糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Student Selected for National Board of Directors of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
University of Arkansas at Little Rock senior Michaela Reynolds has been elected Undergraduate Student Representative for the Board of Directors of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.
“I’m really excited and proud to represent the university, but also undergraduates across the nation,” said Reynolds, a聽first-generation college student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in world languages with a concentration in Spanish and a minor in digital arts. “It’s a really big position — a lot of different perspectives to take into account — but they elected me for a reason, and I’m going to bring my own experience, as well as the experiences of other students, to voting and decision-making.”聽
Reynolds will serve a one-year term on the honor society’s 12-member national board, which began serving Sept. 1. The newly elected board, with representatives from higher education institutions around the country, will gather in Chicago for a meeting later this month.
糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s聽Phi Kappa Phi chapter is actually the oldest in Arkansas, and “it’s a very difficult organization to get into,” inviting juniors and seniors in the top 7.5% of their class, said Dr. Rex Wilkins, president of the chapter. Reynolds joined as a junior, and “she exemplifies a student who puts in the time and effort to be successful.”聽
Reynolds is especially eager to build leadership skills as a board member, including as chair of the Philanthropy Committee, and she feels her experiences beyond only her sterling academic record — such as interning with Seis Puentes — gave her an edge in her board election.
“In college, I’ve pushed myself to do things I’m afraid of, and the more I do, the less anxiety I get, so I always tell other students to say ‘Yes’ to things, even if they’re nervous,” she said. “You can look at opportunities as meant for someone else, but you don’t know until you try — they might be meant for you, too.”
Reynolds, for example, is stepping outside her comfort zone next semester when she studies abroad in Spain 鈥� her first time traveling outside the U.S.
“It will push me, but immersing yourself in a language and culture is the best way to learn,” said Reynolds, who plans to become an an ESL teacher. “I want to understand my students not just on a base level, but their culture, so I can help them the best way I can.”
Among the most proactive students in his classes, Reynolds “takes the initiative, tries, makes mistakes, and learns from them, which is what we want,” said Wilkins, an assistant professor of Spanish. “She leads by example (with her) determination and passion — she wants to better herself, her university, and her community — and I hope she’ll inspire other Trojans to participate and see they can be like her.”
Plenty of Gen. Z students battle feelings of isolation, but Reynolds “is committed to creating a warm, inviting atmosphere — she’s friendly and approachable — and I’ve gotten really good feedback from her,” he said. For example, for a course this semester, Reynolds is acting as a learning assistant, and her suggestion to use some online resources to foster better student engagement has improved the course experience.
Reynolds is passionate about language learning, education, and student success. She started at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock majoring in elementary education, but realized she could be an asset to students who don’t speak English as a first language, which changed her academic plans.
“I value their education, and I want to make a difference in the classroom,” said Reynolds, who plans to pursue a master’s degree in public administration — perhaps from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock — so she can eventually move into an administrative role. After an extensive internship with Seis Puentes — supporting Hispanic and immigrant families in Central Arkansas through outreach and administrative projects — she plans to continue volunteering with the nonprofit because “we do such great, important work.”
A native of Clarksville whose family moved to Benton when she was in high school, Reynolds chose 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock because “it’s very community oriented — I value that — and I heard really good things” from teachers and fellow students, she said. She also felt she could “make connections and experience opportunities, and I’ve taken advantage of all of them here.”
Reynolds “rises to the occasion every time” she’s faced with a new opportunity, Wilkins said. “She’s committed, honest, forthright, and trustworthy.”
As a learning assistant for Wilkins, she’s acting as a “middle ground” between he and students and diving deeply into course material to facilitate discussions, she said. Being a member of the campus chapter of Phi Kappa Phi has also afforded her leadership avenues, scholarship opportunities, and networking ability.
“It’s definitely been a great decision” to attend 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Reynolds said. “I’ve had self-doubts about things, but everything I’ve tried has worked out for the better and given me a wide variety of skills for my career.”