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

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio Honors New Board Members, Outstanding Volunteer

John Hill — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 13:39:49 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio, home of K��Vlog��ýR FM 89.1 and KLRE Classical 90.5, honored its new board members and one of its most active volunteers during the Nov. 18 annual meeting at the Bailey Alumni and Friends Center at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. The evening was attended by public radio friends who enjoyed a jazz performance by Rodney Block, voted on new members to the Friends of KLRE/K��Vlog��ýR Board, and celebrated the recipient of the 2022 Beverly Ann Lacefield Award. They also listened to a dual interview with author Janis Kearney about her book, “Only on Sundays: Mahalia Jackson’s Long Journey” and K��Vlog��ýR’s News Director Michael Hibblen about the state of local news and reporting in central Arkansas. The Friends of KLRE/K��Vlog��ýR Board serves as a non-governing, advisory organization to support fundraising and volunteer activities for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio. The new board members who will serve three-year terms from 2023 to 2025 include Stephanie Alderdice, president of 61 Celsius; Jay Barth, director of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum; Lamar Davis, counsel at Wright, Lindsey & Jennings; Kevin Jones, retired correctional officer; Eric McDaniel, senior manager at Acxiom; Kathleen McDonald, regulatory and compliance officer at Aristotle Unified Communications; and Ruth Sheppard, retired executive director of Just Communities of Arkansas. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio would also like to thank Board Members Bobbye Levy, Amanda Moore, and Quinten Whiteside who are concluding their service after six years on the board.

Author Janis Kearney speaks about her book, “Only on Sundays: Mahalia Jackson’s Long Journey” and K��Vlog��ýR’s News Director Michael Hibblen talks about the state of local news and reporting in central Arkansas during a ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio event.

Additionally, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio honored Kevin Jones, a volunteer of more than a decade, with the 2022 Beverly Ann Lacefield Award. It was created in 2001 to honor an individual for exceptional service to public radio in central Arkansas in memory and honor of a previous staff member Beverly Ann Lacefield. “Over the years, Kevin has provided support and encouragement to volunteers and staff during early morning fundraisers,” said Grace Zafasi, membership director for KLRE/K��Vlog��ýR. “In gratitude, we congratulate Kevin for his service and recognize the invaluable time he has shared with us.”

Zafasi Named Membership Director at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio

John Hill — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 12:59:20 +0000

Grace Zafasi, a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been named the new membership director for . ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio is the home of K��Vlog��ýR FM 89.1 and KLRE Classical 90.5 and serves as the region’s NPR news and information provider. Housed within the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio is a public service unit of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock where university students gain professional experience by working as interns and part-time staff members. “So far my job at K��Vlog��ýR and KLRE has been a really cool experience,” Zafasi said. “I’ve learned a lot about the importance of being an NPR affiliate station and being connected to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock puts us in a great position. Our newsroom is nicely connected with university departments, and every year we get wonderful students who serve as interns for our radio stations and get a chance to see what it’s like to work in a newsroom.” In her new role, Zafasi is responsible for membership services, donor relations, organizing the annual fund drives, event planning, and working with Friends of KLRE/K��Vlog��ýR. With a listenership of about 80,000 people per week, Zafasi is dedicated to showing the community the value of public radio. “Individual donors make up over 50 percent of our revenue, which helps us to independently report on stories, companies, and organizations without any ethical conflict,” she said. “Radio is a very unique platform. I am trying to encourage everyone to see the value of public radio. In a state like Arkansas, people like to know what is happening in their local communities.” Zafasi joins ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio from Mental Health America of Ohio, where she served as coordinator of the Franklin County Suicide Prevention Coalition and manager of support groups. She has also previously worked as coordinator of residence education at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. She earned a bachelor’s degree in social work and master’s degree in social work from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Zafasi and her wife, Alison Zafasi, an oncology and hematology nurse at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, live in Little Rock with their dog Ella.

Hibblen, Breen Take Home Diamond Journalism Awards for K��Vlog��ýR

John Hill — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 19:27:18 +0000

The 2022 Diamond Journalism Awards, hosted by the Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, honored reporters in states throughout the region on June 30. The competition was for journalism that was broadcast or published. Shining through as finalists were K��Vlog��ýR’s News Director Michael Hibblen and local Morning Edition Host and Reporter Daniel Breen, and featured the following stories: Category: Explanatory Reporting- Radio/Audio Title: Credit: Michael Hibblen The interview aired on K��Vlog��ýR’s Not Necessarily Nashville on June 28, 2021. Category: Politics- Radio/Audio & TV/Video Title: Credit: Daniel Breen Breen’s story aired nationwide on NPR’s All Things Considered on May 7, 2021. Category: Politics- Radio/Audio & TV/Video Title: Credit: Michael Hibblen The report aired on K��Vlog��ýR on Sept. 7, 2021.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio to Air 100th Episode of Arts & Letters

John Hill — Thu, 26 May 2022 20:08:34 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio will air its 100th episode of the fan-favorite program, Arts & Letters, this week. The episode, which features writer, director, and producer Harry Thomason, will air at 7 p.m. Friday, May 27, and 9 p.m. Sunday, May 29, on K��Vlog��ýR 89.1. “We are so happy to be able to present our 100th episode filled with true tales and Arkansas adventures,” said J. Bradley Minnick, executive producer and host of Arts & Letters and an associate professor of English at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “This milestone show is dedicated to retired ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Joel Anderson and is in memory of former K��Vlog��ýR station manager, Ben Fry.” In the 100th episode, Thomason discusses his memoir, “Brother Dog: Southern Tales and Hollywood Adventures.” Thomason shares stories from his childhood in Calhoun County, Arkansas, and his start in directing and producing. Told with humor, grit, and an open heart, Thomason’s memoir shares his small-town, working-class childhood in the late 1940s, 50s and 60s. Since the early 1970s, Thomason has been one of the best-known Southerners working in Hollywood. He has directed, written, or produced 11 films and eight television series. His credits include “The Shining Season,” “The Blue and the Gray,” and “The Fall Guy.” Together with his wife, Linda Bloodworth Thomason, he also produced the hit CBS TV series, “Designing Women” and “Evening Shade.” Founded in 2014, the award-winning Arts & Letters is in its eighth season and celebrates contemporary humanities work from Arkansas, the mid-south, and beyond. Over the years, the show has featured popular and controversial Arkansas historical figures like John Gould Fletcher, Orval Faubus, Sue Cowan Williams, Helen Spence, Sen. Hattie Wyatt Caraway, Johnny Cash, and Albert Porter. Music is also at the heart of Arts & Letters. Their partnership with amazing musicians and sound engineers helps bring the stories to life for their listeners. Over the years, they’ve worked with musical groups Still on the Hill, Folk Family Revival, the Mallet Brothers, Radio Birds, and Handmade Moments, and many more. The Arts & Letters crew includes Minnick, Mary Ellen Kubit, story editor and producer, and Joseph Fuller, sound engineer. The Arts & Letters staff will celebrate with a Zoom event, “From Arkansas to Hollywood,” at 8 p.m. Friday, June 10. The Zoom event will feature live music from Jesse Wells of Welles, a visit with Harry Thomason, and the technical wizardry of Joseph Fuller of Orchestra of One. “This has been a fantastic journey that continues to engage and inspire us with story and music,” Minnick said. “We’re just getting started.”

Patel Joins K��Vlog��ýR as Political and Government Affairs Reporter

John Hill — Fri, 20 May 2022 13:30:49 +0000

Ronak Patel has joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio as the new political and governmental affairs reporter for , a National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate. His duties include covering Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s administration as well as the Arkansas General Assembly, members of the state’s U.S. congressional delegation, local politics, and election coverage. “We’re excited to have Ronak with us,” said Michael Hibblen, news director for K��Vlog��ýR. “He brings a strong journalism background to K��Vlog��ýR and is part of a steady expansion of the staff of the newsroom which will enable us to do even more original reporting. He has good news instincts and is a strong writer.” A graduate of Little Rock Central High School, Patel attended the University of Central of Arkansas (UCA), where he graduated with a major in English and a minor in journalism in 2021. He got interested in journalism while working for UCA’s student newspaper, the Echo. “I saw the student newspaper, the UCA Echo, needed staff writers, and they were open to volunteers who weren’t journalism majors,” Patel said. “I did that my junior year and really enjoyed it. I changed my minor to journalism. During my senior year of college, it was the 2020 election, and I had political reporting. The professor did a great job of talking about politics, and that made me interested in going into political journalism.” As a student, Patel also reported on a state legislator requesting syllabi from UCA, a report that won a second-place award for in-depth reporting from the Arkansas College Media Association. Since graduating, he’s landed positions at the Southwest Times Record and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Despite his experience in print, Patel has always been a fan of broadcast and figured he would wind up working in broadcast eventually. “While I started off in print, I knew that I would have to venture out of print with the way the industry is changing,” Patel said. “I took a broadcast class at UCA, and I was always a fan of NPR. Steve Inkeep of NPR was always one of my favorite political reporters.” Since starting at K��Vlog��ýR, Patel said his favorite story has been an , George W. Donaghey Distinguished Professor of History at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, about his new biography, “Winthrop Rockefeller: From New Yorkers to Arkansawyer, 1912-1956.” “I’ve always been a big fan of Rockefeller, and I love reading about history,” Patel said. “Getting to talk to someone who is an expert on what Rockefeller did for the state and who he was as a person is interesting. I think a lot of people forget the impact that Winthrop had on the state, and it’s interesting to share that history with our Arkansas listeners about a figure who gets overlooked sometimes.” Outside of work, Patel enjoys watching basketball, either the Milwaukee Bucks or the UCA Bears, and playing video games. He also serves as a board member for the Society of Professional Journalists and encourages people to support local news. “I would encourage people to pay more attention to local politics and local news,” Patel said. “I used to only look at national news, but it’s important to learn about what is going on in your community. It’s cool to read feature stories that you can’t always get from a national news organization.”

Miller Earns Double Bachelor’s Degrees at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Wed, 11 May 2022 13:19:21 +0000

Student journalist Remington Miller has made her mark at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and now she is taking her next step in her career as a journalist. Miller is graduating May 14 with bachelor’s degrees in English and mass communication with an emphasis in journalism as well as a minor in race and ethnicity. “I am equal parts terrified and excited about graduating,” Miller said. “I came straight from high school to college, and I also know through ��Vlog��ý Little Rock I’ve had so many opportunities and internships and great professors that I will be able to go out into the world and be successful no matter what I do.” While Miller always planned to major in mass communication, her decision to pursue a second major in English was the first of many unexpected surprises from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “I had taken a test and received a score that indicated an aptitude for English,” Miller said. “Professor Kris McAbee emailed me before I started college to see if I was interested in the English program. She helped me pick out classes, find scholarships, and decide if English would work with mass communication. The support I got before I even got to campus is what convinced me that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was a great idea.” Miller thanked Dr. Tim Edwards and Sonny Rhodes, mass communication professors, as well as English professors Dr. Kris McAbee and Dr. Laura Barrio-Vilar for serving as inspirational professors during her time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “They were phenomenal influences and inspired me to keep learning,” Miller said. “They are highlights of this university and helped to make or break my experience as a student.” Miller has worked at , ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s student newspaper, for years, serving as a reporter and entertainment editor. This semester, Miller received a third-place award for review writing from the Arkansas College Media Association. Last year, Miller was selected for the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation’s (ANF) summer internship program and interned at the Daily Record over the summer. The ANF supports Arkansas newspapers by sponsoring college students to intern at newspapers over the summer to gain real-world journalism experience. Her time at the Daily Record was followed with an internship at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio during the fall 2021 semester. Miller now works as a part-time reporter at K��Vlog��ýR. In addition to her journalism activities, Miller was also a member of the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps, the William G. Cooper Jr. Honors Program in English, and a peer mentor for the Office of Student Retention Initiatives. As a Little Rock native, Miller is passionate about providing better information to the community where she grew up. After graduation, she aspires to be an investigative reporter in the Little Rock area. “My advice is to get involved at your university,” Miller said. “That doesn’t just mean join a club and don’t show up. It makes a difference to go and make connections. Take advantage of the resources we have. We have a great food pantry, career closet, and counseling services. These resources are there for you and will go to waste if you don’t use them.”

Transfer Student Spotlight on Coyunna Jones

John Hill — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 13:35:44 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock is highlighting some of its outstanding transfer students in celebration of , Oct. 18-22. Coyunna Jones is a mass communication major and student-athlete who transferred from Indian River State College. What is your hometown? I’m from Chicago, Illinois. Why did you decide to transfer to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I decided to transfer to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock due to a swimming/diving scholarship. I recently transferred from Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, Florida. I was also on a diving scholarship there as well. What is your major, and what do you plan to do after graduation? My major is Mass Communications and Journalism. After graduation, I plan on continuing my education at Louisiana State University where I will be studying Sports Journalism. What is special about being a transfer college student? Being a transfer student is very special because you are exposed to different cultures. Why did you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I chose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock because this university felt like home. Also, my teammates made me feel so welcomed. There are so many opportunities in my field. What opportunities have you gotten through ��Vlog��ý Little Rock that you might not have had otherwise? The opportunities that I have gotten through ��Vlog��ý Little Rock are internship opportunities. I had the opportunity to work for the Athletics department with camera work. I am also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. I am currently at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio where I am getting on-air experience. Some of my opportunities are attending collegiate sporting events; gathering information, writing coverage, and conducting interviews; covering sports-related news on games, events, teams, schools, athletes, and fans; interviewing players for pregame and postgame coverage; attending press conferences, pursuing news stories, and reporting breaking news without bias; and working with sports editors and videographers to generate story ideas and feature articles.

Transfer Student Spotlight on Maddie Becker

John Hill — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 16:52:17 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock is highlighting some of its outstanding transfer students in celebration of , Oct. 18-22. Maddie Becker is a senior mass communication major and intern at who transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock from ASU Beebe. What is your hometown? I’m from Colorado Springs, Colorado, but I’ve lived in Jacksonville, Arkansas, for most of my life. My dad was in the United States Air Force and was stationed here when I was five. He ended up retiring here so I’ve spent most of my life in Arkansas. Tell us about yourself. I’m 22 years old and the oldest of five children. I’m a senior at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I’m a writer for The Forum. I work two jobs while being a full-time student. I work full-time at Subway and part-time at Tacos 4 Life. In my free time, I like to do DIY projects, go hiking, bake, listen to podcasts, work out, and hangout with family and friends. I love to travel and would love to have a career that allows me to travel. Why did you decide to transfer to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I decided to transfer to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock because it was close to home and the commute wasn’t bad. I didn’t want to go somewhere that would require me to be far from home. I also like that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is in Little Rock.. I feel like there are endless opportunities all around us. I also knew people who went to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock before I transferred, and they kept telling me about the professors and how they truly want you to succeed and they will do anything they can to help you. That pretty much sold me. During my time here, I’ve experienced that with many of my professors. What is your major, and what do you plan to do after graduation? I’m majoring in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Journalism. After graduation, I am open to any areas in communications but I would love to work in radio. My ultimate goal is to have my own radio show down the road. What is special about being a transfer college student? I transferred from Arkansas State University in Beebe, and transferring has opened up scholarship opportunities. What opportunities have you gotten through ��Vlog��ý Little Rock that you might not have had otherwise? When I transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, I started writing for The Forum, and that is what ultimately led me to the internship I have now at K��Vlog��ýR. And the internship I have at K��Vlog��ýR has led me to my internship at The Ronald McDonald House next semester. I truly believe if I wasn’t at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock I wouldn’t have gotten these opportunities, and I couldn’t be more thankful!

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio Receives Anonymous $1.5 Million Donation

John Hill — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 15:07:06 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Public Radio, home of K��Vlog��ýR FM 89.1 and KLRE Classical 90.5, is closing its annual fall fund drive off on a high note with an anonymous donation of $1.5 million, the largest cash gift in ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio history. “This gift is a wonderful testament to the impact of public radio,” said Nathan Vandiver, general manager of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio. “The generosity of this anonymous gift is considerable. On behalf of the staff and listeners of KLRE and K��Vlog��ýR, I want to say a heartfelt thanks to the donor. The stations will use this gift to strengthen and expand their services as the region’s NPR news and information provider, classical music radio station, and as a local and regional news organization.” The anonymous gift comes on the final day of the drive and represents 10 times the drive’s fundraising goal of $150,000. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio also raised $100,000 by 8 a.m. Oct. 8, bringing the drive’s running fundraising total to $1.6 million. More than 80,000 people listen to K��Vlog��ýR and KLRE every week. Housed within the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio is a public service unit of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. University students gain professional experience by working as interns and part-time staff members who take part in all aspects of KLRE and K��Vlog��ýR operations with a specific focus on news reporting and broadcast production. “We are elated at this news,” said Dr. Sarah Beth Estes, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education. “The staff of KLRE/K��Vlog��ýR work tirelessly to provide quality news, programs, and music to central Arkansas. This operational gift ensures the continuity of these efforts and underscores their essentiality.”

Mary Waldo, a former K��Vlog��ýR staff member, right, reacts in joy with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio General Manager Nathan Vandiver, left, after learning of a $1.5 million dollar gift to the station. Photo by Ben Krain.

The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio Operating Endowment will provide an ongoing stream of operating funds to support the public radio stations for generations to come. The endowment is expected to provide around $60,000 per year to support the reporting, music, and cultural programming on central Arkansas’s two public radio stations. “This generous endowment provides both stability and a steady revenue source that allows us to plan for the future of K��Vlog��ýR and KLRE,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. “This anonymous donation will leave a lasting impact on public radio in our community for years to come.” K��Vlog��ýR 89.1 is a National Public Radio affiliate and has been here to report on the COVID-19 pandemic, the rollout of vaccines, the huge economic challenges, the contentious election process, the great disruptions to education, the renewed focus on justice and equity, and much more. KLRE Classical 90.5 is Arkansas’s only classical FM radio station and continues to offer listeners a reliable, welcoming oasis of inspiration, peace, and joy.

Jones Honored with Three Scholarships, Two Internships

John Hill — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 13:55:05 +0000

Christine Jones, of Cabot, is a blogger, writer, editor, and graduate student in the Professional and Technical Writing Program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Jones stays busy, working as a graduate assistant in communications for the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education Dean’s Office while also interning as a web reporter for K��Vlog��ýR 89.1 FM this summer. She also currently serves as vice president of the Graduate Student Association, senator at large on the Student Government Association, as well as a member of the Academic Integrity Grievance Committee (AIGC) and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). “It just looks like I’m managing it all. I thrive in situations where I have a lot to do,” Jones said. “My advice for other ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students is to go at your own pace. Do whatever it is you feel that you can do. Don’t take on more than you think you can handle. My most serious piece of advice is write everything down and cross it off as you get it done.” Jones’ achievements have been celebrated over the spring semester through three scholarships at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock totaling nearly $5,000. They include the Clarence and Judy Albers Quality Writing Scholarship, the Douthit Scholarship/Summer Internship for K��Vlog��ýR Public Radio, and the LULAC/JCA Scholarship. “I was blown away by getting all these scholarships. I wasn’t prepared,” Jones said. “I was really blown away when I found out about the LULAC Scholarship. I really am proud that this scholarship will allow me to represent my culture and university at the same time.” Two of the scholarships also come with internships that will provide Jones with valuable experience. In the fall, Jones will intern with Just Communities of Arkansas. She is currently spending the summer as an intern at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio. “I’m learning a lot. I’m still nervous about putting my voice on the radio,” she said. “I do like the research and writing part of the job, and I do like retraining my mind to go back to journalism. I wrote for The Forum as an undergrad.” Jones also serves as one of the co-chairs of the new ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Racial Barriers Committee. “Right now we are working on introducing ourselves to the campus and establishing ourselves,” she said. “We want to be a place where a student can come to feel safe. There will be a meet and greet event in September that will give the campus an opportunity to meet us and ask us questions.” After earning her associate degree at Arkansas State University-Beebe, Jones transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to continue her education. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock was my first choice in undergraduate studies,” Jones said. “It suited me in terms of location and flexibility with my schedule. I was a single mom of two kids at the time. When I decided it was time to go for my master’s degree, a ��Vlog��ý Little Rock ad popped up on my social media feed for professional and technical writing. I was already writing for a career. I wanted to get the credit and the representation I deserve. I also hope to get a higher paying job in the future with this degree.” Since graduating with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication in 2018, Jones has worked as a writer and editor for companies like Inuvo, Inc., Team SI, and The Heritage Company. Jones lives in Cabot with her husband Mike, two cats, three children, and four dogs. She plans to graduate with her master’s degree in 2022. Afterward, she would like to work as a writer and editor for a technology company. She credits Drs. Heidi Harris, Cynthia Nahrwold, and Barbara L’Eplattenier from the Department of Rhetoric and Writing as professors who have made a difference in her life. “Dr. Harris is my advisor, and I love her to pieces. She’s very fun and very relaxed,” Jones said. “Dr. Nahrwold and Dr. L’Eplattenier have been great mentors. The two of them are so motivating. They care so much that it was easy to want to do well in their classes. I really appreciated their guidance.”

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

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio Honors New Board Members, Outstanding Volunteer

Zafasi Named Membership Director at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio

Hibblen, Breen Take Home Diamond Journalism Awards for K����Vlog��ýR

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio to Air 100th Episode of Arts & Letters

Patel Joins K����Vlog��ýR as Political and Government Affairs Reporter

Miller Earns Double Bachelor’s Degrees at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock