Spring 2022
Fall 2021
The 2022 Spring Presidential Scholars List
The 2022 Spring Dean’s List
UCA Debate and Forensics Placed at 2022 IPDA Competition
UCA Debate and Forensics competed at the 2022 International Public Debate Association National Championship and brought home some wins.
Jayce Burney won 1st place in the Professional Division, 6th place Professional Speaker Award, and 4th place speaker in the Team IPDA Division. @jayce_burney
Aurora King won 6th place Speaker in the Division and received recognition as a Tournament Octafinalist. @aurora.kings
Adam Cox won 2nd place Speaker in the Division and received Tournament Quarterfinalist. @coxadam200
C. J. Parrish won 3rd place IPDA Speaker Award as well as Varsity Division Octafinalist. @craigoryparrish
The International Public Debate Association is an interscholastic debate association with competitive programs ranging from California to Florida and from Texas to Michigan. Their mission is to provide an opportunity for individuals to develop their advocacy skills in a forum that promotes appropriate and effective communication.
The team is coached by Associate Professor of Business Law and Director of Forensics Anthony McMullen.
PR majors create podcast
Madison Treat and Yaya Ciswondo
Madison Treat and Yaya Ciswondo, senior public relations majors, created the Raggedy Table Talks podcast in summer 2021.
Treat, who has a minor in marketing, is a member of the Student Orientation Staff and IDEAL Freshman Leadership.
Ciswondo, who has minors in Spanish and marketing, is a member of UCA Ambassadors, Student Orientation Staff and LEAD Team. She works in the Student Life office and as a communications intern for Joshua Ang Price, a candidate for Arkansas Secretary of State.
The School of Communication caught up with Treat and Ciswondo to discuss their new endeavor — just in time for International Podcast Day.
Listen to the podcast on Spotify: bit.ly/raggedytabletalks
Why was the podcast started?
We started this podcast because we wanted to have a platform where we were able to connect with others during our young adulthood. It’s tough to navigate this season of life, and we want others to know that they aren’t alone in the uncertainty.
How did you come up with the name?
We honestly came up with the name in less than 30 minutes. We aren’t a polished, super professional podcast. It encompasses where we are in life–two college seniors just having recorded conversations on a raggedy table with cheap mics.
What success have you seen with the podcast?
We’ve gotten a lot of great feedback with the podcast! People have DM’d us saying that the podcast has been able to articulate their own thoughts and feelings. Others have said that we brought a lot of newfound thoughts and ideas into their lives as well.
What are the plans for the podcast moving forward?
Right now, (Yaya) is not able to be 100% committed to it this semester so I won’t be as present in the upcoming episodes, but any time that I have to dedicate to it, I’ll hop back on. Madison will be doing a new segment called “TreatTalks” and she will travel to others to record. We want people to know that Yaya is still a part of this project, so this new segment will help with that transition!
How did your PR major help you with the podcast?
Our major has helped a lot. Not only have we been well-versed with making graphics, but also being timely with our announcements! It also has helped with communicating our thoughts and ideas when we record. Being in PR helped our skills in communicating our ideas clearly. We’ve also gotten some criticism with some episodes which honestly was refreshing because it pushed us to analyze what we said and why others disagree. We always want to speak our truth while also bettering ourselves and content.
How does the podcast fit into Dr. Stephens’ SoC theme for ’21-’22: “Connection, Collaboration, Community”?
That’s the whole premise of why we started this project. We want others to feel connected whether it is with us or any of the guests that we bring on. We want to create a safe online community for people to turn to when they need advice or affirmation.
What advice would you give SoC students who want to start their own podcasts?
Pair up with your best friend. The backbone of this podcast is the friendship that Madison and I have. We have been friends for the last three years and it’s been nothing short of wholesome and filled with growth and joy. Having a healthy relationship with your co-host is essential for the success of the content! Also, invest in some quality mics!
31 student journalists earn 51 awards in ACMA Contest
University of Central Arkansas School of Communication student journalists received 51
awards in the 2021 Arkansas College Media Association Contest, with 31 students representing
four media outlets being honored.
In General Excellence categories, ucanews.live, the website of The Echo, the student
newspaper, placed second. The Echo’s online editor is Mia Waddell. J. Wade Dykes, editor of
the Scroll, received second place in the Yearbook Editor of the Year competition.
ACMA is composed of student media outlets at public and private two-year and four-year
colleges and universities in Arkansas. The awards were announced virtually because of COVID-
19.
Other awards:
First place
The Echo online
- Audio Podcast — Lauren McLemore, Morgan Jenkins, Sarah Coleman, Elvira Toddy,
Delaney Van Wilpe, Ronak Patel, Megan Holder and Hannah Bender — Integration at UCA. - Personality Profile — Ashley Savage — People of UCA, Kaleigh Fletcher.
- Blogs — Lauren McLemore — Volunteers are fundamental for recycling industry.
- Arts and Entertainment — Daniel Adams — Muralist gives lecture on intersection of
social justice, art. - Spot News Photo — Ian Lyle — Conway protest gallery.
- Niche/Specialty Site — Delaney Van Wilpe — Top 5 performances from the 2020 MTV
VMAs.
News 6 television
- Political Coverage — Morgan Jenkins — TikTok campaign.
- Pandemic Coverage — Ashley Luningham — Reynolds Performance Hall season and
COVID-19. - News Reporting — Macie Davis — Kacie Woody, never forgotten.
The Scroll yearbook
- Feature Layout — Ly-Lan Hunt — What we know about COVID-19.
- Special Features Writing — Samantha Bland — Bring back the ’90s.
- Art/Illustration — J. Wade Dykes — Opening page.
- Feature Photo — J. Wade Dykes — Mardi Gras madness.
- Sports Photo — Kaitlyn Gordon — Giving it your all.
- Academics Photo — J. Wade Dykes — Interruptive dance.
- Pandemic Coverage — Ly-Lan Hunt — What we know about COVID-19.
Second place
The Echo newspaper
- News Writing — Ronak Patel — Fraternity pledges found responsible for vandalism.
- News Photo — Ian Lyle — Conway march.
- Feature Photo — Elvira Toddy — People of UCA: Carter Rideout.
The Echo online
- Meeting/Speech Coverage — Ian Lyle — Statements on racial injustice by SGA and
UCA staff. - In-Depth Reporting — Ronak Patel — Sen. Gary Stubblefield directs ADHE to request curriculums from universities.
- Blogs — Daniel Adams — Make your wallet happy and take advantage of student discounts.
- Spot News Photo — Ian Lyle — Conway protest gallery.
News 6 television
- Feature — Connor Holmes — Baum Gallery’s new exhibit: Threads through Time.
- Political Coverage — Trevor Cook — Final day of early voting.
- Pandemic coverage — Ashley Luningham — COVID trick or treat.
The Scroll yearbook
- Academic Layout — Gabriela Vargas and Samuel Tucker — Art close to home.
- Layout-Organization/Greek — J. Wade Dykes — Showing off.
- Student Life Layout — J. Wade Dykes and Samuel Tucker — Part of the “Community.”
- Sports Layout — J. Wade Dykes, Jacob Smith, Kaitlyn Gordon and Travis Gupton —
Second SLC title in three years.
Third place
The Echo newspaper
- Review Writing — Sarah Coleman — “Ratched” uses perfect balance of horror and
mystery.
The Echo online
- Meeting/Speech Coverage — Rob Davis — UCA breaks ground on the Windgate Center.
- Election/Political Coverage — Kaitlin Benight — 2020 presidential nominee Jo Jorgensen visits Little Rock to campaign.
News 6 television
- News Reporting — Tristen Hall — 9 p.m. routine.
- Feature — Chase Mauk — Flute fusion.
- Pandemic Coverage — Austin Ashley — UCA testing and tracing protocols.
The Scroll yearbook
- Cover — J. Wade Dykes and Ly-Lan Hunt —One of Many/Many from One.
- Portrait Layout — J. Wade Dykes and Ly-Lan Hunt — Freshmen/Sophomores.
- Typographic Presentation — Gabriela Vargas — Pride! Pride! Pride!
- Sports Photo — Will Mulloy — Creating a rivalry.
- Academics Photo — Travis Gupton — Experience culture.
Honorable Mention
The Echo online
- Meeting/Speech Coverage — Ronak Patel — UCA Board of Trustees approve pedestrian
bridge. - Blogs — Sadie Clark — At a university far, far from home.
- News Photo — Rob Davis — UCA breaks ground on Windgate Center.
News 6 television
- Feature — Thomas Gillette — Microforms a library resource.
The Scroll yearbook
- Layout-Organization/Greek — J. Wade Dykes and Samuel Tucker — 40 lost in the last
decade. - Student Life Layout — J. Wade Dykes — Bridge to a safer life/Afraid of heights.
- Feature Photo — Travis Gupton — Swinging for the fences.
- Student Life Photo — J. Wade Dykes — Showing off.
The contest covered student media content produced in 2020, and members of the
College Media Association from across the country judged the competition.
Scroll inducted into Walsworth Gallery of Excellence third time
The University of Central Arkansas Scroll has been inducted into the Walsworth Gallery of Excellence for the third consecutive year. The Walsworth Gallery of Excellence is a collection compiled every year of the most distinguished yearbooks Walsworth prints. The selections are based on quality, demonstration of theme, coverage, design, photography and copy.
Representative Terry Smith presented Adviser Will Oldham and the Scroll staff a plaque on Monday, Aug. 24 during the first class meeting of the new school year.
Smith informed the students that extra copies of their book were printed for sales representatives to share as examples and loaned to schools as idea generators. Gallery of Excellence books are also displayed at regional, state and national conventions.
The cover, spreads, photos and coverage ideas from this book will also be used in Walsworth’s educational resource materials, such as the Possibilities Idea Book, the Yearbook Suite curriculum and Idea File Magazine.
Echo editor-in-chief elected to SPJ Arkansas Pro Chapter board
Ronak Patel, editor-in-chief of The Echo, UCA’s student newspaper, was elected to the board of directors of the Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists during the organization’s annual membership meeting in July.
Ronak Patel
Also during the meeting, Lauren McCabe, a recent UCA graduate and former Echo editor, was elected secretary, and Rob Moritz, Lecturer I in the journalism department, was also re-elected treasurer.
Patel, an English major and journalism minor, has previously worked as photo editor, online editor, social media editor and associate editor for The Echo. McCabe, who recently received a B.A. in English, was editor-in-chief of The Echo in the fall of 2019.
The Arkansas Pro Chapter is an affiliate of the national Society of Professional Journalists, whose mission statement states that it is “dedicated to the perpetuation of a free press as the cornerstone of our nation and our liberty.”
A UCA campus of SPJ was recently created and about 15 students are members. For more information about joining the campus chapter email Rob Moritz at rmoritz@uca.edu.
–Rob Moritz