The program placed three local educators, Matthew Possehl, Clint Holderby, and Taylor Kinsey, at Bastazo this summer, providing them with hands-on industry experience in cybersecurity, programming, and computer science.

The STRIVE program helps Arkansas STEM teachers gain real-world experience they can integrate into their classrooms to better prepare students for high-demand careers. The initiative aims to increase student awareness of the many STEM career paths available, strengthen their ability to succeed in those roles, promote evidence-based instructional practices, and expand teachers鈥� professional networks.

鈥淧artnering with programs like STRIVE allows us to connect with educators who are shaping the next generation of talent,鈥� said Dr. Philip Huff, chief scientist and co-founder of Bastazo as well as an associate professor of cybersecurity at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淏y giving teachers a firsthand look at how cybersecurity is evolving, we can help them bring relevant, cutting-edge knowledge back to their students.鈥�

As part of STRIVE, these inquiring educators had the opportunity to spend four weeks of their summer embedded in a cutting-edge company like Bastazo, which offered the teachers a real-world view into how STEM concepts are applied across disciplines. They鈥檒l bring what they learned back to the classroom in the form of innovative lessons meant to engage students in STEM learning. 

鈥淏y spending time in a high-tech environment like Bastazo, our teachers gained firsthand experience with how the STEM skills they teach are shaping critical sectors of our economy,鈥� said Dr. Mark Baillie,  director of the STRIVE program at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淎 large majority of our STEM teachers have never been in the workforce outside of academia, yet they are supposed to be preparing students for jobs they haven鈥檛 seen or experienced themselves. These internships give teachers the tools to bring relevance and excitement back to their classrooms, helping students understand not just what they鈥檙e learning, but why it matters. And all this could one day lead to a meaningful career right here in Arkansas.鈥�

This summer, 17 Arkansas teachers were placed at 12 partner sites, including Bastazo, through the STRIVE program. Collectively, these educators are expected to teach nearly 2,400 students across the state this year, equipping them with high-impact STEM lessons designed to boost their readiness for and success in STEM-related careers.

鈥淥ur teachers are at the forefront of preparing students for the future, and experiences like STRIVE give them valuable industry insight they can immediately bring back to the classroom,鈥� said Dr. Debbie Jones, superintendent of Bentonville Schools. 鈥淏y working alongside companies like Bastazo, our educators gain a deeper understanding of emerging technologies, which directly benefits our students and their readiness for tomorrow鈥檚 careers.鈥�

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At the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, dozens of college professors and graduate assistants across disciplines spent the week of May 13-17 learning about science-based methods to become better teachers.

The Mobile Institute on Scientific Teaching (MoSI) workshop provides a focus on active learning because studies show that students are 1 陆 times more likely to pass classes in active learning classrooms compared to students in classes that use traditional lecturing only.

鈥淚 feel like the School of Art and Design makes it a priority to send new faculty members to MoSI,鈥� said Clark Valentine, an assistant professor of drawing. 鈥淚 am interested in finding out about interdisciplinary teaching and the crosspollination of ideas. Today, specifically, we were talking about how to approach your teaching like a research project, quantifying the data of your classroom. You learn how to use this data to track your teaching over the years, and you find evidence that your teaching is working. I鈥檓 excited to implement this into my teaching.鈥�

Since 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock began offering the workshop in 2019, they have trained more than 150 people. Dr. Mark Baillie, assistant professor of chemistry, is part of a national Mobile Institute on Scientific Teaching leadership group and has run workshops at 15 locations around the world.

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock received a nearly $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation in 2022 to enhance teaching, learning, and student success in undergraduate STEM education. One of the things the grant provides funding for is a stipend for up to 75 STEM faculty to complete the workshop over a five-year period. The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Office of the Provost generously provided matching stipends for any non-STEM faculty who completed this year鈥檚 workshop.

鈥淭he content of this program is great,鈥� said Stephanie Davis, assistant professor in the School of Public Affairs. 鈥淲e are getting moral support, and I am learning about institutional resources that I didn鈥檛 even know existed. Teaching is a part of your job, and you should approach it with the same rigor as you would your research.鈥�

Participants had a hands-on experience on the impact of evidence-based teaching approaches such as active learning and inclusive teaching practices, with deliberate practice and backward design. This workshop has been identified as a major transformative event in the career of many college faculty, from R1 institutions to community colleges.

鈥淔or me, it was important to look at concepts on teaching, new ideas, and ways that you can adapt to the culture of the university and make the learning environment more engaging and fun for students,鈥� said Jahaz Shine, assistant professor of biology at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

Shine, who previously worked as a practicing physician teaching medical students on the West coast, said she鈥檚 enjoyed learning new teaching techniques as she adjusts to a new teaching environment.

鈥淲hat worked for me in previous positions does not necessarily transplant here,鈥� Shine said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important for me to adapt to new ideas and concepts. I鈥檝e learned how to better engage my students and classroom management techniques based on incorporating some of the new practices. I will hopefully increase learning outcomes for students.鈥�

Nickolas Doshier, director of music education, is a self-described 鈥渆ducation nerd鈥� who was excited to learn more evidence-based approaches to teaching that he can share with his colleagues and students.

鈥淎ny type of teacher education is interesting to me,鈥� Doshier said. 鈥淚 like that people at MOSI practice what they preach and are using evidence to back up their methods and techniques. This is a STEM-driven workshop, so it鈥檚 interesting to be a participant from the arts. A lot of teachers have adopted the practice of scientific teaching, and it鈥檚 easy to see how it would transfer to my classes.鈥�

This year鈥檚 participants, who are named Scientific Teaching Fellows after completion of the workshop, include:

• Nickolas Doshier, director of music education
• Jenna Eastwood Hill, librarian
• Janak Paudel, graduate student in applied physics
• Jiabin Fan, assistant professor of sociology
• Chieh Lin, assistant professor of accounting
• Amanda Smith, faculty member in education
• David Montague, associate vice chancellor of academic affairs
• Kristen McIntyre, professor of applied communication
• Clark Valentine, assistant professor of drawing
• Stephanie Davis, assistant professor of public affairs
• Kyungsun Lee, assistant professor of history
• Ali Abushaiba, assistant professor of electronics and computer engineering
• Kesong Hu, assistant professor of psychology
• Robert Richards, assistant professor from the Clinton School of Public Service
• Michele Noiset, assistant professor of illustration
• Karen Dauenhauer, assistant professor of theatre
• Jill Ellenbarger, associate professor of chemistry from John Brown University
• Kenya Brooks, site coordinator for School of Education
• Terri Guy, site coordinator for School of Education
• Leslie Sharp, assistant professor of education
• Jahaz Shine, visiting professor of biology
• Ian Cliton, assistant professor of biology
• Shweta Dabetwar, assistant professor of mechanical engineering
• Laura Langley, visitor professor of education
• Mahfuzul Hasan, assistant professor of chemistry from Philander Smith University
• Ambar Rangu Magar, assistant professor of chemistry from Philander Smith University

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is currently the only higher education institution in Arkansas that runs MoSI workshops, but Baillie is hoping to expand in the future to other institutions in Arkansas.

Mahfulzul Hasan, assistant professor of chemistry and 2022 graduate of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, was one of three faculty members from Philander Smith University who was attending the MoSI workshop.

鈥淚 had talks with Dr. Mark Baillie about active learning when I was working with him as a teaching assistant just before my graduation,鈥� Hasan said. 鈥淲hen I went into my classroom teaching organic chemistry, biochemistry, and analytical chemistry, I felt this workshop would be good training for me. I want to implement this into my teaching this semester, and we want to continue to use MoSI at Philander Smith. We will contact our administration and figure out how we can implement MoSI there in the future.鈥�

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After growing up in Palestine, Kattoum moved with her family to Chicago at age 9. She found a love of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education early in life and earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in chemistry from Loyola University. She then moved to Arkansas, earning two master鈥檚 degrees in chemistry and higher education from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

In 2014, Kattoum became a valued instructor in the Department of Chemistry, becoming the 2021 recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching for the Donaghey College of STEM. Over the years, she served as the freshman programs coordinator and teacher licensure program coordinator, a facilitator for the Mobile Institute on Scientific Teaching (MoSI), as well as helped start the Learning Assistants program with Dr. Mark Baillie, assistant professor of chemistry. It was the introduction of the MoSI workshop that became a game changer for Kattoum.

鈥淚 had already been an instructor for several years when Mark Baillie joined the faculty in 2019 and brought with him the MOSI workshop,鈥� Kattoum said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always experimented with different methodologies to engage my students, but I didn鈥檛 realize there was a science to teaching science. It was really a career changer for me that sparked my interest in working on my Ph.D.鈥�

Baillie, her longtime colleague, described Kattoum as a 鈥渢our de force,鈥� who secured more than $40,000 in external funding to support her research, invite speakers to campus, and fund undergraduate researchers. Since she started her doctoral program, she has presented during two international conferences each year and is on track to submit four peer-reviewed publications resulting from her dissertation.

鈥淭he impact of her research has the possibility to broaden the participation of students from historically marginalized groups in STEM, both at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and in the entire higher education system in the U.S.,鈥� Baillie said. 鈥淲e at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock are incredibly proud to have been part of Ronia鈥檚 career journey.鈥�

Kattoum began researching discipline-based education research focusing on chemistry education. She completed her dissertation, 鈥淎n Investigation of the Mindset Context and its Downstream Effects on Marginalized Student Outcomes in College STEM Courses鈥� this semester. She completed her doctoral degree while being a single mother of four kids, now ages 9, 14, 16, and 19, who were all excited to see their mom graduate.

鈥淚 was so excited to see my oldest son when he came to my defense,鈥� Kattoum said. 鈥淗e talked about how different it was to see me in action and how well I connected with people. My colleagues told me they saw the pride in his eyes. My parents and other kids watched me on Zoom. It was wonderful to have my kids experience my achievement with me.鈥�

This summer Kattoum will be conducting post-doctoral research with her 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock colleagues as well as moving into a new home before starting her new position as an assistant professor and chemistry education researcher at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

鈥淭his is a milestone I鈥檝e been looking forward to for a long time, and it鈥檚 the result of many sacrifices,鈥� Kattoum said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 start the Ph.D. program right away because of familial responsibilities. I always felt it was inevitable that I would come back and get this Ph.D. It鈥檚 a lifelong dream for me. It鈥檚 all about having a license to do what you love. I wanted to do research to help further student success in STEM disciplines, and now I have a platform to do that at Roosevelt University. I鈥檓 looking forward to how I can change the world, one institution and one student at a time.鈥�

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This resounding success not only showcases the collective spirit that defines the university but also highlights the enduring commitment of its community to invest in the institution’s mission and future.

鈥淭his accomplishment is a testament to the dedication and generosity of our campus community,鈥� said Dr. Aresh Assadi, director of Counseling Services and chair of the Campus Campaign. 鈥淩eaching this participation level is not only a numerical success but also speaks to the sense of unity and commitment among our employees. I believe that boosting internal participation is crucial as it positively impacts our external fundraising efforts, creating a strong foundation for the university’s growth and development.鈥�

Reaching this goal speaks to the shared belief in the transformative power of education and the collective impact of small acts of giving. Altogether, nearly 350 university employees donated to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock during 2023.

“The spirited engagement of our dedicated faculty and staff in the Campus Campaign goes beyond monetary contributions,鈥� said Christian O鈥橬eal, vice chancellor for university advancement. 鈥淭his wholehearted internal support significantly fortifies our university’s standing as we approach external donors for major gifts. It communicates a compelling message 鈥� that those intimately connected to the university are wholeheartedly committed to its mission. This collective investment not only enhances our credibility but also amplifies our appeal when seeking external funds. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the staff, faculty, and administrators who played instrumental roles in organizing this year’s campaign. With the capable assistance of Laterika Tooks and Kristi Smith, it became a total team effort. Witnessing such collaboration makes me immensely proud to be a Trojan.”

The university owes a special thanks to the dedicated employees who helped lead the Campus Campaign effort across campus. Campus Campaign Steering Committee members included Assadi, Mark Baillie, Shelia Brooks, Sikia Brown, Jessie Burchfield, Anthony Buttrum, Katrina Christopher, Reed Claiborne, Shannon Collier-Tenison, andre cummings, Joe Felan, Tyler Harrison, Carrie Phillips, Derek Slagle, Judy Staley, Joanne Matson, Brandy Dixon, and Emily Bell.

Campus Campaign Ambassadors included Katie Helms, Dawn Johnson, Sadie Lea, Monica Meadows, Leisa Myles, Vanessa Whitman, Angela Willis, April Chatham-Capenter, Mercades Parker, Bobbie Handcock, Salina Ables, Reteisha Byrd, Morgan Leyenberger, Mohammad Goodarzi, Keith Harris, Mary French, Rachel Mercado, Belinda Nix, Cynthia Dedner, Al Baker, Jennifer Lampkin, Anne Turner, Grace Zafasi, and Mary Tillman.

鈥淭he dedication of our Steering Committee and Campus Ambassadors was evident throughout the campus, and I had the opportunity to observe the effort they invested behind the scenes,鈥� said Laterika Tooks, director of annual giving at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淚 feel fortunate to collaborate with numerous faculty and staff members who are enthusiastic about their roles and committed to the development and achievement of this university.鈥�

A total of 18 campus departments achieved 100 percent giving in 2023, which is 50 percent more than 2022.

Those departments include Alumni and Development, Applied Communication, the Bursar鈥檚 Office, the Chancellor鈥檚 Office, Concurrent Enrollment, Counseling Services, Disability Resource Center, Financial Aid and Scholarships, Financial Services, Institute of Chief Data Officers, Mail Services, Marketing and Communications, Office of Military Student Success, Sequoyah National Research Center, Study Abroad, Student Retention Initiatives, Testing and Student Life Research, and the Trojan Transition and Assistance Center.

Bobbie Handcock, a web content specialist who served as a campus ambassador, said that she likes to donate to causes like the Trojan Food Pantry or to help buy caps and gowns for graduating students.

鈥淚 work at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, and I鈥檓 also a graduate student,鈥� Handcock said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been able to see things from a student鈥檚 perspective and talk with my classmates about challenges that they may face. I know how important it is to have support 鈥� both financially and academically. The Campus Campaign generates funds to help students succeed and reach their goals.鈥�

As a campus campaign ambassador, Handcock explained how a gift to the university is an investment in future leaders, innovators, and professionals.

鈥淏y donating, you can help provide scholarships, financial aid, and resources to students who might not otherwise have the means to pursue a college education,鈥� Handcock said. 鈥淏y contributing, you can help feed someone who is hungry or clothe someone who needs business attire for a job interview. I shared ways that they could support the campaign, including purchasing a legacy brick, giving to an area that means the most to them or giving a gift-in-kind such as to the Trojan Career Closet. I encouraged them to remember that it doesn鈥檛 matter what you give, as long as you give.鈥�

The gifts are a part of the Centennial Campaign, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 fundraising campaign to raise $250 million in celebration of the university鈥檚 100-year anniversary in 2027. The Campus Campaign was part of a cumulative fundraising year that netted more than $22 million for 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Visit to learn more about the Centennial Campaign.

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That was before the Hardy native found the STRIVE program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, which stands for Arkansas Teachers Collaborating to build a diverse workforce. The paid professional development program for Arkansas middle school and high school STEM teachers provides opportunities for teachers to become immersed in an organization for a short period during the summer to see first-hand how diverse and far-reaching the skills they teach in their classroom relate to the real world.

鈥淭he program places middle and high school Arkansas STEM teachers in businesses for a four-week internship to increase teacher and student awareness of the jobs in their community that use STEM skills,鈥� said Dr. Mark Baillie, STRIVE program director. 鈥淚t helps teachers answer the question: 鈥榃hy do I need to learn this!鈥� or 鈥榃hen will I ever use this?鈥� for all types of disciplines while connecting it to many different career paths.鈥�

Teachers bring what they learn during their summer placements back into their classrooms, promoting approaches such as science inquiry and problem-based learning. Students learn about the diversity of jobs requiring STEM skills and the skills they will need to work in those jobs.

A teacher of 19 years, Smith said she first became interested in the STRIVE program six years ago and thought it would be great to show her students the different types of STEM careers that are available in Arkansas.

鈥淚 work in a very small rural farming community, and I wanted my students to see past where we lived to statewide opportunities that are available for them,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 also wanted to bring back hands-on lessons for my students to engage them in science so they would be excited about the content we were covering. STRIVE seemed to be the best way to bring knowledge of STEM jobs and job opportunities into my classroom. It completely changed the way I taught in my classroom.鈥�

Smith worked with Sara Seagraves, education and outreach biologist, during her first STRIVE placement at Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery.

鈥淭hat was a lot of fun as a teacher,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淲e got to canoe up and down the river collecting native species of plants and developed lesson plans about the native species of plants for Sara to use when students came to visit the hatchery. I can take that information back to my students, and I got to learn about the different STEM jobs at the hatchery and what opportunities are available for my students if they want to work at the hatchery.鈥�

Over the years, Smith鈥檚 STRIVE internships have also taken her to work at AZ Industries in Highland, the Spring River Innovation Hub in Cherokee Village, the Norfork National Fish Hatchery, and Ridout Lumber in Batesville.

Smith鈥檚 STRIVE connections have led to interesting opportunities for her and her students. Doug Tharp, one of Smith鈥檚 co-workers at Ridout Lumber, served as a guest speaker for her students in Salem.

鈥淗e taught them how to use a tape measure to make measurements for home projects,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淗e also showed them what jobs are available at Ridout, what STEM skills are needed, and what the pay scale is for those jobs. The students just loved it.鈥�

This connection also came in handy when Smith had her students participating in the Gingerbread House STEM Challenge, an engineering assignment that challenges students to build a gingerbread house that meets specific design requirements. During the challenge, she noticed that her students were having trouble communicating with each other and working well on teams.

Afton Yount, marketing coordinator at Ridout Lumber, and Richard Kapp, area operation manager at Ridout Lumber, visited Salem High School in May to teach students 6 Sigma. Developed by Motorola in the 1980s, Six Sigma is a method that provides organizations tools to improve the capability of their business processes.

鈥淭hey met with 120 students and talked about STEM skills and job skills and communicating,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淎t the end of the day, all the students got a white belt certification for Six Sigma. They were able to make a difference for my students. This will make my students competitive and be able to apply those skills in future jobs. All of this came about throughout the STRIVE experience. These businesses want to support our science students and having that personal connection made it possible.鈥�

Currently in her sixth year in STRIVE, Smith has grown from mentee to mentor and is now using her advanced knowledge of the program to help other STRIVE participants.

鈥淎s an advisor, we are mentoring the participants, helping deliver the professional development lessons to the teachers, as well as helping them with their placements and to develop a lesson plan to take back to their classrooms,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淏efore STRIVE, I didn鈥檛 introduce STEM jobs in the classroom. I teach mostly 7th grade, and I think it is important for them to see what jobs are out there and what it takes for them to get those jobs.鈥�

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The workshop provides a focus on active learning because that students are 1 陆 times more likely to pass classes in active learning classrooms compared to students in classes that use traditional lecturing only.

Since 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock began offering the workshop in 2019, they have trained more than 125 people including more than 105 faculty members and 20 graduate teaching assistants. Dr. Mark Baillie, assistant professor of chemistry, is part of a national Mobile Institute on Scientific Teaching leadership group and has run workshops at 15 locations around the world.

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock received a nearly $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation last year to enhance teaching, learning, and student success in undergraduate STEM education. One of the things the grant provides funding for is a stipend for up to 75 STEM faculty to complete the workshop over the next five years. The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Office of the Provost generously provided matching stipends for any non-STEM faculty who completed this year鈥檚 workshop.

Participants had a hands-on experience on the impact of evidence-based teaching approaches such as active learning and inclusive teaching practices, with deliberate practice and backward design. This workshop has been identified as a major transformative event in the career of many college faculty, from R1 institutions to community colleges.

鈥淚 was very interested in learning about other teaching techniques to improve the learning environment,鈥� said Michelle Malone, digital learning specialist at Ottenheimer Library. 鈥淚鈥檝e heard about the Mobile Institute on Scientific Teaching before, and I was excited to take it for myself. I wanted to learn more about the latest teaching practices.鈥�

Malone was especially interested in learning about backward design, an approach to creating curriculum, subjects, and classes that prioritizes the intended learning outcomes instead of topics to be covered.

鈥淚 was able to practice backward design using lessons we plan to use in the next school year about open education and affordable learning practices,鈥� Malone said. 鈥淭he idea of having more engaged, experiential learning in the classroom is promising, and I am glad that so many people are taking this workshop.鈥�

Scott Woolbright, an assistant professor of biology, has previously taken the workshop back in 2020 and was helping lead this year鈥檚 event as a facilitator. He led small groups of 4-7 faculty members as they learned about the backward design process.

鈥淐oming back and being a facilitator of the workshop is extremely comprehensive,鈥� Woolbright said. 鈥淚 am retaining more knowledge, and it鈥檚 rewarding to facilitate and help other faculty members embrace these skills. I would encourage more faculty to attend this workshop.鈥�

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock professors collected data on teaching practices during the spring semester from some of the faculty who completed this year鈥檚 workshop. They will collect data again in a year to measure any changes in their teaching practices and classroom environments that result from their participation in the workshop or communities of practice in the fall.

Participants also learn about the importance of data collection in teaching, which provides educators with insights on how to reflect on what changes they make in order to improve over the years. They can also use this data to publish research, which is especially important to career success for tenured and tenure-track faculty.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something that every class needs to do 鈥� improve activity and active learning,鈥� said Dr. Mariofanna Milanova, a professor of computer science. 鈥淚t also stimulates the brain to participate in this workshop. We鈥檝e had interesting exercises that encourage people to think in different ways. I will find this very useful in my classroom.鈥�

During the final day of the workshop, Chancellor Christina Drale, Provost Ann Bain, and Deans Sarah Beth Estes, Lawrence Whitman, and Thomas Cliffton joined the participants for lunch to hear their thoughts on improving learning at the university.

鈥淚n this lunch session, workshop participants were able to voice their appreciation for support provided by the administration and also make suggestions for how to increase the likelihood that they and others would be able to increase the use of student-centered approaches on our campus,鈥� Baillie said.

STEM faculty members who completed the workshop can continue to improve their teaching skills by participating in a Community of Practice 鈥� small groups of up to five faculty members who will meet bi-weekly to offer peer support and build out their expertise, another new 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock professional development program funded by the NSF grant.

鈥淭he grant also allows us to build out communities of practice for STEM faculty in the fall, where faculty from the workshop will meet every other week to receive support as they try to implement evidence-based practices into their classes,鈥� Baillie said. 鈥淭he grant does provide a stipend for these faculty participants.鈥�

This year鈥檚 participants, named Scientific Teaching Fellows after completing the workshop, include:

路  Amanda Trickey, assistant clinical professor, School of Nursing

路  Amy Brown-Westmoreland, online program coordinator, eLearning

路  Anita Neal, instructor, School of Social Work

路  Arya Basu, assistant professor, Department of Computer Science

路  Crystal Rose, assistant professor, School of Nursing

路  Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, associate professor, School of Public Affairs

路  Fairah Solomon, assistant professor, School of Nursing

路  Farren Moore, assistant professor, School of Nursing

路  Fusheng Tang, associate professor, Department of Biology

路  Joanna Hall, director of simulation, School of Nursing

路  Josh Landers, instructor, Department of Biology

路  Kimberly Porter, assistant professor, School of Nursing

路  Krista Schoening, assistant professor, School of Art and Design

路  Li Poirot, researcher, Department of Chemistry

路  Mahbuba Begum, instructor, Department of Chemistry

路  Mariofanna Milanova, professor, Department of Computer Science

路  Maureece Levin, assistant professor, School of Human Inquiry

路  MD Karim, assistant professor, Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance

路  Megan Fritts, assistant professor, School of Human Inquiry

路  Michelle Malone, digital learning specialist, Ottenheimer Library

路  Nancy Hamilton, associate professor, School of Education

路  Phil Williams, staff, Department of Information Science

路  Raffaela Lesch, assistant professor, Department of Biology

路  Sheila Brooks, clinical assistant professor, School of Nursing

路  Stephanie Feola, post-doctoral researcher, STEM Education Center

路  Zephaniah Greenwell, graduate student, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

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Lytle, associate professor of criminal justice and criminology, won the Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching, sponsored by the Bailey Family. Glazier, professor in the School of Public Affairs, has won the Faculty Excellence Award in Research and Creative Endeavors, sponsored by Dr. Jaafer Golzar and family, while Grace, associate professor of biology, received the Faculty Excellence Award in Public Service.

With the addition of two new awards this year, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock also honored Dr. Mark Baillie, assistant professor of chemistry, as the inaugural recipient of the Rising Faculty Excellence Award, sponsored by the Bowen Family, as well as Dr. John Kirk, George W. Donaghey distinguished professor of history, as the recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award in Social Justice, sponsored by Just Communities of Arkansas.

鈥淥ur winners鈥� dedication to scholarship, teaching, research, public service, and social justice has made a profound impact on our institution and the broader academic community,鈥� Provost Ann Bain said. 鈥淭hey have demonstrated a commitment to excellence that inspires us all and sets a high standard for future generations of educators. On behalf of the university, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of the award recipients and thank you for embodying the spirit of excellence that defines our institution.鈥�

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock annually celebrates the achievements of the top professors of the year who are making a difference in the community through their contributions in teaching, research and creative works, public service, and social justice. This is the highest honor 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock awards its faculty members. Each winning faculty winner will receive a $5,000 prize.

Created in 1989, the Faculty Excellence Awards has provided a way to recognize the great work of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock faculty for the past 34 years and is made possible through the valued contributions of the Office of the Chancellor, the Office of the Provost, the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Chancellor鈥檚 Circle, and the Bailey Foundation.

The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Board of Visitors selected the university-wide winners from the 19 faculty members who were selected as the top faculty members for the 2022-23 academic year in each of the five categories in their respective colleges and the William H. Bowen School of Law.

Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching

Dr. Robert 鈥淏ob鈥� Lytle is an associate professor of criminal justice and criminology, as well as the graduate coordinator for the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology. Lytle has been praised by students and colleagues for his dedication to students and his passion in the classroom.

There are several examples of Lytle鈥檚 excellence in teaching. One of those in particular can be found in his instruction of doctoral level statistics courses in the criminal justice and criminology Ph.D. program. Students often find these courses to be daunting and difficult, but students and colleagues alike have praised Lytle for his ability to teach these courses and teach them well.

One student in particular said Lytle transformed a terrifying advanced statistics course into one that was manageable and even enjoyable. Fellow colleagues and students also highlight the labeled binders he creates for each of his statistics students. These binders include everything from the syllabus and extra credit assignments to 125 pages of content written by Lytle concerning material used in the statistics classes and even a statistics refresher. The binder can be used in both upper-level criminal justice and criminology statistics courses, and the binders are built in such a way that they can be reorganized and added to as the student sees fit.

Lytle has also served in several different roles in his seven years at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. He is also the graduate coordinator for his school and has also served as the school assessment coordinator for over five years. Lytle has chaired thesis committees for five students and served as reader on six additional thesis projects while at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. He is currently serving as chair on six dissertation committees and as a reader on 14 additional dissertations.

Since 2016, Lytle has published 14 peer reviewed articles, with four of these articles being written in conjunction with students. This shows his dedication in teaching, but also mentoring students in their own research. To culminate, Lytle is currently the co-principal investigator on four external grants and contracts totaling over $1 million. This provides undergraduate and graduate students opportunities to actively engage in research projects that would not be available without Lytle鈥檚 dedication to teaching and student success through classroom instruction and research outside the classroom.

Faculty Excellence Award for Research and Creative Endeavors

Dr. Rebecca Glazier is a professor in the School of Public Affairs. She is known for her research on religion and politics, as well as pedagogical research in higher education.

Glazier is noted and praised for the Little Rock Congregations Study (LRCS) she founded 11 years ago. The LRCS is a longitudinal study of religion with goals of improving the understanding of the impacts of faith-based community engagement, getting students out of the classroom and into the community to learn and give back, and providing relevant and meaningful findings to the community. She has received over $30,000 in grants from community groups related to this study, and two of her peer-reviewed articles have been co-authored with students she mentored through the study.

Glazier is also highly committed to the scholarship of teaching and to learning how to improve teaching from students. She has published seven peer-reviewed articles and three book chapters on building rapport in the classroom, along with the book 鈥淐onnecting in the Online Classroom: Building Rapport between Teachers and Students鈥� with Johns Hopkins University Press (2021). This has made her very influential in the pedagogical circles in higher education. Over the last five years, Glazier has published 20 peer-reviewed articles, three book chapters, and one-solo authored book with several additional pieces of work on the way.

Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service

Dr. Stephen Grace is an associate professor of biology at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Grace is a plant physiologist specializing in plant biochemistry and is a founding director of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Campus Garden.

The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Campus Garden was founded in 2013 with the intent to bring together students, staff, faculty, and community members who share an interest in sustainability and gardening. The primary mission of the garden is to create a viable urban farm that provides fresh local food to organizations and individuals and to create an educational facility on urban land use, food studies, and sustainable agriculture for students, faculty, staff, and community members.

As director, Grace oversees service, teaching, and outreach activities, coordinates food delivery to food banks and other organizations, and serves as faculty advisor for the Campus Garden Alliance. The success of the garden has also created several partnerships with internal and external organizations, such as the Trojan Food Pantry, Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, Arkansas Interfaith Power and Light, University District, Full Circle FarmsCorps, as well as several local businesses, such as the Root Cafe, River Valley Horticultural Products, and Arkansas Grown.

Over the past six years, the garden has received grants and funding worth more than $60,000. External funding and grants have been provided by the Pulaski County Conservation District, L鈥橭real, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Association, and the AHRA Emergency Relief grant. Grace鈥檚 work with the garden exemplifies the university鈥檚 role within the broader community.

Faculty Excellence Award for Rising Faculty

Dr. Mark Baillie is an assistant professor of chemistry in the School of Physical Sciences at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Baillie has been praised for teaching, service, and research and scholarship.

Baillie has focused much of his career on the science of teaching. There are numerous examples of his efforts, but one example is the drastic reduction of DFW rates, the percentage of students in a course or program who receive a D or F grade or who withdraw, in his general chemistry class. His class has less than half the DFW rate observed in traditional classes, but students perform at the same level on the nationally normed standardized exams in the class. This shows there has not been a reduction in class standards.

Baillie brought expertise from the National Institute on Scientific Teaching and with this expertise has provided Mobile Institutes on Scientific Teaching (MoSI) workshops to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock faculty and graduate students. Over the past four years, he has trained 87 faculty members and 18 graduate students. The focus of these workshops is fostering a more engaging learning environment for students through the use of evidence-based practices and active learning. Baillie also co-founded the university鈥檚 first Learning Assistant (LA) program in the Chemistry department with the School of Physical Sciences. This program uses students to serve as peer mentors and active learning collaborators. It has also been replicated in other units across campus.

Baillie鈥檚 primary scholarship has been on teaching and learning. He led an interdisciplinary team that was awarded a prestigious $2 million NSF grant to promote active learning in STEM classrooms at the university.

Faculty Excellence Award for Social Justice

Dr. John Kirk is the George W. Donaghey distinguished professor of history in the Department of History at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. He is an internationally recognized scholar of the civil rights movement, and he has worked continually over the years to help the public and students understand the struggle for social justice.

Kirk has taught several courses related to racial justice including the classes Introduction to Race and Ethnicity and Civil Rights Movement since 1954. He also played a key role in establishing the minor in race and ethnicity at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Students have praised his courses as transformative, and he has aided students with their own publications on social justice.

Outside the classroom, Kirk is a noted civil rights scholar and advocate for social justice. His scholarship is extensive and includes 鈥淭he Civil Rights Movement: A Documentary Reader,鈥� a consultancy for a Netflix series on schools and race, a CNN podcast on the 1959 fire at the Arkansas Negro Boys Industrial School, and an AETN documentary on Little Rock鈥檚 West 9th Street.

Kirk has produced more than 400 鈥淎rkansas Moments鈥� radio segments, published his work in newspapers and magazines, conducted numerous media interviews, generated racial attitudes reports, and organized several community conferences. On top of this extensive work, he developed the award-winning Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail, which was adopted as part of the national US Civil Rights Trail in 2018.

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