Three UALR students join the Institute team as summer interns, bringing their valuable ideas and projects as we work to make Arkansas the best state in the country for promoting and celebrating racial and ethnic diversity.
“There’s no other place on campus where I can feel more connected…”
Michael Stefans | Junior | Media Production and Design
Michael Stefans is a web developer/designer, videographer, and writer currently working at the Institute on Race and Ethnicity. He studies Media Production, Design, and minors in Information Technology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Michael serves a comprehensive role at the Institute in utilizing his skills for the upcoming Arkansas Civil Rights History Tour App.
Why are you working for the Institute?
“There’s no other place on campus where I can feel more connected to those special individuals who gave me the freedoms I cherish today.”
“At the Institute, I learn to communicate with the public and be more active in community outreach efforts…”
Natalie Richie | Junior | Graphic Design
Natalie Richie is a Graphic Design major in the UALR Department of Art. She started as an intern at the Institute in the fall of 2013 and continued to work with the Institute as a volunteer at the conclusion of her internship. Richie landed the Communications Assistant position in May 2014. She writes articles, designs graphics, conducts research, and posts content to the Institute’s main website and its Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage website at arkansascivilrightsheritage.org. Richie is an avid volunteer, lending her help to a number of nonprofits in the area. She is also a freelance artist who works in a variety of different mediums.
Why are you working for the Institute?
“The Institute allows me to communicate with the public and be active in community outreach efforts. Also, some of the most vital information is found in the past and used to impact the future.”
“Being the curious person that I am, I want to know how I can bring the students of different races and ethnicities on UALR’s campus together…”
Calton Davis | Junior | Management Information Systems
Calton Davis, a college junior majoring in Management Information Systems is involved in many organizations geared toward leading and servicing the community. He says, “A leader hasn’t fulfilled his duties if he is successful but the community around him is struggling. A leader who can unite a community towards success is a true leader, someone who has done their job well above the average.”
Why are you working for the Institute?
“I like being part of something that is bigger than me and having the chance to affect others’ lives in a positive way. Through many hours serving the community, I believe that the Institute is a cornerstone of the successful diversity on UALR’s campus.”
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The Institute on Race and Ethnicity at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock was founded in July 2011. With a vision to make Arkansas the best state in the country for promoting and celebrating racial and ethnic diversity, the Institute conducts research, promotes scholarship and provides programs that address racial inequities. It does so by facilitating open and honest dialogue aimed at empowering communities and informing public policy to achieve more equitable outcomes.
