Dr. Paula Wyatt Morris, a 1969 graduate of UALR, was named the inaugural recipient and steward of the Betty Ann Lowe, MD Endowed Chair in Pediatric Rheumatology at an Investiture Ceremony on April 23, 2014 at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Lowe who died in 2013 was the sister of Dr. Mary Good, EIT founding dean, at UALR. She was a prominent figure in Arkansas pediatrics becoming the first Arkansan to become a pediatric rheumatologist. Through her will she created an endowed chair of $1 million which is one of the highest academic honors for the holder and assists leaders in their field of pediatric health care.
Dr. Paula Wyatt Morris awarded the medallion for the Betty Ann Lowe MD Endowed Chair in Pediatric Rheumatology
After graduating from UALR, Dr. Morris worked for 10 years as a math and science teacher before returning to UALR to take the necessary course work to earn a degree in 1978 in Science and Engineering. With this degree, she was admitted to UAMS and began to pursue a medical degree and graduated in 1983 from UAMS.
Since 1998, Dr. Morris has served as the medical director of pediatric rheumatology at ACH. In 2005, she was named section chief and promoted to professor in 2011. An accomplished researcher, Dr. Morris participates globally in clinical research in pediatric rheumatology.
Dr. Morris is a Lifetime member of the UALR Alumni Association. In 2011, she established an endowed book award in the College of Education to honor the memory of her mother, Jessie Pauline Wyatt, who was a 1965 graduate of Little Rock University.
