By Brody Arnold
College of Fine Arts and Communication Media Office

CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band will be in concert at Reynolds Performance Hall on Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public.

The Wind Ensemble, conducted by Dr. Ricky Brooks, director of bands, will perform four pieces: “Ecstatic Fanfare” by Bryant, “Centrafuge” by Booker (commissioned by UCA in 2007 for the school’s 100-year anniversary), “Dionysiaques” by Schmitt and “Concerto for Alto Sax and Band” by Creston.

Saxophone player Landon Cole will be featured, having won UCA’s Wind Ensemble Concerto competition. Brooks said students in the Wind Ensemble submit music that is then judged by an out-of-state panel. Graduate conducting student, Mykala Parker will conduct, “Ecstatic Fanfare.”

The Symphonic Band, conducted by Brantley Douglas, associate director of bands, will follow and play “Bernstein Mini Suit” by Bernstein, “Estampie” by Nellhybel and “Four Scottish Dances” by Arnold. Graduate student Parker will conduct “Estampie”.

For more information, contact Brooks at 501-450-5764 or rickyb@uca.edu.

The UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication includes the Departments of Art, Music, and Film, Theatre and Creative Writing as well as the School of Communication. The college’s primary mission is the preparation of the next generation of artists, educators and communicators. For more information about CFAC, visit www.uca.edu/cfac or call 501-450-3293.

Annette Gartman

Annette Gartman, clinical instructor, and Scott Byrd, adjunct faculty, were both named to the Arkansas Center for Nursing’s 2017 “40 Under 40” list. Gartman and Byrd are both in the School of Nursing at the University of Central Arkansas.

Forty Arkansas nurses were named to the list, which honors emerging nurse leaders in the state who are under the age of 40.

The Arkansas Center for Nursing’s mission is to promote a culture of health for the citizens of Arkansas by advancing nursing education, practice, leadership and workforce development. Identifying future nursing leaders is a national recommendation behind the creation of the “40 Nurse Leaders Under 40” recognition program in Arkansas.

Scott Byrd

The 40 honorees were selected using criteria on how each applicant stood out among their peers in four distinctive areas: Commitment to Excellence, Service/Outreach, Leadership Qualities, and their Contributions to the Advancement of the Nursing Profession.

By John Anderson
College of Fine Arts and Communication Media Office

CONWAY — After a break of several years, the University of Central Arkansas Concert Choir will perform the first act of Handel’s “Messiah” at the Snow Fine Arts Center on Thursday, Dec. 7.

The 7:30 p.m. performance, which will feature soloists, chorus and orchestra, is free and open to the public.

George Frideric Handel wrote the oratorio in about three weeks in 1741.

The first act is about the birth of Jesus Christ. The second recounts his death, and the third focuses on his resurrection. The piece was originally created as a work of Easter and was performed during the Lenten season.

“I think the department is very excited,” associate professor and director of Choral Activities John Erwin said. “We have not done ‘Messiah’ in about 10 years. It is a treat to do this music.”

For more information, contact Erwin at 501-450-5757 or johne@uca.edu.

The College of Fine Arts and Communication includes the Departments of Art, Music, and Film, Theatre and Creative Writing, as well as the School of Communication. The College’s primary mission is the preparation of the next generation of artists, educators and communicators. For more information about CFAC, visit www.uca.edu/cfac or call 501-450-3293.

Nine students to compete on practical and professional ethics

The University of Central Arkansas Ethics Bowl Team placed fourth at the Regional Competition in Indianapolis.

The fourth place position qualifies the team for the national competition in Chicago March 3-4, 2018.

The sponsoring organization is the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE). In the Ethics Bowl, hundreds of students and teams argue and defend positions on ethical topics in journalism, law, business, medicine and social work.

The UCA Ethics Bowl Team first competed at the regional level in 2016. For this year’s competition, they ranked fourth among 32 teams, and the UCA team will be the only team from an Arkansas university competing at the national level.

“This was a very impressive performance by all of the students who participated,” said Benjamin Rider, UCA Ethics Bowl Team coach and associate professor of philosophy. “Qualifying for nationals, in only our second year of competition, is a testament both to the hard work these students invested as well as the quality of UCA as an institution. We’re going to go to Chicago and have some fun, and we’ll try to make an impact,” said Rider.

UCA’s Ethics Bowl Team members are Alex Waitkus, Lauren McHenry, Nelson Graves, Cagney Kilgroe, Hannah Hanshaw, Ge’Shaun Faison, Latavian Johnson, Leslie Balentine and Carolyn Casey.

Team coaches are Rider and Jim Dietrick, associate professor of religious studies.

ASSOCIATION FOR PRACTICAL AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
The APPE is a comprehensive, international organization advancing scholarship, education, and practice in practical and professional ethics. They hold different conferences as well as collegiate competitions across the U.S. For more information please visit http://appe-ethics.org/

The latest issue of Arkansas Trucking Report, a magazine published by the Arkansas Trucking Association, features Dr. Doug Voss, associate professor of logistics and supply chain management.

The article, titled “Practice What You Preach: UCA Professor Earns His CDL to Take Trucking Skills to the Classroom,” tells Voss’ story of taking summer classes is included in the issue.

The magazine is distributed to approximately 25,000 readers across the nation.

To read the article, click http://www.arkansastrucking.com/publications/arkansastruckingreport/550-arkansas-trucking-report-vol-22-issue-5

WHAT:           Living on the Edge – Poverty Simulation

 WHEN:           Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017, 1:40-4:30 p.m.

WHERE:         McCastlain Hall – Ballroom

DETAILS: Civic leaders and other members of the community are invited to participate in the UCA Living on the Edge: A Poverty Simulation. This simulation is an experiential setting that allows participants to view poverty from different angles.

The simulation is intended to move participants to think about the harsh realities of poverty and to talk about how communities can address the problem. This exercise is a unique, interactive experience that helps people begin to understand what life is like with a shortage of money and an abundance of stress. Through this simulation, participants will better understand the realities of poverty that affect individuals and families throughout our communities.

There is no cost to participate in this event, but registration is required. Register online at uca.edu/go/povsim or contact Shelby Fiegel at sfiegel@uca.edu or 501-450-5269.

The University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees will meet at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8 in the Board of Trustees Conference Room in Wingo Hall. A printable copy of the agenda can be found at www.uca.edu/botagenda.

The board will also attend Bear Facts Day at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 8 at the Farris Center.

The board will have lunch in Wingo Hall, Room 210 at 11 a.m.

The Audit and Finance Committee will meet at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7 in Wingo Hall, Room 210.

The University of Central Arkansas has awarded more than $51,000 in student grants during fall 2017. The funding came from Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation & Affiliates to provide Dash Emergency Grants to students.

The UCA Foundation, Inc. and the Division of Student Services received $210,000 in funding that can be used to award students with modest grants for transportation, housing, medical, childcare and other costs. Grants are typically less than $1,000.

“Sudden and unexpected emergencies are a part of everyone’s lives, but for some college students already facing financial difficulty, a temporary setback can force a potentially life-altering decision. Dash offers the opportunity for these students to remain in school,” said John Fincher, assistant vice president for Student Services, who co-authored the grant with Jennifer Deering, grant writer in Sponsored Programs.

The UCA Dash Grant program awards have averaged $883 per student, assisting with everything from an emergency dental procedure to saving a student from being evicted from their apartment the following day. UCA began awarding grants in August and will continue the Great Lakes grant program to July 2019.

“Students who apply for a Dash grant will receive a decision within 48 hours of providing the needed documentation, April Myers, UCA Dash Emergency Grant coordinator, said. “If approved, payments are processed that same day. Our goal is to put these situations behind the students as quickly as possible.”

Great Lakes granted more than $7.2 million in Dash Emergency Grants to 32 four-year institutions in six states. This new Dash Emergency Grant is an expansion of a successful program Great Lakes created for two-year colleges. Since 2012, Great Lakes has committed $3 million to 37 two-year colleges to operate emergency grant programs. These colleges report students who receive emergency grants stay in school at better rates and graduate in higher numbers.

“We’re pleased to extend our emergency grant program to four-year colleges dedicated to helping low-income students overcome financial obstacles,” said Richard D. George, president and chief executive officer of Great Lakes. “In addition to helping more students progress to degree completion, we look forward to learning the nuances between programs at two-year and four-year colleges and sharing that knowledge with other institutions looking to establish emergency grant programs.”

For more information, visit www.uca.edu/ssds/dash or contact Myers at 501-852-0704 or dashgrant@uca.edu

About Great Lakes: Dedicated to making college education a reality since 1967.
Knowing that education has the power to change lives for the better, Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation & Affiliates was established as a nonprofit group focused on a single objective: helping students nationwide prepare for and succeed in postsecondary education and student loan repayment. As a leading student loan guarantor and servicer, we have been selected by the U.S. Department of Education to provide assistance and repayment planning to more than 8 million borrowers—as well as assistance to colleges and lenders nationwide. Our group’s earnings support one of the largest and most respected education philanthropy programs in the country. Since 2006, we have committed nearly $250 million in grant funding to promote higher education access and completion for students of color, low-income students, and first-generation students. For additional information, visit home.mygreatlakes.org.

The University of Central Arkansas hosted the first ever Jewel Moore Nature Reserve Photography contest.

This contest focused on capturing all-natural photos in UCA’s Jewel Moore Nature Reserve, the natural areas behind UCA’s Lewis Science Center and at the Steel Creek field station along the Buffalo River.

UCA student winners were:

• First place, Ashley Barto, undergraduate environmental science major
• Runner-up, Nick Dial, biology graduate student

First place: Ashley Barto, undergraduate environmental science major

Runner-up: Nick Dial, biology graduate student

UCA employee winners were:

• First place, Dr. William Flatley, assistant professor in geography
• Runner-up, Kristen Spickard, marketing coordinator for Outreach and Community Engagement

First Place Winner: Dr. William Flatley, assistant professor in geography

Runner-up: Kristen Spickard, marketing coordinator for Outreach and Community Engagement

The winning photographs will be displayed in the Conway Corporation Center for the Sciences.

“Thank you to all who submitted entries, to the contest judges John Black, portrait and wedding photographer, and Patrick Ward, co-founder of the Photographic Society of Northwest Arkansas, and to the UCA Bookstore and President’s Office for furnishing prizes,” said Dr. David Dussourd,  professor of biology and contest organizer.

ABOUT JEWEL MOORE NATURE RESERVE
The reserve is the last remaining remnant of the historic Conway Prairie. With over 235 identified species of flora and fauna, JMNR is a gorgeous example of natural preservation in an urban landscape. Located on the beautiful campus of the University of Central Arkansas, we serve not only the UCA student population but also the entire Conway community.

For more information, please visit http://uca.edu/jmnr/

Taylor Cannon

By Dillon Key
University Relations and Creative Services

Taylor Cannon, a junior at the University of Central Arkansas, received the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship award of $3,000.

The Sherwood native will attend Centria University of Applied Sciences in western Finland, where he will continue his study in computer science. He is scheduled to complete his degree in December 2018.

The Benjamin A. Gilman award is a grant program from the U.S. Department of State that enables U.S. citizen undergraduate students to study or intern abroad, gaining skills critical to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness.

“I am quite thankful for all of those that have encouraged me to seek out this opportunity,” said Cannon. “I became aware of this grant because of Natalie Flemming, study abroad program manager at UCA.”

Cannon is the second UCA student to ever receive this government scholarship.

“This opportunity wouldn’t be available to me without having involvement with UCA,” said Cannon. “The entire process for applying to study abroad was quite difficult but the faculty within the department helped me along each step of the way.”

UCA is currently partnered with international universities in Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain and Thailand. The Office of Study Abroad continues to add more partner universities to accommodate the growing demand for semester exchange.

ABOUT THE UCA DIVISION OF INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT

The University of Central Arkansas Division of International Engagement integrates students, faculty, staff and community for a supportive, diverse and collaborative community on campus through cultural and educational programming. For more information about UCA’s International Engagement please visit http://uca.edu/international/

The University of Central Arkansas will hold commencement Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017 in the Farris Center.

Commencement for the College of Business, College of Education, College of Fine Arts and Communication is at 10 a.m. Commencement for the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics is at 1:30 p.m.

University officials will confer 504 undergraduate degrees and 282 graduate degrees.

UCA President Houston Davis will address the graduates. Hershila Lallu, 2017-2018 president of the Student Government Association, will bring greetings from the students. Dr. Taine Duncan, 2017-2018 Faculty Senate president, will address the graduates on behalf of the faculty. UCA Alumni Association representatives Aaron Knight and Tyler Bailey will address graduates on behalf of alumni at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.

For more commencement information, visit http://uca.edu/commencement/.

Christmas revelry from the cast of A Christmas Carol

By Des’ree Dallmann
College of Fine Arts and Communication Media Office

CONWAY — A touring production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol will visit the University of Central Arkansas’s Reynolds Performance Hall on Dec. 19 to benefit the Main Stage Education Series for school children.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come and Scott H. Severance as Ebenzer Scrooge

Patrons will get into the Christmas spirit with the beloved story of Ebenezer Scrooge and the Christmas Spirits of Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come. Award-winning 40-year theatre veteran Scott H. Severance will perform as Scrooge alongside a group of professional actors.

The play also features 26 traditional carols of the season woven throughout the classic Dickens’ story.

The performance is set for 7:30 p.m.

Scott H. Severance as Ebenezer Scrooge and young cast member

“Revenue raised from this performance of A Christmas Carol will go directly to support the Main Stage Education Series that introduces children from across Central Arkansas to performing arts,” said Amanda Horton, director of Reynolds Performance Hall. “We’ve seen Main Stage grow tremendously since it began in 2015, but to increase the program’s capacity and serve more schools, we must raise more funds. This benefit performance allows us to host a fantastic show to celebrate the holidays with our community, while also raising funds for an educational program our local schools have found very valuable.”

Tickets range from $30-$40 for the general public and $10 for children. UCA student tickets are $10 with valid student I.D. Call UCA Ticket Central at 501-450-3265 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, or toll-free from anywhere in Arkansas at 1-866-810-0012 or visit www.uca.edu/reynolds.

The UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication includes the Departments of Art, Music, and Film, Theatre and Creative Writing, as well as the School of Communication. The college’s primary mission is the preparation of the next generation of artists, educators, and communicators. For more information about CFAC, visit www.uca.edu/cfac or call ‪501-450-3293.

Scott H. Severance as Ebenezer Scrooge and Nicholas Wilder as Bob Cratchit

The University of Central Arkansas will welcome 15 Argentine undergraduate students to campus in January 2018.

Students will visit UCA from Jan. 15 to March 3, 2018 through the Friends of Fulbright program, which is a U.S. Department of State-supported program and sponsored by the Fulbright Commission Argentina, the private sector, and Embassy of the U.S. in Argentina.

The goal of this program is to send Argentine undergraduate students to higher education institutes for a five- to seven-week program where the students will study English, learn about the United States’ educational system and American culture.

The Division of International Engagement has collaborated with the UCA Intensive English Program for several years to offer high-level programs to students from Latin American countries. It is due to these efforts that Embassy of the US in Argentina and Fulbright Commission continues to select UCA as a Friends of Fulbright host university.

Having over 2,000 Argentine students apply to this program, only 280 students were selected with UCA receiving 15 of these students. Most of the selected students for the 2018 program major in natural sciences and liberal arts.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Virginia Tech and the University of California, Davis were also selected to participate in this program.

The University of Central Arkansas has received a pledge of $102,000 to support student scholarships from the Baxley Foundation.

The Baxley Foundation Scholarship Fund will provide two full-ride scholarships and cover tuition, books, fees, housing and a meal plan for three years for a total of $34,000 per year.

Funds will be awarded to two rising sophomores from any major. The scholarships will be funded through the students’ senior year as long as the recipients remain in good academic standing.

“The Baxley Foundation is delighted to support a university in which three of our family members attended,” said Paul Baxley, a 1998 UCA graduate, on behalf of the Baxley Foundation. “Our intent is to alleviate the financial burden of students, allowing the students to focus on their studies and make positive contributions to society post-graduation.”

The scholarships will be available for award starting fall 2018 semester.

“I am thrilled that the Baxley Foundation has invested in UCA students’ lives,” said Executive Director of Development Joycelin Randle. “Their gift will make a huge difference to the deserving students who receive their scholarships.”

For more information about this gift and other gifts, visit uca.edu/giving/types-of-gifts/ or call Kale Gober, vice president of University Advancement, at 501-852-2746.

By Des’ree Dallmann
College of Fine Arts and Communication Media Office

CONWAY — B.J. Thomas, the iconic pop and country singer, will celebrate nearly 50 years of music in a concert at the University of Central Arkansas’ Reynolds Performance Hall on Jan. 18.

The performance is set for 7:30 p.m.“This performance will include all of his mega-hits that made him a star in the pop, gospel, and country music industries,” said Amanda Horton, director of Reynolds Performance Hall. “He is a highly successful musician who has a list of accolades that include Grammy and Dove Awards.”

Thomas has sold more than 70 million records and is now ranked in Billboard’s Top 50 most played artists over the past 50 years.

After making his mark with signature hits like “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” and “Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” Thomas took on gospel music in the late 1970s and early ‘80s, earning the first four platinum albums in the gospel genre’s history.

Thomas continues to do 60-80 shows annually throughout the U.S. and around the world.

The concert was originally set for Dec. 3 but was rescheduled after Thomas had knee surgery. All previously printed tickets with the old date are valid for the new date. Tickets range from $30-$40 for the general public and $10 for children. UCA student tickets are $10 with valid student I.D. Call UCA Ticket Central at 501-450-3265 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, or toll-free from anywhere in Arkansas at 1-866-810-0012 or visit www.uca.edu/reynolds.

The UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication includes the Departments of Art, Music, and Film, Theatre and Creative Writing, as well as the School of Communication. The college’s primary mission is the preparation of the next generation of artists, educators, and communicators. For more information about CFAC, visit www.uca.edu/cfac or call ‪501-450-3293.

Ericka Gutierrez Fonseca

By Dillon KeyUniversity Relations and Creative Services

The University of Central Arkansas has hired its first full-time Hispanic and Latino Outreach Initiatives Coordinator.

Ericka Gutierrez, a UCA alumna, will serve in the Office of Diversity and Community.

In this role, she will develop programs and student support services strengthening UCA’s outreach in the Hispanic community via internal and external partnerships for the purpose of ensuring a larger percentage of Hispanic/Latino students attend and graduate from UCA.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the UCA Office of Diversity and Community,” said Gutierrez. “I’m very thankful for my role and really looking forward to cultivating partnerships with different departments on our campus with the purpose of increasing Hispanic/Latino student academic success, engagement, retention and graduation.”

Gutierrez previously worked in the UCA Office of Admissions with a focus on central Arkansas high schools from January 2015 to April 2017.

“Working in the UCA Office of Admissions was a great experience,” said Gutierrez. “I had such wonderful opportunities to work with the Office of Diversity and Community on different projects such as Amigo Cup and also to recruit outside central Arkansas in efforts to reach more Hispanic/Latino students in Arkansas.”

She also serves in several other ways at UCA.

• Latino Student Association advisor
• Member of the UCA Diversity Advisory Committee
• Member of DASH Emergency Grant Committee

Gutierrez earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and is currently working to earn a Master of Business Administration at UCA.

Award-winning brochure featuring Marvin Williams, UCA Student Success Coordinator, instructor for UCA Outreach culinary classes

The University of Central Arkansas Division of Outreach and Community Engagement received the 2018 international award for Best Brochure from the Learning Resources Network (LERN) at their annual conference in Portland, Oregon, Nov. 15-18, 2017.

The division earned the award for their fall 2017 Outreach catalog.

“Though laborious at times, I am proud of the Outreach catalog and honored to receive international recognition for the work that we do,” said Kristy Carter, director of marketing for Outreach and Community Engagement, after accepting the award.

With nearly 700 professionals from North America who attended the conference, LERN is the world’s largest association in continuing education and lifelong learning.

UCA’s Division of Outreach and Community Engagement took feedback from the LERN Marketing Institute’s brochure critique and transformed their printed catalog replacing stock photos with photos of real students, giving more space to both student and instructor stories.

“UCA Outreach has successfully served as a model, utilizing data-driven brochure designs to continue lifelong learning education programs across North America,” said William Draves, president of LERN.

To see the new 2018 spring catalog and register for upcoming community education and culinary classes through UCA Outreach by visiting uca.edu/outreach or call 501-450-3118.

Kristy Carter, director of marketing UCA Outreach, William Draves, president of LERN, Kristen Spickard, marketing coordinator UCA Outreach and Lawana Hawkins, noncredit program coordinator UCA Outreach.

The University of Central Arkansas has announced the Presidential Scholars and Dean’s List for the fall 2017 semester.

Presidential Scholar and Dean’s List honors are based on grades earned during each semester of the regular academic year.

Students must achieve a 4.0 GPA with a minimum course load of 12 credit hours to qualify for recognition as a Presidential Scholar. Recognition on the Dean’s List requires at least a 3.5 GPA with a minimum course load of 12 credit hours.

A total of 1,136 students were recognized as Presidential Scholars and 1,584 were named to the Dean’s List.