Due to inclement weather, the Arkansas Coding Academy (ArCA) and the City of Fayetteville are postponing a press conference that was scheduled for 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 to celebrate the opening of a new ArCA campus in northwest Arkansas. The press conference will be rescheduled at a later date. More details will be released when they are available.
For more information, please contact Director of ArCA Mary Condit, at (501) 450-5276 or mdunlap@uca.edu.
By Andrew Tucker
College of Fine Arts and Communication Office
The University of Central Arkansas College of Fine Arts and Communication and the Division of International Engagement are hosting an exhibit of works by internationally-recognized artist and distinguished art professor emeritus Gene Hatfield. The exhibit captures the essence of postwar France from 1958-1998 and will be on display March 4-29 in UCA’s McCastlain Hall. The exhibit’s hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. A Reception and Art Talk is scheduled for 3-5 p.m. on March 28 in the McCastlain Hall Fireplace Room.
The event is part of the French Cultures Festival, coordinated by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in Houston, Texas.
In step with Victor Hugo, Paul Cézanne, and French President Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron, the exhibit is a journey through quintessential French villages, seaside ports, and the streets of Paris, highlighted in select plein air works by Hatfield, an award-winning, distinguished UCA professor emeritus and decorated U.S. Army veteran.
Gene Hatfield – Mont Sainte-Victoire ca.1970 Oil
Hatfield, who died in 2017, was married to Nicole Wable of Montreuil-sur-mer, France, for 47 years, until her death in 2004. They had three children and five grandchildren.
“This exhibit is significant because these particular paintings reflect my father’s unique perspective,” said Hatfield’s daughter, Mathilda, who is assistant director for assessment initiatives in the Office of Division Strategies – Student Services at UCA. “His paintings of France capture the beauty of scenes that most people hurriedly pass without noticing, reminding the viewer to seek beauty in the mundane. This show is also noteworthy in that the viewer can see how Gene’s artistry evolved over the years,” she added.
Hatfield earned a B.S.E. in speech and English from the Arkansas State Teachers College (now UCA) in 1948, followed by a master’s degree in art education from Colorado State College of Education (now University of Northern Colorado). That same year, he began teaching art at the Arkansas State Teachers College and did so until his retirement in 1985. During his tenure, Hatfield taught classes in drawing, painting, sculpture, crafts, design, art history and art appreciation. He traveled frequently to Europe in the summer, where he worked on his art and studied with Henri Goetz and Leo Marchutz in France, and at the Fuller Art Studio in Saint Ives, England.
Hatfield was a recipient of the Arkansas Arts Council Governor’s Lifetime Achievement Award, an Arkansas Senate Citation, a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. Among his many accomplishments, he received top prize in 1967 and 1969 in La Palette Française – Grand Prix de Peinture de la Côte d’Opale, Le Touquet, France, and his sculptures and paintings were featured in the Arkansas Art Center’s Annual Delta Exhibitions. Several of his pieces are registered with the Smithsonian Institution’s Save Outdoor Sculpture program.
For more information, contact Mathilda Hatfield at mathildah@uca.edu or (501) 852-2932.
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 uca.edu/cfac or call (501) 450-3293.
By Kasiana Pettus
College of Fine Arts and Communication Office
The Hevreh Ensemble will perform Tuesday, March 12 as a part of its residency on the University of Central Arkansas campus. The concert, free and open to the public, is set for 7:30 p.m. in the Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall.
Hevreh is Hebrew for “circle of friends,” and the chamber musicians in Hevreh Ensemble are all classical musicians trained at the Julliard Conservatory of Music, Manhattan School of Music, SUNY Stony Brook, Brooklyn College, and the Jerusalem Conservatory in Israel.
Based in New York City, The Hevreh Ensemble performs original contemporary pieces by group member and composer Jeff Alder. The original compositions feature religious, racial tolerance, environmental sustainability and world peace themes.
“The Hevreh Ensemble’s masterful blend and knowledge of classical, jazz, and world music has the power to bring people together,” said Dr. Lorraine Duso Kitts, music professor of double reeds at UCA.
The Ensemble recently returned from an Eastern European tour, where they performed in Poland, the Czech Republic, Netherlands, Austria, and Germany. For more information, visit https://www.hevrehensemble.com/.
Other Hevreh Ensemble activities during the two-day residency include:
10 a.m., March 12: Musical workshop for fourth and fifth graders from Springhill Elementary’s VIP after-school program in Greenbrier;
1:40 p.m., March 12: “Discussion of the Native American Flute” in Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall;
1:40 p.m., March 12: Piano Improvisation Class with UCA’s Dr. Neil Rutman, professor of piano, in Snow Fine Arts Center room 304;
6 p.m., March 12: VIP rehearsal in Snow Fine Arts Center Recital, open to the public;
10 a.m., March 13: Demonstration and lecture on “Diversity of Music” in STARS Residential College, UCA’s Short/Denny Hall;
Noon, March 13: Composition Class with UCA’s Dr. Paul Dickinson, professor of composition, Snow Fine Arts Center Recital room 302;
1 p.m., March 13: Lunch with students that includes an informal Q&A discussion, UCA’s Christian Cafeteria;
2 p.m., March 13: Woodwind Lecture in collaboration with UCA’s Dr. Carolyn Brown, professor of flute, and Dr. Kelly Johnson, professor of clarinet, Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall.
For more information, contact Kitts at (501) 450-5769 or lduso@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 uca.edu/cfac or call (501) 450-3293.
The University of Central Arkansas Archives is hosting a book signing for Beth Brickell, a native of Camden, Arkansas, who is now a Los Angeles filmmaker and author. The event will be held in the McAlister Hall Mirror Room on the UCA campus from 2-4 p.m. on Thursday, March 14.
Brickell, who played the character of Ellen Wedloe in the 1960s television series “Gentle Ben,” has authored a new book about the 1957 Maud Crawford disappearance case, “In Their Own Voice: Interviews from the Maud Crawford Investigation.”
“Maud Crawford’s mysterious disappearance is the most widely publicized mystery in Arkansas history,” said Jimmy Bryant, director of the UCA Archives. “Brickell has done an outstanding job of researching the case, and has received accolades for her work from Harry Ashmore, former executive editor of the “Arkansas Gazette,” and William McClean, former prosecuting attorney for the 13th district of Arkansas. She is also an alumna of UCA, and we look forward to seeing her again on campus.”
The book signing is open to the public, and refreshments will be served.
For more information, contact Bryant at (501) 450-3418 or jimmyb@uca.edu.
The University of Central Arkansas Office of Student Wellness and Development, the UCA Police Department and the UCA Counseling Center have collaborated to host this year’s Safe Spring Break Week, in order to prepare students for their time away from the university during Spring Break.
The week-long Safe Spring Break 2019 will take place from Monday, March 11 to Thursday, March 14, prior to students leaving campus for Spring Break. The events and activities will provide educational information to students, in order to encourage responsible decision-making and prevent or reduce the risks associated with the college Spring Break experience. Spring Break is March 18-22.
The planned events for Safe Spring Break 2019 include the following:
MONDAY, MARCH 11
WATER SAFETY with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Student Center Amphitheatre
SELF-DEFENSE CLASS with UCAPD: 8-9 p.m., UCA HPER
TUESDAY, MARCH 12
VEHICLE SAFETY CHECK with UCAPD and Pro Auto: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Circle drive between Snow Fine Arts Center and Conway Hall
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13
SAFE SPRING BREAK FAIR: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Student Center Amphitheatre
SELF-DEFENSE CLASS with UCAPD: 8-9 p.m., UCA HPER
THURSDAY, MARCH 14
CLOTHESLINE PROJECT, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Student Center Amphitheatre
For more information, please contact Kristin Jetts in the Office of Student Wellness and Development at kjetts@uca.edu or (501) 450-3133.
Participants in a Poverty Simulation
The Center for Community and Economic Development (CCED) at the University of Central Arkansas partnered with the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce and Arkansas State University – Newport to host a poverty simulation for community leaders in Jackson County and the surrounding region.
The simulation was held on Friday, March 1 at ASUN’s Student Center. Over 80 local leaders participated in the simulation.
The poverty 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.
“We are fortunate for the opportunity for community leaders to participate in the poverty simulation,” said Director of the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce Julie Allen. “It was a very humbling experience that will allow all of us to better address issues surrounding poverty within our own community.”
“Arkansas State University – Newport greatly appreciates UCA for being able to bring this simulation to Jackson County and our service area. This simulation gave ASUN staff, faculty and community members the opportunity to experience what life is like for those that are less fortunate in our area,” said Vice Chancellor for Economic Workforce and Development at Arkansas State University – Newport Jeff Bookout.
“Our staff was glad to be able to partner with the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce and ASUN to host a poverty simulation,” said Managing Director of the Center for Community and Economic Development Shelby Fiegel. “By participating in the simulation, participants better understand what individuals in poverty are going through so that they can identify and improve ways to serve their needs. We hope it was an eye-opening experience for everyone who participated.”
In August 2018, participants in the 32nd annual Community Development Institute were given the opportunity to apply for several technical assistance services available through CCED. These technical assistance services are part of CCED’s effort to connect with communities across Arkansas to grow local economies and enhance quality of life. Services include poverty simulations, community planning simulations, regional training events, community-based planning, walk audits and nonprofit capacity building. Newport applied and was selected to host a poverty simulation through this competitive process.
The Center for Community and Economic Development’s mission is to have a positive impact on communities by equipping leaders with economic tools and resources, building consensus to achieve community goals and bringing UCA resources and communities together. CCED envisions communities across Arkansas and the country with robust economies, a flourishing quality of life and diverse and engaged citizen leaders. CCED provides customized training and technical assistance to communities and their leaders. Learn more at uca.edu/cced.
For more information about the CCED, visit: uca.edu/cced or call Shelby Fiegel at (501) 450-5269.
The University of Central Arkansas set another fundraising record with its total of $757,939 raised during the fifth annual Day of Giving.
During the 24-hour drive Thursday, March 7, a total of 1,386 donors handily raised the record-breaking amount. Donors included alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends, as well as corporate partners who gave to specific funds among the categories of student, campus and community impact.
“I’m so thankful for our alumni, friends, faculty, staff and corporate partners. They continue to answer the call for UCA and believe in the transformative power of a first-rate education for our students,” said UCA President Houston Davis. “As we continue to build on the momentum of our recent fundraising successes, we know that all of these gifts will have tremendous impact on our students, campus and community.”
In 2018, UCA raised $434,526 during Day of Giving, and in 2017, UCA raised $41,504.
“Our baseline for fundraising continues to be raised, and this is another marker in our overall success,” said Kale Gober, vice president of University Advancement. “I’m extremely proud of our UCA Advancement team and their incredible effort at making the fifth annual Day of Giving such an overwhelming success. Our faculty and students also put in an amazing effort. They worked tirelessly to communicate with their constituents, organizing giving stations and much more.”
“I believe Day of Giving is UCA’s most inspiring day each year,” said Lauren Norris, director of Annual Giving. “This is the time our faculty, students, staff, alumni, parents and friends all come together for a singular purpose, and each year our efforts become even more unified. This is one of the reasons Day of Giving continues to be successful.”
For this year’s Day of Giving, the university enlisted the help of ambassadors. These were about 35 individuals from on and off campus who reached out among their own circles to promote giving during the 24-hour period, Norris said. Several ambassadors focused on a particular fund and sent emails and text messages, created social media campaigns, made personal telephone calls or used other tactics to gather support for Day of Giving.
Many departments identified challenge matches that were unlocked for Day of Giving. The following donors pledged a matching challenge to benefit a variety of funds: Terry & Joyce Fiddler (Reynolds Public Appearances); Jeff Standridge (College of Business Advisory Board); Karen Thessing (Computer Science); College of Liberal Arts Dean’s Office – Anonymous, Tom Williams and Peter Mehl (College of Liberal Arts Enhancement); Stephen Addison (College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics); George Bratton (Mathematics); Beth Burgess (Delta Zeta House); Mark Wilson (The Advancement of Undergraduate Research in the Sciences Endowment Fund); Edafio Technology Partners (Conductor); Acxiom (Conductor); Conway Regional (Conductor); and Ray and Phyllis Simon (College of Education).
The UCA Student Government Association hosted a centralized donation station inside the Student Center on campus. The first $1,500 of student giving was matched 100 percent, a challenge that was accomplished by 3 p.m. That matching gift will support emergency student scholarships through the Annual Fund.
Donations toward student impact funds will provide scholarships to students in financial need and student-athletes, as well as funds for student support services, such as the Bear Essentials Food Pantry and Greek organizations.
Campus impact includes funds for faculty and student research projects, as well as service-learning opportunities, scholarships and state-of-the-art equipment.
Community impact funds offer experiential opportunities, as well as guest lecturers, first-class exhibits and performances on campus that are available to the larger communities of Conway, Faulkner County and central Arkansas. This includes Reynolds Performance Hall events, Outreach and Community Engagement programs, Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, and the Conductor, for example.
To see more details about the results and the breakdown of individual funds, visit uca.edu/dayofgiving.
University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis, Associate Vice President for International Engagement Phillip Bailey and Study Abroad and Exchange Program Manager Natalie Flemming visited partner university Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO), Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara in Mexico as part of ITESO’s International Partnership Week, February 18-21.
The visit allowed UCA to strengthen its relationship with ITESO through identifying collaboration opportunities and recruiting future students to spend a summer or semester at UCA.
President Davis met with ITESO’s rector, Dr. Luis Arriaga, to discuss the two universities’ ongoing collaboration and partnership.
“We are pleased to have formed our relationship with ITESO’s faculty and leadership,” said Davis. “Our UCA students that are studying there this spring are having a great experience and will come back to UCA as stronger students, more confident in their role as global citizens.”
UCA’s partnership with ITESO has also opened the door for short-term faculty exchange opportunities. Dr. Riva Brown, assistant professor of Public Relations, will co-teach a course in summer 2019 in ITESO’s International Summer program, which brings faculty from around the world to Guadalajara each summer to teach courses in English with ITESO faculty. Brown is the second UCA faculty member to teach at ITESO.
The international partnership was established in July 2017 and has included the exchange of students through summer and semester programs.
In summer 2018, seven UCA biology students and one professor traveled to ITESO to study environmental science and Spanish for a month. UCA received seven students from ITESO to take courses in UCA’s Intensive English Program while learning about American culture. UCA and ITESO received the “100,000 Strong in the Americas” Metlife Foundation grant in the amount of $25,000 in October 2017, supporting the first exchange of students in summer 2018. A second group funded by the grant will return to UCA in June 2019 to study in the Intensive English Program.
Five students from both universities have already taken advantage of the semester exchange tuition waiver.
“ITESO is a fantastic partner where UCA students can not only study coursework in Spanish and English but can also participate in any number of service projects that ITESO supports in the areas of water quality, poverty, and migration,” said Bailey. “Faculty members are encouraged to consider ITESO and Guadalajara for a future faculty-led program.”
ITESO is one of UCA’s 21 international partner universities across five continents that offer study abroad opportunities to students.
The UCA Office of Study Abroad strives to provide students with life-changing experiences through academic programs across the globe. With a commitment to international education, the Office of Study Abroad is one component of International Engagement at the University of Central Arkansas. Students can earn credit through our semester exchange, language immersion and faculty-led opportunities. Learn more about UCA Study Abroad at uca.edu/studyabroad.
For more information, contact Flemming at (501) 450-3387 or natalief@uca.edu.
The Center for Community and Economic Development (CCED) at the University of Central Arkansas is partnering with Crafton Tull to conduct walk audits in Beebe and De Queen, Arkansas. The walk audits will be held on March 29 in Beebe and April 1 in De Queen.
“Walk audits, or walkshops, are a great way to get community leaders out in the built environment to see issues and barriers they have in their towns. My experience as an urban planner as well as a parent of a wheelchair-bound child affords a unique insight into what barriers look like and how to correct them,” said Dave Roberts, director of planning at Crafton Tull. “Sometimes an outsider’s perspective can illuminate things you may not have noticed in a place you visit often.”
The purpose of the interactive walk audit with community leaders in Beebe and De Queen is to help develop placemaking concepts and solutions for circulation (vehicular, pedestrian and bike), parking, universal access, low-impact development concepts, wayfinding, beautification and community character improvement.
The walk audit will include one-on-one interaction and assessment of a three-by-three-block area of each community’s downtown or other selected area. Experts at Crafton Tull will also share a presentation focusing on accessibility in the built environment, including best practices for site-planning methods with respect to complete streets, accessible parking, crosswalks, sidewalks, trails and other circulation facilities. The session will include time for Q&A. Afterward, Crafton Tull will generate a brief summary and share it with community leaders.
“We are incredibly excited about the opportunity to work with UCA and Crafton Tull on this project,” said Mindi Rice, Beebe Chamber of Commerce executive director. “The chamber is always looking for new and innovative ways to work with the city of Beebe to create usable spaces that benefit our citizens. This project will provide us with new ideas and tools to incorporate into our land use plans and future projects.”
“We are excited to embark on this project with leadership from CCED and the Crafton Tull team. This opportunity comes at the perfect time for our community during the planning phase for the future of De Queen and Sevier County,” said Lisa Taylor, Sevier County Economic Development director at the University of Arkansas Cossatot.
De Queen Mayor Jeff Brown also shared his excitement to work with UCA and Crafton Tull. “As Mayor of De Queen, it is an honor to work with CCED and Crafton Tull to ensure a bright future for our community and generations to come.”
In August 2018, CCED staff offered several technical assistance services (walk audit, poverty simulation, nonprofit training and development, business outreach survey and more) for which Arkansas communities could apply. Communities that applied went through a competitive process to be selected to work with CCED and its partners. These technical assistance services are part of CCED’s effort to connect with communities across Arkansas to grow local economies and enhance quality of life and are provided to communities at no or low cost.
CCED’s Project Coordinator Moriah Bruner shared, “Our staff is excited to offer walk audits for the first time to our community partners. The physical and built environment greatly impacts the health of every community, both residents’ physical health and the strength of the local economy and workforce. Our hope is that the walk audits will offer these two communities insights in how to make cost-effective improvements to the built environment that will lay the groundwork for healthier, more sustainable communities.”
For more information, visit: uca.edu/cced or call Shelby Fiegel at (501) 450-5269.
About Crafton Tull
Crafton Tull is a civil engineering, surveying, architecture, landscape architecture, and planning firm with more than 200 employees working out of 10 offices across Arkansas and Oklahoma. For more than 55 years, Crafton Tull has sought to improve communities through design. That mission is carried out through the firm’s work still today across a wide variety of project types and services. Dave Roberts, ASLA, has led a talented planning team on community planning & urban design projects, corridor revitalizations, citywide comprehensive plans, bicycle & pedestrian master plans, parks & recreation system plans, as well as numerous inclusive playground designs over the past 11 years. Dave often presents sessions at conferences in the Mid-South region on planning healthy communities, urban design strategies and the benefits of placemaking.
About the Center for Community and Economic Development
The Center for Community and Economic Development’s mission is to have a positive impact on communities by equipping leaders with economic tools and resources, building consensus to achieve community goals and bringing UCA resources and communities together. CCED envisions communities across Arkansas and the country with robust economies, a flourishing quality of life and diverse and engaged citizen leaders. CCED provides customized training and technical assistance to communities and their leaders. Learn more at uca.edu/cced.
STATEMENT FROM UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS PRESIDENT HOUSTON DAVIS, VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT SERVICES RONNIE WILLIAMS, AND THE UCA POLICE DEPARTMENT:
This morning, UCAPD, along with MEMS and the Conway Fire Department, responded to a report of an unconscious male in Bear Hall. UCAPD and MEMS personnel located a deceased male student at the scene. UCAPD and the Faulkner County Coroner’s Office have requested a medical examination to determine the cause of death. At this time, there is no suspicion of foul play.
“We are very sad to hear this news, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family,” said UCA President Houston Davis. “We will keep them in our thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time.”
Counselors from the Student Health Clinic will visit with residents living in Bear Hall at 6 p.m. today.
The University of Central Arkansas will host the 61st Caddo Conference March 21-23, in the McCastlain Hall Ballroom, with a special “Caddo Art and Heritage” public session on Saturday, March 23.
The Caddo Conference is an annual event that brings together people interested in the language, culture, history and archaeology of the Caddo area in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. The conference is unique in that both professional researchers and Caddos attend and participate in the conference through papers, posters, discussion sessions and traditional song, drumming and dance.
“I’m excited that UCA is hosting, for the first time, the Caddo Conference and special Saturday session. Having the conference at UCA provides an opportunity to highlight the value and importance of cultural diversity,” said Dr. Duncan McKinnon, assistant professor of anthropology at UCA and the event organizer. “Students and invited community members will have a unique opportunity to engage and experience Caddo art, history, culture and tradition as presented by members of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma.”
The Saturday “Caddo Art and Heritage” public session, scheduled from 1-7 p.m. in the McCastlain Hall Ballroom, will feature six Caddo artists who will discuss their artwork, along with the methods they use and the inspiration for their work. Traditional singing, drumming and dancing will follow by members of the Caddo Culture Club and the Metro Caddo Cultural Club. The dances and songs celebrate aspects of Caddo history and origins, community ties and family life and heritage. The lead singer will announce the dances and explain their meaning to the audience. The Saturday session is free and open to the public.
The Saturday session is supported in part by a grant from the UCA Foundation. Additional funding comes from the Caddo Conference Organization, the Department of Sociology, Criminology, and Anthropology at UCA, the Arkansas Archeological Survey and the Arkansas Archeological Society.
More information and a schedule of papers and events can be found at the Caddo Conference Organization website, caddoconference.org, or by contacting McKinnon at (501) 450-5477 or dmckinnon@uca.edu.
Multicultural performance troupe, Mayumana, will bring its electrifying “Currents” show to Reynolds Performance Hall on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas at 7:30 p.m., Monday, April 1.
The show is inspired by the historical battle of currents between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla, in their last quest for finding energy sources for the world. The performance will combine a variety of elements, including specially-made instruments, video art projections and 11 skilled performers in constant movement, playing on different instruments and musically juggling between different sounds.
Audience members will be taken on a journey between two troupes, each representing a different view of the essence of light and electricity. Both troupes will be inspired by a different aesthetic and artistic approach, presented as a dialogue, through unique sounds, lights and visual effects. This small group of gifted performers, each with diverse talents and contrasting backgrounds, come together through their shared passion for rhythm and coordination to capture the audience through the unity and synchronization of the group as a whole.
Comprised of performers from more than 20 different nationalities, Mayumana has entertained millions of people around the world with its international touring cast, as well as in its home theater, The Mayumana House at the Old Harbour of Jaffa in Israel.
Tickets range from $30-$40 for adults and $10 for children. Tickets may be purchased online at uca.edu/Reynolds, at the Reynolds Box Office Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by calling UCA Ticket Central at (501) 450-3265, or toll-free at (866) 810-0012.
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 uca.edu/cfac or call (501) 450-3293.
John Murphy
Dr. John Murphy, professor of psychology and counseling, presented a workshop on March 7, to more than 100 child welfare workers at a professional development workshop sponsored by the mid-south Child Abuse/Child Neglect Network in Little Rock. In addition to onsite participants, the workshop, titled “Solution-focused helping: Practical ways to help people change with dignity,” was videotaped and streamed to participants throughout the entire state.
University of Central Arkansas student Adrienne Hargrove Thompson II has been named a Critical Language Scholarship recipient.
The Critical Language Scholarship program is a U.S. Department of State-sponsored program designed to give American college students cultural immersion experiences abroad and grow the number of U.S. students who study a foreign language. The program aims to increase fluency in languages that are significant in the global workforce.
Thompson, a senior art major from Pine Bluff, is the first UCA student to be awarded a Critical Language Scholarship. She is minoring in Chinese and Honors interdisciplinary studies.
Thompson has studied Chinese for four years. She began to study the language as a student at Conway High School and completed her minor in the language in fall 2018.
In 2017, she studied abroad at East China Normal University, a UCA exchange partner school, in Shanghai as part of the Language Immersion Program.
“That experience and the Chinese minor program thoroughly prepared me, so much so that it became the centerpiece of my [Critical Language Scholarship] application,” Thompson said. “Without those experiences, I don’t think I would’ve even applied.”
For the scholarship program, Thompson will travel to Dalian, China, this summer to spend two months studying at Dalian University of Technology. She will experience planned excursions that will immerse her in the Chinese language and culture. She must speak Chinese for the duration of the program, she said.
Thompson is currently vice chair of the Honors Council, an Honors College ambassador and a Department of Art Performance Scholar. She is also a member of the campus Sculpture Club and BFA Critique Club.
“It’s extremely exciting and an amazing opportunity to get to pursue language acquisition freely and funded by the State Department,” Thompson said. “I’m incredibly lucky to be able to be a part of such a rewarding experience that will ultimately help my career and personal goals. I’m also humbled that out of thousands in the nation, I was chosen.”
Thompson graduates from UCA this spring, and she plans to enter UCA’s Master of Arts in teaching program in 2020.
About the Critical Language Scholarship program
The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. Students spend eight to ten weeks abroad studying one of 15 critical languages. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains. CLS, a program of the U.S. Department of State, is part of a wider government initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity. CLS plays an important role in preparing students for the 21st century’s globalized workforce and increasing national competitiveness.
Dr. Darshon Anderson
Darshon Anderson, assistant professor of psychology, was re-elected to the Executive Council of the Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA). She serves as one of four professional representatives on the council.
The Executive Council of the SWPA consists of nine voting members, all of whom were elected by SWPA membership. The president, past president and president-elect comprise the Presidents’ Council, and the representatives consist of four professional representatives, one graduate representative, and one undergraduate representative.
Jacob Holland
University of Central Arkansas student Jacob Holland has been named a Truman Scholarship finalist.
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation is a competitive national program that awards graduate fellowships to those who aspire to work in public service. For the 2019 award, 840 students applied and less than 200 were selected as finalists.
Holland, of Cabot, is a junior with a double major in political science and public relations and a minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. He is the only UCA student to be selected as a finalist this year.
“When I heard about the Truman Scholarship, I knew it sounded like an award I would naturally gravitate toward since its focus is on public service,” Holland said.
Finalists are chosen based on campus involvement in leadership, academic success and public service. Holland is president of the UCA Debate and Forensics team, as well as a member of UCA Young Democrats and the Public Administration Club. Holland is also ranked No. 1 in the nation for team debate speaking in the International Public Debate Association.
As a scholarship finalist, Holland interviewed with one of the foundation’s regional review panels at Vanderbilt University in Nashville this month. He credits UCA faculty members Dr. Heather Yates, Dr. Kim Hoffman, Professor Anthony McMullen, Dr. Donna Bowman and Honors College interim Dean Patricia Smith with helping him reach that stage of the process.
This year’s class of Truman Scholars will be announced by April 17.
“It’s a long wait, but knowing that I was selected in a pool of so many bright students makes the wait much more bearable,” Holland said. “From seeing those leaders and public servants, and their amazing stories and passions, I have no doubt that the future of America is in good hands.”
After graduating from UCA in May 2020, Holland aims to attend law school and earn a master’s in communication management.
“UCA helped prepare me for this opportunity by not only providing amazing opportunities for public service and community engagement on campus, but also in providing amazing faculty members who teach the importance of being a steward of public service and fostering healthy communities,” Holland said. “This award is an amazing honor and I encourage anyone else who truly has a passion for public service to apply for this award. While the process is very intimidating, it is worthwhile.”
About the Harry S. Truman Foundation
The Harry S. Truman Foundation was created by Congress in 1975 as the living memorial to President Truman and the Presidential Memorial to Public Service. The Foundation’s mission is premised on the belief that a better future relies on attracting to public service the commitment and sound judgment of bright, outstanding Americans. In fact, it was this belief that led President Truman, when approached by a bipartisan group of admirers near the end of his life, to encourage Congress to create a living memorial devoted to this purpose rather than a bricks and mortar monument. For 40 years, the Truman Foundation has fulfilled that mission: inspiring and supporting Americans from diverse backgrounds and from across the United States to public service.
By Darian Burks
Division of Outreach and Community Engagement
The University of Central Arkansas partnered with the Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce on Friday, March 15, to offer a free, nonprofit regional training for more than 30 community and nonprofit leaders from the northwest region of the state. The event was held in Simmons Great Hall on the campus of John Brown University.
“The Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce was happy to offer this training with the University of Central Arkansas,” said Nathan Reed, vice president of economic development and finance for the Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce. “We hope it will help our regional nonprofits grow and thrive.”
UCA’s Division of Outreach and Community Engagement spearheaded the workshop as part of its nonprofit workshop series. Dr. Lesley Graybeal, director of service-learning and volunteerism at UCA, said, “It’s been wonderful to collaborate with the Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce and all of the nonprofit and higher education stakeholders to support northwest Arkansas nonprofits, recognizing that a strong nonprofit sector is vital to a strong community.”
Claire Allison of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville led a session on grant writing. Jody Dilday of the Arkansas Community Foundation hosted a discussion on fundraising. Hilary Trudell of the Clinton School of Public Service led a session on storytelling.
For more information, contact Graybeal at lgraybeal@uca.edu or (501) 852-7416.
WHAT: Thrivers & Strugglers: A Growing Economic Divide
WHEN: Thursday, March 28, 2019 | 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with an optional session lasting until 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: University of Central Arkansas, Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center
DETAILS: The University of Central Arkansas Center for Community and Economic Development and Poverty Studies Working Group invite the media to attend Thrivers and Strugglers: A Growing Economic Divide on Thursday, March 28 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., on the UCA campus in Conway.
Thrivers and Strugglers will explore how race, education and age affect wealth building in America. This event, based on research conducted by the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, will help participants understand poverty in Arkansas and share promising practices that address poverty at the local level. The goal of the event is to bring together community and nonprofit leaders, along with citizens from around the state who want to be a part of solving economic inequality.
For more information, visit uca.edu/povertystudies or contact Shelby Fiegel, managing director of the Center for Community and Economic Development, at (501) 450-5269 or sfiegel@uca.edu.
About the Center for Community and Economic Development
The Center for Community and Economic Development’s mission is to have a positive impact on communities by equipping leaders with economic tools and resources, building consensus to achieve community goals and bringing UCA resources and communities together. CCED envisions communities across Arkansas and the country with robust economies, a flourishing quality of life and diverse and engaged citizen leaders. CCED provides customized training and technical assistance to communities and their leaders. Learn more at uca.edu/cced.
About the UCA Poverty Studies Working Group
The Poverty Studies Working Group at the University of Central Arkansas was established in 2019 as a communication and service hub that orchestrates and highlights various conferences, lectures, and educational opportunities focused on research and experiential learning that target poverty in Arkansas.
March 30 event replaces Night of Distinction
The University of Central Arkansas will host the Laurels & Stripes scholarship gala at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 30, in the HPER Center on the UCA Campus.
Formerly known as Night of Distinction, Laurels & Stripes will offer a fresh, updated take on a very important annual event for UCA. As in years past, the goal of the event is two-fold. First, it will celebrate two exceptional individuals, 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients Elizabeth “Liz” Blankenship ’75 and Dr. Barbara Williams ’71. Second, it will raise money for much-needed student scholarships. All proceeds from the event will directly benefit student scholarship programs at UCA.
The theme Laurels & Stripes references the tradition of using laurel wreaths to signify a great accomplishment, while the stripes allow UCA to show its Bear pride.
“The name of our annual scholarship fundraiser has changed, but the focus remains the same,” said Dr. Kale Gober, vice president for University Advancement. “The event will celebrate distinguished alumni, support scholarships and change lives.”
Tickets to Laurels & Stripes, which is presented by First Security Bank, are sold out. Almost 600 people are slated to attend the event.
“For Laurels & Stripes to be sold-out weeks in advance of the event speaks volumes of the excitement and engagement of our friends, alumni and corporate partners,” said Gober. “Their support for privately-funded scholarships will have an enormous impact on our students’ lives for generations to come. They are making dreams come true.”
Event-goers will enjoy a brief program, along with dinner and dancing into the evening to the tunes of Memphis Soul Revue.
The highlight of the evening is honoring recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award, which is the most prestigious award presented to UCA alumni. It recognizes outstanding contributions to the university, community, state or society; outstanding achievements in a particular field of endeavor; or a reputation that enhances the reputation of the university. Recipients also serve as an example to students and contribute to the goals or welfare of the university.
One of this year’s honorees, Liz Blankenship, is an entrepreneur and advocate who has dedicated more than 40 years to the creation and support of quality healthcare and assisted living facilities for seniors. She designed and built the first assisted living, home-style cottages in Arkansas, and her facilities have received numerous awards for quality.
She was one of the first National Center of Assisted Living state leaders representing Arkansas. She also served as the first president of the Arkansas Assisted Living Board of Directors, a title she held for six years, while also serving on the Arkansas Health Care Association Board for 13 years. In 2018, she received the prestigious George O. Jernigan Award in recognition of her service and contributions to long-term care. Read more about Blankenship here.
A second honoree, Dr. Barbara Williams, is former chair of the University of Central Arkansas School of Nursing, a role she held from 1990 to her retirement in 2016.
During her time as chair, Williams oversaw significant enrollment growth, several graduate specialty tracks and the development in new ways of delivering education, initially teaching off-campus graduate courses, then teaching via compressed video, to teaching several degrees and tracks completely online.
Williams has served on numerous boards, including the Conway Regional Health System Board of Directors, the board of the Arkansas Association of Hospital Trustees and the CHI St. Vincent Board of Directors. She was presented with the prestigious Arkansas Hospital Association Chairman’s Award in 2014. Learn more about Williams here.
This year’s event co-chairs are Todd and Kristie Ross of Conway. The community-minded couple met when they were both students at UCA. Todd is the president and CEO of Preferred Medical and also serves on the UCA Foundation Board. The Rosses believe in the power of a quality education and wanted to show their continued support of UCA through their leadership as co-chairs of Laurels & Stripes.
For more information about Laurels & Stripes, visit laurelsandstripes.com or contact Amanda Hoelzeman at ahoelzeman@uca.edu or (501) 852-2659.
The University of Central Arkansas College of Liberal Arts, along with the Department of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures, and Cultures and the African and African-American Studies Program, will host the fourth annual UCA Tournées French Film Festival from April 2-18 in Burdick Hall, Room 205, on the UCA campus.
The festival is comprised of six films, each shown at 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays for the first three weeks in April (April 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18). The first half of the festival is themed around African and African-American issues, while the second half of the festival explores contemporary issues in France.
“I am thrilled to be able to bring these award-winning films to the Central Arkansas community for the fourth annual UCA Tournées French Film Festival. In an increasingly globalized world, these films, which look at the United States, France and Africa, offer a unique opportunity to learn about other cultures and our own,” said Dr. Katelyn Knox, assistant professor of French at UCA.
All screenings will be followed by interdisciplinary “talk back” sessions and audience discussion, which will be facilitated by UCA and Hendrix College faculty members. Most films and talk back panels will conclude by 8:30 p.m.
“The interdisciplinary faculty panels following each film screening promise to open up crucial discussions, whether about Conway or elsewhere,” said Knox. “The panel following ‘Faces, Places,’ for instance, invites experts from philosophy, sociology, geography and art activists to ask how people connect to the places in which they live and forge communities through architecture, public art, and historical projects. I hope that these conversations — sparked by French films — continue to give us new insight into our own communities for years to come.”
The festival will begin at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 2, with “I am Not Your Negro.” This opening film is based on James Baldwin’s unpublished novel “Remember this House,” which recounts his experience of the U.S. Civil Rights movement from his expatriate position in Paris. Archival footage ties U.S. Civil Rights-era segregation, racism and violence to more contemporary concerns, such as Black Lives Matter. “Talk back” speakers for this film will be Dr. Tom Williams, dean of the UCA College of Liberal Arts, and Dr. Doug George, associate professor of Sociology at UCA.
It should be noted that “I am Not Your Negro” is rated PG-13 for “disturbing violent images, thematic material, language [racial slurs] and brief nudity.” None of the other films are rated by the Motion Picture Association of America, because they are foreign films, but they do not contain sensitive or offensive material. Knox says the most family-friendly films are the April 9 “Makala” and the April 11 “Faces, Places.”
All films will be shown in French with English subtitles, except “I am Not Your Negro,” which will be shown in English.
The complete film lineup follows. All films begin at 5:30 p.m. in Burdick Room 205:
Tuesday, April 2: “I am Not Your Negro” with “talk back” session led by Dr. Tom Williams, dean of the College of Liberal Arts at UCA; Dr. Doug George, associate professor of Sociology at UCA; Dr. Kristen Epps, associate professor of History at UCA; and Dr. Wendy Rickman, associate professor of Teaching and Learning at UCA.
Thursday, April 4: “Little by Little,” a “mocumentary” about a bourgeois West African man who moves to Paris to study the locals. This film promises to open up larger conversations about epistemology and racial underpinnings of systems of knowledge. “Talk back” led by Dr. Michael Kithinji, associate professor of History and co-director of the African and African-American Studies Program at UCA and Dr. Stacey Schwartzkopf, associate professor of Anthropology at Hendrix.
Tuesday, April 9: “Makala,” a documentary about a Congolese man who travels hundreds of miles by foot to sell charcoal in the market in order to purchase materials to construct his family’s home. “Talk back” led by Doug Corbitt, peer mentor program coordinator for UCA Honors College and Dr. Rifat Akhter, associate professor of Sociology at UCA.
Thursday, April 11: “Faces, Places,” a documentary about a famous filmmaker and a large-scale muralist who travel to rural villages in France and construct public art projects. Often, these art projects have a historical/archival dimension, so history becomes “exposed” on the walls of buildings where forgotten people lived. “Talk back” led by Dr. Ellen Hostetter, associate professor in UCA Honors College and Geography; Dr. Charles Harvey, chair of Philosophy at UCA; Beth Norwood, Art History instructor at UCA; and Dr. John Toth, associate professor of Sociology at UCA.
Tuesday, April 16: “12 days,” a documentary about involuntarily committed individuals in France, who are seen before a judge (to follow French law). This film raises larger questions about the intersection between personal liberty and public safety, as well as the entanglement of health sciences, justice, law, and philosophy. “Talk back” led by Shannon Riedmueller, Psychology instructor at UCA; Dr. Leslie Zorwick, associate professor of Psychology at Hendrix; John Gale, associate professor of Film at UCA; and Dr. Jacob Held, associate professor of Philosophy at UCA.
Thursday, April 18: “My journey through French Cinema,” a three-hour documentary that explores the films that most inspired one of France’s most celebrated filmmakers. Currently, there is no “talk back” session planned for this film.
The UCA Tournées French Film Festival is made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the U.S., the Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée (CNC), the French American Cultural Fund, Florence Gould Foundation and Highbrow Entertainment.
The event is free to attend and open to the public.
For more information, contact festival coordinator Dr. Katelyn Knox at kknox@uca.edu or (501) 450-5585, or Amanda Hoelzeman at ahoelzeman@uca.edu or (501) 852-2659.
