This year has been filled with many history-making moments, and this issue of the UCA Magazine showcases several of those instances.
We start with the total solar eclipse in April and the rarity of witnessing this celestial event. With UCA being in the path of totality, our campus became a destination for thousands of individuals from Arkansas and at least 32 states and five countries. We hosted presentations with UCA professors, eclipse yoga, children’s book readings, a car show, and of course, the watch party on The Stripes. If that was not enough, our campus played host to Luna: the Eclipse Superhero, and the Barkanalia event which allowed visitors to experience the eclipse with their dogs. This was a “totally” great day.
This year also marked the 10th anniversary of UCA Day of Giving and a new record with $1.47 million raised. When we started this initiative in 2015, we had no idea that it would create the momentum of support for our students and the campus. In total, we have raised nearly $6.7 million that supports emergency funds, student scholarships, faculty development, on-campus initiatives, and many other programs. You will learn more about our Day of Giving success within the pages of this magazine.
Also celebrating 10 years is the Bear Essentials Food Pantry which serves to combat hunger on our campus. Additionally, the Department of Occupational Therapy marked 50 years of excellence and leadership. This program was the first of its kind in Arkansas, and until 2017, it remained the only one.
While we know that being a UCA student creates opportunities to build community and a family-like environment on our campus, we also see much of the same outside of campus for our current students as well as our alumni. Our new “Bears Working Together” section of the magazine shows UCA alumni working together at clinics, hospitals, schools, and in other professions. These Bear communities are another sign that a UCA degree is a powerful presence in the workforce.
Speaking of Bears soaring to success in their chosen fields, the UCA Aviation Academy was announced and took off in the fall. This new program is a game changer for the aviation industry, providing a training ground for burgeoning pilots and helping to fill the existing shortage of pilots in the region. The first cohort of future pilots began in March, and we expect at least two more cohorts this calendar year.
We are proud of these and other accomplishments of our campus and hope that you enjoy reading about them.
Go Bears!
Dr. Houston D. Davis
President