[{"id":94041,"date":"2026-04-29T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/?p=94041"},"modified":"2026-04-28T15:48:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T20:48:32","slug":"ua-little-rock-honors-treece-ambrus-petray-with-2026-staff-achievement-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/29\/ua-little-rock-honors-treece-ambrus-petray-with-2026-staff-achievement-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"UA Little Rock Honors Treece, Ambrus, Petray with 2026 Staff Achievement Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has honored three staff members for their exceptional work in the areas of personal growth, service to the university, and community service. Nathan Treece received the Personal Growth Award, Sydney Ambrus received the Ben Fry Service to UA Little Rock Award, and Ronda Petray received the Community Service Award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Established in 1989, the Staff Senate Achievement Awards recognize employees who have brought distinction to UA Little Rock through personal achievement, service to the university, and service to the community. The awards are presented annually during the Staff Senate Awards Ceremony, which celebrates staff contributions and recognizes employees for their impact on the university and the broader community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn more about each award and its recipient below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-personal-growth-award\"><strong>Personal Growth Award<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Nathan Treece, reporter and local host for Little Rock Public Radio, has received the Personal Growth Award. It recognizes an individual whose scholarship, research, or creative talent has been particularly outstanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would like to thank everyone at Little Rock Public Radio for considering me for this honor,\u201d Treece said. \u201cI couldn&#8217;t imagine a better group of people to work with. The team is so supportive of one another and works hard to bring critical information and educational programming to Arkansas&#8217; airwaves every day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Treece earned a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications with honors from UA Little Rock in 2017. He previously worked as a public information officer for the Arkansas Division of Heritage and spent four years in television news as a producer for KARK and KLRT. In his current role, he serves as a reporter and host of NPR\u2019s <em>Morning Edition<\/em> for Little Rock Public Radio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ben-fry-service-to-ua-little-rock-award\"><strong>Ben Fry Service to UA Little Rock Award<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sydney Ambrus, social media coordinator and videographer in the Office of Communications and Marketing, has received the Ben Fry Service to UA Little Rock Award. It recognizes an individual who is distinctive in service through committees, special events, implementation of creative ideas, or support and encouragement of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt is truly an honor to receive the Ben Fry Service Award. I love being out on campus, volunteering and collaborating with different committees and departments, and connecting with so many people across the university. I am incredibly grateful to be part of the UA Little Rock community,\u201d Ambrus said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ambrus produces digital content that highlights university initiatives, student success, and campus life. She plays a key role in leading the university\u2019s Maroon Monday campaign, a social media initiative that encourages students, faculty, and staff to wear maroon in support of the Trojans and helps build school spirit across campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-community-service-award\"><strong>Community Service Award<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ronda Petray, a program coordinator in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, has received the Community Service Award. It recognizes an individual who has been particularly successful in organizing community events or has had major achievements in civic, service, or specialty organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s obviously very exciting to win a monetary award and to be recognized for continued support and contributions to my department, to my college, and to the university as a whole \u2014 there\u2019s no way I could have gotten anywhere near as far if I didn\u2019t have my core support team around me,\u201d Portray said. \u201cEveryone I work with contributes to my daily successes. I couldn\u2019t do anything without them all!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Petray supports student success initiatives and academic programs and is actively involved in student engagement efforts on campus, including her work with student organizations such as the Math Club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information about the UA Little Rock Staff Senate, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/staffsenate\/\">ualr.edu\/staffsenate<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has honored three staff members for their exceptional work in the areas of personal growth, service to the university, and community service. Nathan <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/29\/ua-little-rock-honors-treece-ambrus-petray-with-2026-staff-achievement-awards\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Honors Treece, Ambrus, Petray with 2026 Staff Achievement Awards<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2036,"featured_media":94042,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926,1922],"tags":[3203,25799,35323,35560,2108,233,2218],"class_list":["post-94041","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","category-research","tag-communications-and-marketing","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-little-rock-public-radio","tag-staff-achievement-awards","tag-staff-senate","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Honors Treece, Ambrus, Petray with 2026 Staff Achievement Awards - 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\/04\/29\/ua-little-rock-honors-treece-ambrus-petray-with-2026-staff-achievement-awards\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock Honors Treece, Ambrus, Petray with 2026 Staff Achievement Awards\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has honored three staff members for their exceptional work in the areas of personal growth, service to the university, and community service. 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Nathan ... 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Nathan Treece received the Personal Growth Award, Sydney Ambrus received the Ben Fry Service to UA Little Rock Award, and Ronda Petray received the Community Service Award."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/29\/ua-little-rock-honors-treece-ambrus-petray-with-2026-staff-achievement-awards\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"UA Little Rock Honors Treece, Ambrus, Petray with 2026 Staff Achievement Awards"}]},{"@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\/a8336890d544505fbdbb0f0e689814a7","name":"Justin Bates","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d1ae18e4596879813b7bcda36c3c7c197e4a693e0950660e96dff254ebb9ec1c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d1ae18e4596879813b7bcda36c3c7c197e4a693e0950660e96dff254ebb9ec1c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d1ae18e4596879813b7bcda36c3c7c197e4a693e0950660e96dff254ebb9ec1c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Justin Bates"},"url":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/author\/jbates\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94041","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\/2036"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94041"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94041\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":94043,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94041\/revisions\/94043"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/94042"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94041"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94041"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94041"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":94017,"date":"2026-04-29T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/?p=94017"},"modified":"2026-04-27T13:59:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T18:59:28","slug":"ua-little-rock-student-grace-wilson-balances-motherhood-broadcast-journalism-on-path-to-graduation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/29\/ua-little-rock-student-grace-wilson-balances-motherhood-broadcast-journalism-on-path-to-graduation\/","title":{"rendered":"UA Little Rock Student Grace Wilson Balances Motherhood, Broadcast Journalism on Path to Graduation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This spring, University of Arkansas at Little Rock student, Grace Wilson, will cross the stage not only as a graduate, but as a mother and emerging broadcast journalist with real newsroom experience already under her belt. For Wilson, the journey to a career in <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/masscomm\/\">broadcast journalism<\/a> has been a story of family inspiration, perseverance and self-discovery.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Storytelling has always been close to home for her. Inspired by her father, a passionate writer who spent years balancing creativity with a demanding career, she found her voice early through poems, songs and short stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s really what pushed me,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cHe loved storytelling, but didn\u2019t always have the time to pursue it. That made me want to see if I could take it somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her passion for storytelling blossomed in high school journalism classes, but it was at UA Little Rock that Wilson found her niche. Media courses, along with opportunities in radio and TV journalism, ignited her interest in broadcast journalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through an internship at KATV, Wilson turned classroom experience into hands-on work in producing and reporting within a fast-paced newsroom, gaining valuable insight into the world of news production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt definitely broadened my knowledge in so many different things,\u201d she said. \u201cIn school, you learn a little bit of everything,\u201d she said. \u201cBut at the station, you see how it all comes together in real time. At KATV\u2026you really get the nitty gritty of their job and what goes into it. So it\u2019s definitely broadened my personal skills, because now I have more real-world experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her work at KATV has already begun to open new doors. Following her internship experience, she has been invited back, this time as a paid intern, giving her the opportunity to continue building on the skills she developed in the newsroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Balancing the roles of student, intern and mother is no simple task. Wilson has faced her share of challenges, but she approaches them with resilience. She acknowledges that some days are more difficult than others, yet her motivation remains constant\u2014her daughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOver anything else, this little person is looking up to me and seeing what I\u2019m doing, and I want her to look back and be able to say, \u2018my mom did that.\u2019\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her perspective on higher education is deeply tied to her journey. While she recognizes that many in her generation and younger question the value of a college degree, Wilson sees her experience as proof of its impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a growing skepticism around college, but for me, it\u2019s made all the difference. I wouldn\u2019t be where I am today without it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That perspective has become a message Wilson hopes to share with others, particularly those who may feel discouraged by the demands of pursuing a degree later in life or alongside other commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou have to do it, and you have to do it tired,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s nobody else that\u2019s going to do it for you\u2014you have to do it for yourself and for the life you want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Wilson prepares to walk across the stage, she is looking ahead to what comes next, carrying with her the experience she\u2019s gained both in the newsroom and in her everyday life. From balancing classes and an internship to raising her daughter and building a future for her family, her journey reflects the determination it takes to keep going. Now, as she steps into the next chapter of her career, she hopes her story shows others that even with competing responsibilities, reaching your goals is possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This spring, University of Arkansas at Little Rock student, Grace Wilson, will cross the stage not only as a graduate, but as a mother and emerging broadcast journalist with real <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/29\/ua-little-rock-student-grace-wilson-balances-motherhood-broadcast-journalism-on-path-to-graduation\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Student Grace Wilson Balances Motherhood, Broadcast Journalism on Path to Graduation<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2906,"featured_media":94018,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[28389,36044,35323,171,2218],"class_list":["post-94017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-college-of-humanities-arts-social-sciences-and-education-chasse","tag-commencement-2026","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-school-of-mass-communication","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Student Grace Wilson Balances Motherhood, Broadcast Journalism on Path to Graduation - 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\/04\/29\/ua-little-rock-student-grace-wilson-balances-motherhood-broadcast-journalism-on-path-to-graduation\/\" \/>\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 Grace Wilson Balances Motherhood, Broadcast Journalism on Path to Graduation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This spring, University of Arkansas at Little Rock student, Grace Wilson, will cross the stage not only as a graduate, but as a mother and emerging broadcast journalist with real ... 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Milestone Week: Graduation, Championships, and \u201cI Do\u201d for UA Little Rock Couple"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>An unforgettable week is on the horizon for Ragen Hodge and Sutton Manatt. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock students are preparing to graduate this May, compete in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Track and Field Championships, and get married\u2014all within the span of just one week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hodge, a native of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and Manatt, a native of Hot Springs, Arkansas, were both introduced to UA Little Rock through athletics. Hodge competes in jumps for Little Rock Track and Field, while Manatt is a pole vaulter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The couple will compete on the day of the university\u2019s official commencement ceremony but plan to participate in the Athletics ceremony the following Monday. Their wedding is set for Thursday, May 21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI am absolutely stoked to start this new chapter. I\u2019m going to miss vaulting and running track, having a team, etc., but this new chapter is so exciting! Having a degree and chasing another, and getting to do that with my wife\u2014sign me up!\u201d Manatt said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hodge learned of the Donaghey Scholars Program and decided to apply to UA Little Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was drawn to the scholarship opportunities, the chance to compete in track and field at the collegiate level, and the opportunity to study abroad through the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program,\u201d Hodge said. \u201cBecause of the DSHP funding and study abroad, I was able to continue studying Spanish in addition to my biology and pre-med studies, which has opened so many doors and allowed me to pursue new volunteer opportunities in the medical field that I would otherwise not have been able to.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Manatt said his understanding of the university expanded during his athletic visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt wasn\u2019t until I came on my athletic visit that I learned about all the opportunities like Chancellor\u2019s Leadership Corps (CLC), Chi Alpha, and so much more. I fell in love with how close-knit the track team was and how much the coaches and admin really cared for the program and all the athletes,\u201d Manatt said. \u201cUA Little Rock has so many opportunities for students to graduate with no student loans, and with grad school in mind, that was huge for my family,\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hodge is graduating with a double major in Spanish and biology. Manatt is a biology major.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThrough personal and volunteering experiences, I came to see a significant need for compassionate, culturally competent healthcare in our communities and realized that medical school will give me the opportunity to one day fill this need,\u201d Hodge said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sutton was inspired to pursue physical therapy during his time at UA Little Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI wanted to help people like me who have had injuries, back problems, health issues\u2014all of the above. I want to be someone who can make a difference. In my years here at UA Little Rock, I\u2019ve had so many different injuries, but each one of them I\u2019ve been able to come back stronger because of our ATs (athletic trainers) and PTs (physical therapists),\u201d Manatt said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both Hodge and Manatt reflected on moments during their time at UA Little Rock that made them especially proud. For Hodge, studying abroad in Valencia, Spain, stands out as a defining experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne moment that has made me especially proud academically and personally was when I studied abroad in Valencia, Spain. After a couple weeks, I was able to confidently navigate the city and get to class, and I realized that I was actively living in a dream that I never thought I would be brave enough to make a reality,\u201d Hodge said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy time at UA Little Rock greatly increased my confidence in my abilities, thanks to every professor who poured into me and encouraged me along the way,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Manatt pointed to his success with the track and field team as a source of pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne thing that I\u2019m especially proud of is the three Track and Field championship rings that I get to wear. Being a part of a winning team was always something I dreamed of, especially on the D1 level.\u201d Manatt said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe bond that I\u2019ve created with my guys on the team is something I\u2019ll cherish and never forget,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They shared that the close bond with their team will be what they miss most after graduation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI am definitely going to miss getting to live and train and study with this group of people that are more like family than friends at this point, and I think it will be a big transition to not always have my workout and study buddies with me everywhere I go,\u201d Hodge said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy circle of guys that I\u2019m around most are so influential in my life. A few are going to be in my wedding, and many more are guys I know I can call at any time, and they will have my back or be there for me in an instant,\u201d Manatt said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After graduation, the couple will be moving to Oklahoma. Both have been accepted into the University of Oklahoma, where Hodge will attend medical school and Manatt will pursue physical therapy school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As they prepare for their move to Oklahoma, both reflect on the significance of being closer to family in this next chapter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDuring our time here at UA Little Rock, we have been able to spend more time with Sutton\u2019s family, and it has been such a joy and blessing to have their support and get to know them over the past four years. I am really excited now to have that same opportunity with my family during our next chapter of life, and I hope that Sutton will be as encouraged by the support and love from my family during PT school as I was by his family during undergrad,\u201d Hodge said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI joked with Sutton a couple of years ago that we would spend our undergraduate years here in Little Rock, in his home state and near his family, and then it would be his turn to live in my home state near my family for the next four years, so it is pretty funny to me that that is exactly how it has worked out,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been so lucky to be close to home these past four years, being from Hot Springs. I\u2019ve gotten to be at family events and watch my little brother grow up and be at his baseball games. It\u2019s been really nice having them just an hour away, but I know Ragen has missed her family so much. Any chance we get to go up to OK and see her family, we always come back to school so rejuvenated and relaxed. I\u2019m so happy that we get to spend the next four or so years closer to her family so we can give her family the same thing my parents have had the last four years,\u201d Manatt said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An unforgettable week is on the horizon for Ragen Hodge and Sutton Manatt. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock students are preparing to graduate this May, compete in the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/29\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  A Milestone Week: Graduation, Championships, and \u201cI Do\u201d for UA Little Rock Couple<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":94008,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[42,451,36044,25799,28727,35323,3272,2009,2218],"class_list":["post-94007","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-biology","tag-chancellors-leadership-corps","tag-commencement-2026","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-donaghey-scholars-honors-program","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-little-rock-athletics","tag-spanish","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Milestone Week: Graduation, Championships, and \u201cI Do\u201d for UA Little Rock Couple - 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\/04\/29\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Milestone Week: Graduation, Championships, and \u201cI Do\u201d for UA Little Rock Couple\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"An unforgettable week is on the horizon for Ragen Hodge and Sutton Manatt. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock students are preparing to graduate this May, compete in the ... A Milestone Week: Graduation, Championships, and \u201cI Do\u201d for UA Little Rock Couple\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/29\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\/\" \/>\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=\"2026-04-29T13:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/04\/Ragan-and-Sutton.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sydney Ambrus\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sydney Ambrus\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/29\\\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/29\\\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sydney Ambrus\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d5a5faa4af62b94789436560e8af26dd\"},\"headline\":\"A Milestone Week: Graduation, Championships, and \u201cI Do\u201d for UA Little Rock Couple\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-29T13:00:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/29\\\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1173,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/29\\\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/Ragan-and-Sutton.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Biology Program\",\"Chancellor's Leadership Corps\",\"Commencement 2026\",\"Donaghey College of STEM\",\"Donaghey Scholars Honors Program\",\"Leaders in the Classroom and Communities\",\"Little Rock Athletics\",\"Spanish Program\",\"Student Success\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Community\",\"Featured\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/29\\\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/29\\\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\\\/\",\"name\":\"A Milestone Week: Graduation, Championships, and \u201cI Do\u201d for UA Little Rock Couple - News - UA Little Rock\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/29\\\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/29\\\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/Ragan-and-Sutton.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-29T13:00:00+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/29\\\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/29\\\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/29\\\/a-milestone-week-graduation-championships-and-i-do-for-ua-little-rock-couple\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/Ragan-and-Sutton.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/Ragan-and-Sutton.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":630,\"caption\":\"Ragen Hodge and Sutton Manatt were both introduced to UA Little Rock through athletics. Hodge competes in jumps for Little Rock Track and Field, while Manatt is a pole vaulter. The couple will compete on the day of the university\u2019s official commencement ceremony but plan to participate in the Athletics ceremony the following Monday. Their wedding is set for Thursday, May 21. 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This spring, the first-generation student will graduate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and plans to begin a master\u2019s program this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pennington is originally from Eagletown, Oklahoma, and later moved to Prescott, Arkansas, her husband\u2019s hometown. When choosing a university, flexibility mattered most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI chose UA Little Rock because it offered a flexible online program that fit my life,\u201d she said. \u201cIt allowed me to pursue my degree without putting my responsibilities as a Marine and a parent on hold.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Pennington, who is earning a degree in middle childhood education, graduation is about more than academics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt means breaking barriers, creating opportunities, and giving my family something to be proud of,\u201d she said. \u201cI wanted to show that you are not defined by your past\u2014you can break generational cycles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Balancing military service, family life, and school required structure and discipline. Her days were focused on her duties in the Marine Corps, followed by time with her children in the evening. Once they were settled, she turned to schoolwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy weeks were all about time management, planning ahead, and staying disciplined,\u201d she said. \u201cI often reminded myself that you can\u2019t pour from an empty cup\u2014and that hard work pays off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There were challenges along the way, especially trying to manage everything at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere were times when it felt like there weren\u2019t enough hours in the day,\u201d she said. \u201cI stayed organized, set priorities, and reminded myself why I started. The support from my husband and my own determination kept me going.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to completing her degree, Pennington earned the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and maintained a high GPA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cConsistency and discipline were key,\u201d she said. \u201cMy biggest motivation was being someone my children would be proud to call their mom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She said her experience in the Marine Corps shaped how she approached school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt taught me discipline, resilience, and accountability,\u201d she said. \u201cThose values carried into my education and helped me stay focused.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As she looks ahead to graduate school at UA Little Rock, where she seeks a master\u2019s degree in curriculum and instruction, Pennington is ready for what\u2019s next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m excited to keep growing and building on everything I\u2019ve worked for,\u201d she said. \u201cI also want to show my children that learning never stops.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Balee Pennington is raising two children, balancing military life, and using every spare moment she has to pursue a college degree. This spring, the first-generation student will graduate from the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/29\/ua-little-rock-student-balances-service-family-and-school\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Student Balances Service, Family, and School<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2036,"featured_media":94013,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[28389,36044,35323,2785,2218],"class_list":["post-93987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-college-of-humanities-arts-social-sciences-and-education-chasse","tag-commencement-2026","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-online-education","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Student Balances Service, Family, and School - 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\/04\/29\/ua-little-rock-student-balances-service-family-and-school\/\" \/>\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 Balances Service, Family, and School\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Balee Pennington is raising two children, balancing military life, and using every spare moment she has to pursue a college degree. This spring, the first-generation student will graduate from the ... 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Award Winner: Nistha Neupane Focuses on Advocacy in Medicine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Nistha Neupane was in the middle of presenting her research at the UA Little Rock Research Expo when she got the news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHonestly, pure shock,\u201d she said. \u201cWithin a matter of two minutes, I was surrounded by my closest friends hugging me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The moment quickly turned into something else. Her first thought was to call her parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs first-generation immigrants who built our lives from the ground up, they have sacrificed the world for me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Neupane is the winner of the Whitbeck Memorial Award. Established in memory of Edward Lynn Whitbeck, a senior at Little Rock University who passed away in 1965, the award was created by Frank L. and Beverly Whitbeck to recognize exceptional academic achievement and leadership. Recipients receive a plaque, a monetary award, and deliver a speech at the spring commencement ceremony. She is completing degrees in biology and chemistry while spending more than three years conducting research in Dr. Noureen Siraj\u2019s lab. Neupane&#8217;s work focused on developing gold nanoparticles for targeted cancer therapies, and she presented her research at national conferences, including the American Chemical Society. Neupane was recently selected as a semifinalist in America\u2019s Startup, an official program of America250 that highlights emerging innovators from across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her research and entrepreneurial vision have also earned national recognition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Born in Nepal, Neupane moved to the United States as a child and grew up relocating as her father pursued his Ph.D. She said those early experiences shaped her ability to adapt and build community, something that carried into her time at UA Little Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She chose UA Little Rock because of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, which offered the kind of interdisciplinary education she was looking for. Its proximity to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences provided the research and clinical opportunities to match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At UA Little Rock, she did both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her interest in medicine started long before college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a child, she dealt with years of chronic, undiagnosed pain while her family navigated the healthcare system without insurance. She said many doctors dismissed her symptoms until one physician took the time to listen and advocate for her, leading to the diagnosis of a tumor that was later removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat experience changed how I see medicine,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to be someone who listens and advocates for patients who feel overlooked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her perspective is also shaped by her family\u2019s experiences. She recalls stories about her grandfather, who died in a rural village in Nepal where access to medical care was limited. During an internship in Kathmandu, she saw similar challenges firsthand while working in a hospital with limited resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That focus on access and advocacy has guided her work on campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Neupane served as president of the Pre-Health Club and co-president of the American Chemical Society student organization, helping students prepare for careers in healthcare and STEM. She also worked with the Committee on Racial Equity for Students to support her peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTo me, impact is about making the path clearer for the students coming after me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Balancing research, leadership, and service required discipline. Neupane said she relied on the values her family instilled in her, along with a strong sense of purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere were times I questioned myself,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I kept coming back to why I started.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She credits faculty mentors across campus for helping her navigate challenges and grow as a student and leader, along with a close group of peers who supported her throughout her time at UA Little Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking back, she said those challenges helped her better understand the importance of community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey showed me that I was never doing it alone,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Receiving the Whitbeck Award, she said, is a reflection of that journey and the broader impact of her work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt means the world to know that the energy I poured into this campus was seen,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After graduation, Neupane will attend the University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine as part of the Class of 2030. She plans to pursue a career that combines clinical care, research, and community advocacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI want to be a physician who takes the time to listen,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s what made the difference for me.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nistha Neupane was in the middle of presenting her research at the UA Little Rock Research Expo when she got the news. \u201cHonestly, pure shock,\u201d she said. \u201cWithin a matter <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/28\/whitbeck-award-winner-nistha-neupane-focuses-on-advocacy-in-medicine\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Whitbeck Award Winner: Nistha Neupane Focuses on Advocacy in Medicine<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":94023,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926,1922],"tags":[36044,25799,28727,3520,35323,2218],"class_list":["post-94022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","category-research","tag-commencement-2026","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-donaghey-scholars-honors-program","tag-edward-l-whitbeck-memorial-award","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Whitbeck Award Winner: Nistha Neupane Focuses on Advocacy in Medicine - 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\/04\/28\/whitbeck-award-winner-nistha-neupane-focuses-on-advocacy-in-medicine\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Whitbeck Award Winner: Nistha Neupane Focuses on Advocacy in Medicine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Nistha Neupane was in the middle of presenting her research at the UA Little Rock Research Expo when she got the news. \u201cHonestly, pure shock,\u201d she said. \u201cWithin a matter ... 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She describes herself as compassionate and nurturing, with a strong desire to help heal others. Her interest in law enforcement emerged later, during her sophomore year of college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy parents worked in law enforcement for more than 50 years combined,\u201d Ward said. \u201cI was fascinated by their work and wanted to learn more on my own, so I took the initiative to enroll in criminal justice classes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ward enjoys studying the law and has also explored an interest in forensic science. As she continued her coursework, she pursued an associate degree in law enforcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She chose UA Little Rock because of its proximity to home and strong scholarship opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBeing able to receive 50% off tuition for the first two years of college was a blessing,\u201d Ward said. \u201cFor the past four years, I haven\u2019t had to pay out of pocket for tuition, thanks to my scholarships and, most of all, God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The university also holds personal significance for her, as both of her parents are alumni.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On campus, Ward has been actively involved in a variety of organizations, including serving as the Trojan Food Pantry coordinator and as a member of the Chancellor\u2019s Leadership Corps, Student Activities Board, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and the Black Scholars Collective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTaylor has been a great asset to us in the office, for the Trojan Food Pantry and CLC,\u201d said Teresa Esparza, a student success coach at UA Little Rock. \u201cShe has always embraced what\u2019s asked of her, whether it\u2019s representing the pantry and the university at the Arkansas College Hunger Summit, appearing on THV11, or supporting CLC initiatives. She has remained engaged in the program while managing her academics and other extracurricular activities. I have no doubt her ambitious attitude will lead her to great things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ward offers this advice to future UA Little Rock students:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCollege isn\u2019t easy. If it were, everyone would have degrees. It takes sacrifice, time, consistency, and hard work. This is a time to learn who you are and work toward who you want to become. Make mistakes and learn from them, but be wise in your choices. Stay disciplined and keep working toward your goals. Most importantly, enjoy every part of college. The four years go by quickly, but the experiences are worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After graduating, Ward plans to apply to a physical therapy program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A passion for helping others has shaped Taylor Ward\u2019s path at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, leading her to pursue careers in both health care and law enforcement. <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/28\/purpose-in-action-taylor-ward-prepares-for-a-career-helping-others\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Purpose in Action: Taylor Ward Prepares for a Career Helping Others<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":93996,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[42,28370,36044,178,25799,35323,29226,2218],"class_list":["post-93991","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-biology","tag-college-of-business-health-and-human-services","tag-commencement-2026","tag-criminal-justice","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-school-of-criminal-justice-and-criminology","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Purpose in Action: Taylor Ward Prepares for a Career Helping Others - 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\/04\/28\/purpose-in-action-taylor-ward-prepares-for-a-career-helping-others\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Purpose in Action: Taylor Ward Prepares for a Career Helping Others\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A passion for helping others has shaped Taylor Ward\u2019s path at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, leading her to pursue careers in both health care and law enforcement. ... 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Little Rock Student turns Personal Experience into Award-Winning Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There is a photograph Peter Zokoro returns to in his research presentations: two children hunched over their schoolwork late at night, their only light a flickering kerosene lamp. He does not use it for dramatic effect. He uses it because he has lived it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zokoro, a master\u2019s student in mechanical engineering at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, grew up in Nigeria, where electricity is not a given. That experience became the foundation of his research, research that recently earned him first place at one of the largest engineering conventions in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou feel the impact of energy in its absence,\u201d Zokoro said. \u201cNot in its abundance. In its absence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In April, Zokoro won first place in the Technical Research Exhibition at the 2026 National Society of Black Engineers Annual Convention in Baltimore, competing in both poster and oral presentation categories against students from universities across the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His research focuses on biomass gasification, a thermochemical process that converts waste materials into syngas. Syngas can then be utilized to generate energy, produce green hydrogen and support chemical synthesis. The approach addresses two global challenges at once: the approximately 750 million people worldwide who lack access to electricity, and the roughly 2 billion tons of solid waste generated annually.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Lagos State University in Nigeria, graduating top of his class with First Class Honors. He moved to the United States in 2024 to pursue his master\u2019s degree, hearing from a friend back home how supportive UA Little Rock faculty are, his choice was made. He quickly immersed himself in campus life while exploring his academic path, earning a graduate teaching assistantship early on to cover expenses. He also joined the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the campus chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), where he now serves as treasurer and international chair, helping build mentorship pipelines and organize professional development opportunities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During this time, he found his research focus through Dr. Ashokkumar Sharma, his thesis advisor. Sharma\u2019s work centered on two challenges that were deeply personal to Zokoro, challenges he had lived \u2013 access to energy and the growing problem of global waste \u2013 prompting him to take action. As his learning and research progressed, he began building a research team, recruiting undergraduate students and introducing them to his vision, inviting them to contribute to the project.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeter Zokoro is one of the most driven graduate students I have mentored,\u201d said Sharma. \u201cHis innovative bioenergy and machine learning research, along with his leadership and mentorship of undergraduates, reflects both depth and originality. His first-place award at the 2026 NSBE Conference reflects his academic and community impact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Baltimore, Zokoro arrived with the research to match his ambitions. Supported by Dr. David Montague, NSBE chapter co-advisor, and other UA Little Rock students in attendance, he earned first place. Their presence made the achievement all the more meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSeeing familiar faces from UA Little Rock in that room while I was presenting meant more than I can put into words,\u201d Zokoro said. \u201cUA Little Rock may not be the biggest school in the room, but we showed up and we won\u2014that matters for every student here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pride he felt was shared by others within the UA Little Rock community, including his mentors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cZokoro exemplifies the hard work and dedication of UA Little Rock students. His innovative research resonated with audiences, and his award for best presentation came as no surprise,\u201d said Montague.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zokoro graduates this May, but the vision behind his research continues to expand \u2014 shaped by his lived experiences and the support he found at UA Little Rock. He hopes to help build a future where clean energy is accessible everywhere and give new purpose to materials often thrown away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFor developed nations like the U.S., the vision is energy independence,\u201d Zokoro said. \u201cReducing and eventually eliminating dependence on fossil fuels by generating clean energy from the waste we already produce. And beyond that, imagine being able to export the green hydrogen generated from this process to other countries and companies that need it. That is a completely new value chain\u2014new economic opportunities built on something we currently throw away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Zokoro, the photograph of two children studying by kerosene light is not just a presentation slide; it is the reason behind his work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There is a photograph Peter Zokoro returns to in his research presentations: two children hunched over their schoolwork late at night, their only light a flickering kerosene lamp. He does <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/27\/ua-little-rock-student-turns-personal-experience-into-award-winning-research\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Student turns Personal Experience into Award-Winning Research<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2906,"featured_media":94005,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1923,1925,1926,1922],"tags":[25799,35323,4478,35482,2218],"class_list":["post-94004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-culture","category-community","category-featured","category-research","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-mechanical-engineering","tag-national-society-of-black-engineers","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Student turns Personal Experience into Award-Winning Research - 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\/04\/27\/ua-little-rock-student-turns-personal-experience-into-award-winning-research\/\" \/>\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 turns Personal Experience into Award-Winning Research\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There is a photograph Peter Zokoro returns to in his research presentations: two children hunched over their schoolwork late at night, their only light a flickering kerosene lamp. 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Little Rock Receives Gift to Support Long-Term Success of Planetarium"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The University of Arkansas at Little Rock continues to build support for the future of its Shellam Flake Planetarium, with a new $50,000 gift focused on sustaining the facility for years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The gift from UA Little Rock alumnus and retired attorney James Bruce McMath and his wife, Becky, contributes to the Shellam Flake Planetarium Endowment Fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As UA Little Rock prepares to reopen the planetarium this fall, the endowment ensures the facility has the long-term support needed for operations, programming, and staffing, positioning it as a lasting destination for students and the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For McMath, the investment is deeply personal, rooted in a lifelong fascination with the night sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI am a space race baby,\u201d McMath said. \u201cI was eight when Sputnik launched, and I followed it with the same enthusiasm as some people follow a sports team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That early curiosity grew into a serious pursuit. What began as a telescope for his son turned into a lifelong passion, including building telescope mirrors and conducting amateur research. Today, McMath operates a robotic telescope and has contributed more than 130,000 observations of variable stars to an international database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He sees the planetarium as a way to share that sense of discovery with others, especially at a time when fewer people have experienced the night sky in its full form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe reality is, without question, the greatest natural spectacle is the Milky Way stretching across the night sky,\u201d he said. \u201cBut these days, few people have ever truly seen it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A planetarium, he said, can help bridge that gap by giving people a broader understanding of the universe and their place within it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA planetarium can open people\u2019s eyes and minds to the reality of our situation here on our little planet,\u201d McMath said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Supporting the endowment is also a way for McMath to give back to UA Little Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cUA Little Rock was an important element in my personal development, and I have not done much to pay it back,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also sees the planetarium as a key connection point between the university and the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe planetarium will be an ambassadorial and educational tool for the university,\u201d McMath said. \u201cIt is an investment in the community that will build pride in the university among city residents and help people better understand our place in the universe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their support helps position the planetarium as a long-term asset for both the university and Central Arkansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn more about the Shellam Flake Planetarium at <a href=\"http:\/\/ualr.edu\/planetarium\">ualr.edu\/planetarium<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The University of Arkansas at Little Rock continues to build support for the future of its Shellam Flake Planetarium, with a new $50,000 gift focused on sustaining the facility for <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/27\/ua-little-rock-receives-gift-to-support-long-term-success-of-planetarium\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Receives Gift to Support Long-Term Success of Planetarium<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":93994,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[112,35323,36040],"class_list":["post-93993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-alumni-association","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-planetarium"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Receives Gift to Support Long-Term Success of Planetarium - 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\/04\/27\/ua-little-rock-receives-gift-to-support-long-term-success-of-planetarium\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock Receives Gift to Support Long-Term Success of Planetarium\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The University of Arkansas at Little Rock continues to build support for the future of its Shellam Flake Planetarium, with a new $50,000 gift focused on sustaining the facility for ... 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Stephanie Wyatt, an investigative genetic genealogist and a graduate student in UA Little Rock\u2019s Applied Communication program, recently played a key role in identifying the woman long known as the Conway County Jane Doe \u2014 a victim whose identity remained a mystery for more than three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In February 2026, the 32-year-old woman was identified as Jamie Ann Moore, bringing long-awaited answers to a case that had remained unsolved since 1994.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wyatt\u2019s interest in communication is rooted in her professional background. She holds an undergraduate degree in public relations and previously worked in human resources before transitioning into genetic genealogy. She currently works for the Arkansas Department of Transportation while pursuing her graduate degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Returning to school was not always something Wyatt saw as attainable. She said her mother is the only person in her family with a college degree, and she will be the first to earn her master\u2019s degree. \u201cThere was a lot of self-doubt at first,\u201d Wyatt said. \u201cBut the support I found at UA Little Rock gave me the confidence to believe I could be successful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wyatt\u2019s path into genetic genealogy began as a personal project. Her father\u2019s adoption sparked her interest in the field of genealogy as she searched for answers about her family\u2019s medical history. However, this search quickly expanded beyond her own story.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wyatt turned her self-taught skills toward helping others who were searching for similar answers about their history. For nearly a decade, she volunteered to assist individuals searching for biological family members, including adoptees and those with unknown parentage. Over time, that work evolved into something more complex: helping identify individuals who could not identify themselves, such as those with amnesia or medical conditions preventing speech, and eventually, victims in cold cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2019, Wyatt joined a team of investigative genetic genealogists at Parabon NanoLabs, where she began applying her skills to criminal investigations and unidentified remains cases across the country.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wyatt later volunteered with the Arkansas State Police after the case of Conway County Jane Doe stalled despite earlier DNA testing efforts. Drawing on her experience, she said she believed there were still leads worth pursuing and a path toward identification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI reached out because I felt like there was still progress to be made, even if it was slow,\u201d Wyatt said. \u201cWhen you\u2019ve been in this field long enough, the DNA starts to act like a roadmap. The matches and the amount of shared DNA can tell you where to look, and I had a feeling about where to start.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wyatt said the work begins with a DNA profile, which is then compared to distant relatives in public databases. By grouping shared matches and tracing common ancestors, she and other investigators are able to reconstruct fragmented family trees and narrow down an unidentified person\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s like putting together a puzzle without knowing what the final picture looks like,\u201d she said. \u201cYou group pieces together, find patterns, and eventually, something connects.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even a single distant match can be enough to move a case forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn this case, there was one match in the DNA database that helped push us forward toward identification,\u201d Wyatt said. \u201cJust one person made that possible, and they probably don\u2019t even know. They\u2019re not closely related, and it\u2019s possible they never even knew Jamie existed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This, she said, is why it is so important for people who have had their DNA tested to upload their results to the databases that make this kind of work possible. There are three databases used for this sort of research: GEDmatch, FamilyTreeDNA, and DNA Justice. Anyone who wants to participate can help investigators by uploading their results and opting in to law enforcement matching.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEspecially with unidentified human remains, people don\u2019t realize how many have been separated from their family but aren\u2019t on any list as reported missing,\u201d Wyatt said. \u201cThis was the case with Conway County Jane Doe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wyatt said she hopes more people understand both the role the public can play and the realities of the process. Even small contributions, like uploading DNA data to public databases, can make a difference \u2014 often without people even realizing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn most cases, if you choose to assist, you probably won\u2019t even realize you\u2019re helping,\u201d she said. \u201cBut those small pieces can be what allow us to move a case forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She added that investigative genetic genealogy is a careful, step-by-step process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not an instant answer,\u201d she said. \u201cSometimes we\u2019re narrowing it down from hundreds of people to a much smaller group, and it takes time and additional information to get to one name.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond science, Wyatt\u2019s work also depends heavily on communication \u2014 a skill she continues to develop through her studies at UA Little Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her role involves translating complex genetic findings into clear, actionable information for investigators, many of whom are not specialists in DNA analysis. She said her studies in applied communication have helped her navigate relationships with law enforcement while working on sensitive, often emotional cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re working with people who may have been on these cases for decades,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of emotion tied to that, so how you communicate matters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Wyatt, identifying Moore was both a breakthrough and a reminder of the weight of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s very bittersweet,\u201d she said. \u201cThere is that celebratory moment that you finally found the connection, but it\u2019s very fleeting because you realize there are painful implications as well. Jamie got her name back, and Jamie\u2019s family is now processing that loss.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wyatt said she is grateful for the opportunity to play a role in helping family members find not only answers, but peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As investigators continue working the case, Wyatt hopes her efforts highlight the potential of investigative genetic genealogy and the need for more resources to support it in Arkansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Wyatt, the goal remains simple \u2014 to help give people their names back and bring a measure of peace to the families still searching for answers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What began as a quest to learn more about her family\u2019s heritage has led one University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate student to help identify more than 60 previously <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/27\/ua-little-rock-graduate-student-helps-identify-cold-case-victim-after-more-than-30-years\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Graduate Student Helps Identify Cold Case Victim After More Than 30 Years<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2764,"featured_media":93997,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926,1922],"tags":[2624,28389,25799,35323,2218],"class_list":["post-93974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","category-research","tag-applied-communication","tag-college-of-humanities-arts-social-sciences-and-education-chasse","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Graduate Student Helps Identify Cold Case Victim After More Than 30 Years - 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\/04\/27\/ua-little-rock-graduate-student-helps-identify-cold-case-victim-after-more-than-30-years\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock Graduate Student Helps Identify Cold Case Victim After More Than 30 Years\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What began as a quest to learn more about her family\u2019s heritage has led one University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate student to help identify more than 60 previously ... 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Coleman"},"url":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/author\/mcoleman4\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93974","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\/2764"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93974"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93974\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93975,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93974\/revisions\/93975"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/93997"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":94001,"date":"2026-04-24T09:18:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T14:18:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/?p=94001"},"modified":"2026-04-24T09:18:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T14:18:25","slug":"ua-little-rock-faculty-inducted-into-arkansas-research-alliance-academy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/24\/ua-little-rock-faculty-inducted-into-arkansas-research-alliance-academy\/","title":{"rendered":"UA Little Rock Faculty Inducted Into Arkansas Research Alliance Academy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Two University of Arkansas at Little Rock faculty members have been inducted into the Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA) Academy, a distinction recognizing leading researchers whose work is driving innovation and economic growth across the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Anindya Ghosh, professor of chemistry and associate dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, and Dr. Philip Huff, associate professor of computer science and director of the Cyberspace Operations Research and Education Center (CORE), were among six researchers selected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The ARA Academy represents leading researchers from universities across the state and has contributed more than $1 billion to Arkansas\u2019s economy. Members are advancing industry-focused research in key areas such as advanced manufacturing, energy, cybersecurity, and sustainable design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ghosh, one of the nation\u2019s leading researchers in green chemistry, said the recognition reflects the university\u2019s strong and growing research environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m honored to be inducted into the Arkansas Research Alliance Academy,\u201d Ghosh said. \u201cARA does an outstanding job of supporting research through funding and by connecting researchers with the right resources and partnerships to move ideas forward. This recognition motivates me to push that work forward in ways that benefit Arkansas while preparing students for meaningful careers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His work in green chemistry, catalysis, and materials science focuses on practical, sustainable solutions that reduce pollution, support clean energy, and create more environmentally responsible materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Huff said he is excited to be part of a community working to expand research opportunities across Arkansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI appreciate ARA\u2019s commitment to advancing research and innovation across Arkansas, and I\u2019m honored to be part of a community working to expand those opportunities,\u201d Huff said. \u201cThrough this connection, the CORE Center can collaborate more closely with industry to keep our cybersecurity and AI research grounded in real-world needs. This supports UA Little Rock\u2019s mission to provide high-impact student research experiences that deliver real benefits to our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Huff leads the CORE Center and focuses on advancing cybersecurity for critical infrastructure while building partnerships between academia and industry. He is also the chief scientist and co-founder of Bastazo, an Arkansas-based cybersecurity startup that uses artificial intelligence to strengthen cybersecurity defenses and help organizations prioritize and address vulnerabilities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through their work, UA Little Rock researchers continue to create opportunities for students while contributing to innovations that benefit communities and industries across Arkansas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two University of Arkansas at Little Rock faculty members have been inducted into the Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA) Academy, a distinction recognizing leading researchers whose work is driving innovation and <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/24\/ua-little-rock-faculty-inducted-into-arkansas-research-alliance-academy\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Faculty Inducted Into Arkansas Research Alliance Academy<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2764,"featured_media":94003,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926,1922],"tags":[2224,35704,25799,35323,2218],"class_list":["post-94001","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","category-research","tag-arkansas-research-alliance","tag-cyberspace-operations-research-and-education-center","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Faculty Inducted Into Arkansas Research Alliance Academy - 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\/04\/24\/ua-little-rock-faculty-inducted-into-arkansas-research-alliance-academy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock Faculty Inducted Into Arkansas Research Alliance Academy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Two University of Arkansas at Little Rock faculty members have been inducted into the Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA) Academy, a distinction recognizing leading researchers whose work is driving innovation and ... UA Little Rock Faculty Inducted Into Arkansas Research Alliance Academy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/24\/ua-little-rock-faculty-inducted-into-arkansas-research-alliance-academy\/\" \/>\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=\"2026-04-24T14:18:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-24T14:18:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/04\/Huff-and-Ghosh.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Molly Coleman\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Molly Coleman\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/24\\\/ua-little-rock-faculty-inducted-into-arkansas-research-alliance-academy\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/24\\\/ua-little-rock-faculty-inducted-into-arkansas-research-alliance-academy\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Molly Coleman\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b4c50280636b780e6a82d2a4f4d66223\"},\"headline\":\"UA Little Rock Faculty Inducted Into Arkansas Research Alliance Academy\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-24T14:18:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-24T14:18:25+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/24\\\/ua-little-rock-faculty-inducted-into-arkansas-research-alliance-academy\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":398,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/24\\\/ua-little-rock-faculty-inducted-into-arkansas-research-alliance-academy\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/Huff-and-Ghosh.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Arkansas Research Alliance\",\"Cyberspace Operations Research and Education Center\",\"Donaghey College of STEM\",\"Leaders in the Classroom and Communities\",\"Student Success\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Community\",\"Featured\",\"Research\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/24\\\/ua-little-rock-faculty-inducted-into-arkansas-research-alliance-academy\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/24\\\/ua-little-rock-faculty-inducted-into-arkansas-research-alliance-academy\\\/\",\"name\":\"UA Little Rock Faculty Inducted Into Arkansas Research Alliance Academy - 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