Phillip Arnold Named Employee of the Quarter

Posted on April 29, 2011

Phillip Arnold, a network engineer in the Information Technology Department, has been named the Staff Senate Employee of the Quarter.

Arnold has worked at UCA for the past seven years.

A colleague  nominated Arnold because of his strong work ethic. When there was a problem with the network recently, Arnold stayed until 4 a.m. to resolve the issue even though the problem did not fall within his area of responsibility. The colleague wrote “he is a credit to the Department of Information Technology and the University of Central Arkansas.”

Arnold received a certificate, $150 in BearBucks and a reserved parking spot for the following quarter.

The UCA Staff Senate is seeking nominations to honor a staff member who has made significant contributions to the university during this quarter.

The deadline to nominate “Employee of the Quarter” is June 30. Any classified or non-classified full-time UCA employee with one year of continuous service as of July 1, 2010 is eligible to be nominated by faculty, staff, students, or alumni.

Nomination forms will be electronically submitted to the chair of the Employee of the Quarter committee.  For more information on Employee of the Quarter, visit the Staff Senate website at http://www.uca.edu/staffsenate/eoq.php or contact Stephanie McBrayer at smcbrayer@uca.edu.

Upcoming Events

Posted on April 29, 2011

UCA PD Participates in Taking Back Unwanted Prescription Drugs

The UCA Police Department  and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the campus community an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs on April 30.  Bring your medications for disposal to the UCA Police Department  between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on April 30. The police department is located at W.J. Sowder and Marion Ross Ave. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last September, Americans turned in 242,000 pounds—121 tons—of prescription drugs at nearly 4,100 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,000 state and local law enforcement partners.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

College of Education Pinning Ceremony Scheduled for May 5

The College of Education will hold its fifth annual Pinning Ceremony on Thursday, May 5 to honor candidates who are becoming teachers. Graduates from December 2010 and May 2011 will be honored along with Masters of Arts and Teaching candidates. Two hundred and thirty-five candidates are eligible to participate in the ceremony. The guest speaker will be Dr. Charlotte Green, a principal at Woodrow Cummins Elementary School in Conway, Arkansas. Dr. Green holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from UCA.

UCA Board of Trustees Meeting Set for May 6

The University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees will meet in a regularly scheduled meeting at 2 p.m., May 6 in the Board of Trustees Conference Room in Wingo Hall.  A printable copy of the agenda may be obtained at www.uca.edu/botagenda.

Spring Commencement Scheduled for May 7

Commencement services for the University of Central Arkansas will be held Saturday, May 7 in the Farris Center.

Exercises are scheduled for 10 a.m. for the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences; 1 p.m. for the College of Education, College of Liberal Arts, the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and University College; and at 4 p.m. for the College of Business Administration and the College of Fine Arts and Communication. More than 1,100 degrees will be conferred during the ceremonies. UCA President Allen Meadors will deliver a charge to the graduates.

Tickets on Sale for Upcoming Season of the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre

Tickets for the fifth season of the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre are now on sale. This summer’s festival will feature four shows to be presented from June 16-July 3. The festival will open with four performances of As You Like It  (June 16, 17, 18, 19) at The Village at Hendrix (the greenspace adjacent to Panera Bread and ZaZa — in front of Village Books). Those tickets are pay-what-you-can.  All festival tickets can be purchased through www.arkshakes.com; UCA Ticket Central at www.uca.edu/tickets or by calling the Reynolds Box Office at 501-450-3265.

UCA Public Appearances announces an Opera Mini-Marathon

Due to a storm related cancellation, Captured Live from the Met @ UCA will conclude with a Mini-Marathon on May 1.  The regularly scheduled performance of  Il Trovatore will be followed by a special encore presentation of Capriccio, which was originally scheduled for Monday, April 25 but cancelled due to bad weather.   Il Trovatore will begin at 2:00 p.m. in Reynolds Performance Hall and is scheduled to end at 4:45p.m..  Capriccio will follow beginning at 5:00 p.m., and is scheduled to end at 7:40 p.m. Tickets for either opera will be honored for the double bill.  Tickets are $15 for the public and $5 for students with valid I.D.  To order, call UCA Ticket Central at (501) 450-3265 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday or visit www.uca.edu/tickets.

Annual Art in Architecture: Historic Homes of Conway Exhibition  May 8

The University of Central Arkansas’s Baum Gallery of Fine Art will host a reception for the sixth annual Art in Architecture: Historic Homes of Conway exhibition on Sunday, May 8, from 1-3 p.m. The reception and opening in the gallery, located in McCastlain Hall, are free and open to the public.  The competitive exhibition features artworks by area K-12 students based on historic homes in Conway built between 1875 and 1925. Participating schools include Conway Public, St. Joseph Parochial, Conway Christian, The Art School, Greenbrier, Guy-Perkins, Mt. Vernon-Enola and Vilonia.  Juroring on April 23 will finalize the participants. Hours for the Baum Gallery are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Thursdays from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. For more information, contact Satterfield at (501) 450-5793 or e-mail barbaras@uca.edu.

STEM Summer Program for High School Students Slated July 18-22

A summer program in STEM areas for high school students is being offered at UCA during the week of July 18-22, 2011.  The one-week program is designed for promising 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students in central Arkansas. The objective of the program is to stimulate and enhance interest in mathematics and its applications to the physical, biological, and computer sciences. For more information, call 450-3147.

Silver Moon Cinema to Host “UCA Night”  May 14 to Raise Money for the Mary Landreth Scholarship Fund

Silver Moon Cinema is proud to host “UCA Night” on Saturday, May 14th.  The movie, Table at Luigi’s, will be shown around 8 p.m. downtown on the corner of Oak and Locust in front of the Toad Suck Store.  Table at Luigi’s was filmed entirely in Conway by the Feature Filmmaking class at UCA.  Full of food, fantasy, and romance, Table at Luigi’s is a romantic comedy about a Chef (Frank Romeo) who can literally cook up people’s dreams for them.  A minimum $1 donation to the Mary Landreth Scholarship Fund will grant you a ticket to view the movie out under the stars.  Bring a chair or blanket and come enjoy this wonderful Conway film.  Popcorn and drinks will be sold by the charity.  Green Cart Deli will also be on site selling the “Silver Moon Cinema” dog.  Proceeds will go to the Mary Landreth Scholarship Fund.

 

UCA Retirements

Posted on April 29, 2011

The following employees have recently announced their retirement:

Charlotte Cone, an assistant professor in Leadership Studies, will retire May 15 after 14 years of service.

Mary Mosley, an associate professor in Early Childhood and Special Education, will retire May 15 after 20 years of service.

Barbara Satterfield, director of Baum Gallery and lecturer II in the Art Department, will retire May 15 after 10 years of service.

New Employees

Posted on April 29, 2011

Welcome to the new employees who have joined the UCA faculty and staff. They are:

 Susan Lewis, food preparation supervisor, College Square Retirement Center, March 1.

Matt Simpson, library technician, Torreyson Library, March 1.

Jessica Underwood, video communication specialist, Academic Outreach, March 1.

Kendrick Wilhite, assistant coach, Football, March 3

Shannon Lucey, fiscal support specialist, Financial Accounting, March 7.

David McFatrich, head coach, Women’s Volleyball, March 9.

Alania Alexander, administrative specialist III, Academic Outreach, March 14.

Josefina Lucero, institutional services assistant, Custodial Care, March 16.

George Jenkins, institutional services assistant, Custodial Care, March 16.

Matthew Jeffery, project director, ARC ARRA, March 16.

Brian Busby, internal auditor, Internal Auditor, March 28.

Christina Shackle, assistant librarian, assistant professor, Torreyson Library, April 1.

Tracy Dubose, administrative assistant specialist II, PBX, April 4.

UCA Foundation Awards Five Faculty Grants

Posted on April 29, 2011

The University of Central Arkansas Foundation recently awarded five faculty grants for the spring cycle.

The UCA Foundation awards grants each year to faculty for programs that enhance learning opportunities at UCA. These grants, generally in amounts less than $3,000, are intended to encourage creative programs that may serve as “seeds” for future programs and provide for deserving programs and activities.

Recipients of the spring grants are:

Drs. Nancy Gallavan (Education) and Angela Webster-Smith (Graduate School) were awarded a $3,000 grant for “Aligning Classroom Assessments and Improving Parental Involvement: Professional Development for School Leadership Team.” The grant will be used to offer a one-day workshop to leadership teams that would include principals, curriculum directors, instructional facilitators, math and literacy coaches, special education directors, teacher-leaders, etc.

Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre (Mary Ruth Marotte, Executive Director) was awarded a $3,000 grant for “Scholar Dr. Paul Menzer to speak on opening night of Othello, June 25th, 2011 during AST’s 2011 festival.”  Menzer, an associate professor at Mary Baldwin College, is director of the MLitt/MFA program in Shakespeare and Performance.

According to the grant proposal, Menzer’s insights into both the play and the performance will guide the audience toward a clearer understanding of what they will witness.

Drs. Elson Bihm (Psychology and Counseling), Melissa Shock and Nina Roofe (Family & Consumer Sciences) were awarded a $2,900 grant for “A Children’s Informal-Education Collaborative (CIEC) and the Hocus-Pocus Cornucopia.” The grant will be used to establish a preliminary collaborative to identify and promote informal learning of pre-K and kindergarten age children in Faulkner County. It will also allow for pilot work to begin on an entertaining magic and puppet show for children that will teach good nutrition, using scientifically-based measures to ensure child appeal, comprehension and educational impact.

Dr. Brian Campbell (Sociology) was awarded a $2,976 grant for “Service Learning and Sustainability.”  The grant will be used for a May Intersession 2011 course that will take students to various field sites, such as Winrock International, Heifer International and the Arkansas Food Bank Network, to hear lectures and work side-by-side with one another, the course professor and practitioners in the field.

According to the grant proposal, the commonality within this network is a focus on learning how to develop sustainable occupations and lifeways.

Drs. Gayle Seymour (College of Fine Arts & Communication), K.C. Poole, Jennifer Whitehead  and Ann Bryan (Family & Consumer Sciences) were awarded a $2,050 grant for “Funding Proposal for the University of Central Arkansas Historic District Nomination.” The grant will be used by the Historic District Committee to employ a professional architectural historian to assist in the composition of section seven and section eight of the Historic Register nomination and show students how a nomination is compiled.

The Fall 2011 deadline for grant applications is Oct. 7. Visit https://uca.edu/foundation/faculty-grants/ to download a copy of the grant application.

UCA Foundation faculty grants are funded in the Spring and Fall by donations to the unrestricted Margin of Excellence Fund. Contribute to the Margin of Excellence Fund by contacting the UCA Foundation at 501-450-5288 or by visiting www.uca.edu/gift. Faculty and staff may also use payroll deduction as a convenient giving option.

Students Spend Spring Break Volunteering at the Buffalo National River

Posted on April 29, 2011

Seven UCA students spent a big portion of their Spring Break building a section of the Buffalo River Trail at the Buffalo National River.

Hunter Mays (student trip leader), Kayla Griffis, Jennie RaeLeigh Narisi, Bailey Williams, Matthew Iesue, Elizabeth Earl, and Tiffany Pruitt worked under the direction of retired National Park Service employee Ken Smith and alongside DePaul University students and outdoor recreation director John Washo and Frank MacMurray, president of Wilderness Volunteers, as well as UCA alum Rose Meurer. From March 19 -26, the students used heavy hand tools to clear ground, move rocks, and create an even path for almost half a mile of trail through rugged terrain.

The work week gave the students an opportunity to explore careers in the National Parks as well as commune in the great outdoors with students from radically different backgrounds. Students also benefited from talking with Smith, who started the campaign to save the Buffalo from damming fifty years ago and who is the author of several books on the history and geography of the Buffalo River. Students connected their work to UCA classes in Environmental History, Anthropology of the Ozarks, and Environmental Science. For example, Hunter Mays interviewed Smith for his Environmental History research paper.

The trip was supported with funding by the College of Liberal Arts’ Educating for Global Engagement (EDGE) program as well as the Ozark Society. Faculty member Dr. Kim Little of the History Department and volunteer Richard McFadden of Conway facilitated the trip and supervised the students.

Southern Regional Honors Council Conference Draws Record-Breaking Attendance

Posted on April 29, 2011

The UCA Honors College hosted one of largest groups ever to attend the Annual Conference of the Southern Regional Honors Council (SRHC).  The conference, held at the Peabody Hotel, March 31-April 2, drew 475 participants, nearly 20% greater than in the past five years.

“There were a number of attractive features this year, including a reception and tour of The Clinton Presidential Library, the keynote speaker, Skip Rutherford, Dean of the Clinton School of Public Service; and the setting at The Peabody Hotel along the riverfront,” said Rick Scott, the conference chair and dean of the Honors College. ” The SRHC has a membership of over 100 honors programs and colleges from universities in the south.”

Scott said that the conference theme, “Bridging Scholarship and Citizenship: Making Honors Count,” reflects a growing emphasis in collegiate honors on service learning and volunteerism that is informed by undergraduate scholarship.  Representatives from over 70 schools in 11 states converged on Little Rock for the conference which convened nearly 240 presentations spread out across 75 sessions.  A graduate school expo was held for the first time with six universities represented from three states , UCA among them.

The Student Honors Council held their annual benefit for Heifer International entitled Livestock on March 31 as part of the conference in the Peabody Ballroom.  The dance benefit featured live music from local bands and drew nearly 200 people while bringing in over $1000.  The following day at the lunch banquet James Easter, a classical guitar student from Harding, performed to a rapt audience of 450 in attendance before Dean Rutherford delivered a rousing talk about citizenship and civility, bringing the crowd to its feet.  At the general business meeting, Dr. Phil Frana, Director of Undergraduate Research in the Honors College was elected executive secretary-treasurer, and Matt Hankins, a sophomore in the UCA Honors College was elected student vice president for a two-year term.

Scott organized the conference with Patricia Smith, Honors College Director of Student Engagement, and the conference planning team in Academic Outreach led by Shaneil Ealy along with Trenie Stanley, Alaina Alexander and Susan Jones.

University College News

Posted on April 29, 2011

Dr. Robert Reising, night supervisor of the Academic Success Center, took part in a reading and book signing of the paperback edition of his book, Chasing Moonlight, at the Arkansas Literary Festival in Little Rock on April 9; at the Faulkner County Library on April 15; and at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke on March 22.

               

College of Business News

Posted on April 29, 2011

Beta Alpha Psi Wins First Place in Best Practices in Regional Conference

The University of Central Arkansas chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, the honors organization for accounting majors, is proud to celebrate the first place win of our students in the Best Practices competition at the 2011 Southwest Regional Conference on March 5 in Dallas.

Amber Atchley, Nicole Braddock, Adam Conley, and Ben Cox gave a presentation entitled Accounting: An Education and a Career. Their terrific representation of the chapter’s project along with their confident presentation skills earned our chapter a win in the Best Practices category “Helping Other Understand the Financial Information Professions.”

 The project has two phases: visiting high schools and community colleges to introduce accounting as a great career, and then producing accounting in the News videos, which show that an education in accounting helps you understand the world around you. The videos can be viewed at: www.youtube.com/user/accountingUCA.  The group will compete in the national competition in Denver in August.

 

UCA Students First in Nation to Recieve UACIC Designation

Seven University of Central Arkansas students were honored recently for being first in the nation to complete the University Associate Certified Insurance Counselor (UACIC) designation program.

The University Associate Certified Insurance Counselor designation was created to give college students pursuing an insurance and risk management undergraduate degree the opportunity to attain a new level of professionalism through advanced practical education while in college.

The individuals who meet the educational requirements for the UACIC designation have a distinct advantage when entering the insurance and risk management workforce, said Dr. John Bratton, a professor in the Department of Insurance & Risk Management at UCA.

Students receiving the designation are: Chad “Ryan” Barnes of McGehee; Kraig A. Bowden of Hamburg; Coty L. Clary of Fordyce; Robert D. Duffield of Hot Springs;  Kara Michelle Martin of West Memphis; Stephanie L. Rowland of North Little Rock; and Michael C. Sherer of Cabot.

Dane Duffield, Tyler Latimer, Kara Martin, and Stephanie Rowland were also recipients of a scholarship from the Jerry Montgomery Memorial Research Fund. The fund was established by the National Alliance Research Academy to honor Jerry Montgomery, a well-respected member of the National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research. The fund was created to provide scholarships for deserving university students enrolled in the UACIC program to provide support to allow these students to obtain the designation.

Learn more about the program by visiting UCA’s YouTube page.

Phi Beta Lambda Places in State Leadership Conference

Phi Beta Lambda, a nonprofit student organization, recently competed at the State Leadership Conference in Little Rock. Phi Beta Lambda had an amazing success this year at the conference with students planing in the top four in various categories.

Students who placed in this year’s conference were: Nick Williams (Justice Administration, 1st) (Business Law, 4th); Jamie Slay (Microeconomics, 2nd)
Nick Schroeder (Accounting Analysis, 1st); Seth Bartolotta (Contemporary Sports Issues, 2nd); Jeremy Smith (Marketing, 2nd); Roderick Wells (Web Site Design, 1st) and Parliamentary Procedure-5th place overall.

Seth and Amber Rowlett were handpicked by the judges as parliamentary procedure team members to represent the state of Arkansas at the national competition in Orlando in parliamentary procedure.  Phi Beta Lambda also received an award for largest chapter membership growth.

College of Education News

Posted on April 29, 2011

Jud Copeland, associate professor in the Department of Leadership Studies, had a research article titled “Copyright What Should You Know?”  published in spring 2011 edition of Arkansas Association of Instructional Media (AAIM) Journal. The article is a focused guideline on copyright and intellectual property issues for teachers and students. It is based on recent presentations for the UCA Professional Development Series and AETN seminars.

2011 Collegiate Middle Level Association Conference Held on the UCA Campus

The 2011 Collegiate Middle Level Association (CMLA) annual conference was held March 2 on the University of Central Arkansas campus.  The association is a university student organization comprised of middle level teacher candidates. The annual conference was sponsored by the UCA College of Education CMLA.

Participants included statewide middle level teacher candidates, middle level classroom teachers, middle level school administrators, and middle level university instructors.  A record 100 educators attended this year’s conference, according to Dr. Terri Hebert, faculty advisor of UCA’s CMLA organization. The one-day conference theme featured “The Active and Engaged Learner” with two dynamic keynote speakers and an assortment of breakout presentations.  The day began with Dr. Greg Murry, Conway School Superintendent, delivering his thought-provoking talk titled, “What Makes Teachers Inspire Us?”  His timely words set the stage for a day of networking and quality professional development.  Two breakout sessions, with three choices for each session, offered valuable information provided by UCA College of Education faculty including Mrs. Mara Cawein, Mrs. Marilyn Friga, Dr. Nancy P. Gallavan, and Dr. Donna Wake, along with University of Arkansas, Fort Smith, College of Education faculty, Dr. Donna Scoggins and Dr. Lois Yocum.

The day closed with keynote speaker, Dr. Debbie Silver, an internationally known presenter, providing a humorous insight supporting middle level education.  During the luncheon, Dr. Silver shared numerous tips for teachers to remain an effective force in today’s classrooms while maintaining a reassuring well-balanced sense of self.

For more information about UCA’s Collegiate Middle Level Association, contact Dr. Terri Hebert at terrih@uca.edu.

Dr. Donna Wake Advancing Digital Storytelling with Southern Rural Students

Dr. Donna Wake, assistant professor in the College of Education, recently completed extensive research involving digital storytelling with adolescents.  The study explores the use of digital storytelling with middle school students in two rural southern communities.

Operating in shared writing groups, students created digital stories representing their views on teen life in small, rural towns.  The stories were designed using a writing process approach with the digital story shown in the publication stage of process.  Students’ stories were coded to identify themes about teenagers in general; their views on technology usage; and their opinions on their peers, schools, and communities.

Stories were analyzed both for theme shared by the communities and themes unique to each community.  Identified themes included development of role identity, friends, technology, school pride and sports, and rural forms of recreation.  Digital writing is posited as an engaging and powerful means for allowing adolescents to explore identity and define their voice as authors and adolescents.

Dr. Donna Wake has presented this study at one local conference, one regional conference, and one international conference.  The study has also been submitted to the Journal of Research in Rural Education for publication consideration.  Her current research involves the impact of early practicum experiences as well as the research into reasons why teachers enter the field.

College of Education, Pi Beta Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi Inducts 46 New Members

The UCA College of Education, Pi Beta Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), the education honor society, inducted 46 new members at its March meeting held on the 100th anniversary of the founding of KDP.

The society inducts only those individuals who have exhibited the ideals of scholarship, integrity in service, and commitment to excellence in teaching and its allied professions.  Selection as a member of Kappa Delta Pi is based on high academic achievement, a commitment to education as a career, and a professional attitude that assures steady growth in the profession,  according to KDP website.

Founded in 1911 at the University of Illinois, Kappa Delta Pi is the largest honor society in education representing 572 undergraduate and professional chapters and more than 45,000 active members.  Some of its most distinguished members over the last century have included Margaret Mead, Albert Einstein, George Washing Carver, and current leaders in education Howard Gardner, Maxine Greene, and Carol Gilligan.

Led by the officers of the Pi Beta Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi at UCA, the 46 College of Education teacher candidates pledged to uphold the four cherished ideals including the Ideal of Fidelity to Humanity, the Ideal of Science, the Ideal of Service, and the Ideal of Toil.  The officers include Chapter President Kathryn Smith, Chapter Vice-President Meryl Vaughn, Chapter Secretary April Ledbetter, and Chapter Member Lynzie Lamb.  The Pi Beta Chapter at UCA is led by Counselor Mara Cawein and Dr. Nancy P. Gallavan, co-counsel, both of whom are faculty in the Department of Teaching and Learning.

Pi Beta Chapter 2011 Spring Semester initiates include: Carrie Altom, Catherine Bausom, Christy Boyd, Shelia Bradford, Ana Brito-Semedo, Brooke Burgin, Rae Casavan, Barbara Cockrell, Ralph Cosio, Madison David, Tristen Dixon, Alissa Duggan, Margaret Elenbarger, Sarah Emfinger, Elizabeth Gifford, Whitteni Hale, Jessica Hartman, Pamela Hopkins, Savannah Hurley, Jerry Johnson, Anna Krueger, Haley Laffoon, Rebekah Lovell, April Martin, Shelly Medlock, Lauren Messer, Jessica Miller, Carrie Monroe, Rebel Moore, Danielle Newton, Jessica Pitts, Sandra Rice, Ashley Richardson, Starla Ritter, Maggie Sanders, Katherine Sokolik, Karley Stoll, Elizabeth Summerville, Elizabeth Todd, Cheryl Turpin, Elizabeth Vaughn, Heather Ward, Katelynn Whisnant, Kayde Williams, Cheryl Winningham, and AshleyWooten.

Arkansans for Gifted and Talented Education Hold is 32nd Conference
 
 
Arkansans for Gifted and Talented Education (AGATE) recently held its 32nd annual conference at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock where Governor Mike Beebe addressed the group. During the annual awards ceremony, several awards were presented to area teachers, some of whom are graduates of the University of Central Arkansas, College of Education.

Donna Whiting, Conway School District, received the Award of Excellence. Tanya Leggett, Greenbrier School District was honored with the Parent Community Award. Julie Hayes, Conway School District, was presented an Educator Award. Penny Laymon, Atkins School District, was awarded the Curriculum Award in the Elementary Division with an ADM less than 1000 students. In the Act 56 Awards for Outstanding Programs, Atkins School District was recognized for merit in districts of less than 1000 students.

Vickie Bailey, Conway School District, and Julianna Yeatman, East End School District, were AGATE MAP recipients. Julianna Yeatman also received a $700 scholarship from AGATE. Heather Story of South Side Elementary, Bee Branch, also received a scholarship.

Kathy Whittington and Betsy Hays of the Atkins School District won a 2010 Curriculum Award for “Landmark Links: From Research to Restoration.” Kolby Snellenberger, Russellville School District, won a 2010 Curriculum Award for “Team Based Learning.” Presenters at the conference included Charlotte Norberg, South Conway County School District; Starla Gresham, Anna Parks, Melissa Lovelady, Kelli Gordon, Julie Haynes, Conway School District; Jeana Williams and Sherry Williams, Greenbrier School District. In the Act 56 Awards for Outstanding Programs, Atkins School District was recognized for merit in districts of less than 1000 students.

Robin Clark of Greenbrier is the president of AGATE and presided over the conference. Patti Thompson of Conway School District was the AGATE Awards chair. Six of the twelve AGATE Affiliate groups for parents and supporters of gifted and talented education for 2010-11 school year are from the Arch Ford Education Cooperative Area. Laura Binz, Russellville School District, is the affiliate director. The AGATE Board of directors includes Jane Conley, South Conway County School District, who is the secondary teacher representative, and Polly Bakker is the AGATE Emeritus chair.

UCA’s College of Education periodically offers endorsement courses for Gifted and Talented if there are sufficient enrollees to offset instructor expenses. If you are interested in seeking a GT endorsement, please contact Dr. Kathleen Atkins, Chair of the Early Childhood/Special Education Department at (501)450-4551 or ecse@uca.edu.

College of Fine Arts and Communication News

Posted on April 29, 2011
Bryan Massey Sr. ,professor in the Art Department, has been commissioned by the University of Arkansas Public Art Oversight Committee to create a monument to honor Silas Hunt, the first black student to attend a major Southern public university when he was admitted to the University Of Arkansas School Of Law in 1948.  Also, one of Massey’s African masks will be presented to Charles L. Blockson, author of over 10 books and one of the world’s foremost authorities on the Underground Railroad. The mask will be presented to Blockson by actor and comedian Bill Cosby during a ceremony to be held at Temple University on May 5.
Stephanie Vanderslice, associate professor in the Department of Writing, has published two essays, “Grasping Ariadne’s Thread: Wendy Bishop and the Call of Stories,” in Composing Ourselves as Writer-Teacher-Writers, edited by Patrick Bizzaro and published by Hampton Press, and “The Library: It’s a Family Thing,” in the anthology Flashlight Memories published by SilverBoomer Books.
Garry Craig Powell, assistant professor in the Department of Writing, has had his short story “Titanic 2” accepted for publication by Kestrel.
Tim Thornes, assistant professor of linguistics in the Department of Writing, has been awarded a six-month fellowship from the National Endowment of the Humanities to conduct work on a comprehensive grammatical description of the Northern Paiute language. The work involves intensive collaboration and oversight by language speakers, teachers, and activists from several indigenous communities where Northern Paiute is the heritage language. Currently, only around300 native speakers remain, and the goal of the grammar is to serve the needs of multiple audiences—community members and scholars alike.
David Bailin, instructor in the Department of Art, has an exhibition in the 2011 Winthrop Rockefeller Institute Legacy Art Exhibition scheduled for April 29- July 4 . His artwork was on the display in the 2011 Group Show, Museum School Faculty Exhibition: Past and Present, January-February at The Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock and the 2011 Group Show, Previews of Things to Come, held December through February 2011 at the Prographica Gallery, Seattle.
Mark Spitzer, assistant professor of writing, recently had his Jean Genet translations “Rediscovered Poems” accepted for publication in the literary journal Gargoyle. Spitzer’s Celine translation “Secrets of the Isles” was solicited for republication in the literary journal Script. Spitzer had a featured book-signing for his memoir Writer in Residence (UNO Press) at the AWP Conference in Washington D.C.
John Vanderslice, associate professor of writing, presented a paper on “The Group Novel as Pedagogic Tool” at the recent AWP Conference in Washington DC.

Dr. Paige Rose and Dr. Ryan Fisher, assistant professors of music education, recently presented their research poster, “Effects of Age, Experience, and Instruction on Elementary Music Teacher Movement Self-Efficacy: A Pilot Study,” at the Texas Music Educators Association annual conference in San Antonio, one of the largest music education conferences in the world.

Dr. Fisher also presented an interest session, “Implementing a SMART Choral Rehearsal: Enhancing Instruction Using SMART Technologies,” at the Arkansas All-State Music Conference in Hot Springs, as well as the American Choral Directors Association national conference in Chicago.  His book review of Getting Started with Middle School Chorus, (2nd Ed.) by Patrick Freer, was also recently published in Music Educators Journal, music education’s most popular practitioner journal.

Dr. Rose hosted a series of workshops at the Arkansas All-State Convention, entitled “IMPROVing: Successful and Sequential Improvisation that Develops the Musician at Every Level.” She presented the opening session of the workshop, while Dr. Fisher presented another session in the workshop series, entitled, “Incorporating Improvisation into the Choral Rehearsal.”

Dr. Rose was recently elected as president-elect of the Arkansas Music Educators Association. She was also a spring recipient of the Faculty Development Grant at UCA. Both Fisher and Rose have also been serving as consultants for the Conway Public Schools, assisting the music specialists of the district in writing curriculum for K-12 music students.

UCA Theatre Major Wins Regional Competition

Tyler Gunther, a junior UCA Theatre major, was awarded first place in the Non-Realized Class Projects at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), Region VI festival held at Amarillo College in Amarillo, Texas.

This category included costume, lighting, and scenery designs from students within the Region VI area, which includes colleges and universities from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Missouri, Texas, and New Mexico. Students are encouraged to submit classroom work in these areas and have their work responded to by outside respondents.

Tyler, of Conway, submitted costume design projects from his work in Costume Design class for the Greek plays Medea and Lysistrata. The designs were fully illustrated renderings of various characters from the plays. His mentor during the process was Associate Professor of Theatre, Shauna C. Meador.

Tyler has been hired to work at the Texas Shakespeare Festival in Kilgore, Texas this summer. She plans to obtain an MFA in costume design upon graduation from UCA. This marks the second year in a row that a UCA Theatre design student has won the costume design competition. Last year, the first time this category was offered at the festival, Maho Nashida, a UCA Theatre alumnus, won the costume design category for her classroom work, also for Medea.