage students who may be dealing with life struggles. Don’t give up! Life is going to hit you with many obstacles, but strive to achieve your goals and stay positive. You can and you will succeed. I made it.

Great-grandmother earns bachelor’s degree after leaving high school at 15

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 10 May 2019 12:41:07 +0000

At age 15, Vickie Austin left high school in Wynne, Arkansas, after becoming pregnant with her first child, though she always intended to finish her education.�� Fast forward 41 years, and Austin, 61, will graduate May 11 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and a minor in psychology and a strong desire to help others. In the fall, she will begin a master’s degree program in rehabilitation counseling at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, but Austin doesn’t intend to wait until she finishes her master’s degree to start helping others. “As I work on my master’s degree, I want to do some things with my bachelor’s degree,” Austin said. “I really want to focus on volunteering. My concern is with children and older citizens, but my passion is helping the entire family.” The mother of four, grandmother of 10, and great-grandmother of one developed a deep desire to help troubled families. She will also do some volunteering with people living in nursing homes after her younger sister spent three years living in a nursing home while she fought breast cancer. “I talked to a lot of the other nursing home residents. One man told me that my sister was lucky to have siblings who visited her so often. He had brothers and sisters who lived within 35 miles, and they never visited him,” she said. “I’m concerned about helping people. I may not be the person who can make decisions for the people living in nursing homes, but I can still be there to listen.” After raising her children on her own and babysitting many grandchildren, Austin’s return to education started in 2008. At age 50, she left the only town she ever lived in to move to Little Rock to enroll in the Little Rock School District’s Adult Education program, a move that served as a large inspiration to her family. “Our mother decided it was time to put herself first and set out to accomplish everything that others told her she wouldn’t be able to because of being a teen mother, high school dropout, and being legally blind,” said La’Tasha Ursery, Austin’s daughter. “It wasn’t easy for her in the beginning. Once she got the swing of being in school, she got access to larger print items and anything that could help with her eyesight. She began to soar in the program and overcome barriers she had been denied.” Once her oldest grandchild entered high school, Austin decided she wanted to finish her long-term goal of earning her GED certificate before her grandchild graduated. �� “Everyone in my family had a high school diploma, even my mom. It was a struggle, but I did everything I could to make sure my kids got a high school diploma,” she said. “I had a grandson in high school, and I told him I was going to finish high school before him. I got my GED in 2010, and he graduated high school in 2011.” Although she originally intended to just get her GED, Austin saw the value in pursuing higher education. She received her associate degree from University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College in 2014 before enrolling at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, where three of her four children went to college. “A high school diploma was all I was looking for, and, Lord, look at me now,” Austin said. “There are a lot of people my age who think they are too old to go back and get a GED, and I had friends who told me I was too old to get my GED, but I made it.” While at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Austin said she was particularly inspired by Dr. David Briscoe, a professor of sociology who encouraged her to major in sociology. “He inspired me to go into sociology,” she said. “I’m concerned about family matters, people who have been abused, and people affected by crime. Dr. Briscoe is the one who told me that if you look at everyone as a person who has feelings and needs, you learn how to communicate better.”

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����Vlog��ý Little Rock grad Tichina Taylor overcomes stroke to earn college degree