Kim Bright, director of testing services at UA Little Rock, has been selected as a co-chair of the Grants Committee for the National College Testing Association.

The Grants Committee offers opportunities for professional development, to promote the development of resources for NCTA members, to encourage professional support activities, and to support members of NCTA. The work of the committee includes the development of promotional materials, the review of grant applications, assisting applicants with improvements as needed, and providing information to the membership at the annual conference.

“I’m delighted to help lead the Grants Committee at NCTA,” Bright said. “While I’ve served on several committees, this is the first one I’ve co-chaired. We accept and review grant applications and fund as many as we can. Once COVID is over, there will probably be a flurry of wondering how testing changed during COVID-19 and whether you will keep those changes. This research will probably be used as a resource for future organizations.”

Bright has been a member of NCTA for five years, where she’s served on the website committee and NCTA recertification process committee. She also serves as treasurer of the Arkansas College Testing Association. 

A native of Wichita, Kansas, Bright joined UA Little Rock in 2011 as director of the Academic Success Center, which houses two TRIO programs — Student Support Services and the Ronald McNair Scholars Program. Bright became the director of testing services in 2016. 

“Kim has been responsive to changes in the nature and volume of services requested of her unit over the past several years,” said Dr. Daryl Rice, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. “ She always puts students first. Her flexibility and the innovations she introduced during the pandemic are exemplary. She has presented regularly at the NCTA and stays in tune with best practices, so I’m not surprised that she has been selected by her peers as co-chair of the grants committee.”

Bright earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Kansas Newman College — now Newman University — and a master’s degree in adult occupational/continuing education from Kansas State University. She previously served as dean of student services at Lamar Community College in Lamar, Colorado. Prior to that she was dean of students at Chadron State College in Nebraska, where she coordinated the school’s Learning Center, TRiO Project Strive, and Upward Bound programs. From 2005 to 2008, Bright was director of academic advising and student records for the Cox School of Business at SMU in Dallas.