Dr. John Miller, an associate professor at the UALR School of Social Work, has been named UALR’s inaugural Faculty Fellow.

UALR Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Zulma Toro announced that Miller, a licensed Master Social Worker for Arkansas, will be focused on two major initiatives: faculty mentoring and student success programs.

“The overarching goal of both initiatives is to increase student and faculty success” said Toro. Miller’s focus, she added, will also be to facilitate dialogue and develop working relationships among UALR faculty.

He will lead the development and implementation of a faculty mentoring program in which senior faculty will provide guidance to junior faculty who are on the path toward promotion and tenure.

Miller has authored a number of scholarly publications related to diversity and social justice and has lectured at conferences and events across the nation. He has extensive teaching experience and an ability to integrate real-world issues into his classroom, according to Toro.

“His efforts at UALR exemplify the leadership characteristics desired of a UALR Faculty Fellow,” she said.

These efforts include Miller’s service as co-chair of the UALR Diversity Council and his 2010 assessment and evaluation of the African American Male Initiative (AAMI) student success program.

In a report last year to UALR Chancellor Joel E. Anderson, Toro emphasized the importance and impact of developing a student-centered culture at UALR.

The plan included creating a Faculty Fellows program where a faculty member, selected through a competitive process, would be charged with creating and coordinating initiatives to develop a student-centered culture, while enhancing the sense of community among UALR students, faculty, and staff.

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