[{"id":93913,"date":"2026-04-10T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/?p=93913"},"modified":"2026-04-09T11:33:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T16:33:33","slug":"stranger-sings-the-parody-musical-lights-up-little-rock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/10\/stranger-sings-the-parody-musical-lights-up-little-rock\/","title":{"rendered":"Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical Lights Up Little Rock"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Get ready for a night of laughter, nostalgia and musical magic as <em>Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical<\/em> takes the stage at Haislip Theatre. This Arkansas-premiere theatre event promises an unforgettable experience for fans of both musical theatre and the hit series that inspired it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical<\/em> is a hilarious \u201cupside down\u201d take on the hit Netflix series <em>Stranger Things<\/em>. The show reimagines the world of Hawkins, Indiana, with catchy tunes, witty humor and 1980s nostalgia. Expect a fresh take on your favorite characters as they sing, dance, and encounter the Upside Down in ways you\u2019ve never seen before.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese rehearsals have brought some of the biggest laughs I\u2019ve ever shared working on a show, and that energy has carried through every step of the process.\u201d says Caelon Colbert, Director of the production, \u201cThere\u2019s something special about a company that fully leans into the humor, heart, and absurdity of this piece, and it\u2019s going to make this show unforgettable.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a cast of lovable characters, show-stopping songs, and plenty of laughs, this production truly has something for everyone. Whether you\u2019re a die-hard <em>Stranger Things<\/em> enthusiast or simply looking for a fun night out at the theatre, <em>Stranger Sings!<\/em> delivers an adventure that combines parody, music, and storytelling &#8211; with a PG-13 edge that adds to its comedic bite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Performances run April 15\u201319 at Haislip Theatre, with evening shows Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tickets and full event details are available on the official <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/event\/stranger-sings-the-parody-musical\/\">event page<\/a>. You can also reach out to Caelon Colbert directly at cdcolbert@ualr.edu. Secure your seats now, this is one trip to the Upside Down you won\u2019t want to miss.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Get ready for a night of laughter, nostalgia and musical magic as Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical takes the stage at Haislip Theatre. This Arkansas-premiere theatre event promises an unforgettable <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/10\/stranger-sings-the-parody-musical-lights-up-little-rock\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical Lights Up Little Rock<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2906,"featured_media":93914,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1923,1925,1926],"tags":[28389,35323,2218,35688],"class_list":["post-93913","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-culture","category-community","category-featured","tag-college-of-humanities-arts-social-sciences-and-education-chasse","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-student-success","tag-theatre-arts-program"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Stranger Sings! 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The Parody Musical Lights Up Little Rock\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/10\/stranger-sings-the-parody-musical-lights-up-little-rock\/\" \/>\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=\"2026-04-10T13:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/04\/Stranger-Sings.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=\"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=\"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\\\/10\\\/stranger-sings-the-parody-musical-lights-up-little-rock\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/10\\\/stranger-sings-the-parody-musical-lights-up-little-rock\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Samantha Koros\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4d2d71db64fc5dad90eaff1ce9387967\"},\"headline\":\"Stranger Sings! 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The Parody Musical\\\" pose for a group photo. The show reimagines the world of Hawkins, Indiana, with catchy tunes, witty humor and 1980s nostalgia. Performances run April 15\u201319 at Haislip Theatre, with evening shows Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Submitted photo\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/10\\\/stranger-sings-the-parody-musical-lights-up-little-rock\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Stranger Sings! 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Establishing a full-service veterans legal clinic within the Bowen School of Law and bolstering nanotech research with a wide range of real-world applications will benefit veterans and accelerate innovative breakthroughs at the intersection of science and medicine,\u201d said U.S. Senator John Boozman, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to have championed these investments and look forward to the exciting impact they will have on our state and beyond in the years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chancellor Christina Drale added that these investments further position the university to serve Arkansas through impactful research and programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis level of federal investment affirms the value and impact of the work happening at UA Little Rock,\u201d said Chancellor Christina Drale. \u201cFrom supporting Arkansas veterans to advancing research in nanotechnology, cybersecurity, and data analytics, these appropriations strengthen our ability to serve the state and deliver research that makes a measurable difference for our communities and our country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The federal funding package includes two direct allocations secured by Boozman for the veterans legal clinic and nanotechnology research equipment, in addition to the other investments he and the Arkansas congressional delegation supported for UA Little Rock programs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>$750,000<\/strong> to support the Veterans Legal Services Clinic at the William H. Bowen School of Law<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>$6 million<\/strong> for nanotechnology initiatives, including:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>$3 million to enhance nanotechnology research capacity through the purchase of highly specialized state-of-the-art equipment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>$3 million specifically for nanomaterials for bone regeneration research<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>$5 million<\/strong> to develop a cyber-resilient computing platform in partnership with Montana State University<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>$1 million<\/strong> to support COSMOS (social networks analysis) research<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-veterans-legal-services-clinic\"><strong>Veterans Legal Services Clinic<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The $750,000 appropriation will enhance the Bowen School of Law\u2019s Veterans Legal Services Clinic, which provides free legal assistance to Arkansas veterans while giving law students hands-on experience. To date the clinic has supported Veterans in two thirds of Arkansas counties and has secured more than $500k in benefits for veterans. With the additional funding, the clinic hopes to secure additional support to serve all Arkansas counties.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis funding strengthens our ability to stand alongside Arkansas veterans and ensure they have access to the legal services they deserve,\u201d said Dean Colin Crawford of the Bowen School of Law. \u201cIt also gives our students meaningful, real-world experience advocating for those who have served our country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-analytical-and-nanotechnology-research-expansion\"><strong>Analytical and Nanotechnology Research Expansion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The $6 million in nanotechnology funding will significantly expand UA Little Rock\u2019s research capacity. The $3 million equipment investment will enhance nanotechnology research through the acquisition of advanced instrumentation, positioning the university for continued growth in high-impact materials science. The instrumentation will serve both the academic as well as the industrial partners and provide educational opportunities for a variety of students and users. An additional $3 million will support research focused specifically on nanomaterials for bone regeneration, with potential applications for injured service members and others requiring regenerative medical treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese investments strengthen the university\u2019s ability to conduct advanced characterization and research at a higher level both academically and industrially,\u201d said Dr. Alex Biris, Chief Scientist at the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences. \u201cThe funding expands our research capacity, and the support for the development of technologies focused on advanced bone and tissue regeneration, allowing us to pursue innovative solutions with significant implications for both national defense and medical advancement.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cyber-resilient-space-computing-platform\"><strong>Cyber-Resilient Space Computing Platform<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The $5 million cyber-resilient computing platform project, a joint effort between UA Little Rock and Montana State University, will focus on strengthening satellite systems against emerging cyber threats and enhancing national security capabilities in space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis project advances our ability to build AI models that protect mission-critical systems operating in increasingly complex and contested cyber environments in space,\u201d said Dr. Philip Huff. \u201cIt reflects UA Little Rock\u2019s growing leadership in applied cybersecurity research that directly supports national defense and workforce needs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cosmos-social-networks-analysis\"><strong>COSMOS: Social Networks Analysis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The $1 million investment in COSMOS (social networks analysis) will expand research capabilities in data analytics and national security applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSocial network analysis plays a critical role in understanding complex digital ecosystems and cognitive security challenges,\u201d said Dr. Nitin Agarwal, director of COSMOS Research Center at UA Little Rock. \u201cThis funding allows us to deepen our research impact while preparing students to lead in high-demand intelligence and analytics fields.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Together, these investments accelerate UA Little Rock\u2019s momentum as a leading public research university and a driver of innovation in Arkansas. From supporting veterans in Arkansas courtrooms to advancing technologies that strengthen national security, the university continues to translate research excellence into tangible benefits for the state and the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a Carnegie classified high research activity (R2) institution, announced it&nbsp; has secured $12.75 million in federal funding to support veterans services, cutting-edge nanotechnology <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/10\/little-rock-secures-12-75-million-in-federal-funding-to-advance-veterans-services-nanotechnology-cybersecurity-and-national-defense-research\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Little Rock Secures $12.75 Million in Federal Funding to Advance Veterans Services, Nanotechnology, Cybersecurity, and National Defense Research<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":93916,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926,1922],"tags":[35830,6730,2837,2290,35704,2687,18152,34136],"class_list":["post-93902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","category-research","tag-alex-biris","tag-christina-drale","tag-cosmos","tag-cybersecurity","tag-cyberspace-operations-research-and-education-center","tag-nitin-agarwal","tag-philip-huff","tag-senator-john-boozman"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Little Rock Secures $12.75 Million in Federal Funding to Advance Veterans Services, Nanotechnology, Cybersecurity, and National Defense 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\/10\/little-rock-secures-12-75-million-in-federal-funding-to-advance-veterans-services-nanotechnology-cybersecurity-and-national-defense-research\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Little Rock Secures $12.75 Million in Federal Funding to Advance Veterans Services, Nanotechnology, Cybersecurity, and National Defense Research\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a Carnegie classified high research activity (R2) institution, announced it&nbsp; has secured $12.75 million in federal funding to support veterans services, cutting-edge nanotechnology ... Little Rock Secures $12.75 Million in Federal Funding to Advance Veterans Services, Nanotechnology, Cybersecurity, and National Defense Research\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/10\/little-rock-secures-12-75-million-in-federal-funding-to-advance-veterans-services-nanotechnology-cybersecurity-and-national-defense-research\/\" \/>\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=\"2026-04-10T12:58:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-10T12:58:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/04\/2026-0409-Sen-Boozman-presser_174.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"782\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"UA Little Rock\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"UA Little Rock\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 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\\\/10\\\/little-rock-secures-12-75-million-in-federal-funding-to-advance-veterans-services-nanotechnology-cybersecurity-and-national-defense-research\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/10\\\/little-rock-secures-12-75-million-in-federal-funding-to-advance-veterans-services-nanotechnology-cybersecurity-and-national-defense-research\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"UA Little Rock\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/841beab92c4de6b8988cb3708c29b192\"},\"headline\":\"Little Rock Secures $12.75 Million in Federal Funding to Advance Veterans Services, Nanotechnology, Cybersecurity, and National Defense Research\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-10T12:58:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-10T12:58:35+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/10\\\/little-rock-secures-12-75-million-in-federal-funding-to-advance-veterans-services-nanotechnology-cybersecurity-and-national-defense-research\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":835,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/10\\\/little-rock-secures-12-75-million-in-federal-funding-to-advance-veterans-services-nanotechnology-cybersecurity-and-national-defense-research\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/2026-0409-Sen-Boozman-presser_174.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Alex Biris\",\"Christina Drale\",\"COSMOS\",\"Cybersecurity\",\"Cyberspace Operations Research and Education Center\",\"Nitin Agarwal\",\"Philip Huff\",\"Senator John Boozman\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Community\",\"Featured\",\"Research\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/10\\\/little-rock-secures-12-75-million-in-federal-funding-to-advance-veterans-services-nanotechnology-cybersecurity-and-national-defense-research\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/10\\\/little-rock-secures-12-75-million-in-federal-funding-to-advance-veterans-services-nanotechnology-cybersecurity-and-national-defense-research\\\/\",\"name\":\"Little Rock Secures $12.75 Million in Federal Funding to Advance Veterans Services, Nanotechnology, Cybersecurity, and National Defense Research - 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The investment, supported by U.S. Sen. John Boozman, will advance real-world solutions for Arkansans while strengthening research at an R2 high research activity institution. 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The investment, supported by U.S. Sen. John Boozman, will advance real-world solutions for Arkansans while strengthening research at an R2 high research activity institution. 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Little Rock Professor Earns OVC Faculty Honor for Student Success"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Dr. Casey Rockwell, assistant director and associate professor of the School of Business at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has been named the recipient of the Ohio Valley Conference <a href=\"https:\/\/ovcsports.com\/news\/2026\/2\/12\/general-ovc-announces-recipients-of-outstanding-faculty-commitment-to-student-success-awards.aspx\">Outstanding Faculty Commitment to Student Success Award.<\/a> The honor comes as UA Little Rock, a current OVC member, prepares to transition to the United Athletic Conference on July 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The award, announced at the OVC Basketball Championship tournament, recognizes outstanding faculty across conference institutions for their student impact, contributions to department and university curricula, professional development, community involvement and institutional service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy first reaction was genuine surprise, followed quickly by gratitude,\u201d Rockwell said. \u201cLike most faculty, I\u2019m often focused on the next class session, the next student meeting, or the next report, and don\u2019t stop to think about awards. My thoughts quickly turned to my students, many of whom are balancing demanding jobs or Division I athletics with rigorous academic programs. Their perseverance embodies what this award represents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rockwell credits UA Little Rock, especially the School of Business, with shaping her approach to teaching. Working at a university rooted in access, opportunity, and real-world relevance has reinforced her focus on ensuring each course, assignment, and experience helps prepare students for long-term success. The school\u2019s \u201cKnow Your Worth\u201d motto \u2014 the idea that every student\u2019s education should yield a measurable return in their career and life \u2014 serves as a constant reminder that what happens in the classroom must pay dividends well beyond it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That mindset is especially evident in how Rockwell works with student-athletes, whom she recognizes as effectively managing two full-time commitments at once. She prioritizes flexibility and proactive communication, meeting with student-athletes early in the semester to align assignment deadlines and exam dates with their travel and competition schedules, all while holding them to the same academic standards as every other student.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cStudent-athletes are not only competitors \u2014 they are emerging professionals,\u201d Rockwell said, \u201cand I want them to leave here understanding that their education is an investment in themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Rockwell, that belief in student potential is inseparable from what she teaches and how she teaches it. She was drawn to law, management, marketing, and technology because of where those disciplines intersect \u2014 strategy, people, and innovation \u2014 where decisions carry immediate consequences and advantages for organizations and communities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBusiness law allows me to show students how legal rules shape everything from contracts and branding to real estate development and technology adoption,\u201d Rockwell said. \u201cWe can move seamlessly from doctrine to real-world examples \u2014 analyzing influencer agreements, walking neighborhoods when we study eminent domain, or unpacking the fine print of a contract a student may someday sign.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That carries particular weight for college athletes working to reach the next level. For a student-athlete hoping to sign a professional contract, understanding the legal language is not just an academic exercise, it is preparation for one of the most important moments of their career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Rockwell, the award represents something larger than her own work. It affirms her efforts at UA Little Rock and the School of Business and connects her to a broader community of faculty across the OVC committed to the same mission. The students she teaches go on to work, lead and build in Little Rock and across Arkansas, and she sees the classroom as the starting point for that impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat keeps me motivated is seeing students transform over time \u2014 from tentative first-year or MBA students into confident professionals, graduate students, and, in some cases, future lawyers and community leaders,\u201d Rockwell said. \u201cIt\u2019s especially rewarding to watch student-athletes and working students discover that their education is not just a requirement but an investment in themselves and in the communities they will serve.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dr. Casey Rockwell, assistant director and associate professor of the School of Business at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has been named the recipient of the Ohio Valley <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/09\/ua-little-rock-professor-earns-ovc-faculty-honor-for-student-success\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Professor Earns OVC Faculty Honor for Student Success<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2906,"featured_media":93911,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[3095,28370,35323,33066,24765,2218],"class_list":["post-93910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-casey-rockwell","tag-college-of-business-health-and-human-services","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-ohio-valley-conference","tag-school-of-business","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Professor Earns OVC Faculty Honor for Student Success - 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\/09\/ua-little-rock-professor-earns-ovc-faculty-honor-for-student-success\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock Professor Earns OVC Faculty Honor for Student Success\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dr. Casey Rockwell, assistant director and associate professor of the School of Business at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has been named the recipient of the Ohio Valley ... 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Little Rock Debuts First AI Scholar-in-Residence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What does it mean to study the mind in the age of artificial intelligence? For the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/psychology\/\">Department of Psychological Science<\/a> at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the answer begins with a first. The department has welcomed Bahareh Jozranjbar as its inaugural artificial intelligence scholar-in-residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The role grew out of strategic use of the department\u2019s Marie Wilson Howells Endowment, a fund dedicated to the study of the mind. Rather than supporting traditional programming, faculty chose to invest in a dedicated AI research position with no teaching obligations, allowing for focused work in a rapidly evolving field. The move builds on ongoing efforts to integrate AI into the discipline, including updated coursework and faculty development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jozranjbar\u2019s position is distinct from traditional academic roles. Like many other universities, UA Little Rock is expanding its technical AI offerings, with a <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/02\/ua-system-board-approves-new-bachelors-degrees-in-early-childhood-education-and-artificial-intelligence-at-ua-little-rock\/\">bachelor\u2019s degree in AI<\/a> set to launch in fall 2026. While that program focuses on building and applying AI systems, the scholar-in-residence role asks a different set of questions \u2014 examining how AI affects human thinking, learning and decision-making. Without a teaching load, the position allows for flexible, forward-looking research that can inform institutional decisions in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her work centers on trust calibration \u2014 understanding when people overtrust or undertrust AI systems and how that impacts learning. As AI becomes more common in educational settings, that question is increasingly important. The role also brings a psychological science perspective to AI, applying frameworks around trust, bias and decision-making to better understand how people interact with these systems. In addition to research, Jozranjbar contributes to university-wide conversations on AI strategy, ethics and policy, and supports outreach efforts aimed at improving AI literacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of her key contributions this year is the development of an AI literacy curriculum, currently being piloted in introductory psychology courses with the goal of broader adoption across the department. The curriculum gives students across disciplines a practical understanding of how AI works and how to use it responsibly, with each module shaped by classroom feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cStudents in every field need a practical mental model of how AI works,\u201d Jozranjbar said, \u201cwhere it can help, where it can fail, and how to use it responsibly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jozranjbar\u2019s impact extends beyond her research portfolio. Women have long been underrepresented in STEM fields, and the gap has become more pronounced with the rise of AI, where women make up a small fraction of researchers, tenure-track faculty and senior leadership roles globally. That underrepresentation is not simply a pipeline issue. When the teams designing and studying AI lack diverse perspectives, the systems they build risk reflecting those same blind spots. Her presence in a role dedicated to researching how AI affects human thinking, trust and decision-making brings a perspective the field needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWomen in STEM is a big issue in academia,\u201d Elisabeth Sherwin, chair of the Department of Psychological Science, said. \u201cHaving our inaugural scholar be a woman with a hard-science focus was particularly gratifying.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jozranjbar will join the UA Little Rock faculty as a full-time member next year, bringing with her the research momentum, institutional relationships and AI literacy work she has built during this inaugural year. What started as a creative use of an endowment has become something larger \u2014 a model for how a psychology department can navigate a fast-moving technological moment without losing sight of the human questions at its center. The work is ongoing, and the questions Jozranjbar is asking about trust, learning and what it means to think alongside machines are becoming increasingly relevant.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What does it mean to study the mind in the age of artificial intelligence? For the Department of Psychological Science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the answer <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/08\/ua-little-rock-debuts-first-ai-scholar-in-residence\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Debuts First AI Scholar-in-Residence<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2906,"featured_media":93906,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[35714,36004,25799,35323,2218],"class_list":["post-93905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-department-of-psychological-science","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 v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Debuts First AI Scholar-in-Residence - 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\/08\/ua-little-rock-debuts-first-ai-scholar-in-residence\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock Debuts First AI Scholar-in-Residence\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What does it mean to study the mind in the age of artificial intelligence? For the Department of Psychological Science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the answer ... UA Little Rock Debuts First AI Scholar-in-Residence\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/08\/ua-little-rock-debuts-first-ai-scholar-in-residence\/\" \/>\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=\"2026-04-08T13:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/04\/Jozranjbar.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=\"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=\"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\\\/08\\\/ua-little-rock-debuts-first-ai-scholar-in-residence\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/08\\\/ua-little-rock-debuts-first-ai-scholar-in-residence\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Samantha Koros\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4d2d71db64fc5dad90eaff1ce9387967\"},\"headline\":\"UA Little Rock Debuts First AI Scholar-in-Residence\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-08T13:00:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/08\\\/ua-little-rock-debuts-first-ai-scholar-in-residence\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":593,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/08\\\/ua-little-rock-debuts-first-ai-scholar-in-residence\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/Jozranjbar.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Artificial Intelligence\",\"Department of Psychological Science\",\"Donaghey College of STEM\",\"Leaders in the Classroom and Communities\",\"Student Success\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Community\",\"Featured\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/08\\\/ua-little-rock-debuts-first-ai-scholar-in-residence\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/08\\\/ua-little-rock-debuts-first-ai-scholar-in-residence\\\/\",\"name\":\"UA Little Rock Debuts First AI Scholar-in-Residence - 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Little Rock Receives Gift to Strengthen Long-Term Support for Planetarium"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The University of Arkansas at Little Rock continues to build momentum behind the future of its Shellam Flake Planetarium, with a new $50,000 gift supporting long-term sustainability efforts for the facility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The gift from Centennial Campaign co-chair Jerry Damerow and his wife, Sherri, supports the Shellam Flake Planetarium Endowment Fund in the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/cstem\/\">Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (DCSTEM)<\/a>, adding to ongoing investments in the planetarium\u2019s future.<\/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>\u201cI believe the planetarium and the Science Triangle project will help interest young people in science and attract them to the beautifully updated UA Little Rock campus,\u201d Damerow said. \u201cSTEM education is extremely important in our rapidly changing economy, and we will need more scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to power our Central Arkansas economy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Damerow, the planetarium is also about creating experiences that draw people to campus and spark interest in science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think the planetarium will be a magnet, attracting not only young people but also adults to campus. Getting people on campus is an important way of showcasing what the university has to offer and why it is so important to our community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their support adds to early efforts to ensure the planetarium\u2019s long-term success. Although not alumni, the Damerows said supporting UA Little Rock is an investment in the community they call home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is the community that I love and that has warmly welcomed us,\u201d he said. \u201cA strong university here will help attract the talent needed to build our future economy. Our state capital needs a great research university, and that is UA Little Rock. If those of us who love Arkansas do not participate in building this great state, it will not happen.\u201d<\/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 momentum behind the future of its Shellam Flake Planetarium, with a new $50,000 gift supporting long-term sustainability efforts for the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/08\/ua-little-rock-receives-gift-to-strengthen-long-term-support-for-planetarium\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Receives Gift to Strengthen Long-Term Support for Planetarium<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":93885,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1923,1925,1926],"tags":[25799,35789,35323,36040,2218],"class_list":["post-93884","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-culture","category-community","category-featured","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-jerry-damerow","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-planetarium","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Receives Gift to Strengthen Long-Term Support for 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\/08\/ua-little-rock-receives-gift-to-strengthen-long-term-support-for-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 Strengthen Long-Term Support for Planetarium\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The University of Arkansas at Little Rock continues to build momentum behind the future of its Shellam Flake Planetarium, with a new $50,000 gift supporting long-term sustainability efforts for the ... UA Little Rock Receives Gift to Strengthen Long-Term Support for Planetarium\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/08\/ua-little-rock-receives-gift-to-strengthen-long-term-support-for-planetarium\/\" \/>\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=\"2026-04-08T13:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/04\/Damerow-Family.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=\"UA Little Rock\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"UA Little Rock\" \/>\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\\\/08\\\/ua-little-rock-receives-gift-to-strengthen-long-term-support-for-planetarium\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/08\\\/ua-little-rock-receives-gift-to-strengthen-long-term-support-for-planetarium\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"UA Little Rock\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/841beab92c4de6b8988cb3708c29b192\"},\"headline\":\"UA Little Rock Receives Gift to Strengthen Long-Term Support for Planetarium\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-08T13:00:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/08\\\/ua-little-rock-receives-gift-to-strengthen-long-term-support-for-planetarium\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":339,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/08\\\/ua-little-rock-receives-gift-to-strengthen-long-term-support-for-planetarium\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/Damerow-Family.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Donaghey College of STEM\",\"Jerry Damerow\",\"Leaders in the Classroom and Communities\",\"Planetarium\",\"Student Success\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Arts &amp; Culture\",\"Community\",\"Featured\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/08\\\/ua-little-rock-receives-gift-to-strengthen-long-term-support-for-planetarium\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/08\\\/ua-little-rock-receives-gift-to-strengthen-long-term-support-for-planetarium\\\/\",\"name\":\"UA Little Rock Receives Gift to Strengthen Long-Term Support for Planetarium - 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Little Rock\u2019s Public Affairs Programs Ranked Among Nation\u2019s Best"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has once again earned national recognition for excellence in graduate education, with its public affairs programs ranked among the nation\u2019s best in the latest <em>U.S. News &amp; World Report Best Graduate Schools<\/em> rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UA Little Rock\u2019s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is ranked No. 107 in the nation for public affairs in the 2026 rankings. The recognition reflects the program\u2019s continued focus on preparing students to lead in public service and nonprofit sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UA Little Rock\u2019s public affairs programs, including the MPA, emphasize hands-on learning and applied research.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students gain real-world experience through community partnerships, internships, and applied projects that address challenges facing Arkansas and beyond. Graduates are equipped with the management, analytical, and leadership skills needed to serve in government agencies and nonprofit organizations at the local, state, and national levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBeing recognized by U.S. News &amp; World Report speaks to the strength and consistency of our programs,\u201d said Dr. Derek Slagle, director of the UA Little Rock School of Public Affairs. \u201cOur faculty and students are deeply engaged in work that matters\u2014from community partnerships to applied research\u2014and these rankings reflect that ongoing commitment to public service and leadership development.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Slagle noted that contributing factors to the rankings include continued growth in faculty and student publications, conference presentations, service, excellence in teaching recognized through accreditation, and strong community partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Graduates of UA Little Rock\u2019s public affairs programs go on to serve in a wide range of roles across government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community-based initiatives, helping drive meaningful change across Arkansas and beyond.Learn more about the MPA at UA Little Rock by visiting, <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/academics\/graduate\/public-administration\/\">https:\/\/ualr.edu\/academics\/graduate\/public-administration\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has once again earned national recognition for excellence in graduate education, with its public affairs programs ranked among the nation\u2019s best in the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/07\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock\u2019s Public Affairs Programs Ranked Among Nation\u2019s Best<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":93891,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[35323,2243,2218],"class_list":["post-93888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-master-of-public-administration","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock\u2019s Public Affairs Programs Ranked Among Nation\u2019s Best - 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\/07\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock\u2019s Public Affairs Programs Ranked Among Nation\u2019s Best\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has once again earned national recognition for excellence in graduate education, with its public affairs programs ranked among the nation\u2019s best in the ... UA Little Rock\u2019s Public Affairs Programs Ranked Among Nation\u2019s Best\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/07\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\/\" \/>\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=\"2026-04-07T13:50:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-07T13:53:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2026\/04\/Slagle.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=\"UA Little Rock\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"UA Little Rock\" \/>\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\\\/07\\\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/07\\\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"UA Little Rock\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/841beab92c4de6b8988cb3708c29b192\"},\"headline\":\"UA Little Rock\u2019s Public Affairs Programs Ranked Among Nation\u2019s Best\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-07T13:50:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-07T13:53:17+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/07\\\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":299,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/07\\\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/Slagle.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Leaders in the Classroom and Communities\",\"Master of Public Administration\",\"Student Success\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Community\",\"Featured\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/07\\\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/07\\\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\\\/\",\"name\":\"UA Little Rock\u2019s Public Affairs Programs Ranked Among Nation\u2019s Best - News - UA Little Rock\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/07\\\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/07\\\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/Slagle.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-07T13:50:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-07T13:53:17+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/07\\\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/07\\\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/07\\\/ua-little-rocks-public-affairs-programs-ranked-among-nations-best\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/Slagle.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ualr.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/240\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/Slagle.png\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":630,\"caption\":\"Dr. Derek Slagle, director of the UA Little Rock School of Public Affairs, speaks during an MPA Alumni Reunion at the Bailey Center. 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Eisenberg Foundation<\/a>, the Real Estate Challenge immerses students in real-world development scenarios. Teams research market conditions, community demographics, local history, and Chicago city policies to create viable project proposals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Representing UA Little Rock are Kodiak Cannedy, Brennan Gasaway, Isabel Hortelano, Ryan Hunt, and Ashley Lopez, led by instructor Elizabeth Small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their research includes studying the surrounding real estate market, learning an area\u2019s history, analyzing community demographics, and examining the Chicago City Council\u2019s positions on economic development. Teams also evaluate the financial aspects of their ideas by exploring financing options, projected returns, and potential partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through this process, students see how the fundamentals of successful development in Chicago apply anywhere. They also begin to understand how a concept can move from an idea to a real-world project, helping prepare them for future careers in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWatching students reach that realization is always one of the most rewarding parts of the experience,\u201d Small said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Real Estate Challenge will welcome 29 undergraduate and graduate teams from universities across the country to compete in a high-profile redevelopment project in Chicago\u2019s South Loop neighborhood. Each team is assigned the same project and core information, ensuring a level playing field to develop a comprehensive plan to maximize a property\u2019s potential from financial and feasibility perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The UA Little Rock team will present its analysis and recommendations to maximize the site\u2019s potential. A panel of industry leaders will judge the presentations and select the finalists and winners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Small has taken four teams to Chicago for the Eisenberg Challenge. In 2023, her team took first place, and the 2024 team finished second in the final round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are looking forward to this year\u2019s challenge, and the determination to do well is strong,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UA Little Rock business administration students will compete in the 16th Annual Real Estate Challenge in Chicago on April 11. Presented by the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation, the Real Estate <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/07\/ua-little-rock-students-to-compete-in-eisenberg-real-estate-challenge\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Students to Compete in Eisenberg Real Estate Challenge<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2392,"featured_media":93882,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[28370,21196,33989,35323,28141,2218],"class_list":["post-93881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-college-of-business-health-and-human-services","tag-elizabeth-small","tag-harold-e-eisenberg-foundations-annual-real-estate-challenge","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-real-estate-program","tag-student-success"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Students to Compete in Eisenberg Real Estate Challenge - 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\/07\/ua-little-rock-students-to-compete-in-eisenberg-real-estate-challenge\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock Students to Compete in Eisenberg Real Estate Challenge\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"UA Little Rock business administration students will compete in the 16th Annual Real Estate Challenge in Chicago on April 11. Presented by the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation, the Real Estate ... 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She earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in speech communications \u2014 a field far removed from the classroom \u2014 but life gradually pulled her in a different direction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the birth of her daughter, she took her first teaching position in kindergarten, a step that would ultimately reshape her path. She later returned to school to earn a master\u2019s degree in teaching and went on to teach sixth-grade literacy. It was there, in the quiet moments when students sought her out during lunch and recess to share their struggles, that it became clear her true calling extended beyond the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen I was teaching, I became more interested in the students\u2019 social well-being than academics,\u201d she said. \u201cIt became my passion to help them. Those moments made me realize how much they needed dedicated one-on-one support,\u201d she added. \u201cTime I often couldn\u2019t fully give in a classroom setting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That realization became the turning point. Wolfe earned a master\u2019s in counselor education from UA Little Rock, pursued additional coursework to qualify for licensure, and has been licensed by the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) since 2015. After three years as a K-12 school counselor, she joined Mainline Health Systems in 2023 as a behavioral health consultant for the Warren School-Based Clinic. That position brought her full circle back to the community where her story began, back home in Warren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The instinct to connect didn\u2019t fade when she left teaching; it deepened. Her years in the classroom gave her something most counselors don\u2019t have: an insider\u2019s understanding of what teachers face every day, allowing her to hold space for those demands while helping students process their experiences, reframe difficult situations and consider new perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wolfe credits her time at UA Little Rock with sharpening the skills that now define her work: flexibility, real-time responsiveness and the ability to collaborate within a school system. Among those who left a lasting mark was Dr. Dawn Harris, who has since passed away.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHer impact on my development as a counselor was profound, particularly in her group therapy course,\u201d Wolfe said. \u201cI vividly remember her sharing her experiences serving as a counselor with the Red Cross during 9\/11, which brought a powerful real-world perspective to her teaching.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To this day, Wolfe still uses a grief counseling handout Harris provided and continues to share it with others in her work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What makes the school-based clinic model so powerful, particularly in rural communities like Warren, is precisely what it eliminates: the barriers that have long kept mental health care out of reach for students who need it most. Transportation, cost and a shortage of local providers have historically made consistent care nearly impossible for families in underserved areas. By embedding services directly inside the school, that equation changes entirely. Support becomes part of the daily environment rather than something families have to seek out, schedule around or afford. For Wolfe, that physical presence also means something deeper, the ability to check in frequently, respond in real time and build the kind of trusting relationships that make meaningful progress possible. Without that access, many of the students she serves would go without mental health care altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Wolfe, the work is deeply personal and a way to give back to the community that shaped her. She measures success not only in clinical outcomes, but in quieter moments like a student gaining confidence, taking a small step forward or simply feeling safe enough to speak. Despite the emotional weight the work can carry, she remains hopeful about the future of mental health care in Arkansas, encouraged by a generation of young people more willing than ever to ask for help and support one another.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBeing part of that shift where mental health care is becoming more visible, accepted and accessible gives me a lot of hope for the future,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To students at UA Little Rock considering a similar path, her advice is direct, the same advice she gave her own daughter, who is currently enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health program at UA Little Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is an incredibly rewarding path, but self-care is essential,\u201d she said. \u201cThe work can be emotionally demanding, and prioritizing your own well-being is not a luxury \u2014 it is what sustains you and helps prevent burnout over the long term. Embrace every opportunity to connect with others, learn from mentors and gain hands-on experience. Seeing the difference you can make in students\u2019 lives and in your community is a powerful reminder of why this work matters.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shelly Wolfe, LPC, a native of Warren, Arkansas, did not initially set out to work in education or mental health care. She earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in speech communications \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/03\/ua-little-rock-alumna-expands-access-to-school-based-mental-health-in-rural-arkansas\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Alumna Expands Access to School-Based Mental Health in Rural Arkansas<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2906,"featured_media":93878,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[35323,36039,25167],"class_list":["post-93877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-school-of-counseling-human-performance-and-rehabilitation","tag-school-of-nursing"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Alumna Expands Access to School-Based Mental Health in Rural Arkansas - 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\/03\/ua-little-rock-alumna-expands-access-to-school-based-mental-health-in-rural-arkansas\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock Alumna Expands Access to School-Based Mental Health in Rural Arkansas\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Shelly Wolfe, LPC, a native of Warren, Arkansas, did not initially set out to work in education or mental health care. 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Little Rock Announces 2026 Faculty Excellence Award Winners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>UA Little Rock has announced the recipients of its 2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/facultyexcellence\/\">Faculty Excellence<\/a> Awards, recognizing outstanding faculty members for their contributions in teaching, research and creative works, public service, social justice, and rising faculty achievement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Selected from college-level honorees, this year\u2019s winners represent the highest level of achievement across the university. Winners are recognized for excellence in the classroom, advancing knowledge in their fields, and making meaningful contributions to communities across Arkansas and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UA Little Rock annually recognizes faculty who are making a difference through their work across these areas, with the Faculty Excellence Awards representing the highest honor the university bestows on its faculty. Each year, academic colleges and the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/law\/\">William H. Bowen School of Law<\/a> select top faculty members in each category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur faculty continue to demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to teaching, research, and service that strengthens both our university and the communities we serve,\u201d said Provost Ann Bain. \u201cThese awards reflect the depth of talent and dedication across our institution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each university-level award recipient receives a $5,000 prize, made possible through private support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/administration\/board-of-visitors-2\/\">UA Little Rock Board of Visitors<\/a> selects the university-wide winners from the college-level winners in each category.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI want to thank the Board of Visitors again for their thoughtful continued commitment to recognizing faculty excellence,\u201d Bain said. \u201cWe appreciate their dedication and the positive feedback they consistently share about the impact of our faculty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-teaching-award\"><strong>Teaching Award<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sponsored by the Bailey Foundation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Jana McAuliffe, associate professor of philosophy in the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/humaninquiry\/\">School of Human Inquiry<\/a> in the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/chasse\/\">College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education<\/a>, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>McAuliffe is recognized for her engaging, student-centered approach that encourages students to develop their own intellectual voice while exploring complex philosophical ideas. She teaches across the philosophy and interdisciplinary studies curriculum, including the University Core and the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/donagheyscholars\/\">Donaghey Scholars Honors Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the classroom, McAuliffe emphasizes critical discussion, collaborative exploration, and writing for diverse audiences. Her assignments challenge students to translate complex philosophical concepts into accessible formats, helping them communicate ideas beyond academic settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She is also deeply committed to mentoring undergraduate research, supporting independent student projects, helping students secure Signature Experience grants, and guiding them as they present their work at academic conferences. Her impact extends beyond campus through her work as co-director of the Arkansas High School Ethics Bowl and as project director of the UA Little Rock Ethics and Philosophy Summer Academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPhilosophy as a discipline is well-known for not offering one \u2018right\u2019 answer,\u201d McAuliffe said. \u201cI work hard to help my students feel comfortable enough with that to craft their right answer, and to share that with each other and with the broader world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-research-and-creative-works-award\"><strong>Research and Creative Works Award<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sponsored by Jafaar Golzar&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Nitin Agarwal, the Jerry L. Maulden-Entergy Endowed Chair and Donaghey Distinguished Professor of <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/informationscience\/\">Information Science<\/a> in the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/cstem\/\">Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics<\/a>, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Faculty Excellence Award in Research and Creative Works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Agarwal is internationally recognized for his research in social computing, artificial intelligence, and cognitive security. Since joining UA Little Rock in 2009, he has built an interdisciplinary research program that examines how information spreads across online networks and how digital influence campaigns shape public perception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He founded the Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies (COSMOS), an interdisciplinary research center dedicated to understanding evolving social and cyber behaviors on modern information platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cUnderstanding how digital information ecosystems influence society is one of the defining challenges of our time,\u201d Agarwal said. \u201cI\u2019m fortunate to work alongside talented students and colleagues who are committed to advancing knowledge and developing solutions that strengthen communities and institutions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the past five years, Agarwal has secured more than $60 million in federal funding, including grants from the National Science Foundation, DARPA, and the U.S. Department of Defense, with nearly $30 million directly supporting UA Little Rock research initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His collaborations span more than 200 researchers across 130 academic, government, and industry organizations worldwide. His work includes 12 books and more than 400 articles in top-tier journals and conferences, earning 26 best paper awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Agarwal\u2019s research has also produced widely used tools for analyzing digital information ecosystems, including systems designed to identify adversarial influence campaigns and online scams. These tools are used by organizations such as NATO, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the World Health Organization. He has also been nominated to serve on the Arkansas AI task force established by Governor Sarah Sanders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-public-service-award\"><strong>Public Service Award<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sponsored by Alfred Williams in Honor of Elaine Eubank<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. April Chatham-Carpenter, professor and chairperson of the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/appliedcomm\/\">Department of Applied Communication<\/a> in the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Faculty Excellence Award in Public Service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chatham-Carpenter is recognized for applying her expertise in communication to strengthen civic dialogue and democratic engagement at the local, state, and national levels. Her work includes co-hosting the public affairs podcast <em>On the Other Hand<\/em>, which features conversations with leaders and community members about issues shaping Arkansas and the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She also serves in leadership roles with Braver Angels, a national grassroots organization focused on reducing political polarization. In that role, she facilitates workshops, contributes to statewide and national initiatives, and supports community leaders working to bridge political divides and foster more constructive dialogue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chatham-Carpenter brings that work back to campus and into the community through courses, trainings, and public programs that help students, faculty, and community partners navigate conflict and engage across differences. Her outreach includes workshops with organizations such as the City of Little Rock and the Arkansas Department of Transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cService allows us to translate what we study in the classroom into real-world impact,\u201d Chatham-Carpenter said. \u201cBy helping people develop the skills to engage across differences, we can contribute to healthier communities and stronger civic dialogue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-social-justice-award\"><strong>Social Justice Award<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sponsored by Scott and Amy Schuh, Katherine Shoulders and an Anonymous Donor\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Professor Suzanne Penn, supervising attorney and assistant clinical professor of legal education at the William H. Bowen School of Law, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Faculty Excellence Award in Social Justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Penn is recognized for her decades of work expanding access to justice for underserved Arkansans through clinical legal education and community advocacy. She directs the Delta Divorce Clinic, which provides free legal assistance to individuals seeking divorces in counties across the Arkansas Delta where access to legal services is limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The clinic travels to rural communities to assist individuals who might otherwise be unable to afford legal representation or travel long distances to seek help. Through this work, Penn has helped expand access to critical legal services while addressing barriers faced by individuals in underserved regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time, the clinic provides law students with hands-on experience working with real clients and navigating complex legal processes. The program has assisted hundreds of Arkansans facing challenging circumstances\u2014including individuals experiencing domestic violence or financial hardship\u2014while preparing students for client-centered legal practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAccess to justice is a fundamental principle of our legal system,\u201d Penn said. \u201cThe Delta Divorce Clinic provides meaningful opportunities for students to serve their communities while helping individuals navigate difficult legal situations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-rising-faculty-award\"><strong>Rising Faculty Award<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sponsored by Scott Bowen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Kent Kovacs, associate professor in the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/business\/department-aef\/\">Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance<\/a> in the <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/cbhhs\/\">College of Business, Health, and Human Services<\/a>, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Rising Faculty Award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kovacs is recognized for his strong early impact in research, teaching, and service since joining UA Little Rock in 2024. His work focuses on environmental and resource economics, with particular emphasis on groundwater sustainability, agricultural resilience, and ecosystem services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He has maintained an active research agenda, publishing in academic journals and securing external funding, including a National Science Foundation award as principal investigator and support from the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. His research examines the economic incentives shaping producer and household decision-making, with issues directly relevant to Arkansas and the broader Mississippi Delta region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the classroom, Kovacs teaches courses including Macroeconomic Principles, Quantitative Business Analysis, and Environmental Economics, where he connects theory to real-world policy problems through active learning, data-driven exercises, and applied case studies. He has also supported student research and helped revive Environmental Economics as an upper-level elective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEconomics offers powerful tools for understanding and addressing complex environmental and policy challenges,\u201d Kovacs said. \u201cI\u2019m grateful for the opportunity to bring that work into the classroom and to build research and teaching connections that strengthen UA Little Rock\u2019s impact.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UA Little Rock has announced the recipients of its 2026 Faculty Excellence Awards, recognizing outstanding faculty members for their contributions in teaching, research and creative works, public service, social justice, <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/03\/ua-little-rock-announces-2026-faculty-excellence-award-winners\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  UA Little Rock Announces 2026 Faculty Excellence Award Winners<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":93875,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[3449,2624,4133,28370,28389,25799,3428,147,35323,2687,33843,535],"class_list":["post-93874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","tag-accounting","tag-applied-communication","tag-april-chatham-carpenter","tag-college-of-business-health-and-human-services","tag-college-of-humanities-arts-social-sciences-and-education-chasse","tag-donaghey-college-of-stem","tag-faculty-excellence","tag-information-science","tag-leaders-in-the-classroom-and-communities","tag-nitin-agarwal","tag-school-of-human-inquiry","tag-william-h-bowen-school-of-law"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UA Little Rock Announces 2026 Faculty Excellence Award Winners - 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\/03\/ua-little-rock-announces-2026-faculty-excellence-award-winners\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UA Little Rock Announces 2026 Faculty Excellence Award Winners\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"UA Little Rock has announced the recipients of its 2026 Faculty Excellence Awards, recognizing outstanding faculty members for their contributions in teaching, research and creative works, public service, social justice, ... 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UA Little Rock to The New York Times: How Erica Sweeney Built a National Writing Career"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There\u2019s no secret handshake or code word to break into your dream career, just persistence, hard work, and a commitment to doing the job well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For UA Little Rock alumna Erica Sweeney, that mindset has led to a prolific writing career with bylines in <em>The New York Times<\/em>, <em>The Washington Post<\/em>, <em>TIME<\/em>, <em>Business Insider<\/em>, and many more national publications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But her path to journalism was not always clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve enjoyed reading and writing ever since I can remember,\u201d Sweeney said. \u201cIn high school, I started considering writing as a career, but I didn\u2019t get any encouragement until I got to UA Little Rock.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was in a freshman writing class that someone first recognized her talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe first person to ever tell me I was a good writer was my instructor,\u201d she said. \u201cThat stuck with me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Later, a conversation with her father pointed her toward journalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI remember looking through the old paper course catalog with my dad,\u201d she said. \u201cHe saw the journalism major and said, \u2018You could work at the newspaper.\u2019 I thought it sounded like a cool job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That decision set her on a new path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sweeney began her college career undecided, but once she entered the journalism program, she found her footing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI started really learning the craft once I got into the journalism program,\u201d she said. \u201cI wrote for <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/forum\/\">The Forum<\/a>, UA Little Rock\u2019s student newspaper, and seeing my byline in print for the first time was so exciting. It still is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She points to former professors Sonny Rhodes, Bruce Plopper, and Frank Fellone as key influences during her time at UA Little Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a feature writing class, she developed a strong foundation in storytelling, learning how to structure stories, craft strong ledes, and use quotes effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her coursework also emphasized research and critical thinking. One exercise, known as \u201ccosmic questions,\u201d encouraged deeper inquiry and is something she still uses today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a news writing class, she grew more confident as a reporter and pushed past her natural shyness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat class really forced me to move past that and develop a thick skin,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That resilience has served her well in a competitive industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s always great to see a UA Little Rock journalism student succeed, especially as a freelancer,\u201d Fellone said. \u201cIt\u2019s a tough business, and Erica\u2019s list of publications is impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, Sweeney\u2019s work appears in some of the most recognizable publications in the country, like <em>The New York Times<\/em>, <em>The Washington Post<\/em>, and <em>TIME<\/em>, but breaking into those outlets took time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople think there\u2019s a secret handshake,\u201d she said. \u201cBut it\u2019s really just about pitching ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For years, she pitched story ideas to editors, often facing rejection, but she kept going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2019, she finally broke into <em>The New York Times<\/em> and has been writing for the publication ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI just kept pitching,\u201d she said. \u201cOnce I got my foot in the door, I focused on doing a really good job and building relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That focus paid off. Today, she has regular bylines in <em>The New York Times<\/em> and contributes to about a dozen other publications, many of which she has worked with for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA lot of my work now comes from editors reaching out to me,\u201d she said. \u201cI try to make their lives easier by filing on time, sending clean copy, and pitching strong ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sweeney always wanted to write about health and wellness, but she didn\u2019t start there. When she began freelancing in 2016, she pitched whatever ideas she could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her entry into health journalism came in 2018 after connecting with an editor at HuffPost, where she began writing about food, nutrition, and trends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat helped me build clips in health and wellness,\u201d she said. \u201cI still write for that editor today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, much of her work focuses on health, healthcare, and wellness, along with business and lifestyle topics. Her stories often explore emerging trends, new research, and timely issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI love learning new things or finding different angles on familiar topics,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That curiosity has been one of her biggest influences as a writer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI read a lot, including books, magazines, and newspapers. I listen to public radio and watch documentaries,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen I read, I pay attention to structure and word choice. It makes you a better writer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As her career has evolved, so has her freelancing approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest lessons she has learned is the importance of building strong relationships with editors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t realize early on how important that was,\u201d she said. \u201cNow it\u2019s a huge part of my work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She has also embraced new challenges, including fast-paced, deadline-driven assignments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI used to be afraid of quick turnaround work,\u201d she said. \u201cNow I actually enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For students interested in journalism or freelance writing, Sweeney emphasizes persistence, along with the ability to develop strong ideas, meet deadlines, and find reliable sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She also encourages students to think beyond writing and develop business skills, especially if they plan to freelance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou have to manage everything yourself, including your schedule, your income, and your marketing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her most important advice is to keep writing and not let rejection define your path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cKeep writing. Get published wherever you can. Learn how to pitch,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd don\u2019t be afraid. You\u2019ll get rejected. I still do. You just have to move on.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There\u2019s no secret handshake or code word to break into your dream career, just persistence, hard work, and a commitment to doing the job well. For UA Little Rock alumna <a href=\"https:\/\/ualr.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/03\/from-ua-little-rock-to-the-new-york-times-how-erica-sweeney-built-a-national-writing-career\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  From UA Little Rock to The New York Times: How Erica Sweeney Built a National Writing Career<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2036,"featured_media":93873,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1925,1926],"tags":[35323,171,2218],"class_list":["post-93870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","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 v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>From UA Little Rock to The New York Times: How Erica Sweeney Built a National Writing 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\/04\/03\/from-ua-little-rock-to-the-new-york-times-how-erica-sweeney-built-a-national-writing-career\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From UA Little Rock to The New York Times: How Erica Sweeney Built a National Writing Career\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There\u2019s no secret handshake or code word to break into your dream career, just persistence, hard work, and a commitment to doing the job well. 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