University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Ever since he was a child, Turner Hudson, a senior mechanical engineering student from Mayflower, Arkansas, has loved building things. He was often found playing with legos and creating small projects. When he grew up, he decided to turn that interest into a career.

Justin Williams, a longtime law enforcement officer, is working toward his goal of completing his college education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. "Justin is a non-traditional student who decided to pursue higher education after 11 years of service as a police officer in Pine Bluff," said Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, director of the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at UA Little Rock. "His interest in criminal justice comes from his years of being a police officer, both municipal, and state. Justin is energetic, full of drive, and has a passion for teaching students" A law enforcement officer with 14 years of experience as a police officer and state trooper, Williams is well on his way to making the jump from police officer to professor. With just two courses left over the summer to complete his bachelor's degree, he will begin the master's degree program in criminal justice during the fall semester.

Billy Spann has graduated with a Ph.D. in Computer and Information Science and an impressive research resume from his time as a researcher with the Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies at UA Little Rock.

Meagan Herbold, who will graduate in May, chose the University of Arkansas at Little Rock because she wanted to stay close to home and save money for graduate school. She ended up finding a tremendously supportive campus community as she pursued her undergraduate degree in physics. "It provided a solid academic foundation for further education, as well as a kind, supportive, and engaging physics department that genuinely cares about its students and allows them to engage in undergraduate research at every willing opportunity," she said.

Donaghey Scholar Sydney Kornelsen will graduate on May 14 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and a minor in music. She will attend UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in Fall 2022.

Student journalist Remington Miller has made her mark at UA Little Rock, and now she is taking her next step in her career as a journalist. Miller is graduating May 14 with bachelor's degrees in English and mass communication with an emphasis in journalism as well as a minor in race and ethnicity.

For Ruby Trotter, graduating from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has become a family tradition. Because she's a double major in chemistry and Spanish, she will likely walk across the stage twice on May 14 - during the morning ceremony and in the afternoon.

As a private duty nurse, Shannon Marlar has a very special role providing healthcare to those who can't leave their home. Marlar, a single mother of two from Sparkman, Arkansas, serves many important roles - a healthcare provider, a caregiver, and a shoulder to cry on for family members. Marlar has overcome incredible odds to fulfill her dream of earning her bachelor's degree in nursing. She will graduate May 14 at UA Little Rock's Jack Stephens Center. She is going to use her expertise to open up a new business that will provide at-home medical care for people who are homebound.

Tripti Shukla, a double major from Little Rock, has been named the winner of the 2022 Edward L. Whitbeck Memorial Award at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Frank L. and Beverly Whitbeck established the 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.

One University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate has fulfilled her dream of completing her college education and her longtime goal of becoming a teacher. Christen Alsup, 36, of Benton, will graduate May 14 from UA Little Rock with a bachelor's degree in elementary education 19 years after she first started college.

Brittney Harding has wanted to become a nurse ever since she was a little girl. She grew up watching her mother become a nurse and even attended some of her classes as a child. "The moment when my mother passed her final exam, I had this sense of wanting to be like my mom when I grew up," Harding said. "I remember the rewards she got from being a nurse, and that was an inspiration as well as my mom's stepmom, who was also a nurse. Having that foundation of nurses in my family secured my desire to be a nurse when I was a little girl."

Cassandra Dean, a mother of six, is set to graduate with her bachelor's degree in sociology May 14, marking the fourth degree she's earned from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

In 2016, Chika Okoli moved to the United States from Nigeria, hoping to start a new career and a new life with his wife and three sons. This new chapter in life started off with a major obstacle. His wife's VISA was delayed, so Okoli traveled to the U.S. with his two oldest sons while his wife, who was then pregnant with his youngest son, remained in Nigeria. The family would stay separated for more than two years while they waited for Mrs. Okoli's VISA to be approved.

Lauren Klempel, of Austin, Arkansas, has dreamed of becoming a nurse ever since she was a little girl. The mother of three is now getting the chance to work her dream career after graduating this month with an associate degree in nursing from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Donaghey Scholar Mohib Hafeez will graduate on May 14 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He will attend UAMS in the fall to study medicine.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock basketball star Sali Kourouma has received all-conference honors from the Sun Belt Conference.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock congratulates its fall 2021 graduates with multiple degrees.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announces its fall 2021 graduates.

Anitrea Graydon is a wife, mother of two, a student, a business owner, and community volunteer from Jacksonville, Arkansas. She will receive a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice degree from UA Little Rock on Dec. 18. She is not only a dedicated community leader, but she worked consistently to maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout her academic career.

Acadia Roher is graduating this month with a master's degree in public history from UA Little Rock. After completing her thesis, "Urban Renewal in Little Rock's Dunbar Historic Neighborhood: A Walking Tour," the new graduate from New Orleans will begin her career as a historical research associate in Maryland.

In 2006, Veronica Tess Myers, of Little Rock, made the difficult decision to leave college to ensure her son, Alexander, got the education he deserved. Myers promised herself that she would one day return to complete her college education. "I started my college journey at UA Little Rock in 2000, and then stopped out in 2006 due to the dynamics of being a single mother and to take care of my profoundly autistic son, Alexander," Myers said. Fifteen years later, Myers fulfilled her lifelong goal of completing college and graduated from UA Little Rock with a bachelor's degree in applied communication at the end of the fall 2021 semester.

A UA Little Rock Student is graduating this fall with a master's degree in public history. Christy Hendricks, a native of Ward, Arkansas, will graduate Dec. 18. For her thesis, Hendricks made a comprehensive interpretation analysis of the Quapaw Native Americans and created fact sheets for the Arkansas Post National Memorial Visitors Center that would further the knowledge of Native American history in the area of Arkansas Post.

Joseph Sepulveda, of Cabot, Arkansas, is fulfilling his dream of making the world a better place by designing solar arrays at an up and coming Little Rock startup company. Sepulveda will graduate Dec. 18 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from UA Little Rock. Since May, Sepulveda has worked as a solar coordinator at Entegrity Energy Partners, where he is responsible for designing, constructing, and selling solar arrays.

Robert Alvarez, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, has just completed his goal of finishing his bachelor's degree 25 years after he first attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Alvarez will graduate Dec. 18 as the first graduate of UA Little Rock's new online degree program in political science with emphasis in international studies, as well as a minor in economics.

For more than a decade, Aresh Assadi has been helping the students and employees of UA Little Rock with career and personal counseling and mental health education. This month, Assadi, assistant director of counseling services at UA Little Rock, will graduate with a Doctor of Education in Higher Education with a concentration in student affairs.

Whitney Gass, a native of Emerson, Arkansas, was never your average Ph.D. student. Unlike most of the members of her cohort who were full-time students with graduate assistantships, Gass balanced her part-time doctoral classes while being a wife, mother of two, and criminal justice professor at Southern Arkansas University. "Getting the degree is for my future and my family, but I felt selfish at moments for having children and working on the Ph.D," Gass said. "They didn't choose for me to work on this degree, so I made sure I didn't miss dance classes or t-ball games. That wouldn't be fair for them. Working on your degree with a newborn isn't always easy."

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student is researching how urban high school teachers view preparing African American students for college. Leah Hansberry, who lives in Springfield, Missouri, will graduate from UA Little Rock in December with a Doctor of Education in higher education. Her dissertation is entitled, "Classroom Practices of Urban High School Teacher's Pedagogy Strategies and Approaches for Preparing African American Students for College."

Josiah Johnson, a Donaghey Scholar and senior from Sherwood, is graduating this semester with a BBA in finance and a BBA in economics. During his time at UA Little Rock, Johnson has been an integral part of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center's Startup Team, which specializes in assisting clients who have never been in business or had to learn about business before.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock congratulates its spring 2021 graduates with multiple degrees.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announces its spring 2021 graduates.