This issue of UCA Magazine focuses on another pillar of the UCA Now comprehensive capital campaign: success. This pillar is defined by the success of our community but also by the endowments for scholarships and faculty support. Within these pages, you will find stories about individuals, families, alumni, friends, and many other supporters who help to exemplify success.
Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to moderate a panel discussion during our annual Scholarship Reception. This event celebrates our scholarship donors and brings them together with recipients to connect and network. One of the panel members was Tiffani Rana, a 2021 accounting graduate who, while pursuing her degree, was a recipient of the Lavon Morton and Dr. Brenda Yelvington scholarship. Since graduating, she has become a scholarship donor in her own right. In this issue of UCA Magazine, you will read about Rana’s story and the impact she is already having on students.
The stories of how Hank and Patty Phelps, Stephanie Watson, and Derek Lewis created endowments to help shape students’ lives are also included within these pages. Their vision and commitment to our institution are invaluable, and we know you will enjoy reading about them.
Of course, the idea of success can be viewed through many different lenses, and this issue reaches beyond endowments. You can read about our award-winning robotics team from the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. One of our students, Jaden Powell, is a photographer whose work has been seen on ESPN and used in Getty Images stock photography.
As many of you know, Ebony Mitchell ’19 is our current Miss Arkansas and a former Miss UCA. Mitchell proudly represents, as well as showcases, the true Bear spirit while traveling the state promoting her personal platform, A Responsible Digital You. You can read more about her journey in this issue.
This is just a glimpse of what is included in this issue of UCA Magazine. We have much more, and we hope you enjoy reading it as much as our team enjoyed bringing these stories to life.
Go Bears!
Dr. Houston D. Davis
President