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Office of Student Wellness and Development Hosted Alcohol Responsibility Week

During the week of September 14th through 18th events were held to educate UCA students about responsible drinking. Co-sponsors included UCA Police Department and the RSO 80 Proof. There were over 250 participants.

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Monday started off with an event in the Student Center courtyard. Students signed a pledge to not drink and drive. “Is it worth the risk?” car air fresheners were used for this activity. 80 Proof coordinated activities with vision impairment goggles.

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On Tuesday, a documentary on alcohol and it’s effects was shown in the Student Health Center during x-period. On Wednesday, a program was held entitled, “Make Smart Choices.”

UCAPD coordinated a “walk the line” activity with the goggles and 80 Proof hosted an activity called the Pouring Exercise which educated students about standard drink sizes. With this activity the students had to pour water, which represented an alcoholic beverage into a beer glass, shot glass and/or wine glass. Many students confidently poured what they thought was the correct amount. Once the liquid was measured they were surprised to find out that it was above the standard drink size. After the students completed both activities they were given a free “Make Smart Choices” t-shirt.

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On Thursday, Student Wellness and Development staff released a video they created during the week with student opinions and advice regarding alcohol stereotypes surrounding college students and alternatives to drinking. A special thank you goes to Blue Cross and Blue Shield for awarding a grant for the programs.

UCA English Professor Presented On Rhetorical Power of Film Critic

1Professor Wayne Stengel gave a presentation during X-period on Thursday, September 29, 2015 entitled, “That Voice, That Voice, That Sensuous Voice: Performance Art and the Siren Songs of Pauline Kael”, on the vocal power and rhetorical resources of one of America’s most formidable movie critics.

Kael was a film critic at The New Yorker magazine from 1968 to l991. A recipient of the National Book Award for criticism, she has been the only movie critic to have a selection of her writings included in The Library of America series.

Dr. Stengel has just edited a group of twenty-two essays for Rowman and Littlefield publishers, Talking About Pauline Kael: Critics, Filmmakers, and Scholars Remember An Icon.

Dr. Stengel’s main areas of interest are modern and postmodern literature.

Carnival Night Proved Successful For UCA Students

On August 18, 2015, the Department of Housing and Residence Life teamed up with UCAPD and the Division of Student Services to sponsor Carnival Night.

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A carnival atmosphere was created with cotton candy, pineapple whip, and a rock climbing wall along with multiple “booths” hosting carnival games such as darts and football toss.

Each activity also included an educational component that was incorporated into the game. The activities each targeted at least one of the following objectives:

  1. Educate students on the components of a positive relationship.
  • Accurate definition and understanding of intimacy.
  • The role of communication and consent in all aspects of the relationship.
  • Identify warning signs of abusive behavior.
  1. Have students consider their personal identity and the role of actions within that identity.
  2. Increase student knowledge concerning the definition of:
  • Consent
  • Domestic Violence
  • Dating Violence
  • Sexual Assault
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Sexual Misconduct
  • Stalking
  1. Educate students on safe and positive options that a bystander can take when he or she witnesses potential domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
  2. Create student buy-in for university’s statement prohibiting domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

The event was a huge success with over 520 students checking in, and 290 students completing four activities and receiving a free t-shirt.

Additionally, 62 students completed a post event assessment that was sent two days after the event.

Student responses on the survey displayed understanding of key concepts such as bystander intervention, intimacy, and consent.

Some student comments included:

“Carnival Night was a fun way to give students information they will need for some situations.”

“I am more knowledgeable about things concerning safe and positive options I can take to keep myself and others safe.”

“Carnival Night is an excellent thing and should be continued for years to come.”

UCA Grad Heading To Sloan Kettering Cancer Center To Conduct Research

Zach Helms graduated in the spring from the University of Central Arkansas with a BBA in economics, and he is now heading to New York City.

He will be a health policy analyst specializing in pharmaceutical policy research at The Center for Health Policy and Outcomes at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

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Founded in 1884, Memorial Sloan Kettering is the world’s oldest and largest private cancer center.

While at UCA, Helms was a research fellow at the Arkansas Center for Research in Economics (ACRE) where he focused on licensure and regulatory burdens placed on Advanced Nurse Practitioners.

Prior to enrolling at UCA, Helms was a UAV pilot for the Army.

UCA Mental Heath Counseling Student Awarded STAY Fellowship Grant

Congratulations to Dayshia Tanks, a student in the Mental Health Counseling program, for being awarded a $6,000 Services for Transition Age Youth (STAY) Fellowship by the American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Program (MFP).
This is a nationally competitive program and more information about the STAY Fellowship can be found at here.
The STAY Fellowship program is funded by a grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The MFP has created the Services for Transition Age Youth (STAY) fellowship to support the training of master’s level practitioners in mental health services. This fellowship is designed for students in terminal master’s programs in psychology whose training prepares them to provide mental health services to transition age youth (ages 16 through 25) and their families.