UCA Alumni Association to recognize outstanding alumni
The University of Central Arkansas Alumni Association will honor four former students and remember a fifth at the 2023 Alumni Awards Celebration.
Richard Martin, Jr. ’76, ’77 and Susan Bell Setzler ’83, ’84 will be the recipients of the Karen Sullards Alumni Service Award. Carmeon Hamilton ’08 will be the recipient of the Young Alumni Award, while Andrew Reynolds ’12 will receive the Volunteer of the Year Award.
The quartet will be recognized on Friday, Oct. 27, as part of UCA’s Homecoming festivities. The Alumni Awards Celebration, which starts at 6:30 p.m., will take place in the McCastlain Hall Ballroom and is open to the public. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased online.
Additionally, the celebration will recognize former award winners as well as the Coming Home Queens, former UCA Homecoming Queens who were selected in years ending in 3 (2013, 2003, 1993, etc…).
“This year’s award recipients are each outstanding representatives of UCA,” said Alison Taylor, executive director of alumni relations. “Their remarkable accomplishments and support of the university set a benchmark for fellow alumni and strengthen the reputation of the university. We take great pride in honoring them for their dedication, service and meaningful contributions to the UCA family.”
The event will also memorialize the late Karen Sullards ’72, ’75, a two-time UCA alumna and long-time Alumni Association volunteer who received the Alumni Service Award in 2012. The prestigious award will now be known as the Karen Sullards Alumni Service Award.
“As soon as news of Karen’s passing reached the Board, we knew we wanted to perpetuate her enduring legacy and unwavering commitment to both her alma mater and the Alumni Association,” Taylor said. “At her memorial service, we learned that being chosen for the UCA Alumni Service Award was a source of profound pride for Karen. It became clear that the award should bear her name as a way to remember her and the innumerable things that she did for the university.”
Karen Sullards Alumni Service Award
First awarded in 2007, the Karen Sullards Alumni Service Award is presented to individuals who demonstrate extraordinary commitment, dedication, service and loyalty to UCA. This year’s award recipients are Richard Martin Jr. and Susan Bell Setzler.
Martin spent nearly 50 years at UCA as a student, faculty member and coach. As a student, he lettered in both football and track & field for four years, earning All-American honors in the mile relay in 1974. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1976 before earning a master’s degree in education from UCA in 1977.
Martin began his professional career as an assistant coach with the UCA football and track teams, eventually serving as the head coach of both the men’s and women’s track & field programs.
As an alumnus, Martin is a lifetime member of both the UCA Alumni Association and UCA Letterman’s Club and is a contributing member of the UCA Purple Circle. He established a UCA Foundation scholarship for future track & field and cross country athletes. He is also a lifetime member of Omega Psi Phi, a member of the NAACP and of Mt. Gale Missionary Baptist Church.
“I was very happy and surprised when I received the phone call informing me that I had been selected for this award, it reminded me that all of my years of hard work and dedication with a spin of perseverance paid off,” Martin said. “I feel it is a great honor to get picked for the Alumni Service Award honoree. It’s a memory that I am grateful to carry me for the rest of my life. UCA will always have a special place in my heart.”
Setzler is also a two-time UCA alumna, having earned a bachelor’s degree in special education in 1983 and a master’s degree in speech-language pathology in 1984.
Setzler has served as executive director of the Miss University of Central Arkansas Competition for the last 26 years and has been instrumental in raising over $80,000 in scholarships in that role. She has also been an advisor for Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority for 18 years and is an active member of the Alpha Sigma Alpha Central Arkansas Alumnae Chapter.
Additionally, she has served as a Special Olympics volunteer for more than 15 years and has supervised countless aspiring speech-language pathologists during her 37 year public school career.
“I never expected to be recognized for my service to UCA and others. Receiving this Alumni Service Award affirmed that good deeds, completed with humility and sincerity, are noticed,” Setzler said. “Over the years, it became evident to me that one of my purposes or my calling, is to invest in the lives of young women. I am extremely grateful to my husband, children, family, friends and former instructors for encouraging and supporting me all these years.”
Young Alumni Award
The Young Alumni Award, first given for 2020, recognizes exceptional achievements in professional, public service and/or volunteer activities from alumni under the age of 40.
Carmeon Hamilton, winner of this year’s Young Alumni Award, earned a bachelor’s degree in interior design from UCA in 2008.
Owner of Nubi Interiors and CEO of Hamilton Media Inc., Hamilton has built a popular lifestyle blog and social media presence. She’s been named as one of nine rising
stars by Architectural Digest, voted among the Top 15 Interior Designers in Memphis by Builders Direct and featured in national publications such as Real Simple, House Beautiful, Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Living, Essence, Domino and more. She is also a popular keynote speaker and podcast guest for a variety of organizations and industry associations.
In early 2021, Hamilton competed against seven other interior designers from across the country and won the title of HGTV’s Design Star: Next Gen! which resulted in her own design show, Reno My Rental.
“I was surprised and honored to be selected for this award,” said Hamilton. “UCA has a very special place in my heart for the people I met and the origin of a career I never could have imagined. Being honored completely brings UCA to the forefront of my mind now. It’s easy to get swept away by life and responsibilities and we forget the foundational things that made us who we are.”
Volunteer of the Year Award
The Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes a UCA alum who has made significant contributions to the university while volunteering on behalf of the Alumni Association.
This year’s recipient, Andrew Reynolds, completed a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Central Arkansas in 2012. As a student, he was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity and the Association of Future Alumni.
Reynolds, an enterprise account manager with Hewlett Packard Enterprise in Little Rock, is a member of the UCA Alumni Association Board of Directors and is a life member of the UCA Alumni Association.
“In my time giving back to UCA, I have been surrounded by great people with servant hearts,” Reynolds said. “To be recognized amongst them is extremely humbling. I hope I can continue to exemplify an expectation of service seen by others connected to UCA. It is important to understand that this award is not an award for service that has been completed, but a thank you for dedication to UCA that will continue throughout my lifetime. I am keeping the mindset that I am just out of the ‘starting blocks’ not at the finish line.”
About Karen Sullards
A longtime supporter of UCA, Karen Sullards passed away in July in her hometown of Little Rock. She graduated from the then State College of Arkansas in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education before embarking on a 38-year teaching career. She taught for most of her career in Hughes, Arkansas, before joining the Pulaski County Special School District, where she served as a teacher, instructional specialist, assistant principal and principal. She was selected as the PTA Administrator of the Year in 2000 and received the Bobby G. Lester Excellence in Education Award for Administration in 2008.
Sullards was first elected to the UCA Alumni Association Board of Directors in 1985. She served on the board again in 2003 and was elected president of the board in 2015. Even when she wasn’t an active member of the board, Sullards could be found volunteering at alumni events and was a popular fixture at Alumni and Friends tailgates. In 2012, she was the recipient of the Alumni Service Award that now bears her name.
Beyond her robust support for UCA, Sullards also had a positive impact on her community. Her passion for service involved volunteering in a variety of organizations, including Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church’s Stephen Ministry, Moms Demand Action, the Democratic Party of Arkansas and Volunteers In Public Schools (VIPS).
Homecoming 2023
The Alumni Awards Celebration is part of UCA’s Homecoming festivities. Other events include the UCA Homecoming Parade, the Half-Century Club induction honoring the class of 1973 and the Bear Bash tailgate. A complete schedule of Homecoming events can be found on the UCA website.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way
August is National Make-A-Will Month, when the saying “where there’s a will, there’s a way” takes on special meaning. A will not only allows you to provide for your loved ones but also gives you a way to make an impact at UCA for years to come.
If you don’t already have a will, you can create one in just 20 minutes with the help of our partner, FreeWill. It’s a completely free service, with lifetime access, for our alumni and friends.
Having a will:
- Ensures that your wishes are known.
- Ensures that your assets are distributed the way you choose.
- Helps you look after your loved ones.
You can also create a lasting legacy at UCA. Leaving a gift to the UCA Foundation in your will is an easy way to make a difference for generations of future UCA students.
National Make-A-Will Month is the perfect time to think about the future. Making a will today gives you a way to plan now and impact forever.
Click here to make your own will.
If you would like more information about using your will to leave a gift to UCA, please don’t hesitate to contact us at legacyplanning@uca.edu.
UCA nursing professor earns prestigious award
University of Central Arkansas professor Julie Meaux received the 2022 Outstanding Nurse Educator Award. Meaux, who has been a UCA faculty member for 28 years, is also the undergraduate program coordinator in the School of Nursing.
“I am very honored and humbled,” Meaux said. “To even be nominated reinforces the fact that I have earned respect from faculty and students. It’s a good feeling. There are a lot of really talented nurse educators in the state of Arkansas.”
Meaux spent 14 years as a neonatal intensive care nurse before going to graduate school.
She earned a Master of Nursing Science degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1993 and a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing from UAMS in 2001. She is a National League for Nursing (NLN) certified nurse educator and a member of the Nursing Administrative Council.
In 2015, Meaux was recognized as a Distinguished Scholar and Fellow of the National Academies of Practice. Four years ago, she participated as a scholar for an Experienced Nursing Faculty Leadership Academy presented by Sigma, an international community of nurses dedicated to the advancement of learning and service through practice, education and research.
The nurse educator award was given during the 16th Annual Nursing Expo hosted by Publishing Concepts, Inc. at the Jack Stephens Event Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on April 2. Publishing Concepts, Inc. is the nation’s largest publisher of state board of nursing journals, including the ASBN Update for the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.
“I never necessarily planned a career in academia. I came because I needed a more flexible schedule,” Meaux said. “After a few years, I really fell in love with academia. As a nurse I was affecting the health care of individuals. In academia, I feel like I’m affecting health care in a broader way by producing future health care providers. It is most rewarding to hear from students that we have prepared them well.”
Meaux has demonstrated a passion for the practice of nursing and nursing education. In the nomination letter to the state board of nursing, UCA professor Pam Ashcraft wrote that Meaux is dedicated to each student who comes through the school of nursing.
“She is loved and respected by faculty and students alike,” Ashcraft wrote. “Students know that she is an advocate for their learning, and she pours her entire self into everything she teaches. She is the kind of nurse – actually, she is the kind of person – who inspires others to make a plan, take a risk and make a difference! Clearly, Dr. Meaux is an inspiration to all those who know her.”
“I work with a very talented team,” Meaux said. “That makes the job easier and enjoyable. All of us are focused on the students with ambitions of positively impacting health care for the future.”
Inaugural cohort of Women’s Leadership Academy opens mini food pantries
The inaugural cohort of the Women’s Leadership Academy has installed three community pantries in Faulkner County.
Community pantries are wooden boxes mounted on a post and are large enough to hold canned goods, cereal boxes, bags of pasta and other necessities. They are placed throughout the community near nonprofits, schools, businesses and residential neighborhoods and stocked by members of the community.
The three added locations in Faulkner County have been dubbed Precious Pantries by the WLA. The installations were completed in partnership with the University of Central Arkansas AmeriCorps, UCA’s BearsServe Leaders and EngageAr.
Women’s Leadership Academy began in January 2022. Shaneil Ealy, associate vice president of outreach and community engagement at UCA and co-director of the academy, says the academy seeks to give women skills for leadership capacity.
“Community service and community engagement is really important to us, and we have embedded that into the academy,” Ealy said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Pine Street Community Museum. “In January, we had a retreat and invited the Conductor to facilitate an innovation lab. In the retreat, we learned that poverty, homelessness and food insecurity were close to the hearts of many ladies in the academy.”
The pantries coming to fruition, Ealy said, were the result of the inaugural c
lass answering the call to serve.
“This group of ladies embarked on a giant journey together six months ago. We are from all walks of life, political persuasions and faiths,” said Laura King, a member of the inaugural class and agency engagement director at United Way of Central Arkansas. “When pitching ideas for the community project or the opening retreat, I noticed also that every idea focused on uplifting our neighbors. This Precious Pantry project emerged as the winner to bring the community together and love on our neighbors. But one pantry was not enough. We built three!”
In addition to the Pine Street Community Museum, there are pantries located at the Faulkner County Senior Wellness and Activity Center and the Faulkner County Library.
“Today we are here celebrating not just the completion of a project but we’re celebrating our community,” King said. “These are all places where people from every walk of life, every political persuasion and every faith can come together to learn, reminisce and help one another. So our hope is that these pantries will be a continuation of that. And as the motto says, ‘Take what you need. Leave what you can’ and love your neighbors well.”
Jamisa Nuness-Hogan, a member of the inaugural class and owner and director of Kids World Child Care Center thanked those who made the pantries possible.
“This is very dear to our hearts and we want to keep paying it forward,” Nuness-Hogan said.
About the Women’s Leadership Academy
The Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA), through the Women’s Leadership Network at the University of Central Arkansas, is dedicated to empowering, enriching and embracing women in our region and facilitating their leadership development. WLA is designed for those who identify as women and aspire to become bold leaders representing greater equity, inclusivity and excellence in their fields. Through expert speakers, hands-on experiences and community service, the participants of the Women’s Leadership Academy will develop customizable skills in a network of diverse women sharing a commitment to their own beloved community.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- …
- 20
- Next Page »