糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Computer Science Department Kicks Off Fall with Student Welcome Event
The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Department of Computer Science gave students a warm start to the semester with a special welcome event on Sept. 4, led by Dr. Ahmed Abu Halimeh, interim chair of the department.
Abu Halimeh visited some of the computer science classes to greet students personally, share a few words of encouragement鈥攁nd a few jokes鈥攁nd hand out goodie bags filled with candy, frisbees, magnets, pens, pencils, and information cards. He will visit each class throughout the semester.
鈥淚 wanted to create a culture of welcoming in our department,鈥� Abu Halimeh said. 鈥淭his is a small event with a very big impact. I was once a student here myself, and I know how important it is to feel connected. Since I became chair, I鈥檝e made it my mission to make sure students know they are valued and always welcome in my office. If they forget where my office is, just ask for the office with the candy jar.
The event was the department鈥檚 first of its kind and comes at a time of growth for the program. Enrollment in undergraduate computer science classes has increased to more than 400 students this year, an increase of 17 percent over last year. About 150 students are enrolled in a cybersecurity certificate or degree program. The department includes 16 full-time faculty members with expertise spanning computer science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality.
Faculty and students alike said the welcome made a difference.
鈥淚 think the students in the Software Engineering class were pleasantly surprised by the visit and genuinely appreciated his comments about the Computer Science Program,鈥� said Brian Keltch, a computer science lecturer. 鈥淢ost of the students in this class are seniors, and so they are ready for graduation and the next steps in their careers.鈥�
Abdelrahman Elkarkooly, a computer science major, agreed. 鈥淔rom my perspective, the visit by the Computer Science department chair added real value to the Mobile Application Development class,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t created a moment where we felt connected to the larger goals of the program. His remarks gave us a stronger sense of belonging and reminded us that our hard work is recognized and supported.鈥�
Abu Halimeh said he hopes other departments will consider hosting similar events.
鈥淚t builds a spirit of community across campus and encourages more students to join us,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he Computer Science Department is a diamond in the rough, and I want to show its true value to the campus and the community.鈥�