[{"id":94648,"date":"2026-08-21T15:36:39","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T20:36:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/?p=94648"},"modified":"2026-08-21T15:55:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T20:55:59","slug":"ai-in-the-rock-comes-to-ua-little-rock-to-explore-ai-in-education-industry-and-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/21\/ai-in-the-rock-comes-to-ua-little-rock-to-explore-ai-in-education-industry-and-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"AI in the Rock Comes to UA Little Rock to Explore AI in Education, Industry, and Innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What happens when artificial intelligence (AI) moves from the screen into the real world? Find out at the upcoming AI in the Rock @ UA Little Rock event on Wednesday, Aug. 26.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hosted by the University of Arkansas at Little Rock\u2019s Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (DCSTEM)<\/a>, the event will bring together Central Arkansas\u2019 growing AI community to explore how AI is transforming education, industry, innovation, and the broader community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI in the Rock<\/a> is a monthly meetup that brings together the Central Arkansas community to learn, share ideas, and explore real-world applications of AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This month\u2019s event, \u201cAI @ UALR x FlowZone by TruEx,\u201d will highlight AI initiatives at UA Little Rock as well as a real-world collaboration involving FlowZone by TruEx.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCentral Arkansas has an opportunity to be a leader in how we use AI, and that starts with connecting the people who are learning, building and experimenting with the technology,\u201d said Matt Olson, co-founder of AI in the Rock. \u201cUA Little Rock is an important part of that ecosystem, and we\u2019re excited to bring the AI in the Rock community to campus to learn from what the university is doing and share ideas about where we go next.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UA Little Rock leaders will offer perspectives on the university\u2019s AI efforts. Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost of research and dean of the Graduate School, will discuss the university\u2019s broader AI strategy, faculty collaboration and long-term vision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs chair of the AI Council at UA Little Rock, I am committed to cultivating a cohesive, cross-disciplinary AI ecosystem,” said Berry. “Our vision is to bridge academic expertise with community needs, ensuring that we not only equip our students with future-ready skills, but also serve as a catalyst for innovation across Central Arkansas.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marla Johnson, inaugural tech entrepreneur-in-residence, will cover AI Hackathon events<\/a>, industry collaborations, the startup ecosystem and experiential learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Executive Director of Workforce Development Dr. Aaron Duvall will examine workforce transformation, employer expectations and how Arkansas businesses can prepare for an AI-driven future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“AI is changing the skills employers value and the way work gets done,” Duvall said. “For Arkansas businesses, the opportunity is to prepare now by investing in their people, identifying where AI can improve their operations, and building a workforce that knows how to use these tools effectively and responsibly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event will also highlight UA Little Rock\u2019s growing academic offerings in AI, including the Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence<\/a>, AI-focused courses, graduate programs and industry-ready certificates. Attendees will learn how these programs prepare students with the skills and experience needed to navigate an increasingly AI-driven workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAI is rapidly transforming how we learn, conduct research, innovate and work, and UA Little Rock has an exciting opportunity to help shape that transformation in Arkansas,\u201d said Dr. Tansel Karabacak, dean of DCSTEM. \u201cThrough our academic programs, interdisciplinary research and partnerships with industry and the community, we are preparing students not simply to use AI, but to become the innovators and problem-solvers who will help define how it is applied responsibly in the real world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conversation will also explore the challenges of using AI, including responsible AI use, human oversight, deepfakes and misinformation, and lessons learned through practical applications of the technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Engineering and Information Technology (EIT) Building. It is free and open to everyone, with food and beverages provided. Space is limited, so please register in advance. Visit the event page<\/a> to learn more and RSVP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What happens when artificial intelligence (AI) moves from the screen into the real world? Find out at the upcoming AI in the Rock @ UA Little Rock event on Wednesday, Aug. 26. Hosted by the University of Arkansas at Little Rock\u2019s Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (DCSTEM), the event will bring together … AI in the Rock Comes to UA Little Rock to Explore AI in Education, Industry, and Innovation<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2906,"featured_media":94651,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926,1922],"tags":[35714,25799,35495],"class_list":["post-94648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","category-research","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-innovation"],"yoast_head":"\nAI in the Rock Comes to UA Little Rock to Explore AI in Education, Industry, and Innovation - News - UA Little Rock<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/21\/ai-in-the-rock-comes-to-ua-little-rock-to-explore-ai-in-education-industry-and-innovation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"AI in the Rock Comes to UA Little Rock to Explore AI in Education, Industry, and Innovation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What happens when artificial intelligence (AI) moves from the screen into the real world? 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Photo by Benjamin Krain"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/21\/ai-in-the-rock-comes-to-ua-little-rock-to-explore-ai-in-education-industry-and-innovation\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"AI in the Rock Comes to UA Little Rock to Explore AI in Education, Industry, and Innovation"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/","name":"News","description":"UA Little Rock","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/#organization","name":"UA Little Rock","url":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2024\/12\/ua-little-rock-logo-yoast.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2024\/12\/ua-little-rock-logo-yoast.png","width":696,"height":696,"caption":"UA Little Rock"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UALittleRock\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/ualrvideo","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/university-of-arkansas-at-little-rock\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ualr\/"],"description":"The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a metropolitan research university that provides an accessible, quality education through flexible learning and unparalleled internship opportunities.","email":"ask@ualr.edu","telephone":"501-916-3000","legalName":"UA Little Rock"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/4d2d71db64fc5dad90eaff1ce9387967","name":"Samantha Koros","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43fc0575707bd2562cfafa14c6272ed1fb5a02915def80a826f51f931c5ed4be?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43fc0575707bd2562cfafa14c6272ed1fb5a02915def80a826f51f931c5ed4be?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43fc0575707bd2562cfafa14c6272ed1fb5a02915def80a826f51f931c5ed4be?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Samantha Koros"},"url":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/author\/skoros1\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94648","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2906"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94648"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94648\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":94653,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94648\/revisions\/94653"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/94651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94648"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":94644,"date":"2026-08-21T11:48:56","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T16:48:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/?p=94644"},"modified":"2026-08-21T11:48:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T16:48:57","slug":"ua-little-rock-student-athlete-takes-next-step-toward-physical-therapy-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/21\/ua-little-rock-student-athlete-takes-next-step-toward-physical-therapy-career\/","title":{"rendered":"UA Little Rock Student Athlete Takes Next Step Toward Physical Therapy Career"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>University of Arkansas at Little Rock senior biology major Madison Thomas strengthened her passion for physical therapy this summer through an internship at Re\/Align, where she gained hands-on experience working with athletes and other patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thomas, a native of Houston and member of the Little Rock Trojans track and field team, interned at Re\/Align in Humble, Texas, under Israel Lopez, a physical therapist and owner of the practice. Re\/Align specializes in sports therapy, with a focus on injury prevention and rehabilitation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the internship, Thomas observed Lopez as he worked with patients, learning how he evaluated their needs and developed individualized treatment plans. Under his guidance, she also gained experience with patients and learned techniques such as scraping, cupping, and mobility stretching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis experience gave me a better understanding of how physical therapists work with athletes and how mobility and recovery can impact performance,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cMost importantly, it confirmed my interest in pursuing a career in physical therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thomas said one of her biggest takeaways was recognizing the importance of understanding human anatomy and how different parts of the body work together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe body does not work in isolation; every muscle, ligament, and tendon is connected and can influence how the body moves as a whole,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cUnderstanding how these structures work together and how movement in one area can affect another is essential to effectively evaluating and treating patients.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The experience also gave Thomas an opportunity to connect what she has learned at UA Little Rock with her future career. She applied terminology from her Science of Biology course during the internship and looks forward to taking anatomy this fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI am very excited for this semester because I will be taking anatomy, and I am confident that it will allow me to better understand what I learned from Re\/Align,\u201d Thomas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a student-athlete, Thomas also found that the strength and athleticism she developed through track and field helped her while working with patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI learned that physical therapists need to be mobile, strong, and comfortable using their own body weight when working with patients,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cMy experience as an athlete helped me feel more comfortable using my strength while also learning how to apply it safely and effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thomas\u2019 connection to Re\/Align began when her brother sought treatment from Lopez for a shoulder injury that had restricted his range of motion. Thomas accompanied her brother to an appointment and struck up a conversation with Lopez about her interest in becoming a physical therapist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Impressed by Lopez\u2019s approach to working with athletes, Thomas asked if she could return to Re\/Align for observation hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was amazed by the results and immediately knew I wanted to learn more about his approach,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cI asked Israel if I could come to Re\/Align for observation hours, and the rest is history!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond the clinical experience, Thomas said the relationships she built during her internship were among the most meaningful parts of the summer. She met people from a variety of backgrounds and learned from their experiences and perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese connections showed me the importance of building relationships and being open to learning from everyone I encounter,\u201d Thomas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The internship ultimately reinforced Thomas\u2019 goal of becoming a physical therapist by showing her the impact physical therapists can have on their patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI saw firsthand how proper treatment, guidance, and understanding of the body can help someone recover, move better, and return to doing what they love,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cIt made me realize that being a PT is not just about treating injuries, but also about helping people become the best version of themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For other UA Little Rock students interested in internships, Thomas recommends taking advantage of every opportunity to learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would tell students to be a sponge and soak up as much information as possible, especially when you are doing something you genuinely love,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cEvery experience is an opportunity to learn something new, so stay curious and be willing to ask questions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She also encouraged students to build meaningful relationships and be themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Everyone is their own brand, and how you present yourself, communicate with others, and let your personality shine can take you a long way,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cMost importantly, be yourself, stay open to learning, and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking ahead, Thomas is excited about classes that will bring her closer to her goal of becoming a physical therapist. She is also looking forward to fall training with her track and field teammates and coaches and continuing to grow as an athlete and teammate. Thomas will also serve as an ambassador for the Chancellor\u2019s Leadership Corps, an organization she said has played an important role in her college experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>University of Arkansas at Little Rock senior biology major Madison Thomas strengthened her passion for physical therapy this summer through an internship at Re\/Align, where she gained hands-on experience working with athletes and other patients. Thomas, a native of Houston and member of the Little Rock Trojans track and field team, interned at Re\/Align in <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/21\/ua-little-rock-student-athlete-takes-next-step-toward-physical-therapy-career\/\" class=\"more-link\">…<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> UA Little Rock Student Athlete Takes Next Step Toward Physical Therapy Career<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":94647,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1926],"tags":[25799,34715,2218],"class_list":["post-94644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-internships","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Student Athlete Takes Next Step Toward Physical Therapy Career - News - UA Little Rock<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/21\/ua-little-rock-student-athlete-takes-next-step-toward-physical-therapy-career\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock Student Athlete Takes Next Step Toward Physical Therapy Career\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"University of Arkansas at Little Rock senior biology major Madison Thomas strengthened her passion for physical therapy this summer through an internship at Re\/Align, where she gained hands-on experience working with athletes and other patients. Thomas, a native of Houston and member of the Little Rock Trojans track and field team, interned at Re\/Align in ... 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Thomas, a native of Houston and member of the Little Rock Trojans track and field team, interned at Re\/Align in ... 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Little Rock Welcomes Large Group for Fall Move-In"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Even triple-digit temperatures couldn’t stop enthusiastic University of Arkansas at Little Rock students from eagerly finding their homes for the new school year during the university’s move-in days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sophomore Caleb Shirley enjoyed his freshman year in East Hall so much he decided to live there again, with the same roommate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“It’s nice to be on campus — I met a lot of people — and all the food spots are pretty nice,” said the political science major. “I like all my political science teachers — they’re really good at what they do — and just the whole nice environment on campus.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moving the second time was also “a lot smoother,” than when he was a freshman on campus for the first time. It’s “super organized, and the police are doing a great job” directing traffic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a sophomore, Shirley plans to be more active on campus, including getting involved with student government, as he wants to attend UA Little Rock’s William H. Bowen <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/law\/\">School of Law. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“I want to join more clubs, extend myself, and meet more people,” said the Wynne native. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The university estimates more than 1,100 students will be living on campus this year, an increase of roughly 6% from fall 2025, according to the Dean of Students, Dr. Richard E. Harper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/07\/27\/undergraduate-credit-hours-up-12-as-ua-little-rock-prepares-to-welcome-the-first-fall-class-of-its-second-century\/\">Preliminary enrollment figures<\/a> show combined undergraduate and graduate headcount up 5% and nearly 300 students for this fall, with student semester credit hours up 11% compared with the same time last year. Undergraduate enrollment continues to lead that growth, with headcount up 7%, or more than 325 students, and undergraduate credit hours increasing 12%, as of late July. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Freshman Chase Cearns was attracted to UA Little Rock for several reasons, including the campus, which is “really pretty (and offers) a lot of nature.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cearns — an accomplished speech and debate competitor from Cabot High School who was selected for the Arkansas Governor’s School — plans to major in English, and he appreciates that “everyone has been really helpful” as he moved into West Hall. He was also intrigued by the litany of <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/10\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-students-with-welcome-week-2026\/\">Welcome Week<\/a> events as an opportunity to make new friends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The university began moving students in Wednesday, August 19, and <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/housing\/movein\/\">move-in continues<\/a> through Sunday, August 23, with classes beginning Monday, August 25. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Freshmen Sophie French and Jacey May were both drawn to the university in large part by its strong and growing <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/25\/national-rankings\/\">nursing program<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“I’ve heard the nursing program is really good, and I want to help people” as\u00a0a\u00a0Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)\u00a0nurse, said French, who is from Mayflower. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“A lot of nice people have been helping us” move into East Hall, she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>May’s boyfriend and several other friends are all enrolling at UA Little Rock this fall, and “everyone has been warm and welcoming,” she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the nursing program, May was attracted to UA Little Rock by an impressive campus tour. The university is also “close to home” for the Little Rock<strong> <\/strong>resident, and she’s excited for “new experiences” as a college student living on campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Even triple-digit temperatures couldn’t stop enthusiastic University of Arkansas at Little Rock students from eagerly finding their homes for the new school year during the university’s move-in days.  Sophomore Caleb Shirley enjoyed his freshman year in East Hall so much he decided to live there again, with the same roommate.  “It’s nice to be on <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/20\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\/\" class=\"more-link\">…<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> UA Little Rock Welcomes Large Group for Fall Move-In<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3905,"featured_media":94638,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1926],"tags":[4310,35636,2218],"class_list":["post-94634","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-admissions","tag-enrollment","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Welcomes Large Group for Fall Move-In - News - UA Little Rock<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/20\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock Welcomes Large Group for Fall Move-In\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Even triple-digit temperatures couldn’t stop enthusiastic University of Arkansas at Little Rock students from eagerly finding their homes for the new school year during the university’s move-in days.  Sophomore Caleb Shirley enjoyed his freshman year in East Hall so much he decided to live there again, with the same roommate.  “It’s nice to be on ... UA Little Rock Welcomes Large Group for Fall Move-In\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/20\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UALittleRock\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-20T21:40:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-20T21:47:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/7X5A0230.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ryan Anderson\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ryan Anderson\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/20\\\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/20\\\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ryan Anderson\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8f642c78068d68577d4b4539b8c2afe2\"},\"headline\":\"UA Little Rock Welcomes Large Group for Fall Move-In\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-20T21:40:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-20T21:47:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/20\\\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":529,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/20\\\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/7X5A0230.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Admissions\",\"Enrollment\",\"Student Success\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Featured\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/20\\\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/20\\\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\\\/\",\"name\":\"UA Little Rock Welcomes Large Group for Fall Move-In - News - UA Little Rock\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/20\\\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/20\\\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/7X5A0230.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-20T21:40:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-20T21:47:01+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/20\\\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/20\\\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/20\\\/ua-little-rock-welcomes-large-group-for-fall-move-in\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/7X5A0230.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/7X5A0230.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"Several University of Arkansas at Little Rock students took a break during move-in day August 20 to enjoy the Welcome Back BBQ and show some school spirit. 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This initiative marks a new chapter in preparing Arkansas child welfare professionals to better serve children and families statewide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“It’s always exciting to open a new space on campus, but it’s especially meaningful when that space will have an impact far beyond our university,” said Chancellor Christina S. Drale. “Thanks to our partnership with the Arkansas Department of Human Services, this Learning Lab will help prepare child welfare professionals to better serve children and families throughout the state. We are honored to be part of that work.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Child Welfare Learning Lab provides an innovative environment where new professionals can practice decision-making, communication, and case management through realistic simulations before working directly with families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Developed through a partnership between MidSOUTH and DCFS, the Learning Lab immerses participants in real-world scenarios reflecting on-the-job challenges. Trainees gain hands-on experience in interviewing, assessing family needs, documenting case activities, and managing complex situations, all while receiving immediate coaching and feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cToday, we are not just opening a new building, we are opening a new way of preparing child welfare professionals to serve Arkansas children and families. This space was built with one goal in mind: to bridge the gap between learning and practice,” said Tiffany Wright, Director of Children and Family Services. \u201cEvery decision matters. Every conversation matters. Every interaction has the potential to change the trajectory of a child\u2019s life. We have a responsibility to prepare our workforce the best way possible, and that is exactly what this Child Welfare Learning Lab represents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Located in a remodeled house on the UA Little Rock campus, the Learning Lab was developed by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.midsouth.ualr.edu\/\">MidSOUTH<\/a> to provide a realistic setting for child welfare training. MidSOUTH led the site development and renovations while partnering with DCFS on curriculum development. DCFS championed the integration of simulation into the training experience, giving new professionals valuable hands-on experience before entering the field. Together, the partners transformed an actual house into a flexible training environment that can be reconfigured to represent different home settings and circumstances professionals may encounter in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The idea of creating a dedicated, adaptable home for child welfare training has been a long-standing goal for MidSOUTH, particularly for Dr. Greg Smith, executive director of MidSOUTH, and the Learning Lab brings that vision to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“This has truly been a partnership built on a shared commitment to improving outcomes for children and families,” he said. “The Child Welfare Learning Lab gives our newest professionals the opportunity to practice, learn, and build confidence before they encounter these situations in the field. Ultimately, every investment we make in preparing our workforce is an investment in the safety, well-being, and success of Arkansas’s children and families.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Learning Lab is a significant investment in Arkansas’s child welfare workforce, blending classroom learning, simulation, and structured field training. This approach helps new employees build confidence and competence while strengthening services for children and families across Arkansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“The more new professionals within the Division of Children and Family Services can practice here, the more prepared they’ll be when they walk into someone’s home for the first time,\u201d said Provost Ann Bain.\u00a0 \u201cWe all know there are no easy days in child welfare. The decisions these professionals make can have a lasting impact on a child’s life, so it’s important they have a place to practice where the stakes aren’t quite so high.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The University of Arkansas at Little Rock\u2019s MidSOUTH Training Academy and the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), celebrated the grand opening of the Child Welfare Learning Lab August 19. This initiative marks a new chapter in preparing Arkansas child welfare professionals to better serve children and families <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/19\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\/\" class=\"more-link\">…<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> UA Little Rock MidSOUTH and Arkansas DCFS Open Child Welfare Learning Lab<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2906,"featured_media":94626,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[28370,209],"class_list":["post-94622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-college-of-business-health-and-human-services","tag-midsouth"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock MidSOUTH and Arkansas DCFS Open Child Welfare Learning Lab - News - UA Little Rock<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/19\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock MidSOUTH and Arkansas DCFS Open Child Welfare Learning Lab\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The University of Arkansas at Little Rock\u2019s MidSOUTH Training Academy and the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), celebrated the grand opening of the Child Welfare Learning Lab August 19. This initiative marks a new chapter in preparing Arkansas child welfare professionals to better serve children and families ... UA Little Rock MidSOUTH and Arkansas DCFS Open Child Welfare Learning Lab\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/19\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UALittleRock\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-19T21:58:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-19T21:58:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/7X5A0099.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Samantha Koros\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Samantha Koros\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19\\\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19\\\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Samantha Koros\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4d2d71db64fc5dad90eaff1ce9387967\"},\"headline\":\"UA Little Rock MidSOUTH and Arkansas DCFS Open Child Welfare Learning Lab\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-19T21:58:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-19T21:58:38+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19\\\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":617,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19\\\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/7X5A0099.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"College of Business, Health, and Human Services (CBHHS)\",\"MidSOUTH\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Community\",\"Featured\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19\\\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19\\\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\\\/\",\"name\":\"UA Little Rock MidSOUTH and Arkansas DCFS Open Child Welfare Learning Lab - News - UA Little Rock\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19\\\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19\\\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/7X5A0099.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-19T21:58:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-19T21:58:38+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19\\\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19\\\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/19\\\/ua-little-rock-midsouth-and-arkansas-dcfs-open-child-welfare-learning-lab\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/7X5A0099.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/7X5A0099.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"Greg Smith, executive director of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock\u2019s MidSOUTH Training Academy, discusses the new Child Welfare Learning Lab with University of Arkansas System President Jay B. 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Little Rock School of Business to Honor Brandon, Pierce as Distinguished Alumni"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>From launching Arkansas’s first legal distillery since Prohibition to helping families and businesses build long-term wealth, two UA Little Rock graduates will be recognized this fall for careers that have shaped business across Arkansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The University of Arkansas at Little Rock <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/business\/\">School of Business<\/a> will honor Phil Brandon, founder and CEO of Rock Town Distillery, with the Distinguished Alumnus Award and Ryder Pierce, executive vice president and investment manager at Bank OZK, with the Dean’s Award for Excellence during the 2026 School of Business Distinguished Alumni Luncheon on Friday, Oct. 9, at the Statehouse Convention Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The awards ceremony will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Wally Allen Ballroom D. The luncheon celebrates graduates whose professional accomplishments, leadership, and service reflect the values of the UA Little Rock School of Business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Mark Funk, director of the UA Little Rock School of Business, said Brandon and Pierce reflect the qualities the school strives to instill in its graduates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“One of the greatest measures of a business school is the success of its graduates, and Phil Brandon and Ryder Pierce have built careers defined by leadership, integrity, and service,” Funk said. “They represent different generations and industries, but both have made a meaningful impact through their work and have remained connected to the university. We are proud to recognize their accomplishments and the example they set for our students.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Distinguished Alumnus Award is the School of Business’s highest honor, presented to a graduate who has made significant contributions to business while serving the Little Rock community and UA Little Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After earning his MBA (Master of Business Administration) from UA Little Rock, Brandon founded Rock Town Distillery in 2010, and under his leadership, Rock Town has grown into an internationally recognized, award-winning craft distillery whose bourbons, vodkas, gins, and other spirits have earned numerous national and international honors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before launching Rock Town, Brandon spent more than two decades in the telecommunications industry. He has also supported economic development and the arts through leadership roles with organizations including the Downtown Little Rock Partnership and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dean’s Award for Excellence recognizes a graduate from the past decade who has demonstrated exceptional promise as a business leader while remaining engaged with the university and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A graduate of UA Little Rock with bachelor’s degrees in economics and finance, Pierce serves as executive vice president and trust investment officer at Bank OZK, where he works with clients on investment and wealth management strategies. He is also a CFA charterholder — a globally recognized financial expert who has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst credential — and is working toward an Executive MBA from Vanderbilt University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prior to joining Bank OZK, Pierce held leadership positions in wealth management and investment strategy before returning to Arkansas. A former Trojan cross country and track student-athlete, he has remained connected to UA Little Rock while building a reputation as one of Arkansas’s emerging business leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, contact Ginger Daril at 501-916-6437 or <a href=\"mailto:vlkays@ualr.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">vlkays@ualr.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From launching Arkansas’s first legal distillery since Prohibition to helping families and businesses build long-term wealth, two UA Little Rock graduates will be recognized this fall for careers that have shaped business across Arkansas. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Business will honor Phil Brandon, founder and CEO of Rock Town Distillery, <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/19\/ua-little-rock-school-of-business-to-honor-brandon-pierce-as-distinguished-alumni\/\" class=\"more-link\">…<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> UA Little Rock School of Business to Honor Brandon, Pierce as Distinguished Alumni<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":94616,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1926],"tags":[112,28370,24765],"class_list":["post-94611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-alumni-association","tag-college-of-business-health-and-human-services","tag-school-of-business"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock School of Business to Honor Brandon, Pierce as Distinguished Alumni - News - UA Little Rock<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/19\/ua-little-rock-school-of-business-to-honor-brandon-pierce-as-distinguished-alumni\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock School of Business to Honor Brandon, Pierce as Distinguished Alumni\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From launching Arkansas’s first legal distillery since Prohibition to helping families and businesses build long-term wealth, two UA Little Rock graduates will be recognized this fall for careers that have shaped business across Arkansas. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Business will honor Phil Brandon, founder and CEO of Rock Town Distillery, ... 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Abroad Brings Learning to Life for UA Little Rock Students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>History looks different when you’re standing where it happened. Business concepts make more sense when you see them in action. Science comes alive when the textbook gives way to the natural world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those are the kinds of moments dozens of University of Arkansas at Little Rock students experienced while studying abroad during the last academic year. From Scotland and Peru to the Bahamas and beyond, 65 students returned home with new perspectives on their academic fields, greater confidence in themselves, and a deeper understanding of the world around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Study abroad gives students the opportunity to connect what they’ve learned in the classroom with experiences they simply can’t have on campus,” said Drew Smith, coordinator of study abroad. “Whether they’re studying business, history, science, or the humanities, they’re seeing their education come to life while developing the confidence, adaptability, and global perspective that will serve them long after graduation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For accounting student Reese Davidson, one of those moments happened in Scotland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While touring a local business, she listened as leaders explained how the company balances products that generate immediate revenue with others that take years to develop. Suddenly, concepts she had studied in accounting courses made perfect sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Hearing that made the concepts of product sequencing and maximizing equipment usage click in a real-world setting,” Davidson said. “It showed me exactly how a business can sell fast-turnaround products to fund the future development of a premium flagship product.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The experience reinforced her decision to pursue accounting while showing her just how global the profession can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/image.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/image-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"Reese Davidson in Scotland\" class=\"wp-image-94594\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.7599022912093009;width:287px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/image-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/image-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/image.jpeg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reese Davidson learned how global the accounting profession can be during her study abroad experience in Scotland.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>“This experience has made me even more solidified in my chosen field of study,” she said. “More than anything, realizing how portable and globally relevant accounting is makes the future look incredibly vast.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of her biggest lessons, however, weren’t part of the itinerary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Navigating an unfamiliar city challenged her to rely less on GPS and more on observation. What began as a weakness became one of the most rewarding parts of the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Stepping away from GPS allowed me to observe the environment more closely,” she said. “Wrong turns became unexpected discoveries.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For history major Cal Chaney, learning came from stepping into places he had spent years studying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His faculty-led course paired readings and discussions with visits to historic sites, allowing students to experience firsthand the people, places, and events that had previously existed only in books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Going to see some of these medieval cities is so different from getting to read about them,” Chaney said. “You begin to see how history connects: not just across places, but across time. It gives you a completely different perspective on what you’ve been studying.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The experience was far more than sightseeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/IMG_0156.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/IMG_0156-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Cal Chaney study abroad\" class=\"wp-image-94600\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.7599022912093009;width:299px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/IMG_0156-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/IMG_0156-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/IMG_0156.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">History major Cal Chaney was able to visit places he’d spent years learning about during his study abroad experience.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Students spent long days exploring cultural and historical landmarks before returning to complete journal readings, reflective writing assignments, and discussions that connected what they had experienced with the course material. By the end of the program, those reflections became the foundation for a walking tour created by the students themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“It was an intensive program but so worthwhile,” Chaney said. “We were reading, writing, and exploring every day. I learned more in those 16 days than I could have in a semester. Being immersed in the culture was an incredibly rare opportunity.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The experience also sparked a new interest in learning French and strengthened his confidence in navigating unfamiliar places and cultures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Learning to communicate with people and adapt to situations different from what you’re used to is something that stays with you,” he said. “It’s a skill that will help me wherever I go next.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Syd Joheim, the classroom stretched beneath the surface of the ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Studying biology and geology on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas meant snorkeling through coral reefs, collecting field samples, and examining geological formations she had previously encountered only in textbooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One lesson stood above the rest. After studying crossbedding — how sediment is deposited — in class, Joheim finally found herself standing in front of remarkably clear examples shaped over thousands of years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Being able to see these near perfect examples of structures and processes I studied in class was incredibly helpful to both my understanding of the class material and my understanding of my field of study overall,” she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The experience also deepened her appreciation for how biology, geology, and the natural world are interconnected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“I knew the subjects were connected,” she said. “To actually see that interconnectedness in action was awe inspiring.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When she returned home, she found herself seeing Arkansas differently as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“I now look at my hometown with a little bit more wonder and with the goal of making it a place where people and nature can thrive together,” she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/IMG_2966-1-rotated.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/IMG_2966-1-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"UA Little Rock student Ella Campbell traveled to Peru for study abroad.\" class=\"wp-image-94604\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.7599022912093009;width:322px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/IMG_2966-1-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/IMG_2966-1-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/IMG_2966-1-rotated.jpeg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">University of Arkansas at Little Rock student Ella Campbell’s Study Abroad experience in Peru was “spectacular” and made her hungrier to learn, experience, and understand the world around her, she said.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>By the time geology major and Donaghey Scholar Ella Campbell returned from Peru, she knew one thing for certain: the more she learned about the world, the more she wanted to understand it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a member of the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/donagheyscholars\/\">Donaghey Scholars<\/a> Honors Program, UA Little Rock’s premier undergraduate honors program, Campbell receives a scholarship that includes support for study abroad. The experience gave her the chance to see geology beyond the classroom and only deepened the curiosity that drew her to the field, leaving her eager to keep exploring, asking questions, and learning more about the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“My experience studying abroad in Peru this past semester has been nothing short of spectacular,” she said. “This experience has taught me so much and has given me incredible opportunities to expand my understanding of the world, my educational goals, and myself.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She said the experience strengthened not only her passion for geology, but also her desire to continue exploring, learning, and asking questions, an approach to learning emphasized in the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“I leave my study abroad journey as both simultaneously satisfied and insatiable because I now carry an even greater hunger for learning, experiencing, and understanding,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Smith said that while every destination is different, the impact often follows a familiar pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“The goal isn’t simply to take students somewhere new,” Smith said. “It’s to create experiences that challenge them to think differently about their studies, themselves, and the world around them. When they return to campus, they bring that curiosity and confidence into every classroom, internship, and career they pursue.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More details on UA Little Rock’s <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/studyabroad\/programs\/\">Study Abroad<\/a> program can be found online. With nearly 600 approved programs, there’s an experience to match the goals and dreams of any student. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>History looks different when you’re standing where it happened. Business concepts make more sense when you see them in action. Science comes alive when the textbook gives way to the natural world. Those are the kinds of moments dozens of University of Arkansas at Little Rock students experienced while studying abroad during the last academic <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/18\/study-abroad-brings-learning-to-life-for-ua-little-rock-students\/\" class=\"more-link\">…<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> Study Abroad Brings Learning to Life for UA Little Rock Students<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":94592,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1923,1926,1922],"tags":[28370,28389,25799,28727,2218,2014],"class_list":["post-94587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-culture","category-featured","category-research","tag-college-of-business-health-and-human-services","tag-college-of-humanities-arts-social-sciences-and-education-chasse","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-donaghey-scholars-honors-program","tag-student-success","tag-study-abroad"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Study Abroad Brings Learning to Life for UA Little Rock Students - News - UA Little Rock<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/18\/study-abroad-brings-learning-to-life-for-ua-little-rock-students\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Study Abroad Brings Learning to Life for UA Little Rock Students\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"History looks different when you’re standing where it happened. Business concepts make more sense when you see them in action. Science comes alive when the textbook gives way to the natural world. Those are the kinds of moments dozens of University of Arkansas at Little Rock students experienced while studying abroad during the last academic ... 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Medicine Pathway Program, qualified students have the opportunity to earn a bachelor\u2019s degree from UA Little Rock before continuing to NYITCOM at A-State to complete a D.O. degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Our medical school was founded with a pointed mission to train physicians to help address the ever-growing shortage and, in turn, health disparities, that exist in our state and region,” said Shane Speights, D.O., dean of NYITCOM at A-State. “To meet that mission, we must get more students in our pipeline who have ties to the state and are passionate about practicing here. Partnerships like this one with UA Little Rock are extremely impactful in doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The partnership marks an important milestone for both institutions. While NYITCOM at A-State has previously established pathway partnerships within the Arkansas State University System, UA Little Rock is the first institution outside that system to acquire the pathway program, and the collaboration expands opportunities for aspiring physicians across Arkansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“The journey to becoming a physician begins long before medical school,” said Dr. Ann Bain, provost and executive vice chancellor at UA Little. “By creating a clear pathway between our institutions, we’re giving students the confidence, guidance, and opportunities they need to pursue one of the most challenging and rewarding professions while building their future in Arkansas.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each year, up to 10 students will be admitted to the pathway program through a joint admissions process between UA Little Rock and NYITCOM-Arkansas. The program is open to students majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, particularly biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eligible applicants to UA Little Rock may also be considered for the pathway if they meet the eligibility requirements and are selected by the joint UA Little Rock\u2013NYITCOM committee. Current UA Little Rock students can enter the pathway during their freshman or sophomore year. Junior-level students may be considered on a case-by-case basis if they have completed most pathway requirements and can fulfill the remainder within the required timeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pathway builds on UA Little Rock’s strong STEM programs and commitment to preparing students for careers in health care through undergraduate research, faculty mentoring, and experiential learning. Students considering the pathway can contact UA Little Rock and\/or NYITCOM at A-State for additional details. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Strong partnerships create strong opportunities,\u201d said Dr. Anindya Ghosh, associate dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (DCSTEM). \u201cThis collaboration positions UA Little Rock and NYITCOM at A-State to welcome and support talented students by offering a seamless pathway to medical school while preparing the next generation of physicians to serve Arkansas communities.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eligible students will officially apply for admission to NYITCOM at A-State their junior year at UA Little Rock, and students who meet all pathway requirements may receive conditional admission without the traditional Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The pathway instead places greater emphasis on students\u2019 academic performance over time, recognizing sustained success in rigorous science coursework while removing a barrier that can be costly for many aspiring physicians. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“We are excited to partner with NYITCOM at A-State to provide our students with an outstanding pathway to medical school while showcasing the strength of UA Little Rock’s STEM programs,” said Dr. Tansel Karabacak, dean of DCSTEM. “This partnership creates new opportunities for aspiring physicians, strengthens undergraduate research and mentoring, and supports our shared commitment to developing the highly skilled healthcare workforce that Arkansas needs for the future.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pathway provides students with a clearly structured roadmap to medical school, along with comprehensive support from the beginning of their undergraduate studies through the completion of their D.O. degree. Participants benefit from early and ongoing engagement with NYITCOM at A-State faculty, allowing them to develop a deeper understanding of what to expect in medical school. By progressing through the program as a cohort, students form a close-knit community, facing challenges together, supporting one another, and establishing lasting connections. This built-in support network helps ensure their success throughout the pathway and beyond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pathway is also designed to help address the state’s growing need for physicians. By allowing students to complete both their undergraduate and medical education in Arkansas, the program works to educate and retain more physicians to serve communities across the state. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Our graduates who are from Arkansas hometowns stay in state more than 60% of the time, regardless of where they attend residency,” Speights said. “For those who are from Arkansas <em>and <\/em>complete their residency in Arkansas, that number rises to above 95%. That data shows the importance of building strong relationships with our local undergraduate institutions like UA Little Rock, (and) we are so grateful to them for partnering with us.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first cohort of the new Pre-Med\/Doctor of Osteopathic (D.O.) Medicine Pathway Program is expected to begin in Spring 2027. Applications are now open for the Spring 2027 semester and are available to DCSTEM students pursuing a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree, excluding seniors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University (NYITCOM at A-State) have established a new partnership that creates a direct pathway from undergraduate education to medical school, allowing students to pursue both degrees while remaining in Arkansas.  Through the new Pre-Med\/Doctor <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/17\/ua-little-rock-and-nyitcom-at-a-state-partner-for-new-med-school-pathway\/\" class=\"more-link\">…<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> UA Little Rock and NYITCOM at A-State Partner for new Med School Pathway<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2906,"featured_media":94584,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1926],"tags":[25799,35323,35322,2218],"class_list":["post-94578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-program-excellence","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock and NYITCOM at A-State Partner for new Med School Pathway - News - UA Little Rock<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/17\/ua-little-rock-and-nyitcom-at-a-state-partner-for-new-med-school-pathway\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock and NYITCOM at A-State Partner for new Med School Pathway\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University (NYITCOM at A-State) have established a new partnership that creates a direct pathway from undergraduate education to medical school, allowing students to pursue both degrees while remaining in Arkansas.  Through the new Pre-Med\/Doctor ... UA Little Rock and NYITCOM at A-State Partner for new Med School Pathway\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/17\/ua-little-rock-and-nyitcom-at-a-state-partner-for-new-med-school-pathway\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UALittleRock\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-17T14:11:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-18T16:39:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/08\/commercial-nursing-2025_126.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"786\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Samantha Koros\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" 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interested in healthcare careers through the University of Arkansas at Little Rock will have an additional path due to the new Pre-Med\\\/Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Pathway Program, a partnership between UA Little Rock and the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University (NYITCOM at A-State) Photo by Benjamin Krain\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/17\\\/ua-little-rock-and-nyitcom-at-a-state-partner-for-new-med-school-pathway\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"UA Little Rock and NYITCOM at A-State Partner for new Med School Pathway\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/\",\"name\":\"News\",\"description\":\"UA Little 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Student Leader With a Global Perspective: How One UA Little Rock Graduate Inspired Change on Campus and Beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>For Dalia Daaboul, her University of Arkansas at Little Rock education was never just about earning a degree, but using knowledge to better understand the world and finding meaningful ways to make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout her time at UA Little Rock, Daaboul paired academic excellence with campus leadership and community service, mentoring fellow students while raising thousands of dollars to support humanitarian efforts for Syrian refugees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, after graduating from UA Little Rock this spring with bachelor’s degrees in political science and philosophy, along with a minor in Middle Eastern studies, she is taking a gap year to study for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), apply to law school, and work toward publishing her honors thesis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her academic journey was shaped by the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/donagheyscholars\/\">Donaghey Scholars<\/a> Honors Program, whose scholarship and mentorship opportunities drew her to UA Little Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy acceptance to the program pushed me to come here,\u201d Daaboul said. \u201cIt fully covers tuition and provides so many wonderful opportunities, like building close relationships with professors and studying abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Daaboul excelled academically, she believed meaningful change also happened beyond the classroom. Through her leadership roles, she connected people, organized service projects, and left a lasting impact on the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She served as president of the Young Democrats at UA Little Rock, co-president of the Socratic Society, secretary of the Ethics Bowl team, Middle Eastern Studies student representative, and founder and president of the university’s chapter of the Syrian Emergency Task Force. Through these organizations, she organized educational events, connected students with community leaders, and created opportunities for dialogue across disciplines.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her work with the Syrian Emergency Task Force, which she founded on campus her freshman year, became one of the most meaningful aspects of her college career. By organizing volunteer-driven thrift sales, she and fellow students raised thousands of dollars to support educational initiatives and humanitarian assistance for Syrian women and children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These fundraising events, funded by the Middle Eastern studies committee, were entirely student-led and driven. Daaboul utilized forms posted on social media to recruit volunteers as well as donations. UA Little Rock students donated everything from clothing items, to vinyl records, to handmade jewelry to sell at these thrift drive events.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think people sometimes feel like things happening around the world are so far away that they can’t make a difference,\u201d Daaboul said. \u201cBut every little bit counts. If you can improve one person’s life, that’s worth something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The same curiosity and desire to better understand complex issues also shaped Daaboul’s academic work. Her honors thesis reflected the interdisciplinary approach that defined her education at UA Little Rock. Drawing on political science, philosophy, history, and anthropology, she analyzed texts in English, Arabic, and Turkish. Her research explored how the modern Turkish feminist movement has developed amid competing political, religious, and cultural influences, arguing that Turkish women have resisted limiting narratives by asserting their own agency, autonomy, and choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather than challenging previous scholarship outright, Daaboul said her goal was to identify the perspectives that had been overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re not really throwing things away,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re looking at what\u2019s missing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The project was shaped by mentors from several academic disciplines, whose perspectives helped her build a more nuanced understanding of the subject, but her own lived experience as a Syrian American was just as important.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among the faculty who shaped her academic journey, Associate Professor and Philosophy Program Coordinator Dr. Jana McAuliffe played a particularly influential role. McAuliffe taught Daaboul in five courses and two independent studies and directed her Donaghey Scholars capstone project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>McAuliffe described Daaboul’s scholarship as unusually advanced for an undergraduate, particularly given the ambitious, interdisciplinary nature of her thesis. Daaboul had to develop an argument that satisfied the standards of three academic disciplines while thinking through two distinct cultural perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn the end, her thesis was a work that was uniquely her own \u2014 it seems like it could not have been written by anyone else,\u201d McAuliffe said. \u201cThe creation of such a specific and unique voice within an academic work is quite rare for undergraduates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During her sophomore year, Daaboul visited McAuliffe’s office with only one certainty \u2014 that she wanted her honors thesis to be grounded in feminism. She wasn’t yet sure what questions she wanted to explore or that the project would eventually become interdisciplinary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI just remember her being so encouraging,\u201d Daaboul said of McAuliffe. \u201cThat’s such a broad and vast area, but she really helped me narrow down my ideas and helped me actually construct a thesis. It was in that moment, too, that I felt seen and really taken seriously. That meant a lot to me in my academic career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>McAuliffe said what stood out about Daaboul extended beyond her academic ability. She saw a close connection between Daaboul’s intellectual interests and her commitment to civic engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think Dalia is a very serious and complicated thinker who also wants to make positive impacts in the world based on her intellectual commitments,” McAuliffe said. “That is why there are such clear connections between her service and her research, which goes in both directions \u2014 her thinking informs the political work, and her political work informs her thinking.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Daaboul has learned that effective leadership begins with listening and being a good steward of the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve had so many conversations where people tell me they think it\u2019s wonderful that I\u2019m active in trying to make the world a better place, but they just don\u2019t believe the world will ever change,\u201d she said. \u201cLeadership is sitting down with them, not diminishing their concerns, and saying, ‘I understand,’ but if we all think (the world won’t ever change) and take a step back, they\u2019ll be right. Nothing will ever change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She hopes her time serving on campus has demonstrated people can always make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think that impact does not just come from the individual, but from the relationships the individual is able to cultivate,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat I hope is that through my leadership roles and conversations, people feel inspired to go create a movement, to start an organization, and to start something that is meaningful to them on campus.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As she prepares for law school, Daaboul hopes to continue building bridges between scholarship, public service, and advocacy. She hopes her time at UA Little Rock has encouraged her fellow students to stay active and helped others believe they have the power to make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For Dalia Daaboul, her University of Arkansas at Little Rock education was never just about earning a degree, but using knowledge to better understand the world and finding meaningful ways to make a difference. 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Those same qualities helped him turn a personal setback into a way to help other service members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Four years ago, Hicks failed an Air Force fitness test. When he looked for resources to help him improve, he found plenty of information but no clear place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hicks, a Searcy native and 2016 University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate, created a fitness app that puts physical fitness standards for all branches of the U.S. military in one place. Service members can calculate their scores, track progress, and follow training plans tailored to their fitness needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Although I believed I was adequately prepared, I fell far short of the requirements,” Hicks said. “At that time, I found that the resources available to help me recover were scattered and lacked a clear, actionable starting point.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the Air Force released new fitness standards in 2026, Hicks decided to build the resource he had needed four years earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“I wanted to create a tool to support my fellow service members who may be facing the same challenges I encountered,” said Hicks said, who credits his time as a Donaghey Scholar with shaping how he approaches problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Zach has always been curious and eager to take advantage of every opportunity, and I think that’s served him well living abroad,” said Dr. Jessica Scott, associate director of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program who remembers Hicks as someone eager to learn and take advantage of new opportunities. “One of the things I remember most about him is his positive attitude toward learning and his instinct to look for solutions.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hicks chose UA Little Rock for its chemistry program and undergraduate research opportunities. He enrolled as a chemistry major on the pre-med track and learned about the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program during his freshman year. After being accepted, Hicks extended his studies and earned a second bachelor’s degree in biology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He said the culture of the Donaghey Scholars Program had the greatest impact on him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“I was deeply impressed by a community of individuals, and more importantly leaders, who genuinely cared about students and their unique qualities,” he said. “While we shared a background of impressive academic performance, the program’s dedication to celebrating and encouraging individuality is what truly left a lasting impression.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The program also gave Hicks an opportunity to study abroad, something he said he likely would not have pursued otherwise, and that international experience continues to serve him, now stationed with the Air Force in Tokyo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“While visiting other countries is valuable, living abroad for an extended period is truly priceless,” he said. “Learning to adapt to other cultures is a universally useful skill that continually improves my experience in the military.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After UA Little Rock, Hicks continued his path toward becoming a physician and joined the Air Force. The opportunity to graduate from medical school without debt initially attracted him to military service, but the people he has met have inspired him to stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“It is the exceptional people I work alongside and the individuals I serve daily that have inspired me to continue my career here,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hicks’ interest in technology grew at UA Little Rock, where his Donaghey Scholars scholarship provided him with a MacBook. Although he didn’t study coding or app development, he later taught himself those skills and released two iOS apps before creating his military fitness app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hicks found that existing resources could calculate fitness scores but often didn’t show service members how to improve. His app combines fitness calculators with step-by-step training plans that adjust to a user’s performance and focus on areas that need improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“I hope this app provides an intuitive starting point and a clear path for fitness progression,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hicks also wanted the app to be available to Android users. He taught himself the Kotlin programming language and built an Android version, making it his first app released on the Google Play Store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learning a new programming language followed a process Hicks honed as a Donaghey Scholar and has used throughout his career: identify a problem, research it, find reliable information, and put that knowledge into practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Teaching the foundational skill of not only questioning a solution, but also knowing how to identify high-quality sources for the learning phase, is crucial for everything that follows,” Hicks said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Scott said she wasn’t surprised to see Hicks put those skills to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“I’m not at all surprised he saw a need and used his skills to fill it,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hicks said the curiosity encouraged during his time as a Donaghey Scholar continues to influence his work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Curiosity is a powerful catalyst for personal development, an ethos that my time in the Donaghey Program certainly cultivated,” he said. “I consistently seek to understand the people around me and actively look for new ways to expand my knowledge.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Scott said Hicks represents the kind of well-rounded graduate the program hopes to develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>“I’ve loved watching Zach thrive as a doctor, an artist, a husband and a father,” Scott said. “He’s exactly the kind of well-rounded person we hope our students become. We’re so proud of him and his service.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more about the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/ualr.edu\/donagheyscholars\">ualr.edu\/donagheyscholars<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Curiosity and problem-solving have taken Zach Hicks from the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program to a career as an Air Force physician stationed in Japan. Those same qualities helped him turn a personal setback into a way to help other service members. Four years ago, Hicks failed an Air Force fitness test. When he looked for <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/13\/ua-little-rock-alum-former-donaghey-scholar-creates-fitness-app-for-u-s-service-members\/\" class=\"more-link\">…<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> UA Little Rock Alum, Former Donaghey Scholar Creates Fitness App for U.S. Service Members<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2036,"featured_media":94570,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1926],"tags":[112,25799,35495,35323],"class_list":["post-94568","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-alumni-association","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-innovation","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Alum, Former Donaghey Scholar Creates Fitness App for U.S. Service Members - News - UA Little Rock<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/13\/ua-little-rock-alum-former-donaghey-scholar-creates-fitness-app-for-u-s-service-members\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock Alum, Former Donaghey Scholar Creates Fitness App for U.S. Service Members\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Curiosity and problem-solving have taken Zach Hicks from the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program to a career as an Air Force physician stationed in Japan. Those same qualities helped him turn a personal setback into a way to help other service members. Four years ago, Hicks failed an Air Force fitness test. When he looked for ... 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Those same qualities helped him turn a personal setback into a way to help other service members. Four years ago, Hicks failed an Air Force fitness test. When he looked for ... 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scholarships provide more than $232,000 for UA Little Rock students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Scholarships supported by generations of University of Arkansas at Little Rock alumni continue to open doors for today’s students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This year, the UA Little Rock Alumni Association awarded $232,247 in scholarships through a combination of alumni-supported funds, including Taste of Little Rock, endowed scholarship funds, the Alumni License Plate Program, and other alumni giving initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the early days of the Alumni Board, the scholarship fund held less than $2,000, but by 2009, the Alumni Association awarded $9,000 in scholarships. This year, that total reached more than $232,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen our alumni give scholarships, they are doing more than helping a student pay for college, they are opening a door and giving that student the opportunity to pursue a dream,\u201d said Kristi Smith, associate vice chancellor for alumni and development. \u201cOur alumni know firsthand the difference a UA Little Rock education can make, and they are choosing to make that difference possible for someone else. That is the true power of alumni giving: one Trojan\u2019s investment can change the trajectory of another student\u2019s life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of those students is senior H\u00e9ctor Alejandro Balada Jaime, who received an Alumni Merit Scholarship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWithout the charitable financial help of the UA Little Rock Alumni Association, I would not be in the position to finally achieve my dream of graduating from college this fall. I am thankful for all who have supported me throughout my journey,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since its debut 21 years ago, Taste of Little Rock has raised more than $1 million for Alumni Association scholarships. In addition to Taste of Little Rock proceeds, and proceeds from the sale of alumni license plates, scholarship awards were made possible through a variety of alumni-supported funds including:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Owen W. Parker, Sr. and Merrily Parker Endowed Scholarship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alumni Merit Scholarship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alumni Association Board of Directors Endowed Scholarship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alfred Williams Endowed Alumni Scholarship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bill and Juanita Ballard Endowed Student Scholarship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Diana and Paul Nolte Endowed Scholarship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dr. Charles and Mable Donaldson Endowed Scholarship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>E. Grainger and Frances B. Williams Endowed Scholarship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Elaine Eubank Endowed Scholarship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jennifer L. Boccarossa Endowed Scholarship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>John A. Larson Scholarship Fund<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>June H. Williams Elementary Education Scholarship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lester E. Hosto Scholarship<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>“Scholarships are one of the most meaningful ways our alumni give back,” said Guy Choate, president of the UA Little Rock Alumni Association. “Whether someone supports Taste of Little Rock, establishes an endowed scholarship, or purchases an Alumni License Plate, every gift helps a student pursue a UA Little Rock education.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more about Alumni Association scholarships, Taste of Little Rock, and ways to support student success, visit the Alumni Association website (<a href=\"http:\/\/ualr.edu\/alumni\">ualr.edu\/alumni<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scholarships supported by generations of University of Arkansas at Little Rock alumni continue to open doors for today’s students. This year, the UA Little Rock Alumni Association awarded $232,247 in scholarships through a combination of alumni-supported funds, including Taste of Little Rock, endowed scholarship funds, the Alumni License Plate Program, and other alumni giving initiatives. <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/12\/alumni-supported-scholarships-provide-more-than-232000-for-ua-little-rock-students\/\" class=\"more-link\">…<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> Alumni-supported scholarships provide more than $232,000 for UA Little Rock students<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":94563,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[112,33,2218],"class_list":["post-94559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-alumni-association","tag-scholarships","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Alumni-supported scholarships provide more than $232,000 for UA Little Rock students - News - UA Little Rock<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/12\/alumni-supported-scholarships-provide-more-than-232000-for-ua-little-rock-students\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Alumni-supported scholarships provide more than $232,000 for UA Little Rock students\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Scholarships supported by generations of University of Arkansas at Little Rock alumni continue to open doors for today’s students. This year, the UA Little Rock Alumni Association awarded $232,247 in scholarships through a combination of alumni-supported funds, including Taste of Little Rock, endowed scholarship funds, the Alumni License Plate Program, and other alumni giving initiatives. ... 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