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

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Graduate Follows in Family’s Footsteps

John Hill — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 14:00:47 +0000

For Ruby Trotter, graduating from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has become a family tradition. Because she’s a double major in chemistry and Spanish, she will likely walk across the stage twice on May 14 – during the morning ceremony and in the afternoon. Joint degrees have also become a family tradition. “My mother, Idonia Mitchell Trotter (now Gardner), attended the University of Little Rock for undergraduate studies from fall 2002 to fall 2004 completing a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice as a first-generation college student,” Trotter said. “She is the youngest of eight children whose mother had only a 10th grade education and father with a 6th grade education.” Her mother was later accepted into the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and concurrently accepted into the Master of Public Service program at the ��Vlog��ý Clinton School of Public Service. “In May 2009, she became the first ever joint JD/MPS degree recipient in the world,” Trotter said. “I am very proud of my mom and saw first-hand how ��Vlog��ý Little Rock positively impacted her career and our lives.” In addition, Trotter’s aunt Regatta Mitchell graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in health sciences. As she reflected on her own time at the university, Trotter said she’s had an incredible college experience. “I am so very blessed to have gone to school here and met such amazing people and have opportunities that I’d never dreamed of when I was in high school,” she said, adding that she’s been involved with the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, the Learning Assistant Program, the American Chemical Society, and many other campus groups. Trotter plans to apply to medical school in May and matriculate in 2023. “I would love to become a physician, specializing particularly in pediatrics, internal medicine, or emergency medicine,” she said. “During my gap year, I plan to move in with my husband in San Antonio, Texas, and will work either a research or public health position.” An accomplished violinist, Trotter (now Viera Corral) met her husband when they both played and made beautiful music together. “It’s been so cool to see my growth over the years, especially in high school where I was able to make Region Orchestra twice and play in the pit orchestra for two of our musicals,” she said. “This is actually where I met my husband, with him across from me playing viola. I love the violin and continue to use it as an outlet for the stress of my studies.” Trotter, whose other interests include nanomedicine, hiking, and learning new recipes, noted that she’s gotten a lot of help along the way to graduation. ”My motivations that have gotten me through these four years are my faith, my now-husband (as of March 2022), and support from incredible mentors, family, and friends,” she said. The Pine Bluff, Arkansas, native spent part of her childhood in Little Rock. She attended high school in Houston, Texas, before coming to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock through the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program. The highly selective honors program enrolls 25 new scholars each year. “I actually came into college as a pre-medical biology major four years ago,” she said. “Dr. Mark Baillie was my General Chemistry I and II professor, and he made the course so interactive and interesting that I had a lot of fun in it.” During a conversation, Dr. Baillie pointed out that she was gifted in chemistry and asked why she wasn’t majoring in it. “I told him that I always saw chemistry as a hard subject and that I really liked biology in high school,” she explained. “He urged me to not run away from something that I love, no matter how hard it is. And, after a few days thinking about it, I decided to go and declare my chemistry major.” Trotter added a Spanish major after volunteering at and seeing the intense need for interpreters for the Spanish-speaking patients. The clinic is a free, non-profit medical and dental clinic in Little Rock. That experience and the support of university faculty were phenomenal, she said. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock truly has some of the best mentors that I could ask for,” Trotter said. “I want to thank Dr. Shawn Bourdo for all of his support over the years, for helping me to grow and giving me a home at the nano center, and for becoming like family to me. I’d also love to thank Dr. Mark Baillie, Dr. Michael Moore, Dr. Simon Hawkins, Dr. Jessica Scott, Ms. Ronia Kattoum, and Dr. Noureen Siraj for their encouragement, mentorship, and support over these four years.” Her time at Harmony Health Clinic “has been the most meaningful thing I’ve been able to do in my undergraduate experience. From medical receptionist work towards the beginning, to now being able to serve as an interpreter on the team, I’ve had such a meaningful experience helping so many patients receive free health care.” She is thankful for the clinic’s executive director, Angela Harris, and all of her fellow clinic volunteers. “Without coming to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, I’m not sure if I would have been afforded the wealth of opportunities that I have been blessed to experience,” Trotter said. “The research done at our university is so engaging and interesting, and there is such an emphasis on getting undergraduate students involved in the laboratory,” she said, adding that her work at the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences on campus has been so rewarding. Trotter was published as a second author in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology last year. “This is something that I absolutely have not heard of at many other universities, so I am thrilled to have been able to research with these other scientists and to get to know them so well over the last three years,” she said. “There is truly a family environment at the Nano Center.” While attending ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Trotter has received several awards including the Service to the Chemistry Department Award for her efforts as a learning assistant and a Signature Experience Grant for her research at the Nano Center with Dr. Shawn Bourdo. She was also a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipient, a very competitive and prestigious award for study abroad purposes, even though her travel plans were canceled due to COVID-19. In 2021, Trotter was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society as one of the top graduating seniors. She also received another Signature Experience Grant, and won first place at the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) conference for a poster presentation for her research on graphene nanomaterials and polymer biomaterials. She recently won an American Chemical Society (ACS) Local Outstanding Student Award and was honored as BA Chemistry Student of the Year at the Chemistry Department Award Ceremony on April 21. This story was written by Bobbie Handcock.

Triple graduate on road to fulfill dream of becoming a doctor

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 14 May 2019 14:52:42 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock senior who graduated with three bachelor’s degrees has been accepted to medical school and is on her way to fulfilling her dream of becoming a doctor. Erica Olson, of Gassville, Arkansas, graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on May 11 with bachelor’s degrees in biology, chemistry, and Spanish. The budding doctor, who received a $7,500 Class of 1954 Scholarship from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, will begin taking classes at ��Vlog��ýMS in the fall with plans to become a family physician. “It has been my dream for almost a decade that I would like to become a family physician,” Olson said. “Everyone is excited about specializing in surgical processes, but for me, I like the appeal of growing with the patients. I like the consistency of establishing bonds and being able to work with people throughout their life and their children’s lives. I’m open to looking at other specialties in medical school, but I think that is where my heart lies.” After graduating high school with just 40 people in her senior class, Olson was excited to see what the world had to offer. “I was naturally excited to get out of the rural area and explore what else the world had to offer,” she said. “I knew ��Vlog��ý Little Rock had a lot of scholarships available, and I remembered visiting this campus during seventh grade, walking down the brick pathways, and finding it beautiful. After I was accepted into the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps, I was very glad I decided to attend ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. My mom is a single mom who works as a waitress, and she did a great job of providing for me. We’ve experienced financial hardships, and getting to graduate debt free is a privilege.” While at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Olson joined the University Science Scholars Program, Biology Club, American Chemical Society, Wesley Foundation, Wind Ensemble, and became a student ambassador for the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences. She worked as a resident assistant for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, a research assistant for the ��Vlog��ýMS Emergency Department, and volunteered in the Intensive Care Unit at ��Vlog��ýMS. Olson is also dedicated to helping other students get a head start in their careers. In 2017, she founded the university’s Pre-Health Club for students planning to work in the health industry as doctors, nurses, dentists, physical therapists, pharmacists, and physician’s assistants. During summer 2017, Olson had an experience that altered her plans. She studied abroad in Spain, taking a one-week trip to Madrid with Dr. Edna Delgado, professor of Spanish, followed by a month living with a host family while taking classes at the University of Granada. Originally set to graduate in 2018 with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and biology, Olson delayed graduation for a year so she could spend the fall 2018 studying in Spain. It also gave Olson the time to earn a third bachelor’s degree in Spanish. “At first, I just wanted to learn Spanish to have a baseline because it’s the second most spoken language in the U.S.,” she said. “As a future physician, I want to be able to communicate with my Spanish-speaking patients. If you don’t speak the language, you feel isolated and alone. I knew this is what my patients who couldn’t speak English would feel. I planned to apply to medical school a year ago, but I didn’t want to go with any regrets.” Olson owes much of her success to the biology and chemistry faculty members at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, especially those who helped her prepare for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). “I adore both the chemistry and biology department faculty. I’ve had incredible experiences with the faculty,” she said. “They challenge you, and that in turn makes you a better student. With regards to chemistry, to me that was the most challenging discipline I chose. While I did not make an A in every single chemistry course, it helped me to succeed in the real world because I scored in the 92 percentile on my MCAT. Both departments really care about your success.”

Graduating student plans to make difference by teaching in high-needs urban schools

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:39:28 +0000

When Jessica Tate, a 22-year-old native of Nashville, Arkansas, spent this summer teaching English as a second language in China, what she experienced led her to make a life-changing decision. “What I saw in China blew my mind,” Tate said. “I went to five different schools over the course of my internship, so I got to see the disparities in educational access. It gave me a totally new perspective.” Tate will graduate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Saturday, Dec. 15, earning two Bachelor of Arts degrees in international studies and Spanish. For many years, Tate assumed she would join the United Nations as an interpreter following her graduation, or perhaps a think tank to do research on international policies. But the internship she completed in China, a part of her requirement for her international studies degree, changed those plans. “The internship legitimately changed my life,” she said. “There was one school where we had to teach in this building that seemed so disconnected from the rest of campus. I remember being in this building that was meant to be a gym. I didn’t have access to a computer, projector, or desks. I only had a small board, and I had to squat down in order to write anything to teach. It was really that experience that opened my eyes to that I should be doing something that is fulfilling to me.” Tate applied and has been accepted to a four-year teacher residency position with the, a nonprofit organization operating in Dallas, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. The mission of Urban Teachers is to prepare highly effective teachers who are committed to teaching students in school districts that need them most. In June, Tate will move to Baltimore, where she will teach secondary mathematics in high-need schools, all while earning her state teacher license and earning a Master of Science degree in education from Johns Hopkins University School of Education. After graduating high school at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts in 2014, Tate started at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a recipient of the Donaghey Scholars Program. The campuswide honors program includes full tuition and fees, a living stipend, financial assistance toward a study abroad program, a housing subsidy, and a new laptop computer. “I was very fortunate to have the Donaghey Scholars Program,” she said. “I get to graduate debt free, and I am very thankful for that. Meeting new people was the most enjoyable part.” Dr. Simon Hawkins, director of the Donaghey Scholars Program, described Tate as an inspiring student who always rises to the challenge. “Jessica is one of those inspiring students who takes advantage of everything ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has to offer, both in the classroom and the world,” Hawkins said. “She is the model of a well-rounded student who always seeks challenges, whether it be teaching English in Mongolia or learning photography and piano or tackling world quality research with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty. She is driven by a desire to understand the world. Many of her experiences have been hard and have pushed her personally and intellectually, but she has always risen to the challenge.” She credits Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm and Dr. Joseph Giammo, professors in the School of Public Affairs, as two of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock professors who helped her the most. “I have been very lucky to have some professors like Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm and Dr. Joe Giammo. Dr. Brahm has helped me a lot to try to figure out my life. He’s been a great mentor to have, and I have learned a lot from him. He is one of the most knowledgeable people I know. He cares about his students and wants to see the best for them. Dr. Giammo was very helpful and understanding. I enjoyed his classes, and he was a good mentor.” Working with Wiebelhaus-Brahm also gave Tate amazing research experience. She completed three research projects with him. The most memorable project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a hybrid peace operation in South Sudan, a project that she presented in the university’s Student Research and Creative Works Expo and the College of Social Sciences and Communication Research Symposium. During the six months between graduation and her move to Baltimore, Tate plans to get a job and earn some money, but she also has some major life events to look forward to. As part of her graduation present, Tate and her mother will travel to the Philippines to visit her mother’s family. “My mom and I are going to the Philippines for a whole month as part of my graduation present to visit the homeland and visit my family,” Tate said. “My mom and I have been planning this for a long time. It’s part of the reason I studied so hard. I wanted to do this for my mom. I’ve never been there before, and I’m going to meet my family for the first time over there.” On May 17, 2019, Tate will marry her fiancé, Zachary Cochran, a senior economics major at the university who will graduate next May. They met at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock when Cochran was taking a Spanish class and needed a tutor, who turned out to be Tate. “I was reading a book, ‘The End of Poverty,’ she said. “He looked at the book, and said ‘I know that book.’ We talked about how much we like the Penguin publishing company. We hit it off first thing. It happens when you have two bookish people. We even have these book dates where we go to Barnes and Noble to sit down and read.” In the upper right photo, graduating senior Jessica Tate is an avid reader and origami artist. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

Venezuelan student finds new home at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 13:34:56 +0000

When Katherine Zambrano first moved to Little Rock to live with her aunt, whose husband was ill, Little Rock seemed like a different world compared to her hometown of Caracas, Venezuela, with a population of more than two million people. “I came from a very big city, like Chicago or New York, and there is a lot of noise there,” said Zambrano, a 21-year-old senior. “Here, it is slow paced, and it is silent at times. It was hard to adjust, but I really love it now. The tranquility and calmness have grown on me.” Anxious to get started on her college education, Zambrano began at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock soon after she arrived in the spring 2015 semester. She is appreciative of the volunteers from International Student Services for helping her adjust to a new country. “International Student Services helped me to adjust to college life,” she said. “Student volunteers tell you about campus life and give you a tour of campus. Everything is overwhelming when you get here, so having someone welcome you and tell you where the best place to eat and hang out is very helpful.” In December, Zambrano will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication and media production and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. She plans to work as a translator and in the communications industry. While on campus, Zambrano has received a variety of work experience to prepare her for the future. She has worked in the Office of Testing Services and International Student Services.

Katherine Zambrano attends Mosaic Church where she worked as an intern translating Spanish and also works as a children’s Sunday school teacher with her husband. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

“In the International Student Services office, I have been able to work alongside incredible people who have become my friends and meet new people from all over the world,” she said. “My favorite part of being a student is getting to meet people from Argentina and Saudi Arabia and everywhere in the world. It’s great that we have such a cultured school.” On the communications side, she worked as a lab assistant for the School of Mass Communication, managing communication equipment used by students. She has also served as an intern at KATV and at Mosaic Church, where she served as a Spanish translator and created graphics. Zambrano also enjoyed working on “The Lunch Box,” a television news program produced by the School of Mass Communication, and a class documentary. “As a mass communication major, I was fortunate to work with a documentarist from HBO. He was our teacher for a semester, and we were able to make a documentary from scratch. It was great and an experience that I will never forget.” She is also actively involved in the community and volunteers at Mosaic Church, the children’s ministry at Fellowship Bible Church, and as a group leader for International Student Services. On campus, Zambrano has also served as president of the International Club and vice president of Genesis Campus Ministry, where she met her husband, David, who is studying to be a physician assistant at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The two were married at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs in 2017.

Katherine Zambrano has worked as a lab assistant in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock television production studio. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

One of her favorite teachers was Dr. Mark Giese, who retired from the School of Mass Communication in 2017. “He was the one who got me interested in media production,” Zambrano said. “I had one of his classes, and he was this person who wanted you to learn. He was very passionate toward filming and photography, and he wanted you to love it.” Zambrano is thankful to her friends in International Student Services and Counseling Services who helped her adjust to college life and make ��Vlog��ý Little Rock her new home. “I arrived in the U.S. three and a half years ago and was met with a lot of incredible people that guided me and taught me all I know now,” she said. “I knew English but that was where my knowledge stopped in terms of college, and I was met with so many people that wanted to help me succeed and that was the biggest incentive to continue going. I love the community, and people are so friendly, and people aren’t afraid to say hello and will come up and meet new people.”

Olson receives Gilman Scholarship to study abroad in Spain

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 14:43:14 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student has received a prestigious Gilman Scholarship, so she can study abroad in Spain to improve her language skills to better serve her future Spanish-speaking patients. Erica Olson, of Gassville, Arkansas, received $2,500 from the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship program. She will use the money to study at the University of Granada: Center of Modern Languages in Spain during the fall semester. The U.S. Department of State’s is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness. “I am very grateful for the scholarship. I come from a single-parent household, so money for education has been tight,” Olson said. “Beginning in high school, I have tried to ensure myself financially by trying to get as many scholarships as possible to try to relieve that financial pressure on my mom.” Olson is a super senior entering her fifth year at ��Vlog��ý little Rock with three majors. She could have graduated in 2018 with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and biology. During summer 2017, Olson went on a short-term study abroad trip to Spain led by Dr. Edna Delgado, professor of Spanish. They spent a week in Madrid, which Olson describes as the “New York City of Spain,” before spending a month living with a host family while taking classes at the University of Granada. “My homestay life was incredible,” she said. “I had such a delightful group of ladies and an adorable, feisty cat to spend my time with during meal times and downtime. I have the palate of a five-year-old, and yet I found myself opening up to the variety of foods cooked for me. I also had the nerve-wracking yet exciting daily opportunity to practice my conversational Spanish with my family, all of whom were very patient and understanding.” After discovering a love of the language and country, Olson decided to stay an additional year to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and to study abroad for a semester in Spain.

Erica Olson, of Gassville, Arkansas, received $2,500 from the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship program to study at the University of Granada: Center of Modern Languages in Spain during the fall semester. Photo by Ben Krain/��Vlog��ý Little Rock Communications.

“During and after my Spain experience, I kept thinking about how far I had come in my journey of learning Spanish and how much further I could and wished to continue,” she said. “Last summer, I was supposed to study for and take my MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) and start applying to different medical schools. However, I had a revelation. I realized how the study abroad experience had affected me. I didn’t want to jump into medical school, where there would be rigid limits with regrets of not taking advantage of the opportunity I so desired. I wanted to study abroad again with the same amazing program and in Spain again to continue my dream experience but in a fresh, new way.” Olson plans to attend the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She is already at home at ��Vlog��ýMS as a volunteer in the Intensive Care Unit and a research assistant in the Emergency Department. At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Olson is a member of the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps, University Science Scholars Program, Biology Club, American Chemical Society, Wesley Foundation and a resident assistant and student ambassador for the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences. Olson is also dedicated to helping other students get a head start in their careers. In 2017, she founded the university’s Pre-Health Club for students who are planning to work in the health industry as doctors, nurses, dentists, physical therapists, pharmacists, physician’s assistants, etc. She is hoping that her semester in Spain will improve her language skills enough so she can hold conversations with patients who only speak Spanish. “I came into college with the goal of becoming a physician who would be able to speak with patients in Spanish on at least a basic level,” she said. “This goal intensified when I would volunteer at ��Vlog��ýMS in the Intensive Care Unit, and I would come across families who only knew Spanish, and I wasn’t able to communicate with them and meet their needs most effectively. I would envision myself in the future as a physician and hope that I could bridge the gap between the communication barriers and make my patients feel more comfortable and understood. This inspired me even further to continue my Spanish education that was no requirement for any of my degrees. I am really excited to go back to Spain, get to visit new places, learn more about the languages, and be able to speak it more fluently. That’s my overall goal, so I can one day help patients, regardless if they can speak English or not.” For more information about study or interning abroad opportunities, contact the Office of Study Abroad at 501-569-3376 or studyabroad@ualr.edu.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock certificate program in workplace Spanish helps meet demand for bilingual workers

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 13:30:42 +0000

With a growing need for bilingual workers in the workforce, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has a certificate in workplace Spanish that enables workers to gain the language skills needed to engage Spanish speakers on the job. “We developed the certificate with students from other disciplines in mind, so that the certificate would help students in whatever profession they decide to pursue,” said Dr. Andrew Deiser, interim chair of the Department of World Languages. “It’s also for people in the community who want to gain an intermediate level of Spanish to use in their workplaces. They can have the certificate to show their employer that they have gained these language skills.” The, which began in 2016, is designed for working professionals who are looking to build a strong foundation in the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures, but may not have enough time to complete a degree. The certificate program is also a good fit for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students in academic programs that do not have enough flexible hours to complete a second major or minor in Spanish. “It’s attractive to students from a variety of disciplines. They can complete the certificate in just 15 hours, rather than a minor that is 18-21 hours,” Deiser said. “It’s attractive to professionals who may not want to earn a whole degree or even a minor, but who can come out with an intermediate level of Spanish-speaking ability to use in their careers. Not only are students gaining proficiency in Spanish, but we are also teaching them about Hispanic culture. Students are acquiring language skills as well as cultural competence.” The 15-hour certificate in the can be taken completely online. Traditional face-to-face classes are also available. Students who can demonstrate an appropriate level of proficiency in Spanish can enter the certificate program without taking Intermediate Spanish 1 and 2.

Dr. Andrew Deiser

The certificate program is a popular choice among healthcare professionals, remarked Deiser, who recalled that many nurses are entering the program so they can better communicate with Spanish-speaking patients. Students and professionals working in law, business, and criminal justice fields also find the certificate helpful. shows that the demand for bilingual workers in the United States more than doubled, with about 240,000 job postings aimed at bilingual workers in 2010 increasing to 630,000 postings in 2015. Lucee Lugo, a senior interdisciplinary studies major, is joining the certificate program in the fall to gain greater proficiency in the Spanish language. “I work as a patient care technician at Baptist Health, so speaking Spanish well is an asset. Having experience dealing with a second language is something that employers look for and can put you over the top when applying for a job. Since it’s only 15 credit hours, it’s a great chance to go ahead and get a certificate that will be of great value in the future.” Lugo, whose father is from Puerto Rico, said learning more Spanish will also help her connect with her Hispanic roots and the Hispanic community in her hometown of De Queen, Arkansas. “My dad is a pastor of a Hispanic church, and De Queen has a large Hispanic population,” she said. “Growing up, the Hispanic culture is something I really love. My dad is fluent, but I did not grow up speaking Spanish, so it gives me a chance to learn about my own culture.” For more information about the certificate in workplace Spanish, contact Dr. Deiser at 501-569-8158 or ajdeiser@ualr.edu.

Future doctor plans to use language skills to help people get better access to healthcare

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 10 May 2018 13:29:13 +0000

As a Spanish interpreter at the 12th Street Health and Wellness Center in Little Rock, Rebecca Parker Moreira sees the challenges medical professionals and patients face when they cannot communicate with each other. “In the medical field, there are very few bilingual doctors,” Moreira said. “I think it is very important to build a rapport with patients by speaking their native language. It’s a big barrier for healthcare providers to not be able to communicate with their patients. It’s also a hindrance for the patients to have access to healthcare.” Moreira will graduate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock May 12 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a second in Spanish. To improve her language skills in the medical field, Moreira took Advanced Spanish for the Health Professions during the spring 2016 semester. Students in the class get the opportunity to volunteer as Spanish interpreters at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (��Vlog��ýMS) 12th Street Health and Wellness Center, a free clinic. Moreira had such a positive experience at the 12th Street Clinic that she completed a two-semester internship, which gave her enough credits to earn a bachelor’s degree in Spanish. She was also elected to the Spanish interpreter coordinator position and is the only undergraduate student to serve on the clinic’s Student Board of Directors. “My experiences at the clinic motivated me to apply to medical school because I saw the need for Spanish-speaking physicians, and I realized how passionate I was about medicine,” she said. “I want other students to be able to receive the same benefits I have from volunteering, which is why I have worked diligently to facilitate a partnership between the interpreter program at the 12th Street Clinic and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Department of World Languages.” Moreira has always loved learning new languages. In high school, she studied Spanish and ancient Greek. Learning Spanish also helped her communicate with her high school sweetheart and future husband. “When we started dating in high school, my husband had just come to the U.S. a year before and didn’t speak a lot of English,” she said. “I felt like I would like to learn more Spanish so I could communicate with him better. It’s been really fun to be able to do that.” In addition to being a Spanish interpreter, Moreira is a Donaghey Scholar who works as a referee at Maumelle Soccer Club and a scribe at Anchorpoint Psychological Services. She recently received the American Institute of Chemistry Outstanding Graduating Senior in Chemistry award, the Undergraduate Research Award from the Department of Chemistry, and the Cervantes Outstanding Graduating Senior in Spanish Award from the Department of World Languages.

James Sellers and Rebecca Moreira admire chemistry beaker flasks they were awarded as recipients of the Department of Chemistry’s Outstanding Graduating Senior award. Photo by Ben Krain.

“��Vlog��ý Little Rock has been just the best experience that I could have hoped for at an undergraduate institution,” Moreira said. “Having the financial freedom through the Donaghey Scholars has been amazing. I have been able to help save up for medical school, and I have had a very broad education that I feel that I would not have been able to get at other institutions. Through the chemistry department, I have had opportunities to be involved in research that has shown me a whole other side to academia.” Moreira has conducted research with Dr. Tito Viswanathan, professor of chemistry, for two years. They are studying how a renewable resource-based waste product (woodchips) can be chemically modified to purify water from heavy metal contaminants. She was the recipient of an Undergraduate Research Signature Experience Award, which she used to present their research at the American Chemical Society national meeting in March. Moreira also presented her research at the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Research and Creative Works Expo, where she received first place in the Physical Science division and first place in the Life and Physical Science division. Moreira also received first place in the Service Work and Professional Application division for a presentation on her work with the 12th Street Clinic. Moreira has been admitted to the ��Vlog��ýMS College of Medicine Class of 2022, where she will also earn a Master of Public Health degree so she can learn more about the socioeconomic barriers patients face when trying to access healthcare. She plans to become a doctor and use her public health education and language skills to advocate for better healthcare for non-native English speakers. “I am thankful to the Spanish department for the opportunity to use the language skills I learned in my courses to benefit the community because it also gave me the experience and passion to attend medical school,” she said.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock students receive grants to study Arabic in Morocco

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 02 May 2018 14:18:10 +0000

Two University of Arkansas at Little Rock students have been awarded grants from the Middle Eastern Studies Program to study Arabic abroad this summer. Brenden Gammill, senior history major from Little Rock, and Natalie Doris, senior double major in English and Spanish from Little Rock, will both study Arabic at Qalam wa Lawh in Rabat, Morocco. Doris received a $2,000 grant toward her one-month trip and is particularly interested in learning more about the language since she traveled to Morocco once before. “I felt the language barrier between myself and the people I met when I traveled to Morocco with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Model Arab League a few semesters ago,” Doris said. “Even without being able to speak the language, I felt the generosity and beauty of the people who I encountered. From the experiences I had, I felt the desire to learn Arabic so that I could see more of the culture and reciprocate some of the kindness that was shown to me.” Doris, who will begin law school in the fall, also plans to use her improved language skills to serve as a legal advocate for immigrants. “I would love to be able to serve different communities as an attorney and an advocate,” she said. “I am from an Irish immigrant family, which has motivated me to explore immigration and human rights law. Learning Arabic would enable me to serve a larger immigrant community.” Gammill, who received a $2,500 grant and will travel abroad for two months, said the experience will help prepare him for his future career in foreign service. “I’ve focused much of my undergraduate career on learning about the Arab world and plan to work in foreign service someday,” Gammill said. “Arabic is a language that particularly interests me but also is particularly valuable in getting work in the U.S. State Department.”

Grad finds second chance at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 10 May 2017 13:41:10 +0000

After graduating high school in 2011, Denzel Jenkins thought he found the right fit. The Camden, Arkansas, native pursued a computer science degree at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with good career prospects. All seemed well for a couple of years until everything fell apart. “I was pretty much lost in Fayetteville,” Jenkins said. “I had bad experiences there, so I took a semester off. I really connected with God, and he showed me my passion, which is film.” Jenkins had a lifelong dream of working in filmmaking that he had previously ignored, but he got a second chance at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “I always imagined doing film in my mind, but I never pursued it. When I came here, it provided me the opportunity to pursue it,” he said. “Now I love everything about film. It starts out as an idea, but in order to get to it, you have to create it. You have to have the will, the heart, and the drive to bring it to life.” Jenkins is graduating with a double major in mass communication and Spanish. He was recently awarded the 2017 Cervantes Award for Outstanding Graduate in Spanish from the College of Arts, Letters and Sciences. He studied Spanish with the hope of being an international filmmaker able to tell stories about other cultures. “I wanted to do film in different countries, and that motivated me to learn Spanish and about other cultures,” Jenkins said. “I saw that Little Rock could offer me that.” During fall 2016, Jenkins put his Spanish skills to use by studying abroad at Universidad Veritas in San Jose, Costa Rica, where he took classes in Spanish, acting, multimedia, and documentary production. Even though he did not know how he was going to pay for the trip, Jenkins bought a plane ticket six months in advance. His faith paid off as Jenkins later received a $2,500 National Gilman Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and a $1,500 Trojans Travel Scholarship to help pay for his trip. While at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Jenkins gained film experience by creating videos for the Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Campus Life. He also worked as a resident assistant and volunteered at the Little Rock Film Festival. Jenkins created a documentary called, which won the Most Provocative Documentary Award at the 2016 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Film Festival. “When I was in Fayetteville, I was a firm believer in the American Dream,” he said. “With me failing, it made me believe that the American Dream is not real. It motivated me to do a documentary to ask people what they think about the American Dream.” Jenkins now views the idea of the American Dream as a concept that provides people with hope, but his desire to pursue his dreams now comes from a higher power. “I see the American Dream as an idea and a concept that people hold on to,” he said. “What I hold on to is God. He led me here to pursue the dreams that he destined for me.” After graduation, Jenkins is returning to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to pursue a master’s degree and study documentary filmmaking. Jenkins hopes to get a second chance in Fayetteville just like he got in Little Rock. “I feel like me going back there is providing me a second chance to meet the right people this time and to accomplish the right goals this time like I did at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” he said.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock student wins award to transcribe music of world-renowned Arkansas fiddle player

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 14:05:01 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student hopes to make the musical stylings of a famous Arkansas fiddle player easier to learn by identifying the unique elements of his signature music style. Emily Phillips, a junior majoring in anthropology and Spanish at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, received $2,000 from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education’s Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship for her project to transcribe the music and stylistic elements of “Fiddlin’ Banjo Billy Mathews.” Mathews is a world-renowned fiddle player known for his intricate and unique playing style. He has been performing for more than 40 years and has greatly contributed to the American folk music catalog. Under the supervision of her mentor, Dr. Juliana Flinn, professor of anthropology, Phillips, who is also a champion fiddle player, will transcribe Mathews’ recordings and identify unique elements of his music style on paper. Mathews began on the banjo and later learned to play the fiddle. Due to the influence of his banjo playing, he was able to mimic banjo techniques on the fiddle, such as “pull-offs,” “hammer-ons,” and “slides.” By transcribing these recordings, Phillips will be able to investigate how his style was influenced by the traditions of other regions and players. She will also see how his playing style differed from those who previously played the same tunes. Phillips will transcribe the audio recordings on the album, “500 Fiddle Tunes: Old-Time Archive,” using music transcription software. Her goal is to make Mathews’ songs and playing style more accessible for other players to emulate.

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