Porter will read from his novel, “The Imagined Life,” followed by a moderated conversation and audience question-and-answer session. The event will conclude with a book signing, giving attendees an opportunity to meet Porter and have copies of his work signed.

鈥淭his will be my first time in Little Rock, and my first time at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and I’m so excited to visit and talk about writing with the student writers on campus!鈥� Porter said.

The event is presented through the Writers in the Schools program in partnership with the . As part of the program, Six Bridges is providing 30 copies of “The Imagined Life” to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock English students.

Porter is the author of five books, including the short story collection “The Theory of Light and Matter,” which won the , and the novels “In Between Days” and “The Imagined Life.” His work has earned numerous honors, with “In Between Days” named 鈥淔ictional Work of the Year鈥� by the San Antonio Express-News and “The Imagined Life” recognized as one of the best books of the year by NPR, The New Yorker, and Esquire.

A graduate of the Iowa Writers鈥� Workshop, Porter has received a and a James Michener/Copernicus Fellowship Award. His stories have appeared in several publications, including One Story, Ploughshares, American Short Fiction, and Best American Short Stories, as well as on Public Radio鈥檚 Selected Shorts.

Porter鈥檚 visit will give 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students and community members the opportunity to hear directly from an accomplished fiction writer, explore his creative process, and engage with his work. Additional event details for the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Writers in the Schools event will be available through the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock English program and the Six Bridges Book Festival.

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The award honors an Arkansas writer whose substantial body of work merits greater recognition. For Condran, who has been at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock for more than a decade, the honor also reflects the literary community he has helped build since moving to Arkansas.

鈥淚 was shocked and excited. Learning that Kevin Brockmeier had nominated me made it even more meaningful because he鈥檚 a writer whose work I admired before I came to Arkansas,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 humbling to know that he thought my work was worth recognizing. I think this recognition is about my writing, but it鈥檚 also about being a good literary citizen in Arkansas and supporting my students. It feels like a career award as much as anything else.鈥�

Brockmeier, who won the Porter Prize in 2003, nominated him for this year鈥檚 award. He said Condran鈥檚 fiction is outstanding but hasn鈥檛 reached a wider audience, yet, which is exactly the kind of writer the Porter Prize aims to recognize.

At 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Condran鈥檚 work as a writer and teacher continually inform each other. As a creative writing professor, he said working with students pushes him to keep learning about writing, while his own experience as a writer shapes how he approaches teaching.

鈥淚 think teaching creative writing makes me learn about writing all the time,鈥� Condran said. 鈥淓very time I teach a class, I change the syllabus. I鈥檓 constantly learning about new writers, new approaches, and new ways of thinking about writing.鈥�

Watching his students develop as writers is one of the most meaningful parts of teaching for Condran, and many of his students have gone on to publish their work or pursue graduate study. One of those former students is Jared Lemus, whose debut short story collection, “Guatemalan Rhapsody,” received the 2026 PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection. Lemus鈥� success is one example of the continued growth he hopes to see from his students after they leave the classroom.

鈥淚 feel like their success is my success,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 love spending time with my students, and I love introducing them to new writers and new ways of thinking.鈥�

For Condran, this recognition carries particular meaning because of the relationship he has developed with Arkansas since moving from Pittsburgh in 2015.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what it would be like to move a thousand miles away, but Arkansas has been really good to me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 could tell, not long after arriving, that there were things about Arkansas and the South that I wanted to write about. It鈥檚 a great honor to receive recognition of my work by my adopted home. It鈥檚 safe to say that my career has definitely flowered here.鈥�

His involvement in the Arkansas literary community extends beyond the university. He has served on the planning committee for the Six Bridges Book Festival, founded the small press Braddock Avenue Books, and co-founded the Zeitgeist Reading Series.

Condran鈥檚 writing spans novels, short stories, and ekphrastic flash fiction — short stories inspired or responding to a visual work of art. His published work includes the novel “Prague Summer” and the story collections “A Fingerprint Repeated” and “Claire, Wading Into the Danube by Night.” His short story 鈥淏eggar鈥� was nominated for a Pushcart Prize, while 鈥淧raha鈥� won the 2010 William Peden Prize. He is currently working on “Face to the Sun,” a novel about the final year of Franz Kafka鈥檚 life, while also developing a collection of ekphrastic flash fiction inspired by Arkansas art, history, and nature.

鈥淚 feel, you know, I live in this beautiful place, and I鈥檓 surrounded by people who are interesting and educated and creative, and who have done nothing but support my career since I got here,鈥� he said. 鈥淎rkansas has been a place where my life has been almost entirely focused on creative writing in a way that it had not been in the past, and I鈥檓 very grateful for that.鈥�

The Porter Fund Literary Prize will be presented to Condran during A Prized Evening, a joint celebration of the Porter Fund Literary Prize and the Booker Worthen Literary Prize, on Oct. 2 at the Central Arkansas Library System Main Library in downtown Little Rock. The event is free and open to the public.

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An amazing work by a pioneering giant in the ceramics and contemporary聽craft field,聽Thinking Woman — a聽permanent collection聽gift and semi-permanent installation — is 1,600 pounds and assembled from 16 pieces, according to Brian Young, Windgate Center for Art聽+ Design gallery director. A gift of Dr. Kirby and Priscilla Smith, of Memphis, the ceramics piece from 1993 welcomed students to the center as the new school year began last month, and it “reinforces an area of emphasis we teach” in the School of Art and Design — contemporary craft, including ceramics.聽

Frey — the recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships and the Award of Honor in Sculpture from the San Francisco Arts Commission, among many other recognitions — was one of several California artists working in clay in the 1950s and 60s who turned away from that medium’s conventions to produce works with robust sculptural qualities associated with Abstract Expressionist painting, Pop art, and what would become known as California Funk, according to the Artists’ Legacy Foundation, of which Frey was a co-founder. She taught at California College of Arts and Crafts (now CCA) for over three decades, influencing generations of young artists and formalizing the use of clay as an artistic medium, prior to her 2004 death at age 70.

Frey and artists of her ilk didn’t want to abandon the figure for complete abstraction, but they also felt ceramics didn’t have to be only utilitarian, Young said. “I love the idea of clay in a non-utilitarian way — the glazes and colors look imperfect on purpose” — imperfection is embraced.

Multiple layers of brightly colored glazes are crucial for Frey’s work.

“I want the figures to get as close to the viewer as possible,” Frey noted in an Artist Statement. “I don’t want them to crush or overwhelm, but I do want them to intrude.” 

Thinking Woman “has a real presence — she knocks you back a little bit — but it’s a quiet presence,” said Young. “She’s not looking at you — her eyes are closed — and she’s thinking,” 脿 la The Thinker, by Auguste Rodin, “but still powerful.” 

Kirby Smith possessed the work for more than three decades, so he had a strong connection to the piece, and considered various museum venues.

“For 35 years, I had a satellite practice as a physician in Blytheville, so I am happy that Thinking Woman found a home in the state that I care so deeply for,” he said. “Her size shows there is no limit to the technical part of the medium of ceramics and the artist. Also, Thinking Woman is a great name for her.” 

Frey, who received her BFA and honorary doctorate from CCA, had her work spotlighted by a solo show at the now-Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts in 2011, Young noted. In addition to a piece on display at that Little Rock arts museum, her work is also held in numerous public and private collections, including the Mus茅e d’Art Moderne de Paris (Paris Museum of Modern Art), Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C.), the Whitney Museum of American Art (New York City), the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, among many others.

Art on display in the Windgate Center is designed to inspire students, and Thinking Woman is inspirational in several ways, Young said. It’s a female figure by a female artist, she did the work at an advanced age — demonstrating it’s never too late to create art — and it shows the possibilities of ceramics, even at large scale.

Furthermore, Frey found her own personal style, crucial for any artist, noted Young. “If you’re across a room, you can identify a Frey” piece.

Individuals are welcome to view Thinking Woman — as well as other art — at the Windgate Center, which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, as well as 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends. The galleries are free and open to the public. 

Currently, Todd Hido: A Series of Small Decisions and Invictus: Photographs by Angela Strassheim are exhibited in the Brad Cushman Gallery and Ann Maners and Alex Pappas Gallery, respectively.  often highlight stark landscapes and lonely buildings, while reflects the shared experience of “moving through life in a body always changing, and always carrying multiple selves at once,” according to her Artist Statement. 

“We try to do exhibits that match areas we teach” and that demonstrate output of professionals in the field so students can see paths to their own artistic careers, and both exhibitions accomplish those aims, Young said. They’re also a felicitous match with next month’s Society for Photographic Education (SPE) South Central Chapter Conference Oct. 23-24 at the Windgate Center. 

In addition, the North and South galleries are exhibiting Intersection of Craft and Photography, while the聽SPE members juried exhibition is on display in the Focus Gallery. More details and information can be found in this news article about fall exhibitions.

“We’re trying to be the center of contemporary photography, at least for a few months,” Young said. “We’re very grateful for all the support we receive from Windgate, and I love when students, (teachers), and members of the public walk in to see” the art on display.

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The Little Rock native graduated from high school in 1996 with little interest in continuing his education, but after encouragement from his family, Dunavant eventually enrolled at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, where he initially considered studying psychology before finding his way to the Music Program.

At the time, Dunavant had already spent years playing guitar and performing with local rock bands, so he walked into the music program confident in what he knew about the instrument, but quickly discovered how much he still had to learn.

鈥淚鈥檇 been playing in rock bands and playing in bars in Little Rock, and thought I knew a lot about music,鈥� Dunavant said. 鈥淎nd much to my dismay, they informed me I did not.鈥�

The realization intrigued him. Dunavant became a music major with an emphasis in jazz guitar and began studying under Michael Carenbauer, now professor emeritus of music. He went on to graduate magna cum laude from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in 2004 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in music and a minor in writing.

It was his relationship with Carenbauer that Dunavant credits with changing the direction of his life.

鈥淗e altered the course of my life, and he doesn鈥檛 like it when I say that,鈥� Dunavant said. 鈥淏ut I tell him, 鈥楾oo bad, I鈥檓 going to say it anyway because it鈥檚 true.鈥欌��

Carenbauer remembers a student who embraced opportunities to learn, both from his professors and the students around him.

鈥淒avid was a really good student,鈥� Carenbauer said. 鈥淲hat I mean by that is that he was open to taking ideas from a teacher and applying what he learned, then applying that into a career, as well. He made a tremendous amount of progress when he was (a student).鈥�

More importantly, Carenbauer saw potential that Dunavant had yet to recognize in himself.

鈥淚 felt he had skills beyond what he knew he had,鈥� Carenbauer said. 鈥淗e was very coachable and eager to learn. I think that鈥檚 the number one thing you want from a student as a teacher is that openness to learning.鈥�

Carenbauer鈥檚 influence extended beyond guitar. Dunavant credits his mentor with teaching him lessons about responsibility, organization, and navigating life as a professional. Carenbauer also encouraged Dunavant to minor in writing, telling him that the ability to communicate would serve him regardless of where his career took him, and that advice proved valuable. Dunavant later wrote two guitar method books and developed his Street Guitar teaching curriculum.

After graduating from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Dunavant continued his education at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where he earned a master鈥檚 degree in jazz guitar. By then, he knew he wanted to teach.

鈥淚 told Mike, 鈥業 want to be like you, I want to do what you鈥檙e doing,鈥欌�� Dunavant said.

Dunavant returned to Arkansas and spent the next 19 years teaching at the collegiate level, including two years in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock music department. He also taught at Arkansas State University-Beebe and the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College before eventually leaving academia to focus full time on his private Little Rock-based teaching studio, .

That move required Dunavant to think about a career in music differently. Today, he sees musicians not only as artists but as entrepreneurs who must be willing to create their own opportunities.

鈥淭he world鈥檚 not going to come to you,鈥� Dunavant said. 鈥淵ou have to go to the world.鈥�

That philosophy also helped lead Dunavant to establish , a nonprofit that gives underserved Arkansas children an opportunity to learn an instrument regardless of the financial circumstances of their families. For Dunavant, the mission comes down to giving children a fair opportunity.

鈥淵ou didn鈥檛 pick your parents. You didn鈥檛 pick what country you鈥檙e born in. You didn鈥檛 pick your parents鈥� income level,鈥� he said.

Through Guitar Wars, selected young musicians receive a quality guitar they can keep and four months of private lessons. Dunavant researches instructors near each recipient and pays the teaching studio directly. The organization also hosts an annual amateur guitar competition in downtown Little Rock in collaboration with the city of Little Rock and the Central Arkansas Library System.

Dunavant sees a connection between the opportunities he received at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and those he now works to provide for others.

He also remains connected to the university through Guitar Wars. A partnership with 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 business program led him to Ryleigh Abbott who initially joined the nonprofit as an intern. Two years later, Abbott is serving as chief operating officer of Guitar Wars.

Abbott said Dunavant has encouraged her to pursue opportunities rather than wait for them.

鈥淗e鈥檚 always told me that if you want something, put in the effort to go and get it,鈥� Abbott said.聽

Dunavant always possessed a willingness to pursue new opportunities. Persistence has been a constant throughout a career that has taken him from college classrooms to entrepreneurship and nonprofit work.

It is also a message he will bring back to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock on Oct. 1 when he speaks with music students at the invitation of Naoki Hakutani, professor of piano.

Dunavant plans to discuss music entrepreneurship, building a sustainable private teaching studio, modern career paths for musicians, the use of artificial intelligence in the music business, and his nonprofit work. Above all, he wants students to understand that a music degree does not limit them to one career and that opportunities often require them to venture beyond what feels familiar.

鈥淵ou can go out there and make your own career,鈥� Dunavant said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e just got to go do it.鈥�

Carenbauer hopes students recognize the same willingness to learn that he saw in Dunavant years ago.

鈥淗e was never afraid to learn things he didn鈥檛 know, and that made him successful,鈥� Carenbauer said. 鈥淪ometimes that means learning about things that you don鈥檛 know are right in front of you.鈥�

Dunavant鈥檚 return will also bring him back to a place that holds a particular memory.

He will speak on the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall stage in the Fine Arts Building, the same stage where he gave one of his first performances as a 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock student and discovered just how nervous performing in front of an audience could make him.

This time, he will stand on that stage not as a student trying to figure out where music might take him, but as an alumnus hoping his experience can help the students sitting in the audience find their own direction.

鈥淚t鈥檒l be a full-circle moment,鈥� Dunavant said. 鈥淣ow I鈥檓 giving them advice, and hopefully it will help some of them.鈥�

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The program explores the piano鈥檚 versatility through works by composers including Fran莽ois Couperin, Mary Lou Williams, Scott Joplin, Florence Price, Kareem Roustom, Cacilda Borges Barbosa, and Fr茅d茅ric Chopin.

The concert will also feature the world premiere of “A More Perfect Union”, a new work by composer Gwyneth Walker written in celebration of America鈥檚 250th anniversary. The program includes the Little Rock premiere of Florence Price鈥檚 Moods for piano, flute, and clarinet.

Holzer will be joined by her University of Arkansas at Little Rock colleague, Dr. Justin Bunting, on Native American hoop drum, as well as Dr. Nicolas del Grazia on clarinet and Dr. Phoebe Robertson on flute, both from Arkansas Tech University.

The second half of the program will feature the complete “Aleppo Songs” for solo piano by Syrian-American composer Kareem Roustom, which draws on both Arabic and Western musical traditions. Additional selections include Barbosa鈥檚 Estudo Brasileiro No. 1, Gary Schocker鈥檚 鈥淧rayer鈥� for flute and piano, and Chopin鈥檚 Barcarolle.

鈥淟isteners will be surprised by how beautifully these various works complement one another,鈥� Holzer said. 鈥淓ach piece illuminates the others, revealing unexpected connections across time and tradition.鈥�

Holzer has been a member of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock faculty for more than 30 years and has built a career as a soloist and chamber musician, performing across the United States and internationally. 鈥淧iano Prism: How Beautiful the Light鈥� marks her 23rd solo recital at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

Whether a seasoned classical music fan, or simply curious, 鈥淧iano Prism: How Beautiful the Light鈥� offers a rare opportunity to experience an adventurous musical journey spanning centuries and cultures. Mark your calendar for 3 p.m. in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the Fine Arts Building on campus. The concert is free and open to the public. For more details, visit the .

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The station began in , after the Little Rock School Board approved plans for a radio station at the new Metropolitan Vocational Education Center. The station gave high school students real-world experience to prepare for broadcasting careers, and 14 years later, the Little Rock School District and 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock teamed up to create K糖心Vlog传媒R, the university鈥檚 radio station. In 1987, the station鈥檚 studios moved into Stabler Hall at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

Now, nearly 40 years later, Little Rock Public Radio is moving from University Plaza to a new home in Stabler Hall, bringing the station back to the heart of campus with a fully renovated studio and state-of-the-art broadcast technology.

The relocation project represents a major investment in the station鈥檚 future. After nearly two decades operating with aging equipment, Little Rock Public Radio will now broadcast from a modern space equipped with advanced technology and extensive backup systems. These upgrades ensure greater reliability and security, promising a higher-quality, more consistent listening experience for the community.

While the new equipment and studio provide Little Rock Public Radio with a more reliable foundation for broadcasting, the return to Stabler Hall also brings the station back to its roots as an educational resource.

For General Manager Jonathan Seaborn, being back on campus creates an opportunity to build on the station鈥檚 longstanding connection to student education and become more involved in campus life.

鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to actually be on campus and accessible to students from an educational standpoint,鈥� Seaborn said. 鈥淲e want to work more with departments on campus to help support them, and we want to have that student interaction and work-study, independent study through the studio. We want to be a resource.鈥�

The return to campus gives Little Rock Public Radio an opportunity to reconnect students with hands-on broadcasting experiences, work more closely with university departments, and become a more active part of campus life.

To celebrate its return to campus, the station is hosting the Little Rock Public Radio Open House at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, on Trojan Way. will begin with opening remarks from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Chancellor Dr. Christina Drale, Friends Board Vice President Kimberly Lee, and Seaborn, followed by a performance by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and tours of the station鈥檚 new state-of-the-art facilities. Guests can enjoy snacks and refreshments while exploring the space and learning more about the station鈥檚 return. The event is free and open to the public, and guests are encouraged to . For those unable to attend in person, a livestream link will be provided on the day of the event.

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The milestone event comes during 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Centennial academic year, bringing generations of Trojans together to celebrate 100 years of the university and 20 years of a tradition centered on food, fellowship, and Trojan pride.

This year鈥檚 Celebration of Champions will once again put Trojan student-athletes in the spotlight, recognizing their accomplishments while welcoming students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the university to campus.

The annual picnic will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Bailey Alumni and Friends Center.

鈥淐elebrating 20 years of BBQ at Bailey during our Centennial makes this year especially meaningful,鈥� said Christian O鈥橬eal, vice chancellor for university advancement. 鈥淔or two decades, this event has been about bringing Trojans together, and that鈥檚 exactly what we want to do during our Centennial year. We鈥檙e excited to celebrate our student-athletes, welcome alumni back to campus, and recognize the employers and community partners who continue to invest in 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and our graduates.鈥�

As part of the Centennial celebration, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is expanding its outreach to alumni and university partners, including former student-athletes, Donaghey Scholars alumni, Greek alumni, corporate and foundation partners, and graduates working for some of the region鈥檚 leading employers.

This year, representatives from the top employers of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock graduates will also volunteer throughout BBQ at Bailey. Their participation recognizes the organizations that employ Trojans and the important connections between the university, its graduates, and the Arkansas workforce.

The top employers of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock graduates include:

• University of Arkansas at Little Rock
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
• Arkansas Children鈥檚 Hospital
• Baptist Health
• Walmart Inc.
• Little Rock School District
• Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield
• State of Arkansas
• Southwest Power Pool Inc.
• Acxiom Corporation
• Simmons Bank
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• Friday, Eldredge & Clark LLP
• Dillard鈥檚 Inc.
• Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard PLLC
• Bank OZK

Whole Hog Cafe will cater the event, with vegetarian burgers available, and cookies from Community Bakery will be served. DJ Klassik Entertainment, owned by 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock alumnus Jonathan Nunn, will provide music, while the Trojan Pep Band will join the festivities. The Buzz will also broadcast from BBQ at Bailey.

Guests can also take photos at a special 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock backdrop, find their commemorative bricks on the alumni patio, enjoy lawn games, and register for special door prizes. 

Sign up to , and sign up to .

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Those are the kinds of moments dozens of University of Arkansas at Little Rock students experienced while studying abroad during the last academic year. From Scotland and Peru to the Bahamas and beyond, 65 students returned home with new perspectives on their academic fields, greater confidence in themselves, and a deeper understanding of the world around them.

“Study abroad gives students the opportunity to connect what they’ve learned in the classroom with experiences they simply can’t have on campus,” said Drew Smith, coordinator of study abroad. “Whether they’re studying business, history, science, or the humanities, they’re seeing their education come to life while developing the confidence, adaptability, and global perspective that will serve them long after graduation.”

For accounting student Reese Davidson, one of those moments happened in Scotland.

While touring a local business, she listened as leaders explained how the company balances products that generate immediate revenue with others that take years to develop. Suddenly, concepts she had studied in accounting courses made perfect sense.

“Hearing that made the concepts of product sequencing and maximizing equipment usage click in a real-world setting,” Davidson said. “It showed me exactly how a business can sell fast-turnaround products to fund the future development of a premium flagship product.”

The experience reinforced her decision to pursue accounting while showing her just how global the profession can be.

“This experience has made me even more solidified in my chosen field of study,” she said. “More than anything, realizing how portable and globally relevant accounting is makes the future look incredibly vast.”

Some of her biggest lessons, however, weren’t part of the itinerary.

Navigating an unfamiliar city challenged her to rely less on GPS and more on observation. What began as a weakness became one of the most rewarding parts of the trip.

“Stepping away from GPS allowed me to observe the environment more closely,” she said. “Wrong turns became unexpected discoveries.”

For history major Cal Chaney, learning came from stepping into places he had spent years studying.

His faculty-led course paired readings and discussions with visits to historic sites, allowing students to experience firsthand the people, places, and events that had previously existed only in books.

“Going to see some of these medieval cities is so different from getting to read about them,” Chaney said. “You begin to see how history connects: not just across places, but across time. It gives you a completely different perspective on what you’ve been studying.” 

The experience was far more than sightseeing.

Students spent long days exploring cultural and historical landmarks before returning to complete journal readings, reflective writing assignments, and discussions that connected what they had experienced with the course material. By the end of the program, those reflections became the foundation for a walking tour created by the students themselves. 

“It was an intensive program but so worthwhile,” Chaney said. “We were reading, writing, and exploring every day. I learned more in those 16 days than I could have in a semester. Being immersed in the culture was an incredibly rare opportunity.” 

The experience also sparked a new interest in learning French and strengthened his confidence in navigating unfamiliar places and cultures.

“Learning to communicate with people and adapt to situations different from what you’re used to is something that stays with you,” he said. “It’s a skill that will help me wherever I go next.”

For Syd Joheim, the classroom stretched beneath the surface of the ocean.

Studying biology and geology on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas meant snorkeling through coral reefs, collecting field samples, and examining geological formations she had previously encountered only in textbooks.

One lesson stood above the rest. After studying crossbedding — how sediment is deposited — in class, Joheim finally found herself standing in front of remarkably clear examples shaped over thousands of years.

“Being able to see these near perfect examples of structures and processes I studied in class was incredibly helpful to both my understanding of the class material and my understanding of my field of study overall,” she said. 

The experience also deepened her appreciation for how biology, geology, and the natural world are interconnected.

“I knew the subjects were connected,” she said. “To actually see that interconnectedness in action was awe inspiring.” 

When she returned home, she found herself seeing Arkansas differently as well.

“I now look at my hometown with a little bit more wonder and with the goal of making it a place where people and nature can thrive together,” she said. 

By the time geology major and Donaghey Scholar Ella Campbell returned from Peru, she knew one thing for certain: the more she learned about the world, the more she wanted to understand it.

As a member of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s premier undergraduate honors program, Campbell receives a scholarship that includes support for study abroad. The experience gave her the chance to see geology beyond the classroom and only deepened the curiosity that drew her to the field, leaving her eager to keep exploring, asking questions, and learning more about the world.

“My experience studying abroad in Peru this past semester has been nothing short of spectacular,” she said. “This experience has taught me so much and has given me incredible opportunities to expand my understanding of the world, my educational goals, and myself.”

She said the experience strengthened not only her passion for geology, but also her desire to continue exploring, learning, and asking questions, an approach to learning emphasized in the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program.

“I leave my study abroad journey as both simultaneously satisfied and insatiable because I now carry an even greater hunger for learning, experiencing, and understanding,鈥� she added. 

Smith said that while every destination is different, the impact often follows a familiar pattern.

“The goal isn’t simply to take students somewhere new,” Smith said. “It’s to create experiences that challenge them to think differently about their studies, themselves, and the world around them. When they return to campus, they bring that curiosity and confidence into every classroom, internship, and career they pursue.”

More details on 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s Study Abroad program can be found online. With nearly 600 approved programs, there’s an experience to match the goals and dreams of any student.

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Whether you’re moving into the residence halls, stepping onto campus for the first time, or returning for another year, Welcome Week is packed with opportunities to make new friends, discover campus resources, and celebrate the start of an exciting academic year. From returning favorites like Casino Night, to Centennial celebrations and the debut of Trojan Forge, there’s something for every Trojan.

Welcome Week begins Thursday, Aug. 20, with the Welcome Back BBQ from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Trojan Lane, inviting students and their families to settle in and get a taste of campus spirit. Later that evening, cheer on the Little Rock Soccer team as the Trojans open the season against the University of Miami from 6 to 9 p.m., with free admission and free food for attendees.

Families take center stage Friday, Aug. 21, during the first-ever Resident Parent Reception from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Donaghey Student Center (DSC). Campus Living is introducing this event to give parents and students a fresh opportunity to connect with staff, ask questions, and share one last goodbye before the semester begins.

Saturday, Aug. 22, turns up the fun with RecFest from 2 to 5 p.m. at the DSC Fitness and Aquatics Center, featuring games, contests, music, and free swag for the first 100 students. Then grab some friends and relax with snacks and a featured film during An Evening at the Movies from 6 to 9 p.m.

As the weekend winds down Sunday, Aug. 23, take the stage for karaoke from 2 to 4 p.m. in the DSC Upper Concourse and belt out your favorite songs with fellow Trojans.

The first day of classes arrives Monday, Aug. 24, along with the First Day of Class Photo and Centennial Celebration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Trojan Way. Snap a commemorative photo, sign the Centennial banner, and share your vision for 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s next 100 years before wrapping up the evening at the Block Party on Trojan Lane from 6 to 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 25, offers one of Welcome Week’s busiest lineups. Start the day with Paws and Relax from 10 a.m. to noon on the first floor of the Ottenheimer Library, where free spirit shirts await, along with friendly therapy dogs ready for belly rubs. At noon, celebrate the grand opening of Trojan Forge, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s new makerspace designed for hands-on creativity and collaboration, then end the evening at longtime Welcome Week favorite, Casino Night, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Trojan Cafe. Test your poker face, roll the dice, and try your luck at classic casino games, with fun money keeping the competition friendly.

Looking to find your community? Wednesday, Aug. 26, features Meet the Greeks from 6 to 8 p.m. in the DSC (Ledbetter rooms A-C), where students can connect with fraternity and sorority members and explore Greek life, which has more than doubled in membership in recent years.

On Thursday, Aug. 27, start your morning at the campus Starbucks, where new men鈥檚 basketball coach Travis Ford will be a guest server from 8:45 to 9:30 a.m. Later that day, bring your best random facts to Trivia Night, from 5 to 7 p.m. in Ottenheimer Library Room 202. Enjoy free food, compete for prizes, and see who earns ultimate bragging rights.

Welcome Week comes to a delicious close Friday, Aug. 28, with Food Truck Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the DSC Trojan Cafe. Celebrate making it through the first week of classes with delicacies from local food trucks, music, and dancing before heading into the weekend.

From making new connections to discovering campus traditions, Welcome Week is the perfect introduction to life at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. A full list of Welcome Week events — and additional details on them — is available .

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Van Dusen鈥檚 self-published book, won a Will Rogers Medallion Award in the Western Nonfiction-Young Readers/Illustrated category. This award celebrates outstanding Western literature and media, highlighting works that reflect the spirit of the American West. Each year, judges review entries in over 30 categories, looking for literary merit, authenticity, and contributions to Western storytelling.

For Van Dusen, this award means more than just literary recognition. It honors a personal project that keeps her father鈥檚 artistic legacy alive and introduces young readers to original art and its stories.

“My belief is that even the youngest child can appreciate the beauty of original art,” said Van Dusen, who resides in Sherwood. “I hope that this book, and the entire series, will inspire art lovers and budding artists of all ages, as well as spark interest in each book’s specific topic.”

Unlike most picture-book authors, Van Dusen doesn鈥檛 begin her books with words, but with images. She’s inspired by the artwork of her late father, John S. Polk, a longtime Arkansas artist and educator who spent more than 30 years in the Hot Springs School District. He worked mainly in watercolor, graphite, and oil, creating an extensive collection that Van Dusen now shares with readers through her children鈥檚 books. 

Our Friend The Cowboy is the second book in the , featuring Polk’s artwork of the American West accompanied by Van Dusen’s simple rhyming verses. She chose the cowboy theme because her father had created numerous paintings depicting cowboys caring for horses, roping cattle, and working the land 鈥� subjects she believed would capture children’s imaginations while teaching them about the important roles of cowboys.

As a self-published author, Van Dusen manages every aspect of creating her books, and winning the Will Rogers Medallion Award is especially meaningful because it helps introduce her work to new audiences.

“When you self-publish a book, you are responsible for everything from writing and design to social media and marketing,” Van Dusen said. “Winning an award can be a great way to help potential readers find your book and to get the word out to a broader audience.”

Van Dusen says 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s Master of Arts in Professional and Technical Writing program gave her the confidence to try new genres and become a self-published author. She discovered a love for creative nonfiction, learned how to write for children by studying picture books, and gained the skills and courage to navigate the publishing process.

“Susan’s writing talent impressed us during her time in the MA, and her ability to combine her words and her father’s artwork is a joy to see,” said Dr. Heidi McCauley, a professor within the department of rhetoric and writing. 

Van Dusen will be recognized for her achievement at the Will Rogers Medallion Awards ceremony in Tulsa Oct. 31, when the final placements will be announced. As she waits for the results, she hopes this recognition will encourage more young readers to discover the beauty of original artwork and the stories it can tell.

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