鈥淗onestly, pure shock,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ithin a matter of two minutes, I was surrounded by my closest friends hugging me.鈥�

The moment quickly turned into something else. Her first thought was to call her parents.

鈥淎s first-generation immigrants who built our lives from the ground up, they have sacrificed the world for me,鈥� she said.

Neupane is the winner of the Whitbeck Memorial Award. Established in memory of Edward Lynn Whitbeck, a senior at Little Rock University who passed away in 1965, the award was created by Frank L. and Beverly Whitbeck to recognize exceptional academic achievement and leadership. Recipients receive a plaque, a monetary award, and deliver a speech at the spring commencement ceremony. She is completing degrees in biology and chemistry while spending more than three years conducting research in Dr. Noureen Siraj鈥檚 lab. Neupane’s work focused on developing gold nanoparticles for targeted cancer therapies, and she presented her research at national conferences, including the American Chemical Society. Neupane was recently selected as a semifinalist in America鈥檚 Startup, an official program of America250 that highlights emerging innovators from across the country.

Her research and entrepreneurial vision have also earned national recognition.

Born in Nepal, Neupane moved to the United States as a child and grew up relocating as her father pursued his Ph.D. She said those early experiences shaped her ability to adapt and build community, something that carried into her time at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

She chose 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock because of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, which offered the kind of interdisciplinary education she was looking for. Its proximity to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences provided the research and clinical opportunities to match.

At 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, she did both.

Her interest in medicine started long before college.

As a child, she dealt with years of chronic, undiagnosed pain while her family navigated the healthcare system without insurance. She said many doctors dismissed her symptoms until one physician took the time to listen and advocate for her, leading to the diagnosis of a tumor that was later removed.

鈥淭hat experience changed how I see medicine,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want to be someone who listens and advocates for patients who feel overlooked.鈥�

Her perspective is also shaped by her family鈥檚 experiences. She recalls stories about her grandfather, who died in a rural village in Nepal where access to medical care was limited. During an internship in Kathmandu, she saw similar challenges firsthand while working in a hospital with limited resources.

That focus on access and advocacy has guided her work on campus.

Neupane served as president of the Pre-Health Club and co-president of the American Chemical Society student organization, helping students prepare for careers in healthcare and STEM. She also worked with the Committee on Racial Equity for Students to support her peers.

鈥淭o me, impact is about making the path clearer for the students coming after me,鈥� she said.

Balancing research, leadership, and service required discipline. Neupane said she relied on the values her family instilled in her, along with a strong sense of purpose.

鈥淭here were times I questioned myself,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I kept coming back to why I started.鈥�

She credits faculty mentors across campus for helping her navigate challenges and grow as a student and leader, along with a close group of peers who supported her throughout her time at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

Looking back, she said those challenges helped her better understand the importance of community.

鈥淭hey showed me that I was never doing it alone,鈥� she said.

Receiving the Whitbeck Award, she said, is a reflection of that journey and the broader impact of her work.

鈥淚t means the world to know that the energy I poured into this campus was seen,鈥� she said.

After graduation, Neupane will attend the University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine as part of the Class of 2030. She plans to pursue a career that combines clinical care, research, and community advocacy.

鈥淚 want to be a physician who takes the time to listen,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what made the difference for me.鈥�

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Blair is graduating with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in anthropology and a Certificate of Proficiency in Applied Archaeology. She has distinguished herself as a scholar, researcher, and community volunteer who has made significant contributions to both the university and the field of anthropology.

鈥淚 feel very honored to have been selected out of all the amazing candidates that were eligible for this award,鈥� Blair said.

Established in memory of Edward Lynn Whitbeck, a senior at Little Rock University who passed away in 1965, the award was created by Frank L. and Beverly Whitbeck to recognize exceptional academic achievement and leadership. Recipients receive a plaque, a monetary award, and deliver a speech at the spring commencement ceremony.

Blair’s academic journey is a testament to perseverance and passion. After graduating high school in 2009, she attended community college but had to pause her education while raising her daughter as a single mother. She returned to higher education and earned her associate degree from the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton in 2021 before transferring to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in spring 2022.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long journey,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very bittersweet. I鈥檓 glad to be graduating, but at the same time, I don鈥檛 want to leave. I鈥檒l miss it because I really felt at home here. I felt like I fit in. I鈥檓 excited for the next chapter.鈥�

During her time at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Blair was a driving force in revitalizing the Anthropology Club after the COVID-19 pandemic and completed a variety of impressive internships and research projects. She interned at the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory in fall 2022, becoming the first anthropology student from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock to do so.

鈥淧aige was the first anthropology major to intern with the State Crime Lab in the Office of the Medical Examiner,鈥� said Dr. Kathryn King, associate professor of anthropology and interim co-director of the School of Human Inquiry. 鈥淭his has led to an ongoing program where the anthropology department places an intern with that office every semester. It has resulted in many of our graduates becoming employed there.鈥�

At the crime lab, Blair conducted a research project, 鈥淪ex and Ancestry Determination Based on Human Mandibular Measurements,鈥� which she presented at the crime lab and the 2023 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Research and Creative Works Expo.

She is the only two-time winner of the Mark Hartmann Student Fieldwork Award from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, using it to attend a forensic anthropology course at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and to work on artifact collection and research at the Meador Site in St. Francis County. Her paper, 鈥淟ate Woodland Occupations at the Meador Site, St. Francis County, Arkansas,鈥� was co-authored with Dr. Robert Scott of the Arkansas Archeological Survey and presented at three different conferences.

She also participated in the Arkansas Archeological Survey Training Dig in DeQueen in summer 2022, which she described as one of her favorite college experiences.

鈥淲e camped there for two weeks,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淭here were four tents on one site. We had so much fun together. It was good to have people with you who knew what you were going through. That is something I will never forget.鈥�

Blair has been actively involved in archaeological work throughout the state. She volunteered with the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program for cemetery preservation workshops and assisted the Arkansas Archaeological Survey in a metal detection survey of the Prairie D鈥橝ne Battlefield in Prescott. These efforts help locate and document Civil War-era artifacts to preserve the historical integrity of the battlefield.

Since November 2024, Blair has interned with Dr. Maureece Levin, assistant professor of anthropology, on the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Garden Site Archaeology Project, a community-oriented excavation near the Campus Garden. Blair learned excavation techniques, mapping, artifact cataloging, and public engagement through the project.

鈥淗er work involves technical skills like archaeological fieldwork and lab work, social skills like working with our other interns and volunteers, and creativity like designing outreach materials,鈥� Levin said. 鈥淪he was specifically interested in being involved in this project because of the public aspect of bringing archaeology to the broader community. Paige is uniquely inquisitive, intelligent, and extremely capable. She is the type of student who may come through a program maybe once every several years.鈥�

For Arkansas Archaeology Month in March, Blair helped organize and lead a community open house for the project, educating visitors on archaeological techniques and the site鈥檚 historical context. She also helped curate a display of artifacts from the dig that is now on exhibit at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Ottenheimer Library.

In 2024, Blair also conducted an ethnographic study in collaboration with a local Catholic church, exploring how changes in Catholicism have influenced traditional Mass practices. This project earned her the F. Brent Knutson Memorial Award for Excellence in Religious Studies.

After graduation, Blair and her family will relocate to Florida, where she plans to gain field experience before applying to graduate school in 2026 to study historical archaeology.

鈥淢y best piece of advice to other students is this: If there isn鈥檛 an opportunity that you want, make one,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淭hat Meador site project started from a thought I had on the way to work. I just asked how I could make it happen. Take advantage of every opportunity or create your own.鈥�

Blair leaves 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock with a perfect 4.0 GPA, the Most Outstanding Graduating Senior in Anthropology Award, and the distinction of being the first graduate of the university鈥檚 Applied Archaeology Certificate program.

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Frank L. and Beverly Whitbeck established the top graduating senior award in memory of their son, Edward Lynn Whitbeck, who was a senior at Little Rock University, the predecessor of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, at the time of his death in 1965. Each scholar receives a personalized plaque and a monetary award.

鈥淚 could hardly believe it when I got the news because there were so many exceptional candidates,鈥� Wells said. 鈥淲inning this award made me feel that all of my hard work paid off in the end.鈥�

Wells has been heavily involved in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock student newspaper, the Forum, serving as a writer and editor. The Arkansas College Media Association has recognized her skills as she recently received first place in the spot news photo category and second place in the feature photo category.

鈥淥utside of serving as editor of the Forum, Emily is active in many ways at our university,鈥� said Dr. Tim Edwards, director of the School of Mass Communication. 鈥淔or example, she resurrected the Trojan Film Club, a School of Mass Communication student organization that had been dormant for two plus years. Since its rebirth, the organization has participated in various university events spearheaded by Emily including Discover and sponsoring on-campus film screenings for students who are film enthusiasts.鈥�

As a theatre arts minor, Wells has embraced the opportunity to learn skills in acting, costuming, directing, and producing. She has worked as an office assistant and camp counselor for the School of Literary and Performing Arts. She鈥檚 also participated in the Fringe Festival, served as an assistant stage manager and deck crew chief for 鈥淕ames of Chance,鈥� coordinated a headshot workshop for actors and student photographers, and worked as an actor in seven short films as well as a hostage simulation training for the FBI and an extra in two feature films.

As Wells鈥� professor, academic advisor, and even an actor in one of her films, Dr. Simon Hawkins, director of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, described Wells as an intelligent, ambitious, and creative student leader.

鈥淗er list of accomplishments is extraordinary, but it is even more impressive when one realizes that all of these activities are the results of her own initiative,鈥� Hawkins said. 鈥淓mily doesn鈥檛 sit around and wait; she makes things happen, and when they do happen, she puts in the time to make sure they happen well. Emily is an outstanding student, an outstanding community member, and an outstanding leader. It is only fitting that she wins the award for the most outstanding graduating senior.鈥�

Wells is a well-rounded student who has been involved in a diverse array of activities 鈥� from the Cardboard Boat Regatta and Homecoming Court to creating a blog that reviewed Starbucks drinks to crafting and selling handmade jewelry. She has served on the Student Government Association, volunteered with Our House, received a 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Sustainability Grant, donated her hair to Locks of Love, and volunteered as a tutor in an after-school program.

During summer 2022, Wells studied intercultural communication at Istituto Lorenzo de鈥� Medici in Florence, and the trip was a bit of a homecoming for her.

鈥淚 was born in Naples, Italy, and raised by military parents,鈥� Wells said. 鈥淲e moved to Warren, Arkansas, when I was three years old because my grandparents lived there. I got to go back to Naples the day after my 20th birthday, and it was a surreal experience to be there again. We also got to take weekend trips to different cities like Rome and Venice.鈥�

Wells has been involved in four capstone projects for mass communication students, the most of any student. Kiel Thorlton, assistant professor of mass communication, said that the breadth of Wells鈥� work speaks for itself.

鈥淒ystopian Keebler elves, marriage proposals gone wrong, or Arkansas folklore 鈥� the creative width of her ideas is matched by their depth,鈥� Thorlton said. 鈥淓mily鈥檚 leadership, scholarship, citizenship, and most importantly character exemplifies the type of student I want in my classroom and on my sets.鈥�

Well鈥檚 own capstone project is a modern take on an old Arkansas ghost story.

鈥淚 wanted to do something with Arkansas folklore, and I did a lot of research on the monsters, legends, and ghosts of Arkansas,鈥� Wells said. 鈥淚 found this ghost story from the Natural Steps, a small community in Pulaski County near Pinnacle Mountain overlooking the Arkansas River. There is a legend about a young bride who lost her husband days after their wedding at the top of Natural Steps. After his death, she put on her bride gown and committed suicide. According to folklore, you can see her ghost at the Natural Steps. I felt really inspired by their story, and I wanted to have more people hear it.鈥�

Wells will be submitting her nine-minute film to film festivals in Arkansas and hopes that it will premiere sometime during the fall. After graduation, Wells will be finishing up a communications internship with the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families through the summer. Afterwards, she will be looking for production assistant and acting jobs. Eventually, Wells would like to work as a producer and director in the film industry.

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Frank L. and Beverly Whitbeck established the top graduating senior award in memory of their son, Edward Lynn Whitbeck, who was a senior at Little Rock University, the predecessor of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, at the time of his death in 1965. Each scholar receives a personalized plaque and a monetary award.

鈥淚 feel really grateful to have won and really honored to receive such a prestigious award,鈥� Nadeem said. 鈥淚t was a surprise because I knew so many qualified students who applied. I worked hard for it, and I am glad to see that all the hard work has paid off in the end.鈥�

After graduating with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in biology and a chemistry minor, the award-winning member of the Donaghey Scholar Honors Program plans to spend a year working in medical research while applying for medical school to fulfill his long-held goal of becoming a doctor.

鈥淚鈥檝e known I wanted to go into medicine since high school,鈥� Nadeem said. 鈥淚 shadowed some doctors in high school, and I saw first-hand how they can help people and apply their vast medical knowledge to heal others. In college, I got more involved in different health care experiences, such as volunteering and participating in clinical research. That affirmed my desire to enter the field.鈥�

Nadeem has worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (糖心Vlog传媒MS) for years in their emergency department research lab, working on multiple clinical research trials on patient empathy, stress of emergency department patients, and acceptability of naloxone.

鈥淎had worked with the 糖心Vlog传媒MS Institute on Aging to coordinate a grant-funded opioid education project in the emergency department, in which over 500 patients were given health information about opioids,鈥� said Dr. Michael Wilson, director of the 糖心Vlog传媒MS Emergency Department Research Associates Program. 鈥淎had developed protocols for this project and trained all lab members, including holding monthly training sessions and lectures. Throughout this project, Ahad and the other lab members were able to help many patients acquire naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose antidote.鈥�

In other health care-related activities, he also worked as a summer intern at Arkansas Children鈥檚 Hospital and presented his work at the 2022 Arkansas INBRE Research Conference. Additionally, Nadeem volunteers in the 糖心Vlog传媒MS Winthrop Rockefeller Cancer Institutes and in 糖心Vlog传媒MS鈥檚 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where he holds and reads to babies in NICU. He also volunteers with Kaleidoscope Grief Center, a part of Methodist Family Health, in a support group for children who have lost loved ones.

鈥淲hen I started volunteering, I had just lost my grandfather last year,鈥� Nadeem said. 鈥淚 wanted to learn how to deal with loss and help others learn as well. It鈥檚 helped me to learn to talk about people that I鈥檝e lost.鈥�

An active member of student life, Nadeem serves as vice president of the Student Government Association, a health and wellness writer for The Forum, and president of the Campus Garden Alliance. He鈥檚 also on the Donaghey Scholars Student Committee, organizing Donaghey events and interviewing new applicants for the program, and on the Academic Integrity and Grievances Committee.

Nadeem also enjoyed serving as a learning assistant for a genetic class taught by Stefanie Leacock, an instructor of biology, who feels Nadeem made a positive impact on student learning.

鈥淔or my genetics course, I use an open-access textbook I developed in LibreTexts,鈥� Leacock said. 鈥淎had himself noted that additional practice questions would be helpful to students. Ahad spent the spring semester of 2022 working on review questions for each chapter that addressed specific learning objectives. Ahad authored nearly 70 questions and question sets, which are now publicly available in the online H5P question database LibreStudio. His work benefited not only our 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock genetics students, but other students and instructors may benefit from the questions he created as well.鈥�

Nadeem鈥檚 presentation on his work to improve student learning in the genetics course earned him a first place in the 2022 Student Research and Creative Works Expo. Additionally, he earned a second first place in last year鈥檚 expo for a research project he created about food deserts in Little Rock. Nadeem developed a map of food deserts in Little Rock, marking locations of dollar, convenience, and grocery stores in the city. He later presented this research at the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance Summit, where it was shared with legislators, policy makers, and graduate students researching food insecurity in Arkansas.

With his college career wrapping up, Nadeem鈥檚 advice to new college students is to branch out of their comfort zones and try new things.

鈥淚nitially starting out, I was scared to go beyond my comfort zone,鈥� Nadeem said. 鈥淥nce I started trying new things, I realized how many opportunities are here and how many cool things you can do at this university. In order to experience them, you have to branch out and not be afraid to fail. You never know what kind of opportunities you will get in return.鈥�

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