UCA Magazine

Just a Little Lift

Derek Lewis ’78, ’80 knows first-hand the struggles of earning a degree with few resources of your own. The practicing physician with nearly 40 years of experience grew up in Hughes, Arkansas, a small, impoverished town in St. Francis County.

A Philosophy of Service

With a philosophy of service as motivation, the Phelpses created an endowed scholarship fund in 2012. By 2019, the Hank and Patty Phelps Education Scholarship had awarded its first recipient.

First To Go

From submitting scholarship applications to furnishing a residential hall room, starting college is a whirlwind of activity. And since there’s no handbook to follow, many incoming freshmen turn to college graduates in their immediate family for guidance on how to manage the stress and demands of this exciting time.

Can You Dig It?

Just a couple of days into her work at Camp Halsey, Emilee Burroughs made a stunning discovery, but it wasn’t the kind of eureka moment that you might have expected from an archaeological dig.

Gizachew Tiruneh

In the spring of 2022, at a ceremony held at the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington, D.C., the Ethiopian Crown Council knighted Tiruneh as a Knight Grand Cross of the Star of Ethiopia. At the same time, they bestowed upon him the title of Blaten Geta, which traditionally translates as “Lord of Wisdom,” and in more modern translations means “Minister of Pen.”

Building a Better Robot

2022 marked the first year UCA students have participated in the competition, thanks in large part to a grant from the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium. The students also got support from William Slaton, director of the UCA engineering physics program and Carl Frederickson, chair of UCA’s Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Julie McVey

Few organizations match the worldwide prestige of the National Geographic Society, the group that has inspired generations of people to explore cultures, history and science. Now, one University of Central Arkansas alumna is helping to make sure its vast collection of unpublished photographs are available online for future generations.

A Crowning Achievement

As the confetti floated through the air and mingled with the cheers ringing from the audience, Ebony Mitchell ’19 walked to the front of the Robinson Center stage in Little Rock. A crown glittered atop her head and a satin sash draped over her shoulder.

Fabulous at 50

As the UCA physical therapy program celebrates its 50th year, Nat Grubbs ’87 can clearly see the key to its success.
“When I think of UCA physical therapy, I think of the faculty,” said Grubbs.

In Focus

When he arrived at UCA as a second semester freshman transfer student, Powell jumped headfirst into campus life by serving as the mascot for football and basketball games. When his true skills came to light, however, athletic department leaders knew they had a golden opportunity on their hands. Powell was quickly moved into a photography position where he began shooting all UCA sports and related events.