UCA Foundation celebrates donors, students at scholarship reception

More than 365 people gathered to celebrate the spirit of philanthropy at the University of Central Arkansas’ annual scholarship reception hosted by the UCA Foundation. With a theme of “Legacy of Success,” the reception celebrated scholarship donors and the impact their gifts have had on both scholarship recipients and the university as a whole. The event provided an opportunity for students to … [Read more...]

UCA alumna publishes children’s book

Leigh Anne Fortner, a two-time UCA alumna, has recently published her second children’s book, with the proceeds earmarked for an Arkansas-based charity. Titled “Mariposa,” the book is about a tiny seed growing in the desert and its determination to survive in spite of the odds. Proceeds from the book will benefit Our House shelter in Little Rock. Fortner said becoming an author was not … [Read more...]

UCA Alumni Association honors outstanding alumni

The University of Central Arkansas Alumni Association will honor three former students at the 2022 Alumni Awards celebration. Ann Burns Hoy ’62 will be the recipient of the Alumni Service Award while Monica Steinberg ’04 will receive the Young Alumni Award. Two-time alumnus Kim Crissler ’84, ’95 will receive the inaugural Volunteer of the Year Award. The trio will be recognized on Friday, … [Read more...]

UCA digitizes more than 1,000 historic photos

Archivists in Torreyson Library at the University of Central Arkansas have recently digitized more than 1,000 historical photographs. The collection, which can be accessed here, includes buildings, social activities and student life dating back to the school’s beginning in 1907.  The process has taken several months and interim archivist Daniel Klotz says this is just a start. His office … [Read more...]

Three UCA alumni chosen for prestigious science fellowship

Three University of Central Arkansas alumni have been selected as part of the 50th class of Science and Technology Policy Fellows by the American Association of the Advancement of Science. Destiny Davis, Heather Masson-Forsythe and Jordan Wilkerson, all graduates from UCA’s Norbert O. Schedler Honors College and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, will spend the year helping to … [Read more...]

UCA alumnus selected as 2022-23 Obama Foundation Scholar

The Obama Foundation announced that DeKevious Wilson will be part of its fifth cohort of Obama Foundation Scholars. The program gives rising leaders the opportunity to take their work to the next level through an immersive experience that brings together academic, skills-based and hands-on learning.  Wilson, who earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in African and African Studies from the … [Read more...]

UCA alumnus named Arkansas’ top history teacher

A University of Central Arkansas alumnus was recently selected as the Arkansas History Teacher of the Year. Brick Cullum, a 2018 UCA graduate, was selected as the state’s top history teacher by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. He currently teaches African American history, world history and advanced placement comparative government at Conway High School. “I was super excited … [Read more...]

UCA alumna tabbed as to lead CPS foundation

A University of Central Arkansas alumna has been selected as the new executive director of the Conway Public Schools Foundation. Marti Jones, who earned a bachelor’s in health sciences from UCA in 1999, began her new role as the foundation’s leader on Aug. 1. The Conway Public Schools Foundation provides philanthropic support, above and beyond the district’s operating budget, for a variety of … [Read more...]

UCA alumnus wins music fellowship

Naren Palomino Pardo, a recent University of Central Arkansas graduate, earned the 2022 Clara Wells Fellowship Award from the American Matthay Association at the 64th Annual Matthay Piano Festival.  Palomino is a native of Cochabamba, Bolivia, where he studied music at the Academia Nacional de Música, “Man Césped.” After his graduation, he joined the faculty of the music academy, where he … [Read more...]

Two-time alumnus earns prestigious fellowship

A University of Central Arkansas alumnus has been selected to participate in the Southern Regional Education Board’s highly competitive Doctoral Scholars Program. A two-time UCA graduate, Shun Ingram received a Bachelor of Science degree in health education in 2014 before earning a master’s degree in health sciences in 2018. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in health … [Read more...]