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

Bright named Co-Chair of NCTA Grants Committee

John Hill — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 16:32:10 +0000

Kim Bright, director of testing services at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, has been selected as a co-chair of the Grants Committee for the National College Testing Association. The Grants Committee offers opportunities for professional development, to promote the development of resources for NCTA members, to encourage professional support activities, and to support members of NCTA. The work of the committee includes the development of promotional materials, the review of grant applications, assisting applicants with improvements as needed, and providing information to the membership at the annual conference. “I’m delighted to help lead the Grants Committee at NCTA,” Bright said. “While I’ve served on several committees, this is the first one I’ve co-chaired. We accept and review grant applications and fund as many as we can. Once COVID is over, there will probably be a flurry of wondering how testing changed during COVID-19 and whether you will keep those changes. This research will probably be used as a resource for future organizations.” Bright has been a member of NCTA for five years, where she’s served on the website committee and NCTA recertification process committee. She also serves as treasurer of the Arkansas College Testing Association. A native of Wichita, Kansas, Bright joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2011 as director of the Academic Success Center, which houses two TRIO programs — Student Support Services and the Ronald McNair Scholars Program. Bright became the director of testing services in 2016. “Kim has been responsive to changes in the nature and volume of services requested of her unit over the past several years,” said Dr. Daryl Rice, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. “ She always puts students first. Her flexibility and the innovations she introduced during the pandemic are exemplary. She has presented regularly at the NCTA and stays in tune with best practices, so I’m not surprised that she has been selected by her peers as co-chair of the grants committee.” Bright earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Kansas Newman College — now Newman University — and a master’s degree in adult occupational/continuing education from Kansas State University. She previously served as dean of student services at Lamar Community College in Lamar, Colorado. Prior to that she was dean of students at Chadron State College in Nebraska, where she coordinated the school’s Learning Center, TRiO Project Strive, and Upward Bound programs. From 2005 to 2008, Bright was director of academic advising and student records for the Cox School of Business at SMU in Dallas.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock receives $2.1 million grant to help low-income, first-generation, and college students with disabilities

John Hill — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 16:30:48 +0000

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded the University of Arkansas at Little Rock a $2.1 million, five-year grant that will help more students succeed and graduate from college. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock is committed to providing an affordable and high-quality education for everyone who wishes to make their dream of a college education a reality,” said Chancellor Christina Drale. “We are pleased that the U.S. Department of Education has recognized our commitment to student success and the extraordinary work of our Student Support Services program. The program’s success is a credit to the hard work and determination of its participants and the dedicated educators who are working to close the education gap and make college accessible for all students.” The $2,137,725 grant will support the university’s Student Support Services (SSS) program, which provides resources to undergraduate college students who are low-income, first-generation, and/or have a disability. This year’s grant includes the addition of a success coordinator who will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing all aspects of student success, including coordinating tutoring services, maintaining relationships with other departments on campus to assist students with career and internship placements, developing interview skills, conducting career assessments, and conducting the Career Academy, which includes a series of workshops on financial literacy and career readiness. SSS is a federally funded TRiO program that provides opportunities for academic development, assists students with basic college requirements, and serves to increase participants’ academic success and help them persist to graduation. It provides services to assist students in adjusting to college and support them from enrollment through graduation with a bachelor’s degree at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “TRIO Student Support Services provides services annually to 260 eligible ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students,” said Desarae Nelson, director of Student Support Services. “SSS helps motivate students toward the successful completion of their post-secondary education. The goal of the program is to increase participants’ college persistence, support them through graduation, and facilitate the transition from one level of higher education to the next.” Since the coronavirus pandemic began in March, SSS has continued to provide services via Blackboard, NetTutor, and virtual advising and wellness checks. This semester, services are available online and by appointment.

��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.

��Vlog��ýLR introduces Student Success Workshop Series

Jenny Lambert — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 15:35:26 +0000

Departments across the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have teamed up to create a series of workshops aimed at helping students succeed in their college careers. The Student Success Workshop Series is sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Academic Advising, the federally funded TRiO programs Student Support Services and Ronald E. McNair, ��Vlog��ýLR Works, and Cooperative Education Internship and Career Services. “This workshop series is like an extension of First Year Experience and Academic Advising,” said Trakenya Dobbins, interim director of the Office of Undergraduate Academic Advising. “We have what we like to call ‘campus experts’ to lead the workshops, and they inform students on how to navigate campus in general.” Elivia Wafford, First Year Experience instructor and Yvette Palmer, academic advisor, will be spearheading the workshop “What is my Major? Career Exploration and Goals” from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, and Friday, Jan. 20, in Room 205 D of the Donaghey Student Center. Throughout this workshop, students will learn how to write SMART, or specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely goals. They will be given the opportunity to explore ��Vlog��ýLR majors amongst instructors and peers while also learning their SHAPE, or skills, heart, abilities, personality and experiences. “Before these students leave this workshop, they will learn how to officially declare their major on campus,” Dobbins said. The next workshop, “Who Am I Really? Study Strategies for College Success,” will be hosted from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, and Friday, Jan. 27, in Donaghey Student Center Room 205 D. These sessions will be led by Brandon Scott, academic mentor and administrative specialist of the federally funded TRiO program Student Support Services. In this workshop, students will complete three Myers Briggs assessments that target their personalities, best learning styles, and brain dominance. After completing the assessments, the instructor will explain how the results contribute to the best way to study at the college level. Also in this session, students will learn how to effectively read textbooks, take notes, and study for college exams. The final workshop of January will be “How Can I Get More Money for College? Financing your College Education.” This session will take place from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, in Donaghey Student Center Room 205 D. During this session, representatives from ��Vlog��ýLR Financial Aid and Scholarships will introduce students to scholarships offered by ��Vlog��ýLR and help students to find scholarships and grants in Arkansas and the U.S. Students will be provided an overview of ��Vlog��ýLR financial aid along with instructions on how to write a scholarship essay. This workshop series will be held every Tuesday and Friday until March 31. For more information, contact Trakenya Dobbins at tgdobbins@ualr.edu or 501.569.8430.

��Vlog��ýLR student veteran plans career in health education in honor of family

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 15:29:42 +0000

When Fernandez Evans graduates from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Dec. 17, his thoughts will be on his mother who passed away shortly after he was accepted to ��Vlog��ýLR. “As I carried the grief of my mother Katrena Evette Thomas into my university years, the one thing I regret is that my mom did not get to see me graduate,” said Evans, 22, of Maumelle, Arkansas. Evans will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in health education and promotion. In January, he will start graduate school at ��Vlog��ýLR with the goal of one day becoming a professor of health education at ��Vlog��ýLR. Evans is especially grateful for his mentors in the ��Vlog��ýLR School of Counseling, Human Performance and Rehabilitation, Dr. Britney Finley and Dr. Janea Snyder, for helping with his studies. “I want to thank them for always supporting and guiding me in the right direction in this field, because I want to be just like them. They are my idols,” Evans said. Although his mother will not be able to see him graduate, he will be reunited with the older sister he has not seen in over a year and a half. Evans thinks it is fitting that his sister, Vashanti Williams, will see him graduate, since she is the one who inspired him to become a teacher. “My big sister is a teacher for people with special education in Pine Bluff,” he said. “I have wanted to be a teacher since junior high. It is going to be very emotional to meet up and celebrate an accomplishment like this.”

Facing challenges

Evans has faced many challenges on his path to higher education. He is a five-year member of the Arkansas National Guard, serving as a radio operator and communications specialist. “In my unit, I am the man in the middle who has a backpack and a phone and is telling you what the orders are,” he said. “I’m like the guy in the movies who tells you when an airstrike is coming.” During his time in the National Guard, Evans’ squad leader, Sgt. First Class Charles Beck, became like a father to him. Sadly, Beck passed away from stomach cancer in May 2015. “He was not my biological father, but he was the only father figure in my life,” he said. “He was my squad leader and a great man. He was very respectful, and he always taught me to just stay on the right path and be kind to everyone.” After the loss of his father figure, Evans’ grades slipped. However, he found support in his best friend, John Barnes, and through ��Vlog��ýLR Student Support Services. “All of our professors have motivated me, but I have to shout out to Student Support Services in the TRIO programs,” Evans said. “They always made me feel like I am never alone. Ms. Julie Shelby always helped me.”

Giving back

Going into health education, Evans has always felt an urge to help others. During his internship, Evans was able to work at a wellness center in Atlanta, Georgia, to spread awareness of HIV and work on a suicide prevention hotline for African American gay men. During his internship, Evans is thankful he met a fellow advocate, Randall Whipple, who helped him come to terms with his own identity as an African American gay man. “Randall helped me realize that there is nothing wrong with my sexuality, and he helped me realize that I make my own happiness.” As he thinks about the many people in his life who have helped him reach this point, Evans has a special message for the person who inspired him the most. “Thank you, Mom. You were afraid as I grew up that I would not make friends. You were afraid that I was not going to get out in the world and live,” Evans said. “I am living, I have friends, and I have a life that you would be proud of.”

��Vlog��ýLR names new director of TRIO programs

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 20:59:18 +0000

In 2014, Dr. Ge Chen left behind her dream job as the senior administrator and executive director of TRIO programs at the University of Texas at Austin. Her only child, Cindy Gandhi, was working at a very intense medical residency program. So Chen retired, packed up, and moved to Little Rock to help Cindy with her three young children. Two years later, Chen’s daughter is a successful surgeon working at the Veteran Affairs office in Little Rock, and Chen is getting a second chance to work with first-generation and underrepresented students through the TRIO program. “I carry so much pride and passion for TRIO students,” she said. “This is a very diverse and talented student population, but also the population that faces formidable challenges and obstacles. With support and resources, these students can succeed and achieve their academic goals and personal dreams and become leaders of the future.” Chen began work as the new director of ��Vlog��ýLR’s TRIO, Student Support Services, and McNair Scholars programs on June 1. TRIO is a set of federally-funded college opportunity programs, including ��Vlog��ýLR’s Student Support Services and McNair Scholars Program, that motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds in their pursuit of a college degree. Student Support Services provides academic tutoring, personal counseling, mentoring, financial guidance, and other support necessary for the completion of a bachelor’s degree. The McNair Scholars program is a TRIO program with the goal of supporting undergraduate students who would like to attend graduate school and pursue their doctorate degree. ��Vlog��ýLR has approximately 260 undergraduate students participating in Student Support Services and 26 students in the McNair Scholars program. “I still have a lot to learn to be able to serve the programs and the participants effectively,” Chen said. “I want to reach out and connect with all the departments and offices at ��Vlog��ýLR so we can bring comprehensive resources to the programs and the students. I also want to learn and find opportunities to further enhance our services and maximize student learning.” Chen holds a bachelor’s degree from Northeast Normal University in the Jilin Province of China. She worked as an English instructor and director of exchange programs at Northeast Normal University in China before moving to Arkansas to pursue a graduate degree. She earned a master’s degree in secondary education and a doctorate in education in curriculum and instruction from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. After graduation, she worked as a TRIO Upward Bound coordinator at Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas. Since then, she has devoted her knowledge and expertise serving underrepresented students by improving access to higher education and promoting academic advancement. In her most recent position at the University of Texas at Austin, Chen oversaw seven student success programs. She brings extensive experience and skills in leadership, program development, budgeting, assessment, and grant writing. In addition to being a proud mother and grandmother, Chen is also an avid pingpong player, gardener, and fan of classical music. As a Chinese American, she is actively involved in promoting culture and traditions in the local Asian and Chinese communities.

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

Bright named Co-Chair of NCTA Grants Committee

����Vlog��ý Little Rock receives $2.1 million grant to help low-income, first-generation, and college students with disabilities

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

����Vlog��ýLR introduces Student Success Workshop Series