Bell Tower The
The magazine of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith
fall | winter 2017
the university 15 Years Later
The Bell Tower
FALL | Winter 2017
CAMPUS LIFE: Soccer takes on new dimensions when played in bubble balls.
features
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How cute is it when a college professor and a second-grade instructor team up to teach a class of future scientists about coal? About as cute as you’d think!
Whether they start their day with a morning workout or conversation over coffee, students use every inch of the campus from dorms to classrooms to the green, developing friendships that will last a lifetime and learning skills that will take them to tomorrow’s jobs.
Fifteen years ago, UAFS was born. Bringing the history of its earlier incarnations, the institution set about creating a new legacy as a four-year institution. How it is coming along? Take a look. Plus, a look at six defining moments that shaped school history.
Adopt-A-Professor
Becoming a University rachel rodemann putnam
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A Day in the Life
cover photograph by rachel rodemann putnam
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UAFS mission
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UAFS prepares students to succeed in an everchanging global world while advancing economic development and quality of place. The Bell Tower Fall/Winter 2017 Volume 8, Number 2 The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith CHANCELLOR Paul B. Beran, Ph.D. VICE CHANCELLOR FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Mary Bane Lackie, Ed.D. contributorS Judi Hansen, Krystal Summers PHOTOGRAPHER Rachel Rodemann Putman ART DIRECTOR John Sizing, www.jspublicationdesign.com
On Campus
Athletics
Alumni
2 The Chancellor’s Letter 3 Why I Give
12 Lions to Change Conference 13 Season of Challenges
28 #RoamingNuma For a plush
Artist Bratsa Bonifacho 4 The Bell Tower’s Facelift 5 The Strategic Plan
Becoming a thought leader 6 In Person: Mary Shepard
Art historian extraordinaire 7 Student Vets Organization 8 Freshman Orientation 10 CADD 11 Regional Workforce Grants
Community 14 Sustainable Conservation
An opportunity for students and professionals to learn about energy efficiency and new sustainable technologies
toy, #RoamingNuma really gets around 28 Class Notes 30 Little Lions Meet Santa 30 Alumni Advisory Council
Recognizing outstanding grads and building a base of engaged alums among the council’s goals
16 In Person: The Belingas
32 Don’t Pitch That Gadget
Helping those far from home
This alumni entrepreneur started with a wet phone
17 Restore Hope Alliance
The Bell Tower is published semi-annually by the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, P.O. Box 3649, Fort Smith, AR 72913, for friends, faculty and alumni of the university. Tel.: (877) 303-8237. Email: bellltower@uafs.edu. Web: belltower.uafs.edu. Send address changes, requests to receive The Bell Tower, and requests to be removed from mailing list to alumni@uafs.edu or UAFS Alumni Association, P.O. Box 3649, Fort Smith, AR 72913. LETTERS ARE WELCOME, but the publisher reserves the right to edit letters for length and content. Space constraints may prevent publication of all letters. Anonymous letters will not be published. Send letters to alumni@uafs.edu or The Bell Tower, P.O. Box 3649, Fort Smith, AR 72913, Views and opinions in The Bell Tower do not necessarily reflect those of the magazine staff nor of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Contents © 2017 by the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith.
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from the chancellor Paul B. Beran, Ph.D.
Expect Change When I arrived on campus in 2006, UAFS had been a university for four years. I wasn’t there the night the university’s flag was raised for the first time, but I was there when the first four-year degrees were awarded. At that commencement ceremony, I knew something about the legacy established by those who went before me on this campus, but I would learn much more over the next 11 years. I learned the names that preceded UAFS: Fort Smith Junior College, Westark Junior College, Westark Community College, and Westark College, names still known to many. Members of the campus community taught me about leaders like Shelby Breedlove, Tom Fullerton, James Kraby, and Joel Stubblefield. The lesson I learned most clearly was that everything changes, including the university. Of course, as the greater Fort Smith region changes, the university does, too. The reverse also is true. Changes at the university can mean substantial, positive changes for our community.
Students with sharp business skills are ready to drive the companies that employ them forward. Graduates with leading-edge technical skills are ready to be part of a revolution in industry and technology. Alumni with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in health care are filling local openings every day. I believe that what we are best at, what we must be best at, is helping students learn to take control of their lives and their hometowns to make a better world. Think about the theme of change as you read this issue of The Bell Tower. Join us for a nostalgic look back at UAFS’ first 15 years as a university, but stay with us also as we look at ways we are working to reduce the number of our fellow Sebastian County residents incarcerated and the number of our children in foster care. We need to interact with the community on many levels. Sometimes that means going out into the community as professors do when they participate in the Adopt-a-Professor program. Sometimes it means bringing industry here to use our resources like the Sustainable Conservation House. Always it means studying, analyzing, and learning for all of us, not just the students. Our new five-year strategic plan is outlined in this issue. Take a look and see what you think. Share your reactions with us. Please let us know how we are doing.
By The Numbers Fall 2017*
6,637 18 18.6 Total enrollment
Master’s enrollment
Average age of first-time, entering undergraduates
21.2 55%
Average ACT composite score
First-generation undergraduate students
58% 18:1
Pell eligible undergraduates
Student to faculty ratio
*Numbers accurate Oct. 4; not yet certified by Arkansas Department of Higher Education
UAFS will be a national model for preparing students for workforce mobility through education and professional development while serving as the thought leader in the region. 2 The Bell Tower fall | winter 2017
rachel rodemann putnam
UAFS Vision
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hen Windgate Art and Design opened, Canadian artist Bratsa Bonifacho was scheduled to exhibit some of his work, but a serious accident kept him from participating. To make what he called “amends,” Bonifacho recently donated eight paintings, valued at $117,000, to the university. “I must admit that for a long time I felt bad and sad about not being able to follow through. I was feeling worse and worse about what happened and decided to bail myself out and do something for the new gallery. I made a decision to choose several of my favorite paintings and donate them to the university and pick up the cost of shipping. “One or two pieces don’t say much about the artist, his work, or what he wants to say. I would rather give something concrete, valuable and impressive. That is the reason for giving a substantial number of pieces to the new art building, with the idea of motivating some wellknown American artists to donate and hopefully enhance the collection – and of course to attract more valuable students for the new art facility.” The paintings are hung in the Bob and Nadine Miller Pre-Function gallery. They were first exhibited publicly on Sept. 19.
Bratsa Bonifacho why i give
I would rather give something concrete, valuable and impressive with the idea of motivating some well-known American artists to donate and to attract students for the new art facility.”
PLANNED GIVING: If you would like to learn about making noncash gifts like real estate and art, please contact Anne Thomas at 479-788-7033.
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On Campus TIME’S TOLL: The Donald W. Reynolds Plaza, Tower and Campus Green were dedicated on Sept. 22, 1995.
Renewing an Old Acquaintance It happens to all of us. Time passes and little by little things, well, change. A wrinkle here, a spread there, a little receding of the hairline. We don’t notice it day by day, but one day a glance in the mirror cannot be denied. We just don’t look like we did 20 4 The Bell Tower fall | winter 2017
years ago. It is the same for buildings, if that’s any consolation. The Donald W. Reynolds Bell Tower at UAFS was dedicated in 1995 and quickly became a symbol of Westark Community College. The Bell Tower was the
brainchild of Westark President Joel Stubblefield who wanted something physical to embody the vision he was creating in his mind of a powerhouse regional university. Constructed with funds from the Reynolds Foundation, the Bell Tower became the icon he was seeking. Many new and beautiful buildings have been constructed on the campus since then, and time has had its effects on the tower. Set in the center of a campus of new and remodeled buildings, it started to look a little dowdy. Mark Horn, who was the vice chancellor for finance and administration when the Bell Tower was constructed, was the interim vice chancellor for finance and administration in 2015. At that time he approached the Reynolds Foundation with a request. The Smith Pendergraft Campus Center, also built with money from Reynolds, enjoys the benefit of a fund held by the university and dedicated to its upkeep. At Horn’s request, the foundation approved a portion of that fund’s healthy but restricted balance being repurposed for Bell Tower repairs. “It was all Mark Horn,” said Brad Sheriff, who now holds the post of vice chancellor for finance and administration. “It’s because he reached out to the Reynolds Foundation that we can do this work now.” The bricks need to be cleaned and tuck pointed, Sheriff said. There has also been some water damage that needs to be repaired. Joints that spread and allowed water in need to be resealed.
Tower Talk The tower stands 108 feet, 10 inches tall. A 16-foot high copper dome and cupola crown the tower. Below the dome, four 7-foot diameter clocks face the quadrants of the campus. Varying in weight from 29 to 1,418 pounds and in diameter from 8.25 to 39.75 inches, 42 cast bronze bells make up the carillon. The bells were cast at the Paccard-Fonderie de Cloches in Annecy-le-Vieux, France. Ten of the bells are inscribed: One for the founder and three for the founding executives of the Reynolds Foundation and six for the past presidents of Westark Community College.
All the work will be completed before the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year. “The renovation is necessary because the Bell Tower is showing its age and needs to be maintained,” Sheriff said. “This is an important project to preserve a building that is iconic, not just for UAFS, but for the city of Fort Smith and the region.” Not every facelift will do what Brad Sheriff expects the renovations to the Bell Tower to do: “When we’re done it should look just the same as it did when it was new.” If only it were that easy for the rest of us.
Strategic Plans On campus
Choosing the Right Path in five years. Discovering those destinations, Serna said, was a two-year process that started on campus. Deans, faculty members, staff, and students all were polled about the university’s strengths and weaknesses and the challenges and opportunities it faces. While those groups were meeting, another group, including Serna, was searching for regional public universities that are similar to UAFS in size, demographics, and mission in towns that are like Fort Smith. “The issues we are facing, the students we are educating are similar,” Serna said. “We wanted to see what they do that works or doesn’t work and if it’s something we want to adapt to use here.”
Strategic Initiatives 1
Increase the enrollment, retention, and graduation rates of UAFS students.
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Provide an innovative and holistic educational experience for students with a focus on academic opportunities supporting economic growth and development.
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Increase workplace productivity, collaboration, and innovation by fostering professional growth and development for faculty and staff.
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Strategically align resources to support university objectives.
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Can the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith become the model for the nation of a regional university that does things right? “Why not?” asks Edward Serna, UAFS vice chancellor of strategic initiatives. “Why not?” The university’s new fiveyear strategic plan begins with a vision statement that promises UAFS will become a national model for preparing students for “workforce mobility” with a combination of challenging educational offerings and professional development training; at the same time the university will be a thought leader in this region for workforce training. The four-point strategic plan (see list) that follows from that vision is not a road map, but a compass that shows where the university should be
All the information was combined and “boiled down” into four strategic initiatives, Serna said. The initiatives are achievable, Serna said, “because we have so much talent on this campus if we could just harness it and focus it. That’s why we reimagined the vision statement. We needed that focus. It defines us and who we aspire to be.” UAFS already is known in Arkansas as a model for delivery of workforce training, Serna said. “Why can’t we be a national model?” “I think people don’t expect a lot out of strategic plans, but what people on this campus and in the community are going to see is that we are headed down the path we set. (The strategic plan) is not just words on a glossy page; it’s a call to action for this institution, and people are ready to act.”
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in person Mary B. Shepard
The Art of Tolerance
SACRED SPACE: The mirab from the Great Mosque of Cordoba indicates the direction towards which Muslims should pray. Mary Shepard said standing in the mosque allowed her to experience the architecture in a new way.
When she first encountered the painting The Descent from the Cross by Flemish painter Rogier van der Weyden in college, Mary Shepard was intrigued. In fact, she said, it started her thinking about becoming an art historian. Flash forward: Dr. Mary B. Shepard, having completed her fifth year as the art historian
“I just stood there thinking, ‘I don’t know this painting at all,’” she said recently, still surprised. “It was so much bigger than I imagined, nearly as big as that wall,” she said gesturing to demonstrate a work more than six feet high and more than eight feet wide. “The way I teach that painting will be different now.”
the historical record that the Muslims were tolerant. “Jews and Christians weren’t marginalized,” she said. “They were a vibrant part of the culture. “The amazing confluence of artistic output of these three groups shows the respect they paid each other. Christians took Islamic perfume bottles and used them as reliquaries. Jews
“You walk around and see how the different parts fit together and you see the relationship of form and space. To actually stand in the Great Mosque of Cordoba was mind-blowing.” —Dr. Mary B. Shepard at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, has a chance to fly to Spain for research, thanks to the Lucille Speakman Legacy Endowment. In Madrid, she stops at the Prado National Museum. There she sees in person The Descent from the Cross and realizes she is encountering it for the first time. 6 The Bell Tower fall | winter 2017
It was Shepard’s first trip to Spain, although she’d traveled often to France and England in support of her research. She proposed the trip to southern Spain to study the sacred art, especially the worship sites, of Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the former Muslim caliphate. Her observations reinforced
were having Muslim architects design their synagogues.” Standing inside these structures offers insights impossible to glean from two-dimensional slides, Shepard said. “You don’t really know how things fit together until you are there,” she said. “You walk around and see how the differ-
ent parts congeal and you see the relationship of form and space. … To actually stand in the Great Mosque of Cordoba was mind-blowing. “You get ideas when you are standing there. You see new ways to bring the art alive,” she said. “I’m going to bring this experience into my non-Western art class and my survey class; I will change things around. When I do medieval art, I’m going to do a whole week on Jewish/Christian/Muslim interaction in Spain.” Asked if she expects to spur discussion when she introduces these ideas to students, she said she hopes so. “I want to demystify. I want students to understand the faith that produced these glorious works of art is not the perversion that is on the news. “Art is a path through to understanding. It’s a door through which you can enter and appreciate and not have to judge. And that is the beginning of understanding.” Originally from Wisconsin, Shepard completed her master’s degree at the University of Virginia and her doctorate at Columbia University. The Lucille Speakman Legacy Endowment was started by Randy Wewers and supported by him and other alumni to provide opportunities for faculty to travel, study, or in any way enhance their classroom skills. Shepard received the endowment’s first award. “It was an inspired idea that Randy Wewers had,” Shepard said. “It’s just such a wonderful opportunity to give faculty a chance to develop their curriculum in a new or interesting way.”
Student Veterans Organization On campus
Student Vets Reach Out From a senior project to a thriving student organization of more than 100 members, the UAFS Student Veterans Organization (SVO) has worked to make an impact, and recently that work was recognized. Armando Castro, ’15, with the help of Dawn Webster, founded the SVO in March 2015 for his senior project. Since then, the organization has become successful with more than 120 members. Kristin Tardif, the organization’s new advisor, said a surprising number of members are not
veterans themselves but support veterans. One of the reasons the SVO has been so successful may be the sense of community it offers. One campus project is the Remember Everyone Deployed (R.E.D.) T-shirt project. It invites students, faculty and staff to wear R.E.D. T-shirts the group sells. SVO also works to make an impact on the wider community. Members participate in the annual Box City event, which raises awareness of homelessness. SVO and other university
organizations worked with the United Way to create a rain garden to prevent flood damage at the Buddy Smith House for homeless veterans. SVO collected more than 200 pounds of donations to be sent to an Arkansas National Guard unit serving in Afghanistan. In the 2016-2017 academic year, thr group won two national awards and three Numa Awards. In October, the Student Veterans of America awarded a chapter grant of $2,000 to the UAFS organization for a busi-
ALUMNI LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP Support future Lions with a gift or a memorial in honor of a loved one to the Alumni Legacy Scholarship.
alumni.uafs.edu/give/legacy-scholarship For more information, contact Rick Goins, Director of Alumni Affairs, 479-788-7026.
ness plan proposed by Jennifer Hosley that included strategies to gain members, become more involved, bridge the gap between veteran and civilian students, and make opportunities for veterans and their families. The UAFS group participated in the 2017 national conference in Anaheim, Calif., where they left with a third-place award and an additional $300. The Student Veterans Organization was named Organization of the Year and the Community Service Organization of the Year at the Numa awards. Hosley also won the Student Leader of the Year award. —Krystal Summers
welcome ho Cub Camp brings freshmen to campus to make new friends and become acquainted with all the university has to offer.
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freshmen orientation
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ampers learn about campus traditions, academic resources available, and ways they can get involved at UAFS. The evenings are marked with fun events like a dance party. Taylor Oakes, a UAFS junior, volunteered as a counselor for Cub Camp 2017. She said she had fun and was honored to serve more than 400 campers. “My favorite memory was overhearing one of the heavens above: in my camp say, freshmen captionInimoditium labo. to apply to be a ‘I’m going Nam eossum nia pra counselor next year,’” she nonemquam accaestosaid. “That’s when I knew tas eicatquibus vollande had done my job well.” ipsapie Inectiorum.
CADD STUDENTS New Tech
Animating the Future are in front of them until they get used to drafting,” Johnston said. In other words, it is easier for students to draft the campus Bell Tower if they can hold a model and turn it over in their hands. In Derek Goodson’s special topics class in 3-D printing, students are making a scale model of the campus over the course of the semester. They began by drafting the buildings, and later will work on creating the campus’ hilly topography. Real-world applications for 3-D printing are varied. It provides a reasonably quick, inexpensive way to create models,
SEEING SPACES: Janell Braswell and Levi Young concentrate on their work.
Johnston said. It’s a great way to create prototypes for simple or complicated things. For instance, a model of a scissor-lift, which
MADE TO SCALE: Issa Ortiz demonstrates how the 3-D printer can produce a scale model of the Bell Tower.
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As the first wave of students who studied computer-aided drafting and design at UAFS entered the local workforce, they caused a revolution of a type, said Max Johnston, assistant professor of computer graphic technology. And new students are poised to do it again. Those first students learned how to draft on paper and how to draft with CADD programs. When they accepted jobs where hand-drafting was still the norm, they demonstrated how much better and faster the job could be done on the computer, and soon that was the norm. Today students are graduating with an understanding of how animation can change the way many jobs are done. “They could go to work in architecture,” Johnston said. “They will be able to explain how using animation will allow the customer to see what the building will look like inside and out. Outside, you will be able to see the building from many vantage points. Inside, you can add furniture and move it around.” Some students use animation to design video games. Others anticipate medical applications where physicians can see internal organs and how they function. Virtual reality and mixed reality technology will become more common as the technology improves. One boon for drafting students has been the inexpensive availability of 3-D printers. “If students have a 3-D object they can hold in their hands, it’s easier to understand what lines
might have 17 parts when manufactured, can be drafted and built in one piece so realistic that turning a knob can open and close the lift. Most 3-D printing uses wheels of plastic cords that look like oversized weed-whacker refills. The printer heats the plastic and creates objects by layers. Printing with powdered wood products and powdered metal will increase the uses of the technology. CAST Dean Dr. Ken Warden notes that faculty in his department have to work hard to keep current with the latest technology so they can help students develop current skills. “We just don’t know what the next thing will be,” he said.
Workforce On campus
Getting a Jump on a Degree
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double duty: Some students who participate in the Regional Workforce Grant program at their high schools had a chance to do some additional work on the UAFS campus last summer.
One of the ways to cut the cost of college is to pick up some concurrent credits — credits that count toward a student’s high school diploma and a postsecondary degree — while they are still in high school. Students who select courses carefully can cut up to a year off their time in college. Probably the best-known program offered through UAFS is WATC, the Western Arkansas Technical Center. Formed in 1998, WATC serves high school students from surrounding counties who spend part of their school week on the UAFS campus. Less well known are concurrent credits earned at the students’ home schools through
the Regional Workforce Grants program. Students in these classes have all the benefits of UAFS, like equipment, books, and professors, without leaving their school. “The high school students are working in our degree programs,” said Amanda Seidenzahl, who oversees the grant. “The robot automation students are working on our industrial electricity and electronics maintenance certificate. The cybersystems students are working on our information technology bachelor’s degree. They have the same robots we have in the Baldor Building, all the same technology.” Seidenzahl said high school students from Charleston,
Greenwood, Alma, Southside, Northside, Van Buren, and Fort Smith Future all participate. At the end of the spring 2017 semester, students in the robotics track showed off their skills by programing a robot to make a cup of coffee with a Keurig. The robot had to pick up the K-cup and place it in the coffee maker, brew the coffee, pick up the cup and set it down. One team also had the robot throw away the K-cup. An important part of the Regional Workforce Grants program is a mentoring component, Seidenzahl said. Once a week, a manager from a local or regional corporation either attends the class or Skypes in to speak with the students. Speak-
ers might talk about what it means to be an employee in that industry, what trends are developing, or how they arrived at their position in their company. Cameron McKinney, who teaches robotics, drives to Charleston each day to teach separate classes for first- and second-year students. He said the program offers a foundation for STEM classes, especially engineering. When students have taken all three years of the program, they will be close to having a one-year certificate. If they then do a year at UAFS, they will have the credits for an associate degree. If they attend for three years, they could have a bachelor’s degree.
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athletics Athletes Hit the Books
UAFS not only enjoyed a successful year athletically in 2016-2017, but its student-athletes also excelled in the classroom. More than 57 percent of the UAFS student-athletes were recently named to the Heartland Conference President’s and Commissioner’s honor rolls for the spring semester. In all 1,265 student-athletes from the conference’s 10 member schools achieved academic recognition on the honor rolls, which were announced by the conference office. It marked the second consecutive semester that more New Home: The Lions and Lady Lions will begin competing in the Lone Star Conference in 2019.
than 1,200 student-athletes have been recognized. Thirty-five UAFS studentathletes were named to the President’s Honor Roll, meaning they maintained a grade-point average of 3.5 and remained eligible for competition during the semester. Another 36 were named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll because they maintained a 3.0 GPA while maintaining eligibility.
Lions Look to Lone Star
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Beran said. “The LSC is destined to not only be the biggest Division II conference, but the conference that also sets a national standard of excellence on and off the field.” UAFS, which begins its ninth season as a member of NCAA Division II, joined the Heartland Conference in 2009. It will continue to compete in the Heartland Conference for the next two seasons. “We are very proud to be a new member of what we consider to be arguably the best conference in the country. We look forward to being a member of a conference that strives for excellence in every aspect, from the conference office to communication and competition,” Janz said. With the addition of the eight Heartland Conference
schools, the LSC now boasts its largest membership of its 86-year history, and with 19 members, the LSC will become the largest conference in NCAA Division II. Its membership will consist of Angelo State, Cameron, Eastern New Mexico, Midwestern State, Tarleton State, Texas A&M-Commerce, Texas A&MKingsville, Texas Woman’s University, UT Permian Basin, West Texas A&M, Western New Mexico and the eight incoming Heartland Conference schools. UAFS currently competes in 10 sports: volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, men’s and women’s golf, and men’s and women’s tennis. —Jonathan Gipson
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UAFS Chancellor Dr. Paul B. Beran and Athletics Director Curtis Janz announced in August that the school has accepted an invitation to join the Lone Star Conference beginning in the fall of 2019. The LSC Council of Presidents voted unanimously this summer to offer full membership to current Heartland Conference members UAFS, Dallas Baptist, Lubbock Christian, Oklahoma Christian, Rogers State, St. Edward’s, St. Mary’s, and Texas A&M International, and each of those schools has accepted the invitation. “The Lone Star Conference has existed for nearly 90 years, and over that time it has established a reputation as one of the most well-respected and prestigious NCAA Division II conferences in the country,”
UAFS Sports playing time
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Defending the Title UAFS men’s basketball coach Josh Newman has never been one to shy away from playing tough competition. A quick glance at the Lions’ schedule the past few seasons will prove that. This season’s schedule is no different. UAFS will play three exhibition games against NCAA Division I teams and play a regular season schedule that includes nonconference games against eight teams from four of the toughest NCAA Division II conferences in the country – the Lone Star Conference, the Rocky Mountain Conference, the Great American Conference and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. That’s in addition to the Lions’ always-tough Heartland Conference schedule. “Once again, we’ve tried to challenge our team with a demanding nonconference schedule,” Newman said. “We wanted to utilize these games as a measuring point and résumé builder before Heartland Conference play begins. We believe our schedule will prepare us to play our best basketball towards the end of the season and deep into March.” The Lions’ exhibition game schedule includes games at University of the Pacific on Dec. 3 in Stockton, Calif., and at Colorado State on Dec. 19 in Fort Collins, Colo. UAFS will begin the season by competing in the annual Conference Challenge hosted by Colorado State at Pueblo
on Nov. 10-11 in Pueblo, Colo., where the Lions will play Midwestern State from the Lone Star Conference (Nov. 10) and Colorado State-Pueblo from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (Nov. 11). It will be the first of three classics for the Lions. UAFS will host the Lions Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 24-25 at the Stubblefield Center and will play the University of Nebraska-Kearney from the
MIAA (Nov. 24) and Missouri Western State from the MIAA (Nov. 25). UAFS also will host the Lions Holiday Classic on Dec. 15-16 at the Stubblefield Center and will play Ouachita Baptist from the Great American Conference (Dec. 15) and Texas A&M at Commerce from the Lone Star Conference (Dec. 16). For the eighth season in a row, UAFS will host the United Federal Credit Union Toy Toss
Hoop dreams: The basketball Lions face a challenging schedule.
“We believe our (nonconference) schedule will prepare us to play our best basketball towards the end of the season and deep into March.” – Men’s basketball coach Josh Newman
Game on Dec. 9 when it hosts Ecclesia from the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association at the Stubblefield Center. Established in 2010 as the first of its kind, the Toy Toss Game helps collect toys for needy children in the River Valley for the Christmas holiday. In all, UAFS will play 12 nonconference games as part of its 28-game regular season schedule, including home games against Randall from the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (Nov. 15), Pittsburg State from the MIAA (Nov. 18) and St. Gregory’s from the Sooner Athletic Conference (Nov. 20), a road game against the University of ArkansasMonticello from the Great American Conference (Dec. 30) and a neutral site game against Salem International from the Eastern College Athletic Conference (Feb. 6) in Nashville, Tenn. UAFS will begin defense of its conference title against Rogers State on Nov. 30 at the Stubblefield Center. It will be the first of 16 regular season conference games for the Lions. —Jonathan Gipson
Follow the Lions on Facebook: TeamUAFS UAFS Lions Athletics UAFS Cheer AFS Golf #GDTBL It’s a great day to be a Lion!
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community When a House Is More than a Home The Sustainable Conservation House at 1114 N. 52nd St., adjacent to the UAFS campus, allows students to learn about the latest technology in energy auditing and energy efficiency in a hands-on laboratory. Used by both university students and local businesses, one side of the house can demonstrate a variety of conditions for students to observe and understand. The other side demonstrates the latest in energy efficient technology. Keeping an eye on it all is John Martini, assistant professor of electronics technology in the College of Applied Science and Technology. Recently he shared what he knows about the house. in generating clean electrons. We also offer sustainable conservation and solar PV installation when they are requested. We have students from electronics technology, electrical engineering technology, computer graphics technology, business, and mechanical engineering who take these upper division electives. How is it used by local industries?
ENERGY EFFICIENCY: On the classroom side, John Martini demonstrates some aspects of the home.
Why was the Sustainable Conservation House created?
Doug Knierim, owner of DK Construction in Van Buren, is a contractor who works for OG&E and AOG to do energy audits and weatherization for homeowners. I asked him if our students could accompany his guys on energy audits. Later he asked me if we would like to have a house on campus built specifically to demonstrate energy efficiency, and with him and his company Energy Efficiency Design and Development (EEDD), we created the Sustainable Conservation
House to provide hands-on training using a vacant older home near campus. Today it serves a dual purpose: We teach courses for university students, and we provide training for local industries. How does the house work as a training laboratory?
The house is a stone home with an addition built by the previous owners. The original house is the laboratory. We’ve added 13 dampers that allow us to create different conditions inside that students can investigate. We deliberately have
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inefficient appliances and leaky ducts and windows to show how bad things can get. In the addition, we have come as close to net-zero energy building as we could get. We insulated the walls and ceiling, put in a new type of ductless heat pumps to heat and cool the space, and installed triple-paned, argon-filled windows, the best you can get. How is the house used in degree programs?
Right now there is a class in energy auditing there, and in the spring we will have a class
Lots of people use it. In October, I will be teaching a course in solar PV installation for licensed electricians who work for an area electrical contractor. EEDD offers courses for CenterPoint Energy, AOG, OG&E, Rheem, and others. Part of each course is taught in Van Buren, and part is taught here in the house. Are there any other really cool classes taught there?
We teach a class to WATC students and college students called STEM Guitar. We teach them to build a solid-body electric guitar from scratch while teaching them STEM. The exams they take cover chemistry, math, technology, safety, and manufacturing.
rachel rodemann putnam
ahead of its time: The Sustainable Conservation House offers a hands-on laboratory for energy audits and sustainable energy.
fall | winter 2017 The Bell Tower 15
in person The Belingas
With a Mother’s Heart
dynamic duo: Dr. Steve-Felix Belinga and his wife, Mirelle.
arship, the two, who were born in the central African nation of Cameroon, have given $10,000 with a pledge to give $10,000 each of the next three years for scholarships for international students, with preference going to those who are from Africa. Mrs. Belinga explained that in her African culture, people
are part of an extended family. “You can’t do anything without your family. Not just your parent, your aunt, your grandma, your grandma’s grandma. When you have trouble, you call these people.” But international students find themselves suddenly without that support. Parents may
“We want to help people who are today what we used to be, and we hope that in the future they will become what we have become. And we hope then they will want to give too.” —Dr. Steve-Felix Belinga 16 The Bell Tower fall | winter 2017
Rachel Rodemann Putman
If you ask Dr. Steve-Felix Belinga why he and his wife chose to make a substantial scholarship gift to UAFS he will tell you many reasons. But if you ask his wife, Mireille, she will tell you something very simple: “I am a mom.” To fund the Dr. Steve-Felix and Mireille Gracia Belinga Schol-
have given them enough to pay for tuition, but they don’t have living expenses. “I am a mom,” she said simply. “I want to help.” Dr. Belinga, medical director of neurology and stroke program director at Mercy, also felt his family’s support. He lived for a time with his maternal grandparents, then an uncle, then his aunt and godmother, and later his father. “I never look back and think I just got thrown from here to there,” he said. “When I look back I think, ‘Wow, they really loved me!’” His grandfather, in particular, has been a strong role model for him for giving freely and with humility. “I still think to myself I don’t know how he does it. If I can give one-tenth of what he did in terms of giving, I will have been blessed beyond words. Giving, trying to help people, is central to the African tradition and culture. And I benefitted from it.” Dr. Belinga says he also relates to young college students, having left Cameroon in 1998 to study in the United States. He knows what it is like to be without friends and to live in a narrow world no bigger than a college campus. “We want to help people who are today what we used to be, and we hope that in the future they will become what we have become. And we hope then they will want to give too.” It is “charity of the heart” that makes people great, Dr. Belinga said. “We want them to believe in the American dream,” his wife answered.
Restore Hope Alliance community
mhr/getty images
Saving Children by Saving Parents When Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson held his first Restore Hope Summit in 2015, he wanted to discuss two issues: high levels of incarceration and high levels of children in foster care. Both issues plagued Sebastian County for years. Knowing that may have led UAFS Chancellor Paul B. Beran to accept the governor’s request to serve as the chairman of the board of the Restore Hope Alliance of Sebastian County. “What I saw of Restore Hope’s goals looked like it all passes through the university somehow,” Beran said. “It’s about education and social restoration. It’s about the humanity you learn through the various programs we teach. We can put people in high-tech jobs, but if we want them to stay (in Fort Smith), want their employers to stay, we have to improve the city as a whole.” The economic toll of incarceration is irrefutable in Sebastian County and statewide. “We know that now, we can expect 55 percent of those released from incarceration to reoffend and go back into prison for an average of four years and three months. That’s $100,000 of incarceration per person,” he said. “So for every person you save, through education, through support, the state saves $100,000. If we save 10 people from that release group, we save the state $1 million.” That’s only the beginning. When parents and guardians are able to return to their families, maybe after some rehabilitation and some parenting classes,
children are able to exit the foster care system, which can improve their life trajectory. Paul Chapman, CEO of Restore Hope Arkansas, said that two-generation approach is
“At the state level, the goals are broad because we want each area of the state to assess its resources and needs,” he said. “In Sebastian County, we are trying to create a platform for area
reduce recidivism by 10 percent.” Support in the community has been strong. Mercy Hospital is letting the Department of Community and Family Services use one of its buildings as a refuge for children taken from their homes in the middle of the night. UAFS is donating furniture and computers that were in storage to Restore Hope after following appropriate state protocols. Items will go to the
“What I saw of Restore Hope’s goals looked like it all passed through the university. It’s about education and social restoration. It’s about the humanity you learn through the various programs we teach.” – Chancellor Paul Beran
at the heart of the program. “If you want to help the child, the best way you can do that is to help the guardian.” Chapman is working closely with the local group.
leaders to work together, and what we need is a common goal. And Dr. Beran has just given us our first goal.” It’s a big one. “He’s given us 12 months to
“one-stop shop” Arkansas Community Corrections is creating at the Parole and Probation Office on Garrison Avenue. At that location, those recently released will be able to take care of many of the paperwork snarls that can occur at parole. Also, they will be able to meet with their “recovery coaches” who can work as liaisons between offenders and resources they need. Chapman put it this way: “We want to be sure there is no barrier to success except the person’s choices.” fall | winter 2017 The Bell Tower 17
Adopt-A-Professor Building Bridges and Making Memories The Hartford second graders stood in the middle of the Lion’s Den dining hall and came face to face with college basketball players. Or maybe it was more like face to mid-shin. “Those second graders looked all the way up, they leaned their heads as far back as they would go, and they just stared.” That’s one of the memories Jennifer Jennings Davis, executive director of the Education Renewal Zone & STEM Education Center, has of the day Val Harp’s second grade class came to campus to meet with Dr. Dave Mayo. Harp and Mayo were collaborating on lessons about coal for these small students from a coal-mining town as part of the Adopt-A-Professor program that links university professors with K-12 teachers and a class. Educational Renewal Zones were created in Arkansas as a way to connect elementary and secondary education with higher ed to increase and enhance learning outcomes for students. Adopt-A-Professor is one way to meet that goal. Harp and Mayo worked together one semester with three co-taught learning experiences for students. After some
classroom work in Hartford that looked at the types of coal, students went to UAFS for a tour of the Math Science Building and conducted a miniresearch project in Mayo’s lab. The memorable lunch in the Lion’s Den included not just
the basketball players, but also a demonstration of the lunch room’s fascinating conveyor belt and later Frisbees on the campus green. In the final meeting, Mayo arrived in Hartford with supplies for a project illustrating the mining process for children. For the project, chocolate chip cookies were the mines, and toothpicks and paperclips were the excavation tools. The experience made a big impression on the little learners, Harp said. “They were so
proud. They would tell everyone that a professor had adopted them.” Their trip to campus was especially meaningful, she said. “It was good exposure for them to see what the future holds. … Those students got to see what a college campus looks like, and they learned a college professor was interested in them enough to know they had the potential to go to college. It takes the fear factor away and excites them to think, ‘That’s going to be me someday.’” Stated goals for the program are improving educational outcomes for K-12 students and creating connections between public schools and higher education. But the collateral outcomes are significant too. Introducing students, especially rural students, to the campus and demonstrating their ability to go to college may be one of the most valuable outcomes, Mayo said, but there were other benefits. It gave his college students a chance to interact with the children, and both sets of young people enjoyed it. Mayo likes the fact that engaging in Adopt-AProfessor breaks routine for both teachers and students.
Future scientists from Hartford were adopted by a UAFS professor (right).
18 The Bell Tower fall | winter 2017
a day in
Every day is a big day for students. It might be a day when they learn something that will change their thinking. Or it might be a day when they meet the friend of a lifetime or even a soulmate. Whatever it is, it will be great.
20 The Bell Tower fall | winter 2017
the life photo essay
photographs by Rachel Rodemann Putnam
fall | winter 2017 The Bell Tower 21
T
he days in the life of the UAFS campus are as varied as the people who live them. But we know there will be coffee, classroom work, meals, time to play, time to study, time to sleep. In the last 15 years, the university has developed a sense of camaraderie, an atmosphere of family, a sense that futures are being forged in the crucible of learning and living.
“At first I was drawn to UAFS because the campus felt in touch
22 The Bell Tower fall | winter 2017
with nature, but I stayed because of the amazing faculty and staff.� —Krystal Summers
fall | winter 2017 The Bell Tower 23
CAMPUS GREEN: UAFS students take advantage of a warm fall to enjoy the landscaping on the green, which was dedicated with the Donald W. Reynolds Bell Tower and Plaza in 1995.
in the 15 years since Westark College became the
A name change, added degrees and new facilities are only parts of the development of a university.
University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, it has undergone significant changes, offering students new programs and the community an economic engine to spur development. New Year’s Eve 2001 was cold, but a hardy crowd gathered at the flagpole on Kinkead Avenue. As the year’s final seconds ticked by, it wasn’t a crystal ball, but the Westark College flag that descended. As cheers for the new year rang out, the flag of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith was hoisted. An era had ended, and a new one was beginning. In the nearly 16 years since that cold night, changes too numerous to mention have taken place. Some were as abrupt and final as the lowering of the Westark flag. Others were as slow and challenging as the carefully managed campaign to bring a four-year college to the greater Fort Smith region. “People told me I was crazy when I started talking about the New Year’s Eve celebration,” said Mary Beth Sudduth, who probably knows as much about that campaign as anyone. “They said it would be too cold and no one would come. I said, ‘That’s all right. I’ll be there.’” It was 1996 when then Westark President Joel Stubblefield asked Sudduth to come work with him to bring four-year degrees to west central Arkansas. Sudduth didn’t think it could be done, but Stubblefield convinced her to give it a try. The road was not direct or easy. At one point Westark gained legislative approval to offer a three-year degree. But it wasn’t until University of Arkansas System President Alan Sugg began conversations with Stubblefield about Westark’s joining the UA System that the pieces started to fall in place. “Joel and I had conversations for about a year, and then he talked to his board and I talked to our board, and everybody thought it was a great idea, and we went forward,” Sugg said recently. “Westark was a really excellent higher educational institution. It had grown rapidly, had an excellent faculty, and developed a wonderful physical plant. It was time for Westark to become a four-year institution, and it was time for Fort Smith to have a four-year college.” As Westark, the institution received property tax that was used to
Becoming a University fall | winter 2017 The Bell Tower 25
“Westark was a really excellent higher educational institution. It had grown rapidly, had an excellent faculty, and developed a wonderful physical plant. It was time to become a four-year institution.” – Alan Sugg, former president, University of Arkansas System service debt on campus buildings. In Arkansas, however, a four-year college could not have a property tax, so a plan was needed to recoup the money lost – or some part of it. The solution, Sudduth explained, came from Sebastian County, where the quorum court voted to ask residents to approve a onefourth percent sales tax. Analysts agreed that Fort Smith residents likely would pay less in sales tax than they had in property taxes. In November 2001, 76 percent of taxpayers voted to eliminate the property tax, dissolve the community college district, and add the one-fourth percent sales tax for the new university. Thus, on New Year’s Day was the new flag raised. Since then UAFS has spent time maturing into itself as a university. Stacey Jones is in a good position to comment on the changes. He’s been working on the campus since 1976, and he was a student before that. Jones, associate vice chancellor of campus and community events, said he thinks the process has been fast. “I think we’re a lot further along than people think we are; 15 years
six
is not a long time. We have bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees. That’s a pretty good clip,” he said. “I think we’re on our way to being a really, really good regional university. But I think this is a university that’s never going to forget where it came from.” Jones thinks UAFS’ economic impact on the community is a significant part of the story. Measured in 2016 at $300 million, the impact shows how much a part of the community the university is. The explosion of arts on the campus, including the Season of Entertainment and the opening of Windgate Art & Design, and UAFS’ successful competition in NCAA Division II sports are other parts of the story. Rick Goins, director of the Alumni Association, attended Westark from 1972-1974 and later received a bachelor’s degree from UAFS. He thinks his experience in the ’70s was typical for that time. He would go to work, leave to go to campus for class, and then immediately go back to work.
1.
As the last seconds of 2001 counted down, the Westark College flag was lowered for the last time. At 12:01, Jan. 1, 2002, the flag of the new University of Arkansas - Fort Smith was raised, marking the advent of a new age of education in Fort Smith.
2.
moments to remember 26 The Bell Tower fall | winter 2017
As a community college, Westark was not authorized to offer on-campus housing for students. UAFS was and in 2003, Sebastian Commons ushered in the era of oncampus housing. The Commons offers apartment-style living. In 2010, the Lion’s Den opened, offering traditional dormitory living.
Today’s students have a much fuller experience, he said. Whether students live on campus or not – and many do – they have a chance to participate in scores of registered student organizations. “No matter who you are, you’re going to find like-minded people to work with,” Goins said. Bringing employers on campus to talk with students through the Babb Center for Student Professional Development helped increase the university’s profile among business leaders, Goins believes. While some business leaders always understood the importance of the university, as each class graduates, alumni are taking the message into the community. Chancellor Paul B. Beran sees the difference between community colleges and four-year colleges simply. “Community colleges are job-driven,” he said. “Universities are career-driven.” “Ten years ago, the significant degrees on this campus were degrees of the 20th century. But the programs we are building now
MORE THAN BOOKS: The Boreham Library expansion in 1993 more than doubled the space for books, number of computers for students, and classroom seating. Today, it houses the Babb Student Professional Development Center and has teleconferencing venues.
are the degrees of the 21st century. We need to be preparing students for jobs that do not exist now. We need to be preparing students for entrepreneurship and the creative economy,” Beran said. “The future is change, and we need to prepare students for it.”
4.
3.
Dr. Paul B. Beran became UAFS’ second chancellor in 2006, following the death of Joel Stubblefield. Dr. Beran and his wife Janice came from Northwestern Oklahoma State University. In his introduction to the community, Beran said he believed UAFS could become a leading regional university.
5.
When it was unveiled in April 2010, the largerthan-life sculpture of UAFS’ mascot Numa was the largest leaping lion statue in the country. The design was approved by a committee of students, faculty, and community members under the direction of Janice Beran. It was created by artist Jon Hair with funds from Sally McSpadden Boreham and Pearl D. Raney. It is located in front of the Stubblefield Center arena.
In July 2011, UAFS became a member of the NCAA Division II. As a member of the Heartland Conference, it fields teams in basketball, baseball, volleyball, cross country, golf, and tennis. In 2019, the university will move to the Lone Star Conference.
6.
In May 2017, UAFS awarded its first master’s degrees to three students in Healthcare Administration. The university plans to expand its master’s-level offerings while continuing to offer core undergraduate programs for area residents and the regional employers who will hire them.
fall | winter 2017 The Bell Tower 27
alumni
Drop Us a Line Please take a moment to tell us and your former classmates what’s been going on since you left UAFS, Westark, or Fort Smith Junior College. Tell us about your job, your family, your hobbies, your adventures, your plans — whatever you want to share with other alumni. Feel free to include a photo (high-res, please). Then make sure we have your full name (if your name has changed, include the name you used when you were here) and the year you graduated or attended classes. Email your class note to alumni@uafs.edu or mail to Alumni Affairs, UAFS, P.O. Box 3649, Fort Smith, AR 72913.
1980s Don Young, ’80, is president of Giving and Getting Back Lions
Profile Consumer Core Marketing
Have Numa, Will Travel
in Lowell, Ark., and he has joined FAQ Video of Springdale as a business partner.
Friends of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith are familiar with the small, plush, family-friendly version of the mascot known as #RoamingNuma. Friends
2000s
of Iker “Jesus” Sedeno Gutierrez may know the mascot better than anyone.
Andrea Crouch, ’01, ’15, opened
Jesus delighted his legion of friends earlier this year by posting photos of
her own business called Crouch
himself and #RoamingNuma in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Germany, the Canary
Estate Sales.
Islands of Spain, and Scotland on his Facebook Page.
Brandon Vick, ’09, graduated
In July, Jesus made a PowerPoint presentation of those photos and many
from the American University of
more for gatherings on campus and elsewhere in Fort Smith, a presentation
the Caribbean Medical School
he called 34 Days around the World.
and is in residency at the Uni-
The Alumni Association is happy to provide traveling students and alumni
versity of Arkansas for Medical
with little soft Numas, practical for packing or carrying – as long as the Numa
Sciences.
recipient agrees to post photos on social media with the little guys, said
Eric Smithson, ’09, is a commu-
Alumni Director Rick Goins.
nity banker with Simmons Bank. Hannah Osborne,
That’s not the only reason Jesus posted the photos, and his presentations
’06, ’08, is a global
explained the other reasons. “The only reason I was able to make this trip was that I was able to save
delivery IT manager
money with my scholarships and grants, so the support I received from the
and IT deployment
school made it possible. That’s why I decided to take #RoamingNuma, to
project manager for
say thank you to the school.” The 2017 graduate now has taken #RoamingNuma with him to Tennessee, where he is enrolled in graduate school at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. 28 The Bell Tower fall | winter 2017
DXC Technology. around the world: (Top-bottom) Japan, Canary Islands, Germany
Justin Roble, ’06, is a Vice President of sales and marketing at ARK Fabrication LLC in the
News & Notes alumni affairs
Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
a new subsidiary of
Jasmine Wright, ’15, teaches in
Jay Manning Taylor, born in 2017.
Lindsey Robinson, ’09, is the
Weldon, Williams &
Conway.
Karen Barrera, ’15, a financial
2017-2018 president of the Junior
Lick, where he has
John Sturrock, ’15, is a student
analyst at ArcBest, is teaching
League of Fort Smith.
been employed
minister at Spring Baptist Church
two online sections of personal
Melanie Keith, ’06, has been
since 2015.
at Tyler, Texas.
finance and is a young alumni
promoted from human resources
Chase Coonrod, ’12, ’14, is a
mentor.
analyst to executive recruiter for
community catalyst and property
Kassandra Crowder, ’17, is a field
ArcBest.
manager at The Jones Trust.
project supervisor in the store
Ray Malouf, ’05, is vice president
Chelsea Smith, ’16, is a customer
planning department at the
of global recruiting for Whole
service representative for Farm
Walmart home offices. She will be
Foods Market in Austin, Texas.
Bureau.
leading teams to change the lay-
Justin Robles, ’05, ’06, is work-
Courtney Holt, ’16, is a seventh-
out of Walmart stores in Arkan-
ing at ARK Fabrications LLC as
and eighth-grade English teacher
sas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
VP in sales and marketing.
at Lavaca Middle School.
Megan Raynor, ’05, works as
Dale Williams, ’15, is a client
Jordan Hale, ’13, is married to
tional assistant at Alma Primary
Accounts Receiving Accountant
manager for USAT Logistics.
Kellie Elizabeth Taylor ’14 and is
School.
for Hanna Oil & Gas was recently
Dana McKinney, ’17, is a tax ac-
the director of government and
Kerbi Robison, ’15, finished her
recognized as part of the North-
countant for Arvest Bank.
community relations for the Uni-
master’s degree in education
west Arkansas Business Journal’s
Danielle Wilks, ’12, is a simulation
versity of Arkansas - Fort Smith.
theory & practice at Arkansas
40 under 40 class.
clinic coordinator at Arkansas
Previously, he was a senior admis-
State University and is working at
College of Osteopathic Medicine.
sions officer at the university.
Northside High School teaching
Daniel Roma, ’17, is enrolled
Jordan Taylor, ’14, and Jeffery
Aaron (Zach) Pense, ’16, is a
in a master’s program in college
Taylor ’11 are new parents of
seventh grade math teacher at
student personnel at Arkansas
Cedarville Middle School.
Tech, where he is a graduate
Alexander Gravelle, ’13, is an
assistant.
employer health services account
Daniel Tu, ’17, attends the Univer-
executive for MedExpress.
sity of Arkansas at Fayetteville
Alicia Patterson, ’16, is a regis-
master of accountancy program
tered representative at Edward
and works as a graduate assis-
Jones.
tant.
Allison Cross, ’17, and her hus-
Denae Beliles, ’15, married Elliott
band James announced the birth
Bell July 22, 2017.
of their daughter Wihelmina Rose
Elizabeth Dotson, ’17, is an atten-
on September 13, 2017. Allison is
dant for Area Agency on Aging.
also working in appraisal review
Jacob Hollomon, ’17, is pursuing
at First National Bank.
an MBA at the University of Mis-
Amanda Harris, ’13, is a law clerk
sissippi on a full-ride scholarship.
for Hodge, Calhoun, Giattina,
James Corwin “Corey” Wood-
PLLC, in Little Rock. She also is
ard, ’14, is working on a master
enrolled as a law student at the
of divinity degree at Southwest
University of Arkansas at Little
Baptist Theological Seminary in
Rock’s William H. Bowen School
Fort Worth. He works part-time
of Law, with an anticipated
as an operations assistant for
graduation in 2019.
ABF Freight in the Dallas-Fort
Angela Lamon, ’11, is an aca-
Worth area.
2010s
demic advisor at University of
Jerry (Jalynn) Mitch-
Maryland College Park.
ell, ’13, is an account
Bradley Andrews, ’14, has been
executive with XPO
promoted to business unit man-
Logistics, Inc., in
ager for Keep It Simple Ticketing,
Little Rock, Ark.
Katie Brown, ’17, is an instruc-
(continued on page 32)
Download discounts from local and national companies with
Numa’s Perks
alumni.uafs.edu/benefits-services/perks fall | winter 2017 The Bell Tower 29
alumni News & Notes
holiday spirit
Join Little Lions When They Meet Santa Many of us can remember a time when we waited in a line with our parents, excited and nervous, to meet Santa Claus. Then the moment came when it was finally our turn to sit up there on Santa’s lap and tell the magical man exactly what we were hoping to find under the tree. Every winter the UAFS Alumni Association hosts the Little Lions Meet Santa event at the Blue Lion at UAFS Downtown where upwards of 200 children whose parents are alumni come to sit on Santa’s lap. Each year, Harold Tisler volunteers his time as Santa, and with photographer-alumna Karen Schwartz, ’82, he works to give each child a perfect experience and each parent the perfect photo. Tisler is a 1972 nursing graduate who worked in the field for 45 years before retir-
ing. His Santa career started at a Sparks anniversary event when a member of the UAFS community spotted him. Tisler has volunteered as Santa for the Alumni Association for three years now. “I guess I’ve been volunteering at various things since I was at Westark in ’72,” Tisler said. “It just always seemed to me some part of what you should do for your community. Santa just kind of sprung from that, and I continued to do it.” He found Santa to be a great part of people’s lives because when they take a picture with Santa, that moment will be with them for their lives. Not only does Tisler volunteer his time, but he goes the extra mile and wears a historical costume and even grows the beard, much to his wife’s chagrin. —Krystal Summers
Ho, HO, ho: Santa sits with his favorite elves, members of the Student Alumni Association. Front row from left: Serena Her, Stephany Ramsey, and Lily Xiong; back row from left: Chouly Nakhonesack, Lalita Souvatdy, and Lisa Anderson, SAA advisor.
30 The Bell Tower fall | winter 2017
good times: The Roarin’ on the River Low-Country Shrimp Boil is the primary fundraiser for the Alumni Legacy Scholarship.
alumni advisory council
Council Makes Waves Dr. Rebecca Hurst, ’00, a founding member of the Alumni Advisory Council, is cycling off the panel with some sadness after serving two three-year terms. She said her position on the council gave her the chance to “connect with my fellow alumni who I might not have had an opportunity to meet otherwise.” Although her bachelor’s degree is from Arkansas State University, she said she never considered herself an ASU alum. Her time on the advisory council “helped to provide an identity as a proud UAFS alumna.” The council was formed in 2011 to develop a base of alumni connected to the university and to provide leadership and coun-
sel to the Alumni Association, Director Rick Goins said. Three more people are cycling off the council this year after serving for six years: Karla Jacobs and Rick and Pam Rice. The Alumni Advisory Council meets three times a year in person: when Numa Awards are announced, and during family weekend and homecoming. They meet once by conference call. At the meetings, Goins reports as does UAFS Vice Chancellor for Advancement Mary Lackie. Each of the council’s committees also reports. One of the council’s notable actions is the creation of the Alumni Legacy Scholarship, awarded to an immediate fam-
News & Notes alumni
ily member of an alumnus or alumna. Going forward, the council’s scholarship committee will choose the recipient of the award. When the scholarship was created, council members wanted to create a revenue stream for it. Thus, the Roarin’ on the River Low-Country Shrimp Boil was born. This year’s event raised nearly $10,000, fully endowing the scholarship. But the council would like to see more scholarships, so the goal for next year is to raise $15,000. Goins said members of the advisory council worked the Thursday and Friday before the event during a sweaty June
week at the Riverfront Park, then returned on Saturday to act as servers to keep everyone fed and hydrated. Some evolution in the council is likely this year as members contemplate changing the length of term for council members from three years to four and extending the chairman’s tenure from one year to two. The council currently makes the Diligence to Victory Award and the Young Alumni Award. Goins said there is talk of adding a third recognition for honorary alumni, people who have shown commitment to the university’s mission and students, such as people who
Alumni Advisory Council October 2017
Eric Smithson, ’09, chair Shawn Cozzens, ’90, secretary Conaly Bedell, ’56 Lap Bui, ’93 Christopher Cluck, ’05 Sandy Dixon, ’85
act as executive mentors in the Mentor Connection program. Incoming Chairman Eric Smithson wants to increase the number of volunteers at alumni events. Goins also wants to work with him to establish an alumni chapter in northwest
Jennifer Enslow Katie Kratzberg, ’05 Jimmie Lincks, ’68 Jeremy May, ’07 Warren Rapert, ’81 Brock Schulte, ’08, ’14
Arkansas and another in Tulsa or the Dallas-Fort Worth area. There are active alumni in all three areas. If the last six years are typical, incoming board members should roll up their sleeves.
“I respect and admire your choice to help others even when you don’t have to. You have helped me more than you know, and I will not let you down.”
– Jonathan Kiger, UAFS Senior
It’s not the amount of your gift that’s important – it’s the power of giving. To make a gift online: giving.uafs.edu
Office of Annual Giving
alumni News and Notes
(continued from page 29)
geometry and pre-AP Algebra 2. Kevin Faulkner, ’16, has joined the board of directors of 1:27 Missions Project. Manila Bounthanthy, ’15, is an accounts payable specialist for ArcBest. Matheus Silva, ’12, has moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he is now a buyer of coffee and cooking oil for Walmart. Matthew Luce, ’14, is an accounts NOT THAT GUY: Cole Thornton says he isn’t a tech guy; he’s a business guy.
payable specialist for purchased transportation for ArcBest. Megan Steidley, ’15, is a career services coordinator at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.
ALUMNI ENTREPRENEUR
Minzhi Chen, ’15, gave birth to a
Don’t Pitch That Gadget!
daughter, Alice Mei Chen, on June 9, 2017. Nathan Poston, ’16, is a customer
You might guess that Cole Thornton, cofounder of the successful Gadget Grave chain of electronic repair shops, grew up as the kid who deviled his parents by taking all their devices apart and spent eight days a week with a game controller in his hand. You’d be wrong. Although Thornton, a 2006 graduate of UAFS, got his first computer when he was 12, his interest lay less in how devices work than in what he could do with them. One of the things he could do with them was make money. “My business partner (Aaron Price) is the guy who knows how everything works,” Thornton said. “I’m the guy who had an iPhone 3G that got wet and wouldn’t power on, and I sold it on eBay for 200 bucks, and I thought, ‘Wow! There’s money here.’” The Fort Smith native has
a nursing degree from UAFS. As the employee “in charge of computers” and digitizing forms at Physicians Day Surgery Center, Thornton said he was able to do the things he needed to do to get Gadget Grave off the ground with his employer’s support. In the early stages of his company’s creation in 2009, Thornton said, he worked 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the surgery center, then worked 2:30-9 p.m. either online or at Gadget Grave. Price also worked long hours. “We were both committed,” Thornton said about the work ethic the partners share. “Without it, we wouldn’t be where we are today. It would be a hobby instead of a business.” Also committed to the enterprise’s success was Thornton’s wife Veronica, also a UAFS nursing graduate. The two married in 2007. Thornton’s stepdaughter is 15 and the couple’s sons are 9 and 3.
32 The Bell Tower fall | winter 2017
Gadget Grave, with shops in Fort Smith, Fayetteville, and Bentonville, repairs phones, tablets, computers, and game consoles. Stores also sell both new and refurbished devices and accessories. Since its inception, Gadget Grave has done more than $10 million in business, made more than 100,000 repairs and sold nearly 10,000 devices, Thornton said. The business has 25 workers. Although he is not working as a nurse, Thornton’s time at UAFS helped him develop the skills that created his business success. “The nursing degree … showed me the importance of ‘fanatical documentation,’ which we have implemented at Gadget Grave,” he said. “Having to focus on school taught me to enjoy learning, regardless of the subject matter. One of our core values at Gadget Grave is ‘always be learning.’”
service specialist at ArcBest. Nina Vu, ’17, is a data analyst at Riverside Furniture. Nycole Oliver, ’10, is an advanced practical nurse for Sparks Medical Center. Raneisha Lewis, ’17, is a talent management specialist at ArcBest. Taylor Gilbreth, ’15, is a social studies teacher at Future School of Fort Smith. Thomas Miller, ’17, works at First National Bank of Fort Smith. Tonya (Walker) Jetton, ’12, is an eighth grade science teacher at Arkansas Art Academy. Tyler Williams, ’17, is teaching in Alaska. Tulsa House, ’17, opened her own social media business, Lighthouse Social Media. Zack Gramlich, ’15, and Tiffany McCarthy ’17 were married in July 2017. Quynh Nguyen, ’16, is a customer service representative for Farmers Insurance.
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WHY WE LOVE THE FORT: Homecoming Feb. 5-10, 2018
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reunite: Don’t be left out in the cold. Make your plans to be part of the homecoming festivities.