Steve Ward

Clinical Instructor II

Department of Teaching and Learning

Educational Background

Native Arkansan (Hot Springs) and UCA Bear to the core: undergraduate (B.S. and B.S.E) and graduate (M.S.E).

How long have you been at UCA & the College of Education?

UCA has been a part of my life since 1989. As a student, I’ve been an undergraduate, a post-baccalaureate, and a graduate student. As an employee, I’ve been a staff member (Registrar’s Office 1993 – 1995), a graduate assistant (English Department 1995-1996), an adjunct faculty member (2004 – 2006) and a full-time faculty member (since 2006).

What courses do you teach?

Introduction to Middle Level Education
Classroom Management for Middle and Secondary Education
Development & Learning
Internship Supervision for Middle Level Education

What is your favorite class to teach? Why?

Classroom Management. My students are senior education students who will soon be teachers. They are focused and motivated. They make teaching fun.

Describe a memorable teaching experience you’ve had at UCA & the College of Education.

My favorite teaching days are the ones when I try something new and it works.  I like the planning part of teaching, so working hard to plan an engaging (hopefully) lesson and then watching students enjoy class is a great feeling.

What excites you most about teaching?

I hope that what I teach has the potential to benefit my students when they become teachers.

What’s the most important thing you hope students learn from you?

Teaching requires practice, patience and persistence.

Why did you pursue your field?

I’ve had some great teachers who made a difference in my life, both at Lake Hamilton High School and at UCA.

Tell us an interesting fact or lesson from one of your courses.

The most interesting topics I teach are classroom management strategies for managing teenagers (that also happen to work on spouses and co-workers).

How would you describe UCA & College of Education students?

Overall, UCA students are friendly, respectful, and hard-working.

What are some ways you’ve interacted with students outside the classroom?

I often run into former students who are now teaching middle school. It’s great to see the confident, effective teachers they’ve become.

What do you most like about working at the College of Education?

The people, including staff, faculty, and students. I also have a sweet office.

What’s your favorite place on campus? Why?

The courtyard between the two wings of Bernard Hall. I met my wife at UCA, and she lived in Bernard Hall. We spent a lot of hours sitting in that courtyard. Also the walkway between Arkansas Hall and Snow Fine Arts. I lived in Arkansas Hall my freshman year, and I could usually hear the music majors singing and practicing their instruments. Walking through there reminds me of my first year on campus.

What are your interests & hobbies?

I like spending time with my wife and kids. I also like playing racquetball with a group of guys from UCA.

What is your favorite book, TV, and/or movie series?

Parks and Recreation is my all time favorite show.

What is your favorite song to sing?

Movin’ Out by Billy Joel and Against All Odds by Phil Collins.

What would your superpower be?

Flying. And super strength.

What is something you’re really good at that no one knows?

Pretty good cook.

Dr. Susan R. Barclay

Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator for College Student Personnel Services & Administration (CSPA)

Department of Leadership Studies

Educational Background

BSSS in Human Services (Mercer University; Atlanta, GA)
MS in Professional Counseling (Georgia State University; Atlanta, GA)
PhD in Higher Education (The University of Mississippi)

How long have you been at UCA & the College of Education?

I came to UCA in 2012.

What courses do you teach?

The courses I teach on a consistent basis include Counseling Theories, Individual & Group Counseling Skills, Student Development Theory, and the CSPA Practicum experience.  During my time in the CSPA program, I have taught Research, Leadership & Decision-making, and Diversity in Higher Education.  In addition, I participate in the CSPA Study Abroad experience.  In 2013, I led a group of CSPA students to China. In May 2016, I am leading a group to Brazil.

What is your favorite class to teach? Why?

Wow! This is a tough one.  I enjoy being in the classroom with my students regardless of the content.  In particular, I enjoy the counseling classes – probably because I am a Licensed Professional Counselor!  The Student Development Theory course is fun; I infuse the course with lots of experiential projects that we all enjoy.  I enjoy the Thesis class I developed. The class is very structured, and I enjoy working with students as they move through the process from worrying about how to accomplish the huge task before them to defending a research project successfully.  A tremendous amount of growth takes place for students enrolled in that class, and that is always fun to experience.

Do you have any favorite assignments to give?

The first time I taught the Student Development Theory class, I developed a Service Learning project assignment.  The culmination of the assignment is the annual poster presentation session in which my students engage.  We reserve space in the Student Center and invite the entire campus to hear about the service learning projects students developed.

Describe a memorable teaching experience you’ve had at UCA & the College of Education.

The most memorable was also the most sobering.  Many CSPA students hold graduate assistantship positions in Housing & Residence Life as part of their professional preparation.  A couple of years ago, a UCA student died in one of the buildings one of my students oversaw.  Understandably, my student was terribly shaken by the death of this student, yet he maintained his professionalism and handled his staff, the parents, and the building residents stellarly.  Upon his return to class following this event, I remember clearing the course agenda for the day so that CSPA students and I could process the event in light of one of the program goals, which is to train CSPA students to work with college students on college campuses across the world. This time allowed students to process the dark times they would encounter in their careers.  Though CSPA students go into student affairs because they want to help college students succeed in their college experience, this time helped them to understand how to be helpful to the higher education community in times of tragedy.

What excites you most about teaching?

No doubt, the growth my students and I experience during the process.  My goal is to lecture as little as possible.  Instead, I attempt to bring the content to life in the classroom through class discussions, role play, experiential activities, and film projects. The students I teach are training to work in student services in university settings.  Because they work with college students on a daily basis, I want my students to build skill and gain efficacy in the classroom (via practice) so they are more confident in their ongoing work with college students.

What’s the most important thing you hope students learn from you?

I hope my students learn to be authentic, both with themselves and with others.  I encourage them to remove the masks and be who they are.  I believe that, in doing so, they will experience more satisfying lives and influence countless people around them more effectively.

Why did you pursue your field?

I spent over 26 years working in the business world.  I did not plan on business as a career; it just happened. I took a job one day as a file clerk (pre-computers!!), worked my way up in the field, and after approximately 20-22 years of that, decided I was tired of the work, the pace, and the madness.  I wanted to do something different, and until I could figure out what that was, I decided to go to college. I did not have the opportunity at a traditional age, so as I sent my oldest child to college, I, too, began working on my bachelor’s degree. After putting myself through undergrad and graduate school, I began working as a mental health and career counselor on college campuses.  Through my work experiences, I began to consider a doctorate.  I believed the Higher Education degree (PhD), combined with the Counseling degree (MS), would help me perform my work across a greater higher education landscape, and I have found this to be true.  I love helping others as the strive for success, and working on a college campus provides me with daily opportunities to encourage and support students in reaching their career and life goals.

What academic question(s) are you currently exploring?

My main research interests revolve around both the human pursuit of career and how humans design a life.  Buy me a cup of coffee, and I will explain in greater details 🙂

Please list any recent publications you’ve produced or contributed to.

Barclay, S. R. (in press). Group career construction counseling with low-income, first-generation students. In L. A. Busacca & M. C. Rehfuss (Eds.), Postmodern career counseling: A handbook of culture, contexts, and cases. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association Publications.

Any notable research projects (particularly involving UCA students)?

Currently, I am finishing data collection for a collaborate project with a colleague at Oglethorpe University (Atlanta, GA) in which we are attempting to assess the Career Construction Interview (a career construction intervention) for use with undergraduate college students. This is a mixed-methods project in which we are comparing coded narrative data to the quantitative results of an empirically-tested interest inventory used in university career centers across the nation.

Finish the sentence: “You know you’re at UCA when…”

you step into the sea of purple!

What are some ways you’ve interacted with students outside the classroom?

I taught the CSPA Diversity class last spring, and for a cultural immersion experience, all of us went to Little Rock for the India Fest.  We spend most of the day there watching exhibits and shows, listening to music, eating the food, and getting henna tattoos.

What do you most like about working at the College of Education?

Hands down, my students.  Watching them grow into student affairs professionals throughout their two year program is rewarding. Our graduates hold positions on college campuses in 32 states and three international locations.  They represent the UCA CSPA program well!

What’s your favorite place on campus? Why?

I attempt to walk to the Student Center at least once per day.  I love the hustle and bustle of the college students who gather there to eat, grab coffee, spend time with their peers, and just hang out.  There just seems to be a lots of energy there!

What are your favorite places in Conway, Central Arkansas, and beyond?

I’m a true-to-the-bone homebody.  When I am not on campus, I’m at home.  However, on those rare occasions I venture into Conway, I like the downtown area.  I life to wander through Jennifer’s Antiques or have dinner at either Mike’s Place or Pasta Grill.

What are your interests & hobbies?

I love to read, and my favorite genre is true crime.  I have read everything Ann Rule wrote, and I have almost finished all of M. William Phelp’s books. In addition, I’ve watched everything “true crime” Netflix has to offer.  When I’m not reading, I enjoy entertaining people in my home.

What is your favorite book, TV, and/or movie series?

The Shawshank Redemption – a tremendous story of injustice that leads to a simpler and, perhaps, more satisfying life.

What is something you’re really good at that no one knows?

When my daughters were small, I made all their clothes.  In addition, there was a time in my life when I wrote a lot of poetry.  I have not done either in recent years but hope to get back to those endeavors soon.

What is your favorite instrument? Why?

Alto saxophone!!  There is not a sexier instrument on the planet!!

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?

Pippi Longstocking; she was always my favorite as a kid.

Marissa Gavel

Clinical Instructor (Pre-K Teacher)

Child Study Center

Educational Background

I graduated from UCA in 2013 with a BSE in Early Childhood Education P-4.

How long have you been at UCA & the College of Education?

This is just my second year here.

Why did you pursue your field?

My reasons for getting into this field are likely no different than anyone else’s reasons.  I love kids and I love to teach!  In what other career could one get to sing songs and dance and have fun all day!?

What excites you most about your job?

Just knowing that I’m going to have lots of laughs each day when I’m at work.  Teaching preschool has GOT to be the most fun job ever! Seeing the growth in the kids throughout the year is really rewarding, too.

What’s the most important thing you hope you pass on to others?

I want to instill in my kids a love for learning.  I want them to be excited to come to school.

Finish the sentence: “You know you’re at UCA when…”

…you can’t find a parking space.  Although, luckily as a teacher that gets to school at 7:00-7:30, I don’t have that problem anymore.  But y’all know the struggle! 🙂

What are some ways you’ve interacted with students outside the classroom?

I have a feeling that “students” in this question is referring to COE students.  My students are 4 and 5 years old, though.  I have gone to several of their birthday parties. No COE students have invited me to their birthday party, though… yet. 🙂

What advice would you give to prospective students?

SAVE EVERYTHING! You’ll get lots of great ideas throughout the years that you can use in the classroom later on.  It’s also really neat to look back and see how you’ve grown throughout the years.

What’s your favorite place on campus? Why?

The HPER, even though I don’t really utilize it that often.  It is such an amazing facility.

What are your favorite places in Conway, Central Arkansas, and beyond?

My favorite place in Conway would probably have to be home sweet home.  Boring answer, but I can be a homebody sometimes! My very most favorite place in Arkansas is Ponca.  I love going to see the elk and floating the Buffalo River.  Beyond that, am I allowed to have my favorite place be somewhere I’ve never been? If so, I looove the areas surrounding the Rockies (Colorado, Wyoming, Montana).  I hope to be able to visit Colorado over spring break or the summer.

What are your interests & hobbies?

I can’t pick just one.  Whatever I’m reading or watching at the time is my favorite.  I just finished Parks and Recreation on Netflix.  That is “LITerally” one of my favorite shows ever.

What would your superpower be?

I would be a shapeshifter! Best superpower to have because I can be and do anything imaginable! Would of course use my powers for good.

Linda Horton

Administrative Specialist III

Office of Candidate Services

How long have you been at UCA & the College of Education?

9 1/2 years

What do you do in your position with the College of Education?

I am the front line person for teacher admission and help them with the steps through the admission process.  I work with all departments to ensure that the students are ready for the interview process.  I assist Dr. Bunn in seeing that all paperwork is complete when students graduate and sending paperwork to the Department of Education.

Why did you pursue your field?

I enjoy working with students and helping them.  I owned and operated a pre-school for 13 years and I loved working with the children and the parents, seeing how the children improved and how each one learned was so interesting.  I have just moved to bigger children but  still helping and seeing them learn has been so wonderful.

Describe a memorable experience you’ve had at UCA & the College of Education.

I was Employee of the Quarter in 2013-2014.

What excites you most about your job?

Helping students and working with such wonderful people.

What’s the most important thing you hope you pass on to others?

Never give up!!!

How would you describe UCA & College of Education students?

They are very engaged in learning and can’t wait to be in the classroom.

Finish the sentence: “You know you’re at UCA when…”

You see purple everywhere!

Has anything surprised you about UCA & the College of Education?

I am amazed at all the hard work that goes into being a teacher.

What do you most like about working at the College of Education?

The close connection that the college has with one another.

What advice would you give to prospective students?

It is hard work but stick it out and you can make a difference in a child’s life.

What’s your favorite place on campus? Why?

I would have to say my office because that is where I am comfortable and enjoy doing my job.

What are your favorite places in Conway, Central Arkansas, and beyond?

I love all the eating places we have in Conway.  I especially love Toad Suck Bucks.

What are your interests & hobbies?

I love reading and watching movies with my husband.

What is your favorite book, TV, and/or movie series?

Doc Marten – TV series.  Books by Nicholas Sparks.

What is your favorite song to sing?

I love Christmas songs.

What is something you’re really good at that no one knows?

I love to clean my house.

What is your favorite instrument? Why?

Guitar and banjo.  I grew up listening to my dad play and still love hearing it today.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?

I would like to be Goofy because I love to make people laugh..

Rachelle Miller

Assistant Professor

Department of Teaching & Learning

Educational Background

Ph. D. Educational Psychology w/ specialization in Gifted Education
M.Ed. Gifted Education
B.A. Elementary Education

How long have you been at UCA & the College of Education?

3 years

What is your favorite class to teach? Why?

My favorite classes to teach are GATE 6358 and ASTL 6382. I enjoy GATE 6358 because meeting the needs of gifted students was my original passion when I was a classroom teacher and in graduate school. I also enjoy ASTL 6382 because I love guiding my students as they complete a small quantitative study using the statistical tests that they learned throughout the semester.

Do you have any favorite assignments to give?

My favorite assignments are the quantitative study that my students complete in the Educational Statistics class and I also enjoy when my students interview a gifted student in my Affective Strategies for the Gifted and Talented.

Describe a memorable teaching experience you’ve had at UCA & the College of Education.

A memorable teaching experience I’ve had at UCA was in my Learning and Development class. I try to integrate creativity and the arts when I’m teaching various topics in order to engage my students and to help them retain the content. In addition, one of the requirements of our Learning and Development course is that our students have to complete 10 tutoring hours. I had a student use some of the arts integrated strategies I used in class during her tutoring sessions and was highly praised by the supervising teacher. The supervising teacher complimented her on the strategies she used and the teacher told her that she would love to be her mentor for Internship II.

What excites you most about teaching?

I love when my students understand and appreciate the relevance of the content that I’m teaching. One of my goals each semester is to help my students connect to the course content and see the usefulness of it in their future careers.

What’s the most important thing you hope students learn from you?

I hope that my students learn that teaching is an art that is constantly evolving. As educators, we should always aim to figure out how we can best meet the individual needs of all our students and I hope that I effectively model this in all of my courses.

Why did you pursue your field?

Teaching has always been so rewarding for me, even before I was a classroom teacher. Even as a student in grade school, I enjoyed helping others with their school work when they needed assistance.

What academic question(s) are you currently exploring?

How can arts integration influence the academic achievement of our students?

Please list any recent publications you’ve produced or contributed to.

Miller, R., Cotabish, A., Dailey, D. (2016). Picking up STEAM: Integrating the arts in STEM-focused gifted programming. In L. G. Putney and N. P. Gallavan (Eds.), ATE yearbook XXIV: Establishing a sense of place for all learners in 21st century classrooms and schools (pp. XX-XX). Landham, MD: Roman and Littlefield.

What do you most like about working at the College of Education?

I love being part of the most supportive and collegial group of faculty members.

What are your interests & hobbies?

I love spending time with my family. We love going camping and boating – wish I could do it year around 🙂

Donna Johnson

Administrative Assistant

Department of Leadership Studies & PhD Leadership Studies

How long have you been at UCA & the College of Education?

25 years on Oct 22 at UCA and 5 1/2 year of that in the College of Education

Describe a memorable experience you’ve had at UCA & the College of Education.

I was up for Employee of the year 15 1/2 years ago and also 2 years ago and won that time

What excites you most about your job?

The people I work with and the students

What’s the most important thing you hope you pass on to others?

Look on the bright side of things and always have a smile for people.

How would you describe UCA & College of Education students?

Very caring.

Finish the sentence: “You know you’re at UCA when…”

you see all the smiles and happy faces

What are some ways you’ve interacted with students outside the classroom?

I have them over for supper and have had two exchange students live with me

What do you most like about working at the College of Education?

The people

What are your favorite places in Conway, Central Arkansas, and beyond?

Conway (The town itself), Central Arkansas (the people) and beyond (the beauty of this state)

What are your interests & hobbies?

Travel, travel and travel, cake decorating and now stain glass work

What is your favorite book, TV, and/or movie series?

TV – Big Bang, LOVE 30’s and 40’s movies.

What is your favorite song to sing?

A HAPPY one

What would your superpower be?

To fight off illness

What would you title your autobiography?

The Many Lives of Donna

What is your favorite instrument? Why?

Bass Clarinet (I played it in the band)

Dan Barrington, MSE

Clinical Instructor II

Department of Elementary, Literacy, & Special Education

Educational Background

B.S. from Harding University in Elementary and Special Education (1983)
M.S.E from University of Central Arkansas in Reading (1997)

How long have you been at UCA & the College of Education?

I’ve taught at UCA in the College of Education for 18 years.

What courses do you teach?

ELSE 4316 Instructional Strategies for Elementary Math and Science (K-6) / ELSE 4318 Internship I Practicum (K-6) / EDUC 3322 Diverse Learners in Inclusive Settings (Middle and Secondary Level)

What is your favorite class to teach? Why?

My favorite class to teach has been and continues to be Instructional Strategies for Math and Science.  This class allows me to “step” back into the learning environment I taught in before coming to UCA.  It also is a course designed for active engagement in math and science lesson simulations that bring to life the course content and goals.

Do you have any favorite assignments to give?

I enjoy, as do the students, the group think labs that allow them to engage in elementary math and science concepts in the format that is intended for young learners during a “snapshot” lesson.

Describe a memorable teaching experience you’ve had at UCA & the College of Education.

It would be hard to identify just one memorable experience.  The one that automatically comes to mind, however, is having in my class a former fifth grade student of mine that I taught when teaching fifth grade. It was a reunion of sorts and also very rewarding!  Additionally, it is always an honor to walk down the halls of our partner schools every semester and see so many of our former teacher candidates taking the lead as educators of young students.

What excites you most about teaching?

There are so many new innovations in teaching and learning, it is challenging to keep up with what is current.  I have found that it’s critical to find opportunities to get back in the elementary classroom in order to relate to what the challenges and demands are for our teacher candidates.  I’m currently attending Ms. Lauren Davis’s third grade math class in Cabot on a weekly basis, where  I have the privilege of seeing new strategies (e.g. Math Workshop, Number Talks,…) effectively being incorporated with curriculum.

What are your interests & hobbies?

I love to run and work out at 10 fitness.

What is your favorite book, TV, and/or movie series?

I don’t have much time lately for pleasure reading, since new textbooks have been my spare time reading.  I did, however, just finish reading Jim Gaffigan’s book, “Food:  A Love Story”…Pretty funny stuff!!  I’m also a big “Big Bang Theory” fan.  I’m such a fan, that I could probably win at Big Bang Trivia Pursuit if it exists!

What would your superpower be?

My superpower would to flatten the tires of every vehicle that feels inclined to cut me off in traffic on I-40!

What is something you’re really good at that no one knows?

Ironing…So much so that the first time I ever heard of the Iron Man Competition, I thought I had a chance of winning big time with my Rowenta 2000 until I discovered what THAT was all about!

Jesus Cisneros, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership Studies

Jesus Cisneros earned his Ph.D. in Education Policy and Evaluation from Arizona State University. He obtained a M.S. in Higher Education Administration from Texas A&M University, and dual B.A. degrees in Journalism and Mass Communications and Foreign Languages from New Mexico State University. He serves on the board for United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth-led organization, and is co-founder of DREAMzone, a comprehensive professional development program that provides practitioners with knowledge, skills and resources for effectively responding to the presence and needs of undocumented students at institutions of education. Through research and practice, Jesus Cisneros has taken a visible stance to increase awareness of social
justice issues affecting underrepresented groups’ access to higher education, particularly LGBTQ
undocumented immigrants.  

Melissa Hannah, M.A., CCC-SLP, CALT

Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Elementary, Literacy, & Special Education

Melissa, founder of Hannah Educational Resources & Evaluations (H.E.R.E) is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist and Certified Academic Language Therapist . She has worked for 17 years in a variety of educational settings prior to starting H.E.R.E. in October 2015. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of children with a variety of speech, language, and language-based learning disabilities, i.e. Dyslexia. She has specialized training in three different Multisensory Structured Language Education (MSLE) approaches, which are scientifically-based proven methods for children with Dyslexia. Melissa received her Master of Arts degree in Speech
Language Pathology from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Melissa began working in a
variety of educational settings Tennessee in 1999 and in 2002 in Arkansas. Also, Melissa has
extensive training and clinical experience treating and diagnosing children with Autism Spectrum
Disorders, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, and related learning disabilities.

Angela McCoy Harless, Ph.D., M.S., L.P.C.

Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership Studies

Angela is a native of Southwest Arkansas. She earned her Bachelor of Music Education from Southern Arkansas University with a major in vocal music. She earned a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in School Counseling from Texas A & M – Texarkana, and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of Arkansas. She has received licensures in K-12 Music Education, Elementary Education, Early Childhood, P-12 School Counseling, and Professional Counseling. Her passion is helping children reach their potential academically and emotionally. Her other passions include cooking, gardening, spending time outdoors, and most of all, singing and playing music with family and friends.

Támi “TJ” Hendrix

Clinical Instructor I, Department of Teaching & Learning

Támi “TJ” Hendrix is an Arkansas native, a 2003 graduate of UCA, and former Pulaski County Special School District teacher. Prior to joining the Department of Teaching and Learning she primarily taught Pre-AP English to ninth and tenth grade students in the Wilbur D. Mills High School Scholar’s Program. She has a passion for literacy and writing and looks forward to equipping her students for their futures as education professionals.

Marie Smallwood, M.S.

Academic Advisor, Office of Candidate Services

Marie is a proud alumna of UCA were she received her Master of Science from the College of Education College Student Personnel Services and Administration program.  While earning her Bachelor of Science from the University of Arkansas in Business Management with a concentration in Human Resources, she started her Higher Education Career at Student Support Services which is a TRiO grant program servicing first generation, income-eligible, and disabled students.  Marie has a strong passion for working with college students in transition.  Her main objective is to help students grow into their best self and to discover the “out of the box” way to reach their goals!  Marie has worked in a variety of roles in student affairs including
Upward Bound, Student Activities, Career Services, and a visiting professor.  Marie is currently
the RSO advisor for REAL BEAUTY at UCA.

Jason Trumble, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Teaching & Learning

I earned my bachelor’s from BIOLA University and my Masters from Chapman University while living in the Southern California Desert. After moving back to Texas and completing nine years of teaching in public schools, I earned my Ph.D from Baylor University. I am passionate about technology integration and inquisitive about how technology is changing how kids learn, interact, and develop. I am also very interested in how technology is morphing the way teachers innovate in the classroom. Additionally, I enjoy researching in the areas of 3D printing in teacher education, social foundations and social justice, as well as intermediate literacy and multiple literacies.

I am part of an incredible family with two amazing boys and one gorgeous wife who is also an
educator. I love food, music and sports in no particular order, and I’m always willing to shoot a
basketball, throw a football, or flip a frisbee.