University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Avery McLean has graduated from UA Little Rock with a bachelor's degree in biology, a minor in political science, and plans to make the world a better place through environmental law. McLean grew up on her family's cattle farm in rural Canada. Her hometown of Pilot Mound has about 500 residents and lies five miles north of the North Dakota border. She knew that she would have to leave home to receive the education she craved. At 15, McLean enrolled at the Institut Collegial Vincent Massey Collegiate in Winnipeg, Canada. From there, she was recruited as a swimmer to UA Little Rock.

Zachary Stine, of Little Rock, is a spring 2021 graduate with a Ph.D. in computer and information science from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. As a member of the Collaboratorium for Social Media and Behavioral Studies (COSMOS), Stine has conducted research on computational social science, machine learning, natural language processing, cultural analytics, digital humanities, and network science. Stine will work in COSMOS as a postdoctoral fellow next year while he continues his research and mentors students. His ultimate goal is to enter academia as a professor of computer or information science.

Uchenna "Uche" Umoga graduated this spring with a master's degree in computer science. He worked with Dr. Nitin Agarwal in COSMOS (Collaboration for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies).

Graduate Cassie Gehring is ending the spring semester on several high notes. Not only is she the first person in her family to earn a graduate degree, but Gehring has recently been promoted and is writing a grant proposal that could help single parents at UA Little Rock afford childcare. Gehring, a native of Helena who now lives in Searcy, is has graduated from UA Little Rock with a Master of Public Administration degree and a graduate certificate in nonprofit management.

After a 20-year career with the U.S. Marine Corps, Kevin Barnes, a native of Bauxite who now lives in Jacksonville, returned to Arkansas to pursue a nursing career.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock congratulates its fall 2020 graduates with multiple degrees.

Kathryn "Roza" Bost recently graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. At the age of four, Bost was adopted from Russia and raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. "I wrote a short story called 'The Sweet Exchange' about my memories of the orphanage," Bost said. "My goal is to share my story with international adoptee parents and international adoptees."

Tyra Robinson, a recent graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, said she was inspired to pursue a career in physical therapy after an unexpected experience with her mother.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announces its fall 2020 graduates.

A recent University of Arkansas in Little Rock graduate said she considers herself a "super-transfer student" after her unique college journey. Rodricka Blanks graduated Dec. 19 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication with an emphasis in mass media. Her college journey began in her hometown of Magnolia, Arkansas, after graduating high school in May 2014.

Julian Bassett, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in applied communication in December 2020, said coming to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock made him a more independent learner and gave him a second chance to earn his college degree.

Roza Bost graduated in December 2020 with a Master of Arts in applied communication. Her goal is to work at an international nonprofit organization because of her interest in multicultural issues.

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock employee has completed her bachelor's degree and is one step closer to fulfilling her childhood goal of becoming an advocate for the elderly. Cadence Baize, an administrative analyst in the Facilities Management office at UA Little Rock, graduated in December 2020 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and minor in sociology.

Rodricka Blanks will graduated in December 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication with an emphasis in mass media. She considers herself a "super-transfer student" because of her college journey.

Ingrid Safina, an applied biosciences doctoral student, graduated in December 2020 with a Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a job offer from Columbia University to continue her nanotechnology research. Safina first joined UA Little Rock in 2009 as an undergraduate student intent on a career in medicine. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree, she began pursuing a doctoral degree in applied biosciences.

While 2020 was a year of unprecedented challenges for many individuals, one woman took the opportunity to complete the college degree she started in 2002 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Lorien Dahl graduated in December 2020 with a bachelor's degree in applied communication after rejoining her program online in the spring 2020 semester.

Valerie Plate, a business major from Little Rock, graduated this semester with her bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock about 14 years after first starting college.

Daysia Klossner is a first-generation student who graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management in December 2020 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The fall 2020 graduate is currently a project estimator at Baldwin & Shell construction company.

Esther Mead graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in December 2020 with a Ph.D. in integrated computing with an emphasis in information quality as well as post-doctoral research position to continue her research at UA Little Rock's Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies (COSMOS).

After graduating with two bachelor's degrees, a University of Arkansas at Little Rock soccer star has returned home to Germany with her sights set on a professional soccer career.

Jerome Wilson Jr. graduated in December 2020 with a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law as well as a Master of Public Service from the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.

Aisosa Osaretin graduated in December 2020 with a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law as well as a Master of Public Service from the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. Once she takes the bar exam in February, Osaretin is planning a career in international law and human rights.

Tyra Robinson graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in health education and promotion and a minor in health and exercise science in December 2020 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. After graduation, she plans to go to graduate school to become a licensed physical therapist.

A fall 2020 graduate of the William H. Bowen of School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a passion for public service plans to put her law degree to use in immigration law and a life of service. "The legal process is already challenging for U.S. citizens," said Edith Chavez De Oseguera, who is earning a Juris Doctor from Bowen this month. "It's much more challenging for those who are newcomers. There is such a need for immigration attorneys, especially for those who speak other languages. After graduation and passing the bar, I plan to fulfill my vocation as an immigration attorney, and I plan to continue giving back to my community by doing pro bono work for vulnerable clients."

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock congratulates its spring 2020 graduates with multiple degrees.

At 73, Carolyn Wilkerson has completed her lifelong dream of earning a bachelor's degree. "My journey has been one the most rewarding personal decisions that I've ever made," Wilkerson said. "This is probably the only major milestone that I have ever established for myself. I've done some things that I think are monumental but nothing of this magnitude, especially at my age. This has been quite rewarding. It's been a phenomenal journey." The Little Rock native will graduated with a bachelor's degree in applied communication and a minor in sociology in December 2020 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announces its spring 2020 graduates.

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate is looking forward to a future in the tech industry, followed by fulfilling her lifelong goal of helping children. Mariam Bouzihay, of Jonesboro, has graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in information technology. In the fall, she will attend the New York University Tandon School of Engineering in the Management of Technology program to study user experience and interface design. The program is designed for college graduates and professionals who aim to make a difference in a world where economic and social advancement is increasingly dependent on integrating technology and business. Her lifelong goal, after establishing a career in the tech industry, is to open an orphanage.

This year's president of the Student Government Association not only captured the hearts and minds of the student body of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, but her impressive achievements during her UA Little Rock career also earned her the 2020 Edward L. Whitbeck Memorial Award. Katie Zakrzewski, a Donaghey Scholar, earned the top graduate award while double majoring in criminal justice and anthropology at UA Little Rock. In the fall, she will begin the criminal justice graduate program at UA Little Rock.

Chassidy Siratt, of Malvern, has graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in studio art. In the fall, she will continue her education at UA Little Rock in the graduate visual arts program.