2018
MONTH January
REVIEW ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY-NEWPORT
ASUN Chancellor Named Jackson County 2017 Outstanding Citizen Arkansas State University-Newport announced that the college’s Chancellor, Dr. Sandra Massey, was awarded the Jackson County 2017 Outstanding Citizen Award by the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce on January 25, 2018. The award, presented by Chamber Director Julie Allen, exemplifies a model citizen – a role model who perfectly conforms to a community’s virtues and demands – and Massey certainly fits the bill. For instance, during her tenure as ASUN chancellor, the college was named by BestColleges.com as the No. 1 two-year college in Arkansas for two consecutive years. In addition, under Massey’s leadership, ASUN received a perfect score card from the university’s accreditor, Higher Learning Commission. (A rare feat that few schools achieve.) Massey has also been instrumental in the recent $1.8 million solar panel installation – cutting the university’s power consumption by approximately 50% and ultimately keeping tuition affordable for more students. But Massey’s work doesn’t stop with her role as chancellor. She is also a highly visible community member involved in such organizations as DRIVE (Downtown Revitalization and Improvement Volunteer Effort); CASA, an organization that helps abused and neglected children in juvenile dependency-neglect proceedings reach safe, permanent homes; the Newport Chamber and Rotary Club of Newport. She is also a commissioner for the Newport Economic Development Commission, and serves the Board of Directors of the Little Rock Capital Corporation and the American Association of Community Colleges Diversity Board.
Dr. Massey shares a smile with Chamber Director Julie Allen
“Dr. Massey is an exceptional leader and advocate for our college and Jackson County,” stated Dr. Charles Welch, ASU System President. “She has the innate ability to take any situation, even a potentially challenging one, and synthesize it with her unique sense of kindness and calmness to produce an effective process driven result. She is known as a strong mentor, encourager and facilitator to many, and what she has been able to accomplish at ASU-Newport is inspiring.” “On behalf of the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce, I applaud the efforts of Dr. Massey – both as ASUN Chancellor and a respected member of our community,” commented Allen. “Dr. Massey truly ‘gets’ the connection between college and community and has encouraged broad-based involvement throughout faculty, staff and administrators alike in initiatives which support the Newport community.”
Several members of the ASUN Faculty and Staff were in attendance to support Dr. Massey
News and Happenings Around ASUN January 5 was the date of one of our E.N.G.A.G.E “after hours� sessions at ASUN-Jonesboro. E.N.G.A.G.E Sessions are held on each campus throughout the year in order to provide new students with information about ASUNewport, resources for students, information about academic programs, and much more.
January 17, 18, 22 marked the dates for our Welcome Back events. Free refreshments were provided to help our students have a successful first day of classes!
News and Happenings Around ASUN The combined Faculty and Staff of ASU-Newport gathered on January 10 for the Spring 2018 Convocation.
The Agriculture Steering Committee met on January 23 to discuss methods to advance and develop our Agriculture Technology program!
Hospitality Service Students Receive Coveted Certification
Arkansas State University – Newport’s Hospitality Service students were recently certified by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), a globally recognized and respected non-profit, and the ultimate distinction of professional excellence in the hospitality industry. Pictured from left are Buffy Barnes, Evetta Turner, Bryan Hernandez, Shyann Sing, Jacob Pugh. Rachel Freeman, Dylan Parnell, and Amy Powell were unavailable for the photo. “We are very excited about our students gaining these industry credentials,” said Lana Holt, Advanced Instructor of ASUN’s Hospitality Services program. “Food and lodging guests choose to return to an establishment because of service, and that’s exactly what these certifications were focused on. It’s my hope that potential employers will see these credentials listed on our graduates’ resumes and know they’re getting a well-trained, highly competent employee. We invest blood, sweat and tears into our students, so whenever any awards or accolades come their way, we are just as proud of their accomplishments as they are.” AHLEI is the premier source for delivering quality hospitality education, training and professional certification to serve the needs of hospitality schools and industries worldwide. The credentials represent more than 10,000 lodging properties worldwide. AHLEI certification materials also meet the requirements of stackable and portable certification for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grants. “I am very proud of what the second-semester students have accomplished this far,” said Chef Kevin Gee, ASUN’s Program Director for Hospitality. “I know as we move forward, the accomplishments will only be better and better for this program. The program has been tremendously blessed with so many wonderful and talented individuals, and I’m looking forward to seeing these talented people becoming managers and chefs in the Northeast Arkansas community,” Established in 1953, AHLEI is the premier source for delivering quality hospitality education, training and professional certification to serve the needs of hospitality schools and industries across the globe. AHLEI provides materials for all levels of hospitality personnel through online learning, distance education courses, videos, seminars, textbooks and study guides. ASUN students have also been recognized by the state for their efforts and training through Welcome to Arkansas’ First Impressions Initiative. Developed by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, the statewide initiative helps front-line employees better serve guests and increase visitor satisfaction throughout their stay within the state. The program was developed to equip employees and managers with concepts and skills needed to develop superior customer service.