Classmates Report in Fall 2008
Here are the alumni updates you have been waiting for! The year following each name indicates the year the alumni started in the program. Find out what your former classmates are doing, and then take a moment to send your news about missing alumni and/or your own news to gwdriskill@ualr.edu.
Alicia Banks, 1999
Alicia resigned from educating children to resume her career in corporate America. She is doing corporate sales for AFLAC. She is also teaching business communication courses at the University of Phoenix in Little Rock and plans to teach GED classes to adults this summer also. Check out her blog: http://aliciabanks.blogspot.com/.
Erin Bush, 1999
Erin is now working as an Instructional Designer at the Alltel Learning Institute. She reminded me that she (and other alumni) would like to know more about a Ph.D. in our department. (Erin and those asking, we will keep you posted on our plans!).
Jenny Ford, 2004
Jenny is expecting twin boys in October! They have already decided on the names Luke and Jackson. On a different note, Jenny serves as Manager of Patient Relations & Patient Satisfaction at St. Joseph’s Mercy Health Center in Hot Springs, AR.
B. Zack Lovett, 1999
Brian (Zack) is a Mortgage Broker with Cornerstone Mortgage here in Little Rock. He mentioned that he really misses the program, especially the Bowman and Deal book!
Sandie Lubin, 1994
Sandi is using her degree as an administrator for a grant in the College of Nursing at UAMS. She is the Project Administrator for Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence. This privately funded grant is for 1.5 million for 5 years. Along with the nursing faculty, she is seeking to increase the capacity for geriatric nursing in the south through research, leadership and educational initiatives. She uses her degree in communicating with people involved with our program from over 16 states.
Mark Miles, 1996
Mark lives in Baton Rouge, LA, and has been hired as a full-time instructor at Louisiana State University. He is teaching “Communications for the Business Professional.” Mark is very excited to return to Higher Education.
Melanie Morgan, 1992
Melanie was recently granted tenure as an assistant professor at Purdue University. (Way to go Melanie!) She teaches in the Department of Communication at Purdue University.
Heather Mcclure-Quinones, 1998
Heather had a new baby this past year. Daniel Owen was born May 23. Congratulations!
Lisa Rawn, 1987
Lisa moved from the East Coast back to the South. She serves as an Asst. Professor for Medical Education and Administration and the Director of Programs in Human Simulation Center for Experiential Learning and Assessment. (That is a long title!) This program is at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville.
Greg Rickel - 1989
Greg is now Bishop of Olympia (Western Washington). You can gain more information from the website http://www.ecww.org/ where you would find a bio.
Bruce Trimble, 2004
Bruce is now Director of Business Development for The BridgeWay, a psychiatric hospital owned by United Health Services, Inc. in North Little Rock. He is responsible for developing and executing an integrated strategic communications plan and managing the business development staff. Bruce also stated that he considers earning his MA from this program to be one of the highlights of his life, both personally and professionally.
Christy Woods, 2003
Christy has been in NW AR for a year now. She works at Chair in the Campus College, in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Phoenix, NW Arkansas Campus. She was just married this past September and is working on a Ph.D. at U of A in Fayetteville.