COB Alum Ebony Mitchell Crowned Miss Arkansas 2022

Ebony Mitchell, who earned a BBA in Marketing from UCA in 2019, has been crowned Miss Arkansas 2022. Winning this competition against 44 other Arkansans tops her previous titles of Miss UCA and Miss Dogwood.

Credit: Miss Arkansas Pageant

“So many of these professors who have prestigious backgrounds in whatever field they work in are willing to work with you and help you become the best version of yourself,” Mitchell said of her student experience in a 2019 interview.

With this win, Mitchell reportedly won a $30,000 scholarship and over $75,000 in other awards and gifts. Her social impact is “A Responsible Digital You,” a platform which she will promote as she travels the state supporting the Miss Arkansas and Miss America organizations.

Mitchell currently works as a marketing specialist for Conway Regional Health Systems and will represent the state of Arkansas at the Miss America event in Connecticut.

UCA Economist, Dr. Jeremy Horpedahl, Receives Award for COVID-19 Work

(Conway, AR) – Dr. Jeremy Horpedahl, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) College of Business, has been recognized for his work to provide accurate coronavirus information and dispel misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The award comes from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, which announced on Sunday its ten most recent winners across North America.

Dr. Horpedahl won the prize for his policy and data analysis on pandemic-related economic topics such as coronavirus precautions, tolls and trends, vaccination development and distribution, unemployment, as well as local, national, and worldwide financial impacts.

“Part of what motivated me was simply to understand the pandemic better myself, and I was glad to help others navigate the same questions that I had about the state of the world,” said Dr. Horpedahl.

Horpedahl was also a co-recipient of another award from the Mercatus Center for the blog EconomistWritingEveryDay.com, where he is a weekly contributor.

“Dr. Horpedahl’s efforts to communicate complex topics in a more approachable way has helped inform and educate others about economic policy. This is important work during an already confusing and stressful time, and we are proud of his effort and impact,” added Dr. Michael Hargis, Dean of the UCA College of Business. [Read more…]