Transition is an important part of life, whether its newly-minted graduates leaving

campus to enter the workforce or new leadership redefining the goals and opportunities of an institution.

My husband, Colonel L.R. Hughes, and I are overwhelmed by the tremendous greetings you have extended

to us as well as the hospitality from the community.

It was with great pride that I conferred degrees at my first UAM commencement ceremony a few weeks

ago. My first semester has been about listening carefully and meeting with many of our great community

leaders and proud alumni. I have met with Governor Hutchinson, attended several meetings during the leg-

islative session, visited with several mayors and alumni in our surrounding communities, addressed commu-

nity groups including Rotary Clubs and Economic Development Councils, toured SEACBEC, brainstormed

partnership possibilities with the Delta Regional Authority and visited with

our legislators to discuss our needs at UAM and in the community.

During my meeting with Governor Hutchinson in March, I shared

our vision for UAM — the University of Arkansas at Monticello will be

recognized as a model, open-enrollment regional institution with retention

and graduation rates that exceed its peer institutions. Through these efforts,

UAM will develop key relationships and partnerships that contribute to the

economic and quality of life indicators in the community, region, state and

beyond.

Governor Hutchinson and Dr. Don Bobbitt, UA System president,

have both been interested in our student success initiatives that will help us

make this vision a reality. Furthermore, it is important that you remember this vision does not mean we are

concentrating solely on the underserved. We have many programs that are producing high achievers and pre-

paring students to further their successes in graduate research, law schools, pharmacy and medical schools,

etc. As we begin our work on the Student Success Collaborative, we will also turn some attention to not only

a first-year program, but a sophomore, junior, and senior year experience steeped in undergraduate research,

career exploration, service learning, and internships.

I stressed during my interview and at our forums in January and February that a university and commu-

nity do not exist separately from each other. It is the culmination of creating access and guided pathways to

fit the needs of the students that will result in greater student success. The engagement of strategies for both

the underserved and the more advanced student enhances partnership opportunities and thereby creates

greater quality of life indicators for our community as well as southeastern Arkansas. UAM stands poised to

continue its leading role in the region, state, and beyond.

As we move forward together to build on the UAM legacy, student success is, and will continue to be, the

foundation for the decisions we make moving forward. I thank each and every one of you for the commit-

ment you make every day to this institution and our students. Without you, we will not have student success

nor can we look to forward to sustainability with our next generation of leaders.

Best Wishes,

Karla Hughes, Chancellor

ON THE COVER: Chancellor Karla Hughes with the late Dr. Tim Chase, UAM’s 54th Distinguished Alumnus.

For information, you may contact:

Jay Jones, Interim Vice Chancellor for Advancement and University Relations(870) 460-1022 (office)(870) 460-1324 (FAX)jonesj@uamont.edu

Lisa Jo Ross, Alumni and Development Officer(870) 460-1028 (office)rosslj@uamont.edu

If you want to find out what’s happen-ing on campus, or want to contact us about something significant that’s happened in your life, check out our website at www.uamont.edu.

Parents, if your son or daughter attended UAM and is no longer living at this address, please notify our office of his or her new address. Thank you.

#BEaWeevil

CHANCELLOR’S | MESSAGE

Get your UAM News on Twitter (@UAMNews) and on Facebook (UAM News andUAM Alumni & Friends)

Summer 2016

Chancellor’s Letter | IFCCampus News | 2-7Special Alumni Events | 3 & 5Sports | 20Foundation | 22Technology | 26 Alumni News | 27Friends We’ll Miss | 28

UAM MAGAZINE is published three times a year

by the University of Arkansas at Monticello, the

UAM Alumni Association, and the UAM

Foundation Fund.

Jim Brewer, EditorDirector of Media Services

(870) 460-1274 (office)

(870) 460-1974 (fax)

brewer@uamont.edu

THIS ISSUE

America’s Idol2013 UAM graduate Trent Harmon captured the 15th and final American Idol competition in April, launching a promising recording career. For a small-town guy from Amory, Miss., the experience has been the fulfillment of a dream.

UAM MAGAZINE

REMEMBERING TIM CHASE

8UAM’s 54th Distinguished Alumnus leaves behind a legacy of service to his university and his community.

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One of the cornerstones of Chancellor Karla Hughes’ administration will be the “Student Suc-cess Initiative,” a plan to improve both retention and graduation rates and make sure UAM students are able to complete their degrees.

For the first time since 2007, the UAM debate team has earned the right to be called Na-tional Champions. UAM debaters swept the com-petition as this spring’s IPDA National Tourna-ment and captured three individual national titles.

Jay Jones provided steady leadership while UAM spent more than a year searching for a new chancellor. In recognition of his service to the institution, Jones is the third person in school history to be awarded an honorary doctrate.

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Dr. Karen Fawley learned early on that to be a great teacher required the ability to listen – and learn – from her students. That ability has made Fawley the 2016 recipient of the Dan and Charlotte Hornaday Outstanding Faculty Award

Student Success Number 1! Making History Listen & Learn

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CAMPUS | NEWS

100 Percent OnlineNon-traditional students now have an avenue to attain a college degree in educational studies without leaving home

TTHE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS at Monticello has received approval for its first 100 percent online undergraduate degree program. The UA Board of Trustees and the Higher Education Coordinating Board have approved a bachelor of science degree in education studies, which will be offered totally online. The non-licensure program may be taken by anyone but is designed for non-traditional students unable to return to school and for public school paraprofes-sionals. Paraprofessionals will have a route to licensure following completion of the online degree through the UAM Teacher Residency Program, which includes two semesters teaching with a provisional license while under the supervision of a licensed instructor. Other graduates may pursue a teaching license in the master of

arts in teaching (MAT) program. “This is a wonderful opportunity for those who face barriers that prevent them from participating in a traditional educa-tion degree program,” said Dr. Peggy Doss, dean of the UAM School of Education. and interim vice chancellor for academic affairs. “This degree program will prepare individuals with the necessary knowledge of content and pedagogical skills for post-baccalaureate admission to alternative licensure route programs.” The online program may be completed in four years or less. “This program pro-vides additional options for anyone who would like to become a classroom teacher,” said Doss. “The opportunity to complete an undergraduate degree online will open doors for those who are unable to attain a degree any other way and I am so pleased that we are able to offer this opportunity.”

Ghost WalkingA southern society belle who commits suicide after a failed romance and searches for the meaning of her lost life and purpose in death is the premise for Mark Spencer’s latest novel, Ghost Walking. Spencer, who is dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, is the author of the nonfiction bestseller A Haunted Love Story: The Ghosts of the Allen House, three novels, and three short-story collections. His latest book, published by Moon-shine Cove Publishing and available at most booksellers, is a work of fiction and tells the story of 49-year-old Southern soci-ety belle Ladell Allen, who com-mits suicide on Christmas night 1 9 4 8 i n t h e wake of another failed love affair. The dead Ladell spends the next six decades revis-iting the past, as well as watching the world change within and beyond her home. She interacts with other ghosts, including her beloved papa, who coaxes her to ride in his ghostly black Cadillac into the unknown, a ride she is unwilling to take until she has answers to her questions about the meaning of her life and death. Spencer has won the Faulkner Society Award for the Novel, the Omaha Prize for the Novel, the Bradshaw Book Award, and the Cairn Short Fiction Award. He and his family live in the famously haunted Allen House located on North Main Street in Monticello.

Summer 2016 3

UAM Night At The FedEx Forum

PICTURED: 1 Gathering outside the FedEx Forum before the Memphis Grizzlies’ game with the New Orleans Pelicans were (from left) Lisa Jo Ross, Jason Ross, Max Ross, Jay Jones, Gabba Wilson, Tim Smith, Garland Ross, Jon Taylor Towers, and Roxanne Smith. 2 Marian Vance Berry and her son, Aidan, enjoyed the game. 3 Norman Snerling (‘85) of Cherry Valley and his family – daughter, Erin, son, Michael, and wife, Donnis. 4 (From left) UAM Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs Matt Whiting with Megan Elmquist, Lamar Rochell (B.S. ‘12), Kaitlyn McCool Jones (B.B.A. ‘15), and Julian Jones (B.S. ‘13) of Star City. 5 UAM faculty member Lori Selby with her husband, Chris, and daughter, Sydney.

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Dr. Jack Lassiter, retired UAM chancellor, is the 2016 Distinguished Alumnus of Texas A&M University-Commerce. Lassiter graduated from A&M-Commerce (then East Texas State University) in 1968 with a degree in finance and earned a master’s degree in guidance and counseling in 1969. “I am humbled and honored to be chosen for this award,” said Lassiter. “When I first came to Commerce, I would have been considered a long-shot to graduate, much less receive an honor like this one. I was admitted as a probationary student, but thanks to the patience of some very supportive faculty, I was able to thrive. I’ve never forgotten that.” Lassiter became the 11th chief executive officer of UAM in 2004 and retired January 5, 2015 after a long and distinguished career in higher education. Prior to becoming UAM chancellor, he served in the central administration office of the UA System as executive vice president after spending four years as chancellor of the UA Community College in Batesville. Lassiter first came to UAM in 1977 as director of the school’s Learning Development Center while completing his doctorate at A&M-Commerce. He left a year later to be-come dean of college and student services at Wharton (Tex.) Community College, then returned to UAM in 1980 as vice chancellor for university relations and student services, beginning a 17-year stay on the Monticello campus.

PCAMPUS | NEWS

JACK LASSITER The 2016 Texas A&M-Commerce Distinguished Alumnus

Science of PoliticsPolitical science students from across Arkansasconverged on the UAM campus in February

4 UAM Magazine

POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENTS AND FACULTY FROM across Arkansas converged on the UAM campus February 26-27 for the 2016 Arkansas Political Science Association’s statewide annual conference. The conference brought together 65 speakers from across the state, according to Dr. Carol Strong, associate professor of political science at UAM who served as conference organizer and program chair. The featured speaker was Chris Masingill, federal co-chair of the Delta Regional Authority, who discussed the unique role educational institutions of all levels play in the development and growth of Arkansas communities, especially those counties in the DRA’s footprint with lower levels of educational attainment. According to Masingill, those communities “stand to gain greatly from stronger connections with regional and local institutions of higher education for job training, skills development, and increased educational levels. DRA is currently working with more than 20 four-year institutions across its eight-state region to develop the Delta Research Consortium to help share and direct funding and focus to Delta-oriented research to help community leaders, policy makers, and economic developers.”

Also featured at the conference was Dr. John Kyle Day, an associate professor in the UAM School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, who discussed his recently published book The Southern Manifesto: Massive Resistance and the Fight to Preserve Segregation. In panels, five UAM political science majors presented original research papers. Sarah Phillips and Jimmy Tyler Harrison of Star City, Leslie Beard and Robert Fletcher of Monticello; and Emily Mendiola of Hamburg comprised UAM’s five-person student delegation. Fletcher’s paper, entitled: “Cycling through New Urbanism: Pedestrian-Oriented Opportunities and Innovations in Southeast Arkansas,” considered policies to improve pedestrian access to businesses in Monticello. Harrison’s paper, “All Tea, All Shade: How the Tea Party Effects the American Political Process,” and Beard’s paper, “Who’s Really in Con-trol: A Comparative Examination of Oligarchical Tendencies in Russia and the United States,” considered the changes in national politics with the emergence of anti-establishment parties and actors in mainstream politics. Phillips’ paper, “The People vs. the State: A Comparative Analysis of Power Relations in the Development of Spanish Democracy,” and Mendiola’s paper, “The Power of the Indigenous: Indigenous Autonomy in Mexico,” considered how social movements impact national politics within the international community. Dr. John Davis, a UAM assistant professor of political science, presented a paper entitled “Campaign Inc.: Data from a Field Survey of State Party Organizations.”

Summer 2016 5

UAM Day At Oaklawn Park

PICTURED: 1 UAM alumni and staff among those in the winner’s circle for the UAM Boll Weevil Run included Matt and Johanna Whiting, Lisa Jo Ross, Tim and Wanda McGee, James and Lisa Clark, Ronnie McFarland, Tony and Kathy Fakouri. 2 Join-ing the winning horse in the UAM Cotton Blossom Classic were Lisa Jo Ross, Dean Davis, Max Light and his daughter, Cait, and Taylor and Tammy Grayson. 3 (From left) Mandy Henderson, Carole Efird and Roger Martin enjoyed their day at the races.

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SCAMPUS | NEWS

Seniors FirstAs part of new Chancellor Karla Hughes’ Student Success Initiative, seniors get first crack at the classes needed to graduate

6 UAM Magazine

STUDENT SUCCESS IS AT THE heart of new Chancellor Karla Hughes’ vision for the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Improving both retention and graduation rates are part of a “Student Suc-cess Initiative” being put in place to fulfill Dr. Hughes’ goal to make UAM a model open admissions institution. As part of the Initiative, UAM seniors with a minimum of 90 hours of academic course credit had the option to register first for classes for the first and second summer terms as well as the 2016 fall semester according to a new pre-registration plan announced recently. Seniors-only pre-registration was held Monday, April 4. Seniors and juniors with at least 60 credit hours registered on Tuesday, April 5. Open registration for all students was held April 6-8 and April 11-15. The new plan applied only to students on the Monticello campus. Registration plans will remained unchanged for stu-dents at the UAM Colleges of Technology in Crossett and McGehee. “We wanted to give our seniors the first opportunity to enroll in the classes they need to complete their graduation require-ments,” Hughes explained. “These students have invested their time and effort to reach this critical point in their academic careers and we want to do everything possible to ensure their success.” UAM will also hold registration for fall 2016 classes August 23-26. For more in-formation, contact the Office of Academic Affairs at (870) 460-1033.

Graduate Research Examines Southeast Arkansas WetlandsChris Sheldon, a graduate research assistant in the School of Forestry and Natural Re-sources, presented results from a portion of his master’s degree research at the 100th an-nual Arkansas Academy of Sciences meeting held at UA-Fayetteville April 1-2. Sheldon’s poster, entitled “Vegetation Diversity in Natural and Restored Forested Wetland Sites in Southeast Arkansas,” was selected as the second place graduate poster presentation in the Field Biology and Ecology Division. Co-authors on the presentation were Dr. Robert Ficklin, Drs. Karen and Marvin Fawley, and Stacy Wilson. Sheldon earned a bachelor of science in environmental science from the University of Vermont. His graduate research is examining herbaceous vegetation diversity and changes in litter decomposition rates between natural and restored forested wetlands in southeast Arkansas.

Terri Smith, a science specialist for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Center at UAM, was one of two Arkansans selected to represent the Arkansas Science Teachers As-sociation at the recent National Science Teachers Association Retreat in Nashville. Smith joined other science educators at an event designed to enhance professional learning and provide networking forums for science teach-ers. As one of two representatives from Arkansas, Smith met with writers of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and with representatives from other states to discuss and set goals to help teachers understand science and engineering practices and concepts of teaching science. Smith is southeast Arkansas director of the Arkansas Science Teachers Assoc., representing K-12 and postsecondary science teachers in 15 counties.

Terri Smith is STEM leader

Summer 2016 7

Saying Goodbye to the Class of 2016

PICTURED: 1 Chancellor Karla Hughes and a happy graduate smile for the camera. 2 Paige Chase accepts the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Jay Jones on behalf of her husband, the late Dr. Tim Chase. 3 Three generations of the Hopper family are now UAM graduates. Pictured from left are (seated) Jordan Hopper (‘16), Sybil Morgan (‘52), Terry Hopper (‘85), and (standing) Dr. Alisa Morgan Hopper. (‘84) 4 Graduates wait for their names to be called. 5 UA System President Donald Bobbitt (left) and Chancellor Karla Hughes (right) present an honorary doctorate of humane letters to Jay Jones. 6 MBSF Director Rob Leonard presents a degree to his surprised daughter, Emily.

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D8 UAM Magazine

MAN WITH A MISSIONThe late Dr. Tim Chase came to UAM Chancellor Karla Hughes in January to make an impassioned plea for the University to host the Arkansas Mission of Mercy. In the process of telling his personal story, he became UAM’s 54th Distinguished Alumnus.

DSummer 2016 9

DR. CHASE LOST A BATTLE WITH cancer on April 15, just weeks before he was to become the 54th recipient of UAM’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. He leaves behind a wife, two daughters, and a legion of friends and admirers. “I’ve known Tim since we started kin-dergarten together in 1968,” said Mark Tiner, who like Dr. Chase, graduated from UAM in 1985. Now senior vice president at Union Bank in Monticello, Tiner and Dr. Chase were lifelong friends. “This is a terrible blow to me personally, but more so to his family and the city of Monticello. Tim played such an important role in this community and he will be sorely missed.” Dr. Chase was chosen to be this year’s Distinguished Alumnus shortly after an initial meeting with UAM Chancellor Karla Hughes in January. “Tim came to see me about UAM hosting this year’s Arkansas Mission of Mercy,” said Hughes, “but he began by telling me his story, how he fulfilled a lifelong dream by coming to UAM and receiving a degree, and how this institution prepared him to succeed in dental school. It was such a wonderful,

uplifting story that I was mesmerized.” As a UAM student, Dr. Chase was a member of Alpha Chi honor society, the Medical Science Club, Student Govern-ment Association, Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities, a Red Cross water safety instructor, and in 1985, an honor graduate. He graduated with honors from the University of Tennessee College of Den-tistry in Memphis in 1989 with a doctor of dental surgery degree, spent one year as a general practice resident at the University of Kentucky’s Chandler Medical Center, then returned to Monticello to open a private dental practice. He held a number of offices with the Arkansas State Dental Association, serving as the organization’s president in 2009-10. He was a charter member of the board of directors of the Arkansas Mission of Mercy, which provides free dental care to the poor. He also served on the board of the Arkansas State Dental Examiners and was president of the Southeast District Dental Society. Always active in community affairs, Dr.

Chase served 12 years as an alderman on the Monticello City Council and served as the city’s interim mayor after the death of his father-in-law, Allen Maxwell. Dr. Chase was also a past-president of the Monticello Rotary Club and was active in the Monticello School Foundation, Cham-ber of Commerce, First Baptist Church, and a coach of both Little League baseball and softball. “I think most of us who grew up with Tim knew he’d be a leader,” said Blair Brown, director of athletics at Monticello High School and a UAM classmate. “Tim was that guy who kept us all pointed in the right direction. When we were about to stray too far from the straight and narrow, he’d pull us back. “I can honestly say I wouldn’t be where I am today without Tim Chase. Even though he was an only child, he was like a brother to us.” Friends and colleagues of Dr. Chase have begun an endowed scholarship fund in his honor. For more information, con-tact Office of Advancement and University Relations at (870) 460-1028.

Dr. Tim Chase was Monticello through and through . . . born and raised in Monticello, a graduate of Monticello High School and UAM, a Billie and Boll Weevil for life.

Friend, Colleague, Brother . . .

T10 UAM Magazine

“THINGS WEREN’T HAPPENING for me,” he remembered. “I was taking music seriously, but music wasn’t taking me seriously.” That changed one night when three little boys found their way into Harmon’s camp in Belize and began to sing. “They had such beautiful voices,” Harmon said. “I took it as a sign to give music another shot.” At the urging of his girlfriend, Kath-leen Couch, a former UAM cheerleader, Harmon flew to Little Rock for an open call audition for American Idol, the iconic television show that launched the careers of music superstars Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and Jordin Sparks. “They said ‘Can you come back tomor-row?’” said Harmon. “They kept asking me to come back until I finally got to go to Hollywood.”

Fast-forward to April 7 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles where the 15th and final season of American Idol was about to come to a close. On stage, Harmon and fellow finalist La’Porsha Renae waited for host Ryan Seacrest to announce the winner. “I told La’Porsha that no matter whose name they call, we’re just going to hug until they pull us apart,” Harmon said. “I told her, ‘Hey, we’ve both won a car. We’re going to be all right.’” When Harmon’s name was called, he fell to his knees, then embraced Renae before closing the show with a performance of Keith Urban’s “Falling.” Since that moment, Harmon’s life has been a whirlwind. “What is earth,” Harmon said, laughing when reached by a caller who asked whether he had returned to earth after winning. “I’m hanging in there. It’s really not as crazy as you might think. It’s mostly lots of interviews and PR. I’m being careful to listen more than I talk.” Harmon was whisked away to New York following the American Idol finale where he estimates he conducted between 50 and 60 interviews. “People, E!, Billboard, TV Guide, you name it,” he said. Then it was on to Nashville to begin work on a record album. As part of his American Idol winnings, in addition to a 2017 Ford Fusion, Harmon received a record contract with Big Machine Records, which counts among its clients Taylor Swift, Tim Mc-Graw and Cheap Trick. Harmon will also

have the opportunity to record an original song for the upcoming animated film Ice Age: Collision Course and will have a voice part in the movie. Not bad for a guy from a small town in northeast Mississippi. Harmon grew up in Amory, less than 30 miles from Tupelo, the birthplace of Elvis Presley. “I’m a huge Elvis fan,” he said. “I wrote a paper about Elvis for one of my history classes at UAM.” As a UAM student, Harmon was a regular in musical stage productions, appearing in Oklahoma! and Pirates of Penzance. He also sang in the concert choir and was active in the Missionary Baptist Student Fellowship. Harmon served as a fill-in worship leader at Pauline Baptist Church in Monticello and hopes his faith will help keep him grounded. “I’m trying to keep my feet on the ground,” he said. “I’ll ask myself, would I have done this a year ago? Is this a person I would have been friends with a year ago? If the answer is no, I move on.” When Harmon was announced as the winner, the news set off celebrations in Monticello, Amory, and Malvern, his temporary adopted hometown. “I never expected to win,” Harmon admitted. “I thought I could and prepared to win, but I didn’t expect to.” Harmon’s mother, Cindy, summed up Trent’s future best when she told a reporter, “Whatever happens, God has a plan, and we’re trusting in that.”

Trent Harmon saw it as a sign. Last summer, while working with a Christian mission team in Belize, a desperately poor country in Central America, Harmon was mull-ing his future as a singer. A 2013 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Monticello with a degree in history and minor in music, Harmon’s music career was going nowhere.

American Idol!

Summer 2016 11

THE LAST IDOLTrent Harmon takes the winner’s trophy from host Ryan Seacrest as the 15th and

last American Idol. Harmon won the competition April 7, then let everyone know he hasn’t forgotten his roots when he returned to UAM (left) to perform for the annual

MBSF Crawfish Boil at Convoy Leslie-Cotton Boll Stadium.

T12 UAM Magazine

THEY ARE THE STUDENTS WHO manage to get through their first year with-out raising any red flags, yet stand a good chance of dropping out before completing their degree. Those students are the target of a new partnership between the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the Education Advisory Board (EAB). UAM recently joined more than 1,000 colleges and uni-versities from across North America and Europe in utilizing EAB to improve graduation and retention rates. EAB was established in 2007 to serve as an advisor and performance improvement partner for higher education using best practice research, data analytics, technology and consulting services. UAM’s involvement with EAB is part of a Student Success Collaboration initi-ated by new Chancellor Karla Hughes to improve both retention and graduation rates while remaining true to UAM’s his-torical role as an open admissions institu-tion. “Being an open admissions university makes us unique within higher education in Arkansas,” Hughes explained, “but it does not mean that we have to lower our standards. On the contrary, with effective

remediation, direction to appropriate degree pathways, and services focused on retention and completion, we can improve student outcomes while honoring our tra-ditional role as a campus of opportunity.” As a partner with EAB, UAM will have access to analytics and training to improve work flow and decision-making; academic analytics and predictive modeling to help faculty advisors analyze student data to identify at-risk students and direct them to the appropriate services for assistance that will lead to success; communication platforms and tools for student case man-agement and centralized advising notes; analytics for institutional administrators that highlight indicators of student suc-cess and aid in institutional decisions; and access to a network of higher education institutions to exchange ideas concerning student success. “EAB will be able to provide hard data which we can use as a foundation for the decisions we make with respect to student success,” said Hughes. “In an era of performance-based funding, evaluating what we are doing with a different lens, while learning from others, may be the most cost effective and efficient way to improve student outcomes.”

They’ve been classified by higher education experts as “the murky middle” — those students in the middle of the spectrum who many colleges and universities tend to leave to their own devices.

SUCCESSStudent

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STUDENTS FIRSTChancellor Karla Hughes meets with soon-to-be UAM graduates (from left) Tyler

Anthony (CIS), Nicole Nichiniello (biophysics), and Shelby Wall (pharmacy). Anthony has already secured a job in the private sector while Nichiniello and Wall will attend

graduate school.

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UAM DEBATERS SWEPT THE Scholastic, Founders and Overall Sweep-stakes Awards at the 2015-16 Interna-tional Public Debate Association (IPDA) National Tournament hosted March 31 through April 3 by Lee College of Bay-town, Tex. The event drew more than 450 competitors from some of the top college and university debate programs in the nation, including Southern Methodist University, the University of Tennessee, Louisiana State University, the Univer-sity of Southern Mississippi, Boise State University, the U.S. Military Academy, Colorado Christian University, Seattle Pacific University, Florida International University and Oregon State University. “This is an incredible honor for our team and for the university,” said Jim Evans, UAM debate coach and instructor of com-munication. “Our students went against the best competition in the country and proved they can compete with anyone. Honestly, they surprised me a little with how dominant they were.” The IPDA national championship is UAM’s second, and the first since the 2007-08 academic year. UAM debaters posted a winning percentage of 71 per-

cent with 79 percent advancing past the preliminary rounds. The competition included eight pre-liminary rounds in four divisions – novice, junior varsity, varsity and professional, as well as four preliminary rounds in team competition. Awards were presented based on both national tournament per-formances and season-long competition. In addition to winning all three national tournament sweepstakes competitions, UAM debaters won five individual na-tional championships. Reagan Dobbs, a junior political science major from Dayton, Tex., was the national champion speaker in varsity debate at the national tournament in a field of 109 competitors. Cody Bijou, a junior communications and political science double major from Crosby, Tex., bested 381 competitors to capture the national championship as the top debater in the varsity division in season-long com-petition. Gabrielle Swain of Monticello, a senior communications major, was the season-long novice debate national cham-pion in a field of 493 competitors. In the professional division, Chris Brown, an as-sistant debate coach and debate instructor, captured a pair of national championships

as the top season-long speaker and debater. UAM also won season-long team national championships in novice debate and varsity debate. Other individual award winners at the national tournament were: • Jacob Chisom, a junior history and communications double major from Mon-ticello, who was the seventh place debate speaker in team debate, and teamed with Swain to reach the quarterfinals in the team debate competition;

1NumberThe debate team at the University of Arkansas at Monticello has earned the right to be called national champions.

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• Dobbs and Bijou, who combined to reach the semifinals in team debate and were quarterfinalists in varsity debate; • Swain, second place debater and 10th place speaker in the novice division; • Nathan Bailey of Monticello, a sopho-more agriculture business major, who was the fourth place speaker in novice debate; • Blake Adkins of Vilonia, a junior computer information systems major, who was the 11th place speaker in the novice division and reached the round of 16;

• Kyle Hargis of Warren, a sophomore communications major, who reached the round of 16 in novice debate; • Luke Beatty, a sophomore business major from Dermott, who reached the round of 32 in junior varsity debate; • Gauge Adkins of Vilonia, a sopho-more criminal justice and political science double major, who reached the round of 16 in junior varsity debate; Competing for UAM in the profes-sional division were:

• UAM alumnus Kelly Brown of Si-loam Springs, the seventh place debate speaker who reached the round of 16; • Chris Brown, who in addition to his two individual national championships, was the eighth place debate speaker and reached the round of 16; • Jonathon Hoskins of Monticello, who reached the round of 16; • Justin Walker of Monticello, a quar-terfinalist; • Eddie Weaver of DeWitt, a semifinalist.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!Members of UAM’s national champion debate team are (from left, first row) Nathan Bailey of Monticello, Gabrielle Swain of

Monticello, Cody Bijou of Crosby, Tex., Reagan Dobbs of Dayton, Tex., Emily Mendiola of Hamburg, (second row, from left) Jacob Chisom of Monticello, Luke Beatty of Dermott, Kyle Hargis of Warren, Gauge Adkins of Vilonia, (back row, from left) Ben Graves

of Hot Springs, Keith Milstead, assistant debate coach, Jim Evans, head debate coach, and Blake Adkins of Vilonia.

F16 UAM Magazine

FSummer 2016 17

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1959 and just the third time in the 107-year history of the University of Arkansas at Monticello, UAM bestowed an honorary doctorate during the school’s 2016 spring commencement May 6. Jay Jones, who has served as UAM’s vice chancellor for finance and administration since 2006 and guided the institution as interim chancellor in 2015, received an honorary doctorate in humane letters for “exemplary leadership and service, not only in the profession but to society in general,” according to UAM Chancellor Karla Hughes. “Jay did a wonderful job in making the leadership transition a seamless one,” said Hughes. “He was able to lead the university with a steady hand through the search for a new chancellor. Due to the unique challenges faced by Mr. Jones during this critical time, both (UA System President) Donald Bobbitt and I believe this is an appropriate honor.” In addition to spending a year as interim chancellor, Jones has currently as-sumed the role of interim vice chancellor for advancement and university relations while also serving as the university’s chief

fiscal officer. “Jay is one of those individuals who is willing to take on any assignment for the good of the university,” said Hughes. “We are fortunate to have Jay as part of our leadership team.” “I’m not sure this is an honor I deserve,” said Jones, “so to be selected is both surpris-ing and humbling. I am grateful to Chancel-lor Hughes, President Bobbitt and to the Board of Trustees for this recognition.” According to University of Arkansas policy, “recommendations for honorary degrees will be submitted to the Board of Trustees by the President after having been approved by the campus governing body and the chief executive officer of the campus on which the recommendations originate.” A native of Helena, Jones holds an as-sociate of applied science degree in data processing from Phillips County Com-munity College (now Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas) in Helena and earned a bachelor of business administration degree from Northeast Louisiana University (now the University of Louisiana-Monroe) in 1986. He began his professional career as an accountant for a Monroe accounting firm and became a

certified public accountant in 1989. In January 1991, he joined the PCCUA staff as controller and became vice chancel-lor for finance in March 1993, a position he held until July 2001. Jones left PCCUA to become vice president for finance at the Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tenn., before coming to UAM in 2006. Jones was the 2015 Drew County Man of the Year, the 2015 Arkansas Baptist Father of the Year, received the PCCUA Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2011, and is a current member of the board of directors of Economics Arkansas. He was named UAM Administrator of the Year in 2015 by the university chapter of Alpha Chi national collegiate honor society. He also served on the board of directors of the Memphis Union Mission, the board of directors of the Arkansas Higher Edu-cation Consortium, and is a former trea-surer for the city of West Helena. Active in the First Baptist Church of Monticello, Jones has served as chair of the finance and capital campaign committees, is a former member of a committee to redraft the church constitution, and is a member of the administrative leadership team.

A Man ForAll SeasonsJay Jones receives an honorary doctorate of humane letters after leading UAM as interim chancellor, providing a smooth transition to new leadership

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18 UAM Magazine

Listen

FAWLEY HAS LEARNED BOTH skills during a decade on the faculty in the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. “When I was younger, I used to get frustrated when I was not reaching a stu-dent,” Fawley admits. “I’ve learned patience through the years.” Patience – and the ability to listen and learn from her students – is why Fawley is the 2016 recipient of the Dan and Charlotte Hornaday Outstanding Faculty Award. Fawley is the third consecutive member of the math and science faculty to win the award, and Fawley thinks she knows why. “I’ve been at other places and what we have in math and sciences at UAM is un-usual,” she says. “We all get along, we talk to each other about what we’re teaching. It’s a team effort to help and nurture our students to be successful, whether they’re applying for medical school or pharmacy school, or some other graduate program. You just don’t see that kind of faculty cooperation at other schools.” “Karen is a rare combination,” says

LearnThe secret to good teaching is patience and the ability to listen, according to Dr. Karen Fawley.

Dr. Morris Bramlett, dean of the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences. “She is a brilliant scientist and researcher, but she is also an outstanding classroom teacher. The fact that she brings that re-search knowledge to the classroom makes her that much more effective as a teacher.” A native of Houston, Tex., Fawley joined the UAM faculty in 2006 and holds the rank of professor of biology. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin, a master’s degree from Old Dominion University, and a Ph.D., in botany from North Dakota State. She is part of a husband-and-wife teaching team at UAM. Her husband, Dr. Marvin Fawley, is a professor and assistant dean for science and research with degrees from Cornell, San Francisco State and Miami. The Fawley’s met while Karen was completing her Ph.D. at North Dakota State and have been married 17 years. Karen Fawley always wanted to be a scientist who concentrated on research, but at UAM, where research often takes a back seat to classroom teaching, Fawley has discovered both the challenges and rewards

of reaching students and influencing lives. “UAM is a teaching institution,” says Fawley. “I always wanted to be a scientist, but with that came teaching and I also wanted that hands-on experience with students. A lot of them are the first in their families to attend college and they really don’t know what they want to do. It’s very rewarding to watch these students grow and learn, to realize their potential. When you can reach a student who is struggling, when the light bulb goes on, it makes you feel great.” Fawley spends her summers conduct-ing research. She is currently involved in a project for the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission to identify species of flower-ing plants in the Ouachita Mountains. As for joining her science and math col-leagues, Drs. John Hunt and Jeff Taylor, as winners of the Hornaday Award, Fawley says she was honored to be nominated and surprised to win. “There are so many faculty on campus doing great work.” (The Hornaday Award was created in 2010 by a donation from UAM graduates Dan and Charlotte Hornaday to honor out-standing faculty.)

Summer 2016 19

20 UAM Magazine

SPORTS | NEWS

TLed by a slugging Canadian outfielder and a lock-down pitching staff, John Harvey’s Boll Weevils are conference champions

GAC Champions!L

THE UAM BASEBALL TEAM IS ON top of the Great American Conference after winning the 2016 GAC Tournament as the number two seed. The Boll Weevils erased all doubt as to who deserved the title of GAC champion by routing host Henderson State University 14-2 in the tournament finals. As UAM Magazine went to press, the Weevils were headed to St. Cloud, Minn., for their ssecond-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Central Regional Tournament, with the winner earning an invitation to the D-II College World Series in Cary, N.C. UAM made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014. It’s been a long road for sixth-year head coach John Harvey, who took over a struggling UAM program in 2011 and

transformed it into a winner. “I can’t begin to describe how proud I am of this group of guys,” said Harvey. “I had a feeling it was going to be a special group from the beginning, but we’re not done yet. I want to recognize all my former Weevils. This started with them.” The Weevils will take a 36-14 record into the NCAA Tournament and will

showcase one of the best players in Di-vision II baseball in rightfielder Corey Wood, a senior from Fredricton, New Brunswick, Canada. Wood was the GAC Player of the Year, the GAC Tournament MVP, and a finalist for national player of the year. Wood was a one-man wrecking crew, batting .355 while setting UAM and GAC records for home runs (22) and runs batted in (79). Wood was one of a school-record seven players named to the All-GAC team. He was joined on the first team by shortstop Evan Comeau (.335, 1 HR, 29 RBI), second baseman Nick Piraino (.352, 21 RBI), and pitcher Braden Chambers (11-0, 3.23 ERA). Named to the second team were catcher Travis Steinke (.282, 6 HR, 49 RBI) and pitcher Zach McKnight (8-2, 4.02 ERA) while left fielder Kevin Fitzpatrick (.337, 3 HR, 44 RBI) earned honorable mention honors. Harvey has built the Weevils with a roster that includes 21 homegrown Ar-kansans as well as five from Canada and the rest from surrounding states. In the GAC Tournament champion-ship game against Henderson State, Wood blasted a towering grand-slam home run over the right field scoreboard and nar-rowly missed a second grand-slam when his three-run double bounced off the cen-terfield wall as he drove in seven of UAM’s first eight runs. Designated hitter Guy Halbert added a solo home run, and behind the pitching of Grant Black, UAM took a 14-0 lead before the Reddies could dent the scoreboard. Black picked up the win before reliever Kregg Snook closed out the historic win.

SEASON TO REMEMBER The UAM baseball team celebrates after winning the 2016 Great Ameri-can Conference championship in Arkadelphia on May 14. Below, outfielder Corey Wood accepts the tournament MVP award from GAC Commissioner Will Prewitt.

Summer 2016 21

LLauren Johnson and Frida Rydberg are the first UAM women golfers to reach the NCAA Regionals

LAUREN JOHNSON AND FRIDA Rydberg recently became the first women golfers in University of Arkansas at Mon-ticello history to be selected to compete in the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships. Both qualified as individuals for the Central Region Championship Tourna-ment May 2-4 at the Awarii Dunes Golf Course in Axtell, Nebraska with Nebras-ka-Kearney serving as the host. Johnson, a junior from DeWitt, re-cently earned her second straight All-Great American Conference honor and finished 15th at the GAC Championships at the Hot Springs Country Club. Rydberg, a sophomore from Jarfalla, Sweden, also earned her second consecu-tive All-GAC honor this year, and finished ninth at the GAC championships. Each NCAA region consists of both team and individual competition. The top three teams and top three individuals not associated with a qualifying team advanced to the national championship tournament at Common Ground Golf Course in Au-rora, Colo. Throughout the 2015-16 regular season, Johnson and Rydberg went back-and-forth as the team leader, even tying each other in three different tournaments. In nine events during the fall and spring, Rydberg ended with a slight advantage in stroke average at 80.3 compared to John-son at 80.8. Rydberg posted six rounds under 80 and five top 10 finishes, while Johnson also had six rounds under 80 with six top 10 finishes.

Fore, Please!

Frida Rydberg

Lauren Johnson

Rydberg had per best outing of the year in September 2015, earning the top spot out of 28 participants at the Union Fall Classic in Jackson, Tenn. She helped the Blossoms win that event, competing against four other teams. Rydberg also posted three other top five finishes, coming in second in a dual tournament against Southern Arkansas, tying Johnson for fourth at the Buccaneer Spring Classic and most recently tying Johnson again for second at the Natural State Classic. Johnson, a junior from DeWitt, had three top five finishes, coming in second

to Rydberg at the Union Fall Classic and the ties with Rydberg at the Buc Spring Classic and the Natural State Classic. Both were recently named finalists for UAM’s female athlete of the year award. In addition to her All-GAC honor, Johnson also earned academic recogni-tion by being named a Crafton Tull Distinguished Scholar Athlete, an award presented to GAC championship tourna-ment participants with a 3.70 minimum cumulative grade point average and at least 70 completed hours. Johnson currently sports a 3.89 GPA, majoring in health and physical education.

Sept. 1 Northwestern Oklahoma State Alva, Okla. 7:00Sept. 10 SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE Monticello 6:00Sept. 17 Arkansas Tech Russellville 6:00Sept. 24 HARDING (Parent-Family Appreciation Day) Monticello 6:00Oct. 1 OKLAHOMA BAPTIST Monticello 3:00Oct. 8 Southern Nazarene Bethany, Okla. 1:00Oct. 15 Henderson State Arkadelphia 2:00Oct. 22 OUACHITA BAPTIST (Homecoming) Monticello 3:00Oct. 29 EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA Monticello 3:00Nov. 5 Southeastern Oklahoma State Durant, Okla. 2:00Nov. 12 SOUTHERN ARKANSAS Monticello 3:00

2016 UAM Football Schedule

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22 UAM Magazine

FOUNDATION | NEWS

$60,000 GiftDr. James Roiger continues to create a legacy of opportunity for future generations of students

DR. JAMES ROIGER, RETIRED CHAIR of the School of Computer Information Systems at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, recently presented a $60,000 gift to the UAM Foundation Fund to cre-ate three endowed scholarships. The scholarships are: • The Joseph P. and Katherine Roiger Communication Scholarship, named for Roiger’s paternal grandparents and designated for students majoring in com-munications; • The Raymond and Loretta Roiger Scholarship for Social Work Service, named for Roiger’s parents and designated for students admitted to the social work program; • The Frank and Catherine Hillesheim Forensics Scholarship, named for Roiger’s maternal grandparents and designated for students who are members of the UAM debate and forensics team; and • The Edward and Veronica Groebner Computer Information Systems Support Endowment. “We are pleased to accept this generous gift from Dr. Roiger,” said Jay Jones, interim vice chancellor for advancement and uni-versity relations. “This is just the latest in a long line of gifts made by Dr. Roiger to the Foundation Fund. Dr. Roiger is creating a lasting legacy of educational opportunity for future generations of UAM students.” Roiger’s previous gifts to the Founda-tion Fund include the Raymond O. and Loretta J. Roiger Chi Iota Sigma Schol-arship, established in 2008, the James F. Roiger Endowed Fund for Library Ac-

quisitions, created in 2009, and the James Roiger Computer Information Systems Scholarship, also established in 2009. Roiger joined the UAM faculty in 1993 after earning degrees from San Diego State University and the University of Arizona. Initially a member of the speech communications faculty, Roiger became the first chair of the School of Computer Information Systems in 1999. Roiger spent 21 years in the U.S. Navy, including active duty on the primary re-covery ships for Mercury astronauts Gus Grissom and John Glenn, as part of the naval quarantine during the Cuban mis-sile crisis in 1962, service in Vietnam in 1971-72, and during the Iranian hostage crisis in 1980. To make a contribution to the UAM Foundation Fund, contact the Office of Advancement and University Relations at (870) 460-1028.

Honoring Tim ChaseREMEMBERING UAM Dr. James Roiger (center) retired chair of the School of Computer Informa-tion Systems, continues to support the university through generous gifts to the Foundation. Pictured with Roiger are (left) Chancellor Karla Hughes and Jay Jones, interim vice chancellor for advancement and university relations.

A group of friends who grew up with the late Dr. Tim Chase have created an endowed scholarship fund in the name of their lifelong friend to honor his life and legacy. The Dr. Tim Chase Endowed Scholar-ship Fund will be used to create endowed scholarships to be given in perpetuity to students in the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, with preference given to students who plan to attend dental school. Dr. Chase was a 1985 UAM graduate who received a doctor of dentistry degree from the University of Tennessee, then returned to Monticello to establish a suc-cessful dental practice in his hometown. “This is a wonderful gift that honors a very special person,” said Jay Jones, vice chancellor for finance and administration and interim vice chancellor for advance-ment and university relations. “Tim Chase was a shining example of the possibilties awaiting our graduates. I can think of no one more deserving to be honored in this way than Tim.”

Summer 2016 23

STAR ATHLETE, COACH, MOLDER OF MEN

Carl Preston is remembered in a scholarship fund bearing his name

Family and friends of the late Carl Preston have created an endowment fund to honor the memory of one of UAM’s most beloved athletes and coaches. A $5,000 gift was recently presented to the UAM Foundation Fund to establish the Carl Preston Award. When the endowment reaches $15,000 in contributions, it will become the Carl Preston Endowed Scholarship and will be presented annually to a full-time student of any academic major, with first prefer-ence given to members of the Boll Weevil baseball team and second preference to members of the football team. Anyone interested in contributing to the Carl Preston Endowment Fund should contact Jay Jones, interim vice chancellor for ad-vancement and university relations, at (870) 460-1022. Carl Preston is a member of the UAM Sports Hall of Fame after a standout career as a member of three conference championship football teams in 1957, ‘58, and ‘63. He was offensive line coach and head baseball coach, winning a league baseball title in 1993.

A scholarship fund honoring a retir-ing UAM faculty member has reached endowed status. The Dr. Kathy Brown

King and Family En-dowed Graduate Scholarship wil l begin generating scholarships annu-ally, to be given to graduate students in the School of

Education. Scholarship recipients must have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education in either a licensure or non-licensure program, be fully admitted and enrolled in the master of arts in teaching (M.A.T.) program.

Kathy King Scholarship

CHAMPIONSHIP COACH The late Carl Preston (left) was all smiles after leading the UAM baseball team to the 1990 NAIA District 17 Tournament Championship in Magnolia. Preston also won the 1993 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference baseball title in 1993 and coached eight All-Americans as UAM’s offensive line coach from 1984 to 1997.

I want to join the UAM Foundation Fund!

Give by Mail or Online. Enclosed is my gift, which qualifies for membership in (check one):

$2,500 and above Unity & Movement Club

$1,000 – $2,499 Galaxy Club

$500 – $999 Emerald Club

$200 – $499 Loyalty Club

$100 – $199 Century Club

Other $

Use my gift where needed the most.

Restrict my gift to:

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24 UAM Magazine

Legacy Club ($2,500 +)Alvy and Nancy EarlyTony FakouriRick and Jennifer FutrellBob and Freddie LeeBrian and Kristi Moore

Varsity ClubSeth and Scarlett Barnes Darold DickersonCliff and Lisa GibsonEric and Janet GriderBrad and Kelli KoenJulia NicholsonTim and Debbie PruittBill and Mary WhitingJimmie and Linda Yeiser

Coaches CircleRonnie and Betty McFarlandWayne and Mellie Jo OwenCarl and Sue Roebuck

Green – White ClubBarrett and Meri Whitney

BrownJune CarterRyan and Allison Collins – Collins Chiropractic CenterDenase Harris – Diversified

Computer ResourcesDNB Engineering, Inc.George and Judy HarrisDean HillJerry GibsonLouis and Carol JamesLee and Barbie JohnsonWil and Sheila MaxwellGene and Harriette MazzantiCraig and Andrea MerrellDrew and Kim Merrell – Maximum Forestry, LLCSteve and Debbie MorrisonPatricia NicholsonGary and Betsy OrrJohnny Pierce – Johnny’s

Wrecker ServiceChris and Andrea RatcliffWayne RichRoger and Amy RievesBennie and Carita RyburnJoe Don and Diane SamplesSearcy and Associates, LLCKenny and Patty ShippJimmy and Candace ThomasonMark and Debbie TinerMarsha Williams-WalkerFred and Loetta Williams –

Dumas Motor Company

Ring of ChampionsDanny and Stefanie BarberBlair BrownRussell BullochKelton and Betty BusbyBarry and Stacey DavisChip and Angie DurhamKen and Betsy EllisLarry and Shirley FisackerlyAlvin and Diane FordChuck and Patti GriffithDon and Katy HartleyJohn and Jaime HarveyHani and Debra HashemBuck and Bennie Henderson –

Mr. Bug Pest ControlHud and Patricia JacksonMark and Catherine KarnesKelly and Anna KoonceJack and Judy LassiterJames and Tamara LedbetterChris and Sage LoydKyle LuebkeM.L. MannBrad MayfieldJohn McCordRalph and Ruth McKnightMike McWhorter – M&M

Trucking, Inc.Barry MullenOptimum Agriculture, LLC –

Pine Bluff, ARGeorge and Mary OwensJeff and Sally OwyoungAdam PatrickJeff PopeWesley Reeves, Jr.Richard and Eddye Ann

ReinhartJohnny and Tracy RichardsonSean and Caroline RochelleWoody and Judy SmitheyDaniel and Amanda StegerDavid and Barbara StoverCharles and Martha Sum-

merfordMax TerrellMike and Lori Wigley

Weevil – Blossom ClubLaura AbeytaLynn and Charlotte AinsworthLamar and Monica AldridgeArkansas Pulpwood Company,

Inc.Whit and Amanda BartonRonnie and Janey BeetschenMike Berry

Jon and Stephanie BierbaumDavid BlackJerry BolinStephen BoydJim and Susan BrewerTerry Dan and Joan BullockRuth BultemeyerKelly BurdeauWayne and Lil ByrdRay CampMae CarpenterJames and Linda ChambersShirley ChamblissChris and Lisa ChapmanJohn and Janis ClaroKaren ClemmerEva ColemanKyle and Melodie ColwellEric Cox Victoria Cox Randy and Rita CressPeter CruzGlen and Cheryl DelafieldWilliam and Jeannette DickeyJim DillieBarbara DorseyRichard and Ellen DunnSheila DunnSeth DuttonBrian and Nanci EarlyKent and Ashley EarlyPreston and Sloane EarlyMichael EfirdFairwinds Auto Sales – DeWitt,

ARJoe and Julie FakouriSteve and Rebecca FeathersFeta Metrics, Inc.Steve and Terri Fleming Glenn FontenotKellye Heflin FosterTommy FowlerGene and Mary Ann FranklinJohn and Debra FreeAnthony and Lisa FulghamJ.W. and Pat GavinTonya GavinJohn and Martha GibsonGlen and Mary Jane GilbertReginald and Dorothy GloverBJ and Brenda GoforthPam GoforthMeg GoughMary Ann GraddyLarry and Brenda GrahamTim and June GreenleeMary GriffinPaul and Kami GriffinTruman and Mary HamiltonWerner Haney

Brian and Heather HargisGladys HarkeyJohn HarmonJoey HartleyMike HartleyDarren and Shelly HartnessLarry and Sue HeddenHugh and Linda HeflinHugo and Julia HeflinJay Hefner and Beth HillAmber HernandezPhillip HerringBen and Heather HestleyCheryl HigginsBilly HinkleLee and Sandra HollifieldBert and Lisa HopgoodDan and Charlotte HornadayEd and Claudia HorvathEric and Candace HowardJon HowellThomas HowellJay and Laura HughesKaren JamesRobert Johnson, Sr.Ronald KaiwiDonna KarlKBS Photography – DeWitt,

ARThomas KeithKyle KilgoreJamie and Betty KimbroughJay and Leigh KimbroughShirley KirchoffDon KittlerK&K Veterinary SupplyJohn KnightChris and Zada KoenDon and Kate KoenNeal and Sandra KuglerJoe and Stacy LandonKent and Robin LangDale LassiterShirley LaurenceBob and Kim LeeDebbie and Roy LesterKaren LintonKim LovelaceBob and Alecia LuckyPaulette LumRandy and Valerie MarrPam MartinBob and Markey MayMitchell MayPhillip and Sammi MayBrett and Ginger McFaddenRobert and Dorothy McKenzieDonald and Tona McKieverWJ and Charlotte McKieverJohnny McMurry

David McPhersonJim McPhersonLisa McPhersonMary McPhersonMary McWhorterMichael and Kimberly MerrittTay MillenRachelle MitchellRick and Mary MobleyMary Alice MooreMitchell Musgrove – Musgrove

Forestry Service, Inc. Earnest NajorkaDavid and Monica NapierDavid NicholasLarry and Kathy NipperChuck and Cindy NormanBret and Lisa NuttOaktree Animal Hospital – Dr.

Scarlette WhiteAnne OharaRick and Donna OwensChase and Paisley OwyoungRonnie and Rita ParnellBrian and Taua PatrickMelessa PeelMikie PeelMark and Diane PenningtonKeith and Becky PhillipsTommy PiercePhillip PieriniMichael PirainoScott and Karen PlaceDeLores PoliteCharles and Susan PollartPaula PollartRonnie and Melissa PoolDenise PowellCurt and Andrea PrestonWhitney PriceDavid and Joan PruittBrian RamseyMary RayTanya RayMatthew ReavesMarty ReepWesley and Debbie ReevesConnie RiceGarry and Margaret RoccaforteJim and Elgenia RossWanda RothwellAlana RowlandRaymond RowlandPaul and Amy RussellScott and Mistye SaffoldRobin and Carole Sanders –

Skiles ConstructionJesse and Sarah SantoRyan SchmidgallBetty Schrimpf

Trent and Meghan ScoginTom and Colleen SearsClark and Sandy SextonKyle ShippDave SiglerStephanie SizemoreJanell SkilesConnie SmithGary and Patty SmithJerry and Jeanette SmithRusty SmithBarbara SnookCarolyn SnookEdward and Dorothy SnookMary SolizCleo StandfordAnthony and Leah StanfordBrian and Jan StephensonSteve’s Body and Frame – Cros-

sett, ARTommy TaylorNick TempleAlice TheisClaudette ThomasBill ThurmanJoyce TimKyle and Lisa TolinDennis and Pamela TowJim TrimmGvona and LaCeasha TurnerMarcel VincentLinda WalkerCody and Heather WallKeith WallisHoward and Linda WellsJames WestDean WetzlerMatt and Johannah WhitingBettie WilliamsJulie WilliamsKaren WisenerKathy WitmerDr. Barbara WoodJeremy and Becca WoodallLaquita WrayKristie WrightFred Yawn

Gifts listed were received from July 1, 2015 through April 30, 2016

MEMBER LIST 2015-16UAM SPORTS ASSOCIATION | FOUNDATION

INDIVIDUAL DONORSCLUB DONORS | FOUNDATION

Summer 2016 25

The UAM Foundation donors list

includes alumni, friends and other

contributors whose gifts were received

January 1 – April 30, 2016. Please

report any corrections to Jay Jones at

(870) 460-1022 or jonesj@uamont.edu

Unity & Movement Club $2,500 or moreDr. Laura K. Evans

Dr. Kathy B. King

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth D. Mann

Mr. Lester Pinkus

Mr. and Mrs. Randall S. Risher

Dr. James F. Roiger

Galaxy Club $1,000-$2,499Mr. and Mrs. Jay Hughes

Ms. Debbie McKnight

Mr. Kent L. McRae

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Reinhart

Dr. and Mrs. Sean Rochelle

Mr. and Mrs. Scotty D. Watkins

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Whiting, Sr.

Emerald Club $500-$999Dr. Joseph M. Bramlett

Dr. Robert S. Graber

Mrs. Jean B. Hendrix

Mr. Dean Hill, Sr.

Mr. William “Hud” Jackson

Dr. Louis J. James

Ms. Angela J. Marsh

Hon. and Mrs. Eugene J. Mazzanti

Mr. Timothy R. Pruitt

Mr. and Mrs. Cedric Williams

Loyalty Club $200-$499Ms. Cynthia L. Adair

Dr. Gregory A. Borse

Mr. James L. Brewer

Mr. J. Blair Brown

Ms. Jacqueline D. Bryant

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph T. Bullock

Mr. and Mrs. Andy Davis

Mr. and Mrs. Barry Davis

Mr. and Mrs. Kent Davis

Ms. Memorie S. Dickson

Ms. Christine L. Felts

Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Gavin

Mr. Jerry D. Gibson

Drs. Glen and Mary Jane Gilbert

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Graham

Dr. and Mrs. Gene Gulledge

Mr. John Harmon

Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Harper

Ms. Christine L. Harris

Mr. and Mrs. John Harvey

Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Higgins

Dr. Carl B. Johnston

Mr. Jay S. Jones

Mr. Scott R. Kuttenkuler

Mr. Glen Manning

Mr. and Mrs. Brett McFadden

Mr. Mike McWhorter

Mr. and Mrs. James Moore

Mr. Barry K. Mullen

Mr. Mitchell Musgrove

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Orr

Mr. and Mrs. George Owens, Sr.

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Patrick

Mr. and Mrs. Tommy E. Poole

Mr. and Mrs. M.L. Preston

Ms. Matti J. Palluconi

Ms. Linda F. Rushing

Ms. Lisa Shemwell

Dr. Christopher Sims

Ms. Shela F. Upshaw

Mr. Austin Williams

Century Club $100-$199Mr. and Mrs. Harley Beckwith

Mrs. Betty Blankenship

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Carlton

Ms. Patti J. Carter

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Chastain

Mrs. Bonnie Christmas

Mrs. Marilyn Dvoracek

Mr. Jimmy S. Finley

Ms. Diana K. Hackney

Mr. and Mrs. Billy Hinkle

Ms. Kelly James

Mr. and Mrs. J. Ted Jenkins

Mr. and Mrs. Levin Johnson

Mr. Michael Keim

Mr. Tommy Kessler

Mr. and Mrs. S. Lee Kindle

Ms. Katie Koen

Mr. and Mrs. W.J. McKiever

Mr. Reno Moore

Mr. Quinton L. Morgan

Mr. and Mrs. David Napier

Ms. Anna Nimmo

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Owen

Mr. and Mrs. Rick G. Owens

Mr. Floyd L. Pittman III

Alice-Sidney DryerArkansas Division Ouachita – Society of American ForestersClearwater PaperCommercial Bank & Trust Co.DNB EngineeringDeltic Timber CorporationDrew Central High School Class of 1961ExxonMobil FoundationFeta Metrics, Inc.First National Bank of McGeheeK-K Veterinary SupplyM & M TruckingMcGehee BankMcQueen & Co., Ltd.Milner/Owyoung Insurance GroupMonsanto FundMullen EnterprisesMurphy OilOklahoma United Methodist FoundationReinhart FarmsThe Risher Companies SEARK Concert AssociationSilvicraft, Inc.Southeast Chapter of ASCPASoutheast Development FoundationState Farm Insurance CompaniesUAM African American Alumni AssociationUAM Institute of Management AccountantsUnion Bank & Trust Co.

Mrs. Mary K. Rhodes

Mr. and Mrs. Benny Roark

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy H. Smith

Ms. Cathola Stewart

Mr. Michael Stewart

Mr. H. Christoph Stuhlinger

Dr. Philip A. Tappe

Mrs. Katharine A. Wells

Mr. and Mrs. Matt Whiting

Mr. and Mrs. James Wilson

Mr. William B. Wyrick

Dr. and Mrs. Jimmie Yeiser

Business & Corporate Donors

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26 UAM Magazine

COLLEGES OF TECHNOLOGY | NEWS

A SHORTAGE OF TRAINED DIESEL MECHANICS AND TECHNICIANS HAS prompted the University of Arkansas at Monticello to create a Diesel Technology and CDL Train-ing Academy, offering classes beginning with the 2016 fall semester at its campuses in Monticello and McGehee. The academy was the idea of Bob Ware, vice chancellor of the UAM College of Technology-McGehee, who conducted extensive visits with business and industry leaders in southeast Arkansas in search of ideas for new programs vital to the region. “What they told me was how desperate they were for trained diesel mechanics and technicians as well as drivers with commercial drivers licenses,” said Ware. “They had lots of jobs available but no one to fill them. They were sending people out of state to receive training that wasn’t available in Arkansas.” Diesel technicians are in demand to service farm equipment, tractor-trailers, oil rigs, power plants, cargo ships, construction vehicles and school buses. “Last year the state school bus inspector grounded hundreds of buses because there were not enough mechanics to fix them,” Ware noted. “Schools are spending thousands of dollars to have their buses towed to Little Rock or Memphis to be repaired.” The academy will offer two options, a technical certificate requiring three semesters of instruc-tion, and a certificate of proficiency, which may be completed in one semester. According to Ware, the McGehee campus will hire a certified diesel instructor who will teach at both the McGehee and Monticello locations. For more information, contact Sharon Cantrell at (870) 460-2106.

Going Diesel at McGeheeA shortage of diesel mechanics has opened up a new opportunity for the UAM College of Technology-McGehee

HANDS ON Automotive technology has long been a staple of the McGehee campus, Now students will have the opportunity to repair diesel engines at the Diesel Technology and CDL Training Academy.

Three staff members from the UAM College of Technology-McGehee recently attended a two-day ACT Work Ready Communities Academy in Atlanta, Ga. Tawana Jones-Greene, director of the Upward Bound Pre-College Program, Dorissa Kaufman, director of adult edu-cation, and Amanda Kuttenkuler, project coordinator, took part in the academy, which provided training on how to become a Work Ready Community and how the initiative benefits employers and workers. “This initiative is exactly what South-east Arkansas needs,” said Kuttenkuler. “Our region has been overlooked for a long time. This is our chance to create strong, work ready communities that can make a difference in the types of business and industries that come to our region.” According to Kuttenkuler, an ACT Work Ready Community has a percentage of employers who agree to recommend to applicants and current employees the advantages of earning a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC). The NCRC includes examinations in reading for information, locating information, and applied math. Certificates are awarded based on test scores at four levels – plati-num, the highest level, gold, silver and bronze. According to Kuttenkuler, ACT has profiled over 20,000 jobs certifying which skills and certificate levels are necessary to accomplish a particular job. If an em-ployer’s jobs are listed in the currently profiled jobs they may use this informa-tion. Employers also have the option to request a profile of a particular job.

WORK READY

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Summer 2016 27

SPOTLIGHT | ALUMNI NEWS

FORMER UAM LINEBACKER ART Kaufman has coached football from coast to coast since leading the Boll Weevils to the 1979 Arkansas Intercollegiate Confer-ence championship. Kaufman is now in his third season as the defensive coordinator and at the University of California-Berkley and in his first campaign working directly with the Golden Bears’ linebackers in 2016 in his 35th season as a collegiate coach. Kaufman’s defense made significant improvements in his second campaign in Berkeley to help the  Bears to  an 8-5 record to give Cal its first eight-win season

Dr. Anthony K. Grafton (BS ‘93), as-sociate dean of faculty and professor of chemistry at Lyon College, was awarded the Lamar Williamson Prize for Excellence in Teaching for Lyon’s 2014-15 academic year. The College awards this prize an-nually to the faculty member considered the most outstanding in four categories: professional competence, scholarly ability, exemplary humane values, and contribu-tions to the community. Grafton earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Oklahoma and joined the Lyon College faculty in 2003. He is a physical chemist with expertise in molecular modeling and computational chemistry. His research in-volves modeling chiral systems and small enzyme inhibitors. Outside the classroom, Grafton helps direct the annual Service Day activities, teaches in the APPLE program, and volunteers as a Cub Scout leader.

Dr. Anthony K. Grafton Bringing teaching excellence to the Lyon classroom

CoachingOdysseyFrom the SEC to the ACC to the Pac-12, Art Kaufman has coached everywhere

since the 2009 team was 8-5 with only 17 squads since the beginning of Cal football in 1882-83 winning either nine or 10. Cal capped its season with its first bowl victory since 2008 in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl with the spot in postseason play its first since 2011. Kaufman coached three honorable mention All-Pac-12 selections that each started all 13 games in 2015. Kaufman became Cal’s defensive coordinator in January of 2014 after hav-ing developed some of the top defenses in the country at multiple stops over his 33-year collegiate career. He is in his 14th

campaign as a defensive coordinator at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level in 2015, having previously served in the role at Cincinnati, North Carolina, Mississippi and Texas Tech. Kaufman was nominated for the prestigious Broyles Award given annually to college football’s top assistant coach both at North Carolina in 2011 and Texas Tech in 2012. “I feel like we took a few steps to becom-ing a better defense in 2014 and that our defense will continue to improve quickly,” Kaufman said. “I’m looking forward to building a strong defense that will make significant contributions to our success.”

GRAFTON HONORED Dr. Anthony K. Grafton (left) receives the Lamar Williamson Prize for Excellence in Teaching at Lyon College. Making the presentation is Dr. Phil Acree Cavalier, vice president for academic services and dean of the faculty.

28 UAM Magazine

Friends We’ll MissTammy Meeks Bolin (AAS ’08) of Monticello,

April 22, 2016. Aubrey Brad Bradberry (AN ’74) of Gould, Janu-

ary 19, 2016.Cherie Erwin Bradford (BSE ’50) of Warren, Janu-

ary 25, 2016.Dr. Timothy David Chase (BS ’85) of Monticello,

April 15, 2016Andrea Resharlon Coleman (TC ’00) of Conway,

December 24, 2015.Rev. Jefferson E. Davis, Jr. (BA ’48) of Sulphur

Springs, TX, December 29, 2015.Sandra Kay Whitaker Davis (BSE ’68) of Little

Rock, June 4, 2015.David Eubanks of Monticello, January 26, 2016.William G. (Bill) Gibson of Lake Jackson, Tex.,

January 3, 2016.Charlsie Prestridge Hayes of Monticello, May 1,

2016.Romanda Michelle Spencer Jordan of Monticello,

March 30, 2016.Lois Reep Lack of Monticello, April 10, 2016.Rebecca J. “Becky” Nichols Lincoln (BA ’76) of

Benton, April 18, 2019.William C. (Bill) McClintock, Sr., of Sherwood,

August 20, 2015.Edward Ansel Meiggs (BS ’83) of Pine Bluff, De-

cember 21, 2015.Elizabeth (Betty) Ann Mosher (BA ’45) of Rapid

River, Mich., January 27, 2016.James Edward Noble (TC ’87) of Longview, Tex.,

January 24, 2016.Owen Michael (Mike) Pace (BA ’78) of Wilmar,

March 16, 2016.Elizabeth Meeks Pierce (BS ’56) of Prattville, Ala.,

April 19, 2015.Melissa Ann Blocksom Rushing of Monticello,

October 28, 2015.Janis Sweet Burt Smith of Glen Rose, April 24, 2016.Barbara Sue Speakman of Baxter, Tenn., March

18, 2016.James William Willis, (BA ’62) of Little Rock, AR,

April 25, 2016.Vernon C. Wills of Hot Springs, October 27, 2015.Jerry Donald Woodall (BS ’79) of Monticello, April

10, 2016.Maureen Divine Mezger Work of Sacramento, Calif.,

February 13, 2016.

1970’sTommy Maxwell (BBA ‘71), president and CEO of Maxwell Flooring in Mon-ticello, was recently elected as the chair of the Hardwood Federation Public Action Committee Board of Directors.Deena Coston (BS ’77) has joined the staff of the Dale Bumpers College of Ag-ricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas as finance officer. In her U of A role, Coston will manage all financial transactions and obligations for campus funds allocated to the Bumpers College, providing oversight of campus allocations to departmental budget units within the college, and coordinating with financial officers in the Division of Agri-culture for management and policies of oversight in jointly funded units. Coston joins the Bumpers College on April 18 after working as controller for Central Arkansas Water in Little Rock since 2003.

Class NewsALUMNI NEWS

KEEPING IN TOUCH THROUGH THE YEARS

ALUMNI NEWS

1990’sDr. William “Tony” Thurman (BS ’93), Cabot Public Schools superintendent, participated in a Lifetouch Memory Mis-sion® to build a school in the Dominican Republic in January, 2016. The school is being built for the children and families in a small, mountainous farming community.Alex Mannis (B.A. ’98) of Little Rock is one of 75 winners of the 2015 Elijah Watt Sells Award given by The American Institute of CPAs who have obtained a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination, passed all four sections of the Examination on their first attempt and completed testing in 2015. A total of 93,742 individuals sat for the Examina-tion in 2015, with 75 candidates meeting the criteria to receive the Elijah Watt Sells Award. Mannis is currently employed with the Arkansas Legislative Audit.

Summer 2016 29

Luke Michael Hollatz, born October 22, 2015, to Melissa K. O’Connor (BA ‘95) and Brad Hollatz of Lewis-ville, Tex.

Brooks Davis Kelnhofer, born June 18, 2015, to Ashley (Hughes) and Nicholas J. Kelnhofer (’08 M.ED) of Monticello.

Wee WeevilsALUMNI NEWS

WELCOMING THE CLASS OF 2038

LUKE MICHAEL HOLLATZ

Patton Tucker Roberts, born July 23, 2015, to Michele (Hoover) (BBA ’05) and David Roberts of Monticello.

Vivienne Hazel Grace Young, born October 19, 2015, to Hope (McEach-ern) (BSN ’10) and Clay W. Young (BSN ’09) of Monticello.

Save The DatesParent-Family Appreciation DaySaturday, September 24

Homecoming 2016Saturday, October 22

University of Arkansas at MonticelloAlumni AssociationP.O. Box 3597Monticello, AR 71656

The Boll Weevils celebrate after beating Henderson State 14-2 in the GAC Tournament Finals.

GAC Baseball Champions!