Several University of Arkansas at Little Rock students who participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Oct. 4 are also steeped in recording the history of the non-profit organization in Arkansas.

The students are conducting the history through a graduate-level capstone project through the UALR Master of Arts in Public History program, which has been taught for the past 20 years by Dr. Deborah Baldwin, associate provost for UALR Collections and Archives.

The students have met with the Arkansas Affiliate Komen representatives, transferred material to the UALR Center for Arkansas History and Culture, and prepared a proposal for the project.

Hattie Felton is one of the students participating.

She and her peers are weaving many resources into “one meaningful historical narrative,” that will communicate the challenges, triumphs, and impact of the organization.

The students are drawing on the wealth of information found in the Komen Arkansas affiliate’s boxes of archival material, as well as oral histories.

“While this may sound straightforward, the reality is actually quite complicated,” Felton said.

“We spend hour after hour poring over pages of board of directors meeting minutes, strategic plans, newspaper articles, and event statistics, hoping to discover the pieces of information that will fit perfectly into our puzzle and create a complete picture,” she said.

“It’s not an easy job, but it is a rewarding one,” Felton added.

The seminar course required a mock contract arrangement with the non-profit to write a 75 to 100-page history for a general audience, Baldwin said.

Asked how the public history project for the Arkansas Affiliate of the Komen Cure came about, Baldwin said she had observed the group for many years and knew two of its three founders, Pat McClelland and Pat Torvestad.

“I have admired their organizational skills and tenacity,” she said. “I especially liked the idea of investigating how the group not only succeeded, but also came to be one of the largest affiliates in the country.”

At its height two years ago, 46,000 participants raced in the Komen Race for the Cure in central Arkansas. This year, the enthusiasm for the event was no less palpable in spite of slightly smaller numbers.

In addition to Felton, other members of the research team are Ben Holifield, project manager; Calee Henderson, oral history manager; Nikki Senn, report manager; and researchers Emily Noah, and Donna L. Shelton.

“I felt honored these students were willing to help preserve the 20-plus year history of a pretty phenomenal thing in Arkansas,” said Sherrye McBryde, executive director of the Komen Arkansas Affiliate.

McByrde said she is hopeful the Komen board members will vote to approve the donation of the organization’s records to the UALR Center for Arkansas History and Culture after the oral history project is complete.

Several other UALR student groups participated in the race Saturday, including a team from the Department of Nursing and other areas.

Dr. Gannon White, a faculty member of UALR’s Health, Human Performance and Sport Management Department, came in first place for the men and was the first male to ever win the race. The winner in the women’s category was Leah Thorvilson, director of development for UALR Athletics.

The Komen Arkansas Affiliate raised over $1 million last year and spread the funds among 21 organizations. In its 21st year, the race is the fourth largest of its kind in the country.

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