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

Mother and daughter graduate ��Vlog��ýLR together

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 16 May 2016 16:59:34 +0000

When Pamala Stanley graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on May 14, she didn’t have to look far to find the smiling face of a family member. Stanley’s 23-year-old daughter, Arial King, was up on stage with her, graduating with a degree in speech communication, while Stanley earned a degree in interdisciplinary studies with a certificate in nonprofit leadership studies. As a single mother raising two daughters, Stanley has always taught her children the value of education. “I wanted a better life for myself and my children,” said Stanley, research assistant for the College of Education and Health Professions at ��Vlog��ýLR. “I didn’t want them to just go out into the world. I wanted them to be prepared for the world with education.” Already a 1999 graduate of New Tyler Barber College, Stanley also earned an associate degree from Pulaski Technical College in 2004. The same year, Stanley had the opportunity to work in a temporary position at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences that she came to love. Without a bachelor’s degree, she could not be permanently hired for that position. That experience led to Stanley’s desire for a four-year degree. Once she began working at the ��Vlog��ýLR Department of Psychology, Stanley enrolled as an undergraduate student in 2006. For the next 10 years, Stanley took a couple classes every semester, gradually earning her degree while working full time and raising two daughters. “I think it has been a long road,” Stanley said. “With God’s help and me stepping out on faith as far as raising my children and getting an education, I did it. I think it’s a big accomplishment.”

A family affair

While Stanley was attending ��Vlog��ýLR, her oldest daughter, Arial King, also started college after graduating No. 8 in her class at Hall High School in 2011. “My mom instilled the importance of education in me,” King said. “When I was in school, we had to have A’s. No C’s or D’s. That was not acceptable at all when I was in school. When I got my first B in high school, I cried because I thought I was going to be in trouble.” King didn’t need to worry. “My mom said it was OK,” King said. “She said you can make a B every once in a while, but no C’s.” After two years at Arkansas Tech University, King transferred to ��Vlog��ýLR in 2013. She graduated with a degree in speech communication in the same ceremony as her mother. “It’s different to graduate at the same time as my mom,” King said. “I guess I can share the shine, since a lot of people don’t get this opportunity.”

Post-graduation plans

King recently got engaged and moved to Atlanta to be with her fiancé. Like her mother, King wants to work for a nonprofit agency that helps children. Stanley dreams of one day starting her own nonprofit agency to help women reclaim their lives. “With me and my daughter graduating, I think it will be a big encouragement for other single parents to graduate,” Stanley said. “I encourage them not to give up. You have to be strong for you and your children.” In the upper right photo, Arial King (left) hugs her mother, Pamala Stanley (right), during their graduation from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock May 14 at Jack Stephens Center.

70-year-old ��Vlog��ýLR grad fulfills lifelong dream

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 13 May 2016 15:28:07 +0000

Every couple of years, Phillip Bryant Sr. has a nightmare. “I am in college, and right before I can get my degree, the school would burn up, or it would fall in a hole in the ground,” he said. “It’s always something where I could never get my degree.” At 70, Bryant has overcome his recurring nightmares and fulfilled a lifelong dream of earning a college degree. He will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in speech communication Saturday, May 14, from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

What’s a 70-year-old going to do with a degree?

Among other things, Bryant is the self-described last hippie in America to get a college degree. “What people don’t remember is that 95 percent of hippies got a college degree,” he said. “If I had a hammer, I’d ring out love to my brothers and sisters all over this land.” His detractors have asked him: What is a 70-year-old going to do with a college degree? “No. 1, I am putting it in an expensive frame and hanging it on the wall. Isn’t that what everyone else does with their degrees?” Bryant never set out to earn a degree from ��Vlog��ýLR. He started taking academic classes in 2013 when he enrolled in a golf course with his friends. “I came over to get a golf class, and my mind said, ‘take some classes,’” he said. “If you are going to come to a university, you should get educated in something other than golf.” Bryant greatly enjoyed his music, history, art, and literature classes but discovered that he did not take well to computer and language courses. His world literature class inspired him so much that he spent the summer of 2013 writing a manuscript, “The Deacons Must Get Paid,” which will be published as a book this year. Bryant describes it as an “eye-catching, educational, and informative book” that gives an “in-depth understanding of the churches.”

A long road

Born the youngest of eight children in 1946, Bryant quit school in the 11th grade to move to Los Angeles. A year later, he returned to Little Rock to be with his family when his older brother entered the military. Bryant re-enrolled with the goal of completing high school. However, during his senior year, his wife, Beverly, got pregnant, so Bryant dropped out of high school for the second time to support his growing family. He spent three years in the U.S. Army from 1966-1969, 18 months stationed at Ft. Polk in Louisiana and the rest in Saigon, Vietnam. He earned his high school GED while serving in the military. Upon returning from Vietnam, he spent four years taking classes at Arkansas Baptist College, but he never graduated. “Between 1969 and 1973, I accumulated 109 college credit hours with nothing pointed toward a career,” he said. Meanwhile, Bryant had already gone into business for himself in 1970, first with a furniture upholstery shop and then with a furniture store. Eventually, Bryant took up floor covering work, installing carpeting, vinyl, and tile in homes and businesses, which he did until he retired in 2007.

A path to graduation

Bryant had been taking classes at ��Vlog��ýLR for a year and a half before he realized he could get a degree. He first committed to history but had difficulty filling the foreign language requirement. He then switched to speech communication, where he found a good fit with his interests and skills. “Once he found the Department of Speech Communication, he knew he had found his home,” said Department Chair April Chatham-Carpenter. “The courses in the department taught him how to be more reflective about how he communicated with others. These opportunities allowed him to continue his quest for lifelong learning that he had started as a business entrepreneur and owner of multiple businesses, along with his passion for writing poetry and songs.” As part of his speech communication classes, Bryant participated in a study abroad trip to learn about hybrid cultures in Trinidad during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2015. “We had nine students in the class,” said Dr. Avinash Thombre, an associate professor of speech communication who led the study abroad trip. “The youngest was 22, and the oldest was Phillip, who was 69. It is a high-energy class. I wondered if he would be able to do it, and it turns out he was the most energetic of the whole class.” Bryant shows a dedication and enthusiasm that influences younger students, Thombre said. “He is the most dedicated student I have seen in terms of being on time, coming to class, and trying to understand,” Thombre said. “As a teacher, I think it helps to see somebody in the classroom who is a role model for these younger students.”

Post-graduation plans

While Bryant does not plan to use his degree to get a new job, his classes have inspired him to become a writer. In addition to the book he has coming out later this year, he is writing two manuscripts he hopes to publish. As someone who struggled with English classes in junior high and high school, Bryant is thankful to ��Vlog��ýLR for helping him become a better writer. “I never thought it was possible that I could write anything inspiring or positive,” he said. “Now that I have gotten older and attended the great ��Vlog��ýLR and the great Ph.D. professors, the ones that show kindness and love to students, they have inspired me.” Bryant is also looking forward to celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 29 with Beverly and their 15-year-old grandson, Phillip Bryant III.

Fundraiser to benefit speech communication students

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 21:53:43 +0000

Alumni and friends of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Department of Speech Communication are invited to an upcoming celebration to raise money for a pair of scholarships. The event, which honors Drs. Allan Ward and Angie Laird Brenton, includes hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and a silent auction. It’s set to run from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 21, at the ��Vlog��ýLR Bailey Alumni Center. Admission is $20, payable at the door. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP, but same-day registrants are welcome. Proceeds benefit the Dr. Angie Laird Brenton Memorial Scholarship Fund as well as the Dr. Allan Ward Endowment Student Success Fund. Donations to the funds also can be made online.

December graduate attaining a dream

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 20:16:10 +0000

Bettina Bryant’s journey to graduation was long and difficult. Bryant, a single mother of three, went through a period of homelessness, and while at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, she suffered a stroke. She persevered, securing the right to participate in the 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, commencement ceremony — her first opportunity to wear a cap and gown. She didn’t graduate with her high school class 30 years ago. Bryant, who prides herself on being resilient, said she earned her bachelor’s degree in speech communication “by the grace of God and believing in myself, regardless of what people say.” Through her many challenges, Bryant held on to her dreams of bettering her situation and clearing the way so her children didn’t have the same difficulties she experienced, said Cheryl Johnston, instructor in the ��Vlog��ýLR Department of Speech Communication. “Putting others’ dreams before (her) own is something that Bettina Bryant knows a lot about,” Johnston said. One of Bryant’s sons has earned a master’s degree, and the other son is an Army sergeant taking classes online. Her daughter is a college student in Georgia. “It is through their accomplishments that I know I raised them right, as a single parent,” Bryant said. She chose to study speech and communication because she enjoys interacting with people — to the point that some have suggested she become a politician. “I love listening and trying to help or give ideas,” Bryant said. While politics might not be in her future plans, Bryant is leaving her options open. She plans to continue her education and is eyeing future careers in nursing or human resources. Her experience at ��Vlog��ýLR was rewarding, and Bryant said she particularly appreciated the work of Johnston as well as Drs. Gerald W. Driskill and Avinash Thombre, also faculty members in the Department of Speech Communication. For Johnston, the admiration is mutual. “It may have taken her longer than most, but (Bryant’s) determination is an inspiration, not only for her children, but all of us here today to witness her accomplishment.”

��Vlog��ýLR professor advancing crisis communication research

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 16:19:17 +0000

From fires to fraud, all organizations face potential public and internal crisis communication situations. Their responses can shape their identity for years to come. Dr. Ryan Fuller, University of Arkansas at Little Rock assistant professor of speech communication, is helping organizations better prepare their communication plans before devastating events occur, thanks to a $2,000 grant from the . Centered on the communication readiness evaluation system Fuller designed, the project, titled “Readiness for Renewal: A Service-Learning Research Project in the Crisis Communication Course,” has two focuses. First, he will further refine the evaluation he created. Second, in the spring of 2016, he will lead ��Vlog��ýLR graduate and undergraduate students in service learning projects that implement the tool in local organizations. The evaluation tool is research based and is targeted at meeting a critical need for companies, as most existing crisis management tools address how well a situation was handled after something occurs. Fuller’s method is designed to help organizations make sure they are ready to respond honestly, think progressively, and communicate positively during and after a crisis. Organizations will be prompted to form communication plans that build crisis resilience rather than just survival. The project is intended to not only benefit organizations, but also ��Vlog��ýLR students and the crisis management research field. Participation in service learning gives students hands-on professional experience with real clients, letting them practice the communication principles that Fuller teaches. His students will work with an organization in the community, selected with the help of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, to identify its crisis management concerns, stakes, and current readiness level. They will then develop a personalized plan for crisis communication that takes into account that organization’s audience, mission, needs, and brand, while also prioritizing honesty and responsibility. The C.R. Anderson Research Fund grant will enable Fuller to employ an undergraduate student to assist in the project work. By the end of the spring semester, Fuller hopes to create more self-reflective, crisis-ready organizations, as well as communication career-ready students.

Alum tabbed for Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council

Shanna Fitzgerald — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 17:56:58 +0000

Bruce Trimble, graduate of ��Vlog��ýLR’s College of Social Sciences and Communication

Gov. Asa Hutchinson recently appointed a University of Arkansas at Little Rock alumnus to serve on a new statewide group tasked with preventing suicide. Bruce Trimble, a graduate of ��Vlog��ýLR’s College of Social Sciences and Communication, joins the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Council, which was formed this year in an effort to put an end to suicide throughout the state. Trimble, director of business development at , will be one of more than 20 members of the Suicide Prevention Council. He also serves on the ��Vlog��ýLR Speech Communication Development Council, which created the Dr. Angela Laird Brenton Endowment Scholarship — the first-ever private scholarship endowment for the university’s speech communication department. The fund was named in memory of a former dean of the ��Vlog��ýLR College of Professional Studies. In April, the ’s Arkansas chapter honored Trimble with the 2015 Crystal Award. The award recognizes chapter members for their significant and consistent contributions to the public relations profession.

Department of Speech Communication wins national award

Gloria King — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 15:30:33 +0000

The ��Vlog��ýLR Department of Speech Communication has won the Minority Recruitment and Retention Award from the Southern States Communication Association. The award honors institutions demonstrating noteworthy commitment to the recruitment and retention of minority students. It has only been awarded four times since it was founded in 2006. Interim Chair Dr. Carol Thompson accepted the award in Tampa, Fla., on Saturday, April 11. The entire department faculty contributed materials for the award, according to Thompson, but Assistant Professor Ryan Fuller is credited with compiling the nomination package to showcase the department’s efforts to recruit and retain minority students. “We are humbled by the SSCA committee’s selection of our department for the Minority Recruitment and Retention Award,” said Fuller. “The award is very meaningful to our department in that it is recognition of the value that we place on creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all of our students in everything that we do,” he said. ��Vlog��ýLR enrolls more African-American students than any other college in Arkansas, and over the past five years has led all institutions in graduate degrees awarded to African-American students. “As a person of color, I have never felt more valued, appreciated, and supported as I did during my time at ��Vlog��ýLR’s Department of Communication,” said Dr. Robert Mock Jr., an alumnus and current vice president for student affairs at the University of Kentucky.

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

Mother and daughter graduate ����Vlog��ýLR together

70-year-old ����Vlog��ýLR grad fulfills lifelong dream