His Story as a ‘Citizen Scholar’
Chris Hancock ’10 has taken on an important role in telling the history of Arkansas while also helping to reinvigorate its capital city.
Hancock works for the Historic Arkansas Museum as the communications manager, where he is responsible for strategic communication efforts including website development and content creation. More importantly, this role dovetails his love of writing and history.
“Thankfully, my role allows for regular creative work,” Hancock said. “I have always been interested in history, and especially Arkansas history, even though I wasn’t a history major.”
Hancock was an English major and a Schedler Honors College interdisciplinary studies minor at the University of Central Arkansas. He attributes skills learned in the Honors College, such as using evidence to form and defend arguments, creative problem solving and civil discourse even with extremely different views, to his becoming a “citizen-scholar.”
“The Honors College has had a huge impact on me personally and professionally,” said Hancock. “My career and volunteer community projects require research, thoughtful communication, collaboration, creativity and diplomacy.”
Hancock volunteers with PopUp in the Rock, a community development organization that places temporary exhibits in neighborhoods to showcase their possibility.
“We demonstrate the underutilized potential of city areas through short-term demonstrations aimed at achieving long-term impact,” said Hancock.
In 2015, the effort focused on historic West Ninth Street. PopUp West Ninth was along three city blocks between the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, Dreamland Ballroom and across an overpass to the campus of Philander Smith College.
That area was once the epicenter of African-American life with churches, restaurants, grocery stores, salons, pharmacies, hotels and other businesses located in the area. Historical figures such as Booker T. Washington, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington would often visit the area.
“We encouraged our community to use the overpass as a bicycle and pedestrian bridge,” said Hancock. “The campus and historic West Ninth were once connected before I-630 tore through the district, so it was functional and poetic to bridge that gap.”
Hancock recognizes that his work is a great societal contribution and furthers his role as a “citizen-scholar.” “There’s no feeling like seeing the tangible impact of your effort in the community,” said Hancock. “It has broadened my vision of what’s possible while also making me more aware that our communities need more citizens to participate.”