As we move into a new year, I find myself reflecting on the momentum and meaningful work happening across our campus and throughout the UCA community. This edition of UCA Magazine highlights the many ways our students, faculty, alumni and friends continue to build a university that is bold, innovative and deeply connected to the communities we serve.
Few stories capture that spirit quite like that of Miss Arkansas 2025 Kennedy Holland. Her path from Miss UCA to Miss Arkansas and on to the Miss America competition reflects the determination, leadership and service we see in so many of our students.
We also celebrated a major milestone for the UCA Aviation Academy with the opening of the Bill Cope Memorial Hangar. Made possible through a generous lead gift from Simmons Bank, this facility supports the next generation of aviation professionals. It stands as a testament to partnership, vision and the belief that opportunity can take flight right here in Conway, as we continue to grow in ways that serve Arkansas’s workforce needs.
Homecoming 2025 brought alumni back to campus to reconnect and celebrate. We welcomed new members into the Half-Century Club and honored outstanding graduates at the Alumni Awards Dinner. These traditions are woven into UCA’s story and remind us why alumni pride remains so strong.
This issue also shines a light on UCA’s longstanding commitment to education through the STEM Institute, an often-unseen resource that for more than two decades has equipped K-12 classrooms in Central Arkansas with tools, materials and expertise to spark learning. As STEM education grows ever more essential, UCA continues to lead.
You will also read about meaningful campus recognitions, including the naming of the Patty Poulter Commons and the Thomas C. Courtway Student Recreation Center, honoring two leaders whose service helped shape the university we know today.
As you explore the pages ahead – including a look at UCA’s past and present, the new UCA Loyalty Society and even a visit with Ollie the campus therapy dog – I hope you feel the same pride I do. Together, we continue to build a university that honors its history, embraces its future and transforms lives every day.
Go Bears!
Dr. Houston D. Davis
President