About 1,420 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students are eligible to graduate and are invited to participate in the commencement ceremonies with their friends and loved ones. More information is available by visiting .

The 9:30 a.m. ceremony will honor undergraduate students from the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and the College of Business, Health, and Human Services. The Jack Stephens Center will open for guests at 8 a.m. for the morning ceremony, and graduating students should arrive by 8:30 a.m.

The 2 p.m. ceremony will honor undergraduate students from the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education as well as all graduate students. The Jack Stephens Center will open for guests at 12:30 p.m. for the afternoon ceremony, and graduating students should arrive by 1 p.m.

Arkansas Artist Kevin Kresse, a 1984 graduate of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock who was also honored as 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s 2025 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in February, will serve as the guest speaker for both commencement ceremonies.

Kresse is a nationally and internationally acclaimed sculptor and painter. He had never taken an art class before attending 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, but his talent led to recognition, including the Arkansas Governor鈥檚 Individual Artist of the Year Award in 2015 and acknowledgment by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2016. Over the past two decades, he has installed more than 20 public sculptures across Arkansas and beyond.

In 2022, Kresse was selected to sculpt a statue of Johnny Cash for the U.S. Capitol鈥檚 National Statuary Hall. He developed the concept and worked on the sculpture at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Windgate Center of Art + Design, where visitors could observe the creative process. The statue was installed in September 2024, making Kresse the first Arkansan to achieve this honor.

Paige Blair, the 2025 recipient of the Edward L. Whitbeck Memorial Award, the highest honor given to a graduating senior at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, will also speak during the 2 p.m. ceremony. A first-generation college student from Twin Groves, Arkansas, Blair is graduating with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in anthropology and a Certificate of Proficiency in Applied Archaeology.

The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law will hold a commencement ceremony for its graduates at 6:30 p.m. May 17 at the Jack Stephens Center for its 110 graduates. Judge Annabelle Imber Tuck will serve as the keynote speaker for the ceremony.

Tuck graduated from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 William H. Bowen School of Law in 1977, where she continues to serve as a Public Service Fellow and Jurist-in-Residence. She became the first woman elected to the Arkansas Supreme Court in 1997.

The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock commencement ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. will be livestreamed on the commencement website and the .

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House Resolution 1081, sponsored by Rep. Tippi McCullough, was read and adopted in the House, on March 19, while Sen. Clarke Tucker introduced Senate Resolution 49. The resolutions recognized Kresse鈥檚 artistic achievements and his contribution to Arkansas鈥檚 cultural legacy.

鈥淚 was completely surprised,鈥� Kresse said. 鈥淚鈥檝e never been recognized or honored in this way before. Representative Tippi McCullough and Senator Clarke Tucker wrote to me to say they were sponsoring a resolution for me.鈥�

During the proceedings, the House presented Kresse with a resolution highlighting his life and career. He then moved to the Senate chamber, where Sen. Tucker introduced him, and the Senate voted to adopt its version of the resolution.

鈥淚 was able to say a few words to the Senate members and was then presented with the Senate version of the resolution,鈥� Kresse said. 鈥淚t was a very special afternoon for me, for which I am very appreciative of Representative McCullough and Senator Tucker for giving me this honor.鈥�

Kresse鈥檚 statue of Johnny Cash, dedicated in 2024, replaced one of the two statues representing Arkansas in the National Statuary Hall Collection. His work has been widely praised for capturing the essence of the iconic musician, cementing Kresse鈥檚 legacy in the artistic and cultural history of the state. You can learn more about the sculpture鈥檚 creation and dedication by watching the Arkansas PBS documentary, 鈥�,鈥� which debuted the same day Kresse was honored by the Arkansas Legislature.

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The documentary, directed by award-winning filmmaker Nathan Willis, follows the journey of both statues, from concept to completion, and explores the enduring legacies of civil rights activist and journalist Daisy Bates and country music icon Johnny Cash. It also provides a behind-the-scenes look at the artists, including Kresse and sculptor Benjamin Victor, as they brought these historic figures to life in bronze.

鈥溾�楿nveiled鈥� explores the profound impact of Daisy Bates and Johnny Cash on the history of our great state and the nation,鈥� Arkansas PBS Executive Director and CEO Courtney Pledger said. 鈥淔rom their humble beginnings to their lasting influence, their statues stand as a tribute to the pivotal roles they played in shaping American culture and society.鈥�

For Kresse, the premiere of the documentary is a chance for Arkansans to see the dedication and collaboration that went into making the statues a reality.

鈥淭hese statues belong to the people of Arkansas, so I鈥檓 glad they鈥檒l get a peek behind the curtain on everything it took to bring them to fruition,鈥� said Kresse, who was honored as 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in February. 鈥淎 lot of people put time and effort into helping create these pieces鈥攆rom the search committee, the steering committee, the Secretary of State鈥檚 office, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, the foundry, and even the families of Daisy Bates and Johnny Cash. It was a true collective effort.鈥�

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock played a special role in the creative process, hosting Kresse and Victor at the Windgate Center of Art + Design, where they worked on their sculptures for a week. The public was invited to witness the artists at work, interact with them, and experience firsthand the meticulous effort involved in crafting the statues.

鈥淗aving Kevin Kresse and Benjamin Victor work on these statues at the Windgate Center of Art + Design gave people a chance to see the artistic process up close,鈥� said Joli Livaudais, interim director of the School of Art and Design. 鈥淲atching the sculptures take shape in real time made the history behind them feel more tangible and personal. The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock School of Art and Design was proud to host the artists. It gave our students the opportunity to engage with this important moment in Arkansas history.鈥�

Kresse expressed excitement about seeing the film鈥檚 final cut, praising Willis for his storytelling abilities.

鈥淚 saw several short clips of the documentary during the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival this past fall,鈥� Kresse said. 鈥淣athan Willis is an extremely talented and sensitive storyteller, and I was extremely impressed with what I鈥檝e seen so far. I鈥檓 also interested in seeing how he weaves together a single film about these two separate Arkansas icons.鈥�

Creating the Johnny Cash statue was a career highlight for Kresse, who acknowledged the challenge of sculpting such an iconic figure.

鈥淚 feel very fortunate that all the reactions I鈥檝e seen or heard about the Johnny Cash piece have been extremely positive,鈥� he said. 鈥淪culpting someone whose likeness and personality are so well known is a precarious position to be in. I put a lot of time and effort into it and felt proud of the final result, but you never know how people will react. It鈥檚 been very gratifying to receive such positive feedback.鈥�

The Johnny Cash statue, cast at The Crucible in Oklahoma, depicts the musician in a contemplative stance, gripping his guitar strap and a Bible. It was unveiled in the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 24, 2024.

In addition to the film鈥檚 premiere, Kresse shared that he is currently working with the Cash estate on a series of reproductions of the statue.

鈥淭his will be the first time I鈥檝e done reproductions,鈥� Kresse said. 鈥淚鈥檓 working on a small resin version of the statue as well as different bronze versions, including smaller full-figure statues and a bust taken from the original sculpture.鈥�

A free, advance screening of 鈥�Unveiled鈥� will be held in March, with additional details available at. Arkansas PBS will also release a series of digital shorts on Facebook and Instagram leading up to the March 20 premiere, which can be shown on Arkansas PBS, at , and in the .

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糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock honored Emily Wells, the top graduate of 2024, celebrated Arkansas artist Kevin Kresse as the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, as well as Libby Smith, the longtime award-winning travel editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with the Presidents Award.

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock also celebrated the addition of two new awards to the program. Summer Khairi, assistant professor and program director at 糖心Vlog传媒MS, received the Young Alumna Award, while Jerry Damerow, co-chair of the Centennial Campaign, received the Honorary Alumnus Award, which recognizes a non-alumnus who has served, promoted, and developed 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in the tradition of an alum.

鈥淭his year鈥檚 alumni honorees are brilliant representatives of our brand,鈥� Chancellor Christina S. Drale said. 鈥淭hey excel in journalism, art, business, and science, and they continue to make a positive impact. In addition to their impressive achievements, each is known for their generosity and kindness. Summer, Libby, Kevin, and Jerry, thank you for the work you do in your communities and your dedication to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Emily, as our Whitbeck Scholar, you are a shining beacon of our future. Congratulations to our exceptional honorees.鈥�

Emily Wells

Emily Wells received the 2024 Edward L. Whitbeck Memorial Award, recognizing her as 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 top graduate of the year. She earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in mass communication with a minor in theatre arts.

鈥淲ith her nearly perfect GPA and numerous awards, Emily Wells certainly has the credentials,鈥� said Dr. Simon Hawkins, director of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program. 鈥淏ut what truly sets her apart is her ability to get things done鈥攚orking with others to accomplish great things. Watching her work was impressive. Her maturity and professionalism stand out at every stage. Emily is the full package. She does it all. She is deeply committed to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and the entire community.鈥�

A member of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, Wells made her mark as an award-winning reporter and photographer for The Forum, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 student newspaper. She restarted the Trojan Film Club, served in student government, volunteered for numerous causes, and worked as an office assistant and camp counselor for the School of Literary and Performing Arts.

Since graduation, she has interned with Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families and is building a career in the film industry as an actress and production professional.

鈥淚 received support through 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock through generous scholarships, support from faculty and staff, and through an engaging campus community, despite a pandemic,鈥� Wells said. 鈥淏ecause of the Donaghey Scholars Program, I am debt-free and able to pursue my dreams without worrying about student loans. I will always be grateful for my time at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and everything I learned there. No matter where I go, I will always be a Trojan at heart.鈥�

Kevin Kresse

Kevin Kresse, a 1984 graduate, is a nationally and internationally acclaimed sculptor and painter. He had never taken an art class before attending 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, but his talent led to recognition, including the Arkansas Governor鈥檚 Individual Artist of the Year Award in 2015 and acknowledgment by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2016. Over the past two decades, he has installed more than 20 public sculptures across Arkansas and beyond.

In 2022, Kresse was selected to sculpt a statue of Johnny Cash for the U.S. Capitol鈥檚 National Statuary Hall. He developed the concept and worked on the sculpture at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Windgate Center of Art + Design, where visitors could observe the creative process. The statue was installed in September 2024, making Kresse the first Arkansan to achieve this honor.

鈥淚 came to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock as an energetic but confused seed of potential,鈥� Kresse said. 鈥淔ortunately, I found fertile soil with some kind attentive gardeners there who saw something, nurtured it, and believed in me to the point where I could believe in myself that I could do this.鈥�

When space constraints made sculpting the Johnny Cash statue difficult, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock once again provided support.

鈥淭om Clifton and Michael Warrick told me, 鈥楾ake the sculpture studio as long as you need,鈥欌�� Kresse said. 鈥淚t was a game changer. It made all the difference in the success of that piece.鈥�

Libby Smith

Libby Smith, best known as the award-winning travel editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, served in that role for more than 22 years. Under her leadership, the newspaper鈥檚 travel section was recognized as the best in its circulation category by the Society of American Travel Writers in 2005.

鈥淟ibby and I served in the Alumni Association together,鈥� said Bob Denman, emeritus vice chancellor of university advancement. 鈥淚 remember Libby as a donor, a volunteer, a volunteer leader, and that鈥檚 pretty special. Her life was 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, this community, and that newspaper.鈥�

Smith earned a double major in history and art history at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, an education she credits with shaping her worldview. As president of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Board of Directors in 1999, she helped develop the concept for the Bailey Alumni Center and launched popular alumni travel programs.

鈥淚 am humbled to receive this award. I owe so much to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚t was because I was able to study what I loved at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock that I was able to enjoy the career I had. In the end, I was not too old to go back to college. I was never elected cheerleader at John H. Reagan Junior High or Palestine High School, but I look forward to many years of being a cheerleader for what is now 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.鈥�

Summer Khairi

Summer Khairi, a second-generation 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock graduate, earned her MBA in 2018 while working full-time as a nuclear medicine technologist. She quickly transitioned to teaching, earning a promotion to assistant professor and clinical coordinator at 糖心Vlog传媒MS after just two years as an adjunct instructor.

鈥淚 believe the first step in making a difference is showing up,鈥� said Guy Choate, president of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Board of Directors. 鈥淓very time I show up for this university, Summer is there. She may be receiving the Young Alumni Award today, but she inspires even those of us who have aged out of such categories.鈥�

Khairi鈥檚 dedication to service extends beyond her career. She chairs the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Board鈥檚 Scholarship Committee, which awards over $200,000 annually, and has been recognized as a 糖心Vlog传媒MS Phenomenal Woman and a Museum of Discovery SPARKS! Star. She is also an Arkansas Business 20 in Their Twenties honoree and a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock.

鈥淚鈥檓 deeply grateful to receive the first annual Young Alumni Award. Being part of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Board has been a rewarding experience,鈥� Khairi said. 鈥淚 love being involved in the community and seeing the younger generation grow and become active members of the Little Rock community. That鈥檚 what really drives me 鈥� helping others reach their potential just as 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock helped me reach mine.鈥�

Gerald 鈥淛erry鈥� Damerow

Jerry Damerow, a retired managing partner at Ernst & Young, serves as co-chair of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Centennial Campaign, which aims to raise $250 million for scholarships, student support, campus improvements, and academic excellence.

鈥淛erry serves alongside Alfred Williams as the co-chair of the Centennial Campaign for 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock,鈥� Choate said. 鈥淥n any given day, you can find Jerry at an on-campus or off-campus event, at a campus sporting event, or any place he is able to advance the cause of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. To date, the Centennial Campaign has raised over $210 million toward its $250 million goal.鈥�

Damerow鈥檚 career included international consulting and leadership roles in mergers and acquisitions. He later served as associate director of 糖心Vlog传媒MS BioVentures and is currently CFO of InterveXion Therapeutics, LLC.

鈥淚 love 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, and I can鈥檛 tell you how much this means to me,鈥� Damerow said. 鈥淏ut the person who should really be standing here is my wonderful wife, Sherri. She has given me self-confidence, support, and love for over 50 years. If we don鈥檛 build 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, who will?鈥�

Damerow and his wife have established the Jerry and Sherri Damerow Endowed Science Scholarship to support students in astronomy, biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and earth science.

鈥淲hy would a guy who didn鈥檛 attend 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock care about 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock?鈥� said Christian O鈥橬eal, vice chancellor for university advancement. 鈥淏ecause Jerry has adopted this campus as his own. There is no one more deserving of this award.鈥�

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鈥淭he biggest thing I鈥檓 feeling is relief that he鈥檚 safe,鈥� Kresse said, while preparing the statue for transportation to Washington, D.C. 鈥淛ohnny鈥檚 actually been in Eureka Springs for the past year while they鈥檝e been working on the pedestal, and we鈥檝e been waiting for an unveiling date.鈥�

The Division of Arkansas Heritage has been housing the statue of the country music icon and Arkansas native in Little Rock until it is transported to Statuary Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C. Cash will be the second Arkansan to be recognized with a statue on Capitol Hill this year after civil rights leader Daisy Bates was honored in May.

The first time that Kresse created a sculpture of Cash was in 2018 as part of a series of Arkansas musicians. Ever since presenting his idea for the Cash sculpture to the National Statuary Hall Steering Committee in 2020, Kresse has had plenty of time for his perception of Cash to evolve as people would share their stories of the star.

鈥淧eople who know that I鈥檝e been working on this would come up to me and tell me their Johnny Cash stories,鈥� Kresse said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the nice things about being in a small state like Arkansas. It鈥檚 more stories of his kindness and generosity. He hadn鈥檛 talked about all these generous things he did like giving money to build chapels for prisons and orphanages and tucking money inside people鈥檚 bibles.鈥�

Kresse worked closely with Cash鈥檚 children to create the statue of the country music star.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have asked for nicer people to work with,鈥� he said. 鈥淗is children helped me a lot through the process. I was able to send them photos throughout the whole process of crafting the sculpture to get their feedback. They were wonderful about being encouraging the whole time and giving their suggestions about how to make it better.鈥�

Roseanne Cash, a singer-songwriter and Cash鈥檚 oldest daughter, saw the bust of the statue for the first time on , when she received an honorary doctoral degree from Arkansas State University for her support in preserving the Cash childhood family home in Dyess.

鈥淪howing the bust to Roseanne for the first time was one of the highlights of this journey,鈥� Kresse recalled. 鈥淪he was so emotional, and that lets you know you are right on track.鈥�

Born in 1932 in Kingsland, Arkansas, Cash moved with his family at age 3 to live in the Eastern Arkansas farming community of Dyess, which was created in 1934 as part of President Franklin Roosevelt鈥檚 New Deal program. Arkansas State University restored the Cash family home and opened it as a museum in 2014. While Cash never lived to see his restored childhood home, Kresse said the idea of this served as inspiration for his statue.

鈥淭he idea was that Johnny had gone back to his childhood home,鈥� Kresse said. 鈥淭his is obviously a fantasy story of Johnny going through the restored home for the first time. He is looking over the fields, reliving the trauma of , and thinking about his success. It鈥檚 a very introspective, life-review moment that he is having. I wanted to make sure that there is plenty of humility and introspection in the pose. When people look up at him, Johnny will really be looking through them because he is lost in thought.鈥�

Kresse will arrive in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 20 to uncrate the statue, secure the statue to the plinth, and make final preparations for the ceremony.

鈥淚t鈥檚 difficult to capture a person in a single frozen moment,鈥� Kresse said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 such a worldwide icon. I hope that when people see it, they will feel the humanity in him and the sense that he would have treated a homeless person and a king the same way.鈥�

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