University of Central Arkansas freshman Nakita Higgins was selected as the Name the Bear contest winner.
A selection committee of faculty, staff, and students chose Higgins’s submission as the name for the life-sized black bear outside Wingo Hall: Valor.
Higgins was awarded a $200 gift card for his winning entry. In his submission, Higgins explains why he thought Valor would be a fitting name for the bear. “I selected valor because it means to be brave and courageous especially in times of battle, and I feel that the school and its mascot embodies bravery. We all should show bravery through any circumstance we face whether it is minimal or extreme, in the battle of life or in a football game.”