University of Arkansas at Little Rock

University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate Dylan Wright of Little Rock is grateful for the personalized yet flexible college education he received that helped him gain experience in politics, public policy, and nonprofits that will be invaluable to his future career. Wright graduated Dec. 14, 2019, with a bachelor's degree in political science and minors in economics, math, and creative writing.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock student Jaqueline Villalpa Arroyo has learned the lessons for a successful career in technology and entrepreneurship after attending the Forbes Under 30 Summit Oct. 27-30, 2019 in Detroit.

Achievement is no stranger to University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law summa cum laude graduate Cara Tomlinson Butler. Making the highest score among all statewide participants on the Arkansas Bar Examination in July 2019 was just one of her many accomplishments.

Little Rock Volleyball honored its 2019 senior class, surprised its two Brazilian seniors with the playing of their native national anthem prior to the match, and hosted its final match of the 2019 season on Nov. 16.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock senior Carol Barbosa was recognized by the Sun Belt Conference Nov. 19 as she was named to the league's all-conference volleyball team, receiving second team honors.

UA Little Rock student volunteers helped clean up Coleman Creek in honor of Sustainability Day on Oct. 23. It's especially important to keep Coleman Creek clean because it empties into Fourche Creek. It's considered the most important urban watershed in Arkansas, since the watershed drains and filters runoff from Arkansas's capital city.

A dozen students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock majoring in gerontology, social work, and adult education helped organize the Arkansas Gerontological Society Symposium as a professional service learning opportunity on Nov. 7.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock student-athletes Carol Barbosa and Janae Thurston were recognized by the Sun Belt Conference their outstanding athletic performances.

Samantha Rolka has been selected as a 2019 CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-District First Team member, a recognition only awarded to the nation's top student-athletes in each respective sport. The senior soccer player earned the honors due to both her academic and athletic performances.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock soccer athlete Julia Edholm has been selected as a Second Team All-Sun Belt honoree, as announced by the Sun Belt Conference Nov. 5.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock systems engineering student Abbas Al-Wahhamy gained valuable leadership skills at the Student Vice President Leadership Summit of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Three University of Arkansas at Little Rock students have been honored for their research highlighting what they call "unjust laws" that target vulnerable populations. The students earned first place for their legal writing skills from the Academy of Legal Studies and Business Conference in Montreal, Canada, in August. Their scores were based on a written law review article and oral presentation.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock recognizes select students as student ambassadors in the College of Business. Student ambassadors represent the college in the community and on campus. The student ambassador program is designed to provide ambassadors opportunities to meet with members of the business community and alums to learn about leadership and career development. Students are nominated by faculty and have an excellent academic record.

Members of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Phi Beta Lambda club had the opportunity to give back to the community by helping to feed the homeless at the Little Rock Compassion Center, an inner-city mission.

As the end of her junior year at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock drew near, Keely Reeves was concerned about a lack of professional experience that she felt would hurt her chances to get a job after graduation. "I will graduate in May 2020," said Reeves, a Benton native double majoring in mass communication and professional and technical writing. "I only had one internship under my belt before last summer, and I was panicking, thinking that I might graduate without having any internships related to my majors." Last spring, she began an intense search for internships that involved video editing, photography, social media, writing, and editing.

After averaging 5.5 digs per set and leading Little Rock to its 34th consecutive win over ULM, senior libero Diana Giordani has been named the Sun Belt Conference's Defensive Player of the Week.

UA Little Rock Trojan student-athlete Asmalia Redzuan has been chosen as the Missouri Valley Conference's Swimmer of the Week after her multiple strong performances during an Oct. 26 home dual against Incarnate Word. This marks the team's first Swimmer of the Week honor since 2016, and Redzuan is also the fourth freshman in program history to earn the recognition.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Department of Theatre Arts and Dance showcased its fall production of "Eurydice" Oct. 16-20 in the Haislip Theatre in the Center for Performing Arts. "Eurydice" is a postmodern retelling of the classical myth of the legendary Greek hero, Orpheus, from the perspective of his beloved Eurydice. The young couple's time together is cut short when Eurydice is killed on their wedding day. Her journey to the Underworld and Orpheus' subsequent pursuit to reclaim her has been celebrated in art and music for centuries.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has announced 99 Little Rock Trojan student-athletes have earned Sun Belt academic honors for the 2018-2019 academic year. The Little Rock Trojans compete in baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, track and field, cross country, and volleyball. A total of 64 Little Rock Trojans were named to the 2018-2019 Sun Belt Commissioner's List, which recognizes students who have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. A total of 35 Little Rock Trojans were named to the 2018-2019 Sun Belt Academic Honor Roll, which recognizes students who have maintained a cumulative GPA between 3.0 and 3.49.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received a $10,000 Google education grant that will help provide free cloud-based cybersecurity labs for junior high and high school students in Arkansas. Additionally, a three-year $276,424 National Science Foundation grant awarded to the UA Little Rock Emerging Analytics Center is being used to develop a free open-source, cybersecurity curriculum for students in Arkansas with assistance from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate has achieved her dream of becoming a homeowner with the help of the University District's First Time Homebuyer Program. Cadie Foscue, a May graduate of UA Little Rock's Master of Social Work program who now works as a social impact analyst at the Good Grid in Little Rock, had dreamt of the stability of a permanent home ever since she was a child.

UA Little Rock students participated in a study of island biogeography in the Bahamas during the summer of 2019. The students observed the island's many ecosystems and witnessed wildlife including sharks, sea turtles, and the critically endangered San Salvador rock iguana. The students kept field research journals and completed a research project on a topic of interest, which ranged from exploring the abundant life in the Bahamas' coral reef to biodiversity in the forests to the snails that lived in the island's tidepools.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock head basketball coach Darrell Walker has announced the addition of transfer guard Ben Coupet Jr. to the Trojan roster. Coupet transfers from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and will have two years of eligibility remaining.

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate student is one step closer to fulfilling her dream of becoming a mental health counselor thanks to a $2,500 scholarship. Ariel Lackey, a master's student in social work, received the Big Red Stores/Family Market scholarship for the 2019-20 year. The scholarship is awarded annually by the UA Little Rock Alumni Association to a full-time or part-time entering freshman, transfer, or continuing student who is an employee or immediate family member of an employee at Big Red Stores/Family Market.

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock freshman with dreams of becoming a high school band director was the recipient of this year's Richard Family Fund Scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship will be of immense help to Cesar Guerra Gonzalez, an 18-year-old Little Rock native. The scholarship recognizes academic excellence, and the recipient performs 15 hours of community service with a community agency working with the Hispanic community.

Robbin Cochran, a May graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's Master of Social Work program, is spending the next year helping veterans as part of the Psychology Postdoctoral and Interprofessional Fellowship at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System.

Three University of Arkansas at Little Rock students are helping to uncover the secret to successful community partnerships between religious and nonprofit organizations in Little Rock. The Little Rock Congregations Study is an ongoing research project led by Dr. Rebecca Glazier, associate professor in the UA Little Rock School of Public Affairs, stemming from research begun in 2012 about the effects of religious organizations on community engagement in Little Rock. In 2018, student researchers surveyed more than 110 clergy members in the Little Rock area, conducted interviews with 24 clergy members, and wrote 22 stories highlighting partnerships between congregations and community organizations. This fall, they are surveying nonprofit organizations to learn more about when and how partnerships form.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock business student Shibani Lal has been selected for the Forbes Under 30 Scholar Summit. Lal, who will graduate in May 2020, is looking forward to the conference to gain advice and investors for her future startup business.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock doctoral student Patricia Covington has found a passion for international collaboration after attending a prestigious summer ecology program in France.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock student-athlete Aaron Ramos finished among the individual Top 10 at the competitive Trinity Forest Invitational held this fall in Dallas.