University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Mackenzie Rash has loved science since the tender age of 10, so earning a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock seemed like a smart and easy decision. "I've always been interested in science since the fifth grade," Rash said. "I had an awesome science teacher, and we did experiments all the time. I always loved science and participating in science fairs."

Last year, UA Little Rock student Griselda Delgado Torres had an experience that is unusual to most graduating seniors. She completed her final semester of her Bachelor of Social Work degree program from a hospital bed in the Intensive Care Unit, where she had just spent two weeks on a ventilator and feeding tube recovering from pneumonia.

Life is moving fast for UA Little Rock graduate and Donaghey Scholar Alyssa Smith. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Smith will marry her college sweetheart, fellow UA Little Rock graduate Baker Rodgers, on June 10. After a honeymoon cruise in the Caribbean, she will start work as a natural gas engineer at Summit Utilities.

In his hometown of Omro, Wisconsin, Caleb Boutin has spent his high school years and summers working at Omro Building Center. Upon his acceptance to the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, he traveled nearly 800 miles to begin his college career at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, never imagining that his college journey would eventually lead him back to his small hometown of about 3,500 people.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Olivia Fitzgibbon was an active and engaged college student, living on campus and enjoying life in the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Ahad Nadeem, a biology major from Little Rock, has been named the winner of the 2023 Edward L. Whitbeck Memorial Award at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Frank L. and Beverly Whitbeck established the top graduating senior award in memory of their son, Edward Lynn Whitbeck, who was a senior at Little Rock University, the predecessor of UA Little Rock, at the time of his death in 1965. Each scholar receives a personalized plaque and a monetary award.

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student who is graduating this spring plans to use her Master of Social Work degree to help other adults who are neurodivergent. A native of Monticello, Leslie Beard went back to school in 2020 to pursue a career in social work. The graduate student became a part of a growing number of women who learned they were neurodivergent as adults.

After losing her home to the devastating tornado that struck central Arkansas on March 31, a graduating UA Little Rock student and mother of four from Little Rock is looking forward to the positive things in life, including starting a new career as a nurse.

While growing up as a child in Nepal, Mayor Inna Gurung had little exposure to computer science. "It started out as a mere curiosity as a kid to understand how devices were working, how websites are built, and how they made certain applications," she said. "But as I grew up, I understood there is way more to it. As a family with a business background, my parents were always hesitant for me to pursue a career in computer science."

Graduate student Nahiyan Bin Noor has an analytical mind, and he is always exploring ways that he can use his skills to solve problems.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock congratulates its Fall 2022 graduates with multiple degrees.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announces its Fall 2022 graduates.

A UA Little Rock history student is celebrating the completion of his lifelong dream of finishing his college education, a dream that is 50 years in the making.

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate is exploring how to attract more women to enter Arkansas's growing construction industry. Gozde Gursoy, a native of Izmir, Turkey, will graduate with a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration from UA Little Rock.

Kristina Johnson, a Little Rock native who now lives in Hot Springs Village, has known since high school that she wanted to pursue her passion for writing in college. "When I was a senior, I thought about what I was good at. I really liked English and creative writing. I've enjoyed writing short stories in my free time for many years."

A UA Little Rock student has earned his master's degree after advancing cybersecurity education for hundreds of students and teachers throughout Arkansas. Andrew Bomberger, of Hot Springs, will graduate with a master's degree in computer science on Dec. 17. While he's grown into one of the department's leading students, Bomberger was originally on a very different career path before discovering his passion for cybersecurity.

A graduating UA Little Rock student is thankful to the university for helping her prepare for a future career helping people as a medical surgeon. Taylor Arnold, a senior biology major from Hot Springs, said she was inspired to follow in her father's footsteps to the medical field.

Christine Jones, a graduating student at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has been honored as the LULAC Student of the Year.

When future lawyer Johanna Baker Wade was an undergraduate student at Henderson State University, she recalls two events that shaped her life.

A UA Little Rock business graduate is honoring a promise she made to her children to finish her college education. Anita Burnett, a North Little Rock resident, will graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Analytics degree on Dec. 17, more than 23 years after she initially began her college career.

Right after high school, Jacobi Malone was adamant that he was never going to attend college. Eleven years later, the Little Rock native is understandably excited about his upcoming graduation from the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock congratulates its spring 2022 graduates with multiple degrees.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announces its spring 2022 graduates.

A group of UA Little Rock students participated in a pilot program by the Academy for Public Service that gave students experience in serving in a state legislative session and the Supreme Court.

Graduating seniors from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock learned the challenges of undertaking international construction projects as part of their year-long capstone project.

UA Little Rock setter Sophia Reynolds has finished up her summer of training and playing in Mexico at the Women's U21 Pan American Cup, guiding the Dominican Republic to an eighth-place finish.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock students were honored for their skills in international diplomacy. UA Little Rock student diplomats competed in the National University Model Arab League Conference March 23-27 in Washington, D.C., where they represented the country of Iraq.

Mustafa Alassad has graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Ph.D. in systems engineering. The hardworking international student also serves as vice president of operations and strategic growth at Gas POS Inc, which provides a point-of-sale system for gas stations and truck stops across the country. His background includes operational research and the protection of infrastructure networks from malicious attacks.

May has been a milestone month for Karen Watts DiCicco. The Bryant resident recently graduated from UA Little with a Ph.D. in computer and information science and was promoted as the assistant director of information technology at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

During her time at UA Little Rock, Maryam Maleki has been involved in high-profile research investigating the spread of misinformation across social media. She leaves UA Little Rock with a Ph.D. in systems engineering and a plan to enter the world of academia. Maleki has already received multiple job offers to teach at universities across the country.