The University of Central Arkansas hosted the fifth annual Night of Distinction Saturday, April 25, 2015 at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock. Night of Distinction is the awards gala honoring past and present recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award and the Alumni Service Award. Proceeds from the event benefit student scholarships. This year, Dr. Kofi Boahene and Mrs. Faith Fields were honored as distinguished alumni. Dr. Herman Ellis was honored as the 2015 Alumni Service Award winner.
Dr. Kofi Boahene ’91
Distinguished Alumnus Award
Dr. Kofi Boahene ,’91 is an associate professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and dermatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md. He is a 1994 graduate of UCA. Boahene grew up in West Africa and traveled to the United States with the goal of becoming a doctor. After graduating from UCA, he was accepted to medical school. Dr. Jerry Manion, former UCA chemistry professor, co-signed loans for Boahene, which allowed him to attend medical school. Manion taught at UCA for 49 years and mentored many students throughout his career, prior to his death in 2014. “UCA was the foundation and spurred my interest in science, which is part of my life now,” Boahene said. “Without a strong foundation you can’t climb up. So I think UCA gave me all the tools I needed to succeed.”
Mrs. Faith Fields ’75, ’88
Distinguished Alumnus Award
Faith Fields ,’75, ’88 significantly advanced the nursing profession through improved systems, communication and regulatory updates during her long and fulfilling nursing career. She received her undergraduate degree in 1975 and her graduate degree in 1988. Fields has received numerous state and national awards. She was inducted into the Arkansas Nurses’ Association Hall of Fame in 2010. After she retired from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, Fields accepted a position with Conway Regional Medical Center to develop and coordinate the Nurse Residency Program. Fields was very honored to receive her award. “It is amazing. I am so humbled,” she said. “It is just an honor like none other.”
Dr. Herman Ellis ’59
Alumni Service Award
Dr. Herman Ellis, ’59 was born in Morrilton and has lived in Conway since 1994. He graduated from Arkansas State Teachers College (now UCA) in 1959. After he graduated from ASTC, he went to dental school in Memphis and then joined the U.S. Army. Retired from dentistry, he maintains a busy schedule. He is a life member of the UCA Alumni Association. He served on the Alumni Board of Directors for more than six years and was vice president two of those years. Ellis is a 2002 graduate of the Faulkner County Leadership Institute, and a member of the American Dental Association and the American Association of Orthodontists. He was vice president two of the three years he was on the Court Appointed Special Advocates Board. Ellis has served on the Conway Regional Health and Fitness Center advisory board for 13 years. “I felt like I got a great education and with all the social involvement, I learned to follow and I learned to lead. With the educational background, I felt like that prepared me to go on to dental school and to have a very successful life with 30 years in the United States Army Dental Corps,” Ellis said. “So I’m very grateful to UCA for all those experiences, and education, that they gave me.”
Night of Distinction Gallery
