UCA Magazine

Making History: Windgate Foundation

With numerous television cameras rolling, Mandumbwa spoke before a standing room-only crowd gathered in McCastlain Hall on Jan. 22. Just moments earlier, students, alumni, donors and others listened with rapt attention as President Houston Davis announced the largest gift UCA has received in its 111 years — a $20 million challenge gift from the Windgate Foundation.

Cyber Range

With new technology, and a new degree program to boot, the University of Central Arkansas is now a resource for cyberdefense training. Thanks to a $500,000 grant from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, UCA houses a fully functional cyber range, the first to launch at an Arkansas institution for educational training purposes.

Arkansas Coding Academy Opens Doors to Software Development Industry

In six months or less, a program at the University of Central Arkansas can take those with novice computer skills and train them to be entry-level software developers. Arkansas Coding Academy, housed in UCA’s Division of Outreach and Community Engagement, opened in August 2016 as a way to address the shortage of software developers in the state.

Nabholz Center for Healthcare Simulation

Supported by a $500,000 gift from the Nabholz Charitable Foundation — the philanthropic arm of construction company Nabholz Corp. — the university opened the new Nabholz Center for Healthcare Simulation and unveiled upgrades to its existing skills lab wing in the Doyne Health Sciences Building in August 2016.

Virtual Tools Designed to Aid Future Surgeons

Tansel Halic, associate professor of computer science, and a team of student researchers have developed two pieces of technology to assist with surgical trainings. The Virtual Arthroscopic Tear Diagnosis and Evaluation Platform (VATDEP) is a simulation model designed to train surgeons for rotator cuff surgery, and the Virtual Fundamentals Arthroscopic Skill Trainer (VFAST) is programmed to help build surgical skills.

Laurels & Stripes

Laurels & Stripes, a scholarship fundraising gala, was held March 30 in the HPER Center on the University of Central Arkansas campus. The university’s premier event raised more than $700,000 for privately funded scholarships.

Scholarship Reception

The Scholarship Reception brought donors and scholarship recipients together on Oct. 18, 2018. The theme for the evening was “Thanks a Million.”

President’s Society

The University of Central Arkansas hosted the President’s Society Reception on Feb. 7, 2019, at the Capital Hotel in Little Rock. Members of the 2018 President’s Society were invited to the special event to be thanked for their gifts. Membership in the President’s Society is extended to those who contribute $1,000 or more during a calendar year.

Bard Ball

The Bard Ball, hosted by the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, was held Feb. 9 at Reyn- olds Performance Hall. The evening was billed “BROADWAY IN CONWAY,” as attendees enjoyed entertainment by “Hamilton” star and AST alum Fergie L. Philippe.

Laurels & Stripes

The University of Central Arkansas raised $719,000 in private scholarship support at its debut Laurels & Stripes fundraising gala, which was held March 30 on the UCA campus.