ARKANSAS
Summer 2021 For members of the Arkansas Alumni Association Inc. For members of the Arkansas Alumni Association Inc.
Summer 2021 Vol. 70, No. 4
Photo by Russell Cothern
arkansas
SUMMER / Vol 70, No. 4
For members of the Arkansas Alumni Association Inc.
5 M aking a Difference
An alumnus’ gift offers a chance to improve enrollment, retention and graduate representation among students of underrepresented populations.
10 T railblazers and Historic Firsts
The Portraits of Progress highlight Henry Tsai, Yassaman Mirdamadi, John Berry, Kim Needy and Luis Fernando Restrepo.
24 In the Teeth of an Arctic Fox
Professor Peter Ungar analyzes tooth wear of Arctic foxes to help understand how varying climate conditions affect their diet.
2 Campus View 4 Campus 44 Alumni 54 Yesteryear 56 Senior Walk 64 Last Look On the cover: Carnall Hall, the first residence hall for women on campus, is viewed from the rooftop of Old Main. (UA Picture Collection 1135)
LATE NOTE: Chancellor Joe Steinmetz announced his resignation as this issue was going to the printer. For updated information, visit chancellor.uark.edu. SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 1
ARKANSAS Publisher Arkansas Alumni Association
Executive Director Brandy Cox Jackson ✪ M.A.’07 Editor Charlie Alison ★ B.A.’82, M.A.’04 Associate Editor Catherine Baltz ✪+ B.S.’92, M.Ed.’07 Creative Director Eric Pipkin Photo Editor Russell Cothren ✪ Photographers Chieko Hara Whit Pruitt ★ B.A.’17 Writers & Contributors Amy Unruh DeLani Bartlette, B.A.’06 M.A.’08 Jane Blunschi, M.F.A.’16 Nick DeMoss B.A.’11 Robby Edwards Travis Hefley Jennifer Holland ★ M.E.D.’08 Shannon Magsam Amy Marcella Shell Matt McGowan Faith Mills John Post John F. Thomas
Campus View
Indigenous Employee Impact Group
MEMBERSHIP SYMBOLS ✩ Student Member; ★ Member; ★+ Member, A+; ✪ Life Member; ✪+ Life Member, A+
We Have Always Been Here
The University of Arkansas has a unique opportunity to serve its Native American population and acknowledge its rich Native American history. When you visit Fayetteville, you are on Indigenous lands. We have always been here. You see the evidence in the names etched in the sidewalk in front of Old Main from our first graduates, including Alice Polson, class of 1888. You see evidence of our presence in the Sarah Bird Northrup Ridge House off the Fayetteville square (pictured above.) It is the oldest house still standing in Fayetteville — home to the Ridge family, prominent Cherokee Nation citizens. Their involvement in the founding of the Female Seminary on the square in 1839 was instrumental in bringing higher education to Fayetteville and paved the way for the founding of the University of Arkansas. Every time you see the Razorback logo, you are looking at Indigenous art. Doy Hancock, a Choctaw Nation citizen, designed the running Razorback logo over a period of years as a U of A student in the early 1920s. The
university’s southern boundary, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, marks the route used for the death march known as the Trail of Tears, as Cherokees were forcibly relocated to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. The university is an Indigenous space, though we are not always seen and heard as contemporary peoples. We are living in, working in and creating Indigenous history. We are the people who first occupied these lands we now call the United States of America. We were the first occupants of this land we call Arkansas. And we were the first people who lived in, built and loved Fayetteville for the amazing community it is. This is the ancestral land of the Osage Nation, who lived here on and with the land before they were forced out. Before them were others, who left behind reminders of their lives of dignity, invention and adaptation. The U of A exists where it does because of acts of genocide, forced land cession and the theft of Indigenous land. The university is one of 52 land-grant institutions, established through the (Continued on page 2)
2 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor are accepted and encouraged. Send letters for publication to Arkansas Magazine, Office of University R elations, 200 Davis Hall, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and may be edited for length. Typewritten letters are preferred. Anonymous letters will not be published. Submission does not guarantee publication. Arkansas, E xc l u s i ve l y fo r M e m b e r s of the Arkansas Alumni Association, Inc. (ISSN 1064-8100) (USPS 009-515) is published quarterly by the Arkansas Alumni Association, Inc. at 491 North Razorback Road, Fayetteville, AR 72701. Annual membership dues are now $55 per household and a portion is allocated for a subscription to Arkansas. Single copies are $6. Editing and production are provided through the UA Office of University Relations. Direct inquiries and information to P.O. Box 1070, Fayetteville, AR 72702-1070, phone (479) 575-2801, fax (479) 575-5177. Periodical postage paid at Fayetteville, AR, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to P.O. Box 1070, Fayetteville, AR 72702-1070. ARKANSAS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Mission Statement The Arkansas Alumni Association connects and serves the University of Arkansas Family. Vision Statement The Arkansas Alumni Association will be nationally recognized as a model alumni relations program. Value Statement The Arkansas Alumni Association values: • service • excellence • collaboration • relationships • diversity • learning • creativity Arkansas Spring 21-050 All photos by University Relations unless otherwise noted. Cover photo: Special Collections Please recycle this magazine or share it with a friend.
HOW MUCH DO WE LOVE ARKANSAS? We’d grow real snouts if we could.
Proud to be your community bank. Call on our team today!
Member FDIC
Planning Your Best Retirement
Apartments
Village Homes
Cottages
Butterfield Trail Village offers more options that come standard, more activities and amenities at your fingertips, and more choices than any other active senior living community in the area – all in a beautifully maintained neighborhood setting. Planning for a move to the perfect retirement community doesn’t happen overnight, but as a Carriage Club member, you’ll get to enjoy a range of premier amenities – before you move in!
Call to schedule your private consultation and tour today.
CARRIAGE CLUB
1923 E. Joyce Blvd. | Fayetteville, Ark. | 479.695.8011 | butterfieldtrailvillage.org SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 3
Campus View
(Campus View continued from page 2)
Morrill Act of 1862, across the land currently called the United States. The United States government, through force or coercion, seized Indigenous lands throughout the western United States and sold them for money or scrip, which was in turn used to purchase the land to establish and endow land-grant institutions. Through the Morrill Act, our university was founded from the seizure and sale of lands of more than 140 tribal nations. As a land-grant university, we have a responsibility to honor the history of Indigenous people and the descendants of those whose inequity has allowed our university to exist. We, the Native American faculty and staff of the U of A, are proud to serve the people of Arkansas and the world. We are engaged in the collective mission to bring prosperity to all Arkansans through education in the arts, sciences, technologies, law and business. Our first priority is always our students. We are making progress toward providing a more supportive environment for Indigenous students. We envision a future where Native students are recognized and celebrated on campus to the fullest capacity. Because the university sits on Indigenous land benefiting from an endowment established through the sale of Indigenous land, we envision some of this space specifically being designated for use by Native students, faculty and staff to gather and celebrate our heritage, culture and resilience. We envision a university
op to bottom, faculty members and T authors Carly Hotvedt, Colleen Thurston, Sean Teuton, Michelle Evans-White, Toni Jensen, Marty Matlock and Summer Wilkie ★ B.S.C.E.’12. Photos University Relations and submitted
4 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
where Native voices are prioritized in conversations, issues and research that involve our people. We believe that strong partnerships with Indigenous Nations, including those Native to the land now known as Arkansas and those bordering the state: the Quapaw, Osage, Caddo, Cherokee, Muscogee Creek and Choctaw nations, will strengthen our university community. In the near future, Tsalagi (Cherokee) language classes will be taught at the U of A. These types of partnerships can only strengthen our abilities to address the challenges we face today and those that will come tomorrow. As Indigenous people and as stewards of the land, we have unique perspectives to contribute to the university’s continuance. To our Native alumni from the U of A, know that Native American faculty and staff members of the University of Arkansas are committed to making our voices heard and increasing our presence on campus and throughout Arkansas. We invite our Razorback alumni family from Native American communities to unite with us in this important work. A Native American Alumni Society is one step toward our goals for increasing our recognition and support and strengthening our community. For our Indigenous community and allies interested in growing, please contact Angela Mosley Monts ✪ B.A.’80 at ammonts@uark.edu and indicate your interest in the formation of a Native American Alumni Society. Together we are stronger, and we can build a better University of Arkansas for the next generations. We were here. We are here. We will be here tomorrow.
Campus
mural in Fayetteville, “No Justice, No Peace,” was painted by Sharon Killian, Octavio Logo, Jody Travis Thompson M.F.A.’19, A Hannah Newsom Doyle, Morgan Bame and Joëlle Storet B.A.’10.
Making a Difference
Medlock and Heffington Heed Call to Establish Fund in Memory of George Floyd The death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests during summer of 2020 impacted a great number of people including alumnus Rickey Medlock ✪ B.S.Ph.’78. As a donor to the U of A, Medlock is no stranger to supporting causes. While watching the funeral for George Floyd, he took the inspiring words from the president of North Central University, Scott Hagan, to heart — a challenge for every
university and college in the United States to start a fund in honor or in memory of George Floyd. That call to action was the catalyst for Medlock and his husband, Scott Heffington, to spring into action. They pledged $15,000 to create the George Floyd Memorial Scholarship, which seeks to improve enrollment, retention and graduate representation of students of underrepresented populations at the university. The SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 5
Campus
eorge Floyd is depicted G in a mural at a business in Fayetteville, painted by Octavio Logo, who had also painted portraits of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Photos by Charlie Alison
6 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
ultimate goal is to fully endow the scholarship at the $50,000 level, so additional donations are being accepted towards the fund. The following interview is a conversation with Medlock, Heffington and Synetra Hughes ✪ B.S.B.A.’04, Ed.D.’12, the president-elect of the Black Alumni Society, who wanted to learn more about their generous gift and how it will fund and support future generations of Black and/or underrepresented students at the U of A. The interview transcript has been edited and condensed. Synetra Hughes: So tell me a little bit about yourselves. How did you become affiliated with the university? Rickey Medlock: I am an alumnus of the university. I played basketball for the Razorbacks from 1971 to 1975, so part of my background had led to us wanting to
do this. Scott and I have been together for 27, going on 28, years. We are married. Scott is from … Scott Heffington: Yeah, I’m actually not an alumnus of the university, but I did graduate from the University of Central Arkansas. And so when Rickey and I got together, we started attending a lot of the games, and I’ve really become more involved with the university. Rickey: I came from a rural area in Arkansas, a little town of 540 people called Cave City, and it was all white. So I went to the University of Arkansas and had kind of an eye-opening experience playing for the Razorbacks, traveling around the country. And probably the best thing that ever happened to me. Synetra: What inspired you and led you two to create this endowment? Rickey: We were watching the funeral
services of Floyd. And Dr. Scott Hagan spoke at the funeral. And he challenged every university and college in the United States to start a fund in honor or in memory of George Floyd, and that’s what triggered it for me. Playing basketball at the University of Arkansas, I was there during the early times when some of the first African American student athletes were there. I mean, John Richardson, one of the first ones on the football team, was there when I was there. So our team was predominantly white. And then as the years went along, we got more and more Black and African Americans. I had one incident in particular that I’ve carried with me for years. Charles Terry B.S.E.’77, he was on the basketball team. I had just finished as a senior, and we went to a benefit basketball game [in another Arkansas town], and afterwards we did a benefit and talked to people. And we went to a restaurant where we were treated very, very poorly. Charles had soap put in his drink. ’74, ’75, that’s when this incident happened. But that has stuck with me. And just over the years, I’ve tried to educate myself, again, coming from a community that was all white. And it has just been a challenge for me to try to learn more and more and more and understand what has happened over the years. Scott: I think, well, for me, I think the day that we were watching the service and, I mean, Rickey and I both just almost at the same time looked at each other and said, we need to do something. And I was thinking earlier about this. I grew up in Conway, in a house where color was just never really an issue. My mother never thought or said anything that was derogatory. But then society kicks in, and you go to public schools and you hear things and see things and you start to realize that not everyone thinks that way. And then of course, growing up, for me, knowing that I was different by being gay, you do start feeling like some of that discrimination kicks in. I know it’s different, but you do feel like people are talking about you or saying things. And so I think when we were watching the service that day, it was just like this is something that we needed to address and if two white gay guys starting an endowment can make a difference for someone, even if it’s one person, that’s worth it. Synetra: What would you like to see happen with this scholarship for the students that you’re going to impact here at the University of Arkansas? Rickey: Probably one of the biggest problems I have right now is only about 4.5% of the student body is Black or African American. And that, to me, is unacceptable. The University of Arkansas is in a part of the state, also, that is very limited, to me, in the African American
community in Arkansas. So I think it’s difficult to recruit students. And we have to seek out education as Caucasians. I mean, you just can’t let somebody talk to you and tell you, “This is the way it is.” We’ve got to want to learn. I’ve met Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and actually visited with him. And one of the things he said was, try to find somebody that doesn’t look like you and sit down and talk with them, get to know them. And I think if we can do that, and somebody sees us as a little bit different, we’ve got [a chance] to change the culture. We’ve got to change everything where people can come in and want to understand more about African Americans. Synetra: What piece of advice would you give for someone who wants to be an ally? You know, someone who isn’t quite sure how to get started or what to do. You just jumped in headfirst and you did it, and you made a huge splash. So what type of advice would you give for someone else who’s just trying to figure out what they can do? Rickey: I mean, I think we have a responsibility to ourselves. We started this. We now have to go out and we’ve got to convince other people to do it just like what you asked. I mean, I will have to say we are going to have some issues with this with some of our friends. But we’ve got to stand up, and we’ve got to go out, and we’ve got to convince people that times have to change. We’re all created equal. We’ve got to get to the point that we tell people: look at that person like yourself. You can’t look at that person as different because of skin, race, gender — it doesn’t matter. You’ve got to look at everybody as equal, and we’ve got to convince everybody of that. Scott: But telling people how to make an impact and how to help, it doesn’t have to be someone setting up a scholarship fund. If someone wants to make a difference, they can make a difference without it being a monetary contribution. Just getting out there and, like Rickey said, understand how others are impacted. You can make a difference and make an impact by just your actions and getting involved with organizations that have nothing to do with monetary contributions. And I think the more you do that, the more you can understand and empathize and become an ally.
To make a gift, contact Victor Wilson, senior director of priority initiatives and development, at (479) 575-4411 or vawilson@uark.edu.
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 7
Campus
Determined to Help
Toolkit to Help College Students Solve Pandemic Problems BY SHANNON MAGSAM
ir Force Sgt. Dallion A Richards, a public health major, and his wife, Cassie. Photo Submitted
8 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
Dallion Richards, an Air Force sergeant and public health major at the U of A, is helping develop a toolkit focused on reducing the spread of COVID-19 on college campuses. The American College Health Association is working with the Centers for Disease Control on the COVID-19 initiative, which will activate college students to help solve problems associated with the pandemic. Richards started working on the toolkit in March with a small group of students spread across the nation. The toolkit will be shared with designated “ambassadors” among college faculty, staff and students with the goal of educating people about the COVID-19 vaccine and to help increase the use of masks, handwashing and physical distancing. Richards, who has three sons with his wife, Cassie, said he looks forward to seeing how a national health agency functions. “I know it’s going to be a formative experience that will help me build valuable skills,” he said. He’s also excited about the opportunity to influence perception among college
students about the pandemic and vaccinations. “There’s a fair amount of confusion, blatant disregard and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 within the young adult community,” he said. “I believe the campus-toolkit working group will be important for providing evidence-based information and clear action items to college students across the nation.” Richards plans to remain in the Air Force after he graduates from the U of A in December 2021. After retiring from the military, he’ll seek a research-focused position within the health sciences. He also wants to earn a master’s degree and a doctorate in a specialized field. Biology and neuroscience are particularly intriguing, he said. Dr. M.A. Wyandt-Hiebert Ph.D.’03, director of the U of A Campus Sexual and Relationship Violence Center and a public health professor, shared the opportunity with Richards and his classmates. She said the American College Health Association shaped her career path as an undergraduate student. She’s now a Fellow in the organization. “ACHA is an incredible organization. I have had the opportunity to serve with so many amazing college health professionals,” she said. “I am so happy for Dallion to have this opportunity. What incredible connections will be made and what a great chance to put all that he has learned to date into action while engaging and learning from some of the country’s best college health professionals.”
Poetry in Notion
McKean Memorial Award Goes To Charlotte Edsall for Her Poetry BY JANE BLUNSCHI. M.F.A.’16
This past spring, the Program in Creative Writing and Translation presented the undergraduate Felix Christopher McKean Memorial Award to Charlotte Edsall, an English major with a concentration in creative writing in the Department of English. Edsall’s poem “Dead Girls” will be published in Issue 3 of The Diamond Line, the U of A’s undergraduate literary magazine. “I had been reading a lot of folklore and fairytales and got really stuck on the concept of the limited agency experienced by the feminine characters in those tales,” Edsall said, describing the process and inspiration for her poem. “I felt that their lack of agency was often romanticized. Upon reflection, I found that that romanticized view could be found throughout fiction and, unfortunately, in depictions of the real-life disempowering or painful experiences of women too. The poem is quite cynical in tone — I think the piece is a distillation of my frustration with the concept of beautifying women’s pain to make it more palatable.” The award was founded in 1945 to honor the memory of McKean, an Arkansas native of Lockesburg who, while studying foreign languages, business and mathematics at the U of A, discovered a passion for writing poetry. After McKean was killed in the line of duty during World
War II, his mother established the award with funds from his servicemembers’ life insurance, stipulating that it be granted to students as a literary award for poetry.
Charlotte Edsall Photo Submitted
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 9
Feature
Leading Change at the U of A Historic Firsts, Trailblazers and Pioneers BY JOHN POST
One hundred and fifty years of trailblazers. 150 years of challenges. 150 years of dreams achieved. 150 years of progress. As the university celebrates its sesquicentennial, members of the campus also celebrate the many figures in our history who developed a sense of belonging within the university community and created a more diverse, equitable and inclusive campus. During this historic year, each issue of the magazine will offer up several stories of these pivotal figures in our university’s history. They range from the son of former slaves to recent immigrants, from research scientists to teachers and scholars, from programs that help low-income youth with disabilities to those that celebrate the academic achievements of LGBTQ+ students.
10 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
“Through the Portraits of Progress, we wanted to tell the story of our university by featuring the people who made our university a more diverse, equitable and inclusive place, while also being honest about the hardships they faced along the way,” said Yvette MurphyErby, vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion and co-chair of the sesquicentennial inclusion working group, which helped develop the stories. “We want our sesquicentennial celebrations to be as inclusive as possible, and will continue adding portraits throughout the year that represent the diversity of our campus population.” In addition to the portraits offered here in each issue, more are being added to an online site each month at portraitsofprogress.uark.edu.
Shih-Shan ‘Henry’ Tsai
Creating a Better Understanding of Asian Culture BY JOHN POST
In his 37-year career at the University of Arkansas, Shih-Shan “Henry” Tsai worked to create a better understanding of Asian culture in a region that had traditionally been geographically and culturally isolated. Tsai first came to the U of A in 1971 with the simple goal of promoting Asian studies at the university. “Vis-a-vis Harvard and Stanford and other prestigious schools, we didn’t have any Asian studies at all,” Tsai said. “I knew there was a lack of Asian studies and a lack of understanding around Asia here.” Tsai sought to change that. Originally from Taiwan, he followed the trend of many other Asian scholars — emigrating to the United States to study, graduating from the University of Oregon with a doctorate in history — then starting at the U of A. He reckoned he was the first Asian historian on campus. But Tsai did not relegate himself strictly to teaching. In the mid-1990s, he earned a $250,000 grant to offer summer school workshops for high school and junior high teachers around the state to create lesson plans around Asian topics. The results were 75 plans that he disseminated to the teachers to help them in their classrooms and to teach whenever possible. “I took some time to visit these schools to see how they taught Asian culture,” Tsai said. “It was amazing what
they were doing.” Tsai also negotiated a book exchange between University Libraries and Asian universities that exchanged excess copies of books with identical copies in their languages and arranged a visit for then-Chancellor Daniel Ferritor to visit alumni scattered across Asian countries. Tsai also authored 12 books, most notably Perpetual Happiness: The Ming Emperor Yongle, a finalist for the Kiriyama Prize and nominee for the National Book Award. He also provided expertise and consultation to regional Fortune 500 companies that sought to expand into Asian markets. In 1983, Tsai was named director of Asian studies on campus, a position he held until his retirement in 2007. In 2000, he was awarded the Arkansas Alumni Association’s Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award, honored with a plaque and $5,000 cash award. When he looked back on his 37-year career as a faculty member, he reflected on the importance of education in addressing our societal problems. “We have so many problems right now because of ignorance,” Tsai said. “That’s how you nourish prejudice. How do you cure the ignorance? It’s through education. Once you are better educated, then you have a greater understanding and tolerance of those around you.”
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 11
Feature
Yassaman Mirdamadi
Providing a Welcoming Heart to International Students BY AMY UNRUH M.A.’20
Dreams are often interrupted by unexpected circumstances, and that was the case when Yassaman Mirdamadi Ed.D.’86, planned to leave Iran to attend college. But her father’s death changed everything, and Mirdamadi remained in Iran to complete her undergraduate degree. In 1976, Mirdamadi came to the U.S. and moved to Fayetteville with her husband in 1979. She received her doctorate at the U of A in 1983. Within months of her arrival in Arkansas, the government in Iran was toppled, and the revolution to establish a new Iran had begun. The political changes would deeply affect her. Travel was impossible, and the public perception of her nation caused fear, isolation and uncertainty for Mirdamadi as an international student. It would be 16 years before she could return to Iran. As a graduate student at the U of A, she received threats to herself and her family. She endured insults, academic and social barriers, and loneliness. The experience fueled her to make the campus more welcoming for new students arriving from Iran, a place she calls “a very misunderstood nation for most Americans.” Mirdamadi has spent a lifetime correcting that 12 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
misunderstanding. “It is important for diverse groups of people with different cultural and religious beliefs to spend time together,” Mirdamadi says, “because when we know people as individuals, we realize that we share values, interests and goals like all people. We are all the same.” For years, Mirdamadi has met students arriving from Iran, speaking to them in their native language, reassuring them that they have support at the U of A. She initially was a one-person welcoming crew, helping locate apartments for students and building a closeknit community. She helped form the Iranian Student Association, a registered student organization that helps arriving students with tasks like opening a bank account, going shopping and registering for classes. She serves as director of Testing Services, often the first doorway for international students who seek enrollment. Now a member of the Chancellor’s Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Mirdamadi is still moved to tears when she learns that another Iranian student has navigated the red tape and will enroll. And when they land in Northwest Arkansas, Mirdamadi will be there to make them feel at home.
John Berry
Raising Scholarships to Support LGBTQI+ Community BY JOHN POST
When John Berry ✪ worked as a cooking supervisor in Pomfret Hall, he learned that PRIDE, the registered student organization for the LGBTQI+ population, needed an employee adviser. It was the early 1990s, when many in the gay and lesbian population weren’t comfortable with coming out about their sexual orientation. Berry sought to change that. After becoming adviser, the group made shirts with nine red Razorbacks and one pink Razorback that said, “1 in 10 Razorbacks,” denoting the student body’s 10 percent portion of LGBTQ students on campus. “At the time, it was kind of brave for people to wear that,” Berry said. Berry left the university in 2003 and now works as deputy director and chief operating officer at the Fayetteville Housing Authority. But even though he doesn’t work on campus anymore, he wanted to continue helping the LGBTQI+ population. In 2012, he and his partner, Richard Anderson, donated seed money to endow a $25,000 PRIDE in Education
Scholarship, one of the first of its kind in the SEC. The first recipient was a lesbian student whose parents would no longer let her use their tax information to get financial aid for schooling. Thanks in part to the scholarship, she’s an alumna and works at the university. “That’s the part that is always heartwarming, is knowing that this helps students get by,” Berry said. Now, the PRIDE in Education Scholarship has blossomed to three different endowments that fund scholarships for undergraduate students with financial need, and knowledge of and interest in LGBTQ+ history, all of which Berry and his partner helped raise money. Now, they are working on a fourth endowment. “When I look back on my time at the university, it was 99 percent positive, but I knew some of the struggles that gay and lesbian students faced,” Berry said. “My partner and I give to all sorts of causes, and we decided we should give to something that really helped me grow as a person and can help others grow in turn.”
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 13
Feature
Kim Needy
A Role Model for Young Women in Engineering BY AMY UNRUH M.A.’20 AND NICK DEMOSS B.A.’11
When Kim Needy was growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, her first home was on Arkansas Avenue. Little did she know just how profoundly the state of Arkansas would impact her life or how profoundly she would impact it. When Needy became dean of the College of Engineering in November 2020, she was the first woman to lead the U of A College of Engineering in that capacity, which she called both an honor and a responsibility. “I acknowledge the great responsibility that has been placed upon me being the first woman to serve as the dean of the College of Engineering,” she said. “I am honored and embrace this challenge with enthusiasm at the prospect of serving in this capacity. If this allows me to be a role model for young women who wonder if they too can be an engineer, that would be wonderful, because despite decades of effort, the number of women pursuing degrees in engineering remains too small.” Needy’s path to the dean’s chair was a long one, including work in industry and a variety of roles in academia. She worked for nearly a decade as a professional engineer at both PPG Industries and The Boeing Company. She left the industry and began an academic appointment at the University of Pittsburgh in 1993, 14 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
which she held until coming to Fayetteville to serve as head of the Industrial Engineering Department at the U of A from 2008-2014. While dean of the Graduate School and International Education, Needy navigated a partnership that moved the university Rome Center to her supervision and added an associate dean for international education to the unit. She also secured funding for the Ph.D. Career Pathways program through the Council of Graduate Schools. Determined to mentor and support students in every way possible, Needy and her family also created two emergency funds at the U of A to assist graduate and international students in crisis. As for what the future holds, Needy said one thing is certain: she will continue to push for more diversity, equity and inclusion in the College of Engineering. “Diversity, equity and inclusion has been and will continue to be a major initiative within the College of Engineering,” she said. “To ensure that this initiative is successful, each and every member of the college must embrace it and move it forward. Not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it will make our college stronger, make us all better engineers and prepare us for the future.”
Luis Fernando Restrepo
Connecting Campus With the Rest of the World BY JOHN POST
When Luis Fernando Restrepo went to visit his daughter’s elementary school for a dad lunch, he noticed she was embarrassed that he was speaking Spanish to her. “For her to be accepted, she had to hide who she was,” Restrepo said. “And that’s really damaging. When we don’t feel comfortable speaking Spanish or other languages besides English, we’re all losing. It’s something that connects us to the rest of the world.” For Restrepo, it was a stark reminder of the need for greater understanding of Latino culture in Northwest Arkansas, a challenge he has sought to remedy in his 25-year career at the U of A, which has spanned several roles from professor to administrator. In his time as assistant vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion, Restrepo helped establish La Oficina Latina to provide college readiness and diversity education programs to campus. He started the Latino Alumni Society, as well as an annual conference for teachers and community leaders around how best to serve the Latino community in Northwest Arkansas. In 2011, he established The Latino Youth Biliteracy Project, a service-learning project in collaboration with area schools. And in 2012, Gov. Mike
Beebe appointed him to the Arkansas Commission on Closing the Achievement Gap to help ensure all children have an opportunity for an equitable education. He also was a founding board member of the Northwest Arkansas Hispanic Leadership Council, where he has helped fundraise and started a mentorship program for Hispanic students at the U of A and NorthWest Arkansas Community College. When Restrepo first came to the U of A in 1995, students who identified as Hispanic or Latino made up less than 2 percent of the student population. Now, it’s the largest minority group on campus at nearly 10 percent of the student body - though Restrepo is hesitant to take credit for the growth. “This is not an individual story,” he said. “There have been a lot of people across campus who have made contributions. And there’s a lot of work to be done still. The success of the Latino community is the success of Northwest Arkansas.” “I could’ve gone back to Colombia after being here for a few years, but I felt a calling here,” Restrepo added. “That calling is still with me.”
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 15
Campus
Climate Target
Pushing for Carbon Reduction BY JOHN THOMAS B.A.’11
The U of A, along with 74 other U.S. colleges and universities, is pushing the Biden Administration to adopt a target of at least 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. As chancellor, Joe Steinmetz signed a letter on behalf of the university and said that climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing humankind. “The scale and complexity of the challenges involved, and the range of solutions required, will depend on the things that universities excel at: research and discovery, teaching and learning, outreach and engagement,” Steinmetz said at the time. “It will take interdisciplinary collaboration, ingenuity, hard work and creative problem solving, as well as the ability to communicate, educate and persuade the public that climate change is real. The earlier we accept and prioritize this goal, the better it will be for future generations.” The U of A, through the responsible actions of campus departments, is continuously working to lead by example on and off campus in creating a culture of sustainability. The U of A Office for Sustainability plays a key role in coordinating those efforts and works with the community 16 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
to share best practices, evaluate policies and recommend programs to build a more resilient Fayetteville. “When considering greenhouse gas emissions, a core tenet is that we’re all in this together,” said Eric Boles B.S.B.E.’10, M.S.B.E.’14, director of the Office for Sustainability. “The U of A recognizes that mitigating our campus footprint is critically important but not nearly enough. We must lead by example, share best practices and empower our students to be climate leaders in their career paths.”
U OF A CLIMATE INITATIVES The U of A carbon footprint is composed of on-campus emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels (such as diesel buses and natural gas for heating), off-campus emissions from electricity generation (like coal or natural gas at power plants) and from indirect emissions embodied in air travel, campus commuting and products purchased (paper or potable water, for instance). The university has been at the forefront of college
campuses in reducing its carbon emissions as it became a charter signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007 and pledged to be net carbon neutral by 2040. This commitment led to the creation of the U of A’s Climate Action Plan in 2009 with updates in 2014 and 2018. As of 2021, the campus carbon footprint is near 1990 emission levels and has continued to get lower over the past decade while enrollment and built space increased. Key initiatives include: • Establishing a minimum standard for construction based on the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver level • Deploying a combined heat and power system to produce 5 megawatts of efficient energy on site • Four rounds of energy-savings
performance contracts to fund over $50 million worth of energy conservation measures for the campus. The U of A also continues to innovate and identify opportunities to reduce campus emissions and increase campus resilience. Recently, the U of A Division of Agriculture’s solar services agreement will develop a solar array designed to provide 85 percent of the electricity needs of the division facilities at the Milo J. Shult Agricultural Research Extension Center in Fayetteville. That project will save the U of A system millions of dollars with no up-front capital. Students, faculty and staff can lend a hand in this global movement by choosing alternative transportation, conserving energy, reducing waste and speaking up. For more information about how the university is creating a more sustainable community, visit sustainability.uark.edu.
educing the carbon R footprint of campus to 1990 emission levels included energy conservation measures for the campus, from new windows to lighting that turns off automatically. Photo by Chieko Hara
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 17
Campus
Heart to Heart
Post-Doctoral Fellow Researches New Material for Heart Valve BY TRAVIS HEFLEY B.S.A.’18
Asya Ozkizilcik Photo by Whit Pruitt
18 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
For a patient who is suffering from calcific aortic valve disease, the two treatment options currently available present limitations. The first, a mechanical heart valve, is durable but requires the patient to use blood-thinners for the rest of their lives. The second, a bioprosthetic heart valve, uses animal tissue, doesn’t require blood-thinning medications but has a working lifetime between 7 and 15 years due to deformation and calcification. Asya Ozkizilcik Ph.D.’19, a postdoctoral fellow in the U of A Department of Biomedical Engineering, is working on development of a new bioprosthetic heart valve that combines the best traits of both those valves: one that is durable, doesn’t calcify and doesn’t require blood thinners. “We believe there is an urgent need for durable and non-calcifying bioprosthetic heart valve replacements,” Ozkizilcik said. The American Heart Association agreed. The organization awarded Ozkizilcik a $136,000 postdoctoral fellowship to continue her research over the next two years.
Her work involves developing a material that is made from collagen, a protein abundant in human and animal bodies, and graphene oxide, which has shown reduced calcification in the interstitial cells of a porcine valve in her preliminary studies. Work on a new material for the heart valve fits with Ozkizilcik’s research focus: developing novel biomaterials and innovative technologies related to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. “I am very excited about the opportunity to explore biomaterials-based approaches to develop alternative valve materials to current bioprosthetic valves and to help future patients fight calcific aortic valve disease,” Ozkizilcik said. “Asya will be working to develop novel, more durable materials for heart valve replacements using anti-calcific graphene oxide-based technology,” said Kartik Balachandran, associate professor and Ozkizilcik’s postdoctoral mentor. “This technology for developing heart valve prosthetics using graphene oxide and bisphosphonate has not been explored, and I am very excited that Asya has been awarded an AHA postdoctoral fellowship to explore this area of research.” Raj Rao, department head of biomedical engineering, said the award reflected well on Ozkizilcik, Balachandran and the department. “Asya’s receipt of the AHA postdoctoral fellowship is an indication of the significance of the ongoing cardiovascular research programs in the department,” he said. “It also demonstrates the caliber of our trainees and the important guidance provided by Dr. Balachandran.”
Alumnus Takes National Lead Goldmon Named Adviser to Secretary of Agriculture BY ROBBY EDWARDS
Alumnus Dewayne Goldmon ✪ B.S.A.’85, M.S.A.’87, a farmer in southeast Arkansas who has more than 30 years of experience in the agricultural sector, has been named senior adviser for racial equity to the Secretary of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced. After Goldmon earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees in agronomy through the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, he then earned his Ph.D. from Iowa State University, also in agronomy. Goldmon served the past year as executive director of the National Black Growers Council, a Washington, D.C.based organization that advocates to improve the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of Black row crop farmers. “We need to accelerate a transformation of our food system, and that begins with embracing a call for racial justice and equity across food, agriculture and rural America,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in a U.S. Department of Agriculture release. “With Dewayne’s guidance, we will build a USDA that represents and serves all Americans—a USDA that is committed to ensuring equity across the department, removing
barriers to access and rooting out systemic discrimination, and building a workforce that reflects all of America.” “I am proud that Dr. Goldmon has earned this opportunity, and I know he will do an excellent job,” said Bumpers College Dean Deacue Fields. “He has been consistently engaged with Bumpers College and a champion for diversity, inclusion and equity. I look forward to our continued partnership.” After four years as a field researcher with American Cyanamid, Goldmon joined Monsanto Company in 1995. He held various positions in technology development, where he conducted research on all southern row crops and managed research and development trials in soybeans, rice and cotton. He has also worked on Monsanto’s government affairs team and in human resources, retiring as the outreach lead for Bayer Crop Sciences in 2019. Throughout his education and career, he has worked on diversity initiatives and maintained working relationships with several land-grant universities and community-based organizations. He has been a member of Bumpers College’s Dean’s Partnership Council since 2015.
Dewayne Goldmon Photo by Whit Pruitt
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 19
Feature
Extremist Flashpoints
U of A Terrorism Research Center Examines Jan. 6 Invasion of American Capitol for Lessons BY MATT McGOWAN
Jeff Gruenewald has a pleasant, agreeable personality, but he isn’t one to smile quickly. He’s serious to the point of solemn, and above all, he is measured; he speaks slowly and chooses his words carefully. He comes across as the kind of person who might write a dissertation on murder, which he did, or direct a terrorism research center, which he does. Gruenewald is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology and director of the Terrorism Research Center in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas. The center — currently funded by the Department of Justice — specializes in terrorism and domestic violent extremism, the analysis of demographic patterns of those indicted on terrorism and related charges, and emerging groups, court strategies, and geospatial and temporal analysis of terrorism and domestic violent extremism. Gruenewald took the helm of the center in 2019. Starting with his dissertation at Michigan State University in the early 2000s, he has spent his entire professional career, more than 15 years, monitoring and gathering information on people who kill for their ideological beliefs and the victims of these tragic crimes. He has published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles on topics related to terrorism and other forms of domestic violent extremism. As director of the center, one of only a few of its kind in the United States, Gruenewald leads a team of analysts — students, staff and faculty — who conduct and facilitate research on terrorism and domestic violent extremism. 20 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
Their work not only produces original research but also analyzes the effectiveness of anti-terrorism policies and programs. The center manages several of the nation’s open-source databases, including the American Terrorism Study, the longest running domestic terrorism project in the country, and the Bias Homicide Database. The American Terrorism Study is a compendium of federal court records and media documents about defendants federally indicted on terrorism-related charges. The Bias Homicide Database tracks bias-motivated murders committed in the U.S. since 1990, including information on the incident, victim and offender. Gruenewald is also a co-principle investigator of the U.S. Extremist Crime Database. Operated as a collaboration of terrorism researchers from multiple universities, the Extremist Crime Database is a comprehensive source of information on multiple forms of violent extremism in the U.S. since 1990. It contains information on more than 200 extremist murders and is considered the most reliable and robust source for data on the nature and scope of this particular type of violence in the United States. Researchers at the center study terrorism and domestic violent extremism across the political spectrum, including radical Islamic terrorism, left-wing terrorism, far-right terrorism and ecoterrorism. Before the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, Gruenewald admits, none of this meant much to people outside
The attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 is one of many domestic violent acts that the Terrorism Research Center catalogs, analyzes and uses to better plan for future incidents and understand the effectiveness of existing anti-terrorism projects. Photo by TapTheForwardAssist, Wikimedia Commons
of criminology and those who study terrorism and homeland security. Since then, however, their knowledge on the topic has been in greater demand. The events of Jan. 6 will result in a large number of extremist-violence cases for which the Terrorism Research Center will collect relevant federal court documents and other publicly available information. Gruenewald expects researchers at the center to be studying those charged with crimes for the next several years. They’ve
already begun to distill the events of that day with their knowledge of domestic terrorism and how extremist groups operate.
Jan. 6: ‘Failure of Imagination’ The sixth day of January started with a Stop the Steal rally near the White House, during which then-president Donald Trump exhorted his supporters to “fight SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 21
freepik.com image
Feature
like hell” and march to the U.S. Capitol to interrupt or stop Congress’ counting of electoral votes to certify Joseph Biden’s 2020 presidential election win. A group of marchers turned violent, beating U.S. Capitol Police officers, one of whom tragically died, before forcing their way into the Capitol, where they defaced and damaged the building and interrupted the counting of electoral votes. As Gruenewald is careful to point out, most people who showed up at the Capitol that day were not affiliated with an extremist organization and did not participate in the violence. But, of those who did, many belonged to organizations that are very familiar to Gruenewald and the center’s researchers, such as the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, QAnon and more obscure groups such as the Three Percenters and Boogaloo Boys. As federal prosecutors file conspiracy charges against some members of these organizations and as congressional committees meet to discuss security failures that occurred at the Capitol 22 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
on Jan. 6, investigations have found that members of these extremist groups organized and planned the attack weeks in advance. Gruenewald has referred to this moment — the point at which the loud and dramatic and yet protected-by-the-FirstAmendment protest transformed into violent rioting and ultimately criminal behavior — as a flashpoint. Considering his knowledge of these groups, their membership and their propensity and record of conflict and violence, Gruenewald was not surprised by the turn of events. But it was this feature, the flashpoint, that shocked him just as it did millions of Americans. “It made sense, even in the moment [that it was a flashpoint],” he said, “but I was still shaken seeing it play out live on TV.” Two other features surprised Gruenewald as he watched events unfold on television. The scale, he said, was difficult to fathom. His research, as well as that of others, shows that most terrorism
and domestic extremist violence and murders happen on a much smaller scale, very often committed by so-called “lone actors,” people who strike out at racial, ethnic and religious minorities or government officials. Seeing that many extremists behaving violently in concert was mindbending for Gruenewald. “There was a lot of online chatter … that many in law enforcement were aware of,” Gruenewald said, “but extreme anti-government rhetoric on the internet is not new. Analysts have been studying extremist chatter for decades, and the question is how were they to know this type of chatter was any different from that of the past, and why should they think it could manifest into deadly violence against the federal government? So, one of the key questions going forward is, how can they distinguish between benign and more serious online threats?” All of this largely amounts to another “failure of imagination,” Gruenewald said, borrowing an expression penned in the 9/11 Commission Report following the investigation of the 9/11 attacks. Despite known warning signs, security officials and others who could have taken steps to prevent the Jan. 6 attack from happening could not envision that a crowd of protestors would overwhelm police and attack the seat of federal government. “I imagine we will find instances of critical intelligence that was not widely disseminated and failures to connect the dots leading up to Jan. 6,” Gruenewald said.
Misinformation, Conspiracy and Social Media Extremist violence in the United States is not new. Although the U.S. Extremist Crime Database goes back only to 1990, the roots of domestic extremism can be traced to vigilante groups that formed after the Civil War, most notably the Ku Klux Klan. The intelligence-gathering strengths of the law enforcement community and the poor organization and predictable communication within extremist organizations have meant they were not difficult to track. And until recently, these organizations were not effective at harnessing mass communication for the purpose of mobilization. But this is changing. Today’s threat of extremist violence is different, Gruenewald said. Increased opportunities for online communication, including social media and encryption technology, allow groups to spread misinformation and conspiracies, organize mass events and coordinate training and travel, all of which occurred in the lead-up to Jan. 6. Gruenewald sees another, and perhaps more disturbing,
difference with today’s groups. Bolstered by popular social media outlets and the rhetorical legitimization of misinformation and conspiracy theories by some leaders, current extremism has been “mainstreamed.”
Learning From the Past “I see what happened at the Capitol as a flashpoint in several ways, one being that it should be used as an event to help us start talking about these dangers,” Gruenewald said. He has a five-point plan for how to prevent future acts of deadly violence. He doesn’t defer or equivocate on this question. Rather, he is direct and, in one case, as he said, “preachy.” We must recognize the serious threat of extremist violence, Gruenewald said. By “we,” he isn’t talking about the FBI or law enforcement. He means the broader culture. “We cannot hesitate to label violence motivated by political and social ideologies as terrorism,” he added. We have to do a better job of learning from the past and heighten our sensibilities during similarly difficult times, Gruenewald said. “If the first Black president resulted in increased extreme activity, then we have to expect the first Black and Asian vice-president will do the same,” he said. “If we know that times of uncertainty lead to more violence, then I think we can expect more violence, given the global pandemic.” Law enforcement throughout the country, on all levels, must have better training to recognize the signs of radicalization, Gruenewald said. This will take more effort and more funding, as will training the next generation of intelligence analysts, a daunting task that Gruenewald said can best be accomplished by combining the tools of criminology and computer science. He would like to see an investment in more empirical research on the topic of extremist violence, especially examining the links between online and offline radicalization. Gruenewald said we must educate children about tolerance and empathy for others. This involves teaching children how to listen and incorporating lessons in schools about the threats of misinformation, conspiracies and signs of radicalization encountered online. “We also need to make sure that we as a society remember that victims of deadly extremism are real people with families grieving for loved ones,” he said. “While these are rare events, they have lasting impacts on our communities.” SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 23
Campus
Changing Resources
Teeth Show Diet of Arctic Foxes Appears To Be Affected by Varying Climate Conditions BY MATT MCGOWAN
New findings on the diet of Arctic foxes, determined by the condition of their teeth, show how varying climate conditions in the Arctic affect the animals that live there. Peter Ungar, Distinguished Professor of anthropology at the U of A, and several co-authors analyzed tooth breakage and wear – both gross and micro – of Arctic foxes from Russia’s Yamal Peninsula. Their findings were published in Polar Biology. Studying the effect of varying climate conditions within this region helps scientists understand the impact of climate change on vulnerable animals and could explain future responses and adaptation, given the warming trend and thawing in Arctic areas. The researchers’ study is the first to combine dental proxies for short-term, or seasonal, and long-term, or lifetime, diet to better understand how resource depletion affects species differently in different locations within the Arctic. In this study, the researchers compared the condition of the teeth over space – northern versus southern peninsula – and time and found that foxes from the northern peninsula likely had to periodically rely on larger prey rather than their preferred prey of rodents such as lemmings and voles. Microwear analysis of teeth indicated the foxes in both locations dined on the preferred smaller prey during rodent “rich” years. However, during rodent “bust” years in the southern peninsula, the foxes had to adapt to conditions and fall back on larger prey, such as ptarmigans and hares. In the north, where these species were less available, foxes evidently scavenged more reindeer carcasses. Bone consumption by animals causes tooth breakage, heavy wear, and microscopic pitting. Breakage and gross wear reflect animal diet over the course of a lifetime, whereas microscopic pitting reflects a pattern of seasonal
24 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
changes over time. Ungar is a leading expert in dental microwear analysis, including what it says about animals’ diet as it relates to evolution. “These data together suggest that dental evidence can provide important insights into variation in the feeding ecology of Arctic foxes and potentially into the impacts of changes in food abundance across space and time,” Ungar said. The Arctic fox is listed as a climate change flagship species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The researchers, including colleagues from the United States, Russia, Norway and France, examined 78 Arctic fox specimens, all caught by indigenous trappers on Yamal for the purpose of harvesting fur. Preliminary analysis focused on three trapping periods – December 1981 to March 1982, November 1983 to March 1984 and October 2007 to March 2008. The foxes were selected from the northern and southern Yamal regions during the rodent-poor periods of 1981-1982 and 2007-2008 and the rodent-rich period of 1983-1984. “Time or space alone is not enough to get the full story of fox ecological response to environmental variation,” Ungar said. “Combining these proxies for understanding life in the past is essential to inform us on the ecology of living animals in a rapidly changing and fragile ecosystem.” The researchers’ study is part of a large, multi-year project focused on the Yamal Peninsula, which serves as a small-scale and manageable research model for the Arctic as a whole. Habitats of the Yamal region, roughly 1,400 miles northeast of Moscow, range from forest in the south to tundra in the north. The Yamal has a rich diversity of native and invasive plant and animal species, a large indigenous population with strong traditional culture,
and economically critical natural resources. As part of this project, Ungar and his colleagues are studying how climate change – specifically warming and extreme weather – has affected the temperature, precipitation and landforms in the region, and how people, animals and plants have adapted to these changes. Ungar’s co-authors are Alexandria Peterson, graduate student in the U of A’s Environmental Dynamics program; Blaire Van Valkenburgh at the University of California, Los Angeles; Dorothee Ehrich from the Arctic University of Norway; Olivier Gilg from the Groupe de
Recherche en Écologie Arctique in France; and Aleksandr Sokolov, Natalia Sokolova, Ivan Fufachev, Alexandra Terekhina, Alexander Volkovitskiy, and Viktor Shtro from the Arctic Research Station, Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. This project was made possible through funding from the National Science Foundation’s Navigating the New Arctic initiative, one of NSF’s 10 Big Ideas. Ungar is director of the Environmental Dynamics program at the U of A.
bove top, An arctic fox A in its winter fur scavenges from the remains of a reindeer. (Aleksandr Sokolov, Arctic Research Station) bove left, Arctic foxes, A one seen here in summer fur, are the only canids that change the color of their fur twice a year. (Aleksandr Sokolov, Arctic Research Station) Photos submitted.
Above, Peter Ungar Photo by University Relations
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 25
U of A Giving Day SEPTEMBER 1-2, 2021 allinforarkansas.uark.edu Celebrate the U of A’s 150th birthday. Support your favorite program or scholarship. Impact students across campus. All in 1,871 minutes!
Recognize Milestone Moments and Lives Well Lived Want to acknowledge important moments like graduations, retirements and birthdays, or even pay tribute to the memory of someone dear? Celebration Bookplates are now available through the University Libraries to commemorate special people and events, and they fuel the University Libraries’ efforts to provide access to information and materials that all U of A students need for academic success. The more you give, the bigger the celebration! • Digital bookplates can be designated to the field of study of your choice • Options are available in a variety of gift ranges • Honorees (or their family, in the case of a memorial) will receive a custom keepsake to remind them of your thoughtfulness
Visit celebrationbookplates.uark.edu today to join the celebration! For more information, please contact Kelli Nixon, Development Coordinator for the University Libraries, at (479) 575-6455 or knixon@uark.edu.
Compton, Stevenson Gifts Enhance University Libraries With more than 3 million titles, access to hundreds of thousands of journal articles and librarians eager to help students, faculty, researchers and community members find what they need, the University Libraries are the intellectual fuel cell of campus. Two recent gifts will enhance the research and scholarly support efforts of the Libraries. The Dorothy Ann and Ed Stevenson Corridor Dorothy Ann Stevenson B.S.E.’61 of Mena is supporting the renewal of the David W. Mullins Library, the main branch of the University Libraries, and the third-floor quiet study area of Mullins will be named the Dorothy Ann and Ed Stevenson Corridor in honor of her and her late husband, Ed.
Ellen Compton shares the Fay Jones archives with architect Glenn Murcutt in 2009.
The Ellen Compton Fund for Special Collections University of Arkansas alumna Ellen Compton B.S.E.’60, M.A.’64 worked for the university for 30 years and was an integral part of establishing the nationally recognized collecting focus for architectural records within the University Libraries Special Collections division. A gift from her estate of nearly $100,000 will augment the division by funding the acquisition of materials and the digitization and maintenance of collections, as well as supporting the use of collections. In recognition of the impact of this gift, a student position in Special Collections will be known as the “Ellen Compton Student Assistant.”
“The library is such a critical part of the university’s student community,” she said. “Throughout my life in Mena, I was involved with our library as a volunteer and board member and always put value in its important role. Having the opportunity to contribute so that students have access to information and materials in a beautiful, state-of-the-art environment is something I am very proud to be a part of.” Thanks in part to Stevenson’s gift, Mullins Library will be able to advance to the forefront of offering an exceptional experience for its students and faculty, while also adapting to meet their changing needs. The first phase of the Mullins Library renewal project, focusing on the third and fourth floors, began in December of 2019 and is expected to be completed in time for the 2021 fall semester. The planning for Phase II, which will renovate the first and second floors, has recently begun. The project will not only modernize the main research library of campus with increased access to technology, power outlets and restrooms, it will provide students with refreshed and new spaces for group and individual study in a setting enriched with abundant natural light.
Compton passed away in March 2020 at the age of 81. During her time with Special Collections, she traveled the state as a field archivist, collecting materials for preservation, and worked on the extensive professional and personal papers of architect Fay Jones. David Shipley B.A.’86, one of Compton’s sons, said, “Though Ellen first became part of the University of Arkansas as a freshman in the fall of 1956 and remained active in university activities from that time until her passing last year, it wasn’t until she began her career in Special Collections in 1980 that she truly found her home. This gift is from her to a place she loved, where she formed lasting relationships and where she found her purpose: collecting and preserving Arkansas stories for all of us.” In June 2020, Tom and Jill King of Fayetteville created the Ellen Compton Memorial Fund, which supports the collecting focus of architectural records within Special Collections. Contributions are still being accepted for that fund.
Ed and Dorothy Stevenson.
Campus
Mitigating Racial Disparities Nursing Student Studies Whether Ethics Education Could Offer Equity in Medical Treatments, Outcomes BY SHANNON MAGSAM
Erica Tempesta Photo by John Matters
28 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
While Erica Tempesta B.S.N.’21 was earning a master’s degree in English from Johns Hopkins University, she became fascinated by why and how women make certain decisions during pregnancy and labor. She started researching the topic and, as her body of work grew, the desire for a new career unfolded. “I loved teaching and I loved working on my research, but there was so much about it that wasn’t right for me,” she said. “I was researching issues of racism and class inequality, but I almost never directly addressed those issues while doing my job.” Tempesta transitioned to work as a doula, someone who provides support to a woman during pregnancy, labor and the postpartum period. “I was on the ground with people who were experiencing racial and economic inequality at a very important moment of their lives, and I felt much more useful and effective in that setting,” she said. When she and her partner moved to Fayetteville, Tempesta expanded her own doula practice, Rooted Growth, to provide physical, emotional and informational support to pregnant people and their families from the prenatal to the postpartum period, as well as through loss or termination. The work was rewarding, but she kept thinking about nursing. She had trained with nurses to become a doula. She had also seen the positive impact they had not only on people’s lives, but also on the
healthcare system itself. Tempesta was accepted into the University of Arkansas’ Eleanor Mann School of Nursing in the spring of 2019. A few months later, she was selected for the Arkansas Center for Nursing’s “B.S.N. Young Leaders” program. She was also awarded a grant from the U of A Humanities Center to investigate how ethics education among nursing students — as taught at the U of A and in schools around the United States — can be used to fight racial disparities when providing health care. Tempesta hopes her project will help pinpoint why racial disparities continue to happen in healthcare settings. “We have known for some time that these disparities exist, and I think most health care providers would say they want them to go away. So why hasn’t that happened?” she asked. Tempesta lived in Baltimore, Maryland — where the majority of the population is Black — while earning her master’s degree. She observed that even though the city has one of the most prestigious teaching hospitals in the world, improved health outcomes are not noticeably better for the Black population of the city. “I wanted to research this topic to learn how to support these clients and to be part of improving our healthcare system,” she said. “There’s a problem we aren’t addressing, and it goes beyond access. Even when people of different races have the same access to care, they don’t have the same outcomes.”
Alumna Begins Homeland Series Stories Celebrate Multicultural Children BY FAITH MILLS
Olivera Jankovska ★ B.S.A.’09 began publishing stories in the “My Homeland” children’s books series in November with a special goal in mind. They are designed to celebrate children of multicultural backgrounds and help all readers appreciate and share their heritage and culture. The first two books, My India: A Journey of Discovery, one for boys and one for girls, are written for children of Indian descent. Jankovska has already written others with My Macedonia and My Estonia scheduled to be released this summer. The books are published as the “My Homeland” series. Along with a story, the books also feature interactive activities and can be individualized to “empower children to be global citizens.” From a larger perspective, the books promote diversity and work against what Jankovska refers to as “evilisms” such as nationalism and racism. She hopes children, like her son, will be able to embrace their heritage. “Successful diversity promotion and preservation starts with the youngest,” Jankovska said. “I’d encourage every parent to seek stories and literature like the ‘My Homeland’ books that empower children to appreciate their cultural heritage.” Jankovska, who earned an undergraduate degree in agricultural business from the Dale Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences, found writing her series to be relatively easy, with the biggest challenge being the publication process and the inclusion of interactivity. Her son was her “muse” as she wrote, making the process easier. “The stories flow when you look into a child’s eyes and see the strong desire to
learn about themselves and the world,” Jankovska said. “I have been polishing my stories for over three years before publication, as I intended to make each book a personalized journey of heritage discovery.” Jankovska has had positive feedback from readers and fans. “I’ve had a very supportive group of fans,” Jankovska said. “Some of the reviews had me in tears, especially when those came from young readers themselves.” Jankovska is a Fellow at Rice University. She was named to the United Macedonian Diaspora “40 Under 40” list in 2015. She is the director of the Houston Mayor’s Office of Education. Jankovska received the UNICEF USA President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2017 and was the Bumpers College Alumni Society Outstanding Young Alumna in 2018. She is the 2020 recipient of the Young Alumni Award from the Arkansas Alumni Association. The first two books of the “My Homeland” series are available on Amazon. More information on the series is available at atlasink.org.
livera Jankovska dressed O in a traditional costume of Macedonia. ne of her first two books O in the “My Homeland” series features India. Photos Submitted
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 29
Campus
Toolkit for Transportation Civil Engineer Develops A Kit for K-12 Students BY AMY MARCELLA SHELL M.S.’97
Sarah Hernandez, center, and her team testing a prototype of their sensor. Photo by Russell Cothren
30 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
Sarah Hernandez, assistant professor of civil engineering, has developed a toolkit to introduce K-12 students to transportation topics, with a special emphasis on attracting more women to the field. The toolkit was funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the university’s Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center, known as MarTREC. The project stems from a program Hernandez conducted as part of GirlTREC, a weeklong transportation day camp for fifth and sixth grade girls hosted by MarTREC. Hernandez developed an outreach kit for young students based on her own research program, which centers on using laser sensors to study freight trucks as they travel from ports to inland destinations. “Only about one in every six employees in the transportation workforce is female,” Hernandez said, “and the way to change
that in the long term is by engaging students early in their academic careers.” Through the program, graduate and undergraduate students teach K-12 students to build traffic sensors and use them to study traffic patterns modeled on real-world scenarios. Students then take what they’ve learned about traffic movement and sensing and analyze different Arkansas-themed freight scenarios. With its scalable components, the kits are quickly adaptable to a variety of program types, lengths and spaces, making the learning experience customizable to suit the needs of the local schools and summer programs. Freight travel is a field with a broad impact, and Hernandez’s projects are designed to help students understand that impact through active learning. “Active learning is one way to better link course content with students’ motivation to study a subject while introducing transportation engineering concepts like transportation planning or other maritime transportation themes,” she said. “Active learning moves beyond passive lecturestyle instruction by engaging students with hands-on experiences and interactions with the lecture content.” Hernandez and her team designed a low-cost, easily implementable LiDAR and Bluetooth sensor bundle that was capable of detecting, characterizing and tracking freight trucks as they traveled to and from inland waterway port areas. The sensor provided data necessary to measure port performance and roadway usage by the industry.
Data Driven Dynamics
Partnership Aims to Grow Data Science Pipeline in Arkansas
Arkansas high school students will have the opportunity to pursue courses in data science through a revised curriculum approved by the Arkansas Department of Education. The effort was led by Karl Schubert B.S.Ch.E.’75, Ph.D.’83, professor of practice and associate director of the U of A’s new undergraduate data science program. The change comes as part of an update to the state’s computer science curriculum at the high school level. Schubert chaired a subcommittee through the Arkansas Department of Education that brought together leaders from secondary and postsecondary schools, the Arkansas Department of Education and relevant industries to update the state’s computer science curriculum. Schubert said the effort will provide high school students a strong foundation as they prepare to pursue post-secondary education in the rapidly growing field of data science. “The new data science path combines lectures and hands-on, team-based projects to introduce students to key concepts in data science,” he said. “These skills will position students for success as they pursue post-secondary education and, eventually, careers in data science.” Topics in the classes will include defining, storing, accessing, manipulating and analyzing data; visually representing data and communicating the results for technical and non-technical audiences; and understanding various types of data bias and how to mitigate them. The U of A developed a data science
Image, freepik.com
BY NICK DEMOSS B.A.’11
program at the collegiate level in response to a growing demand for attuned workers among businesses in Arkansas and across the nation. The program is hosted jointly by the College of Engineering, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the Sam M. Walton College of Business, providing students access to experts in all three colleges as they shape their data science skillset. Bill Yoder, who leads the Arkansas Center for Data Sciences, said the new state curriculum will benefit students and industries throughout the state. “We know more Arkansas employers are driving an increasing talent demand to staff their data-driven decisions, and this curriculum goes a long way statewide to putting the students on a pathway that will lead to very fulfilling careers,” he said. The Arkansas Department of Education approved the committee’s recommendations in December. New data science high school courses are expected to be available in the fall of 2021. SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 31
Campus
Honoring Two Icons Nolan Richardson, Leroy Pond Honored With Drive, Avenue Named for Them BY JOHN THOMAS B.A.’11
The city of Fayetteville in collaboration with the U of A Black Alumni Society officially renamed two city streets in April, honoring local war hero Leroy Pond B.S.B.A.’38 and former Razorback men’s basketball coach Nolan Richardson ✪. Both Nolan Richardson Drive and Lt. Col. Leroy Pond Avenue were unveiled at back-to-back ceremonies with members of the campus and larger communities, and family members in attendance. Former Razorback athletes — including several of Richardson’s former players such as Oliver Miller, Todd Day B.A.’04, Corey Beck and Kareem Reid B.S.E.’20 — were in attendance. Former track stars Randy Coleman ✪ B.S.E.’92 and Seneca Lassiter B.S.E.’01, M.A.T.’06, former football players Limbo Parks and Greg Thomas B.A.’88, current Razorback men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman, and former coaches John McDonnell ✪ and Norm DeBriyn ✪+ were noticeable in the crowd. Richardson, himself, was unable to be in attendance due to his family’s health and the ongoing pandemic. He was able to view the ceremony virtually and speak to the crowd via a recorded message. 32 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
The new Nolan Richardson Drive, formerly Leroy Pond Drive, is located along the south side of Bud Walton Arena connecting Razorback Road and Stadium Drive. The new Lt. Col. Leroy Pond Avenue is now located in place of the former Government Avenue, connecting Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the Fayetteville National Cemetery. The idea to honor the hall of fame basketball coach was brought forth by Fayetteville Councilman D’Andre Jones in March after discussions with the U of A Black Alumni Society and others on campus. The Fayetteville City Council approved the name change at a meeting on March 16. Jones was joined by a host of speakers at the campus ceremony including Synetra Hughes ✪ B.S.B.A.’04, Ed.D.’12, president-elect of the Black Alumni Society; Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan; then-Chancellor Joe Steinmetz ✪; Yvette Murphy-Erby ✪, vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion; and Angela Mosley Monts ✪ B.A.’80, associate vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion.
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 33
Campus
op, Former players T and staff members who worked for coach Nolan Richardson gathered in front of the newly named Nolan Richardson Drive at its intersection with Razorback Road. Above left, Fayetteville City Councilman D’Andre Jones. Above middle, Yvette Murphy-Erby, vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion. Above right, Synetra Hughes, president of the Black Alumni Society. Photos by Razorback Athletics
34 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
Nolan Richardson Drive Richardson, who is a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, was 389-169 in 17 seasons as Arkansas head coach and set a school record for wins and a .697 winning percentage. He led the Razorbacks to 13 NCAA Tournament appearances including six Sweet 16’s (1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996), four Elite Eights (1990, 1991, 1994, 1995), three Final Fours (1990, 1994, 1995), a national runner-
up finish (1995) and the 1994 NCAA Championship. In Richardson’s 22 combined years as a head coach at the collegiate level — at Western Texas Junior College, the University of Tulsa and the U of A — he compiled a record of 508206 (.711) and became the only head coach in college basketball history to win a National Junior College Championship, NIT Championship and NCAA Championship.
Lt. Col. Leroy Pond Avenue Leroy Pond’s legacy is now honored with the naming of the road leading to the Fayetteville National Cemetery. Pond was a World War II veteran who participated in D-Day and was honored with a Silver Star, a Purple Heart and other awards for his bravery in battle. He was later wounded in Germany and died in 1945. His name was memorialized in Camp Leroy Pond, a housing complex for returning World War II veterans that covered the valley from south of
Razorback Stadium to the south side of present-day Bud Walton Arena, and the road at the south edge was also named for him. Fayetteville National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery that is on the National Register of Historic Places and is where thousands of veterans of the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried.
op left, Kit Williams, city T attorney for Fayetteville, speaks at the dedication of Lt. Col. Leroy Pond Avenue. Top right, Tony Coston B.S.B.A.’90, president of the Armed Forces Alumni Society, talks with participants about Leroy Pond. Above, The new sign for the Lt. Col. Leroy Pond Avenue at its intersection with National Street near the entrance to the U.S. National Cemetery in Fayetteville. Photos by Chieko Hara
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 35
Alumni
The Power of Education
Photo by University Relations
President’s Letter
This year, the university celebrates 150 years of success. Our university was founded in 1871 when it was established as a land-grant university. I invite you to join in the sesquicentennial celebrations that highlight the many ways that the University of Arkansas continues to inspire and create impacts across the state, nation
and internationally. In spring of 2021, the U of A celebrated another class of graduates whose names will soon be honored on Senior Walk. Senior Walk is the U of A’s longest tradition in miles as well as years where every graduate’s name is etched into our campus sidewalks. Today, more than 200,000 graduates’ names are listed, and this number continues to rise. Since 1871, these names of university alumni and honorary degree recipients include innovative entrepreneurs, transformative business leaders, groundbreaking artists, diverse entertainers, world-class athletes, pioneering scientists and visionary political leaders ranging from city and county officials to the president of the United States. The returns provided to the state by these graduates are vast in terms of economic, social, political and cultural contributions. These returns touch all four corners of the state, including rural communities and metropolitan areas, as well as nationally and internationally. As we examine the rich legacy of the U of A, I pondered the numerous ways that the university, and more importantly, education continue to improve humanity. As
36 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
we think about the role of education in enhancing society, it caused me to focus on a famous quote from one of my professional heroes. Education, in the broadest of truest sense, will make an individual seek to help all people, regardless of race, regardless of color, regardless of condition. – George Washington Carver Dr. Carver devoted the entirety of his professional life to helping and serving others with his scientific discoveries. His quote about the power of education speaks to the foundational mission of the U of A. The U of A should seek to inspire all of its alumni to help others. I challenge all alumni to consider how the university has helped transform lives and uplift the state. I encourage you to connect to the Arkansas Alumni Association, its chapters and societies, to help continue the legacy of helping others. I also hope that you will actively inspire impacts that serve all the state’s citizens equitably. In closing, I extend congratulations to our new graduates and wishes of continued success. I express gratitude to the many benefactors over the decades who have contributed and supported U of A successes. My hope is that you engage U of A leadership to continue to drive innovation and development for Arkansas.
Ron Rainey ✪ B.S.A.’91, M.S.’93, Ph.D.’01 President, Arkansas Alumni Association Connect and Serve the U of A Family
Why Membership Matters...
Campus Collaborations Your membership matters because it helps the Arkansas Alumni Association provide logistical and financial support to our colleagues across campus. These campus partnerships offer greater engagement for you, our alumni and Razorback Family. Over the last year, we have seen more alumni engage in new ways around the ground-breaking research, innovative collaborations, and interdisciplinary study that is happening in each and every college on our campus. By sharing our resources, we have been able to help our campus partners expand their audiences and tell their stories as never before.
Memberships help support collaborations across campus. Please renew or upgrade and encourage others to join because membership matters. join.arkansasalumni.org • 888-ARK-ALUM or 479-575-2801 SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 37
Alumni
Connect, Engage and Inspire 15th Black Alumni Reunion BY ANGELA MOSELY-MONTS ✪ B.A.’80
The Arkansas Alumni Association’s Black Alumni Society celebrated its 15th biennial reunion April 12-18. This year’s event, titled Connecting, Engaging and Inspiring – Our Virtual Return to the Hill, was celebrated online to follow COVID-19 guidelines. The title paid homage to the overarching theme for the 2019-2021 term of BAS President Ritche Manley Bowden ✪ B.S.I.E.’86. The theme was Connect with the Past, Engage and Be Present and Inspire for the Future. More than 120 alumni registered for the virtual reunion. The reunion planning committee chaired by Synetra Hughes ✪ B.S.B.A.’04, Ed.D.’12 developed a variety of events for alumni to attend. Each day of reunion week featured virtual events related to a different theme.
Motivational Monday The virtual reunion kicked-off with a welcome from 38 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
Manley Bowden and Provost Charles Robinson ✪. Robinson thanked BAS for its work with the U of A and welcomed faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends to the virtual reunion. The kickoff event was facilitated by Lindsey Leverett-Higgins ✪ M.S.’19, BAS parliamentarian and Khadish Franklin ✪ B.A.’05, BAS treasurer. Who You With Divine 9 Paraphernalia Day was an all-day social media contest won by Debrah Rolfe Brown ★ B.S.I.E.’86, an alumna of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. How to Create a BAS Scholarship was presented by John L Colbert ✪ B.S.E’76, M.E.D.’81, Ed.D.’17, BAS scholarship chair; Brandy Cox Jackson ✪ M.A.’07, associate vice chancellor and executive director of the Arkansas Alumni Association; and Patti Sanders ✪+ B.S.A.’08, associate director of alumni scholarships. They explained the components of creating a scholarship agreement and answered questions from the virtual participants.
Power Play Tuesday Tuesday was devoted to professional development events designed for alumni and students. Members of Black Students Association and Black Alumni Society Scholars were treated to a session hosted by BAS president-elect Hughes and Brittany Straw, assistant director of career education for the U of A Career Development Center. In a separate session, alumni gained valuable tools for networking in a virtual environment and finding balance between work and home.
Wellness Wednesday Wellness Wednesday delivered physical and mental health seminars beginning with virtual yoga led by BAS Spirit Squad alumnus, Shawn Burns B.S.B.A.’13. Emotional and Mental Wellness During a Pandemic was presented by mental health clinician Patricia Morency, LCSW, MSW, M.Ed., who serves as the diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator for the Pat Walker Health Center, Counseling and Psychological Services.
Black Owned & Operated On Thursday, BAS virtually hosted three events related to Black-owned and-operated business. Highlights included a financial planning and retirement presentation by alumnus Tony Franklin, sponsored by Northwestern Mutual. Assistant Dean Barbara Lofton ✪ of the Sam M. Walton College of Business facilitated the discussion between Franklin and alumni. Additionally, Vice Chancellor Yvette Murphy-Erby ✪, Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Whitney Smith B.A.’18, procurement manager at the U of A; and Victor Wilson ✪ B.S.B.A.’85, senior director of priority initiatives and development for the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, presented information on how to become a vendor at the U of A. The presenters shared data on the number of minority vendors at the U of A, the application process for becoming a vendor and answered questions from alumni. Thursday evening, the festivities continued with Ritche Manley Bowden’s presidential recognition and the Virtual Scholarship Kickoff Party. First, students, alumni and friends recognized Manley Bowden for her service as president. Jayla Jefferson, BAS president and Daniel Webster B.A. ’21, Black Students Association president and Synetra Hughes, BAS president-elect, facilitated the
event. Students thanked her for always thinking about them, sponsoring virtual events, mentoring and being present for their programs. Alumni and friends thanked Manley Bowden for her communication skills, identifying opportunities for volunteers, mentoring, coaching and sharing updates from the U of A campus. Immediately following the presidential recognition program, the Virtual Scholarship Kickoff Party began. Hosted by Brandon Pickett ★ B.S.B.A.’07, J.D.’15, the event featured music by DJ Anthony DiNicola and officially kicked off the weekend portion of the fundraiser for BAS Scholarships.
FUNdamental Friday Friday’s activities began with the BAS Annual Board Meeting facilitated by Manley Bowden. Speakers for the spring board meeting included Murphy-Erby; Cox Jackson; Ron Rainey ✪ B.S.A. ’91, M.S. ’93, Ph.D. ‘01, president of the Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors; Angela Mosley-Monts ✪ B.A.’80; and BAS Board of Directors’ committee chairs. Manley Bowden recognized the service of members completing their terms and confirmed the slate of new board members for 20212023 (see side bar). Next, BAS Secretary Marco Barker ✪ B.S.I.E.’00, facilitated a Coffee Chat with Manley Bowden and thenChancellor Joseph Steinmetz ✪. Barker asked questions of Manley Bowden and Steinmetz from BAS alumni on the state of the university and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The #Blackatuark alumni and friends enjoyed the transparent conversation between the chancellor and Manley Bowden. The night ended with a virtual cooking lesson, a mixology class and a party. Chef Malikah Shavonne Nelson M.Ed.’07, culinary instructor and a featured chef on Netflix, prepared a charcuterie board for alumni. Following Nelson, mixologist Fanta Muhammad kept alumni on the edge of their screens as she prepared spectacular alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to get the alumni ready for the Old School Party.
Party with a Purpose Saturday began with attendees Celebrating 50 Years of Black Alumni in Razorback Athletics. This event was hosted by Linda Bedford Jackson ✪ B.A.’80, the first Black woman on the Razorback track team, and Randy Coleman ✪ B.S.E.’92, holder of five Razorback track championships. In addition, five alumni panelists SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 39
Alumni
shared their experience while participating in Razorback Athletics. Panelists and alumni received a warm virtual welcome from legendary Coach Nolan Richardson ✪ and Coach Sam Pittman, Razorback football coach. Panelists for this event included Muskie Harris ★ B.S.B.A.’78, a four-year Razorback football letterman who was the first African American male from Central High to attend the U of A on a football scholarship; eighttime All-American Taliyah Brooks B.A.’16, M.A.’18, NACAC gold medalist (heptathlon), NCAA champion (pentathlon), two-time NCAA Indoor runner-up (pentathlon), two-time NCAA outdoor bronze medalist (long jump, heptathlon), 2018 SEC indoor champion (pentathlon), 2017 SEC outdoor champion (heptathlon) and program record-holder (pentathlon, heptathlon, indoor/outdoor long jump); Ernie Murry B.S.E.’92, recognized as the best player walk-on as a guard on Nolan Richardson’s 1989-90 and 1990-91 teams; Quinn Grovey ★ B.S.B.A.’90, the 2021 Dr. Lonnie Williams Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient and a member of the Razorback football team from 1987 to 1990; and Jailyn Mason B.A.’20, the 2017 SEC All Freshman Team member for women’s basketball. Saturday afternoon the BAS Board of Directors served as Class Captains during the Virtual Class Challenge for classes from the 1950s to the 2000s. Congratulations to the classes of the 1990s for winning the Virtual Class Challenge by raising $12,286. The classes of the 1980s came in second place with $10,665 and the classes of 2000-2005 finished third by raising $6,450. A special thanks to all classes for raising a total of $46,316, which exceeded Manley Bowden’s goal by $6,316! The evening concluded with the Virtual Awards Gala. This event celebrated alumni, faculty, staff, friends and students for outstanding achievements in their professions, academics and community services. At the Awards Gala, all award recipients were virtually recognized. The recipients of the Dr. Lonnie Williams Lifetime Achievement Award are Sonya Hunt Gray ★ B.A.’84, Quinn Grovey and Keith A. Jones B.S.E.’85. The Myron “Mike” Macechko Diversity Advocacy Award recipients are Sanford I. Tollette IV B.S.E.’76 and Sterlin D. Williams ✪ B.S.B.A.’80, M.P.A.’87. Torii Hunter received the Wyatt Weems Memorial Award. The Dr. Gordon Morgan and Dr. Margaret Clark Living Legacy Award recipients are Dr. Gwendolyn Bryant-Smith B.S.’96 and Darrell Walker B.S.E.’12. The Dr. John L Colbert and Dr. Barbara Lofton Leadership Award was given to Jayla Jefferson and Daniel 40 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
Webster. Jefferson is a junior accounting major from North Little Rock. Webster is a senior triple major in psychology, sociology (honors) and criminology from Marion. The Dr. Yvette Murphy-Erby and Dr. Calvin White Excellence in Education Award recognized Steven Austin and Dana McGee B.A. ’19. Austin is a sophomore finance major from Frisco, Texas. McGee, from Conway, is a second-year law student in the dual J.D./M.A. degree program. The Parise Bowser and Adrain Smith Service Award was given to Warrenesha Arnold and Marcus Logan Jr. Arnold is a sophomore from Marianna majoring in human nutrition and dietetics. Logan is a sophomore from Blytheville majoring in food, nutrition and health with a pre-med track. At the conclusion of the Awards Gala, the official passing of the gavel took place as Manley Bowden transferred leadership to incoming BAS president Hughes. The ceremonial passing of the gavel was immediately followed by virtual songs from the Inspirational Chorale under the leadership of Jeffrey Murdock, associate director of Choral Activities, assistant professor of music, and Grammy Music Educator of the Year.
Inspirational Sunday Sunday’s closing events kicked off with an inspirational hour of worship and praise with the U of A Inspirational Chorale. Attendees paid homage to those alumni who paved the way for posterity and celebrated the love of those whom we lost since the last reunion. Following this virtual ecumenical service, attendees were invited to join Rev. Dr. Bobby Jones ✪+ B.S.’84 and First Lady Corine Ackerson-Jones ✪+ B.S.E.’82, M.E.D.’85 via Facebook as they led a worship service at the Thankful Missionary Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia.
Thanks to the sponsors: Presenting Arkansas Alumni Association Silver Sponsor Cigna (Continued on page 42)
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
HOMECOMING October 10-16, 2021
Alumni Awards Celebration Thursday, Oct. 14
Class of 2019 Senior Walk Dedication Friday, Oct. 15
Class of 2020 Senior Walk Dedication Friday, Oct. 15
Homecoming Parade & Pep Rally Friday, Oct. 15
Parade Patio Party at Walton Arts Center Friday, Oct. 15
Hog Wild Tailgate at Alumni House Saturday, Oct. 16
homecoming.uark.edu
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 41
Alumni
(Continued from page 40)
Bronze Sponsors Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Enrollment Services, Admissions Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design University Relations Cardinal and Black Arkansas Diagnostic Center, Little Rock Dr. Phillip Bowden, M.D., PA Division of Student Affairs
Tea Rose Foundation of NWA U of A School of Law Outcome, Inc., Fayetteville Sam M. Walton College of Business U of A Police Department Razorback Foundation on behalf of Razorback Athletics Cardinal and Black College of Education and Health Professions Graduate School and International Education Burial at Sea by Captain Johnnie Lee
Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences College of Engineering University of Arkansas Libraries Center for Multicultural and Diversity Education Honors College
42 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
Special Thanks: The Gamma Eta Alumni Association of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., challenged the National Panhellenic Greek Council organizations to donate $10,000 for the BAS Challenge through the BAS FundRAZOR campaign.
Gamma Eta won the challenge by donating $10,000 to their endowed scholarship fund, The Gamma Eta Endowed Award. This award was the first NPHC Greek fraternity award created under the Black Alumni Society. To date, the alumni of Gamma Eta have donated $46,313 to the fund. Special thanks to Carl Dupins B.S.E.E.’88, president; Dewayne Goldmon ✪ B.S.A.’85, M.S.’87, vice president; Lonnie Williams ✪+ B.S.B.A.’78, M.E.D.’84, Ed.S.’91, Ed.D.’01, secretary; Detrick Jenkins ✪ B.S.B.A.’00; and the alumni of Gamma Eta for your continued support. The Kappa Iota Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Alumnae Endowed Scholarship is the first NPHC sorority to endow a scholarship under the Black Alumni Society. The alumnae created the scholarship under the leadership of Manley Bowden. The steering committee and alumnae of Kappa Iota have raised $32,917 to endow this scholarship. Special thanks to the BAS Engineering Scholarship created by Barker, Keith Britton ✪ B.S.C.E’97, M.S.C.E.’99, and Jairo de Jesus ✪ B.S.I.E.’99. The Black engineering donors have donated $22,450 towards their goal of $25,000 for endowment.
Save the Date
Thursday, October 14, 2021 arkansasalumni.org/awards
Special Thanks to our outgoing BAS Board Members: Ella Lambey ★ M.Ed.’07, has served as the co-chair for the BAS reunion registration committee and scholarship chair on the board. She has seen the number of scholars increase from 40 to 95. Dr. Christa Washington ✪ B.A.’00, has served in many capacities on the board. She was instrumental in coordinating the transition of the BAS e-Zine to the Cardinal and Black Newsletter. She has served as the co-chair of the alumni engagement committee. Danielle Williams ✪ B.A.’98, B.S.E.’01, M.E.D.’02, Ed.D.’09,
has volunteered with the BAS reunions and recently served as the membership chair. Williams, along with her committee, was responsible for highlighting annual and life members in BAS electronic newsletters and on social media. She also served on the communications committee. Earnest Duckery ✪+ B.Arch. ’95, has served as co-chair on many committees in BAS during his tenure. He has served as the student and alumni engagement co-chair and recently as the reunion co-chair. Terry Rolfe ✪ B.S. ’94, has served on the alumni engagement
committee and many other roles. Angela Wilson ★ B.A.’99, M.A.’03, J.D.’07, served as the co-chair of communications and a member on the fundraising and membership committees. Wilson was instrumental in the execution of the transition of the BAS e-Zine to the Cardinal and Black Newsletter. De’Arrius Howard ✪ B.S.E.’07, served as the chair of the BAS reunion entertainment committee and as a member of the nominating, awards, scholarships and membership committees.
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 43
Alumni
Celebrating Student Excellence 2021 Class of Senior Awards Recipients
Each year the Arkansas Alumni Association honors outstanding seniors through its Senior Awards Program. These Seniors of Significance are selected based on their academic achievements, leadership skills and co-curricular involvement. The Seniors of Significance Class of 2021 includes 73 exemplary students. The 56th Senior Honor Citations and the 2021 Razorback Classics have been selected from among our Seniors of Significance. To support an inclusive and equitable selection process, the association decided to remove gender from the selection criteria for Razorback Classics and Senior Honor Citations. 44 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
To safely honor all 2021 senior award recipients and their mentors, a hybrid Cardinal & White Celebration was held on Friday, April 30, during three different ceremonies in the Verizon Ballroom at the Arkansas Union. Mentors, chosen by the honorees, are individuals who have made an impact on the students during their time at the University of Arkansas. The celebration could also be attended virtually on Zoom by honored guests. The award recipients received special honor cords to wear during graduation as well as certificates of their achievement. A presentation of all the awardees can be viewed at www.arkansasalumni.org/seniorawards.
The Class of 2021 Seniors of Significance and Razorback Classics College of Education and Health Professions
Madeline Amos* — Jackson, Tennessee Mary Elizabeth Baldwin* — Stonewall, Louisiana Emily Brewer* — Lonoke McKenzie D. Canon* — Overland Park, Kansas Eliza Fulton* RC — Plano, Texas Alexa N. Goodwin* — Wernersville, Pennsylvania Margo Leavitt* — Fayetteville Rebecca Lynn Mallory* — Austin, Texas Lizeth Martinez* — Prairie Grove Alexia M. Sebghati* RC — Olathe, Kansas Aysia Thi Nguyen^ — Fort Smith
College of Engineering
Carter Buckner — Pine Bluff Gianna T. Busch* — Tulsa, Oklahoma Harrison William Lee Dean* — Rogers Sandrina DePaz — San Ignacio Town, Belize Meagan L. Olsen* RC — Fayetteville Smit V. Patel* RC — Brinkley Madeline Suellentrop* RC — Olathe, Kansas Kayliana G. Warden* — Frisco, Texas Conner Waybright — Cleona, Pennsylvania
Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences
Ashley M. Berghoff* RC — St. Louis, Missouri Brooke M. Forth — Flower Mound, Texas Kathryn Lyne Gardner* — Fayetteville Sara Marilyn Gardner* — Fayetteville Breanna Lewis-Wade — Pine Ridge Quinn Tanner — Shreveport, Louisiana Iris Jane Wormington RC — Monett, Missouri
Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design Shavanna A. M. Dean — Nassau, The Bahamas
Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
Stephanie C. Barber — Argyle, Texas Lucas Bellaiche* — Fayetteville Kamden D. Boyd — Pea Ridge Jared Canonigo* — Springdale Catherine R. Casey* — Rogers Jacob Condran* RC — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Elijah Conley* RC — Melbourne
Emma Kate Dillon* RC — Joplin, Missouri Dresden Dilts* — Edmond, Oklahoma Sally Elizabeth Gairhan* — Germantown, Tennessee Caroline Geels* — Conway Josephine Hall* — Prince Frederick, Maryland Caleb J. Hill* — Aledo, Texas Elizabeth Kimbrell* RC — Little Rock W. Allen Lambert* — Texarkana, Texas Aidan Link RC — Pleasant Hill, Missouri Addison Mahaffey* — Fayetteville William J. Motazedi* RC — Joplin, Missouri Julia Nall* — Bryant Aaron Norris* — Benton Madeline “Madie” Richards* — Rogers Emily Grace Richey* RC — Paris Megan Elizabeth Rodgers* — Siloam Springs Ashton Rogers* — Fayetteville Hunter Owen Simmons* RC — Bentonville Morgan Walker* — Prairie Grove Micah Wallace* — Gravette Daniel Nicolas Webster* — Marion Jack West* RC — Kansas City, Missouri Emma Gillean Wiederhoeft — Houston, Texas Margaret Rae Woodruff* RC — Wynne
Sam M. Walton College of Business
Bailey Paige Bennett* — Mammoth Spring Ryan P. Decker* — Kansas City, Missouri Jissel Esparza Saucedo RC — Jonesboro Shelby Rose Hansen* RC — Austin, Texas Kyndall Hoey — Sapulpa, Oklahoma Kirsten James — Rogers Samuel D. Lipson* RC — Ithaca, New York Jon Mahaffey* — Marietta, Ohio Ryan Matthew Meador* — Russellville Torey Morris — Mansfield, Texas Ankush Patel* — Little Rock Julia Rogers* — Fayetteville Olivia Anne Sherrington — Dallas, Texas Cornelia Swardh* — Frisco, Texas
* Indicates the student is a member of the Honors College. ^ indicates the student is pursuing degrees within two colleges. RC Indicates the student has been selected as a Razorback Classic. SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 45
Senior Honor Citations The Arkansas Alumni Association has recognized U of A graduating seniors Jissel Esparza Saucedo of Jonesboro and Emily Grace Richey of Paris with the 2021 Senior Honor Citation. The award was announced by Mark Power, vice chancellor of advancement, at the conclusion of the celebration. The award was established in 1965 by the Arkansas Alumni Association to recognize the two senior students whose academic achievement, leadership skills and
Jissel Esparza Saucedo
co-curricular activities at the U of A distinguished them among their peers. As the winners of the Senior Honor Citation, Esparza Saucedo and Richey received life memberships in the Arkansas Alumni Association and permanent recognition on a plaque at the alumni house. They will be invited back to campus to represent their class at events, including speaking at their Senior Walk Dedication.
Emily Grace Richey
Photos by Melissa Brawner
JISSEL ESPARZA SAUCEDO ✪ Esparza Saucedo was the 2020-21 student body treasurer and had several other roles within the Associated Student Government. She has been an active member of Chi Omega, where she served as director of alumni relations, among other roles. She also balanced her co-curricular commitments and challenging academic schedule with an internship at General Mills, logging over 100 hours of volunteer service in Northwest Arkansas, and mentoring 20 Latinx students at J.O. Kelly Middle School through Sin Limites. “Being a member of the Razorback family goes beyond completing a degree; it is about making a lifelong commitment to the place that helped shape my future, my dreams and my friendships,” Esparza Saucedo said. “Time and time again, I’ve been awestruck by the dedication, admiration and love UA 46 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
alumni hold. My time in college has served as verification of their devotion.” As a first-generation college student herself, Esparza Saucedo embraced her opportunities and used them as a mentor with the explicit goal of increasing recruitment and retention rates among first-generation and underrepresented student populations. “As a Sin Limites mentor, ... I mentored children who had never really seen themselves as the types of people to attend college,” she said. “To be quite truthful, the experience resonated with me greatly because I saw myself in their shoes. Outside of helping them with their homework, I worked on teaching them about all the opportunities that attending colleges granted them, and that the University of Arkansas is a place where the Latinx community is embraced and celebrated.” Esparza Saucedo is an accounting major in the Sam M. Walton College of Business.
EMILY GRACE RICHEY ✪ Richey has been a U of A Honors College Fellow from 2017-21. Additionally, she held leadership roles across campus, including serving as president and treasurer of Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Medical Honor Society, chaplain and philanthropy committee member for Kappa Kappa Gamma, and board member for the Office of Financial Affairs with the Associated Student Government. Richey has completed hundreds of service hours and received awards for both her philanthropic and academic achievements. Her dedication to her chosen field of medicine is reflected in the eight hours per week she spent in Suresh Kumar’s biochemistry research lab throughout her college career and in the extensive shadowing and international study abroad opportunities to which she availed herself. Richey has a strong sense of connection to the U of A and looks forward to giving back as an alumna of the institution.
Past Arkansas Presidents Alumni Association of the Board of Directors 1923-24 Joseph Kirby Mahone ✪ BA’07 1924-25 Robert Hill Carruth BA’11 1925-26 James E. Rutherford ✪ BA’22 1926-27 Winston Lee Winters BSCE’06 1927-28 J.L. Longino BSEE’03 1928-29 Alfred Boyde Cypert BA’12 1929-30 James William Trimble BA’17 1930-31 G. DeMatt Henderson BA’01 LLB’03 1931-32 Dr. Jasper Neighbors MD’18 1932-33 Scott D. Hamilton BA’24 1933-34 Charles A. Walls BA’07 1934-35 Arthur D. Pope BA’06 1935-36 John C. Ashley BA’11 1936-37 Beloit Taylor BA’19 1937-38 John P. Woods ✪ BA’09 1938-39 Glen Rose ★ BSE’28 MS’31 1939-40 Claude J. Byrd ★ BSA’25 1940-41 Charles Frierson Jr. ’29 1941-42 John B. Daniels BSA’33 1942-44 G. DeMatt Henderson BA’01 LLB’03 1944-45 Dr. M. L. Dalton MD’32 1945-46 Jack East ✪ BSE’24 1946-47 Steve Creekmore ★ BSBA’11 1947-48 Maupin Cummings ✪ BA’32 1948-49 Roy Milum BA’04, LLD’58 1949-50 Paul Sullins ✪ JD’37 1950-51 Francis Cherry LLB’38
“Being an alumn[a] runs much deeper than putting a sticker on your car. It means that you are forever a part of a community that actively works to build tomorrow’s leaders and consists of a network that expands into all sectors of the workforce,” Richey said. “I plan to give back to the University of Arkansas post-graduation by encouraging small-town students like myself to attend school there. Older students encouraged and showed me that I was capable. This boost of encouragement led me to not only attend school at the University of Arkansas, but to become a leader on campus. ... By continuing to mentor small-town high school students in my future, I plan to help guide more small-town students to be leaders at the University of Arkansas. Through all these endeavors, I will continue giving back to the school that has given so much to me.” Richey is a biochemistry major in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.
ARKANSAS
ALUMNI
1951-52 J.C. Gibson BA’24 MS’38 1952-53 George Makris ✪ BSBA’37 1953-54 Edward B. Dillon Jr. ★ LLB’50 1954-55 Beloit Taylor BA’19 1955-56 Louis L. Ramsay Jr. LLB’47 LLD’88 1956-57 Stanley Wood ✪ BA’23 1957-58 A.L. Whitten MS’40 1958-59 W.R. “Dub” Harrison BA’20 1959-60 E.M. “Mack” Anderson ✪+ BA’32 1960-61 Warren Wood ✪ LLB’32 1961-62 Owen Calhoun Pearce BSBA’41 LLB’41 1962-63 James C. Hale BA’33 1963-64 Jack East Jr. BSBA’48 1964-65 J. Fred Patton ✪+ BA’29 MA’36 1965-66 P.K. Holmes Jr. ✪ BA’37 LLB’39 1966-67 William H. Bowen ★ LLB’49 1967-68 Guy H. Lackey ✪+ BSBA’49 1968-69 Robert P. Taylor ✪+ BSBA’47 MS48 1969-70 John Ed Chambers BA’39 LLB’40 1970-71 Chester H. Lauck ’25 1971-72 Nathan Gordon ✪+ JD’39 1972-73 Charles E. Scharlau ✪+ LLB’51 1973-74 Carl L. Johnson ★ BSBA’47 1974-75 R. Cecil Powers ✪ BSBA’30 1975-76 J.C. Reeves ✪ ’25 1976-77 Elizabeth (Sissi) Riggs Brandon ✪+ BSE’55 1977-78 Roy Murphy ✪+ BSIM’49
1978-79 Fred Livingston ✪ BSBA’55 1979-80 Tracy Scott ✪ BSE’53 1980-81 Edward W. Stevenson ✪+ BSBA’60 1981-82 Fred Livingston ✪ BSBA’55 1982-83 Don Schnipper ✪+ BA’63 JD’64 1983-84 Mary Trimble Maier ✪+ BA’49 1984-85 Bart Lindsey ✪+ BSBA’67 1985-86 W. Kelvin Wyrick ✪+ BSE’59 1986-87 Larry G. Stephens ✪+ BSIE’58 1987-88 Rebecca Shreve ✪+ BSE’60 MED’63 1988-89 Robert T. Dawson ✪+ BA’60 LLB’65 1989-90 Gregory B. Graham ✪+ BSBA’70 JD’72 1990-91 Blake Schultz ✪+ BA’51 1991-92 Chuck Dudley ✪+ BSBA’76 MBA’77 1992-93 Harriet Hudson Phillips ✪+ BA’72 1993-94 Richard Hatfield ✪+ BSBA’65 LLB’67 1994-95 Jenny Mitchell Adair ✪+ BA’62 1995-96 Jack McNulty ✪+ BSBA’67 JD’70 1996-97 Sylvia Boyer ✪+ BSE’63 1997-98 Morris Fair ★ BSBA’56 1998-00 H. Lawson Hembree IV ✪+ BSA’83 2000-02 Jeffery R. Johnson ✪+ BA’70 2002-04 Edward Bradford ✪+ BSE’55 MED’56 2004-06 Brian M. Rosenthal ✪+ BSBA’84 2006-08 Kenny Gibbs ✪+ BSBA’85 2008-10 Gerald Jordan ✪+ BA’70 2010-12 Steve Nipper ✪+ BSBA’71 MBA’73 2012-14 John Reap ✪+ BSBA’70 2014-16 Stephanie S. Streett ✪ BS’91 2016-18 Don Eldred ✪ BSBA’81 2018-20 Teena Gunter ✪ JD’92 LLM’97
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 47
Alumni
Campus Collaborations
Connecting and Serving the U of A Family
In 2020, the Arkansas Alumni Association turned a pandemic into a pause that emphasized mission and strategy to show why our work is important to the University of Arkansas community. When the U of A shifted to virtual work and classes, the association’s strategic plan provided the anchor in quickly establishing focus and priorities. The Alumni Association moved to unprecedented action within three weeks with its first virtual alumni engagement on April 7 a year ago. Our Virtual Lunch and Learn Series featured 28 programs attended by 1,335 participants. These events included alumni-led conversations and presentations about current and controversial issues. Guest speakers for this series included leaders from university administration and alumni board members. The level of engagement and university-wide participation set a new standard for the Arkansas Alumni Association. Because of the swift action by the association to connect and serve the campus community and our alumni, the association grew in value and recognition across campus,
48 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
and in September launched two more series. Arkansas Alumni Presents highlighted every college, and the Alumni Town Hall Series invited alumni into critical conversations on race happening on our campus. Together, both series included 32 virtual programs with approximately 2,165 participants, collaborating with deans to organize alumni engagement opportunities. These events allowed the association to spotlight the remarkable accomplishments on campus and connect with alumni in a collaborative way not explored in the past. This summer and fall, the association is building upon the foundation of relationships established during the pandemic with a summer Lunch and Learn Series that centers on the lessons we have learned. Our entire university community has gained new insights and understanding amid adversity. Arkansas Alumni Presents will continue to shed light on the innovative and impactful work happening on our campus as we look to a future full of possibilities.
Events
Reconnecting and Sharing Memories 2021 Law Alumni Reunion
The School of Law hosted virtual alumni reunion activities on April 9-10. The reunion program offered something for everyone: opportunities to reconnect with classmates through class events and share memories, participate in good-natured class rivalry through the class giving challenge, three opportunities to earn continuing legal education credit, celebrations of the school’s 50-year Golden Graduates (the classes of 1970 & 1971) and a meet-and-greet with the outgoing and incoming executive boards of the Arkansas Law Review. More than 200 alumni registered for the weekend’s activities. Virtual Zoom reunions were hosted for members of the classes of 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1990, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006 and 2016. Additionally, the Classes of 1970 and 1971 were honored during a Golden Graduate Celebration. The Golden Grads were recognized by the law school for their service during the formal program, which was followed by time for visiting amongst each other. As part of the celebration, video interviews were conducted with volunteers from those celebrating their 50-year reunion. A compilation of the videos was shared during the program, and the videos in their entirety will be shared on the School of Law YouTube account soon. The Arkansas Judges and Lawyer Assistance Program and the Black Law Student Association partnered with the School of Law to present two of the weekend’s continuing legal education seminars. The Judges and Lawyer Assistance Program gathered a group of alumni and professionals who have made wellness a priority in their own careers as well as for the legal profession. Chief Justice J. Dan Kemp J.D.’76, Bill Putman J.D.’91, Lisa Walton and Professor Will Foster J.D.’05 discussed the increasing importance of prioritizing health and wellness during the pandemic,
services available and different methods for accomplishing this objective. In similar fashion, Judge Earnest Brown J.D.’95, Kendra Pruitt J.D.’13 and Jade Laye J.D.’04 were invited by the Black Law Student Association to serve on a panel for the Chauncey E. Brummer Symposium. The panel discussed the importance of giving back to the community and legal profession through public service. Former professor Chauncey Brummer made a special appearance and praised the panel members for their commitment to giving back. The final CLE of the weekend focused on Food Law and Policy during a pandemic and was presented by Margaret Sova McCabe, dean of the School of Law. McCabe illustrated how COVID-19 will refocus attention on national nutrition law and policy, critically examining the influence of dietary guidelines on food production. The annual Class Giving Challenge is a friendly competition between classes that raises funds to support student scholarships and programming. Through the generosity of this year’s reunion classes, more than $18,000 has been raised so far; donations are still being received. Classes vie for “Highest Participation from Class Members” and “Most Dollars Raised.” Currently in the lead are the Class of 1996 with the highest participation from class members and the Class of 2005 with the most dollars raised. The Class of 1980 follows in a very close second place in both categories. Final results of the Class Giving Challenge will be announced in the May School of Law Newsletter. Planning for next year’s spring reunion will begin soon to celebrate members of the classes ending in 2’s or 7’s. If you have interest in serving on the reunion committee to help plan reunion weekend for your class, please contact Erin Feller, associate director of development, at feller@uark.edu. SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 49
Yesteryear
Yesteryear
Razorback Yearbook
n the popularity of O the Harry Potter novels, students worked with University Recreation to create a quidditch sport club and soon took to their broomsticks in search of the Golden Snitch. Photo by Stephen Ironside.
1871
• The Board of Trustees chooses the town of Fayetteville as the site for the Arkansas Industrial University after separate bids by Batesville and Prairie Grove were considered.
1891
• In July, the Board of Trustees directs the return of tuition paid the previous March on the grounds that the law requiring tuition had been repealed shortly after collection.
50 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
1911
• Thirty-six students publish an underground newspaper called The X-Ray, and the entire student body goes on strike after the 36 are expelled. The governor eventually settles the controversy, returning the 36 students, some from prominent families in the state, to class. • The Arkansas football team beats Louisiana State University 51-0 on Thanksgiving Day in Little Rock.
1921
• A training school is established in the College of Education to give university students the experience of teaching in a classroom prior to graduation.
1931
• Will Rogers speaks at “Schmidt’s Barn,” the athletic field house at the time, and mentions that he had spoken in it before: “I didn’t think it would last this long.” • Daphne Dailey is named Miss Arkansas Traveler.
• Due to the Great Depression, the Arkansas Legislature cuts the U of A budget by more than a fifth, and faculty and staff take pay cuts.
1941
• J. William Fulbright is fired as president of the university by a Board of Trustees appointed by the new governor, Homer Adkins, a rival of the preceding governor, Carl Bailey, who appointed Fulbright to the position.
• The Association of Women Students is created to replace the defunct Women’s League on campus.
1951
• Vice President Alben Barkley addresses the national “Chicken of Tomorrow” awards program on the university campus. • The Air Force ROTC program on campus enrolls more than 200 students in both basic and advanced classes.
1961
• Phil Cate, a writer for The Arkansas Traveler, interviews the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Georgia Gov. Ernest Vandiver about the effort to integrate the University of Georgia. • Professors Ben Kimpel, D.A. Slack and Fay Jones
receive the first Faculty Achievement Awards.
1971
• Bill McClard kicks a 60-yard field goal and breaks the NCAA record. • Students return from Spring Break to a rare late spring snowfall.
1981
• The Global Campus Building, originally known as the Continuing Education Center, opens on the northeast corner of the Fayetteville Square. • Union Programs closes out its Celebrity Showcase with the rock group Kansas performing to 8,500 people at Barnhill Arena. • The U of A Theatre performs Camelot, by Lerner and Loewe, and Tartuffe, by Moliere, during the spring season.
1991
• The university begins a recycling program. • Constance Barnes becomes the 100,000th graduate of the U of A to be awarded a diploma.
2001
• Anna Terry wins a Rhodes Scholarship while Megan Ceronsky wins a Marshall Scholarship. • UATV expands its programming to more than 100 hours of programs during the fall semester. • Winona Laduke, a member of the Anishinaabe tribe who ran for vice president on the Green Party ticket with Ralph Nader, speaks on campus about the relationship between Indigenous people with the modern world.
• Marlon Blackwell, professor of architecture, is featured on the cover of Architectural Record as part of an article highlighting inventive architecture across the country.
2011
• Students in the hospitality and restaurant management program in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences take over the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs for a fundraiser that includes a night at the hotel, a three-course meal, a winetasting reception, dancing and a silent auction. • The Japanese Student Association on campus holds fundraisers to help the victims of the Tohoku earthquake and resulting tsunami that devastated Japan the previous spring.
I n 1981, students held a competition to see who could best impersonate the head football coach, Lou Holtz, at least in fashion if not by performing magic tricks and offering pithy athletic aphorisms. There was no shortage of imitators. Razorback Yearbook
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 51
Special Collections
Senior Walk
From Senior Walk Let us know about your milestones and anything else you would like to share with your classmates — births, marriages, new jobs, retirements, moves and more. Please include your degree, class year, and when applicable, your maiden name. To provide the most thorough coverage of alumni news, we publish notes about members and non-members of the
Class Notes 1970s Brad Baker ✪ BA’77, Jonesboro, is the district governor for the Lions of District 70. He also attended the Lions Club International Convention in Milan, Italy, in 2019 and is also completing his 25th year as chief executive officer for MidSouth Lions Sight and Hearing Service.
52 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
Arkansas Alumni Association and will indicate membership status for reference. You may send us news or simply update your information. Since the next issues of Arkansas are already in production, it may be a few issues before your item appears. Submit your news online at www. arkansasalumni.org/classnotes; by mail: From Senior Walk, Arkansas Alumni Association, P.O. Box 1070,
Jim L. Brewer BA’77, Bentonville, published his third book, They Played For Laughs, The True Story of Stewart Ferguson and the Arkansas A&M Wandering Weevils, College Football’s Marx Brothers.
1980s Dave Kuhne MFA’82, Fayetteville, has published his new novel, Maintaining Texas Pride.
Fayetteville AR 72702; or by email: records@arkansasalumni.org. These symbols indicate Alumni Association membership: ✩ Student Member ★ Member ★+ Member, A+ ✪ Life Member ✪+ Life Member, A+
Jeff Presley ★ BS’82, Fort Worth, recently celebrated 35 years of service at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. Mark E. McMurtrey BSBA’84 MBA’86, Conway, received the Southwest Decision Sciences Institute Outstanding Educator Award. The award is presented each year to an individual who has made an outstanding
contribution to the decision sciences discipline.
1990s April Mosebrook ✪+ BA’96, San Diego, California, is the founding artistic director of Bucket List Broadway, a musical theatre workshop for adults. Andrew Westmoreland MA’96, Birmingham, Alabama, is set to retire as university president June 30, 2021.
2000s Jonathan A. Thompson MBA’05, Naperville, Illinois, is the CEO of NielsenMassey Vanillas, a third-generation family-owned and-operated company that produces high-quality fine vanilla extracts and flavors. Nichole M. Manning ★ JD’07, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas, moved in-house to work for a former client, Wallabing Inc., an exciting startup in the peer-topeer RV rental industry. She and her two girls are looking forward to new adventures in travel as RV owners, including a trip to Fayetteville to teach them to call the HOGS.
2010s Lizzie M. Johnson BA’11 MED’14 and Brent A. Johnson BA’06 MSOM’09
JD’15, Fayetteville, announce the birth of their daughter, Remington “Remy,” July 4, 2020. Hayley N. Stephens BA’11, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Conner & Winters lawyer, has been accepted into the 2020 cohort of the Inclusive Leadership Institute. Reginald Ballard MAT’13, North Little Rock, joined Excel by Eight (E8) as a community consultant. Murray Lace BA’15, Memphis, Tennessee, is the senior account manager at Obsidian Public Relations. Elizabeth Tipton ✪+ MED’19 and Joshua E. Tipton ✪+ MED’19, West Fork, announce the birth of their son, Brantley, born August 2, 2020.
In Memoriam 1940s Francis McCain ★ BSA’42, Widener, June 4, 2020. William N. Patterson Jr. BSEE’42, Edmond, Oklahoma, April 16. Betty G. Uzman BS’42, Scranton, December 7, 2020. Frances Steward Quenin FS’43, Fort Smith, July 23, 2020. Mary Staats Martin BA’44, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, December 20, 2020. Mary M. Reed BA’44, Des Plaines, Illinois, January 30. Verna Bertschy Dodd BSBA’47, Garfield, December 1, 2020. Virginia P. Lancaster ★ BSHE’47, Fayetteville, August 27, 2020.
Jean Shelton Herd FS’48, Fayetteville, April 19. Edith Prater BSBA’48, Fort Collins, Colorado, February 19. Ruth D. Overstreet Wimberly BSE’48, Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 17. John E. Alexander ★ BS’49, Magnolia, April 17. Aleen E. Cochran ✪ FS’49, Chatsworth, California, September 26, 2017. John W. Gann Sr. BSBA’49, Little Rock, March 28. Mateel Gray BA’49, Phoenix, Arizona, August 20, 2019. Martha Ingram Vandever AA’49, Tulsa, Oklahoma, October 1, 2020.
Golf cart season is upon us folks! We hope everyone is gearing up for a great summer… We are here to help you find that golf or leisure vehicle with an EZGO or Garia. We offer a full line up of new and used vehicles fit for anyone and anything. So stop by and visit either of our locations in Fayetteville or Little Rock or check us out online and let us show you why we are the go to place for all of your golf cart, leisure and utility vehicles needs!
www.ARPOWERSPORTS.com (NWA) 479-858-1012
(LR) 501-690-0868
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 53
Campus
In Memoriam
Andrew J. Lucas Jr. ✪ B.A.’59
Photo submitted
Alumnus Andrew J. “Andy” Lucas Jr., one of the leaders of the Arkansas Alumni Association for nearly three decades, died March 15, 2021. He was born Nov. 30, 1929, in North Little Rock to Marie and Andrew Lucas Sr. Lucas graduated from Little Rock Catholic High School in 1948, enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War with the 96th Field Artillery Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, as a field artillery forward observer and communications sergeant. After his return to the states, he enrolled at the University of Arkansas, where he met Shirley, the woman who would become his wife for over 60 years. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism in 1959. While a student, he also enlisted in the Arkansas National Guard and was part of the forces federalized by President Eisenhower to assist in the integration of Central High School in 1957. After college he took a job with Gulf Oil Company as the editor of “The Orange Disc,” the company’s stockholders’ publication. In 1960, he returned to Arkansas where he accepted a position at the U of A Alumni Association. He was the editor of alumni publications, including the alumni magazine, then called Arkansas Alumnus, for more than 27 years, and the Razorback Report, which chronicled the athletic competitions in an eight-page newsletter and was named alumni newspaper of the year in 1963 by the American Alumni Council. He also served as acting executive director from 1987-1988 and assistant executive director from 1988-1991. Upon his retirement, he was awarded the Alumni Service Award, which now bears his name. He continued working with the Arkansas Alumni Association in a volunteer capacity, spending many years participating in the annual scholarship review and by serving six years on the board of the Lemke Journalism Alumni Society. As huge Razorback fans, Andy and Shirley could be found supporting the Hogs at all football, basketball and baseball games. Lucas was an avid runner and one of the founders of the Hogeye Marathon. Lucas is survived by his children, Lt. Col. Andrew J. Lucas III B.A.’85, Ernest J. Lucas ✪+ B.A.’83, John Lucas ✪ B.S.M.E.’84, M.S.’91, Catherine Spaulding B.S.E.’84 and Thomas Williams Lucas B.A.’93; his sister; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
54 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
1950s Darrel Evert Baker MS’50, Fort Smith, December 22, 2020. John E. Casey ★ BS’50 MS’53, Midland, Texas, March 24. Randy Davenport MS’50 EDD’55, Campbellsville, Kentucky, February 10. Basil Dmytryshyn BA’50 MA’51, Salem, Oregon, August 27, 2020. John W. Graves BSCHE’50, Houston, Texas, December 9, 2019. William O. Johnson MS’50, Winter Haven, Florida, July 10, 2020. Irma G. Marks MS’50, Pensacola, Florida, November 8, 2020. Ross Joseph Pritchard ✪ BA’50, Fayetteville, July 8, 2020. Weldon Ramey BSBA’50, Fort Smith, December 23, 2020. Joseph M. Wilkinson II ✪ BA’50, Tulsa, Oklahoma, December 16, 2020. Esther Sharon Belindo BSHE’51, Arlington, Texas, August 31, 2016. Mary Reeks Graves BA’51, Houston, Texas, November 7, 2015. Roy Grimsley ✪+ BSA’51, Springdale, March 23. Carl D. Koone ✪+ BSA’51 MS’52, Little Rock, February 18, 2021. Martha Kelly Lambert BSHE’51, Helena, April 18. Dorotha Jean Lewis BSBA’51, Fort Smith, February 6. Robert D. Lewis BSE’51, Waldron, February 4, 2020.
Charles W. Stewart III ✪ LLB’51, Fayetteville, February 1. Audrey Clever Wright BSHE’51, Newnan, Georgia, May 25, 2020. Shell Blakely ✪+ BSBA’52, Searcy, February 7. Ivan H. Box BS’52, Huntsville, December 19, 2020. Tom J. Caldarera Jr. BSBA’52, Fort Smith, February 12. Edgar Lee Clark BSPH’52, Conway, October 6, 2020. James M. Eldridge BSIM’52 MSE’69, Amherst, New Hampshire, April 8. Nancy Lane Ellis BA’52, Fredericksburg, Texas, April 7, 2020. Miller C. Ford Jr. BSCE’52 MSCE’60, Fayetteville, March 26. Kathryn McCormick BSHE’52, Dardanelle, December 9, 2020. Thomas Porterfield ✪ BSBA’52, Glendale, California, August 15, 2018. Sylvia S. Seibold BA’52, Texarkana, Texas, March 16. Alton E. Shumate BSA’52 MS’55 MS’65, Webster Groves, Missouri, March 15, 2010. Charles G. Spriggs BSIE’52, Benbrook, Texas, July 30, 2020. Forrest M. Tennant ★ BSA’52, Fayetteville, December 5, 2020. Mitch M. Wilkinson BSEE’52, Denton, Texas, May 19, 2020. Mildred Bullington Allen BSHE’53, Webster Groves, Missouri, July 9, 2020.
Tom Moore BS’51, Little Rock, March 10.
Tiger Billingsley ★ BSBA’53, Helena, November 22, 2020.
Alice Shofner BSHE’51, Fayetteville, April 18.
Roger Carter FS’53, Hot Springs, February 23.
2021 Hog Wild Tailgates We hope to see you at our Hog Wild Tailgates during the 2021 Football Season.* We will be posting updates on www.arkansasalumni.org/hogwildtailgates as details become available. * Hog Wild Tailgate capacity, logistics, and protocols will be determined based on the guidelines set forth by the University of Arkansas and the State of Arkansas. The health and safety of our alumni and friends will be a top priority.
www.arkansasalumni.org/hogwildtailgates • 1-888-ARK-ALUM or 479-575-2801
Hiram W. Cooper BSIE’53, Hot Springs, February 13.
Rodger H. Click BSA’55, Winthrop, April 10.
Mac Doublin BSBA’53, Bella Vista, May 31, 2020.
Juanita B. Duncan MED’55, Fayetteville, February 5.
Betty Sue Kell ★ BSE’53, Marianna, February 13.
Edwin B. Ebert BSBA’55, Euless, Texas, August 3, 2020.
Max G. Linn ★ BS’53, Eden Isle, September 21, 2020. Robert T. Riddle BS’53, Fayetteville, August 17, 2020. Joyce Brasel Smith BSE’53, Longview, Texas, April 10. Jack A. Warden BSBA’53, Richardson, Texas, October 11, 2017. Jim H. Faulkner Jr. ✪+ BSJ’54, Little Rock, February 9.
Henry A. Lee BS’55, Leawood, Kansas, September 3, 2020. Jo Frances Wagner Smith FS’55, Harrison, February 6. George Underhill Jr. ✪+ BSAGE’55 PHD’84, Springdale, February 18. Mary Clinton Wasson BA’55 MA’75, Kansas City, Missouri, March 12.
Thomas A. Epperson BSA’56, Mulberry, February 4.
Ronald T. Farrar ★ BSBA’57, West Columbia, South Carolina, May 18, 2020.
Nancy Jackson Jarboe BSE’56, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, March 4.
Robert Haydon Jr. ✪ BSEE’57, Little Rock, April 18.
Dorothy C. Kelly ★ MED’56, Tulsa, Oklahoma, July 19, 2020.
Donald R. Henderson FS’57, Little Rock, April 14.
Ruby Harvison McGuire BSBA’56, Fayetteville, April 10.
Cecil Wade McDermott BSE’57, Conway, May 17, 2020.
Wesley M. Parker BA’56, Little Rock, February 25.
Sarah Parish Morrison ★ BSHE’57, Tallahassee, Florida, March 11, 2020.
Sue Lineback Rhodes BA’56 MA’57, Glendale, Arizona, August 24, 2020.
Frank H. Nelson MED’57, North Little Rock, August 12, 2020.
Leon Belcher MED’57, Houston, Texas, March 31.
Ivor L. Preiss MS’57 PHD’60, Latham, New York, March 11.
O’Tar Norwood BS’54, Edmond, Oklahoma, July 28, 2020.
Margaret Pownall Blackwood MED’56, Springfield, Missouri, November 8, 2020.
Thomas H. Baskins MS’55, North Little Rock, March 22.
Ted G. Boswell BA’56 LLB’58, Bryant, March 28.
James S. Crump Sr. BSME’57, Mobile, Alabama, January 28, 2020.
Boyce W. Billingsley ✪+ BSBA’55, Bentonville, March 18.
Don Elliott ★ BSE’56, Saint Louis, Missouri, December 9, 2020.
Minor W. Davis Jr. ★ BSBA’57, Texarkana, Texas, December 13, 2020.
Judy Corkill ✪ BSBA’57, Austin, Texas, January 21.
Jacob P. Pyeatte BSBA’57, Siloam Springs, July 11, 2020. John Riggs ✪ BSIE’57, Little Rock, April 6. William A. Vaughn MED’57, Russellville, March 5.
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 55
Senior Walk
Bobby J. Viguet BSBA’57, Fort Smith, December 23, 2020. Stanley P. Williams ✪+ BSCE’57 MSCE’62, Lewisville, Texas, February 6. Oleta McWhorter Harden MA’58 PHD’65, Greenwood, Indiana, December 11, 2020. Bob Keogh BSBA’58, Albert Lea, Minnesota, April 8. John Edward Luzietti BSME’58 MSME’71, Tallahassee, Florida, April 9. Larry H. Pitman BSA’58 MS’65, Brookland, February 8. Gordon R. Robertson BA’58, Little Rock, March 14. J. W. Rowe Jr. MED’58, Hope, February 7. Johnny O. Schaffhauser BSIM’58, Madison, Mississippi, October 15, 2020. Charlie E. Venable ★ BSCE’58 MSCE’59, Rogers, April 20. William T. Wallace ✪ BSA’58 MS’61, Gillett, April 21. Lehman Jesse Booher BSBA’59, Lufkin, Texas, October 7, 2020. Alice Brooks MS’59, Ozark, June 25, 2019. James Andrew Curtis BSME’59, Paron, February 11.
Gerry Mills BSEE’59, Maumelle, February 11. James L. Mills BSA’59, Brownsville, Texas, July 1, 2020. Quentin C. Pearce MED’59, Batesville, April 17. Charles A. Poe BA’59 MA’63, Genoa, Nebraska, September 20, 2020. Gene Roebuck BSE’59, Jonesboro, March 8. Phil Saba BSEE’59, Catonsville, Maryland, December 26, 2020. Donald E. Steen BS’59 BSBA’60, Sedalia, Missouri, August 18, 2020.
1960s Joseph Robert Anderson BS’60, Rogers, November 21, 2020. Philip R. Atterberry ★ BS’60, Plano, Texas, April 3, 2020. Charles Denny Bray BS’60, Springdale, February 9. David G. Byrd BSEE’60, Las Vegas, Nevada, February 2, 2021. Sylvia Rich Crosby BSE’60, Batesville, February 21, 2021. Willis Hugh Edmiston BSBA’60 MBA’81, Fort Smith, April 7. Winfred Don Harris BSA’60 MS’62, Springdale, March 6. Velda H. Holmes MA’60, Hot Springs, July 21, 2020.
Charley B. Davis BSA’59, Berryville, May 23, 2019.
Bill Luplow ★ BA’60, Little Rock, April 6.
Guy Dickert Jr. BSBA’59, Texarkana, Texas, April 22.
Jack McGaughy BA’60, Tampa, Florida, December 1, 2020.
Eleanor B. Frank BA’59, Fayetteville, February 8. Andy Lucas ✪+ BA’59, Maumelle, March 15. Conita Jernigan Lyle ★ BA’59, Jonesboro. Larry W. Meyers Jr. BSCHE’59, Hot Springs, March 23.
56 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
William D. Blackburn BA’61, Texarkana, April 6. Rodney T. Chambers ✪ LLB’61, Magnolia, March 29. Martha Hicky Fogelman BA’61, Memphis, March 1. C. Joe Giroir Jr. BA’61 LLB’63, Quitman, February 12.
John L. Idol Jr. MA’61 PHD’65, Boone, North Carolina, February 26.
Betty Sutton MED’62, Rogers, December 25, 2020.
Ross E. McCrory BSBA’61, Longview, Texas, March 2.
Patricia Waldren BSE’62 MED’84, Fayetteville, November 28, 2020.
George McKinney FS’61, Lenoir City, Tennessee, February 15.
William E. Woodiel MED’62, Mountain Home, November 26, 2020.
Mary McKinnon MED’61, Parkers Chapel, September 27. Morris H. McKinnon MED’61, Parkers Chapel, April 6. Carl E. Pace BSCE’61 PHD’76, Vicksburg, Mississippi, December 18, 2020. William R. Bullock Sr. BSBA’59 LLB’62, Dardanelle, December 16, 2020. William Davis Jr. BSBA’62, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, September 17, 2020. John D. Fenno BSBA’62, Colcord, Oklahoma, December 31, 2020. Molly Beasley Fuller BSE’62, Blytheville, December 17, 2020. Wilbur M. Giles BA’62, Fayetteville, March 22. Carole I. Hartley ★ BSE’62, Greenwood Village, Colorado, December 11, 2020. S. Richard Hipp BSBA’59 LLB’62, Lakewood, Colorado, January 11. Harry D. Jones BSME’62, Kingwood, Texas, July 3, 2020. Donn C. Kerby BSBA’62, Lakeland, Florida, April 14. Martha Anna Martin BA’62 MA’64, North Little Rock, February 27. Roxy A. Pike BSHE’62, Villa Rica, Georgia, October 22, 2020.
Martha J. Cordes BSE’63, Springdale, August 9, 2020. Henry Stephen Kimbrough BSCE’63, North Little Rock, December 24, 2020. Sandra W. Manatt FS’63, Victoria, Texas, July 22, 2020. Robert E. Pianalto BSA’63, Tontitown, February 23. Claudia L. Scherrey ★ BSE’63, Fort Smith, October 12, 2020. Billy Earl Shaffer BSE’63, Fort Smith, July 18, 2020. Kenneth Ronald Smith LLB’63, Yellville, March 3, 2020. Van Allen Tyson MA’63 PHD’81, Atkins, February 27. Lynn C. Doyle BSCE’64 MSCE’67, Mobile, Alabama, August 10, 2020. Barbara Haile Fronabarger ✪ BA’64, Gainesville, Virginia, August 18, 2020. Eileen J. Hendricks ★ BSE’64, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, August 5, 2020. Thomas L. Junkersfeld BA’64, Bellingham, Washington, December 21, 2020. Carlos N. Mitchell BSA’64, Dardanelle, July 19, 2020. Milo G. Myers BSCHE’64, Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 17, 2020.
Karl Schmidt BSME’62, Sherwood, July 11, 2020.
Mary Weaver Price BSE’64, Bartlett, Tennessee, December 22, 2020.
Arthur L. Strobel MS’62, Joplin, Missouri, October 13, 2020.
Lee Schwieger ★ BSIE’64, Atlanta, Georgia, August 25, 2020.
In Memoriam
Boyce Billingsley ✪+ B.S.B.A.’55
University Relations
Boyce Billingsley, a 1955 alumna of the U of A and longtime philanthropist, passed away on March 18 at the age of 89. She leaves behind a legacy of generosity, impacting programs in multiple colleges and schools, as well as Razorback Athletics. “Boyce Billingsley was one of a kind, and she and her late husband, George, were remarkable supporters of the University of Arkansas,” Chancellor Joe Steinmetz said at the time. “She gave more than just her time and financial support — she gave her energy and enthusiasm as well. Her welcoming spirit and love for education will be fondly remembered, and the difference she made to the university will be felt for decades to come.” Billingsley grew up in West Memphis and came to the university to major in finance. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Sam M. Walton College of Business and worked in the business office of Cherokee Village Development Company, later renamed Cooper Communities Inc., after graduation. She and her husband, George, moved to Bella Vista in 1965 to help start Bella Vista Village and raise their two daughters, Boyce Ann and Kelly, as well as Boyce’s son, Chuck, from her previous marriage to Charles Morgan Jr. Throughout her life, Billingsley dedicated herself to community service and was active in numerous organizations throughout Northwest Arkansas. Thanks to the generosity of Billingsley and her husband, many projects and endowments across the U of A campus now bear their names. In 2001, the university announced an $8.4 million gift from the couple to support scholarships, endowed chair positions and athletics through the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century. Their contribution created the George M. and Boyce W. Billingsley Endowed Chair in Information Systems in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, the George M. and Boyce W. Billingsley Endowed Chair in Nursing in the College of Education and Health Professions, the George M. and Boyce W. Billingsley Endowed Chair in Engineering in the College of Engineering, the George M. and Boyce W. Billingsley Endowed Chair in the Department of History for the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and also supported
the University Libraries, Chancellor’s Scholarships and the Razorback Foundation Inc. Prior to this gift, the couple provided funding for the restoration and renovation of Old Main and the establishment of a program for international music preservation in the Fulbright College. In recognition of their contributions, the home of the Department of Music was renamed the George and Boyce Billingsley Music Building. They also donated to the Alumni House campaign. Billingsley’s volunteerism was appreciated and admired at the university as well. She served on both the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century Steering Committee, as well as on the Campaign Arkansas Steering Committee, co-chairing the latter with Marilyn Bogle and Johnelle Hunt for a year. She also served on the Board of Advisors and the Library Leadership Council and was a life member of the Arkansas Alumni Association and inaugural member of the Women’s Giving Circle. The Billingsleys were included at the ruby level of the Towers of Old Main, a giving society for the university’s most generous benefactors, and were awarded the Chancellor’s Medal in 2005. The Billingsleys were instrumental in the support of Razorback student-athletes for more than seven decades. George Billingsley was the founder of the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Club in the early 1960s, and the club now bears his name in tribute. The Billingsleys were also honored as “Difference Makers” for their extraordinary support of Razorback Athletics. They are recognized in a tribute on the northwest plaza outside of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, along with coach Frank Broyles and other individuals who played an integral role in the growth of Razorbacks Athletics. In 2002, the Billingsleys were honored with the U of A Sports Hall of Honor Distinguished Service Award. In 2008, they made the signature gift for the construction of the George M. Billingsley Tennis Center, which gave the Razorback tennis programs one of the best collegiate indoor and outdoor tennis complexes in the country. The couple also made major gifts for the renovation and expansion of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, an endowed fund in athletics, the Bev Lewis Center, Bogle Park and consistently supported the Razorback Athletics’ Red Tie Salute to Excellence Dinner. In 2012, Boyce Billingsley was recognized in the “A” Walk of Honor before the Arkansas-Kentucky football game. She is survived by a son, Charles “Chuck” Morgan III; two daughters, Boyce Anne Billingsley and Kelly Billingsley Jones; a sister, Rebecca Cooper Whelan ✪ B.S.E.’63; and two grandchildren. SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 57
Senior Walk
In Memoriam
Larry Stephens ✪+ B.S.I.E.’58
University Relations
Larry Stephens of Hot Springs died on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, peacefully at home and surrounded by his family. Stephens was born at home on a snowy Dec. 29, 1935, in Hot Springs to Bernon “B.G.” and Martha Jean Stephens. Stephens graduated from Hot Springs High School and was an All-State basketball player for the Hot Springs Trojans. After a year at East Texas State College, he returned to Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering. While at the university, he was a member of Sigma Nu, Theta Tau, and in the Army ROTC. He attained the rank of captain in the U.S. Army Reserves. Stephens began his career in the wood products industry at the Dierks Forest Paper Mill in Pine Bluff; Dierks Forests Inc., at Weyerhaeuser; and was a co-founder of Hot Springs’ Mid-South Engineering Co., one of the largest engineering consultant groups serving the forest products industry. He also served as chair of the Mid-South Board. A dedicated professional, he loved his work and fellow employers and continued to work into his 80s. Throughout his adult life, Stephens was actively involved in community activities, usually in a leadership role. He served on the Hot Springs Airport Commission, the Hot Springs Civil Service and Water Commissions, Civic Auditorium Committee, the Garland Co. Industrial Development Corp, United Way, Hot Springs: Fifty for the Future, Area Community Foundation Board, the Oaklawn Foundation Board and the Levi Hospital Board. He was on the Ouachita Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, and was a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award. As a proud U of A graduate, Stephens also gave back to and through his alma mater as a way to repay the university for his education and campus experiences. He was a past president of the Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors and served on the Spa City Razorback Board. He was the founding president of the Arkansas Academy of Industrial Engineers and served on the university’s National Development Council. He served on the Campaign Arkansas Engineering Committee and the College of Engineering Advisory Council. He was a charter member of the Chancellor’s Society. Stephens received several honors during his life. Most notably, he was recognized as the Arkansas Professional Engineer of the Year, Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year. He was inducted into the U of A College of Engineering Hall of Fame and was honored by the U of A with the College of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award and the Andrew J. Lucas Alumni Service Award. Survivors are his wife of 59 years, Gwen ✪+; son, Jeffrey M. Stephens ✪+ B.S.I.E.’86; daughter, Kerry Johnson ✪+ B.S.’94; a brother; and 3 grandchildren.
Rose Marie McClain Willett BSE’64 MED’70 EDD’76, Rogers, December 24, 2020. Charles Cooper Jr. BSPH’65, Paris, March 7. Don O. Dickey BSA’65, Fort Smith, May 20, 2020. Robert F. Elmer BSBA’65, Springdale, October 5, 2020. Richard W. Flora ✪ LLB’65, Dallas, Texas, January 25, 2020. Joseph E. Garner BSME’65, Orlando, Florida, August 17, 2020. Geneva Sisk McDaniel MED’65, North Little Rock, June 1, 2020. James C. Mebane MBA’65, Knoxville, Tennessee, February 18. Sally Carolyn Ridenour BA’65, Dallas, Texas, January 20. Ann L. Brambl BA’66, Fort Smith, February 23. Joseph W. Forbes BSE’66, Southern Pines, North Carolina, March 10. Carole F. Hanna MA’66, Hallsville, Texas, May 29, 2020. Gerald Harp ✪+ BSBA’66, Fayetteville, October 16, 2020. Bobby Kees Marks PHD’66, Huntsville, Texas, March 7. Thomas A. Martin BA’66 JD’74, Jasper, March 25. Gerald Leon Nicholson BSE’66 MED’79, Sherwood, May 21, 2020. Glennard Palmer BSIE’66, Richardson, Texas, October 24, 2020. George P. Russ BSE’66, North Little Rock, February 13. John Sanders BSCHE’66, Missouri City, Texas, December 8, 2020.
58 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
William A. Schenke BSCE’66, Hot Springs National Park, November 22, 2020.
Nathan Dodd MS’69, Texarkana, Texas, September 25, 2020.
Fred Pfister MA’70, Branson, Missouri, February 26.
Nola Jane S. Smith BSE’66, Sherwood, April 1.
Fred M. Glaze MED’69, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, December 13, 2020.
Jim L. Brooks ★ BSEE’71, Orlando, Florida, May 18, 2020.
Larry Herman Wewers ✪ BSIM’66, Jenks, Oklahoma, September 1, 2020.
Ronnie D. Hall BSCE’69, Greenbrier, March 6.
Vick D. Goodner BSA’71, Benton, April 7.
R. Lee McQueen Jr. ✪ FS’69, Marion, March 14.
Jim Hargraves BA’71, Forrest City, February 4.
Charlotte Bishop Puck MA’69, Burlington, Washington, March 13, 2017.
Tina Head BSE’71, Little Rock, September 16, 2020.
Carol E. Bowman Williams BA’66, Little Rock, February 9. John C. Adams MED’67, Norfork, April 4, 2020. Carolyn R. Formby BSHE’67, De Queen, April 13, 2019. Don Brian Hawksley BSBA’67, Rogers, March 10. Howell W. Keeter ★ EDD’67, Point Lookout, Missouri, November 8, 2020. James D. Lore MS’67, Clinton, Tennessee, March 22. Linda Pledger Smith BA’67, Lonoke, September 17, 2020. Claire V. Sode MA’67, Rogers, August 28, 2020. Bascom J. Bogle FS’68, Hot Springs, March 2. Maxine E. Cawood BSE’68, De Queen, April 14, 2018. Ronald W. Crawford BSEE’68, Warner Robins, Georgia, April 11. Sarah Andrus Ramey ★ BSE’68, Fayetteville, March 4. Virginia Childress Spencer MED’68, Fayetteville, September 13, 2020. John W. Stiles BSCE’68 MSCE’69, Little Rock, February 11. Betty Avery Terrell BSE’68, Little Rock, December 31, 2020. Joe F. Barlow MED’69, Biloxi, Mississippi, February 18. Gordon Beasley EDD’69, Conway, December 26, 2020. Don A. Bryant BSBA’69, Rogers, February 12.
Bobby Gene Sanders Jr. JD’69, Mena, January 26, 2014. Sanna Sullivan BA’69, Fort Smith, March 5.
1970s James P. Bell BA’70, Fayetteville, September 4, 2020. Thomas Lee Cloninger MS’70, Sherwood, February 16. Freddy D. Green EDD’70, Russellville, August 30, 2020. Albert C. Hardage BA’70 JD’75, Little Rock, March 25. G. Nelson Johnson ✪+ BSBA’70, Belen, New Mexico, September 29, 2020. William T. Ketcher BSE’70, Little Rock, April 19. Jerry D. Kuykendall BSBA’70, Bentonville, August 16, 2020.
David L. West ★ BSIM’71 BSIE’73, Bella Vista, March 26. Timothy L. Whillock ★ BSBA’71, Clinton, December 26, 2020. Dick Cisne BSBA’72, North Little Rock, February 7. Kathleen L. Dickerson MED’72, Rogers, August 1, 2020. Bev Griffin BSE’72, Little Rock, March 29. James D. Lambert ✪ BSBA’72, Smackover, February 19. David A. Peters BA’72, Saint Paul, Minnesota, January 2, 2014. Lou A. Price BSE’72 MED’77, Fayetteville, June 12, 2020. Charles N. Stephens BA’72, Cary, North Carolina, July 1, 2020. Janice B. King Stowe MA’72, Hoover, Alabama, May 24, 2020.
Robert B. Leslie JD’70, Conway, April 5.
K.W. Webb, Esquire JD’72, Jonesboro, December 19, 2020.
Joseph Boyd McBride BSA’70, Steubenville, Ohio, February 24, 2017.
Robert R. White ★ JD’72, Springdale, October 7, 2020.
Peggy D. Brown McCool MED’70 Damascus, February 5.
Steve N. Wilson MS’72, Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 21.
Dan E. Nichols ✪ BSBA’70, Fayetteville, January 16.
Richard L. Wingfield FS’72, Fort Smith, September 10, 2020.
Bobby Lee Odom ★ JD’70, Fayetteville, October 10, 2020.
John C. Zachariason BSBA’72 MBA’84, Sherwood, April 10.
Dale E. Brown MSOR’73, Fayetteville, July 19, 2020. Paul W. Dalke BSPA’73, Grove, Oklahoma, October 15, 2020. Craig F. Hull BA’73, Bentonville, January 30. Norma M. McDonald ★ BA’73, Irving, Texas, April 11, 2018. Loyd W. Phillips BSE’73 MED’74, Springdale, December 27, 2020. Dennis Welch MS’73, Little Rock, February 25. Carolyn Lee Whitefield JD’73, Texarkana, March 10. Darrel Bruce Cook BSA’74, West Fork, July 8, 2020. Gary L. Golden ★ BSA’74, De Queen, September 4, 2020. Jan Groh MED’74, Fayetteville, February 28. David R. O’Brien BSA’74, Pineville, Missouri, May 11, 2020. Ralph B. Roseberg MS’74, Lewiston, Idaho, October 8, 2020. Ellen T. Brack BA’75 MS’78, Santa Margarita, California, January 19, 2020. Wesley F. Edwards BA’75, Troy, Ohio, July 19, 2020. Brian D. Foster BSIE’75, San Ramon, California, August 28, 2020. Linda Kay Parker BSE’75, Springdale, March 26. Paul Rosenberg ✪ BA’75, Englewood, Colorado, September 29, 2020. Martha A. Walker ★ BSE’75, Springdale, March 7. Sullivan Young MS’75, Memphis, Tennessee, September 18, 2020. Douglas L. Applegate BARCH’76 MSA’85, Bella Vista, January 6. Carolyn W. Polk MED’76, Little Rock, March 4. SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 59
Senior Walk
In Memoriam
Joyce Faulkner ✪+ Joyce Faulkner, a devoted friend and supporter of the U of A, has passed away at the age of 86. She was proceeded in death three months prior by her husband of 50 years, Jim Faulkner, who was an alumnus and fellow champion of the university. “Losing both of these incredible individuals in the span of three months is heartbreaking,” then-Chancellor Joe Steinmetz at the time. “Sandy and I will never forget the hospitality and generosity of the Faulkners and how much they loved the university. They will be remembered fondly on our campus, and their legacy will undoubtedly live on through their philanthropy.” Faulkner grew up in Benton and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a degree in anthropology. She and her husband were avid tennis players and founders of the Arkansas Tennis Patron’s Association. At the U of A, the Faulkners leave behind a legacy of supporting students, programs and facilities on campus, including Garvan Woodland Gardens, the Chancellor’s Society, the Wallace W. and Jama M. Fowler House, the Joyce and James H. Faulkner Band Scholarship, the Faulkner Family Chancellor’s Scholarship Fund and — most notably — the Jim and Joyce Faulkner Performing Arts Center. Completed in 2015, the Faulkner Center is a world60 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
class performance venue that is 39,400 square feet and seats 587 people. It can also accommodate up to 250 performers at once on its stage. The center was named for Jim and Joyce Faulkner in recognition of the couple’s major gift to the project, which was a renovation of the U of A’s old Field House. Thanks to the Faulkners, the center is now the main performance venue for the U of A’s Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and its Department of Music, and each year it hosts a diverse range of guest musical activities for the university and the Northwest Arkansas community. Like her husband, Faulkner remained dedicated to the university over the years and was always very involved. She served on the Central Arkansas Advisory Committee, the Board of Advisors, the Campaign Arkansas Steering Committee and the Campaign Arkansas committee for Central Arkansas. She was a life member of the Arkansas Alumni Association, included in the Towers of Old Main and counted as a Thoroughred for her 31 years of consecutive giving to the university. Mark Power, vice chancellor for advancement, said, “Joyce was a remarkable person. She always exuded kindness and grace and displayed a true spirit for helping others and giving back. We will miss her — and Jim — tremendously and are so thankful for the time we had with them.” She is survived by her daughters Amy Parker B.A.’88, Brianne Bush, Lisa Breau B.S.E.’86 and Sue Faulkner; and eight grandchildren.
UPGRADE to LIFE and Never Pay Dues Again! www.ArkansasAlumni.org/join
THANK YOU New Life Members ✪
By becoming Life Members, the University’s friends and alumni help form a strong foundation on which to build the future of the Arkansas Alumni Association. We welcome the newest Life Members, listed in order of membership number: 9920 Carter Ford ’10 9921 Georgeanne Ford ’10 9922 Alexander Daine Seager 9923 Richard P. Christie ’79 9924 Patricia Diane Christie 9925 Dr. Paul Gardial 9926 Amber Gardial 9927 Kristine Kohles Stover ’81 9928 Mick Walsh 9929 David Dillahunty ’68 9930 Linda Dillahunty ’67 9931 Michael Gray Lindsey ’94, ’04 9932 Robert McGowan 9933 Leah Bobbitt 9934 Maria Meinholz 9935 Bridgitte D. Grant ’91 9936 Perry Benton 9937 Sheila A. Wilson 9938 Cathy Berner
9939 9940 9941 9942 9943 9944 9945 9946 9947 9948 9949 9950 9951 9952 9953 9954 9955 9956
Rachel Blankenship Tracy V. Langston Kristie Langston ’02 Mark W. Troutt Pam Troutt Jacqueline S. King ’67 Clay Chenault ’91, ’06 Sue Ann Chenault ’92 Susan A. Barron ’65 Wiley L. Barron Bob G. Ennis ’87, ’88 Deanna Ennis Randall W. Webb ’70 Linda H. Rye William David Newbern ’59, ’61 Carolyn L. Newbern ’62 Samantha L. Radtke ’09, ’12 Kyle D. Radtke
9957 Gerard L. Glenn ’69 9958 Monika F. Glenn 9959 Denise Nicole Malan ’03 9960 Alissa Jo Crain ’91, ’92 9961 Greg Crain ’92 9962 George A. Turner ’12 9963 Judy A. Ward 9964 Robert Wright ’71 9965 Sara E. Wright 9966 Dr. Christopher Lacye Pittman ’97 9967 Claire C. Pittman ’97 9968 Dr. Patrick R. Chase ’75, ’78 9969 Rebecca Lewis Chase ’79 9970 Dr. Orneita Gray Burton ’80 9971 Dwain C. Burton Sr. 9972 Kim E. Baker-Rauh ’82 9973 Eric Neal Kelley ’96
9974 Faheem M. Khan ’91 9975 Andrea Campbell Khan ’91 9976 Tony Dynell Posey ’91, ’94 9977 Sheila Marie Posey ’94 9978 Torey L. Morris 9979 Caroline Forster ’18 9980 Mike E. Carpenter ’81 9981 Cameron L. Baldwin 9982 Jissel Esparza 9983 Emily Grace Richey 9984 Erin Elizabeth Arthur 9985 Cecelia Marie Smith ’69, ’71 9986 Charles B. Hunt ’80 9987 Deborah K. Hunt
Mark Conrath BSBA’79, Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 27.
Ken Richards MA’76, Wilmette, Illinois, June 10, 2019.
Louis August Herr BA’77, Paxinos, Pennsylvania, August 24, 2020.
Patricia Jackson Sacrey MED’78 EDD’83, Knoxville, August 22, 2020.
James Michael Shea BSEE’76, Little Rock, January 3.
Wanda J. Vaughn BA’77, Fayetteville, December 19, 2020.
Michael E. Kellogg BA’78, Cross Plains, Wisconsin, December 18, 2020.
Nancy V. Gibson BSE’78, Fort Smith, September 14, 2020.
Michael Norton MED’78, Little Rock, February 17.
James T. Williamson BA’73 JD’76, Hockessin, Delaware, July 12, 2020. Paul L. Davidson BSBA’73 JD’77, Bentonville, November 22, 2020.
David K. Harp JD’78, Fort Smith, September 7, 2020.
Sandra Jean Anglin BSE’79, Doniphan, Missouri, January 5.
Douglas E. Florer BSA’77, Siloam Springs, September 18, 2020.
George H. Hayner Jr. MS’78, Lampasas, Texas, July 24, 2020.
Candy J. Clark BA’79 MA’81, Fayetteville, December 4, 2020.
Danny R. Harkins MED’79, Little Rock, February 25. Patrick J. Keogh BSCE’79 MSCE’80, Little Rock, August 5, 2020. Ralph Harry Nesson MED’79, Fayetteville, January 6, 2020. John O. Peace BA’79, Bethel Heights, March 16. Terry Siebenmorgen BSAGE’79, Fayetteville, November 22, 2020. SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 61
Senior Walk
Maria E. Tebbetts ✪ MD’79, San Antonio, Texas, January 28.
1980s Katheryn Lynn Davis BSE’80, Farmington, March 1. Daniel R. Elrod JD’80, Siloam Springs, August 4, 2020. Johnie Franklin Greenfield MA’80, Springfield, Missouri, March 13. James V. Hoeffner JD’80, Austin, Texas, March 6. Mark Andrew Marino BA’81, Hot Springs, January 30. Kevin L. McPherson BSCSE’81 MSCSE’92, West Fork, January 1. Dana W. Browning MS’82, Jacksonville, February 21. Gina M. Kell BSE’82, Rogers, November 29, 2020. John E. Moore JD’82, Little Rock, April 9. Rager H. Moore II BM’82 MM’85, Prairie Grove, April 2. Bill H. Whitten EDS’82, Greenbrier, September 7, 2020. Ilona Marie Fontenette MED’83, Pine Bluff, February 18. Annette E. Greenland MED’83, Vilonia, December 17, 2020. Kenneth Lee Kirtley MED’83, Maumelle, May 30, 2020. Carolyn Lindsey Polk ✪+ BARCH’83, Little Rock, December 9, 2020. Angela L. Wineland ★ BA’83, Brandon, Mississippi, September 7, 2020.
Bonnie Felts Reid MED’84, Hazen, February 15. Leroy W. Sutton FS’84, South Bend, Indiana, May 26, 2020. Darrel Wayne Eason BA’85, St. Louis, Missouri, April 12. Gary Franklin Nipper MED’85, Herber Springs, February 5. Douglas Keith Swaims BSBA’85, Cushman, December 13, 2020. Terry Ernest Warren MS’85, Garfield, November 28, 2020. Melinda Emmerling BSHE’86, Maumelle, August 3, 2020. Jon W. Francis BSE’86, Springdale, April 10. Dane J. Myers JD’86, Springdale, February 11. Robert Wallace Turner MS’86, Marianna, July 9, 2020. Fred Martin Faust BA’87 BSBA’89, Bentonville, July 19, 2020. Ron J. Gordon BA’87 BSBA’88 MED’89, Aurora, Missouri, June 29, 2019.
Catherine A. Hagemeier MED’94, Little Rock, December 12, 2020.
Douglas Scott Robertson ✪ JD’89, Fayetteville, April 22.
Joe Paul Smith FS’94, Fayetteville, September 9, 2020.
Connie Flynn Voyles BSBA’89, Little Rock, February 13. James Leonard Wootton✪+ EDD’89, Springfield, Illinois, October 29, 2020.
1990s Frances Clotilda Anderson BA’90, Fayetteville, August 8, 2020. Linda Anne Barry EDD’90, Springdale, June 12, 2020. Isabel Brian EDD’90, Camden, August 5, 2018. Samuel W. Pruett ✪+ BA’90, Springdale, March 6. Kathy Lynn Edmisten BSE’91, Huntsville, March 5. Matthew Louis Goodfellow ★ BA’91, West Memphis, November 5, 2020. James Horace Smith Jr. EDS’91, Jacksonville, July 18, 2020. Victor Lee Bettis MS’92, Sherwood, July 8, 2020.
Nathan Michael Hawke BA’87, Little Flock, July 21, 2020.
Stanley A. Cotton BA’92, Maumelle, December 14, 2020.
David Brian Howard MED’87, Cabot, October 9, 2020.
Charles R. Zimmerman BSBA’92, Carlisle, April 21.
Elizabeth Corneta McGraw AS’87, Bentonville, October 18, 2020. Robert R. Edwards PHD’88, San Antonio, February 18. Deanna Lynn Jordan BSHE’88, Lincoln, December 19, 2020.
Robert S. Allen MS’84, Millington, Tennessee, November 16, 2020.
Peggy Wilkins AA’88, Fayetteville, April 21.
Richard R. Clarkson ✪ JD’84, Boise, Idaho, July 16, 2020.
Gregory Andrew Devero, Esquire JD’89, Branchburg, New Jersey, May 20, 2020.
Brant Latta BSBA’84, Fort Smith, March 15.
Linda Rhea Holley MS’89, Searcy, May 31, 2020.
62 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
Tami Laris Marugg BSHE’89, Sarasota, Florida, January 27, 2014.
Jason Lee Bowman FS’93, Springdale, February 12. Joyce M. Froman FS’93, Malvern, December 19, 2020. James Randy Holiman BSA’93, Springdale, May 22, 2020.
Lucia W. Vanderpool ★ MS’94, Cordova, Tennessee, January 19. Oliva Vaughan BSE’94, Fayetteville, May 31, 2020. Amber Dawn Neal FS’95, Springfield, August 15, 2020. Trina G. Yerby JD’95, Van Buren, September 6, 2020. Carolyne Garcia MA’96, Springdale, May 30, 2020. June Pritchard Sebring ★ FS’96, West Bloomfield, July 25, 2020. George J. Tkach LLM’96, Regina, Canada, November 19, 2020. Cynthia Sue Bilyeu MA’97, Rogers, July 18, 2020. Timothy Doolittle BSCHE’97, Luling, Louisiana, September 11, 2020. Robert Joseph Browning FS’98, Huntsville, September 18, 2020. Ronnie Plunkett FS’98, Garfield, January 1. Roy Lee Blackmon FS’99, Little Rock, May 29, 2020. Matthew Paul Stanfield FS’99, North Little Rock, May 22, 2020. Kristina Kamm Young FS’99, Little Rock, December 23, 2020.
2000s
Timothy Alex Strawn BA’93, Hot Springs, March 17.
Lucas Scott Parker FS’00, Conway, November 30, 2020.
Don Elmer Whitson MED’93, Greenwood, May 19, 2020.
Donald Alan Young ★ BSME’00, Batesville, August 16, 2020.
Joseph Roy Bryan MS’94, Dayton, Ohio, August 4, 2014.
Chad Wesley Dorman BA’01, Wylie, Texas, August 4, 2020.
OFFICERS President Ron Rainey ✪ ’91, ’93, ’01 Little Rock, AR Past President Teena Gunter ✪ ’92, ’97, Oklahoma City, OK Treasurer Don Walker ✪+ ’74, Fayetteville, AR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Class of 2021 Kristen Allbritton ✪ ’04, McKinney, TX Ashley Harris ✪ ’95, Fayetteville, AR Chris Johnson ✪ ’93, North Little Rock, AR Bobby Jones ✪ ’84, Savannah, GA Kristin Kaufman ✪ ’83, Dallas, TX Connie Lewis Lensing ✪ ’74, JD’77, Memphis, TN Drake McGruder ✪ ’06, ’12, Fort Smith, AR Dustin McDaniel ✪ ’94, Little Rock, AR Courtney Backus Norton ★ ’07, Fayetteville, AR Class of 2022 Linda Bedford-Jackson ✪ ’80, Austin, TX Ashleigh Buckley ★ ’07, ’10, Fort Smith, AR Sarah K. Hudson ★ ’07, ’10, Washington, DC Paul Parette ✪+ ’89, Dallas, TX Bill Stovall ✪+ ’72, Charleston, SC Richard Welcher ★ ’99, ’04, Fayetteville, AR Brian Wolff ✪ ’89, Washington, DC Kristen Collier Wright ✪ ’98, ’01, Forrest City, AR Class of 2023 Tori Bogner ✪ ’13, ’16, Fayetteville, AR Kathleen Gonzalez ★ ’11, Rogers, AR Cecilia Grossberger-Medina ★ ’08, Fayetteville, AR Regina Hopper ✪ ’81, ’85, Alexandria, VA Robert Koenig ✪ ’90, Leawood, KS Wes Shirley ★ ’99, ’02, Fayetteville, AR Cameron Sutherland ★+ ’11, ’14, Fayetteville, AR Shambrekia Wise ★ ’08, Dallas, TX STAFF
Marshall Ryan Hughes BSBA’01, Searcy, July 27, 2020.
Ryan Anthony Renfro BA’08, Fayetteville, July 18, 2020.
Andrew Todd Keeling FS’22, Fayetteville, December 15, 2020.
James C. Murphy BSA’01, Fayetteville, July 8, 2020.
Jennifer A. Swinney FS’08, Augusta, September 7, 2020.
Chase Corbin Reel FS’24, Fayetteville, October 3, 2020.
Katherine Ann White MSOM’09, Little Rock, May 20, 2020.
Friends
Blake Coston Carter BSEE’02, Maumelle, January 4. Meagan Nicole Lee BSE’04, Springdale, September 12, 2020. Charles J. Martin BA’04, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, July 20, 2020. Mark Morgan Peacock MA’04 PHD’07, North Little Rock, July 7, 2020. Esther R. Reiter BFA’04, Fayetteville, May 24, 2020. Matthew Stephen Shifflett BA’04, Little Rock, July 14, 2020. Barbara Ann Denson FS’05, Bella Vista, May 29, 2020. J. Vincent Schlereth BS’06, Atlanta, Georgia, October 10, 2020. Bobby Lee Coffman FS’07, Bella Vista, July 27, 2020. Natalie M. Thomas BSBA’07, Fayetteville, February 25.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni and Executive Director of the Arkansas Alumni Association Brandy Cox Jackson ✪ MA’07
Nachiketa Das BSIE’08, Chicago, Illinois, October 12, 2020.
Director of Alumni Programs and Special Events Deb Euculano ✪
Michael Scott Herrod FS’08, Springfield, July 9, 2020.
2010s Bryan Randall Martin FS’11, El Dorado, May 22, 2020. Jocelyn Shadel Christensen FS’13, Siloam Springs, August 18, 2020. Timothy Luke Stalnaker FS’13, Conway, March 28. Zachery L. Rose BSCHE’14, Hercules, California, September 19, 2020.
Dominick F. Capone III FS, Rogers, October 8, 2020. Troy Dennis ★, Huntsville, March 24. Howard Dicus ★, Jonesboro, December 19, 2020. Raymond Duncan ★, Batesville, July 24, 2020. Gary L. Fast ★, Fayetteville, February 20. Robert E. Glenn Sr. ✪, North Little Rock, April 23.
Rebecca Jane Donihue FS’15, Rogers, February 18.
Carl V. Johnson ★, Springdale, August 15, 2020.
Andrew B. Vongnarath BA’18, Springdale, December 19, 2020.
Jerry L. Rice ✪, Rogers, July 29, 2020.
Jordan David Brookings BA’19, North Little Rock, November 26, 2020.
2020s Riley Stout Estes FS’20, Wilmington, North Carolina, February 7. Reed William Martin PSTH’20, Tulsa, Oklahoma, December 17, 2019.
Harold E. Sells ★, Las Vegas, Nevada, July 29, 2020. Elizabeth G. Stewart ✪, Spring, Texas, August 14, 2020.
Former Faculty David Hart ★, Springdale, April 17. Raj V. Kilambi ★, Fayetteville, March 25.
Director of Finance Hal Prescott ✪ Lisa Ault ★ BSBA’94, Associate Director of Business Operations; Catherine Baltz ✪+ BS’92, MED’07, Assistant Director of Communications; Tim Barker ★, Fiscal Support Analyst; Shanedra Barnes ✪, Assistant Director of Revenue Management; Jen Boyer ★ BSBA’19, Special Events Coordinator; Collin Brunner ★ B.S.H.E.S.’10, Assistant Director of Membership Experience; Florence Galbraith ★, Fiscal Support Analyst; Mercedes Gazaway ★, Assistant Director of Internal Relations; Brock Haegele ★ BA’17, Assistant Director of External Relations; Mary Kate Harrison ★ BA’15, MA’17, Special Projects Coordinator; Evan Hinchliffe ★, Alumni Scholarship Assistant; Lisy McKinnon ★ BA’97, Interim Director of Marketing and Communications; Elaine Olson ★; Administrative SpecialistAlumni Programs and Special Events; Emily Piper ★, Administrative Specialist; Patti Sanders ✪+ BSA’08, Associate Director of Alumni Scholarships; Julie Simpson ★, Associate Director of Facilities and Special Events
SUMMER 2021 / ARKANSAS / 63
Last Look
Header Subhead
Copy
Lights, Camera, Sooie!
The Razorbug Smiles for the Cameras A camera crew from the Office of University Relations prepares to shoot a welcome-back-to campus video with Big Red, the mascot of the Razorbacks. Big Red had to cool his hooves for a few minutes while waiting for key grips, best boys, make-up and the alignment of stars. The top Hog is ready to welcome students back to the university, only this time Big Red really is welcoming all students physically back to campus for this fall semester, the first time that in-person classes will be broadly taught since the pandemic forced remote teaching in March 2020.
64 / ARKANSAS / SUMMER 2021
$200
Cash Back Bonus Offier*
Arkansas Alumni Association Customized Cash Rewards credit card from Bank of America Maximize your cash back by choosing how you earn rewards •
Get a $200 cash back bonus if you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening*
•
To change your choice category for future purchases, you must go to Online Banking, or use the Mobile Banking app.** You can change it once each calendar month, or make no change and it stays the same.
•
Contactless card – The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap
in the category of your choice:
Gas | Online Shopping | Drug Stores | Home Improvement & Furnishings | Dining | Travel
at grocery stores and wholesale clubs
unlimited on all other purchases
Earn 3% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in these combined purchases each quarter, then earn 1% thereafter.
To apply for a credit card, please visit bofa.com/arkansasalumni This offer is unique to this solicitation. Our credit card offers may vary and this offer may not be available elsewhere. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now. For information about the rates, fees, other costs and benefits associated with the use of this card or to apply, please visit bofa.com/arkansasalumni Residents of the US and its territories only. See full disclosure for details.
*
Bonus Cash Rewards Offer. You will qualify for $200 bonus cash rewards if you use your new credit card account to make any combination of purchase transactions totaling at least $1,000 (exclusive of any fees, returns and adjustments) that post to your account within 90 days of the account open date. Limit 1 bonus cash rewards offer per new account. This one-time promotion is limited to customers opening a new account in response to this offer and will not apply to requests to convert existing accounts. Your account must be open with active charging privileges in order to receive this offer. Other advertised promotional bonus cash rewards offers can vary from this promotion and may not be substituted. Allow 8–12 weeks from qualifying for the bonus cash rewards to post to your rewards balance. The value of this reward may constitute taxable income to you. You may be issued an Internal Revenue Service Form 1099 (or other appropriate form) that reflects the value of such reward. Please consult your tax advisor, as neither we, nor our affiliates, provide tax advice.
**
Mobile Banking. Mobile Banking requires that you download the Mobile Banking app and is only available for select mobile devices. Message and data rates may apply. By opening and/or using these products from Bank of America, you’ll be providing valuable financial support to Arkansas Alumni Association. This credit card program is issued and administered by Bank of America, N.A. Visa and Visa Signature are registered trademarks of Visa International Service Association, and are used by the issuer pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Bank of America and the Bank of America logo are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. The Contactless Symbol and Contactless Indicator are trademarks owned by and used with permission of EMVCo, LLC.
©2021 Bank of America Corporation
GET YOUR LICENSE TO EDUCATE Show your support of alumni scholarships by displaying your Razorback pride. Official state license plates in Arkansas and Missouri abundantly support undergraduate scholarships for students attending the University of Arkansas. Tennessee Hogs can contribute to their state’s arts programs with their state’s official University of Arkansas license plate. Visit HogTags.org to learn about purchasing a Hog Tag in your area.