Submitted by: Kristen Oitker, koitker1@uca.edu on 09/07/2025
Join us at the Bill Stephens Complex Thursday night at 6 PM! The Bears take on the Bears of Missouri State. Don’t forget admission is free!
Archive
CubsREAD: Reading in Motion Enrolling Now!
Submitted by: Paula Myers, paulam@uca.edu on 09/05/2025
For some the perception is that children must be still in order to focus, especially while learning to read. Students from UCA’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Health & Behavioral Sciences are looking to prove otherwise. Reading in Motion will test the studies that show how movement is beneficial to the learning processes of young readers. Our students will work with 1-2 children per group, focusing on the basics of reading and comprehension. Ten minutes of physical activity will be incorporated into each session to stimulate your child’s senses, increasing brain activity, concentration and memory.
*Note: The teaching methods and content presented in this program are affiliated with a research study conducted by students in UCA’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Parents will be asked to sign a research consent form beforehand.
For any questions about CubsREAD, please contact us via email at outreach@uca.edu or by phone at 501-450-3118.
Dates: Mondays, September 22 – November 17, 2025
Time: 4:00pm – 4:50pm (Drop-off begins at 3:45; Pick-up by 5:00)
Location: Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center, UCA
ACT Prep Registration for Fall Now Open!
Submitted by: Paula Myers, paulam@uca.edu on 09/05/2025
This interactive course via Zoom is designed for high school students (10th grade and above) who have previously scored between 17-25 on the ACT or for high schoolers who have yet to take the test. Current and former UCA faculty/staff members will review subject material and offer test-taking tips to help students progress through the exam in a more reasonable and timely manner. Choose one subject to focus on or choose all four at a reduced total rate. Class sizes are limited to 12 per section to maximize learning.
English: Mondays – September 22, September 29, & October 6, 2025
Reading: Tuesdays – September 23, September 30 & October 7, 2025
Science: Wednesdays – September 24, October 1 & October 8, 2025
Math: Thursdays – September 25, October 2 & October 9, 2025
Section A: 5:00 pm – 6:20 pm
Section B: 6:30 pm – 7:50 pm
https://link.edgepilot.com/s/7b3b08e9/hAh-u9A5PUm5s9xKjdBENg?u=https://uca.edu/outreach/testprep/
UCA Library Blog Relaunches
Submitted by: Kiran Mufty, kmufty@uca.edu on 09/05/2025
Torreyson Library is excited to announce the relaunch of the UCA Library Blog.
Our newest post, Welcome (back) to the Library!, offers an overview of library services, resources, and spaces to support the UCA community at the start of the semester.
The blog will highlight a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:
– Essential resources and services for new and returning students, including textbooks, study rooms, hours, and research support.
– Resources related to observances of heritage and history months, such as National Hispanic Heritage Month and LGBTQ History Month.
– Information about niche library collections, such as graphic novels and musical scores.
– Features from the UCA Archives showcasing unique materials and projects.
– Tips and tricks for finding and utilizing various library resources.
If you have any suggestions for future blog posts, feel free to submit them via our Feedback Form.
Click on the Subscribe button on the blog’s website to be notified via email when we publish a new post.
REGISTER SOON: Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training
Submitted by: Evan Faidley, efaidley@uca.edu on 09/05/2025
On behalf of the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas, Dr. Evan Faidley and Dr. Odunola Oyeniyi (Department of Leadership Studies) invite you to become a certified Mental Health First Aider (MHFA). We are excited to see that you learn more about how to uplift and care for our UCA community by completing our day-long training. Participants do not become licensed counselors or therapists. Instead, they become one of our 170+ recognized faculty, staff, and student leaders who may reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.
⭐ REGISTER BY SEPTEMBER 22 🧠 Limited spots 🥗 Refreshments and lunch provided ⭐
Option 1: Monday, September 29, 2025 from 9:00am to 4:30pm in 103 Mashburn Hall
Option 2: Tueday, October 14, 2025 from 8:30am to 4:00pm in 103 Mashburn Hall
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B44A9AA23A6F9CF8-55004230-ucamental#/
ACT NOW: Bear Bites Lunch Invitation! PLUS, Faculty for Successful Students Campaign Focus Encourage Time Management
Submitted by: Jennifer Brewer, jbrewer1@uca.edu on 09/08/2025
You are invited to join us for lunch! Bear Bites: Meaningful Student Feedback, on Thursday, September 18, at 12:15 p.m. in Torreyson West 319.
Join us for a practical, faculty-led conversation on what makes feedback truly meaningful for students—and manageable for instructors. This session will highlight strategies that promote student engagement, save time, and support learning across disciplines. Faculty panelists will share real-world examples of how they provide written, audio, and video feedback, how they balance formative and summative feedback, and how they use tools and techniques that work.
Whether you’re teaching online, in person, or somewhere in between, come away with ideas you can use right away to make your feedback more effective and impactful.
**Lunch provided. All faculty welcome!**
👉 Register for this Bear Bites event.
This week’s Faculty for Successful Students focus continues from last week: Encourage Time Management.
This theme aligns with the student campaign emphasis: PLAN Your Time.
Effective time management skills empower college students to balance academics, extracurricular activities, and personal commitments. This ability leads to reduced stress, increased productivity, and better academic performance, fostering a sense of control and success in their educational journey.
Ways you can Reinforce Success:
- Discuss how to plan for class assignments; provide tips on managing study time for this course; encourage use of a planner (Student Success offers free UCA Planners).
- Take time to demonstrate one or two time management strategies that could work in your course (e.g., Weekly Schedule, Daily Top Three, etc.).
- As often as possible, provide students with an estimated time needed to complete out-of-class assignments in the assignment instructions. Point out these estimated times to students and encourage them to use them when putting out-of-class assignments in their planners.
Resources for You:
Together, we can help students strengthen the skills and behaviors that make them successful at UCA. Thank you for supporting this important initiative!
https://uca.edu/cetal/faculty-for-successful-students/
Education Day Tabling Opportunity
Submitted by: Kristen Oitker, koitker1@uca.edu on 09/05/2025
Our Men’s Basketball program is hosting an Education Day on December 17th! We currently have over 700 elementary and middle school students signed up to attend this event and we need your help! Prior to the game vs Kansas Christian we are offering tabling that the students can go up and learn more about various educational and age appropriate topics. Tabling would be on the 17th in the Farris Center from 9 AM – 10:45 AM. Set up for tables would begin at 8 AM.
Not every school will get to the game early enough to participate with the tables but we want to offer this as an opportunity to let UCA shine!
If you have a Department, RSO, etc that would like to participate please email koitker1@uca.edu!
Shires Duo presents Faculty Recital
Submitted by: Brent Shires, bshires@uca.edu on 09/04/2025
Brent and Terrie Shires, from the Department of Music, will present a recital of music for French horn and piano on Sunday, Sept. 14 at 3:00 pm in the Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts Concert Hall.
Dr. Brent Shires is Associate Professor of Horn at UCA, while Terrie Shires is Lecturer of Piano. A program entitled “Introspection” will showcase a variety of music from film, concert hall, conservatory examination and jazz. Composers include Dorothy Gates, Erika Raum, Paul Dukas, James Horner, and Alec Wilder.
This recital reprises some of the repertoire performed recently at the World Brass Conference in Ravenna, Italy; and will be presented on tour at universities across a four state region.
For more information, contact Dr. Shires at 501-450-5768.
First Generation Students and Professionals Program
Submitted by: Christina Lammers, clammers@uca.edu on 09/04/2025
First-generation Students and Professionals: The Ins and Outs of Being a First and Only
First-generation students make up approximately 54% of undergraduate students in the United States. Many of these first-generation students enter academia and become first-generation higher education professionals. We will discuss characteristics of first-generation students and professionals as well as how to best support their success. Attendees will also learn how UCA provides resources and opportunities for its first-generation students.
September 25, 2025 (Thursday)
1:30-3:00 pm
Ronnie Williams Student Center 214
Presenter: Dr. Robin Williamson, Vice President of Student Affairs
Please register at the link provided.
https://uca.edu/hr/protectedcontent/seminar-information/
OARS: Document Accessibility Training
Submitted by: Christina Lammers, clammers@uca.edu on 09/04/2025
Please note: We encourage you to complete the Digital Accessibility Training via the Vector Solutions platform prior to attending any of these seminars, as it will give you a general foundation of knowledge for what will be discussed during these seminars. Thank you.
Description: Per the Digital Accessibility training you attended through Vector Solutions, this training session will provide more insight on how to create accessible documents and remediate any current documents.
September 16, 2025 (Tuesday) or September 30, 2025 (Tuesday)
1:40-2:30 pm (X-Period)
Student Health Center 307
Presenter: CETAL and OARS Staff
*All seminars have the option of either ZOOM attendance or in-person attendance. Please register at the link provided for the format you prefer.
https://uca.edu/hr/protectedcontent/seminar-information/
