Spring break, while off to a soggy start, is typically a time to unwind for students and faculty alike. But it can also be a time to play catch-up, get organized, and prepare for that final push before the end of the semester. May will be here before you know it! (more…)
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know that today is pi day, as in March 14 (3.14).
What you might not know is that the history of pi has a UALR connection, at least as far as the internet is concerned. (more…)
This week’s guest post is from Aresh Assadi, a counselor with Counseling and Career Planning Services. The spring Career Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, in the DSC. You’ll have a chance to meet with more than 40 local businesses, and you might even run into this guy…
- At the last Career Fair, employers turned their resumes in to him.
- He has won numerous “Employee of the Year” awards at companies he has never worked for.
- In interviews, his weaknesses are more impressive than the other candidates’ strengths.
- Hollywood bought the rights to his cover letter and there are plans of making it into a movie by 2015.
- In interviews, hiring managers are more nervous than he is.
Some might call him the most interesting man in the world. But in fact, he is…The Most Hireable Man in the World!
Stay thirsty my friends…..for a career.
There are several members of the UALR community who participated in the Little Rock Marathon this weekend. One of them was Peter Charlton, an exchange student from Britain who ran in honor of his aunt. He shares his story with us: (more…)
If you haven’t seen, or at least heard of, the Harlem Shake videos that have taken over YouTube, then you might be living under a rock. These 30-second videos of people dancing, or just running around erratically, are popping up everywhere. They feature the song “Harlem Shake” by Baauer, and as of February 13, there were more than 12,000 videos posted to YouTube.
A group on campus filmed their own Harlem Shake yesterday and I think they did a pretty good job.
It seems like everyone wants to be a part this trend and make the crazy videos. Some might say that this meme has run its course and if you’re filming one now, then you’re already behind the times. 
But to me, these short videos are just about having fun! It’s not necessarily about getting the most views or having the wildest video. It’s just fun, plain and simple. And what I loved about yesterday was that so many different students were involved. I think that’s what UALR is all about. Getting our student body together and having fun. That’s exactly what happened yesterday. Take a look. Were you there?
There are four more videos you have to watch that showcase other places on campus.
You can see more photos on The Forum’s Facebook page.
We thought it would be fun to take our Grads @ Work campaign in a new direction for Valentine’s Day and ask our alums about finding their true love here on campus. We got several entries, but none quite as colorful – or sweet – as the one from Tommy Covington, who graduated in 1992 with a B.A. in criminology.
Our guest blogger this week is Sarah Beth Estes, associate professor of sociology and trained Green Dot instructor.
This week, UALR launches the Green Dot anti-violence program, focused on the prevention of power-based personal violence, including sexual assault, intimate partner abuse, stalking, and harassment/bullying. The strength of the program lies in bystander behavior. It teaches us to move from simply “standing by” to actively recognizing signs of violence and learning safe ways to intervene in potentially violent situations.
The motto of the Green Dot program is “no one has to do everything; everyone has to do something.” The UALR community has exemplified this motto since the Chancellor put the weight of his office behind this initiative in late fall 2011.
In the last week of classes of the spring semester in 2012, fifty faculty and staff from almost every college and major unit on campus — including Housing, Public Safety, Athletics, Health Services, Student Services, and Student Success — attended an intensive four- day training in the Green Dot violence prevention method. As we know, the last week of the semester is a challenging time for everyone — students, faculty, and staff alike. Attending the training at that time meant these folks had to scramble exceptionally hard to find ways to meet their intensive work obligations while also dedicating themselves to learning about this new program. Since that time, five work groups have met repeatedly to adapt the Green Dot program to our campus.
It’s important to recognize that all of this was volunteer work. None of this appears in anyone’s job description. Dedication to this program has come from the heart. I have been amazed at the commitment of the members of the university community to this program.
As we organized this program, we had to ask for a lot. We needed people’s time, we needed funding, we needed in-kind services. UALR faculty and staff gave. They gave and gave and gave. No one said “no.” No one said, “This isn’t important,” or “I don’t care.” Instead, people gave of their time, their program resources, their intellectual energy.
Not surprisingly, UALR community members have lots of idea–ideas about how we can involve our community members through film series, art exhibits, and gaming on mobile devices, to name only a few.
The Green Dot program presumes that individuals don’t experience or prevent violence on their own — that in fact, the community in which we’re embedded can organize to be intolerant to violence. This campus community has spent 14 months doing exactly this, demonstrating that at UALR, we look out for each other. Please join us. Find out how here.
I came across this blog post idea from another higher ed blog. I love to peek inside others’ lives, so I thought there might be people out there who feel the same and just might want to look inside my life. We plan to continue with this theme and invite others on campus to tell us how they work.
Where do you work? You can find me in the Office of Communications, where I am the Web Communications Specialist.
Describe the view from your desk. I’m very fortunate to have my own office. I don’t have any windows, but I can look out my door and see out the windows in the front of the building, so that helps. I have lots of quotes printed out – some funny and some inspirational. I also have pictures of my family around my desk along with some artwork my creative little boy made me.
What do you listen to at work? I have a few Pandora stations I like to listen to. They range from the ’80s, ’90s pop, disco, Ray LaMontagne, Hall and Oates, and Rod Stewart. Sometimes I just like to work in silence, though.
What is your favorite to-do list manager? I use Google for both my personal and professional calendars. That keeps up with the bigger tasks like meetings and events. I also use a traditional planner. For day-to-day tasks, I have a memo pad. I love to cross things off, with a black pen of course. I’m also a very big fan of colored post-its. I have them all around my computer monitor to help me remember things.
What is your work schedule? I have an 8 to 5 schedule, but with my job the day almost never ends at 5. Since I run the university’s official Facebook and Twitter accounts, I check them in the evenings at home and on the weekends. So work always follows me home. I don’t mind this, however, because if a student has a question about something, I think it’s important to get back to them as soon as possible.
Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can’t you live without? My iPad.
PC or Mac? I have a Mac at work, but a PC at home.
Favorite workday snack? I always, always start my day with coffee. I also have a sweet tooth, so any candy during the day is good.
Today we launch a new Sights & Sounds feature, A Day in the Life. Our inaugural post delves into the world of recruiting, courtesy of recruitment coordinator Janay Lewis. (more…)
I’m about 10 days late in saying this, but, Happy New Year! We’re gearing up for the start of a new semester and with that comes plans for all the activities and events that lay ahead this year. As I did last year, I’m going to highlight some of the things you don’t want to miss in 2013.
The spring semester begins Monday, Jan. 14. Regular registration closes at 4 p.m. Friday Jan. 11, but late registration runs from Monday, Jan. 14 – Friday, Jan. 18. If you sign up for classes during this window, you’ll have a $100 late fee. Call 569-3110 for more information.
Welcome Back Week kicks off on the first day of class. Don’t miss any of the fun – and free – activities that Campus Life has planned for you.
Homecoming takes place at the end of this month. You can visit with the homecoming queen candidates and vote for the finalist around the 21st.
Homecoming continues on March 1 with the third annual cardboard boat regatta. Check out the video from last year’s hilarious race.
The Homecoming basketball game is on Saturday, March 2, against Arkansas State.
Students planning to graduate in May should attend Grad Fest held on from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 6 – Thursday, March 7. This is a chance to take care of all your graduating needs in one place.
UALR’s Career Fair will be held Wednesday, March 13. This is the time to dress for success and meet with local businesses. You just might find your dream job!
I bet most students will be crossing off the days till Spring Break, March 18 – 24.
It’s always fun to check out the Spring Dance Concert. It’s starts Thursday, April 18 and runs through Sunday, April 21 in University Theatre.
The last day of classes is May 6 with finals beginning the following day. The biggest event this month is obviously graduation on Saturday, May 18.
Summer sessions I and II begin May 28. Summer classes are a great time to get ahead on your degree or just take a fun elective.
This month is typically a little quiet, but there are still plenty of students on campus attending their summer classes. New student orientation for EIT and Donaghey Scholars students will be June 6 – 7. Orientation for AAMI/AAFI/HLI students runs June 17 – 18. New CLC students will have their orientation June 20 – 21. Emails regarding attendance will be sent to the address provided on the student’s application. For more information, contact 569-3308.
New student orientation continues this month for the general population with an overnight session July 11 – 12. Contact the Office of Campus Life for more information, 569-3308.
Summer session IV begins Monday, July 8.
The last new student orientation will be held on August 2.
It’s back to school time! Entering freshmen must be admitted by the 14th and registered for classes by the 21st. Classes begin Monday, Aug. 19. One of our favorite things this month is to watch – and help – students move into their new homes.
This is a great month to check out the Trojan Soccer team at the Coleman Sports and Recreation Complex.
Big news – UALR will have a Fall Break this year from Monday, Oct. 14 – Tuesday, Oct. 15.
The Music Department will present its annual Halle-Boo-Jah Halloween concert. All the musicians wear costumes while performing, which makes for a pretty interesting concert.
More big news – UALR is adding a day to its Thanksgiving Break. Classes will be out Wednesday, Nov. 27 – Friday, Nov. 29.
Classes end Monday, Dec. 9, and finals begin the next day. I don’t have a confirmed date for graduation yet but I would bet it’s on Thursday, Dec. 19. We’ll keep you updated of course!
University of Arkansas