University of Arkansas at Little Rock

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

Three UA Little Rock golfers have been named to Sun Belt's All-Conference Teams

UA Little Rock student-athlete Anton Albers has been named the league's Golfer of the Year

The following people recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.

Ten UA Little Rock wrestlers were named to the 2022 Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll, as announced by the league office this Thursday. Out of the wrestling schools that compete in the conference, the Trojans were tied for the second-highest number of student-athletes that made the list

Make it back-to-back for Cameron Jackson. The Little Rock sprinter repeated as the Sun Belt Conference's Men's Track Athlete of the Week after running a league-leading time in the 200m dash.

UA Little Rock wrestling student-athlete Chase Tebbets has been named an Individual Scholar All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).

UA Little Rock wrestling student-athlete Jaylen Carson has been selected as an Individual Scholar All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).

The UA Little Rock wrestling team has been honored as a 2022 DI Scholar All-America Team by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) to top off an incredible year of grit and growth for the Trojans.

Little Rock sophomore Cameron Jackson was named the Sun Belt Conference's Men's Track Athlete of the Week after running the fourth-fastest 100m dash time in league history and the 18th-fastest time in the world this season.

Eight student journalists at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have won 11 awards in the 93rd annual Arkansas College Media Association (ACMA) conference for their work in The Forum, UA Little Rock's student newspaper.

Five University of Arkansas at Little Rock students have won awards highlighting their skills in representing Arab countries in international politics. The student diplomats received awards during the Bilateral Chamber Regional Model Arab League held Feb. 12-13 in Houston.

UA Little Rock redshirt junior Isaiah Parker won the hammer throw at the Harding Bison Open.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council 750 has awarded a special $750 book scholarship to University of Arkansas at Little Rock freshman Luis Martinez.

A UA Little Rock student was one of six undergraduate student conductors selected from seven states to participate in a prestigious undergraduate masterclass at the 2022 Southwestern American Choral Directors Association. Carmen Ramirez, a senior from Columbia, Missouri, was chosen out of a large pool of applicants for the Student Conducting Masterclass, which took place March 1 at the Little Rock Marriott.