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

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Win 11 Awards in Newspaper Competition

John Hill — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 13:45:55 +0000

Eight student journalists at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have won 11 awards in the 93rd annual Arkansas College Media Association (ACMA) conference for their work in , ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper. The awards, which were for work done throughout 2021, were announced April 8 at the ACMA meeting at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. The awards included a second-place finish in the prestigious Newspaper of the Year category. “I’m extremely proud of the staff’s accomplishments,” said Sonny Rhodes, Forum adviser. “They have worked very hard under trying conditions throughout the pandemic. The awards demonstrate excellence in a wide breadth of categories, including newswriting, opinion, photography, and page design. I’m beyond grateful for their hard work.” In individual awards, Forum writer Magnolia Risley took home three first-place awards in the feature photo, newswriting, and review writing categories. Additional student winners, places of finish, and categories include:

Marissa Davis, first place, art/illustration
Amanda Gordon, honorable mention, sports feature
Chloe McGehee, honorable mention, election/political
Chloe McGehee and Marissa Davis, first place, front page layout
Ahad Nadeem, honorable mention, general column
Danielle Spence, third place, in-depth news
Bennett Wood and Remington Miller, third place, review writing

The Arkansas College Media Association is composed of private and public colleges and universities throughout the state, including Arkansas State University, Arkansas Tech University, Central Baptist College, Harding University, Henderson State University, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Ouachita Baptist University, and the University of Central Arkansas.

Two ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Selected for Arkansas Newspaper Foundation Summer Internship Program

John Hill — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 17:22:27 +0000

Two talented student journalists from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have been selected as part of the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation’s 2021 summer internship program.�� The Arkansas Newspaper Foundation (ANF) has a commitment to serve Arkansas newspapers by helping fund summer interns at Arkansas Press Association member newspapers across the state. The internships provide students with real-world journalism experience while newspapers obtain a qualified candidate to fill a temporary position. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students selected for the ANF internship program include Chloe McGehee of Bryant and Remington Miller of Little Rock. A graduate of Bryant High School, McGehee is majoring in mass communication and minoring in political science. She served as the executive editor of The Forum, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper, and president of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. She has won a number of awards from the Arkansas Scholastic Press and Arkansas Collegiate Media Association. “I’m very thankful to receive the internship because I know I could not have done it without the help of my scholarship program, my previous editor, Jordan Woodson, and my advisor, professor, and friend Carlton Rhodes,” McGehee said. “Without them I would have never applied or had the skills to achieve it. I’m also incredibly excited to be doing what I love to do and want to work in for my career. It’s an invaluable experience and I do not take it for granted.” After she graduates in 2023, McGehee wants to work as a journalist and get her master’s degree. She’s thankful for the experience she is gaining from her internship with the Daily Record. “The paper and publisher I am working under, The Daily Record and Wesley Brown, are truly amazing, and I feel like I would not be having this amazing experience anywhere else,” she said. “He really allows me to shine where I can while always teaching me and making me more confident.”

Remington Miller

Miller, the second ��Vlog��ý Little Rock ANF summer internship recipient, is a graduate of Robinson High School in Little Rock and is a double major in mass communication and English. She’s a reporter for The Forum as well as a mass media research assistant for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Mass Communication. “I was so honored and surprised to receive the internship,” Miller said. “It is a great opportunity, and I am so eager for the real experience in the journalism field. I am really excited to look at the local news gathering process. I hope it allows me to start establishing contacts with possible mentors and create a better view on the news cycle in Arkansas, on the inside.” After she graduates in 2022, Miller plans to work as an investigative reporter. “I love working in print and online journalism so much. I have the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Mass Communication to thank,” Miller said. “I’ve got skills that I know will be useful with the internship. The professors have always been so supportive and willing to help me reach these internships and my career goals. I couldn’t do it without their support. Every journalism professor I’ve met has always been willing to help but my advisor and supervisor of The Forum, Professor Rhodes, has been really great about encouraging me to go for all these opportunities.” Both students are interning at the Daily Record this summer. Publisher Wesley Brown said he welcomes the opportunity to help guide and train promising young journalists through the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation internship program. “As a member of the Arkansas Press Association, we are excited to work with the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation to provide internships to outstanding students from colleges and universities across the state looking to enter the journalism field,” Brown said. “As a longtime journalist and industry advocate, I look forward to working with these budding journalists from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock this summer so they can further their educational experience.” The Arkansas Newspaper Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides support, professional development, and educational opportunities to APA member newspapers. ANF has offered internships for more than two decades. This year, ANF will fully fund four full internships and two half-internships for student journalists. The foundation is paying the internship costs to help Arkansas newspapers recover from the economic effects of COVID-19. In the past, newspapers participating in the internship program were expected to match ANF’s grant for a 10-week internship. Since last year, the ANF Board of Directors fully funded the internships for a total of $15,000 for the summer interns. “It’s an obligation of the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation to support and promote newspapers in this state, so it was a simple decision to continue to fully fund this vital program,” said Rusty Fraser, ANF board president and publisher of the Stone County Leader in Mountain View. “These interns get a front-row seat in a professional newsroom and can help immediately in reporting on the communities our newspapers serve.”

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.

Brown Awarded Arkansas Press Women Scholarship

John Hill — Mon, 10 May 2021 17:06:10 +0000

A rising star in student journalism at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship from Arkansas Press Women’s annual scholarship contest. Alexandria Brown, a junior mass communication major with a concentration in journalism from England, Arkansas, has aspirations to work as a broadcast reporter after her graduation from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2022. “I’m honestly so grateful to have been awarded the scholarship,” Brown said. “I’d like to thank the scholarship chair and the members of Arkansas Press Women for giving back to students like me. This scholarship will grant me more journalism opportunities to advance in my career and reach the goal of informing our democracy every day.” The APW scholarship is awarded annually to an outstanding undergraduate college student in Arkansas who is planning a career in mass communication or journalism. Funding for this scholarship comes from APW’s Maudine Sanders Education Fund. Sanders, a previous owner of the Springdale Morning News, was a long-time member of Arkansas Press Women before her passing in 2011. “We’re excited to support Alexandria in her journalism journey,” said Kristin Netterstrom Higgins, president of Arkansas Press Women. “Her student experiences in the newsroom and on the local NPR affiliate show her strong desire to tell people’s stories and give them a voice. Arkansas Press Women is a strong supporter of the First Amendment, and Alexandria stood out in her desire to contribute to a better democracy.” Brown is a former intern at K��Vlog��ýR, the Little Rock National Public Radio affiliate, where she’s reported on issues such as the census and a proposed city sales tax. She now works part-time as the “All Things Considered” host and a reporter for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio. “Ms. Brown has shown a great deal of professionalism in her work as a student intern and now employee at K��Vlog��ýR,” said Nathan Vandiver, general manager of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio. “She is already a great asset to our news team. From our experience, this award is a well-deserved accolade and goes to show the great impact she will have as a journalist.” Brown also works as a reporter for The Forum, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper. “Ms. Brown is one of the best students I have known in my 21 years at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and is an incredibly promising journalist,” said Sonny Rhodes, associate professor of journalism and faculty advisor of The Forum. “Her writing is clear, concise, and comprehensive and submitted well in advance of deadlines. I cannot overstate Ms. Brown’s outstanding work ethic and her commitment to her studies and journalism.” In addition to her work in journalism, Brown is a member of the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps, Student Affairs Success Initiatives, and Kappa Tau Alpha. Arkansas Press Women was founded in 1949 by women working in Arkansas newspapers to provide an opportunity to compete and network in a male-dominated industry. The organization is now an association of communicators in journalism, public information, business, education, and government. APW is an affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women and will be hosting the 2021 NFPW Conference virtually in June. For more information on APW, visit . In the upper right photo, K��Vlog��ýR reporter Alex Brown is hard at working delivering Arkansas’s latest news. Photo courtesy of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio.

Arkansas Press Association names Rhodes 2020 Educator of the Year

John Hill — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 15:50:34 +0000

Sonny Rhodes, associate professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Mass Communication, is the 2020 recipient of the Arkansas Press Association Journalism Educator of the Year award. Rhodes received the award during a virtual ceremony during the Rhodes is a veteran newspaper reporter and editor with a quarter-century of experience at newspapers like the Pine Bluff Commercial, Log Cabin Democrat, Arkansas Democrat, Arkansas Gazette, and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He previously freelanced for AY Magazine and Bloomberg News. “Having been a reporter and editor for a long time gives me some credit with the students,” Rhodes said. “If they are in a reporting class, I know some of the challenges they are facing, and I can relate to them and help them overcome some challenges by relating some of the real-world experiences I had.” Though Rhodes earned a bachelor’s degree in education, he was a hardcore journalist who hadn’t considered teaching as a full-time career. In 1990, Jay Friedlander, then chair of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s journalism department, asked Rhodes to take a leave of absence from the Arkansas Democrat to fill a 9-month teaching role for the school year. “I applied back in 1990 to teach a night course in journalism,” Rhodes said. “It just so happened they were in need for somebody to teach full time. I fancied the idea of teaching, but I never thought of being more than an adjunct. I was surprised my boss let me have a leave of absence. I really fell in love with teaching and wanted to come back. Nine years later, a full-time position opened.” Now entering his third decade of teaching, Rhodes said his communication and listening skills along with a friendly attitude have helped him create a good rapport with his students. “I think these skills are vitally important in teaching and in journalism,” Rhodes said. “These are all skills that I was able to hone during many interviews over the years. It’s all about establishing relationships. You have to teach every student as an individual, get to know that student, build a rapport, and show them that you are someone who they can trust to be looking out for their best interests.” His colleague, Tim Edwards, interim director of the School of Mass Communication, said Rhodes is a popular and well-respected teacher because of his efforts to help students succeed. “Professor Rhodes is one of the most caring individuals I know,” Edwards said. “He cares about the success of his students and goes above and beyond the call of duty to assist them. I can’t count the number of students he has helped get a scholarship, an internship, or a job through his letters of recommendation and industry contacts. He shares his knowledge and experience freely, and continues to stay current in an ever-changing media environment. He is not just a teacher to his student but a mentor and friend.” An active member of the Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, Rhodes begins each of his courses with an ethics section based on the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. This training is especially important since so many untrained people report the news through social media and websites. Since technology and skills are continually changing for journalists, Rhodes instills the value of lifelong education into his students. “One piece of advice I try to instill in all my students is that education is a lifelong experience,” said Rhodes, adding that he would offer the same advice to new professors. “They should be prepared to continually change the way they do things and be open to new styles of teaching and learning. The technology is such that students are continually coming into the job field with different skill sets and expectations.” A native of Pine Bluff, Rhodes graduated from Watson Chapel High School and also has a master’s degree from the University of Mississippi. He lives in North Little Rock with his wife, Julie. He has three children and two grandchildren.

Graduating student journalist selected for internship with Arkansas Newspaper Foundation

John Hill — Fri, 22 May 2020 15:47:25 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock spring graduate with a passion for storytelling has been selected for a competitive summer internship that will serve as the next step in his promising career as a journalist.�� Kolton Rutherford, of Maumelle, has graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and a minor in sports management. Following graduation, Rutherford has been selected for a summer internship with the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation, which sponsors college journalists to work as interns in newspapers who are members of the Arkansas Press Association. Rutherford will spend the summer working at the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway.�� In the fall, Rutherford has been accepted into ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s graduate program in professional and technical writing. After earning his master’s degree, he plans to work as a reporter or in sports communication, though his love of journalism began long ago. “I’ve been interested in journalism for most of my life,” he said. “I loved sports growing up. While I played sports until I was 14, I wasn’t very good at playing, but I knew a lot about sports. I come from a family who has done a lot of writing. First, I got into sports writing. Being a sports writer one day was my plan coming into school, but now I’ve grown to love all kinds of journalism.” Just as Rutherford always knew he would become a journalist, he was just as certain that he would one day join the Trojan family. “I knew from the ninth grade on that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was the school for me,” he said. “It was close to my home, and I had heard good things about its mass communication program. After speaking to the professors when I was in the 11th grade, that is when I made the choice.” He came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on a Chancellor’s Leadership Corps scholarship with a goal to gain as much experience as possible. He’s stayed true to that goal, serving as sports editor of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper, The Forum, an athletics communication intern for Little Rock Athletics, and a news intern for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio. “The most important thing I’ve learned in college is to learn as much as possible,” Rutherford said. “I worked at The Forum for four years. I’ve done two internships. I’ve learned new skills. I’ve really worked hard to become a well-rounded journalist. I have experience in multiple fields now, and I’m not closing the door on any path.”�� Rutherford is thankful to several of the professors and journalists who have guided him during his time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “I would say two of my favorite professors were Sonny Rhodes and Chris Etheridge in the mass communication department,” he said. “Sonny’s been my advisor for the past four years. He’s been a great help. I really look up to him. Last May, I met Professor Etheridge. He was my internship advisor, and he helped me to understand how much I could learn by going to K��Vlog��ýR. The staff at K��Vlog��ýR, including Michael Hibblen, Sarah Kellogg, and Daniel Breen, has been a great help this past semester during my internship.” Rutherford is an award-winning college journalist who’s received honors in feature writing, sports writing, and outstanding reporting from the Arkansas College Media Association and the Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. As a freelance journalist, he’s been published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Daily Record, and the Lewiston Sun-Journal on stories covering local news, sports, education, and government affairs. “On the academic side, my internship with K��Vlog��ýR was by far my favorite experience. A close second was working for our campus newspaper,” he said. “Outside of that, I met my soon-to-be wife at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Katie Kornreich graduated last year. She was an American sign language interpreting major, and we met in a science class. We were supposed to get married this August, but we’ve now moved it to August 2021.” His advice for new students to be successful is to take advantage of all available opportunities to gain as much experience as possible. “I would tell new students to try to learn as much as you can in many different areas,” Rutherford said. “It will pay off if you can do multiple things, and you can do them well. When I first came to school, I thought I would just be a writer. I’ve now learned how to use cameras and work for a radio station. I’ve learned so much more than I ever imagined.”

Forum staff wins 14 awards in Arkansas college media contest

John Hill — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 22:11:10 +0000

Nine student journalists at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock won 14 awards in the 91st annual Arkansas College Media Association awards, announced April 4, for their work in The Forum, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper.�� “I’m incredibly proud of the staff,” said Sonny Rhodes, faculty adviser of The Forum. “If you look at the variety of categories in which they won awards, ranging from spot news photo to election/political coverage, you will get an idea of the talent they have. I’m very happy for them and grateful for the hard work they put in.” The Arkansas College Media Association is composed of private and public colleges and universities throughout the state, including Arkansas State University, Arkansas Tech University, Central Baptist College, Harding University, Henderson State University, Ouachita Baptist University, and the University of Central Arkansas. The Forum competed in the ACMA’s newspaper and online divisions. The student winners, places of finish, and categories include:

Alex Ball, third place, online personality profile.

Miriam Battles, first place, online sports photo; third place, newspaper sports photo.

Ashish Bhakta and Ivan Henley, second place, newspaper cartoon strip or single panel entertainment cartoon.

Oksana Durkee, second place, online meeting/speech coverage; third place, online news writing; honorable mention, newspaper personality profile.

Chloe McGehee, first place, online election/political coverage.
Kenneth Reed, first place, online art/illustration.

Kolton Rutherford, first place, online spot news photo; second place, online feature writing; second place, newspaper spot news photo.

Jordan Woodson, first place, online personality profile; third place, newspaper headlines.

For further information, please contact Forum Executive Editor Jordan Woodson at editor@ualr.edu.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock student fulfills dream of earning college degree

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 14:36:03 +0000

On May 15, Carlene Akins, 44, of Little Rock, fulfilled her decades-long dream of ��earning a college degree as she graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication surrounded by family cheering for her.�� “I am so excited about graduating because I didn’t think I was smart enough,” Akins said. “I used to think that people who didn’t go to college were just lazy or not smart enough, but now my whole mind frame of going to college is different. I think if you want to achieve that goal, that you should do it, no matter how long it takes you, no matter what stands in your way.” Akins grew up in Ferguson, Missouri, one of 10 children and the first in her family to earn a college degree. “I’ve always wanted a college degree,” she said. “My mom said I wasn’t college material, that I would just be a wife and mother. I have two kids and two grandchildren. I had my oldest daughter at 21, but I still wanted to go to school. I saw the difference between having an education and not having one. Mostly, I want to show my two girls that no matter how your life turns out and what happens in it, that you can turn it around. At the same time, I wanted to prove to my parents that I was more than just a wife and mother.” Before she moved to Little Rock, Akins worked as a paramedic in the St. Louis area. She decided to return to school after realizing that paramedics made less money than what she used to make in Missouri. She first attended University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College and then transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2014. “I chose mass communication because I have the gift of gab. I could sing, and I wanted to learn how to produce audio,” Akins said. “I ran into David Weekley (senior mass communication instructor), and he said, ��‘Why would you chop your legs off and do one thing, when you can do a whole array of skills?’ I went home and thought about what he said and did the assessment to see what I was interested in. After I took a few classes, I got good grades. I took an audio and media broadcasting class, and I felt like I found my voice. I felt like I wasn’t important because I didn’t have a voice. I took more classes about media production and creating content. I felt like I was telling the story of how I feel.” Akins has faced many challenges in earning her degree. While at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, she was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. Her diagnosis was so grim at one point that her husband took her on a spontaneous vacation to Europe because the doctors told him she would not survive. “It was a learning experience,” she said. “I survived, and I’m stronger for it.” Born three months premature, Akins has severe visual impairment due to Retinopathy of Prematurity, which made it difficult for her to read class materials and get to class since she cannot drive. “I did use Disability Resource Services a lot. They are a lifesaver,” Akins said. “My vision kept me from doing a lot of stuff. Sometimes, I get a little anxious when it comes to my disability, but I don’t use it to make excuses. It makes me stronger.” Akins credits Weekley, who inspired her to expand her horizons in mass communication, as well as Sonny Rhodes, associate professor of mass communication, and Jana McAuliffe, assistant professor of philosophy, for inspiring her to do her best at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Dr. Sonny Rhodes was good. He made you want to do your homework, and he made you want to learn,” Akins said. “He valued you as a student and made sure you were getting what you needed to learn. He was one of my most valued professors. Jana McAuliffe taught me ethics. She was very challenging, but she made me want to succeed. She made me become a critical thinker.” Akins, who currently works at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, is looking forward to traveling to Tokyo, Japan, in May 2019 to begin a six-month internship, where she will get experience in mass communication, broadcasting, public relations, and analytics. In the upper right photo, graduate Carlene Akins (right) receives her diploma from Dr. Julien Mirivel, dean of the College of Social Sciences and Communication. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

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

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Win 11 Awards in Newspaper Competition

Two ����Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Selected for Arkansas Newspaper Foundation Summer Internship Program

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