Haller finds her place in a new city

Wed, 06 Feb 2019 19:41:11 +0000

It’s hard to believe that junior web design and development major Leslie Haller ever found it difficult to find her place at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. As an ambassador for the university’s George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology, it’s hard to miss her on campus today. However, when Haller, a native of Blue Springs, Missouri, arrived in 2016, she knew no one on campus or in Little Rock and struggled to adapt to life in a new city. “My greatest challenge to overcome was branching out and accepting change. Moving to Little Rock by myself was a big change for me,” Haller said. “I found myself missing my parents and the life that I had in Blue Springs. There were times that I wished that I could just go back in time and not have to worry about all the changes that comes with becoming an independent adult.” After visiting the university’s counseling services, she quickly realized that she was living in her own “bubble” and set out to become more involved on campus. “At first, I had a hard time branching out and finding my place here. There were many different organizations and programs that I could join, but I wasn’t sure which would be the right one for me,” she said. “As an EIT Scholar, I was required to spent a lot of time in the EIT lab. I made a few friends who were EIT Ambassadors and after talking to them, I knew that I wanted to become an ambassador and represent the college.” Becoming an EIT Ambassador was only the first step in Haller’s journey to truly find her place on campus. In the spring of 2018, she was accepted for an internship at Team SI, a Little Rock- based digital marketing agency, where she continues to build a well-connected network and develop professionally in a city that only recently had still felt new and uncertain. During the fall 2018 semester, she also served as a resident assistant in South Hall after developing a passion for campus leadership. “Being involved on campus in leadership positions has really taught me a lot about being responsible and helping others,” Haller said. “Juggling school, being an ambassador and RA, and having an internship has not been and will not be easy. I know there will be long nights of hard work, but I believe that the experiences and things that I will learn will all pay off in the end.” After graduation, she plans to move again, this time equipped with the skills she needs to adapt to change and thrive in a new city. “I plan to move to a new state and start my career in web design and development after I graduate,” Haller said. “Even though Little Rock has opened many doors for me, I want to have the experience of living in another city and build my life from there. I think it is important to branch out and have new experiences in life instead of settling for the same thing you have always known. It really helps to shape who you are and exposes you to different experiences and lessons that you may not have had if you stayed in one area.” For any students who feel like they don’t have a place on campus or who may be afraid to reach out for assistance, Haller offers the following advice: “If I had one piece of advice for anyone, it would be to not be afraid to reach out and go outside of their comfort zone,” Haller said. “Having these opportunities to become involved on campus has given me ways to meet more people and strengthen important life skills. This helped me find my place here, and I’m sure it can help you too.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumnae publish book of stories of Arkansas rescue dogs

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 13:14:47 +0000

Grace Vest owes a lot to the many four-legged friends she has adopted and fostered over the years. The most memorable event for Vest, a 2015 mass communication graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, was a chance encounter that led to meeting her husband. “When I was 19, I rescued a dog called Rascal,” Vest said. “I went to Murray Park in Little Rock and met a guy with a rescue dog named Jake. Seven years later, we are married.” Now Vest, a marketing coordinator for, is sharing her love of dogs by creating a book, “Arkansas Rescue Dogs and Their Stories,” and donating a portion of the profits to animal rescue groups. Erin Wood, a fellow ��Vlog��ý Little Rock graduate and co-owner of, which specializes in books on local histories, emerging artists, and health and wellness, is publishing the book. Box Turtle, 2616 Kavanaugh Blvd. in Little Rock, will host a launch party during First Thursday Shop n’ Sip from 6-9 p.m. Nov. 2. Partygoers will have the opportunity to meet rescue dogs featured in the book and check out dogs available for adoption from. Another event will be hosted by Bark Bar, 1201 S. Spring St. in Little Rock, from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11.

Legacy of love

Vest’s father instilled in her from a young age a love of working with animals. “My dad would take us to shelters and teach us that happiness doesn’t come from extravagant trips,” she said. “You can get a rescue animal and bring it home.” After receiving some inspiration from “The Dogist,” a popular blog that photographs and documents the stories of dogs, Vest decided to write a book that documents the lives of rescue dogs in Arkansas. “This is the love story of my love for animals,” Vest said. “I’ve always volunteered at rescue organizations. I just wanted to find a special way to help dogs in need and show my passion. That is what inspired me to do this book.” Vest found a love of writing during her days at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock when she worked for Trojan Athletics and wrote for the university’s newspaper, The Forum. “My favorite thing about ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was the culture,” she said. “It was very laid back. I loved being involved in athletics, and all of my teachers were just amazing. I am still friends with many of them.” In October 2016, Vest put out a call for stories about rescue dogs on the Internet and received more than 560 submissions. As she was looking for a publisher, Emese Boone, the owner of Box Turtle, introduced Vest to Wood, who was immediately interested in joining the project. “I could tell that Grace was a go-getter and had a firm idea,” Wood recalled. “My best friend was a 138-pound bull mastiff, and I still miss him every day, five years after he passed away. I was moved reading the dogs’ stories.” Wood first got experience editing publications while working for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s literary magazine, “Quills and Pixels.” Wood’s professors were of great help with her graduate experience in the professional and technical writing program. One of her professors, Dr. George Jensen, former chair of the Department of Rhetoric and Writing, is also a partner in Et Alia Press. “The support and encouragement of the professors and graduates sticks with me,” Wood said. “I love maintaining those connections. We support each other in our pursuits.” Vest’s book includes heartwarming stories of dogs in Arkansas. There is the tale of Frankie, a dog found in a shopping center parking lot in Little Rock that would go on to become the first dog trained to detect thyroid cancer through a sniff of his nose. Steve and Judy Ostrowski adopted Rocky after Steve found him abandoned while deployed to Louisiana with the Arkansas National Guard after Hurricane Katrina. Tripp was fortunate enough to survive and be adopted by Anna Serpente after a puppy mill locked Tripp and other puppies in an abandoned school bus and left the animals to die. Priscilla Louise, a dog found abandoned in a box at 10 weeks old, grew up to be a therapy dog at Arkansas Children’s Hospital as part of the Therapeutic Animal Interventions Lifts Spirits (TAILS) program. Priscilla’s owner, Rennie Karnovich, moved to Phoenix in 2016 so Priscilla could work at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Vest and Wood hope that the book will inspire people to rescue, and adopt dogs, and to support rescue organizations in Arkansas. “I had nights where I would go to bed crying from some of these stories,” Vest said. “But they all have happy endings, and the dogs all ended up in good homes. I hope all the rescue dogs in Arkansas will go to loving homes.”

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

Haller finds her place in a new city

����Vlog��ý Little Rock alumnae publish book of stories of Arkansas rescue dogs

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

��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumnae publish book of stories of Arkansas rescue dogs