糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Celebrates Trojan Spirit at BBQ at Bailey
糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 tradition of camaraderie and good food continued during the 17th annual BBQ at Bailey event 鈥� the first to take place on the newly renovated Alumni Patio at the Bailey Alumni and Friends Center.
More than 1,000 people attended the annual campus picnic Sept. 24, where students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends gathered for food from Whole Hog Caf茅, cookies from Community Bakery, and music provided by Klassik Entertainment.
糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Chancellor Christina S. Drale highlighted the university鈥檚 many accomplishments this fall, including the largest enrollment growth in 15 years, one of the largest freshman classes in decades, and 46 new faculty members whose expertise will further enrich the educational experience at the university.
鈥淎s we celebrate today, I want to thank each and every one of you for being here and for your continued support in making 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock the thriving, dynamic community that it is,鈥� Chancellor Drale said. 鈥淭o our alumni, whether you are here for an athletic event, concert, or simply to walk our beautiful campus, remember this is your home, and we love to see you back with us every time you come.鈥�
The alumni patio is home to more than 3,000 alumni bricks that date back as far back as 1927. In a new tradition, the university invited alumni who have purchased a brick to come back to campus during BBQ at Bailey to find their brick.
鈥淲e were excited to revive this cherished tradition at the Bailey Alumni Center,鈥� said Kristi Smith, associate vice chancellor for alumni and development. 鈥淚t was a great opportunity to bring our campus community together and celebrate the connections that make our university unique.鈥�
BBQ at Bailey brings together students, faculty, staff, and alumni for an afternoon of fun, games, and barbecue. The event fosters campus unity and offers a chance for the university community to connect in a relaxed setting.
鈥淚 became a lifetime member of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Association in 2019, but this is the first time I鈥檝e attended BBQ at Bailey,鈥� said 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumnus Damon Dortch, who earned his MBA in 2018. 鈥淚 think the event was well done. I enjoyed seeing some of my old business professors, and I had a lot of fun.鈥�
Dr. Joe Felan, associate professor of management, marketing, and technology at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, is a long-time BBQ at Bailey fan who loves showing off his moves with the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Dance Team.
鈥淚 love dancing with the students,鈥� Felan stated. 鈥淚t keeps me young.鈥�
MaryGrace McAfee, a senior double major in biology and chemistry from Texarkana and captain of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Dance Team, agreed that this is her favorite part of BBQ at Bailey.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a really good opportunity to get students, faculty, and alumni together to have fun celebrating 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock,鈥� McAfee said. 鈥淭he Dance Team comes every year, and we love to dance with the community and have fun.鈥�
糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumnus Bryan Hosto, who served as a co-chair for BBQ at Bailey, said it was great to see the campus come alive on the beautiful new spaces at the Bailey Center.
鈥淭here’s renewed energy on the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock campus,鈥� Hosto said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see so many faculty, students, alumni, and business leaders come out to support 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.鈥�
If you are looking for the next big event to attend at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Chancellor Drale invited the Trojan community to come to the Trojan Way Dedication on Oct. 8.
鈥淥n Oct. 8, we will gather again to dedicate Trojan Way, the largest outdoor renovation project in the university鈥檚 history,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his transformational gift made possible by the Donaghey Foundation will enhance the way we experience our campus, and I hope you will join us for this important event.鈥�