UA Little Rock’s Drale and Meadors among Top 100 Arkansas Women

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Chancellor Christina S. Drale and Dr. Constance Meadors, director of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium and NASA Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program, are two of the Top 100 Women of Arkansas.

Little Rock Soirée magazine and the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas announced the list Oct. 1, the result of months of vetting to highlight some of Arkansas’s most exceptional leaders in their professions, industries, and communities. The list was categorized by industry rather than region and set to release in a dedicated print publication and digital feature in December.

“The Top 100 Women of Arkansas is more than a recognition, it is a powerful reflection of the leadership, vision, and service shaping our state’s future,” Mandy Richardson – Little Rock Soirée publisher, Arkansas Business Publishing Group consumer division president, and Soirée Women’s Leadership Symposium founder — said in a news release announcing the list. “Little Rock Soirée is honored to partner with the WFA to celebrate women whose professional accomplishments are matched by their meaningful investments in their communities. As we publish this triennial project, we are proud to help preserve their stories, amplify their impact and inspire the next generation of Arkansas women to lead boldly.”

As chancellor, Drale has prioritized affordability and accessibility, introducing both the Half-Off Scholarship and Trojan Guarantee, reducing tuition costs by more than $3.8 million for Arkansas students. Enrollment has also rebounded under her leadership, with student headcount and credit hours both up again this fall, and freshmen enrollment has increased roughly 70% from four years ago. She’s also helped lead the Centennial Campaign — a project to raise $250 million — which officially concludes later this fall as the university celebrates its centennial year. 

“There is something especially meaningful about receiving this recognition during UA Little Rock’s centennial year,” Drale said. “For 100 years, this university has been a place of opportunity where people come to imagine something more for themselves. I feel incredibly fortunate to help carry that legacy forward and to help shape what opportunity will look like for the next generation.”

Drale, appointed UA Little Rock chancellor in 2019, is the recipient of the E. Joseph Savoie Chief Executive Leadership Award, a prestigious honor recognizing transformational leadership in higher education. The E. Joseph Savoie Leadership Award honors a Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District IV president or chancellor who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancement, collaboration, and innovation within their institution. 

“I’m honored to be recognized alongside so many remarkable women whose work is making a difference across Arkansas, (and) I have always believed that the most meaningful measure of leadership is the impact we have on others,” Drale said. “For me, that means expanding access to education, helping students connect their talents to meaningful careers and building partnerships that strengthen the communities we serve. When we create opportunities for others to thrive, the impact reaches far beyond any one person or institution.”

Drale joined UA Little Rock in 2006 as associate dean of the College of Professional Studies, then served as associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and interim executive vice chancellor and provost before being appointed chancellor. A California native, Drale, who plans to retire June 30, 2027, earned a Ph.D. in sociology, a Master of Arts in sociology, and a Bachelor of Arts in communications, all from the University of California, San Diego, and she took her first academic position at Missouri State University in 1986, where she stayed for nearly 20 years, serving as associate professor of media, journalism and film, and associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters.

Meadors, the first African American and first female space grant director for the state of Arkansas, as well as the first African American female space grant director in the United States, joined UA Little Rock in 2023 as the associate director of ASGC. In the Office of STEM Engagement, she served as the first Minority Serving Institution (MSI) STEM Engagement Liaison-Faculty Fellow for NASA Intergovernmental Personnel Assignees (IPA), and she was the first African American and female to teach mechanical engineering at Harding University. The NASA EPSCoR advisory council was established and led by her.

Her academic experiences include K-12, community college, private, and public institutions. She has served as associate dean of arts and sciences, dean of applied science technology, chair of electronics, director of electronics engineering technology, and held many STEM teaching positions.

“I am humbled and honored to be recognized among such an accomplished and esteemed group of women from across Arkansas,” said Meadors. “I am grateful for this recognition, and it is my prayer that the work I do has a profound and lasting impact that not only lives up to this honor but also helps create opportunities and open doors for those who will come after me.”

Meadors earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Grambling State University as well as a Master of Science in applied science with a focus on instrumentation and a Ph.D. in applied science with an emphasis in engineering science and systems from UA Little Rock.

“Women are not simply participating in Arkansas’s economy and communities, they are shaping them,” WFA CEO Anna Beth Gorman stated in the Little Rock Soiree news release. “The Top 100 Women of Arkansas gives us an opportunity to recognize the women whose leadership, ideas and influence are moving our state forward, often while creating opportunities for others along the way.”

“At the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas, we believe visibility matters. When we name and celebrate women’s impact, we help change the perception of who holds influence, who leads and who belongs at the tables where decisions are made,” added Gorman. “We are proud to partner with ABPG to tell these stories and to recognize 100 women who represent the extraordinary depth of women’s leadership across our state.”

More information, and the full list, can be found online.