Arkansas: Winter 2014 by Arkansas Alumni Association

ARKANSAS

Winter 2014 Vol. 64, No. 2

Exclusively for members of the Arkansas Alumni Association, Inc.

Exclusively for members of the Arkansas Alumni Association, Inc. Winter 2014 Vol. 64, No. 2

Scanning History

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LASER PRECISION FOR TIME

When a film company needed expertise in laser-scanning, they turned to the University of Arkansas and got help answering ancient questions about the Pyramids of Giza, the city of Petra and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

HELPING THOSE LIKE HIMSELF

When alumnus Roman Ruiz finished his master’s degree in higher education, he wanted to find ways to help students like himself who had faced economic and social hardships. He’s now solving those questions at Penn.

ARKANSAWYER’S GIFT GUIDE

Still looking for stocking stuffers? We round up a list of gifts — some real, some fanciful — for the person who has everything. Instead of Hammacher Schlemmer, think of it as Wooo Hogmacher Sooiemer. Campus View Picture This On the Hill Profile Associations Greek Life Razorback Road Yesteryear Senior Walk Last Look

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Winter 2014

Exclusively for members of the Arkansas Alumni Association, Inc.

ON THE COVER Malcolm Williamson Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt for the documentary television series Time Scanners. See page 14.

CAMPUS VIEW

ARKANSAS Publisher Arkansas Alumni Association Executive Director Brandy Cox ★ MA ‘07 Editor Charlie Alison ★ BA’82 MA’04

Student. Professor. Dean. Alma mater offers new world for English

This is my second fall semester as dean of the College of Engineering, and I am still humbled, honored and amazed that I am able to serve in this position. I was a student here, and then a faculty member, and the chance to return to my alma mater as dean of engineering feels like a dream come true. Last summer, I returned to a university that is very different from the one I left. Enrollment has skyrocketed and new buildings are transforming our landscape. The university’s vision of becoming a top 50 public institution has injected a new energy into our campus. These changes have happened on the college level, as well. In the past few years, the student population of the College of Engineering has become larger, but it has also become more diverse. We’ve experienced this growth without sacrificing our academic standards. This is no accident; it’s a result of a strategic effort by our recruiting office to spread the word about the benefits of an engineering degree. This semester, the College of Engineering saw record-breaking numbers of female and minority students in its freshman class. In fact, 53 percent of our new freshmen are from groups considered underrepresented in engineering. At the same time, the average ACT score of our new freshman class is higher than ever. We want to make sure we can offer these students a top-notch engineering education, and the college has made a lot of progress in the past few years. We also have big plans for the future. One of our recent accomplishments was the establishment of a biomedical engineering department. Only a couple years old, this department is already attracting students and producing graduates. Our biomedical engineering faculty have received large research grants from the National Science Foundation

and the National Institutes of Health. In the College of Engineering, we take our research mission very seriously. When I became dean, one of the first items on my to-do list was to establish a task force to determine the strongest research areas in our college. I’m pleased to say that this task force succeeded, and they produced a report outlining our research strengths and providing recommendations. In order to carry those out, the college appointed an associate dean for research. I’m very proud and excited to see what the College of Engineering has accomplished since I’ve been here, and I look forward to what the future holds. Our current project is a new strategic plan. We’re taking a close look at all aspects of our college, from the experience we give our students to the resources we provide our faculty to the impact we can have on our community. I’ve seen the U of A College of Engineering from many different perspectives, as a student, a professor and an alumnus. But nothing beats the experience of being dean. I get to talk to prospective students who are excited about the potential of studying engineering; I get to see current students win awards and succeed at our rigorous curriculum. I get to learn about the innovative work our faculty are doing in the lab, and I get to witness the impact our alumni have in their fields. I’m overwhelmed at the value of the education we provide—it changes our students and it helps them change the world. Go Hogs!

Associate Editor Tammy W. Tucker ✪+ BA’97 MA’03 Creative Director Amanda Cothren ✪ Photo Editor Russell Cothren ✪ Photographers Matthew Reynolds Logan Webster Writers & Contributors Andy Albertson MFA’13 Chris Branam ★ MA’11 Scott Flanagin Jennifer Holland ★ MED’08 Camilla Shumaker BA’01 MFA’09 Michelle Parks BA’94 Darinda Sharp BA’94 MS’99 MA’05 David Speer BA’75 Kevin Trainor BA’94 MA’05 Steve Voorhies ★ MA’78 Advertising Coordinator Catherine Baltz ✪+ BS’92 MED’07 MEMBERSHIP SYMBOLS Key is located on the first page of Senior Walk. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor are accepted and e ncouraged. Send letters for publication to Arkansas Magazine, Office of University Relations, 200 Davis Hall, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 or by e-mail to editor@uark.edu. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and may be edited for length. Typewritten letters are preferred. Anonymous letters will not be published. Submission does not guarantee publication. Arkansas, The Magazine of the Arkansas Alumni Association (ISSN 1064-8100) (USPS 009-515) is published quarterly by the Arkansas Alumni Association, Inc. at 491 North Razorback Road, Fayetteville, AR 72701. Annual membership dues are $45 (single) or $50 (couple) of which a portion is allocated for a subscription to Arkansas. Single copies are $6. Editing and production are provided through the U of A Office of University Relations. Direct inquiries and information to P.O. Box 1070, Fayetteville, AR 727021070, phone (479) 575-2801, fax (479) 575-5177. Periodical postage paid at Fayetteville, AR, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to P.O. Box 1070, F ayetteville, AR 72702-1070. ARKANSAS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Mission Statement The Arkansas Alumni Association connects and serves the University of Arkansas Family. Vision Statement The Arkansas Alumni Association will be nationally recognized as a model alumni relations program. Value Statement The Arkansas Alumni Association values: • service • excellence • collaboration • relationships • diversity • learning • creativity Arkansas Winter 14-264 Cover photo courtesy of Atlantic Productions. All other photos by University Relations unless noted. Please recycle this magazine or share it with a friend.

John English Dean, College of Engineering

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

Learning Never Stops Lifelong learning, personal growth and well being make retirement living at BTV just that â€“ truly living. Respecting Tradition. Embracing Tomorrow.

Lewis E. Epley, Jr. U of A Alumnus 1961 B.S.P.A. 1961 Juris Doctor 2011 Honorary Doctor of Laws

1923 E. Joyce Boulevard Fayetteville, Ark. 479.695.8012 butterfieldtrailvillage.org

Razorback Athletics Communications

PICTURE THIS

Breaking the Drought The Arkansas Razorbacks celebrate their win over Louisiana State University by a shutout score of 17-0 as fans across the nation breathed a sigh of jubilation. The Hogs’ defense stymied LSU at every turn, and the offense under Brandon Allen’s leadership picked its way through a very solid LSU defense to give Coach Bret Bielema his first win over an SEC opponent and to bring home the “Golden Boot,” the trophy whose shape — the maps of Arkansas and Louisiana stacked — looks lie a boot. The Arkansas-LSU rivalry dates back to 1901, and the “Golden Boot” was introduced in 1996.

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

ON THE HILL

Chakhalian Awarded $1.8 Million to Create Novel Quantum Materials Jak Chakhalian, a professor of physics, has been selected as an investigator by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which is now developing a $1.8 million grant to support Chakhalian’s research. The five-year grant will allow Chakhalian to create and investigate novel quantum materials and the relationships at the interface between those materials on the nanoscale. It will fund a state-of-the-art facility to grow artificial quantum materials at the atomic scale, with the ultimate goal of controlling their properties. His findings could represent a breakthrough in the field of exotic magnetism and high temperature superconductivity. Chakhalian’s project was funded after an intense national competition conducted by the Moore Foundation, based in Palo Alto, California. Chakhalian was among those who were invited to enter the competition by the foundation. The Moore Experimental Investigators in Quantum Materials program awarded a total of $34.2 million to 19 scientists at 11 universities across the United States, including Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Princeton, Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “I’m very excited,” Chakhalian said. “This is amazing. It was a strong competition. Most importantly, any award is like an allowance given to a scientist. Money enables the science but it doesn’t do the science, so there is exciting, hard work ahead and a lot of responsibility that comes with this award.”

“This Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation grant confirms what we have known for some time, that Jak Chakhalian is a world-class physicist,” said Sharon Gaber, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “The University of Arkansas aspires to become a national leader in the field of nanoscience, and Dr. Chakhalian’s work will enable us to move closer to that goal.” Quantum materials are substances in which the collective behavior of electrons leads to many emergent properties, such as high-temperature superconductivity and exotic forms of magnetism. New discoveries in this field could eventually lead to revolutionary applications in electronics, computing, catalysis and energy technology. Chakhalian holds the Charles E. and Clydene Scharlau Endowed Professorship in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and directs the Laboratory for Artificial Quantum Materials at the University of Arkansas. He joined the physics faculty in 2006 after a three-year fellowship at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Germany. He holds a doctorate in solid state physics from the University of British Columbia. n

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Award-Winning Photographer Presents Lecture on Growing Up Latino in the U.S.

The award-winning When describing what photojournalist José inspires his work, Galvez Galvez presented a lecture writes, “My photography in September, hosted by feels organic to me, arising the Latino and Latino from my very blood. From American Studies program the moment I bought my with support from the first pawn-store camera as a Departments of History teenager, I pivoted to capture and English. my barrio, my familia, and For over 40 years, José our everyday lives.” Galvez has used blackIn Shine, Galvez used and-white photography to spoken word and his own document the cultures and striking black-and-white everyday lives of Latinos images to trace his personal and Latinas in the United story, from the barrios States. Galvez spent 20 years of Tucson to his success working as a photojournalist as an award-winning and was the first Mexican documentarian of Latino American photographer at life in the U.S. the Los Angeles Times. In Since 2004, José Galvez 1984, Galvez and a team has focused his efforts of fellow photographers on capturing the Latino and writers from the Times experience in the South. In were the first-ever Mexican 2005 Galvez and his wife Americans to receive a Anne received funding from Pulitzer Prize, awarded for the National Association their series on Latino life in of Latino Arts and Culture Southern California. Galvez (supported by the Ford is the author or co-author Foundation and J.P. Morgan of several volumes. His Chase) for the photography/ first book, Vatos, (written oral history project: “Land in collaboration with of Opportunity: Latino Luis Alberto Urrea), was Entrepreneurs in North recognized by the American Carolina.” A related exhibit Library Association. He of Galvez’s photographs, “Al co-authored Beloved Land: Norte al Sur: Latino Life in An Oral History of Mexican the South,” features images of In one of Jose Galvez’ photos at Durham, North Carolina, Maximiliano HernanAmericans in Southern Latinos in North and South dez holds up an American flag during a demonstration against Arizona law 1070, also called the “Show me your papers” law. Arizona (2004) with Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama historian Patricia Martin; he and Georgia and is currently published Shine Boy in 2009; and he served as the senior photo editor on display in the West Hallway of Mullins Library’s main floor. An exhibit of (and contributor to) Americanos: Latino Life in the United States, a of his photograph, “Al Norte al Sur: Latino Life in the South,” was also on multi-media exhibition headed by Edward James Olmos. display during September on the main floor of Mullins Library. n

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ON THE HILL

Bill Nye, the Science Guy, Draws Record Crowd Bill Nye entertained a record crowd of students, faculty and parents who filled Barnhill Arena to capacity recently, telling the crowd that the “joy of discovery” is the essence of science. “It’s why you’re at the university,” he said to roaring applause. More than 7,500 people gathered at Barnhill Arena to hear Nye. A scientist, educator, engineer, comedian, author and inventor, Nye began explaining the fundamentals of science to a generation of youngsters during the 1990s, and they are now in college, as excited about science as Nye. “I got here at 3:30 because I’ve watched Bill Nye all my life,” said Sam McLemore, a sophomore electrical engineering major from Atlanta. “When I saw he was coming to the University of Arkansas, I wanted to be on the front row. I figure he’s going to blow our minds for the next few hours.”

“I watched Bill Nye since I was a kid,” said Megan Clark, a graduate student in the creative writing program. She also watched Nye recently in a televised debate with a proponent of creation science. “We all watched the debate he had with the creationist guy. I’m really interested in the political aspects of what he has to say.” Sitting alongside Clark was Alice Otto, another student in the creative writing program. Otto, who recently received an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Arkansas Arts Council, said, “I hope he confuses us, and then enlightens us.” Nye didn’t disappoint in either enlightenment or inspiration. “I want the United States to lead the world,” Nye said. “If we address climate change with policy, that’s one thing. But if we address it with innovation, that’s the way we change the world.” n

The University of Arkansas continues to increase the percentage of students who graduate within six years. The graduation rate improved to 62.3 percent for students who entered the university as freshmen in the fall of 2008. Last year’s graduation rate, by federal definitions, was 60.1 percent. “This is great news for the University of Arkansas,” said Chancellor G. David Gearhart. “It’s not a sprint, but a marathon, to attain higher graduation rates and we’re seeing the results of many improvements including the increased academic potential of our student body. Our graduation rate is important. It’s the reason we’re here – to help people attain a college degree – and it’s also one of the measures by which we can demonstrate to our stakeholders our quality, value and success. I

want to commend Provost Sharon Gaber and her group for their efforts in this positive growth.” In 2010, Provost Sharon Gaber appointed a task force to refocus the institution’s efforts. It identified a number of potential barriers to student success. Following up on the recommendations of the group, Gaber initiated a plan that included increased academic tutoring and support, additional professional advisers to help counsel students toward graduation, review of university policies on registration holds and student debt to the institution, and enhanced financial management information for students. The university is aiming for 66 percent by 2015. n

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U of A Women’s Chorus Premiere Music Lost for Nearly 350 Years The U of A Women’s Chorus performed O anima mea, a recently discovered work by Italian composer Isabella Leonarda (1620-1704) in October. The piece has never been performed in America, and most likely has not been heard since its composition nearly 350 years ago. The manuscript was discovered by a team of researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden among a large collection of other manuscripts acquired by the university. They made the entire collection available to researchers abroad through digital facsimiles. Stephen Caldwell, director of choral activities at the U of A, then came in contact with the manuscript while searching for historical music for women’s chorus by female composers. Caldwell’s first task was to modernize the score into something musicians today would recognize. He remarked that “music of that era was written in a much different format than today’s music. The vocal parts were on separate pages, and the accompaniment was composed in a type of shorthand

known as figured bass. There were no measures, and often the words didn’t line up with the notes. It is like putting together a puzzle without a picture of what it looks like.” It was then discovered that a different copy of the same work existed in Dresden, Germany. This further complicated matters, as there were large discrepancies in the two manuscipts that were undoubtly made at different times in history, one in the 17th century, the other in the 19th century. After months of painstaking reconstruction, Caldwell was able to reconcile the two manuscripts into a working modern score. ClarNan editions, a noted publisher of other works by Isabella Leonarda, published Caldwell’s edition and the U of A Women’s Chorus premiered the work, under Caldwell’s direction, in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall. “It is always exciting to hear a new work by an old composer. It is like a time capsule in that it can only be opened once.” n

Killenbeck Returns to Supreme Court for Overview of Its Most Important Case Mark Killenbeck, professor in the University of Arkansas School of Law, returned to the United States Supreme Court to present a historical overview of M’Culloch v. Maryland, decided in 1819 and considered by many to be the most important case in the history of the Supreme Court. Killenbeck’s overview preceded the 2014 Frank C. Jones Reenactment of M’Culloch v. Maryland, presented by the Supreme Court Historical Society in the Chamber of the Supreme Court October. His invitation to present followed closely after the publication of his “A Prudent Regard to Our Own Good? The Commerce Clause, in Nation and States,” which was the lead article in the Journal of Supreme Court History Winter 2013 issue. That article was based on another lecture he presented at the Court Chamber of the Supreme Court that addressed the issue at the heart of the Affordable Care Act debate – the Commerce Clause. His lecture on the Commerce Clause was attended by Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor, with Sotomayor giving his introduction.

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“We are delighted professor Killenbeck has been invited to present at the Supreme Court again,” said Stacy Leeds, dean of the School of Law. “Thursday’s lecture is the latest of many examples of his preeminence in the scholarship and service of constitutional law.” Killenbeck, the Wylie H. Davis Distinguished Professor of Law, has written extensively in both articles and in the first book ever published devoted exclusively to the case, M’Culloch v. Maryland: Securing a Nation. He is the author of numerous books, chapters, articles, and papers, with a special focus on federalism, American constitutional history, and affirmative action and diversity. His articles have appeared in a number of major national law journals, including the Supreme Court Review, California Law Review, Michigan Law Review, Vanderbilt Law Review, and Hastings Law Journal. His assessment of the Supreme Court’s 2003 affirmative action decisions, Affirmative Action and Diversity: The Beginning of the End? Or the End of the Beginning?, was published in 2004. Killenbeck, an elected member of the American Law Institute, is the first individual from the School of Law so elected while serving on the faculty. n

photos submitted

ON THE HILL

University of Arkansas Walton College Announces 2015 Arkansas Business Hall of Fame Inductees One woman and three men – all distinguished leaders in business and community service in Arkansas – make up the class of 2015 inductees to the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame. The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame Board announced that these outstanding leaders will join the 66 other members of the Hall of Fame on Friday, Feb. 13, 2015: Al Bell, who as an executive and owner of Stax records made the Memphis Sound a major part of pop music in the 1960s and 1970s. Stephen L. LaFrance Sr., who built USA Drug from one store into the largest privately owned chain of drugstores in the United States. Millie Ward, who is co-founder and president of Stone Ward, a fullservice advertising agency with offices in Little Rock and Chicago. Donald E. “Buddy” Wray, who served in several executive positions over decades with Tyson Foods, including chief operating officer and executive vice president and special assistant to the president and chief executive officer. “We are pleased to welcome another distinguished group of business leaders to the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame,” Walton College Dean Eli Jones said. “They join an exceptional list of inductees who

have been recognized among the best in Arkansas business. The outstanding achievements of these four, just as all of the hall of fame’s current members, will have an impact on the future business leaders in Arkansas and around the world.” The Arkansas Business Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. The Arkansas Business Hall of Fame is permanently housed in the atrium of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development at the Walton College on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville. Greg Lee, a Walton College alumnus and the retired chief administrative officer and international president of Tyson Foods Inc., chaired the selection process. A nominating committee of 18 business leaders encouraged people throughout the state and beyond to make nominations. A selection committee of nine business and community leaders reviewed the nominations and chose the inductees. Criteria for selection included: the significance of the impact made as a business leader, the concern demonstrated for improving the community and the display of ethics in all business dealings. In addition, living inductees must be over the age of 60. n

College of Engineering Celebrates New Space for Biomedical Engineering The College of Engineering dedicated its biomedical engineering wing in August, located on the first floor of John A. White Jr. Engineering Hall. The Department of Biomedical Engineering is the only department of its kind in the state. The department is expected to enroll over 200 students this semester. The renovated wing contains office space for the faculty and staff. The renovations also include two new teaching laboratories on the first floor of White Hall. “We’ve been saying for the last few years that we intend to capitalize better on our core research strengths, and the formation of this department is one way we are making good on that effort,” said Chancellor G. David Gearhart. “The completion of this renovation is another exciting step forward for this department.” Speakers included Dean John English; biomedical department head

Ashok Saxena; University of Arkansas board of trustee member Jim von Gremp; biomedical doctoral student Gage Greening; and Aric Lasher, director of design of HBRA Architects. Dean English recognized the faculty and administration members who supported and contributed to the formation of the department, including Provost Sharon Gaber; Lalit Verma, head of the department of biological and agricultural engineering; Terry Martin, former interim dean of engineering and former interim department head. “The renovations you see today are the work of HBRA Architects, who did a great job of preserving the historic nature of the building while providing a contemporary space for our biomedical faculty, staff and students,” said English. “We look forward to a time in the near future when all of White Hall will look this elegant.” n

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

Computer rendering by the University of Arkansas Community Design Center

Creative Corridor Project in Little Rock Honored by American Society of Landscape Architects A plan to transform four neglected blocks of Main Street in downtown Little Rock into an arts district has won a 2014 Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects. Faculty and staff members of the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas designed this award-winning work. The Creative Corridor, designed by the University of Arkansas Community Design Center and Marlon Blackwell Architect won an Honor Award for Analysis and Planning, one of five awarded. This is the design center’s sixth ASLA award and the fifth that they have received in this category. The Creative Corridor plan retrofits a four-block segment of Main Street, between third and seventh streets, by using economic development catalyzed by the cultural arts rather than a traditional retail base. The goal is to structure an identity for the Creative Corridor rooted in a mixed-use, work-live environment that is also sensitive to the historical context of Main Street in Little Rock, which has a metropolitan area population of about 700,000. The ASLA award represents the highest recognition in landscape architecture design and planning open to North American organizations for work underway worldwide. Thirty-four awardwinning projects were selected from more than 600 entries. The work was featured in the October issue of Landscape Architecture Magazine, and celebrated and exhibited at the 2014 ASLA Annual Meeting and Expo in Denver in November. The Creative Corridor’s incremental approach employs three developmental phases to transform the corridor space into a downtown hub that supports a greater level of pedestrian activity, sociability,

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

recreation and aesthetics. To ensure continuity between new and old, the project team devised a townscaping strategy that recombines special architectural frontages with urban landscapes, public art, and shared street geometries to serve this new aggregated arts economy. The Creative Corridor features elements such as marquees, stormwater management landscapes, new public rail transit, and an art installation made from street lamps of different eras from city neighborhoods. An increasing number of public, private and non-profit groups have already invested in Main Street in recent years, including developers Scott Reed and Moses Tucker Real Estate, and that trend is continuing. Orbea, a Spanish bicycle manufacturer, relocated its North American headquarters to Main Street; the Arkansas Venture Center soon will open on the same block; and the Little Rock Technology Park Authority Board recently voted to build the park downtown along Main Street. Arts and culture mainstays like Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Arkansas and Arkansas Repertory Theatre will occupy rehearsal and creative space alongside Kent Walker Artisan Cheese and artist Matt McLeod. Residential installations and dining, along with several other projects, will round out the live/work/play concept that surrounds the Creative Corridor. “The list of investments rolling in from the private sector is impressive as construction commences on the Creative Corridor,” said Steve Luoni, director of the Community Design Center. “It’s instructive to see the power of public sector leadership in catalyzing urban revitalization simply by establishing a coherent vision. The project is attracting attention from multiple agencies in Washington, D.C., looking for public-private success stories.” n

PROFILE

Julie Besonen

Besonen offers ‘Two Good Reasons’ New York Times column combines eclectic museums with hidden bistros By Tammy W. Tucker ✪+ BA’97 MA’03 An opera-singing Brooklyn cheesemonger. The Morbid Anatomy Library and Museum. A pot-bellied pig named Franklin. These are just a few of the many obscure people, places and pets about which Julie Besonen has written. The University of Arkansas alumna realized when she was 12 years old that she wanted to become a writer. That’s when she wrote her first book, a mystery inspired by the popular Nancy Drew series. “I loved hearing stories and telling stories,” she said. “I had really good teachers who recognized that I was good at writing.” As she started ninth grade in 1973, her late father, Phil Besonen, moved his family from Minnesota to Fayetteville to teach at the University of Arkansas. He taught in the College of Education and Health Professions until he retired in 2007. Attending the U of A was an easy choice for his daughter. “My dad said, ‘You can go to the U of A or you can go to the U of A,’” Besonen said. “I was fine with that. I don’t remember wanting to apply anywhere else.” After graduation in 1982, she spent a year in Brussels, Belgium, as a Fulbright Scholar. Then, she returned to her alma mater to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree in translation and poetry.

“I loved having my mind opened by wonderful teachers there and hearing theories and ideas. I loved the camaraderie of the English department and talking to Miller Williams and Jim Whitehead.” Although she loved school, she longed to write more. In 1985, Besonen left the M.F.A. program and moved to New York City on a whim to pursue writing. She waitressed at an Italian restaurant to make ends meet while pitching stories to publications. “I’ve always been a freelance writer,” she said. “Eventually I started getting published and was able to support myself as a writer.” Besonen moved to Manhattan thinking she would stay a year or so and then go back to school. That was almost 30 years ago. Living in the East Village in Manhattan, Besonen says she very much identifies with the neighborhood because it feels like a smaller town. “I was seen as exotic when I first moved here because no one had met anyone from Arkansas,” she said about her arrival. “I’ve always liked the energy of the city.” Besonen stays busy contributing to multiple publications on a regular basis. In 1995, she started freelancing for The New York Times. Now she writes a regular column, “Two Good Reasons,” which focuses on underground

museums throughout New York City. She writes for Paper Magazine, a New York City-based independent magazine focusing on fashion, pop-culture, nightlife, music, art and film. Plus, she writes for NYCgo.com, a website that provides insider information, including places to eat where the locals go. She reviews 10 restaurants a month. Originally, she wrote about 20 restaurants a month scattered in all five boroughs of the city. As she spent time in each neighborhood, she also discovered offbeat museums, which sparked an idea. “I started to realize ‘Oh, here’s a column,’” Besonen said. “Writing is a compulsion for me.” She even found a way to feature Fayetteville in The New York Times. In 2006, she wrote a column called “36 Hours,” in which she wrote about 12 things to do in her hometown within a 36-hour visit. Her mother and brother still live in Fayetteville, so she occasionally returns to visit, never forgetting the good times on The Hill. “I like a challenge, and my professors at the University of Arkansas challenged me. I’m always looking for a way to challenge myself. I have no regrets. I got so much attention from Professor William Quinn. He made me a better writer.” n

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

photo James Knapp

FEATURE

”

— Adam Barnes, one of the researchers at the Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies who conducted laser scanning and analysis in the ancient desert city of Petra, Jordan

courtesy of Atlantic Productions.

“

We took a long hike up to the Monastery. You come around a corner and the structure is carved into the rock and it is very tall and very impressive. Then it hit me. That was the moment where I thought, ‘I’ll be up here for two days getting to work on this site.’

CAST researchers Adam Barnes (from left), Katie Simon and Malcolm Williamson traveled around the world to serve as technical experts on Time Scanners, which aired internationally in the spring on National Geographic International and in July in the United States on PBS.

Scanning History

U of A center uncovers secrets of Pyramids, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Petra by Chris Branam ★ MA’11

It started with a cold call in the dead of winter. Adam Barnes, a researcher in the Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies at the University of Arkansas, was headed into a meeting on Jan. 14, 2013, when he got a phone call from a London-based television producer who was interested in hiring a technical expert for a new documentary series on ancient structures. “She was looking for someone who could laser scan,” said Barnes, referring to the center’s specialty, geospatial analysis and modeling. “After hearing what it involved, it was clear that she needed a team. We had several conversations over Skype within the next few days and things really moved quickly.” Whirlwind of World’s Antiquities Soon, researchers from CAST were traveling to historic locations around the world, including the pyramids in Egypt, St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and the ancient desert city of Petra in Jordan. They were filmed doing what they do best, using their advanced remote sensing technology to collect and analyze billions of measurements to form what is known as a point cloud, which provided a 3-D perspective of these structures but also solved some of the enduring engineering mysteries surrounding them. The three-part documentary series, Time Scanners, aired nationally on PBS in July. To celebrate the premiere episode on July 1, the University of Arkansas held a watch party in Ken and Linda Sue Shollmier Hall in Vol Walker Hall. “Our role in the series was portrayed strongly as the technologists, experts and analysts in gathering and interpreting the data,” said Malcolm Williamson, a research associate at CAST who collected and analyzed data in Egypt and Jordan.

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

Steve Burrows, executive vice president of WSP, a global engineering and design consulting firm, was the featured expert in Time Scanners. He said, “The laser scanning technology meant that we could analyze the ancient structures in a way that no one ever has before, and some of the things we found were incredible.” Time Scanners premiered with “Egyptian Pyramids.” For the episode, Caitlin Stevens and Williamson traveled to Egypt to scan the pyramids – the tombs of the mighty pharaohs – to find out how they evolved from simple mud-brick structures to the most impressive buildings in the ancient world. “One of my high points on the show was scanning the Great Pyramid of Giza,” Williamson said. “I thought that was really cool. How many people in the world get to do that?” Three other current or former CAST researchers participated in the series: Eileen Ernenwein, Rachel Opitz and Katie Simon. Barnes, Ernenwein, Simon, Stevens and Williamson are all U of A alumni. Huge Amount of Data, Tight Schedule The production schedule for the series was tight, so the CAST researchers had to collect and analyze data in a couple of days. The process typically takes at least two weeks, said Simon, a research assistant at CAST who holds a Master of Arts degree in remote sensing applications in archaeology from the U of A. “These were some pretty unique circumstances, so we were always thinking about making things work properly because we weren’t going to get a second chance,” she said. The Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies, established in the

The Atlantic Productions crew films a Time Scanners scene in Petra, Jordan. Right: A laser scanner is set up on the west end of the interior of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences in 1991, is dedicated to research and applications in geospatial analysis and modeling, remote sensing and digital photogrammetry. Remote sensing is the measurement or acquisition of information about an object without direct contact, such as by satellite imaging, aerial photography or radar. Photogrammetry is the science of recording, measuring and interpreting photographic images or other twodimensional, remotely sensed data. The researchers at CAST have diverse backgrounds. There are anthropologists, archaeologists, computer engineers and landscape architects. “A lot of what we do is more science than art, but then there is some that is more art than science,” said Barnes, who holds a Master of Arts in geography from the U of A. “We can speak to an archaeologist or a classicist but we can also speak to a scientist. There is a marriage between disciplines. We speak all of those languages.” For instance, Simon graduated from Utah State University with bachelor’s degrees in anthropology and art and had experience in cultural resource management in the western United States before coming to Fayetteville for graduate school. “CAST is a fantastic place to work because it is a team-oriented environment,” Simon said. “We’re constantly using one another as resources to help augment our projects and our research. It’s fantastic to be surrounded by all the experts you could possibly need to help you make the best of whatever you are working on. In addition to being able to travel a lot, which is fun, it is amazing to be able to work with so many excellent people in the field.” The episodes continue to air on National Geographic International. Check listings for broadcast dates and times at natgeotv.com.au/tv/time-scanners. ■

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

courtesy of Atlantic Productions.

FEATURE

courtesy of Adam Barnes of CAST

Caitlin Stevens of CAST operates a laser scanner in the burial chamber at the Pyramid of Meidum in Egypt.

Winter 2014 â€˘ ARKANSAS

FEATURE

Research Focus Propels U of A Graduate to the Ivy League by Heidi Stambuck ★ BA’88 MA’13 Roman Ruiz used to be the student he hopes to help someday. He went from a boy with no family history of higher education to a young man who received offers to pursue a doctoral degree at any of seven prestigious higher-education institutions, including Harvard University. Ruiz has already helped students who are the first in their families to go to college, having worked for a pre-college program at the University of Arkansas, but this fall he will begin a doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania so that he can conduct research into college access and affordability. “I would like to work for an education policy group, conducting research and advising policymakers on how to improve college access for low-income students across all demographic groups,” he said. “I want to research college-access issues and having been that student gives me insight.” A Mexican-American from California, Ruiz moved as a child with his two older brothers to Springdale. The boys were raised by their maternal grandmother. She raised them alone and supported them the best she could. She didn’t always have the time and money to help him with school activities, but teachers in the Springdale School District recognized his musical talent and academic potential. Once he got going, there seemed to be no stopping him. “Coming from Southern California in the third grade, I was dropped into Northwest Arkansas and I was fortunate to land here,” Ruiz said. “My teachers took an interest in me, and I realized school was something I excelled at and enjoyed. In high school, I took Advanced Placement classes from exceptional teachers in their disciplines.” Before graduating first in his high school class of more than 550 students, Ruiz auditioned for band at Arkansas Tech University. Pat Ellison, Springdale’s legendary band director who has since retired, took him to the audition. After graduation, a friend’s mother drove him to Russellville to start school at Arkansas Tech. A clarinetist, Ruiz earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Tech and then went on to Arizona State University, where he earned a master of music degree in performance. He also studied music in Belgium and Canada and performed with regional orchestras. Ruiz earned a master’s degree in higher education in May 2013 from the College of Education and Health Professions at the U of A and was named outstanding master’s student in the program. Ruiz has worked

on campus as an academic advisor in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences for one year and as an academic advisor with the U of A’s Educational Talent Search program for three years. The federally funded program provides academic outreach to underserved students at Northwest Arkansas high schools. Ruiz didn’t realize until he began that position how the students he was helping were similar to him in the economic and social hardships he faced. He provided college preparation counseling to guide hundreds of low-income and firstgeneration students into postsecondary education. Studying higher education and working with the college-access program gave him the vocabulary he needed to describe what he had experienced, Ruiz said. Many of these students don’t have anyone at home to explain the importance of taking college-entrance exams or filling out financial assistance forms, he said. “Kids like me may not have financial resources but we have minds,” he said. “It was very neat to go back to Springdale High School and work with students just like me. And, it’s not just about the high-achieving students. Access means reaching all students who are interested in college, not just the top academic achievers. There’s an inequity that must be addressed. The system works differently for lowincome students.” Even during his second master’s degree program, Ruiz continued to find faculty members who opened his eyes to possibilities and helped him excel. “I feel indebted to the University of Arkansas,” he said. “It’s a very special place. It has given me professional experience and a master’s degree that prepared me for the Ivy League. I have a network and contacts; it’s the best foundation I could have had. Now, I’m ready to move on. I think I can affect change on a larger scale.” Ruiz said one person he will emulate is Kate Mamiseishvili, an associate professor of higher education. “She is super-prepared, smart, caring and articulate,” he said. “She showed me a whole wide world of what I could do. I want to be like her, a true professional.” Taking a doctoral-level research class with Mamiseishvili gave Ruiz the confidence to write a sample dissertation prospectus and made him realize he could handle a doctoral program, he said. “Roman is the kind of student who inspires us and reminds us why we became professors,” Mamiseishvili said. “He has a really bright

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

photo Donna Smith

Roman Ruiz in 2013, as a student at the University of Arkansas.

future ahead of him, and all of us in the higher education program are happy that we got to be part of his story and contributed to his success.” Mamiseishvili and Michael Hevel, an assistant professor of higher education, encouraged Ruiz to apply to several doctoral programs and helped him figure out what to look for to find one that would be a good fit for him. Hevel reviewed drafts of his application materials and made him a stronger writer throughout the process, Ruiz said. “Roman is set to work with the preeminent scholar of college access in the nation,” Hevel said. “It has been an honor to have Roman in class and help him apply to doctoral programs. Far too few people with Roman’s background graduate from college, much less earn two master’s degrees and admission to a doctoral program at an Ivy League university. By merging his experiences and academic abilities with the resources available at Penn, I have no doubt that Roman will help change that over the course of his career.” Ruiz was offered full financial support from all seven institutions to which he applied: Pennsylvania State University, the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of Georgia, the University of Iowa, the University of Maryland, the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard. Harvard and Penn are both private, Ivy League research universities. “It seemed absurd to apply to seven schools, but I didn’t know what my options were,” he said. “People asked me how can you say no to Harvard.

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

And, I visited Harvard twice, but Pennsylvania was the best fit.” Ruiz understood that the most important aspect of a doctoral program was its focus as far as research in which he wanted to participate, and Pennsylvania’s faculty members are experts in college access and diversity issues in higher education. He will work as a graduate research assistant with Laura W. Perna at the Penn Graduate School of Education, where she founded the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy. Ruiz will explore issues of college access, particularly how federal and state educational policies can improve college opportunity for low-income, racial- and ethnic-minority, and first-generation college students. Eighty-six students applied to the higher education Ph.D. program at Penn, six were invited to campus for interviews and three were offered admission and financial support. “They keep the program very small by design,” Ruiz explained. “It’s an apprenticeship model. Each advisor has only a couple of Ph.D. students so there is a lot more one-on-one interaction and hands-on training. I want that kind of mentor relationship.” One other thing about Penn helped seal the deal for him, Ruiz said. “They were the only one (of the seven programs) with a free application,” he said. “To me, that spoke to Penn’s commitment to access and diversity. More people can apply if it’s free.” ■

the

of reunions

g rin Hono

25 years

Futu re

Black Alumni Society Past ing and Build

The Black Alumni Society cordially invites you

to celebrate: 25 Years of the BAS Reunion April 17-19, 2015 Register today:

www.arkansasalumni.org/2015BASReunion

Pop Quiz

BASED ON BACKPACK CONTENTS, CAN YOU GUESS THIS HONORS STUDENT’S: 1) Major 2) Minor 3) Hometown 4) Part-time job off campus 5) Graduate school plans 6) Extra credit: Part-time job on campus?

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

Pop Quiz

3 2 1

MEET KANESHA DAY 1) Major: chemistry/biochemistry (20 points) 2) Minor: drama (25 points) 3) Hometown: Conway, Ark. (25 points) 4) Part-time job off campus: pharmacy technician (10 points) 5) Graduate school plans: pharmacy school at UAMS (20 points) 6) Extra credit: Part-time job on campus: resident assistant (20 points) Scoring: 0-25 A for effort 26-50 Cum laude 51-75 Magna 76-100+ Summa For more on Kanesha, visit honorscollege.uark.edu/ biochemistry. This pop quiz originally appeared in the 2014 issue of A+, the Honors College magazine. Kanesha graduated in May and is now a pharmacy student at UAMS. Photos by Russell Cothren

ARKANSAS â€˘ Winter 2014

2014 University of Arkansas

Hogiday Gift Guide

Although your shopping should have been done months ago, if you’re still looking for that lastminute stocking stuffer, might we make a few suggestions, some perhaps facetiously aspirational, some that truly are achievable in the marketplace, and a few that would mean your gift is a gift that advances the university’s mission.

We leave it to you to decide which are which.

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

Happy Pigtrails to you

FEATURE After you become bored by driving Mustangs, Impalas, Jaguars and Broncos, stop by the Hog Heaven AutoHaus down on Boar Boulevard to pick out your next red convertible. And by convertible, we mean a conversion kit to turn your mild-mannered red Volkswagen into the rip-roaring, horn-snorting, curly-tailed Razorbug. Price includes the upholstery, customization, shipping and a scholarship donation of $25,000. Price does not include car. RELATED: People who purchased this item also bought gasoline by the barrel-full to drive their Razorbug across the state to entertain children and alumni in every town. WARNING: Objects in the rear-view mirror may be rivals receding into oblivion.

The Razorbug $43,465

1870s Bell $6,000 and up

nd up When Old Main was built, a bell was included in the North Tower and rung manually on the hour by students who had to walk across the roof of Old Main to reach the bell pull. Later, an electronic carillon was installed. Today, the original bell is on public display in the clockworks room on the fourth floor of Old Main. Finding a similar school bell is difficult but the Internet has one waiting for you. RELATED: People who purchased this item also bought a pull rope ($2) and a North Tower (Donâ€™t even ask how much!)

ARKANSAS â€˘ Winter 2014

RELATED: People who purchased this item also bought season tickets, tailgating tents, and all manner of Razorback trinkets! WARNING: The Razorback lifestyle can become addictive.

Heavy’s Original Hog Hat $40 – Post-1977 • $100 – 1977 • $150 – pre-1977

4 Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship $400,000

Happy Hogidays

First produced in the late 1960s and eventually copyrighted in 1977, the hog hat is the fashion de rigeur for every sports fan. Today, the originals with the letter A can only be found on eBay.

Your mother always wanted you to be a doctor? Now is your chance to reward her with a perpetual doctoral fellowship. Your gift of a distinguished doctoral fellowship allows the university to attract the most capable, creative and innovative doctoral degree candidates from across the country. Doctoral students are already contributing to the university’s reputation, discovering new things about our world and the way we operate. RELATED: We also have giving levels for fellowships at the Faculty, Graduate and Honors levels. You mom would appreciate you even more!

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

Happy Pigtrails to you

FEATURE

Endowing a research center or institute at the university is like offering the best set of Legos to the best set of Lego-builders in America. The research interests of our professors are wide and deep. Your help can push the University of Arkansas higher into the rankings of research institutions. We already stand among the 2 percent of universities nationwide classified as having the highest level of research. RELATED: People who purchased this also bought safety goggles to watch science as it happens.

A World-Class Research Lab $5 Million

Trapping a feral razorback hog in Arkansas is as likely as photographing a wild panther in the natural state. The next best thing to the real thing, however, is a Russian boar, just like Tusk IV. Buying one, though, is the least of your difficulties. Batteries not included. RELATED: People who bought this also bought eight-foot fences and a few tons of barleymeal, oatmeal and ground wheat.

Wild Russian Boar $400 ARKANSAS â€˘ Winter 2014

$11,496 per year

A name on Senior Walk is an investment that returns dividends for a lifetime. Apply now at apply.uark.edu while quantities last. Every name comes with a certificate of authenticity, better known as a college diploma. Price includes tuition, room and board, and student fees. RELATED: People who purchased this item also liked graduate degrees. WARNING: Price may vary depending scholarships, financial aid and length of degree program.

Membership in the Arkansas Alumni Association $45 annual membership $50 joint membership $750 life membership $1,000 joint life membership

Think of this as a gift to the next generation. Your membership in the Arkansas Alumni Association provides you with wonderful connections to old friends, great services and over-the-top game-day exuberance (as if there were such a thing), but it also helps new U of A students. Membership dues have awarded more than $1 million in scholarships during the past year, supporting 442 students in their academic studies. Join at join.arkansasalumni.org. RELATED: People who purchased this item also bought a Hog Tag, which contributes to the “Roads Scholar” program.

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

May Your Days be RED & White

Your Name on Senior Walk

ASSOCIATIONS

As we embark upon the end of the year and the beginning of a new year, I want to highlight recent accomplishments of our alumni family and friends. During the 70th Annual Alumni Awards Celebration on Oct. 24, three outstanding alumni were honored with the Citation of Distinguished Alumni Award: Janie Simms Hipp, L.L.M.’96, Greg W. Lee, B.S.B.A.’70 and Ewell Ray Welch, B.S.A.’76, M.S.’77. The Andrew J. Lucas Alumni Service Award, which recognizes outstanding service, was awarded to: Larry G. Stephens, B.S.I.E.’58 and Ernst Bauer, B.S.B.A.’83, M.B.A.’85. Also that night, we acknowledged: Hugh Brewer Jr., B.S.E.E.’59 with the Community Service Award; Angie Maxwell, B.A.’00 with the Young Alumni Award; and Hal Walter with the Honorary Alumni Award. Three members of our University faculty received the Faculty Distinguished Achievement Award: Dr. Edward A. Pohl for service; Dr. Elliott West, for research; and Dr. Douglas Spearot received the Rising Teaching Award. And in recognition of outstanding teaching, Mary Beth Matthews B.S.E.’75, JD’78 received the Charles and Nadine Baum Faculty Teaching Award. It was wonderful to be a part of the awards banquet alongside these outstanding alumni, friends of the University, and faculty who continue to impact the lives of students and alumni every single day. Read more about the award recipients on page 37. I also wanted to recognize two groups who engage alumni across the state and the region. This year, the recipient of the Arkansas Alumni Association Board Cup was the Mid-South | Memphis Chapter which serves as a testament for what an alumni chapter should be – one that builds a steady stream of engagement and outreach through a diverse array of chapter programming. Under the leadership of David Hall B.S.B.A.’89, the Mid-South | Memphis Chapter built strong relationships with local community organizations for its “Helping like a Hog” service projects, supported student recruitment by working closely with the Association and the University, hosted regular “Supper Club” dinners to connect alumni and friends and created its annual June “Pignic on the Porch” signature fundraising event to help support its local chapter scholarship program. The chapter also partnered with the Memphis/East Arkansas Razorback Club to co-host an annual banquet, with proceeds benefitting the two groups and local scholars. Lastly, this year’s recipient of the Mace Award was the Black Alumni Society for its signature event, the Black Alumni Reunion. The Mace Award recognizes exceptional event planning, execution, and attendance by alumni groups. The Black Alumni Reunion was a three-day weekend reunion that engaged more than 4,500 participants. The weekend consisted of a golf tournament, alumni-student panel, Friday night welcome reception, step show, board meeting, awards gala, a Saturday night old-school party and a worship service on Sunday. The society is in full swing preparing for the next reunion in April 2015. With inspiration from these extraordinary award recipients, I challenge you in the New Year to reflect upon your own experience at the University and opportunities where you can increase your support of the Alumni Association—by being engaged with your local chapter, supporting our alumni association scholarship campaign, gifting an alumni membership during the holidays, or sharing your alumni story with potential students. With your continued commitment, I know we will make 2015 the best year yet!

photo submitted

Our Inspirational Alumni

Stephanie S. Streett ✪+ BA’91 President, Arkansas Alumni Association

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

photos submitted

Above: Nearly 60 Arkansas Alumni Association volunteers from all across the country gathered for the Volunteer Summit at the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House on Sept. 19. At right: Spencer Lucker of the Washington, D.C., Chapter and LaTonya Foster of the Black Alumni Society received the Rising Star awards. At far right: Volunteers Penny Storms of the Bumpers Alumni Society, Daymara Baker of the Latino Alumni Society, Cathy Roe of the Northwest Arkansas Chapter and Becky Collins of the Tulsa Chapter received Servant Leadership awards for their dedication.

Volunteer Summit 2014 by Johanna Hall ★ BA’11 Twenty-eight different alumni groups from all over the U.S. headed to The Hill on Sept. 19 to participate in the 2014 “What’s Your VIBE” Volunteer Summit hosted by the Arkansas Alumni Association and presented by Bank of America. Under the direction of Deb Euculano, associate director of program development, and Heath Bowman, director of outreach and chapters, volunteers spent the day learning, engaging and being recognized for their commitment and dedication to Arkansas Alumni Association and its mission of connecting and serving the University of Arkansas family. Prestigious awards presented were the Board Cup and the Mace Award. The Board Cup recognizes the overall most outstanding alumni group for the year and is prominently displayed in the Underwood Library at the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House. The 2013-14 recipient of the Arkansas Alumni Association Board Cup was the MidSouth | Memphis Chapter. “It’s an honor accepting this prestigious award on behalf of our committed leadership team,” David Hall, Mid-South | Memphis Regional Network president, said. Winners of the 2013 “Razorback Rally” award for the most improved alumni group, the Mid-South | Memphis Chapter has continued to “build on its steady stream of engagement success by developing a diverse array of chapter programming,” Bowman said. Under Hall’s leadership, the group has built strong relationships with local community organizations for its “Helping like a Hog” service projects, supported student recruitment by working closely with the Alumni Association and the university, hosted regular “Supper Club” dinners to connect alumni and friends, and created its annual June “Pignic on the Porch” signature fundraising event to help support its local chapter scholarship program.

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

In addition to its support for the Arkansas Alumni Association, the Mid-South | Memphis Chapter partners with the Memphis/East Arkansas Razorback Club to co-host an annual banquet, where proceeds are divided between the two groups to benefit the local scholars. “The Mid-South | Memphis Chapter has become a model chapter and a key partner in engaging alumni in western Tennessee and eastern Arkansas,” Bowman said. Another award presented was the Mace Award. The purpose of this award is to recognize exceptional event planning, execution and attendance by alumni groups such as chapters, societies, young alumni board and student alumni board. Like the board cup, the award and the group’s recognition is proudly displayed in the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House. The 2013-14 recipient of the Arkansas Alumni Association Mace Award was the Black Alumni Society for the 2013 Black Alumni Reunion. The three-day weekend reunion engaged more than 4,500 participants including alumni, scholars, friends and U of A administrators, faculty, staff and the NWA community. The weekend consisted of a golf tournament, alumni-student panel, Friday night welcome reception and party, step show, board meeting, awards gala, Saturday night party and ended with a workshop service on Sunday. The participation involvement was a “25 percent increase over the previous reunion in 2011 and brought in $43,000 in sponsorships and grossed $116,000 with proceeds benefiting the BAS scholarship program,” Euculano said. After the summit, volunteers attended a reception in Sturgis hall, where they had the opportunity to network and further share their ideas. A special thanks to the following sponsors: Honeybaked Ham and Snack Factory. ■

ASSOCIATIONS

For Ken Vickers, attending the University of Arkansas all began with Mom and Dad. George and Ruth Vickers both attended the U

George and Ruth Vickers, the parents of Thomas, Ken and Elaine, around 1995.

Ruth Vickers with her children Elaine Vickers Hardwick, Ken Vickers and Thomas Winston Vickers

photos submitted

Ken Vickers; his daughter Alice and her husband AJ; his son John; and Ken’s wife, Anna, in 2009.

of A in the late ’40s-early ’50s, but it was George who ended his U of A career early when he was accepted into the Oklahoma State University veterinary school. His wife Ruth majored in English and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honorary society; she graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in 1951. After graduation, Ruth took a traditional job as a secretary and supported her husband, as he attended veterinary school in Stillwater, Oklahoma. George and Ruth had three children, Thomas, Ken and Elaine, and instilled the importance of hard work - whether it was physical or intellectual. As the oldest of three, Thomas followed in his father’s footsteps and attended the U of A, but did not graduate due to an early acceptance into the OSU veterinary school. As the second child, Ken followed a year behind Thomas and attended the U of A, majoring in physics and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1976 and a Master of Science in 1978. After graduation, Ken and his wife Anna moved to Texas and Ken spent 20 years at Texas Instruments “disguised as an engineer,” Ken said. Living in Texas, Ken continued to show his Razorback pride with an inflatable Razorback in his office, which he admitted was abused over the years, being dressed up in various outfits and occasionally roasted. After his tenure at Texas Instruments, Ken described his career change as a “classic mid-life crisis scenario.” He moved his family back to Arkansas to begin the microelectronics-photonics graduate program at his alma mater. It was his “opportunity to create a program from an idea that I’d been promoting. An opportunity for engineering students to take courses that would prepare them for a career in microelectronics fabrication,” Ken said. Ken’s daughter Alice carried on the family tradition and attended the U of A, majoring in English. She received her Bachelor of Arts in 2000 and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing in 2004. Alice’s husband, Adam Pettway, known to many as A.J., double-majored in biology and microbiology as an undergraduate and graduated with his BS in 2001. He continued his education in biology, receiving a Master of Science in 2004. After graduation Adam taught at The New School in Fayetteville for a couple of years, while Alice worked various advertising jobs. Wanting to give back, the couple joined the Peace Corps and served two and half years in Africa. Returning home, Alice was hired at Southern Poverty Law Center as a senior writer, working her way up to managing editor, while A.J. became a middle school science teacher at a magnet school. Catching the international bug again, the couple recently moved to Bogota, Colombia and now are teaching at an international school. Following in Ken’s footsteps, son John attended the U of A, majoring in physics and graduated with his Bachelor of Science in 2006. He continued his education in microelectronic photonics, obtaining a Master of Science in 2013. Father Ken jokes that he grew his “own graduate student.” After graduating, John worked for Space Photonics as a key developer and developed a relationship with Shot Optical in Massachusetts, where would later accept the position he currently holds. In October 2014, after 16 years of service to the University of Arkansas, Ken retired, concluding the Vickers’ time on the University of Arkansas campus. ■

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

Above: Current and former Student Alumni Board members gathered together at the Volunteer Summit as they received the Beacon Award for the Senior Walk Dedication. Ryan Miller, Drake McGruder, Spencer Lucker, Event chair Victoria Maloch, SAB president Nathan Hopper, Will Hansen and Susan Waits. Top right: A new tradition was started this year for SAA members: Official BEAT Shirts! SAB members Alex Chaffin, Nathan Hopper, Brittany Brunson and Bailey Hart present Chancellor G. David Gearhart and Elton Ford with the first shirt of the year. Bottom right: Through extensive recruitment, the Student Alumni Association membership is the highest itâ€™s been in five years! Pictured are Alex Chaffin, Nathan Hopper and Tanner Bone.

caption

ARKANSAS

ALUMNI

Your connection starts here. Become a life member today.

join.arkansasalumni.org/lifemembership

photos submitted

Student Alumni Association Round-up

photos submitted

ASSOCIATIONS

His Excellency Ricardo Martinelli, third from right, the 49th president of Panama from 2009-2014, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. He is pictured with members of the Latino Alumni Society Board: Mirna Ordonez, Victor Ayala, Roger Valdez, Daymara Baker and Cecilia Grossberger-Medina.

Top: Brande Flack, fourth from left, associate director of the University’s Multicultural Center, with Latino students. Bottom: Master of ceremonies Ellen Rock, Miss Herencia Hispana 2014, with Ana Claudia Aguayo.

His Excellency Ricardo Martinelli Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award Nearly 200 people attended a night of dinner, dancing and awards during the annual Latino Alumni Society La Pachanga on Friday, Oct. 10 at the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House. “We’re here to raise money for students,” said Victor Ayala, a member of the LAS Board. “The scholarships give Latino students opportunities at the University of Arkansas.” La Pachanga raised about $8,000 to benefit Latino students attending the University of Arkansas. In its fourth year, the banquet and awards ceremony also celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month. The event highlights the contributions of students and local leaders, as well as U of A alumni. When His Excellency Ricardo Martinelli BSBA’73 LHD’13 entered the room, Latino students immediately gathered around him to pose for pictures. The 49th president of the Panama, 2009-2014 wowed the crowd with his speech reminding students they are attending an excellent university that provides them many opportunities as he accepted the society’s first Lifetime Achievement Award. Then he showed off his dance moves as he mingled with the guests. The Outstanding Corporation Award was presented to Joe Busell and Adan Corral with Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s Hispanic Latino Associate

Resource Group. The group’s mission is to strengthen our Hispanic talent to lead diversity & inclusion efforts that impact business, develop associates and build communities. University of Arkansas journalism professors Gerald Jordan and Katherine Shurlds received the Academic Award of Excellence for the Lemke Journalism Project. The project is a newspaper program for high school students interested in writing about diversity issues in Northwest Arkansas, sponsored by the Walter J. Lemke Department of Journalism. Greg Fess BSBA’80 MBA’82, president of Univision Arkansas, accepted the Individual Achievement Award. Univision plays a vital role, providing information to help educate Latinos on many topics such as immigration, health, education, government and business issues and local events. The Univision scholarship program was established four years ago to inspire Latinos to further their education. Also during La Pachanga, LAS scholarships were presented to: Angela Chang Chiu, Claudia Hanniel Chavez, Juventino Hernandez Rodriguez and Kimberly Santillian. U of A students Nereyda Zuniga, Sara Guillen and Angel Hernandez were recognized as Outstanding Students. ■

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

photos submitted

Hog Wild Tailgates A Game-Day Tradition for Many Razorback Fans For hundreds of Arkansas Alumni Association members and their guests, their football game-day tradition includes attending Hog Wild Tailgates at the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House. Held before each home game, attendees enjoyed tailgate food, Shake’s Frozen Custard, drinks and entertainment by the Razorback cheerleaders and the Razorback Marching Band. This season also featured appearances by the Razorback women’s basketball team, Coach Lance Harter and Dominique Scott from the women’s cross country team, the women’s golf team and the gymnastics team. With Fayetteville playing host to six Arkansas Razorback football games, the Alumni House, just steps from Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, saw an average of more than 400 people attending each tailgate. “I think the proximity of the Alumni House to the stadium draws attendance for our tailgates,” said Ashlee Gloede, assistant director of special events and the Alumni House. “For many fans, the Hog Wild Tailgates are a place for them to meet their family and friends before the football games.” Alumnus Chris Raff BSBA’73, JD’76 and his wife, Vickie, of Searcy are always among the first Razorback fans to arrive when the doors open for Hog Wild Tailgates.

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

“My whole family graduated from the University of Arkansas,” Chris Raff said. “I joined the (Arkansas) Alumni Association as soon as I graduated. Coming to Fayetteville and the University brings back so many memories. There’s nowhere else in the world I’d love to be on game day than the Alumni House.” The Raffs have been coming to Hog Wild Tailgates for so many years that they don’t remember a football season when they didn’t come to the Alumni House as part of their pre-game routine. “It’s a great facility and great people,” Chris Raff said. “The staff does a great job. They really get you in the Razorback spirit before games.” Sponsored by Centennial Bank, Alumni Alley, located just south of the Alumni House, also provides tailgating spots for Hog fans across the street from Razorback Stadium. The Arkansas Alumni Association would like to thank our 2014 Hog Wild Tailgate sponsors: Butterfield Trail Village, Fidelity Investments, First Security Bank, Bank of America, Nationwide Insurance, Snack Factory, CitiScapes magazine and KUAF. Also, we would like to thank the following contributors: McBride Distributing and Core Brewery. ■

ASSOCIATIONS

Arkansas: Homecoming 2014 “Calling All Hogs Home” Sets New Philanthropic Record by Johanna Hall ★ BA’11 Homecoming 2014 “Called All Hogs Home”, as students, faculty, staff and alumni participated in various Homecoming events that helped set a new philanthropic record. The “Color Those Hogs 5k” was a new event added to this year’s Homecoming event lineup. It kicked off Homecoming week, Sunday, Oct. 12, with 2,107 runners registered. The cost of the run was a $35 donation or 30 points worth of food items donated. The Student Alumni Association collected a grand total of 29,125 items of food, which was donated to the Full Circle Campus Food Pantry. Runners and walkers started and finished “The Color Those Hogs 5k” at Old Main Lawn. Running or walking through the 3.1 miles of fun, volunteers showered the participants with red and white colored powder to promote school spirit. After the race, participants enjoyed “Hot Dogs with Head Hogs,” an event scheduled for Monday, Oct. 13, but due to the weather concerns was moved. On Tuesday, Oct. 14, 11 Greek and registered student organization pairings competed in the traditional “Homecoming Chili Cook-Off” at the Union Mall. “Each group was judged on the basis of creativity in their chili, taste and the presentation of their area,” Alyssa Strodel, Arkansas Alumni Association student programs coordinator said. The winners of this year’s competition were as follows: first place Zeta Tau Alpha, Sigma Chi and Delta Sigma Theta, second place Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Alpha Order and Alpha Kappa Alpha and third place, Pi Beta Phi, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Alpha Phi Alpha. After the competition, the groups handed out cups for chili for $1 donations. The group who received the most donations, was awarded half of the profit to give to their philanthropy of choice and approximately $800 went to the 7Hills Homeless Shelter. Apart from the food drive, the annual blood drive was held Wednesday, Oct. 15 and Thursday, Oct. 16, it was co-sponsored by the American Red Cross and University Recreation. More than 200 students volunteered and 870 units of blood were donated within those two days. To engage other U of A alumni and friends who couldn’t make it back to campus, satellite blood drives were offered earlier in the month in Little Rock, St. Louis, Memphis, Tennessee and Tulsa, Oklahoma. To wrap up part one of the Homecoming celebration, 10 Greek pairings and seven residence hall pairings participated in the traditional Homecoming “Banner Competition.” The Homecoming theme of ‘Calling All Hogs Home’ was represented in each banner, some used images of Old Main and the Razorback and while other used images of The Wizard of Oz. The winners representing Greek Life were Kappa Delta, Sigma Nu, Sigma Pi and Phi Iota Alpha, and the winners representing the residence halls were Reid and Hotz halls. Returning from fall break, Homecoming activities resumed Wednesday, Oct. 22 with “Thank a Donor.” More than 1,500 students united in the Union Mall to sign a giant card and banner in

appreciation of the University’s donors. During the event, the Student Alumni Association also gave away 600 pairs of free Keds shoes, provided by Keds Campus Ambassador and Homecoming Director Ashton Dawson. Rounding out the day, the 3-on-3 flag football “Pigskin Classic” tournament was held on the intramural fields, hosted by University Recreation. A total of 67 teams participated in the more than 20-year-old Homecoming tradition. The annual “Create-A-Hog” event was held Thursday, Oct. 23 in the Union Connections Lounge. This year competing groups painted canvases representing the ‘Calling All Hogs Home’ theme, compared to the 3-D Hogs as seen in previous years. A total of 21 paintings were on display and the winner was voted on based on the amount of donations collected, raising more than $6,000 to support scholarship funds. Leading up to Saturday’s Homecoming game, Friday, Oct. 24 was a day full of events including the Lawn Decorating Competition, Senior Walk Dedication, Alumni Awards Celebration, Dickson Street Parade and Pep Rally. The lawn competition had 10 Greek and six residence hall pairings. The winners representing Greek Life were Zeta Tau Alpha, Sigma Chi and Delta Sigma Theta and the winners representing the residence halls were HolcombeFutrall and the Quads. The Black Alumni Society scholars and the Black Students Association won the Registered Student Organization category. In its second year of creation, Senior Walk Dedication, honored the Class of 2013 with a program beginning at Old Main with guest speakers Chancellor Gearhart, Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Chris Wyrick, representatives from the Student Alumni Board and prominent alumni from the Class of 2013. The program ended with an official ribbon cutting at the start of the 2013 walk and each young alumni was gifted with a 2013 Razorback yearbook and a copy of “Etched in Stone.” The evening concluded with the 70th Annual Alumni Awards Celebration held at the Fayetteville Town Center, which hosted more than 350 attendees, the Dickson Street Parade led by Grand Marshall Canaan Sandy, 2013 ESPN Fan Hall of Fame Inductee and included floats representing Greek Life, registered student organizations, the Razorback Marching Band, Arkansas Spirit Squads, live mascot Tusk IV, 2014 Homecoming Court and former Homecoming Queens. Following the parade, the Homecoming Pep Rally was held at the Union Mall, as construction on the Chi Omega Greek Theatre continues. All of the events led up to the mash up between the Arkansas Razorbacks and University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers, Saturday, Oct. 25. During halftime, Kali Lantefield, a senior in the Sam. M. Walton College of Business was crowned 2014 Homecoming Queen and escorted by Will French, a senior, pre-medical major. The Razorbacks crushed the Blazers with a final score of 45-17. To view photos from Homecoming 2014, visit www.facebook.com/ ArkansasSAA or the Arkansas Alumni Association’s Flickr at www.flickr.com/arkansasalumni. ■

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Top: The 2014 University of Arkansas Homecoming Court was presented during half-time during the Arkansas vs. University of AlabamaBirmingham football game. Kali Lantefield was crowned the 2014 Homecoming queen. Middle, left: More than 2,100 participants were covered in colored powder as they ran the first Color Those Hogs 5K to kick off Homecoming events on Oct. 12. Middle, right: Canaan Sandy (seated), a 2013 ESPN fan hall of fame inductee, served as the Grand Marshal of the Homecoming Parade. He is pictured with the Student Alumni Association. Bottom: Student Alumni Board members pose for a photo with Chancellor G. David Gearhart during the Senior Walk Dedication on Oct. 24.

ASSOCIATIONS

Shane Benbrook and Kristin Cooper Maris carry the distinct honor of saying they are the Arkansas Alumni Association’s first endowed scholars. “I wear it as a badge of honor!” Benbrook said. “There are not many people who can say they have achieved this honor, so it has always been something special to me.” Twenty-five years ago, the Arkansas Alumni Association accepted the challenge to fund a merit scholarship that would reward the students for their accomplishments in the academic and leadership arenas. The program started with awarding $1,600 a year to two scholarship recipients – Benbrook and Maris. Thus, the Arkansas Alumni Association Scholarship Program was born. Both scholars graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1994 and still keep in touch. “I am and have always been extremely honored to be one of the first endowed Alumni Association Scholars!” Maris said. “I still remember the night it was announced at my high school, Jonesboro High School. My parents knew, but left it as a surprise for me that night!” Through the years, the scholarship program has continued to grow through its members, chapters, societies and individuals. Scholarships are available for both incoming students and current students. Maris and Benbrook agreed the scholarships provided opportunities for them. “I think having Alumni Association Scholar listed on my resume always helped,” Maris said. “It showed I had the support of the university behind me as well as the dedication, drive and determination to succeed.” “It opened many doors in areas that might not have been available to other students,” Benbrook said. “I even had a part-time job in the mailroom of the Alumni Association while I was in school. Being raised by a single parent growing up, money was scarce. Every little bit helped.” Since 1990, the Alumni Association has awarded 3,500 scholarships totaling nearly $6 million. Last year, the scholarship program hit a milestone, awarding more than $1 million to more than 400 students in a single year. This year the Alumni Association will surpass that amount, awarding close to $1.1 million to more than 450 students. In August, the 25th group of Arkansas Alumni Association freshman scholars began classes, adding to a long list of incredible scholars who have received diplomas from the U of A. “It held me to a higher standard – grade wise and otherwise! I wanted to represent the university well at all times!” Maris said.

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Scholarship Program Continues to Grow

Shane Benbrook holds a photo of himself and fellow Arkansas Alumni Association scholar Kristin Cooper Maris from 1990, the year the two were selected as the first endowed scholars. At top of page: The 25th class of Arkansas Alumni Association freshman scholars pose for photo on the front patio of the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House.

Often, past scholars are among a group of about 35 volunteers who spend two days in February reviewing hundreds of scholarship applicants. Benbrook is one of the dedicated volunteers. “I like having a say in who comes after me,” he said. “Also, I feel like this is one way I can give back to the Alumni Association since they have given so much to me! It also gives me an excuse to come back to campus and hang out, which is great since I live in Little Rock now. “I am a big believer in the scholarship program at the Arkansas Alumni Association, and I believe that they are really making a difference in students’ lives,” he added. Maris moved to Little Rock after graduation and received her M.B.A. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She worked as a pharmaceutical representative for seven years until her first child was born. After several years as a stay-at-home mom, she now works parttime in development at her children’s school and as the cheer sponsor. She also assists with a nonprofit education organization. For more information about available Alumni Association scholarships, visit www.arkansasalumni.org/scholarships. ■

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Alumni Awards Celebration offers special thanks and honors to alumni, faculty and friends

Walton College

The Arkansas Alumni Association proudly honored 12 University of Arkansas alumni, faculty and friends during the 70th annual Alumni Awards Celebration presented by Butterfield Trail Village on Oct. 24 at the Fayetteville Town Center. Prior to the awards celebration, guests had the opportunity to bid on 57 silent auction items and participate in a wine pull that raised $8,000 for scholarships. The evening also highlighted the 25th anniversary of the Arkansas Alumni Association’s Scholarship Program. The Alumni Association extends a special thank you to the 2014 awards celebration event sponsors, including Fidelity Investments, Platinum Sponsor; TIAA-CREF Financial Services and Tyson Foods, Ruby Sponsors; CitiScapes Magazine and KUAF, Media Sponsors; McBride Distribution, Beverage Sponsor; and First Security Bank, Silent Auction Sponsor. Read the award recipients’ stories on the following pages. ■

CONGRATULATIONS! Recognized for lifelong achievement by the Arkansas Alumni Association.

Greg W. Lee Walton Graduate, 1970 Citation of Distinguished Alumni

Ernst S. Bauer Walton Graduate, 1983 Andrew J. Lucas Alumni Service Award

ANDREW J. LUCAS ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD

Ernst S. Bauer ✪+ BSBA’83 MBA’85

Larry G. Stephens ✪+ BSIE’58

Upon graduation, Ernst Bauer’s mentor and management professor, Dr. Donald White, encouraged him to always remember his alma mater and to get involved in a meaningful way. He recalled those words as the Arkansas Alumni Association ramped up new chapters in the early 1990s and seized the opportunity to establish a new chapter in the San Francisco Bay Area. Aside from building a community of Arkansans in California, Bauer has helped build the Earnest J. Wong Chapter Scholarship Endowment, which now exceeds $140,000, to help California students attend the University of Arkansas. He has served on the Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Sam M. Walton College of Business Advisory Council. The Crossett native is a past board member of The California Council for International Trade and The Salvation Army, San Francisco Metro Advisory Board. Following his passion for history, Bauer is also president of The William Strother Society Inc., a family history organization with an emphasis on colonial historic preservation. Since 2007, Bauer has worked as the director of development of the Golden State Division (San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Monterey Peninsula and Central California) of The Salvation Army. In his role, he completely rebuilt the development team, which has produced double digit gains year after year during one of the worst recessions in America. Prior to joining The Salvation Army, Bauer was the director of sales and business development for Hiemstra Product Development, a fullservice design, engineering and manufacturing company, which is now part of Lunar Design. He founded Strategies International, a business development firm, in 1994.

Larry Stephens’ philosophy toward service is that it should be everyone’s responsibility to humankind – whether it’s financial giving or the giving of one’s time to improve the world in which we live. He dedicates much of his own time to the Hot Springs community, having served on the city’s airport commission, the civil service commission, the water commission, the civic auditorium expansion committee, the Garland County Industrial Development Corp., Boy Scouts of America, the United Way of Garland County Board and the Hot Springs Fifty for the Future. He currently serves on the Garland County Detention Center Committee. As a proud University of Arkansas graduate, Stephens also gives back through his alma mater as a way to repay the University for his education and campus experiences. He is a past president of the Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors and served on the Spa City Razorback Club Board. Stephens is the founding president of the Arkansas Academy of Industrial Engineers and served on the University’s National Development Council. He currently serves on the Campaign Arkansas Engineering Committee and the College of Engineering Advisory Council. He is a charter member of the Chancellor’s Society, served on the 2010 Commission and is a member of the Towers of Old Main and Thoroughreds. Since 2008, Stephens has served as the chairman of the board at Mid-South Engineering Co., the largest employee-owned engineering consultant group serving the forest products industry. As a founding member of the firm, he previously served as vice president, president and chief operating officer.

Director of Development, The Salvation Army San Francisco, California

Chairman of the Board, Mid-South Engineering Company Hot Springs, Arkansas

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YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD

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COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

Hugh Brewer Jr. ✪+ BSEE’59

Angie Maxwell ★ BA’00

Hugh Brewer spent his career as an engineer with the Southwestern Electric Power Company and McClelland Engineers before purchasing Upchurch Electrical Supply Company in 1970 and serving as the president and chief executive officer. His engineering expertise also led to his first major community involvement during the 1960s when a local internist asked for his help as an engineer to organize a new project called Abilities Unlimited. As part of the board, he helped create a sheltered workshop where handicapped people could work for pay and gain a real sense of accomplishment and belonging. After traveling to several large cities to observe workshops for inspiration, he realized he really wanted this for his own community, especially after seeing firsthand how happy the workers were in those workshops. Soon, he was asked to serve on other projects. The Fort Smith native has served as president or chairman of several organizations, including the Fayetteville Downtown Rotary Club, the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, the Arkansas Air and Military Museum, the Fayetteville Civil Service Commission, the Fayetteville Development Foundation and the Fayetteville Country Club. He served as treasurer of the Arkansas Alumni Association, a member of the Board of Governors of Washington Regional Medical Center and a founding member of the boards of both Abilities Unlimited and the Fayetteville Creative School. His personal reward has been the satisfaction of knowing he has helped those who will never know his name.

Angie Maxwell knew she wanted to be a researcher and a writer after spending several weeks in the solitude of Special Collections at Mullins Library while researching her senior honors thesis. Since then, she has written and edited numerous publications, but she is most proud of having her book, “The Indicted South: Public Criticism, Southern Inferiority, and the Politics of Whiteness,” published by the University of North Carolina Press this past spring. In the book, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native examines and connects three key 20th-century moments in which the South was exposed to intense public criticism, identifying in white southerners’ responses a pattern of defensiveness that shaped the region’s political and cultural conservatism. She made a guest appearance on MSNBC’s political talk show “The Cycle” to discuss the book. Her time at the University of Arkansas has come full circle. During her tenure in the Associated Student Government, she helped establish the Safe Ride Program and advocated to save Carnall Hall. After obtaining her master’s and doctoral degrees from The University of Texas at Austin, now she’s teaching students, who like her, have a desire to make change. Her ultimate goal is to establish the Diane D. Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society with a team of faculty members as the primary resource for scholarship and teaching on southern political culture with a dynamic social presence, a full slate of annual public events, a degree program for students and a robust publication record.

President and Chief Executive Officer (Retired) Upchurch Electrical Supply Company Fayetteville, Arkansas

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

Diane D. Blair Professor of Southern Studies Assistant Professor of Political Science University of Arkansas

ASSOCIATIONS

CHARLES AND NADINE BAUM FACULTY TEACHING AWARD

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HONORARY ALUMNI AWARD

Hal Walter

Agriculturer Supportive Parent Extraordinaire Clarkridge, Arkansas

Hal Walter always knew his son Raymond’s post-secondary education at the University of Arkansas would change both of their lives. That’s because Raymond has a severe form of muscular dystrophy that forces him to use a motorized wheelchair. As his caregiver, Hal lives with Raymond on campus, transports him to class and attends class with him. Hal, a self-employed contractor, did not hesitate to rearrange his own life to help his son pursue his dreams. Raymond’s education has been on a fast track, knowing he could have a short life span. He graduated from Mountain Home High School at age 14. Then, he and his father moved 140 miles away from their home in Clarkridge, Arkansas, leaving Hal’s wife and two older children, who attend the University of Central Arkansas. Raymond graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, physics and economics at age 18 in 2012. He continued his education by earning a master’s degree in mathematics the next year and is currently working on a doctorate in math and physics as a Distinguished Doctoral Fellow and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow with an expected graduation date of 2017. On weekends, they return home to help with their 500-acre cattle farm in Baxter County. Although every day is a challenge, Hal says it’s worth it to see Raymond in an environment where his disability goes unnoticed because his classmates and the University of Arkansas community appreciate him for his intellectual prowess.

Mary Beth Matthews ★ SE’75 JD’78

Sidney Parker Davis, Jr. Professor of Business and Commercial Law University of Arkansas School of Law

One of Mary Beth Matthews’ law professors, Mort Gitelman, once described a teacher as someone having a “fire in the belly” and a need within yourself to convey what you know to someone – anyone – else. There’s no doubt that Matthews has those desires. As the fifth of six children, it was uncertain whether she would attend college until she received a scholarship from her father’s workplace. Not only did she earn two degrees at the University of Arkansas, she also joined the faculty as an assistant professor in 1986 and became a full professor in 1996. Matthews primarily teaches courses in the commercial and corporate law curriculum, including contracts, negotiable instruments and business organizations. She has been in private practice in Northwest Arkansas and has taught at the U of A since 1978. She says the most rewarding part of teaching is receiving feedback from her students indicating the material has actually sunk in – whether it’s an excited student wanting to debate a point after class, from a written exam that tells her the student really understands that legal issue or, as one student told her, when she could her Matthews’ voice in her head as she was taking the bar exam. Matthews has three major goals in teaching a class: to convey a certain fundamental level of substantive legal knowledge, to give the students the tools to apply that knowledge and locate further detail, and to make sure they understand why the law is currently that why so the principle sticks in their head. Her own research interests include credit cards, shareholder derivative suits, and limited liability companies.

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FACULTY DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD for SERVICE

Dr. Edward A. Pohl ★

Director, Center for Innovation in Healthcare Logistics Professor and Department Head and 21st Century Professorship, Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering

Edward A. Pohl joined the department of industrial engineering in 2004 and was named department head in September 2014. Previously, Pohl served as the director of the department’s operations management graduate program, the largest graduate program at the University of Arkansas. He considers that position his most rewarding service experience at the University. He currently serves as director of the Center for Innovation in Healthcare Logistics and the director of Distance Education for the College of Engineering. He motivates his students to give back by being a servant leader and providing them a role model to emulate. He continues to look for opportunities to integrate service learning efforts into his courses to help build passion and understanding for the need to help others. Pohl spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force where he served in a variety of engineering, analysis and academic positions during his career. Previous assignments include the Deputy Director of the Operations Research Center at the U.S. Military Academy, Operations Analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he performed independent cost schedule, performance and risk assessments on Major DoD acquisition programs, and as a munitions logistics manager at the Air Force Operational Test Center. He has participated and led several research efforts at the University of Arkansas. His primary research interests are in reliability, engineering optimization, supply chain risk analysis, decision making, and quality. His research includes 39 funded projects with more than $4.8 million in grants.

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FACULTY DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD for RESEARCH

Dr. Elliott West

Distinguished Professor of History J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences

As a historian, Elliott West, who joined the University of Arkansas faculty in 1979, loves discovering details and events that are especially revealing of the larger themes and ideas in his research. Focusing on the American West, he draws inspiration from the challenge of entering the perspective of another time and uncovering experiences of ordinary people from that time – in effect entering another world and moving around in it. West says he always incorporates what he has learned into his class lectures, both to share the experience of research with others and to illustrate to them how historical research works – in particular how it is always unfolding, dynamic, mysterious and full of the unexpected. His teaching earned him a finalist spot for the Robert Foster Cherry Award, which recognizes the outstanding teacher in the nation in 2009, among other teaching awards. Two of his books, Growing Up With the Country: Childhood on the Far-Western Frontier (1989) and The Way to the West: Essays on the Central Plains (1995) received the Western Heritage Award. The Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers, and the Rush to Colorado (1998) received five awards including the Francis Parkman Prize and PEN Center Award. His most recent book is The Last Indian War: The Nez Perce Story (2009). He is currently working on a history of the American West in the 19th Century to challenge how people have traditionally thought about that time and to more fully understand how those years transformed the nation.

CITATION OF DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

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FACULTY DISTINGUISHED RISING TEACHING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Dr. Douglas E. Spearot

Janie Simms Hipp ★ LLM’96

For Douglas Spearot the most rewarding part of teaching is when students feel confident enough in their understanding of a newly-learned engineering principle to ask a question about the real-world application. Joining the University of Arkansas faculty in 2005, Spearot’s research and teaching focuses on nanoscale structure-property relationships, molecular dynamics, phase-field simulations, interface behavior, and dislocations and defects in materials. He was awarded the 2010 National Science Foundation CAREER Award to explain the nanoscale mechanisms associated with phase selection during vapor deposition and the 2007 Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award to study plasticity in nanostructured materials. Spearot believes a great teacher understands that his role extends beyond the lecture, including advising and mentoring to challenge top students to pursue opportunities in research or internships in the industry or at national laboratories. Similarly, great teachers make time to work with eager but lower-performing students to forge a path for them to improve their understanding of the course material. He employs three philosophies in his teaching: he brings a genuine enthusiasm to the classroom for both the course material and the academic process, he attempts to integrate the foundational engineering material that his students learn in class with real-world example of how those engineering principles are applied and he teaches within a defined structure. The Michigan native hopes his students see him as a role model and respect the effort he puts toward their education.

Janie Simms Hipp’s career path was influenced by her childhood in Idabel, Oklahoma, where agriculture dominated the rural economy. With both sides of her family involved in agriculture and education, it was a natural fit for her career to focus on rural people and places, farming, ranching and education. She obtained a juris doctor from Oklahoma City University in 1984. Then, in the late 1980s, she began working in food and agricultural law, spending eight years as a commercial litigator. She spent four years within the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office as the agricultural and rural legal affairs advisor, launching state-level initiatives and providing assistance to the Oklahoma and national food and agriculture sector to stem the tide of farm foreclosures during that time. Her early legal career focused on a blend of commercial issues, banking and mortgage foreclosure issues. She soon realized she needed to attend the new agriculture law program at the University of Arkansas to obtain specialized knowledge. Later, she served as the director of the Risk Management Education Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the national program leader for risk management education, farm financial management and trade adjustment assistance for the USDA. She was the senior adviser for tribal relations to Thomas Vilsack, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Hipp is the founder of the USDA’s Office of Tribal Relations in the Office of the Secretary and served two terms on the USDA Secretary’s Advisory Committee for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. In January 2013, Hipp returned to the U of A as the director of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative and a visiting law professor.

Associate Professor and 21st Century Professorship Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering

Director of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative Visiting Professor, University of Arkansas School of Law

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CITATION OF DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

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CITATION OF DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

Greg W. Lee ✪+ BSBA’70

Ewell R. Welch ★ BSA’76 MS’77

Greg Lee retired from Tyson Foods Inc. as the chief administrative officer and president of Tyson Foods International in April 2007 after 27 years of service. He joined Tyson in 1980 as a regional sales manager in the foodservice division and rose progressively through the ranks in sales, marketing, operations and general management, both domestically and internationally. He served as the company’s chief operating officer when IBP was acquired in 2001 and then co-chief operating officer until 2003 when he became the chief administrative officer and international president. Lee also spent two years with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in management training and nine years with Swift and Company. Lee was an active leader in various trade groups associated with his career. He served on the boards of Tyson De Mexico and Cobb Vantress Inc. He also served on the boards and chaired the National Chicken Council and the International Foodservice Manufacturer Association. He is a former member of the boards of the National Frozen Food Association, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and Specialty Brands Inc. He is active in his community, serving as chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board for the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and co-chairs Campaign Arkansas for the college. He served on the U of A Campaign Arkansas Steering Committee and is a board member for the U of A Technology Development Foundation. He is a member of the boards for Washington Regional Medical System and chairs the Walton Arts Center Board. He is the past president of Big Brothers Big Sisters NWA and past president of the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation.

In 2013, Ewell Welch retired as executive vice president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation after a 36-year career with the organization. The Havana, Arkansas, native had served in that position since 2002 with 11 years in key leadership positions that involved responsibilities in agricultural policy, marketing and economics and administration. He previously served as director of the organization’s commodity and public policy department. During his career with Arkansas Farm Bureau, he also served as director of the rice and soybean divisions, coordinator of the market master program, director of the poultry division, fowl marketing and the dairy division. He served as a liaison to numerous agriculturalrelated organizations and agencies at the state and national levels. He found his work to be personally rewarding as he worked on issues that helped Arkansas’s farmers and ranchers improve their quality of life and their economic well-being while solving their problems and issues. He considers his greatest achievement to be the fostering and enhancement of a closer-working relationship between the leadership of Arkansas Farm Bureau and the U of A leadership, particularly those within the U of A Division of Agriculture and Bumpers College. He believes the future of Arkansas and U.S. Agriculture depends on the effectiveness of the teaching, research and extension programs. Among his honors, Welch was named an outstanding alumnus of the U of A Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences in 2005. He served on the Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2008-2011 and the Bumpers College Alumni Society Board from 1998-2004, serving as president from 2002-03.

Chief Administrative Officer and International President (Retired), Tyson Foods Inc., Fayetteville, Arkansas

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Executive Vice President (Retired), Arkansas Farm Bureau North Little Rock, Arkansas

CHAPTERS / SOCIETIES -1The Austin Chapter partnered with other SEC schools for its Annual SEC Picnic on Aug. 23. The group had a great turnout of nearly 40 alumni and friends. Attendees enjoyed great weather, food and games. -2Members of the Las Vegas Chapter hosted a watch party prior to the Arkansas vs. Northern Illinois game on Sept. 20 to watch the Hogs take down the Huskies, 52-14. -3The Tampa Bay Area Chapter gathered at Tropicana Field on Aug. 15 for “Arkansas Alumni Night at the Rays.” The chapter had a good group turnout and enjoyed watching the Rays beat the New York Yankees 5-0. -4The San Francisco Bay Area Chapter “Hogs in the Fog” hosted the 23rd Annual Martini Winery BBQ at beautiful Monte Rosso Ranch on Aug. 23 in Sonoma, California. More than 125 alumni and friends turned out for the event, which raised a record amount of money for the Ernest J. Wong Endowed Scholarship program and featured special guest speakers Dean Eli Jones from the Sam M. Walton College of Business and professor Carol Reeves, associate vice provost for entrepreneurship. -5Members of the Mid-South | Memphis Chapter participated in an SEC Kick-Off Party, which helped the group raise more than $1,400 to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis. Pictured are members of the chapter board during the check presentation. -6The Northwest Arkansas Chapter hosted its Annual Pig Sooie Scramble, including the second annual “Par-Tee” kick-off event, Aug. 14-15. The group raised more than $12,000 for their chapter scholarship endowment. The Starr Foundation team won this year’s scramble and received a bid to the Acura College Team Championship in Pinehurst, North Carolina. -7Members of the Razorback Marching Band speak to the Razorback Band Alumni Society about upcoming performances and events during the August board meeting.

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Record-breaking year for Greek Life at the University of Arkansas A little more than 2,000 students were enrolled in Greek Life in 2014 marking another record-breaking year for fraternities and sororities at the University of Arkansas. One-thousand thirty-three students were enrolled in Panhellenic council, 690 in Interfraternity Council and 57 in National Pan-Hellenic Council and United Greek Council reaching a total of 2,080 students. The opportunity to join Greek Life at the U of A helps students become part of something bigger than themselves, said Parice Bowser, director of Greek Life. “Greek Life provides students with another opportunity to feel connected to the campus community including their focus on scholastic achievement, service and social interaction,” Bowser said. “Greek Life provides a little of everything which makes it easier for one to find their home away from home which helps the student to adjust more quickly to college life.” The growth in the record-breaking enrollment is due in large part to a few factors. The U of A has national award winning chapters, having some of the largest chapters in the nation as well as having a supportive institution who supports and invests in the Greek program and chapters. The growth in enrollment also poses some challenges for Greek Life chapters and officials, but these are challenges that U of A officials will be ready to handle. “Our ultimate goal is to provide a valuable experience for each member and to continue to strive for excellence in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership and brotherhood and sisterhood,” Bowser said. “We have continued to be successful over the years to the tireless efforts of our Greek Life leadership team, chapter alumni advisors, national headquarters staff and various university administrators who spent numerous hours within our community to help us achieve our goals.” This year was also the first year that Panhellenic Bid Day was simulcast by UATV and the production company Acad3 at the Hillside Auditorium.

“Bid Day is an exciting time for the Greek community as thousands of U of A sorority members gather to extend bids to the new members to join their chapters,” said Lindsey Bach, panhellenic council president. Greek Life was able to provide access to various people on and off campus. “This is a great addition to Bid Day to provide our guests with a place to keep cool through the event, as well as enjoy the experience with family and friends in a safe and comfortable campus location,” Bowser said. The ceremony was broadcast on cable channel 22, on Cox Cable channel 214 in the rest of Fayetteville and on the UATV website. The live broadcast provided new opportunities for people interested in Greek Life. “Having a live broadcast of this event will allow family and friends who are unable to attend, the opportunity to share this moment from afar,” said Ashley Bloxom, assistant director of Greek Life. UATV was also excited about the opportunity to broadcast Bid Day. “Producing a remote broadcast is a great experience for the students,” said Robyn Starling-Ledbetter, UATV advisor and journalism professor. “It requires us to build a production team of students to run cameras and equipment. It also creates a real live broadcast experience for the students, which can’t be easily imitated.” Now people from various parts of the country will be able to watch the celebration. “The most important aspect of Bid Day is watching new members open their envelopes which reveals the chapter that has extended them a membership bid,” Bach said. “Later, each chapter leads their new members back to the chapter house or other set locations to welcome them into sisterhood.” During this process, U of A students can find comfort in the Greek Life community. “On this day, potential new members will find their home away from home and the place where they belong,” said Sam Cusumano, vice president of recruitment. “It’s and indescribably unique day that you will only experience once in a lifetime. ■

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

photo submitted

GREEK LIFE

photo submitted

Bowser Named AFLV Chair Parice Bowser, director of greek life at the University of Arkansas, was recently elected as the Chair of the Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values Board of Directors. “It is exciting to serve in such a way to promote and to grow fraternal leadership and values,” Bowser said. “AFLV continues to provide outstanding cutting edge programs and services. I am elated to be a part of the fraternal movement as we strive to take AFLV to the next level in the years to come.” The AFLV exists to stimulate the growth and development of fraternity and sorority councils, chapters and members by promoting leadership, educational and values based experiences and resources for student leaders, their advisors and the larger fraternal market. In this position with the AFLV, Bowser will chair all board meetings, represent the Association in various capacities during conferences and serve as a spokesperson for the association when needed. The mission of the AFLV is for all fraternity and sorority members to exemplify and live ethical values. The AFLV works toward their mission by educating and cultivating students and professionals through cutting edge events and services including conferences and institutes, service immersion experiences, leadership resources and multiple venues for networking and connecting with peers and colleagues who support the advancement of the fraternal movement. Bowser received her Bachelor of Science and her Master of Science both at Arkansas State University. She served as the coordinator for Greek Affairs at the University of Memphis before joining the University of Arkansas Division of Student Affairs. She is a member of the Association for Fraternity Advisors, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, and American Association of University Women; as well as serving on the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Fraternity & Sorority Advisory Board. She has previously served as the Fraternity & Sorority Knowledge Community Representatives for NASPA Region IV-West. ■

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

Kappa Delta Taylor Dunn, Kappa Delta Vice President of Public Relations What is the background of your organization? Kappa Delta was established at the University of Arkansas in 1989 and recently celebrated its 25th anniversary on campus. It is an organization of women that supports the values of Panhellenic and service. We promote Confidence in Women and Girls and work towards bettering our community. How does your organization give back to the community through philanthropy and service? The Zeta Gamma chapter of Kappa Delta gets to give back to the Northwest Arkansas community through two main areas of philanthropy. First, Kappa Delta supports the Girl Scouts of the USA and we hold events throughout the year that troops from the area come and participate in. On Oct. 28, we hosted a fall festival that over 150 girl scouts from the greater NWA area came and participated in. This is a great way to promote confidence and get to influence young girls lives. Kappa Delta also hosts an annual Shamrock Fundraiser where the funds directly go the Child Safety Center in Springdale. This supports our philanthropy of Prevent Child Abuse America locally. We held a paint dodge ball tournament that included all of greek life and the outward community in bringing awareness to such an important cause. What is your organization looking forward to in the upcoming year? We are looking forward to getting to continue participating in campus wide Greek events as well as working with our philanthropies. On Nov. 9, Kappa Delta held our annual Fall Philanthropy dinner to raise money for PCAA. Then upcoming is planning for Shamrock and other exciting events such as Greek Week and Derby Days. What is one thing everyone should know about your organization? Kappa Delta is an organization devoted to the promotion of Confidence. We try to instill confidence in all that we do and work towards better the Panhellenic community. We are not just individual houses, we are all sisters and should strive to act that way. Kappa Delta pushes its members to become better versions of themselves and always strive for that which is Honorable, Beautiful, and Highest. ■

Razorback Athletics Communications

RAZORBACK ROAD

Seniors From Undefeated Women’s Golf Team Ranked No. 1964 Football Team Honored 1 in Country at Mid-Semester In honor of the 50th anniversary of Arkansas’ 1964 National Championship, seniors of the undefeated team returned to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium to serve as the A Club Honorary Captains and the entire 1964 team was honored in a pre-game ceremony during the game between the Razorbacks and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Members of the 1964 team were recognized prior to kickoff and participated in the ‘A’ Walk of Honor. In addition to the pre-game ceremony, special features throughout the game to commemorated the championship, and the Razorback Marching Band also paid tribute to the team with a special halftime performance. This group of legendary Razorbacks earned its way into the history books when it ran the table in 1964 and knocked off Nebraska 10-7 in the Cotton Bowl to become the only undefeated team in the country. The Razorbacks were named national champions by the Football Writers Association of America, one of the few organizations that waited until after the bowl game to name its national champion. ■

For the first time in program history the University of Arkansas women’s golf team is ranked No. 1 in the country. The Razorbacks were coming off a season-opening win at the Cougar Classic defeating the previously ranked No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the country. The victory against the top-tier field propelled Arkansas up in the rankings into the top spot this week according to Golfweek.com. The Razorbacks were ranked a previous program-best No. 4 last season before earning the top spot this year. Razorback junior Regina Plasencia was Arkansas’ top finisher last week at the Cougar Classic and was ranked No. 5 in Golfweek.com rankings at the end of September. Sophomore Summar Roachell checked in at No. 18 in the country followed by Gabriela Lopez at No. 26 and Samantha Marks at No. 31. In their final meet of the fall, the team finished second at the Alamo Tournament in San Antonio. Lopez finished third in the tourney and was the low score for the Razorbacks, finishing with a 9-under par 207 with rounds of 68-71-68. ■

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

RAZORBACK ROAD

photo submitted

U of A Graduate Student, Track Athlete Focuses on Giving Back

Nathanael Franks volunteers at Escuela Urbana de Educación in Guatemala. He and the students worked together to paint the murals and enjoyed practicing dance steps. Franks is a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship.

Nathanael Franks came to the University of Arkansas in the fall of 2010 as an Honors College freshman and a newly minted member of the Razorback track and field team. Four years later, he has completed bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and physics, a master’s degree in business administration and is set to finish a master’s degree in accounting in May 2015 – not to mention he has etched his name in the Razorback track and field record books. Franks’ altruistic character and capacity to conquer every challenge that comes his way are both remarkable and endearing. He radiates joy and has a way of quietly inspiring those around him to hold themselves to a higher standard. He is a shining example of the caliber of students at the U of A. Franks, a Damascus, Ore. native, completed his undergraduate work in two and a half years, posting a 3.96 cumulative GPA, and he finished his M.B.A. with a 3.9. He has been part of NCAA and SEC championship-winning teams, is the fourth all-time points leader in Razorback decathlon and heptathlon history, holds the second-fastest all-time world record in the heptathlon 1,000 meters and was the 2013 winner of the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup, which is awarded each year to one professional and one collegiate athlete who make the greatest difference in the lives of others. In addition to his successes in the classroom and on the track, Franks is fluent in multiple languages, plays the Swiss alphorn, was once selected to perform a trumpet solo for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, is a certified private pilot and is a Schwingen wrestling champion – the national sport of Switzerland. His academic, athletic and personal accolades are seemingly endless. However, those achievements only tell part of his story. More important to Franks than his many accomplishments are the people he has met and the relationships he has formed. “Life is more about the people you meet and the things you do with them than any personal accomplishments,” he said. “People are definitely my priority.” Franks’ priority for people is made evident through the many ways in which he gives back to the local, national and even global community. He has spent Friday evenings mentoring special needs children as part of the 99 Balloons rEcess program, helped improve cross-cultural relations in Northwest Arkansas by serving as a core leader for the International Culture Team, spent time volunteering on an Amish farm in Iowa, been a counselor at an adventure camp in Lebanon and once spent part of a summer teaching at an elementary school in Guatemala. Franks’ selfless nature and desire to help others was shaped in his youth. He was raised on a goat farm, and through early morning milkings and various other responsibilities, he learned that oftentimes the needs of the goats came before his own. “It taught me that I am first responsible for others, then myself,” he said. Franks has centered his life on that notion, but believes that, no matter how much he gives of himself to others, he cannot take credit. “I believe each person is a unique creation of God, and he continues

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

to mold us throughout our lives,” he said. “Many people have poured energy into me and made me the person I am today. It is only natural that I want to funnel that energy back into my peers and the generation of tomorrow’s leaders.” He is one of tomorrow’s leaders himself, if not a leader of today. By giving of his time and talent, Franks has worked to make small changes for good in the world, but he hopes to make a larger impact in the coming years, as his life-long dream has been to bring medical care to the places in the world without sufficient access. ■

Rise and Shine...

Razorbacks Earn Record Graduation Success Rate University of Arkansas student-athletes that entered school in a fouryear period from 2004-07 earned a school record graduation success rate (GSR) of 76 percent according to a report released by the NCAA. The latest graduation success rate marked the sixth-consecutive rate of more than 70 percent by Razorback student-athletes and the highest since the GSR was introduced in 1998. The graduation success rate was developed as an improved measurement tool for tracking student-athletes’ academic progress leading toward graduation. The graduation success rate is a four-year snapshot of a program’s academic progress. The University of Arkansas has steadily improved its graduation success rate since the measurement was implemented 10 years ago rising from an initial rate of 60 percent to 76 percent in the new numbers. The previous best GSR recorded by the University of Arkansas was 74 percent, recorded by freshmen student-athletes initially enrolled in 2003. “Our GSR is an indication of the progress we are making in equipping Razorback student-athletes to achieve the ultimate goal of intercollegiate athletics – graduation,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long said. “For the sixth-consecutive year, we have earned a GSR exceeding 70 percent, including this year’s record mark of 76 percent. While we have made substantial progress, the true measure of our efforts as a combined department are not yet reflected in those percentages. As those results begin to be factored in the GSR, we look forward to even greater progress in those scores. The GSR was established to more accurately gauge academic progress among student-athletes. Traditional federal graduation rates, which do not account for transfers or other student-athletes that leave institutions in good academic standing, were also released. That rate, based on student-athletes who enrolled full-time in fall 2007, is 56 percent. In addition to graduation success rate, the NCAA established the Academic Progress Rate (APR) that provides institutions with a more real-time indicator of academic success. Last summer, Arkansas exceeded the APR benchmark in all 19 sports for the second consecutive year. In 2013-14, a total of 112 current or former Razorback studentathletes earned their college degrees from the University of Arkansas. That number marked an 81 percent increase in graduates in the past six academic years. Razorback student-athletes also combined to post a program record cumulative GPA of 3.18. ■

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YESTERYEAR 1874

university housing is discriminatory. • Jerry Jones, now the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, runs for student body president.

• The state Legislature votes to remove all trustees of the Arkansas Industrial University.

1884

1974

• General Daniel Harvey Hill, citing declining health, resigns as president of the Arkansas Industrial University.

1924

• Omega Psi Phi, the university’s first African American fraternity, is organized. • Students shed their clothing and run naked down Maple Street and Arkansas Avenue during the Week of Streak. • Big Red, the first official Razorback live mascot, is retired due to poor health.

1964 Razorback

• The music department moves out of Old Main and into the old Agriculture Experiment Station building. 1964 Razorback caption reads, "This boy happily gives a pint of blood. In exchange, the Red • An editorial in the Cross will happily give him a glass of orange juice. He must really dig orange juice." student newspaper argues that prohibition has done “innocent injury” to the university times within range of Japanese guns to rescue 1984 life by changing the attitude of the entire 15 American fliers. • Tensions between residents of a fraternity student body toward drinking. and a residence hall escalate with 32 incidents • The Arkansas Alumnus, a predecessor to 1954 being reported to the University of Arkansas Arkansas magazine, changed its publishing • The U of A International Club sells Police Department by members of Sigma format from a bulletin to a monthly. bookends made from the original wooden Alpha Epsilon and Buchanan-Droke Hall. stair railings of Old Main, which had • The U of A’s Campaign for Books raises 1934 been replaced the previous year with metal $1.8 million during the academic year to • Prices per male student to attend student stairways and railings for fire safety. support the library. dances are reduced to 50 cents, and the • Ladies Day Voting elects David Pryor as Student Social Committee still showed a the Campus Casanova, part of a contest to 1994 profit. publicize Bob Hope’s latest movie, Casanova’s • The University of Arkansas is the first • The fraternities vote to boycott the local Big Night. school in the state to get the minimum dry-cleaners because of high prices, arguing: • English major Don Harington proposes number of orders needed to begin the new “Wear that suit that’s messed, if prices don’t publication of a magazine for the College of license plate program to raise money for the decrease. Wear those pants unpressed. We Arts and Sciences and initially called it The “Roads Scholars.” don’t need a crease!” Arkansas Review. • Students begin publishing a humor More than 1,000 students sign a petition in 2004 magazine called The Arkansas Stooge. support of Sen. J. William Fulbright after his • Professor Peter Ungar and graduate student censure of Sen. Joseph McCarthy. Blaine Schubert determine that tyrannosaurids 1944 ate their food more like present-day mammals • “Doc” Boone and his Skunk Holler 1964 than present-day reptiles by examining the Syncopators, a hillbilly band from Springdale, Construction begins on a new pool and a teeth for microscopic scratches. perform a show at the Student Union. new student health center. • Three Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial • Representatives of the Army Air Force • The student government begins a series cartoonists spoke at the university in a panel visit Fayetteville to assist in formation of a of 60 trials involving altered birth dates on discussion titled “Drawn and Quartered.” Traveler Squadron of co-eds for the Women’s student ID cards. • The University of Arkansas Innovation Army Corps. • Sophomore Raymond Carter submits Center, built at the Arkansas Research and • Nathan Gordon is awarded the Medal a complaint to the Arkansas Advisory Technology Park, was the first building in of Honor for landing his naval flying boat, Committee and the U.S. Commission the state designated as LEED-certified by the “The Arkansas Traveler,” in rough seas four on Civil Rights arguing that the U.S. Green Building Council. n

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

LOST ALUMNI If you have any information on the whereabouts of these alumni and former students, please contact the Arkansas Alumni Association at 1-888-ARK-ALUM so that we may update our records. Mrs. Debby Smith Prather Mr. Vinod Sivagnanam 2014 Mr. David R. Brown 1967 Ms. Katherine Pauline Aleman 2014 Dr. Chi-Ming Liang 1978 Ms. Loretta A. Villani 1969 Mr. Buddy R. Packard 1950 Ms. Jimmie Porter Halpin 1925 Mr. Samuel Caleb Melton 2014 Mr. Jaime Isaza-Restrepo 1958 Mr. L. D. Wells 1964 Mrs. Freddie S. Coleman 1948 Mr. Robert M. Magness Jr. 1967 Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Phillips 1948 Mr. Manuel Antonio Sanchez Tejada 2014 Mrs.Juanita Woodson Rutherford 1922 Dr. Benard Omondi Omogo 2014 Mr. W. M. Elder Mr. John Jeremiah O Brien V 2014 Mr. Neal B. Wilkinson Jr. 1965 Ms. Bac Thi Nguyen 2014

Ms. Ana Victoria Rivera 2014 Dr. James J. Snipes 1968 Mr. Zachary Michael Lane 2014 Mr. Eric F. Li 1951 Dr. Shu-Mei Liang 1978 Dr. Robert Grene 1945 Mr. R. Fred Holland 1974 Mr. J. Gordon Caton 1961 Mr. Santosh Balaji Narasimha Chary 2013 Mr. Kaleb John Euseppi 2013 Mrs. Inez B. Bivins 1942 Mrs. Claudia Heath Howe 1966 Mr. Jerry Posey 1973 Mr. Leland R. Branting 1949 Mrs. Mary Whitaker Bell 1938 Mrs. Dillon J. Blount Mr. William Bryan 2013 Mr. Gabriel A. Velasco 2014 Ms. Mallory A. McSpadden 2012 Ms. Alba Marie Morrison 1953 Mr. Sixbert Uwiringiyimana 2013

Give a gift that gives back.

For more information, contact: Jim Harris ’85, ’88 Executive Director, Gift & Estate Planning 800-317-7526 • legacy@uark.edu

Mr. Tim E. Young 1975 Mr. Juan Sebastian Cardenas 2014 Mr. Thomas O. Black Jr. 1977 Mr. Justin Craig Ramirez 2014 Mrs. Marietta Payne Mr. Louie E. Throgmorton Dr. James E. Alexander 1971 Mr. Renato Renzo Lagos Salazar 2014 Mrs. Agnes Woodward Brass 1954 Dr. Mary Jane M. Ward 1940 Mrs. Nancy Sampson 1969 Ms. Luz Milagro Septimo Moreno 2014 Mrs. Diane Stracner Mr. Ronald Alexander Taliesin Smith 2014 Mr. Weili Bai 2014 Mr.Zuhair Abdaladeem A Al Salim 2014 Ms. Sophie Collier McGehee 2014 Dr. James W. Thompson 1968 Mr. H. O. McInish Jr. 1952 Dr. Randolph Marty 1925

Mr. William R. Burrow 1953 Mrs. Suzi A. Bassett Mrs. Marilyn Biggs Mr. Wright V. Lewis 1959 Mr. C. L. James 1936 Ms. Juanita Marie Ellebrecht 1965 Mrs. Melinda Wassell Mrs. Judy Gribble 1967 Mr. Jeffrey A. Campbell 2014 Ms. Melis Soyarslan 2014 Ms. Qing Guo 2014 Mrs. Louise Carter Ray 1940 Mr. Chye Boo Kwek 1984 Mr. William D. Dubois 1975 Mr. David Pierce 2014 Mrs. Virginia Leah Butler Mr. L. E. Dunn Ms. Emily Ryan Breakell 2014 Dr. William A. Snow 1959 Mrs. Patricia Jane Davis Aitken Mrs. Ruth Yingling Rector 1964

You’ve supported us through your membership, and we’ve grown stronger because of you. With your help, we can do even more, including enhancing student and faculty programming. Gift annuities provide funding to strengthen the Arkansas Alumni Association and the university while providing a steady stream of income for you and your family. The Arkansas Alumni Association Annuity will enable the Alumni Association to carry on its mission of connecting and serving the University of Arkansas family while providing peace of mind to you and your family.

Age: Individual

Rate

Ages: Couple

Rate

4.7%

65 and 60

4.0%

5.1%

70 and 65

4.4%

5.8%

75 and 70

4.8%

6.8%

80 and 75

5.3%

Rates are for illustration purposes only. The AAA Annuity is created uniquely for each person to maximize the best opportunity for you, the Arkansas Alumni Association and the University of Arkansas.

GivingBACKS Step Forward University of Arkansas alumni Ben and Mirelle Onukwube and Hunter Riley all graduated within the last decade and are all inaugural members of GivingBACKS, a society for recent graduates who are stepping forward and giving back to their alma mater. In their own words, they share what the University of Arkansas means to them.

Q. What does it mean to have your name on Senior Walk? Hunter: Legacy. It’s so special to be next to my older brother (Zachary Davis Riley) and etched into the same stone as my father (John Davis Riley) and younger sister (Erin Esther Riley). You should see how excited I get to show a friend my name on Senior Walk and to have visited it in the years since graduation. Ben: My name on Senior Walk means several things to me. It’s a testament to the hard work I put in to get there and the hard work my parents and professors put into me. It represents a challenge to help bring others to the same pinnacle of their educational endeavors and beyond. And it’s a reminder of where I’ve come from and

photo Stephanie Parsley Photography

Q. How has the U of A helped make you who you are today? Hunter: It provided the opportunities to study, travel, serve and connect. All I had to do was grasp those. Ben and Mirelle Onukwube

photo Josh Davidson

Q. Why is giving back to the U of A important to you? Ben & Mirelle: We wouldn’t be where we are if it weren’t for the generous giving of others. We give as a tribute to those who have invested in us and to ensure that others have the same opportunities to reach their full potential through their experience at the U of A.

where I should be going – never forgetting that life, like school, takes hard work and continuous learning. Mirelle: During my time at the U of A, I had the privilege of working with some inspirational students. Together, we began and grew some amazing initiatives that continue today. Having my name on Senior Walk means I made a difference and left behind a legacy on campus.

Hunter Riley

Q. How would you challenge other recent graduates to give back? Ben & Mirelle: We understand that many recent graduates face challenges right out of college, but we believe that as you give, so do you receive. All of the life-changing opportunities we benefitted from – study abroad programs, our classes, Registered Student Organizations, scholarships – were in some way made possible by someone who gave back. We would challenge other recent graduates to give what they can to ensure the same opportunities for Razorbacks who come after us. Be a GivingBACK, and help move the university forward! Membership is open to graduates of the last decade who become leaders in philanthropy. ■

Want to become a GivingBACK? You can choose how you give! As a recent graduate, you have the option of enrolling in our monthly giving program or making a one-time gift at or exceeding the levels below:

ivingbacks The society for recent graduates

Graduation Year:

Monthly Contribution:

Cumulative Contribution:

(Minimum)

2005 – 2009

$25/mo.

$300 annually

2010 – 2014

$10/mo.

$120 annually

GivingBACKS receive a specially designed memento to designate each year of activity in the society. Please contact the Office of Annual Programs at (479) 575-2944 or make your gift today at onlinegiving.uark.edu.

A Lifetime of Teaching A Legacy of Giving O

photo submitted

riginally from Elm Springs, Their reason for giving back to the Arkansas, the late Merl McKinnon University of Arkansas was simple. As Betty Haga finished her teaching degree at the said, “My grandparents valued education, University of Arkansas by commuting and my mother and I just loved our careers. to the Fayetteville campus for summer We believe in giving back because Arkansas school. Described by her daughter, Betty, was good to us.” as “driven, motivated and remarkable,” Their generous gift will create the Merl Merl began her teaching career at Liberty McKinnon Haga and Betty Haga Endowed and Droke country schools before Scholarship in the College of Education moving to Central Ward Elementary in and Health Professions and provide Rogers, Arkansas. Her driven personality financial assistance to nontraditional or contributed to the nearly 40 years she adult learner students from Washington or spent teaching – 10 years in Arkansas and Benton County who are pursuing a degree 30 years in California – before she retired. with plans to become a K-12 teacher. Her daughter, Betty, enjoyed similar Because both Betty and her mother success as an educator. took breaks in their educational careers Born and raised in Rogers, Betty before returning to college, they wanted to began her educational career as a business provide financial assistance to others who major before switching to elementary are re-entering an educational program. education and graduating with teaching Therefore, preference will be given to degreedegrees from Baylor University and the seeking students who are returning to the University of La Verne. She then spent 30 program after a period of non-enrollment. Merl McKinnon Haga and Betty Haga years working as an elementary teacher in Tom Smith, dean of the College of Riverside and Corona, California. Education and Health Professions, remarked on their generosity Now, both of these remarkable women, who have a combined and said, “Teaching was obviously very important to Betty and her 70 years of teaching experience between them, are commemorating mother. We are honored that they’ve chosen to commemorate their their careers with a $500,000 planned gift to help future educators extraordinary careers by establishing this scholarship and thrilled that be successful. nontraditional students will benefit.” ■

Designating the University of Arkansas as a beneficiary of your retirement accounts is a popular gift technique. Because of the double tax burden on these funds, retirement accounts are an excellent source of gifts to charity. Consider these benefits: • Avoid estate tax on your retirement accounts; • Avoid income tax on your retirement accounts; • Make a legacy gift to the university with the least cost to your estate.

Please consider this opportunity to make a lasting difference at the University of Arkansas. We can tell you more

– confidentially. Jim Harris Executive Director, Gift & Estate Planning (800) 317-7526 • legacy@uark.edu

Honor a Razorback with your gift! Give back in honor or in memory of someone who has made a difference in your life. Parents, friends and even former faculty members can all be honored with a contribution to the University of Arkansas.

Make your gift online at onlinegiving.uark.edu.

SENIOR WALK

Class Notes Let us know about your milestones and anything else you would like to share with your classmates – births, marriages, new jobs, retirements, moves and more. Please include your degree, class year, and when applicable, your maiden name. To provide the most thorough coverage of alumni news, we publish notes about members and non-members of the Arkansas Alumni Association and will indicate membership status for reference. You may send us news or simply update your information. Since the next issues of Arkansas are already in production, it may be a few issues before your item appears. Mail: Senior Walk, c/o Tammy Tucker, Arkansas Alumni Association, P.O. Box 1070, Fayetteville AR 72702 E-mail: records@arkansasalumni.org These symbols indicate Alumni Association membership:

★ Member ★+ Member, A+ ✪ Life Member ✪+ Life Member, A+

’59

James O. Wear ✪ BS’59 MS’60 PHD’62, North Little Rock, received the Lifetime Achievement award from the American College of Clinical Engineering for his contributions to the clinical engineering community for the past 45 years. His major contributions include teaching, publishing and consulting. He is one of the founding members of ACCE. He also received The President’s Volunteer Service Award for more than 4,000 hours of volunteer work, mostly with the Boy Scouts of America, in August.

’63 ’65 ’72

Richard E. Griffin ✪+ LLB’63, Houston, Texas, was selected for inclusion in the 2015 edition of the Best Lawyers in America in the commercial litigation category. He is an attorney for Jackson Walker. Randy Oates ★ BSBA’65 has published The Healing Begins Today about his fight to recover from paralysis. Tommy May ✪+ BSBA’72 MBA’73, Pine Bluff, received the 2014 James E. Harris Nonprofit

Leadership Award. May is widely recognized for his local, regional, and statewide philanthropic work. The award honors an outstanding individual who has improved the lives of people in his or her community or in Arkansas through leadership in nonprofit board service, volunteerism or community engagement.

’74

George Dombek BARCH’74, Fayetteville, has showcased his paintings in the newly released George Dombek, a coffee table book published by the University of Arkansas Press. D. Newton White Jr. ✪+ BSCSCE’74 MSCE’76 and Linda Kay White ✪+ BSE’74 MED’75, Hot Springs, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on May 19. Newton is a professional engineer and the chief executive officer and owner of Instrument and Supply Inc., a 35-plus year firm in Hot Springs. Linda is a retired special educator.

’82

Susan McChristian Haney ✪ BSA’82, Fayetteville, is a food inspector/consumer safety inspector for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Service. She has 27 years of service.

’85

’89

Gregory D. Pennington BSBA’85, Fayetteville, is the chief credit officer for First Bank. He has 30 years of banking experience in Arkansas and Oklahoma.

’93 ’01 ’02 ’03

Jeffrey Byron Nall BSBA’85, Gulf Breeze, Florida, is the executive director of university marketing and communications at the University of West Florida. He has more than 20 years of marketing and public relations experience.

’86 ’88

Barry A. Hill ★ BA’86 and Rhonda Hill, Little Rock, announce the birth of their son, Ransom Garrett Hill, on Sept. 4. Govan S. Hornor BSBA’88, Memphis, Tennessee, has been named the chief information officer for Ducks Unlimited. He oversees all information technology and communications systems operations. Debra Ann Wofford MED’88, Ozark, was recognized with the Phi Beta Lambda Outstanding Local Chapter Adviser Award by the 2014 Future Business Leaders of America Phi Beta Lambda National Conference in Nashville.

Gregory R. Siragusa PHD’89, Waukesha, Wisconsin, was elected as a 2014 Academy Fellow by the American Academy for Microbiology. This honor recognizes those who have made contributions to the microbiology field. Suzanne Wiggins ★ BSBA’93 and Erick Paul Wiggins ★ BSE’92, both former Razorback Band members, were married in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 19. Holly McDaniel Wheeler ★ BA’01 and Britton R. Wheeler ★ BA ‘02 announce the birth of their son, Charles “Charlie” Britton Wheeler on July 1, Fayetteville. Emery John Scism BSBA’02, Fayetteville, has been named a vice president at Arvest Bank. He is a private banking officer. Rebecca D. Mourot BSCHE’03 and Joshua M. Mourot BSCHE’03, Seattle, Washington, announce the birth of their second son,

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

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ARKANSAS

www.arkansasalumni.org/lifemembership

ALUMNI

Life Members ✪ By becoming Life Members, the University’s friends and alumni help form a strong foundation on which to build the future of the Arkansas Alumni Association. We welcome the newest Life Members, listed in order of membership number: 7325 7326 7327 7328 7329 7330 7331 7332 7333 7334 7335 7336 7337 7338 7339 7340 7341 7342 7343

J. R. Watts Jr. ‘13 Courtney B. Calloway ‘05 Jordan Patterson Johnson ‘00 Angie Staley Johnson ‘00 Austin Axley Cole ‘14 Autumn MacKenzie Lewis ‘14 Lewis W. Hirschy ‘73, ‘86 Jo S. Hirschy ‘74 Dr. Janis Petronis ‘69 Richard J. Petronis ‘69 Deborah Nelson Dr. Erica Holliday ‘94, ‘95, ‘02 Martin Means III William E. Rial ‘71 Elizabeth Wells Rial ‘72 Dr. W. Bradley Henry ‘79 Mary Louise Etoch ‘12 Rick Vassar Jr. ‘89 Terri Welch Vassar ‘90

Luke Alexander, born Aug. 18. Luke joins his older brother, Gage.

’04 ’11

Synetra D. Hughes ★ BSBA’04 EDD’12, Fayetteville, is a program manager at the Center for Retailing Excellence at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. Johanna Hall ★ BA’11 and Justin Hall were married on July 19 and reside in Neosho, Missouri. Johanna was recently hired as the assistant director of communications for the Arkansas Alumni Association. Donnie M. Mathis ★ BSPA’11, Little Rock, graduated with a master’s degree in real estate development from the University of Maryland in May. He joined the staff at the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation in Little Rock in July.

7344 7345 7346 7347 7348 7349 7350 7351 7352 7353 7354 7355 7356 7357 7358 7359 7360 7361 7362

Hershel Hartford Mary Ellen Hartford Kristin K. Garner ‘04, ‘06 Aaron Garner Kathryn Elizabeth Stoudenmire ‘14 Chase Stoudenmire ‘10 Christy L. Bishop ‘02, ‘11 Dr. Bryan W. Bishop ‘02 Jaswant Chaudhari ‘57 Grant H. Killion ‘09 Blaine C. Killion ‘13 Sami Killion ‘13 Kenneth Lawayne Duncan Edward Slaughter ‘94 Whitney Williams Grogan ‘87, ‘90 Lucy Miller Bugea ‘73 Victor A. Mirontschuk ‘72, ‘74 Robert A. Nichols ‘72 Pamela Payne Nichols ‘72

’13

Maurice W. Atkinson II MBA’13, East Lansing, Michigan, received a $10,000 KPMG Minority Accounting Doctoral Scholarship to pursue his doctorate at Michigan State University for the 201415 academic year.

’14

Kiley Faulkner ★ BA’14, Dallas, Texas, is working in the public relations department at the State Fair of Texas.

In Memoriam James M. Smith ★+ BS’36, Harrison, July 26. He started his career as a high school principal in Berryville. He also taught math and science and coached football and basketball. In 1938, he started working for GD Searle pharmaceutical company (now Pfizer) in Chicago, retiring in 1978. Survivors: two daughters, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

7363 7364 7365 7366 7367 7368 7369 7370 7371 7372 7373 7374 7375 7376 7377 7378 7379 7380 7381

Elisabeth Megan Lau, D.V.M. ‘03 Charles Robert Redfield ‘89 Sally Jo Gibson ‘72 Josh D. Durrance ‘11 Keith A. Covert ‘85 Judy L. Covert ‘83 George Billy McGill ‘69, ‘77 Daniel J. Hill ‘06 Katie L. Hill ‘06 Bryan Hunt ‘85 Mandy Hunt Christy Snowden Ashley Rausch ‘06 John Robert Rausch Earl K. Clements ‘71 Brian Lee Wolff ‘89 Melanie Hope Barnes ‘96 Daniel J. Barnes S. Michael O’Brien

Alice Jones Brock BA’38, Winston Salem, North Carolina, July 27. She was an accomplished artist for more than 75 years. Survivors: two sons, one daughter, 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

in Tucson, Arizona. Survivors: one sister.

Majel Pitts Billingsley BSBA’39, Colorado Springs, Colorado, July 20. She worked at the U.S. Air Force Academy as a secretary to the professors in the English Department. Survivors: one son, one daughter, five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Garnett L. Rabeneck ★ BSME’43, Decatur, Georgia, July 2. He retired from Lockheed Martin in 1988 after 34 years. Survivors: his wife, Nelda m, one son, one daughter and six grandchildren.

Rose H. Bethell BSBA’41, Fort Smith, Aug. 21. She was involved with all aspects of her community as a volunteer. Survivors: one son, two daughters, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Joanna B. Block ★ BA’42, Los Angeles, California, July 8. She was a homemaker and volunteer. Survivors: one son, two daughters, three grandchildren and one sister. Audrey C. Crook BA’42, Hot Springs, Sept. 6. She was an English teacher and head librarian at Catalina High School

Alverne Jane Hall MS’43, West Monroe, Louisiana, Jan. 11. She was a teacher for 43 years. Survivors: one daughter, one granddaughter, one grandson, five great-grandchildren.

Helen Barton Solomon BS’45, Chattanooga, Tennessee, July 7. She was a chemistry teacher and the owner of a wedding photography business with her late husband. Survivors: seven children, 11 grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren. John C. Blackshire BSCHE’47, Fayetteville, Sept. 18. A U.S. Army Reserve and U.S. Navy veteran, he worked as an engineer, the owner of a seed operation and as a certified public accountant. Survivors: his wife, Helen, one son, one daughter, three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and one sister.

SENIOR WALK Nancy Tuck Brown ★ BSSW’47, Plano, Texas, May 10. Survivors: her husband, Royston ★ BS’50, two sons, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Howard W. Boxley ★+ BSBA’48, Sarasota, Florida, Aug. 19. He was a supervisor at the Olin Winchester ammunition plant in East Alton, IL, and then managed steel and chemical plants until retiring in 1990. Survivors: his wife, Shirley ★+, two sons, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. J.C. Cothren BSBA’48, Light, Sept. 14. He was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran and taught and counseled at Light and Walcott schools. He retired as superintendent of the Greene County Tech School District. In 1975, he was named vice president of First National Bank of Paragould. He also owned Cothren Chrysler. Survivors: one son, one granddaughter and one brother. Ellen Bailey Joyner ✪ BSBA’48, Greenwood, July 14. She was a retired University of Arkansas instructor and a U.S. Navy veteran.

Floyd M. Thomas Sr. BSE’48 MS’51, El Dorado, July 15. A World War II veteran, he coached football for Paris High School before becoming a career agent with the FBI. After retirement, he was the assistant director and later director of the Law Enforcement Training Academy. Survivors: his wife, Beulah, two sons, one daughter, one sister, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Robert L. Harris Jr. BSCHE’49, Raleigh, North Carolina, Aug. 8. He was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran who joined the faculty at the University of North Carolina in 1973 and managed the Occupational Health Studies Group. Survivors: his wife, Peggy, two sons, one daughter and three grandchildren. Amos E. Simpson BA’49 MA’51, Lafayette, Louisiana, July 29. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a college history professor who authored several books and articles. Survivors: his wife, Helen, one daughter, two stepsons, one stepdaughter, one grandson, six step-grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.

Jack E. Sligh BSE’49 MS’57, North Little Rock, Aug. 2. He taught in the North Little Rock School District for 35 years and a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran. Survivors: one sister. Herman H. Wilson BSA’49 MS’53, Conway, Aug. 16. A World War II U.S. Navy veteran, he taught vocational agriculture at Mabelvale High School before working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service until 1980. Survivors: his wife, Mary, one son, two daughters and four grandchildren. Jack M. Bearsch ★ BSBA’50, Winter Park, Florida, July 12. He was a U.S. Navy veteran who served as a financial executive in the life insurance industry. He then worked for a holding company before moving to Florida, where he acquired a Mulford Florida Plants. Survivors: his wife, Lucille, one daughter, three grandchildren and one sister. Braxton V. Bragg BSE’50 MS’51, Camden, July 27. He was a World War II U.S. Navy veteran. Survivors: two daughters and three granddaughters.

Conley F. Byrd LLB’50, Redfield, July 19. A U.S. Navy veteran, he was a former Arkansas Supreme Court Justice. During his career he worked for the Labor Department, Babcock & Wilcox Company and the Revenue Department. He also worked in private practice as a lawyer. Survivors: four children, 18 grandchildren, 16 greatgrandchildren and two sisters. William H. Dunklin LLB’50, Pine Bluff, July 31. He served as an officer and partner in the family business, Planters Cotton Oil Mill. Later, he became a real estate developer and broker. From 1981-82, he was the acting president of Lyon College. He was a U.S. Army veteran. Survivors: his wife, Ethel BSSW’50, four children, 10 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one brother. William M. Eads Jr. BSBA’50, Fort Smith, July 18. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and very active in his community, serving on several boards. Survivors: three children and three grandchildren.

Your classmates want to know, and we want to know about your milestones and anything else you’d like to share about your life. To be included in Senior Walk, the most-read section of Arkansas, complete this form and mail to the Arkansas Alumni Association. Feel free to attach additional pages or newspaper clippings.* Name_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Include maiden name or nickname, if applicable)

Class, year and degree___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ E-mail address__________________________________________________________ What’s the news? (new job, promotion, wedding, new baby, award, retirement, etc.)__________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ARKANSAS Mail to: Arkansas Alumni Association, P.O. Box 1070, Fayetteville, AR 72702; E-Mail : records@arkansasalumni.org

ALUMNI 58

* Since the next issues of Arkansas are already in production, it may be a few issues before your news item appears.

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

John Edward Lachowsky Sr. BSA’50, Altus, June 19. He was a retired district manager for Farmers Home Administration. Survivors: his wife, Mildred, five sons, one daughter, two sisters, 19 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. John M. Rhoads ✪+ BSBA’50 MBA’58, Maumelle, July 17. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and spent his career working with computers. Survivors: his wife, Mildred, two daughters, three grandchildren and one sister. James Andrew Vaccaro BA’50, Madison, Wisconsin, June 26. A Korean War veteran, he was the author of “The Art of Wine Tasting,” which was widely used in enological classes. He and his wife, Sylvia, opened the Stock Pot, where he used his culinary expertise daily. Survivors: his wife, two sons, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. James Doyle Wilson BSCE’50, Auburn, Alabama, Sept. 12. He was a U.S. Navy veteran. He was the director of buildings and grounds for Dartmouth College and then a resident engineer until 1971 when he retired. Survivors: his wife, Dorothy, four children, four stepchildren, 11 grandchildren, five step-grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, two brothers and one sister. Kermit R. Deitz BS’51, Searcy, June 16. Survivors: his wife, Phyllis. C. Ramon Greenwood BSJ’51, Warren, July 7. A U.S. Army veteran, he worked as a reporter then worked in public affairs. He also co-founded two consumer goods companies with his son. Survivors: his wife, Martha, one son, one daughter and five granddaughters. Gerald H. Cain BSPH’52, Dardanelle, July 15. He was a Marine Corps veteran and was a practicing pharmacist for 60 years. Survivors: his wife, Jeffie, two sons, one daughter, one brother, four grandchildren and one great-grandson. Ralph H. Clement BSA’52, Little Rock, July 31. He retired after 36 years from the Arkansas State Plant Board and was a World War II veteran. Survivors: his wife, Mary, one son, one daughter, one sister, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Mary Henderson Evans BSHE’52, Little Rock, Aug. 1. Survivors: one sister. William H. Farrell BSBA’52, Hot Springs, July 5. He was a manufacturer’s representative for several years before

working with Dan Futrell Aircraft Sales. Survivors: his wife, Nita, one son, one daughter, seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. E. Wayne Lemons ★ BSA’52 MS’55, Wilmington, Delaware, June 10. He began his work as an assistant professor of entomology at the University of Arkansas at Monticello before joining the Agricultural Chemicals Department of Hercules Inc. In 1991, he was appointed director of the Delaware State Lottery and retired in 2011. Survivors: his wife, Janet, two brothers, one son, one daughter and two grandchildren. Lawrence E. Mobley MS’52, Conway, Sept. 15. He was a U.S. Air Corps veteran and a basketball and football coach in Conway and Little Rock. Then, he started a long banking career at First National Bank and Worthen Bank. Survivors: his wife, Freda, two daughters, two brothers and five grandchildren. Joe Turney ✪+ BSIM’52, Joplin, Missouri, July 27. A U.S. Navy veteran, he spent most of his career as an engineer with Pacific Mercury Inc., which became LaBarge Electronics, working his way up to president of LaBarge Electronics Division. He then left to start his own business, North American Carbide Tooling. Survivors: his wife, Ann ★+, two sons, one daughter and three grandchildren. Alyce Sims Zini BSSW’52, Fayetteville, Aug. 12. She was a teacher. Survivors: her husband, G.T. BSSW’52, two sons, one daughter and four grandchildren. James H. Bennett ★ BSCHE’53 MS’55, Kenner, Louisiana, July 11. Survivors: one son, one daughter and one grandson. He retired as a plant manager for DuPont after 42 years and then worked as a tax expert for H&R Block. Charles M. Love ✪ LLB’53, Mount Dora, Florida, Aug. 6. He was a U.S. Coast Guard veteran who worked as a trust officer for Citizens Bank, Barnett Bank/Bank of America. He retired as senior vice president and senior trust officer. Survivors: one daughter. Herbert Marshall II ★ BSE’53 MED’54, and his wife, Nina M. Marshall ★, Charleston, May 7. He was a coach and teacher before becoming an agent for State Farm Insurance until his retirement. He served in the National Guard. Nina taught voice lessons and led and performed musical performances.

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

Survivors: three sons, three daughters, nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Tom Raney BSBA’53 MBA’54, Little Rock, Sept. 17. He was the former president of TJ Raney and sons. Survivors: one son. Mary Anne Tomlin ★ BA’53, Little Rock, July 22. She retired from the State of Arkansas as a social worker. Survivors: one step daughter, four step-grandchildren and five step-great-grandchildren.

daughters, one sister, 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Albert R. Estes Jr. BSPH’57, Bentonville, Sept. 19. He worked as a pharmacist at Palace Drug Store in Fayetteville. James M. Jones BSA’57, Cullman, Alabama, Aug. 7. He worked in poultry production management for 40 years. Survivors: one son, two daughters, six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, one brother and one sister.

Carolyn Anderson Beard ✪ MD’54, Kingston, Tennessee, Sept. 20. For 35 years, she practiced medicine in Roane County. She worked as a health officer from 1956 until 1991, when she retired. Survivors: her husband, Earl, one son, one daughter, one brother and four grandchildren.

Kathleen Norris Jordan MED’57, Magnolia, July 21. Survivors: one daughter, two grandsons and two great-granddaughters.

Martha Boyle Beller BSE’54, Wingdale, New York, July 19. She spent her career as a teacher. Survivors: one son, one daughter and seven grandchildren.

George A. Hays BSBA’58, Little Rock, July 12. He spent 20 years at Frank Lyon, where he was the executive vice president, before working in banking and oil and gas. Then, he served as the vice president of marketing for the Dallas Cowboys until his retirement in 2004. Survivors: his wife, Barbara, one son, two daughters, two stepdaughters, six grandchildren, one sister and one brother.

Oscar Tonymon BS’54 BSPH’58, Dallas, Texas, June 23. He owned and operated Tonymon’s Fairfield Pharmacy in Shreveport, Louisiana, before moving to Dallas to work as the lead pharmacist in the Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy. Survivors: one brother and one sister. Clifton Brown BSPH’55, Little Rock, June 25. He was a retired pharmacist and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. Survivors: one daughter and one granddaughter. Phyllis Rice MA’55, Fayetteville, July 30. She was a retired assistant to former Fayetteville mayor Fred Hanna and a former reporter for the Northwest Arkansas Times. Survivors: two sons, numerous grandchildren and one brother. Robert B. Sloan BSBA’56, Jonesboro, July 20. He worked for Gatz Insurance Co. before moving to Florida, where he was a tennis pro. Survivors: one son, one daughter, one brother and five grandchildren. Florence T. Stewart BSHE’56, Fayetteville, July 10. Survivors: one son, one daughter, three brothers, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. John R. Ellis MBA’57, Germantown, Tennessee, June 28. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and has a lengthy business career with First Tennessee Bank and Belz Enterprises, where he was vice president of development and leasing. Survivors: his wife, Betty, five sons, two

Charles S. Gray BSPH’58, Hot Springs, June 10. Survivors: his wife, Bettye, and his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Kenneth Lee Nowlin BSBA’58, Bella Vista, July 10. He was a merchandise adjustment manager at Western Auto. Survivors: his wife, Joan, two sons and two grandchildren. Larry Orlicek ✪+ BSEE’58, Malvern, March 11. He retired from Reynolds Metals in Hot Spring County in 1993. Survivors: his wife, Diane ✪+ BA’56, four children, one sister, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Ron Morris ✪+ BSIE’58, Dallas, Texas, Aug. 28. He started his career with General Electric in New York before moving to Dallas to work for TI. In 1984, he and his wife bought Lyons Manufacturing Inc. Survivors: his wife, Betty ✪+ BA’59, two sons, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Alda J. Ramsey BSHE’58, Arlington, Texas, July 23. Survivors: his wife, Kimberly, one stepson, one granddaughter and one sister. Billy M. Barber BSE’59, Rogers, Sept. 11. Survivors: his wife, Georgia, two daughters and one granddaughter. John Norman Harkey ★ LLB’59, Little Rock, Aug. 1. He began work as a

SENIOR WALK deputy prosecuting attorney and worked in private practice. In 1988, he was named a special justice to the Arkansas Supreme Court, served as a juvenile judge and elected circuit judge for the 16th judicial district until his retirement. Survivors: his wife, Willam BA’59, one son, one daughter, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. B.A. Conrad Sr. ★ BSBA’60, Fayetteville, July 24. He was a U.S. Army veteran and worked for A.G. Edwards & Sons for 28 years, retiring as senior vice president. Survivors: his wife, Rosemary ★ BSE’69 MED’93, one son, one daughter, one stepson, one stepdaughter, one sister and five grandchildren. Jessamine D. Gist Jr. ✪+ BA’60 MA’62 PHD’70, Marianna, Sept. 26. She taught high school English at Lee Academy in Marianna for 33 years. Survivors: one brother. J.J. Kimbrough Jr. BSA’60 MS’70, Jonesboro, July 6. Survivors: his wife, Pat, one son, one daughter, one sister, four grandchildren, one step-grandson, four great-grandchildren and two greatstep-grandchildren.

Mary Jane Martin ✪+ BSHE’61, Little Rock, March 8. She retired as a realtor with the Janet Jones Company and was a past member of the Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors. Survivors: her husband, Rudy ✪+ BSBA’60, one son, one daughter, one brother and five grandchildren. Claudine R. Morgan MS’62, Dallas, Texas, June 20. She spent many years teaching science. Survivors: one brother, one sister, three sons, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Glen Allan Overby BSCHE’62, Tampa Bay, Florida, May 6. A U.S. Army veteran, he worked for H&R Block as a tax preparer for 27 years. Survivors: two daughters, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and one brother. Fran Arnold BSHE’63 MED’82, Little Rock, Aug. 29. She retired as associate director for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service’s Southwest District in 1997 after almost 35 years. For 23 years, she served as an Extension home economist. Survivors: her husband, Richard, two sons, two grandchildren and one brother.

Wendell W. McCune ★ BSE’60 MED’68 DAS’71, Little Rock, July 9. He spent 30 years working for the Arkansas Department of Education and was a U.S. Army veteran. Survivors: his wife, Dayle, two sons and five grandchildren.

Aline Etheridge Mobley BA’63, Batesville, Sept. 15. She was the director of financial aid for the Duke University Medical School until she returned to Batesville and became a teacher. Survivors: her husband, Freeman, two sons, one daughter, one sister and three grandchildren.

Robert H. White ✪+ BS’60, Malvern, Sept. 10. He retired from the Army National Guard in 1997 after 36 years in the military. He set up his medical practice in Malvern in 1961. Survivors: his wife, Dean, four children, two sisters, 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Betty Ruth Merrick MA’63, Monroe, Louisiana, Sept. 22. She was a retired teacher and taught at Morrilton High School, Sacred Heart Catholic School and Forrest City High School. Survivors: one daughter, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Knox M. Broom Jr. MS’61 PHD’63, Greensboro, Mississippi, June 24. He was a nuclear engineer and spent his career building power plants throughout the world. Survivors: his wife, Judy, two daughters, one stepdaughter, one stepson, four grandchildren and three step-grandchildren. Ora Faulkner Bunch MED’61, Little Rock, July 2. She retired in 1979 after 23 years of teaching to become a minister. Survivors: one daughter, three grandsons and five great-grandchildren.

relations manager. Survivors: his mother, two sons, one daughter, one brother and five grandchildren.

health centers. Survivors: his wife, Margaret, his mother and one daughter.

Mack Shaddox ★+ BSBA’64, Cabot, Sept. 19. He worked as a state manager for AIG Insurance Company. Survivors: his wife, Frances, one son, one daughter, one stepson, one stepdaughter, one sister and 13 grandchildren.

William W. Sprenger BSBA’67, Harrison, June 27. He worked at Claridge Products for 40 years, retiring in 2003 as the vice president and general manager. Survivors: his wife, Lonna, one son, one daughter, three grandchildren and one sister.

Audria E. Bogan MA’65, Fort Smith, Sept. 10. She was a math teacher at both Darby and Kimmons junior high schools. Survivors: two sons, one daughter and four grandchildren.

Larry R. Romine BSBA’68, De Queen, Aug. 5. He was the owner of Romine Oil Company and a former employee of Sun Oil Company. Survivors: his wife, Olivia, two daughters and seven grandchildren.

Elaine M. Clark MS’65, Wellington, Kansas, July 5. She taught at several schools in Kansas. Survivors: her husband, Larry MA’64, three sons, seven grandchildren and one sister.

Kersh E. Hall BSE’69, Pine Bluff, July 17. He was a long-time associate editor at the Pine Bluff Commercial. Survivors: one brother and one sister.

Monica Daniels BA’65, Charleston, Sept. 14. She started her career worked in New York City for 15 years, working at Sloan Kettering Memorial Cancer Hospital. She then returned to Arkansas, working at St. Edward Mercy Medical Center in medical records and retiring in 1999. Survivors: one sister. Eloise B. Sherman ✪ MD’65, Morrilton, Aug. 7. She was a physician and served as an assistant professor at UAMS in the pathology department. After moving to Savannah, Georgia, she was in private practice for adult and adolescent medicine. Survivors: one son, one daughter and six grandchildren. Ralph Treat ★ BSBA’65, Fayetteville, Sept. 30. He retired from the University of Arkansas, where he worked for 25 years in the College of Business Administration. Survivors: his wife, Jane, one sister, five daughters, 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Joe C. Phillips MED’63, Conway, May 6. A U.S. Navy veteran, he taught chemistry and coached in Florida. Survivors: his wife, Patsy Jo, two sons, four grandchildren and one greatgrandchild.

Harold R. Dabbs BSPH’66, Bryant, Sept. 11. After owning his own pharmacy in Murfreesboro, he returned to Little Rock to work at the Veterans Administration. Survivors: his wife, Rita, three sons, five grandchildren, one brother and one half sister.

Billy Gene Warner BSBA’63, Arkadelphia, July 15. He was a long time employee of Arkansas Power and Light Company (Entergy) and a real estate broker. Survivors: his wife, Sue, two sons, four grandchildren, two brothers and one sister.

Milton W. Halford BSBA’66, Lawrenceville, Georgia, July 12. He was a certified public accountant in Little Rock for 45 years. Survivors: his wife, Tommie, two brothers, four children, one stepdaughter, six grandchildren and two great-grandsons.

Gary L. Houser BSBA’64, Springdale, July 21. A U.S. Navy veteran, he was retired from Potlatch as the employee

Morris H. Middleton MA’66 PHD’69, Eupora, Mississippi, Aug. 6. She was a clinical psychologist in community

George Bowie Miller JD’69, Memphis, June 29. He was instrumental in the redevelopment of Beale Street and the owner of a nightclub. Survivors: one daughter. Richard A. Musemeche EDD’69, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Aug. 13. His contributions to Louisiana education spanned more than 40 years, teaching high school students and then at Louisiana State University. Survivors: his wife, Christa, three sons, three daughters, seven grandchildren and one brother. George T. Quier EDD’69, Joplin, Missouri, June 27. He had a long teaching career and served as superintendent for the Arcadia School District in Kansas. He moved to Joplin to become the dean of Christian Technical School. Survivors: his wife, Dorothy, two daughters, three grandchildren and one stepgranddaughter. Madison Hodges BSE’70, Tallahassee, Florida, July 18. A U.S. Army veteran, he spent his career in radio at stations in Pine Bluff, Little Rock and National Public Radio in Washington D.C. Survivors: his wife, Anne, one son, one daughter and one brother. Gerald K. Rainwater BSE’70, Imboden, Aug. 19. He served 22 local church congregations as a United Methodist pastor for 39 years. Survivors: his wife, Nancy, three sons, three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and one sister. Blake W. Harper BSBA’71, Fort Smith, June 22. He worked as a boat pilot in the Pacific Northwest and worked for oil and gas companies in the

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

western United States. Survivors: two brothers and one sister. Susan M. Whitehead BSBA’71, Conway, June 19. Survivors: her husband, Roy, two sons and seven grandchildren. Joyce R. Laws BSBA’72, Russellville, Sept. 22. She was the president and owner of Memphis Travel for many years. Survivors: two sons, one daughter, one brother and five grandchildren. Kathryn P. Maxey BSE’72, Van Buren, July 23. She was a teacher in the Van Buren School District for more than 20 years. Survivors: one son, one daughter, two grandchildren, one greatgranddaughter and one sister. Dennis Sorrell Jr. ★+ BSCE’72, West Memphis, Sept. 7. He owned and operated Sorrell Consulting Engineers and was a registered professional engineer and land surveyor in both Tennessee and Arkansas for 45 years. Survivors: his mother, two brothers, three sisters, one daughter and one grandson. Terry S.Vest BSA’72, Springdale, Aug. 5. He retired after 39 years with Farm Credit Services of Western Arkansas. Survivors: his wife, Judy, one daughter, one son, three grandchildren and two brothers. Clayton W. Barnhart BA’73, Fayetteville, July 4. He retired with more than 20 years of service in the Arkansas Air National Guard. He was a general aviation pilot and flight instructor for more than 30 years. Survivors: his wife, Jo, one daughter, two grandchildren and two brothers. Trudy Knox EDD’73, Columbus, Ohio, June 24. She and her husband established the Golden Age Arms Company, home based mail order business. In the early 1970s, she established Trudy Knox and Associates, a consulting company. Survivors: one son. Dottie Polsgrove MED’73, Bryant, Aug. 25. She was a teacher in Bryant for more than 30 years. Survivors: two daughters, two grandchildren and one brother. Robert S. Benton BA’74 MED’82, Fayetteville, June 10. He was a member of The Great Zambini Brothers, a popular acrobatic troop and served as an administrator for mental health facilities. Survivors: one son.

Kathleen B. Lemons BSE’74 MED’82, Fayetteville, Sept. 11. She was a teacher for Fayetteville Public Schools. Survivors: her husband, Michael, one son, one daughter, her mother, four sisters and one grandson. Fenner U. Russell ✪ BA’75 MBA’79, Fayetteville, Oct. 6. She was the director of music ministries and classic worship at Central United Methodist Church, directing choirs and hand bells during the past 13 years. Survivors: her husband, David ✪ BSBA’78 MBA’79, two sons, one daughter, one brother, one sister and two grandsons. Henry Ewings MED’76, Little Rock, July 1. He was retired from the Little Rock School District as vice principal of Henderson Junior High. Survivors: his wife, Florida, two sons, two daughters, nine grandchildren and 15 greatgrandchildren.

NATIONWIDE

& THE ARKANSAS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Jacquelyn A. Buckley BA’77, Burnsville, Minnesota, Aug. 29. Survivors: her husband, Michael, two sons, two brothers and one sister.

Just like the Arkansas Alumni Association, Nationwide®

Phil Robbins BS’78, Dover, Aug. 10. He was a chemistry supervisor at Arkansas Nuclear One for more than 30 years until he retired in 2012. Survivors: three sons, two daughters, one brother, his mother and four grandchildren.

with the Arkansas Alumni Association — to provide vital

believes in the importance of education and giving back to the community. That’s why Nationwide is partnering support to the Arkansas Alumni Association mission of connecting and serving the University of Arkansas Family.

Guy A. Lightfoot BSBA’82 MBA’84, Waldo, July 1. He owned a KFC franchise in Magnolia. Survivors: his wife, Lorrie, his mother, one son, one daughter. Betty L. Davis ADN’84, Fayetteville, July 28. In 1963, she began working for ARAMCO in the exploration department in Saudi Arabia. In 1971, she retired to Goshen and became a registered nurse. Survivors: one brother. Carolyn Gail Smallwood BSE’85, Lowell, Sept. 13. She worked on the staff of Missouri Gov. Warren Hearnes and the Missouri Bicentennial Commission in the 1970s. After working in social work, she worked at Springdale Memorial Hospital for 20 years. Survivors: her husband, Marion, one daughter and one sister.

To learn more about this partnership, visit nationwide.com/ArkansasAlumni or call your local agent.

Walker Preston Smith MED’85, Little Rock, July 14. He was a teacher, principal, author, publisher and business owner. Survivors: one son, one daughter and three grandchildren. Nationwide may make a financial contribution to this organization in return for the opportunity to market products and services to its members or customers. Products Underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies, Columbus, OH 43215. Not all Nationwide affiliated companies are mutual companies, and not all Nationwide members are insured by a mutual company. Subject to underwriting guidelines, review, and approval. Nationwide, and the Nationwide N and Eagle design are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2014 Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. AF0-0820AO.2 (10/14)

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

SENIOR WALK Kimberly Ann Van Noy BSBA’86 JD’89, Little Rock, July 23. Survivors: her parents, one son, one brother and one sister. Mark E. Dolan ✪ MED’88, Little Rock, June 10. He was a band director for Springdale, Fayetteville, Heber Springs and Greenwood schools and a car salesman. Survivors: one son, one daughter and three grandchildren. Connie J. Threlkeld BA’90 MA’92, Fayetteville, Aug. 19. She was a homeschool teacher to her children. Survivors: her husband, Mike, five children and her mother. Mark Ozier BSBA’92, Springdale, July 6. He was a financial planner in the Walmart corporate office. Survivors: his wife, Lisa BSBA’91, one son, one daughter and his parents. Jefferson Beaure Talbot MS’93, Hot Springs, June 20. A U.S. Army veteran, he was an inventor, artist and self-taught architect, building more than 120 subdivisions as the owner of Talbot Development. He spent several years in the hardwood lumber business in Belize and Honduras. Survivors: his wife, Von, four children, 13 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Lance Oldham Ballard MBA’95, Charlotte, North Carolina, Sept. 27. He worked in marketing and analytics in the banking/financial industry. Survivors: his parents, two sisters, one brother and two sons. Carol Ann Johnson BA’95, Springdale, Sept. 5. She was her family’s historian and did genealogical research. Survivors: three sisters. Jordan Michael Worley BSBA’02, Conway, Aug. 16. He worked as a drilling consultant in the gas and oil industry. Survivors: his parents, one sister, one son and his grandparents. Gus R. Roten BSBA’06, Fayetteville, Sept. 23. He worked at JB Hunt as a client manager for 10 years. Survivors: his wife, Tiffany, one stepson, his parents, one brother and his maternal grandmother. Michael B. Green BSE’07 MAT’08, Prairie Grove, Aug. 31. He served in the U.S. Army Reserves and had a long career in coaching several sports. He also served as athletic director for Prairie Grove Public Schools. Survivors: his wife, Meredith ★ BSN’07 MSN’14, four daughters, one son, one sister and 10 grandchildren.

Marty T. Martin MED’09, West Columbia, South Carolina, Sept. 19. He was a human resource manager at Isola Group. Survivors: his wife, Donna, one son, one daughter, his mother, one brother and one sister.

Friends Ralph P. Autrey Sr. ★, Ocean Springs, Mississippi, June 20. He was a veteran of both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps. Survivors: his wife, Jonnie, two sons, one daughter, three grandchildren and one step-grandchild. Joan J. Beasley ★, Farmington, June 24. She was active with horse training and showing Tennessee Walking horses. Survivors: one son. Lee Boss ★ BSE’65, Round Rock, Texas, Sept. 25. A U.S. Army veteran, he owned and operated The Boss & Company, Gallery of Homes in Fayetteville and a business brokerage firm in Tulsa, OK. Survivors: his wife, Sue, three children, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Owen H. Clopton Jr. ★, Jonesboro, June 24. He worked at his private practice, Internal Medicine Associates, before becoming chief of staff at St. Bernard’s Regional Medical Center. Survivors: his wife, Laura, two daughters and three grandchildren. Genevieve S. Jackson ✪, Pocahontas, July 2. She was a homemaker. Survivors: two sons, two daughters, seven grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and 10 stepgreat-grandchildren. Ulna Foster Park, Lexington, Kentucky, Sept. 27. He enjoyed a long teaching career including 30 years of college teaching at Appalachian State University and the University of Arkansas, from which he retired in 1989. Survivors: his wife, Martha, one son, one daughter and one brother. Ann Shaver ★+, Neosho, Missouri, May 26. She was a retired teacher. Survivors: her husband, Roy ★+ BSE’54 MED’60 EDD’68, one sister, four children and two grandchildren. ■

UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION 1. Publication title: Arkansas 3. Filing date: 10/1/2014 5. Issues published annually: 4. 7. Office of publication:

2. Publication number: 0095-15 4. Issue Frequency: Quarterly 6. Annual subscription price: $18.00 P. O. Box 1070, Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas, 72702-1070 8. General business office: Same as 7. 9. Publisher: Brandy Cox, P. O. Box 1070 Fayetteville, Washington County, AR 72702 Editor: Charlie Alison, 106 Davis Hall, 1 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Managing editor: Charlie Alison, 106 Davis Hall, 1 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 10. Owner Arkansas Alumni Association, Inc. P. O. Box 1070, Fayetteville, AR 72702 11. Known bondholders, mortgagees, or other security holders holding one per cent or more of total amounts of bonds, mortgages, or other securitites: none. 12. Tax Status: Has not changed during the preceding 12 months. 14. Issue date for circulation data: September (Fall) 2014 15. Extent and nature of circulation A* B* a. Total number of copies (net press run) b. Paid Circulation (1) Mailed outside county (2) Mailed in-county (3) Paid distribution outside mail (4)Other paid distribution c. Total paid distribution d. Free or nominal distribution (1) Outside county (2) In-county (3) Other classes (4) Outside mail e. Total free or nominal rate distribution f. Total distribution g. Copies not distributed h. Total i. Percent paid

23,100

24,874

21,419 0 0 170 21,589

23,242 0 0 182 23,424

0 0 0 695 695 22,284 816 23,100 97

0 0 0 695 695 24,119 755 24,874 97

*A. Average number of copies each issue during the preceding 12 months. *B. Number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date.

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

ARKANSAS

ALUMNI OFFICERS President Stephanie S. Streett ✪ BS’91, Little Rock Immediate Past President John Reap ✪+ BSBA’70, Dallas, TX Treasurer Don Eldred Jr. ✪+ BSBA’81, Houston, TX Assistant Treasurer Tom Dorre ✪ BSBA’68, MBA’81, Fayetteville Secretary Deborah Blume ✪+ BSBA’08, Fayetteville BOARD OF DIRECTORS Class of 2015 Kenneth Biesterveld ★ BSBA’05, MBA’10, Bentonville John L Colbert ✪ BSE’76, MED’81, Fayetteville John W. Cole ★+ BSBA’76, MBA’78, Springdale Rita Geiger ✪+ BA’66, Oklahoma City, OK Teena Gunter ✪ JS’92, LLM’97, Oklahoma City, OK Sharon Hunt ★ BSE’73, MED’75, Fayetteville William L. Kerr ✪ BA’88, Tampa, FL Terry Rasco ✪+ BARCH’71, BA’72, Little Rock Joel G. Wood ✪ BSBA’74, Germantown, TN Class of 2016 John Forrest Ales ✪ BA’02, McLean, VA Emanuel Banks ✪ BSCE’87, North Little Rock Susan Gilbert Kemp ★ BSHE’73, MS’75, Mountain View Charlene Reed ✪+ BSHE’74, MS’77, Marianna Lott Rolfe IV ★ BSE’94, Maumelle Jeffrey M. Stephens ✪+ BSIE’86, Hot Springs Roger H. Sublett ★ BSE’64, MA’65, Mason, OH Brandon Timbes ✪+ BSBA’98, Charlotte, NC Amy Tu ★ JD’96, Seattle, WA Class of 2017 Ben Beaumont ★ BA’04, Little Rock John Berrey ★ BA’91, Sperry, OK Marvin Caston ★ BA’00, MED’03, Fayetteville Judy Drummond Covert ✪+ BA’83, Bel Aire, KS Latonya Foster ★ BA’96, Springdale Steven Hinds ✪+ BSPA’89, MED’92, Fayetteville Jordan Johnson ✪ BA’00, Little Rock Carla Martin ★ JD’04, Pine Bluff Melissa Pianalto ✪ BSA’88, MS’90, Springdale Molly Rapert ★ BSBA’85, MBA’87, Fayetteville STAFF Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni and Executive Director of the Arkansas Alumni Association Brandy Cox ★ MA ‘07 Senior Director of Marketing and Resource Development Terri Dover ✪+ Director of Administration Debbie Blume ✪+, BSBA’08 Director of Constituent Engagement Angela Mosley Monts ✪, BA’80 Director of Outreach and Chapters Heath Bowman ✪ MED’11 Director of Communications Tammy W. Tucker ✪+, BA’97, MA’03 Carolyn Baltz ✪+ BA’03, Associate Director of Membership and Marketing; Catherine Baltz ✪+ BS’92, MED’07, Manager of Strategic Marketing; Kelly Bostick ✪, Assistant Director of Marketing; Stella Clark ✪, Records and Membership Assistant; Mike Emery ★ Administrative Support Supervisor; Deb Euculano ✪, Associate Director of Program Development; Felicia Garner ★, Executive Assistant; Ashlee Gloede ★, Assistant Director of Facilities and Special Events; Johanna Hall ★ BA’11, Assistant Director of Communications; Robin January ✪ BSA’98, Scholarship Coordinator; Ryan Miller ✪ BSBA’07, MED’09, Assistant Director of Young Alumni and Student Outreach; Julie Preddy ✪ BA’04, Associate Director for Lifelong Learning; Tiffany Robinson ✪, Fiscal Support Analyst; Amanda Schoenbaum ★ BSB’12 MED’14; Alyssa Strodel ★ BSBA’12, Student Programs Graduate Assistant; Elizabeth Tipton ✪, Records and Membership Assistant; Chris Wallen ✪, Alumni Records Manager.

Winter 2014 • ARKANSAS

Past Presidents of the Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors 1923-24 Joseph Kirby Mahone ✪ BA’07

1965-66 P.K. Holmes ✪ LLB’78

1924-25 Robert Hill Carruth BA’11 1925-26 James E. Rutherford ✪ BA’22

1966-67 William H. Bowen ★ LLB’49 1967-68 Guy H. Lackey ✪+ BSBA’49

1926-27 Winston Lee Winters BSCE’06

1968-69 Robert P. Taylor ✪+ BSBA’47, MS 1948

1927-28 J.L. Longino BSEE’03

1969-70 John Ed Chambers BA’39, LLB’40

1928-29 Alfred Boyde Cypert BA’12 1929-30 James William Trimble BA’17

1970-71 Chester H. Lauck ’25 1971-72 Nathan Gordon ✪+ JD’39

1930-31 G. DeMatt Henderson BA’01, LLB’03

1972-73 Charles E. Scharlau ✪+ LLB’58

1931-32 Dr. Jasper Neighbors MD‘18

1973-74 Carl L. Johnson ★ BSBA’47

1932-33 Scott D. Hamilton BA‘24

1974-75 R. Cecil Powers ✪ BSBA’30

1933-34 Charles A. Walls BA‘07

1975-76 J.C. Reeves ✪ ’25

1934-35 Arthur D. Pope BA‘06 1935-36 John C. Ashley BA’11

1976-77 Elizabeth (Sissi) Riggs Brandon ✪+ BSE’55 1977-78 Roy Murphy ✪+ BSIM’49

1936-37 Beloit Taylor BA‘19

1978-79 Fred Livingston ✪ BSBA’55

1937-38 John P. Woods ✪ BA’09

1979-80 Tracy Scott ★ BSE’53

1938-39 Glen Rose ★ BSE’28, MS’31

1980-81 Edward W. Stevenson ✪+ BSBA’60

1939-40 Claude J. Byrd ★ BSA’25

1981-82 Fred Livingston ✪ BSBA’55 1982-83 Don Schnipper ✪+ BA’63, JD’64

1940-41 Charles Frierson Jr.‘29 1941-42 John B. Daniels BSA‘33 1942-44 G. DeMatt Henderson BA’01, LLB’03 1944-45 Dr. M. L. Dalton MD’32 1945-46 Jack East ✪ BSE’24 1946-47 Steve Creekmore ★ BSBA’11 1947-48 Maupin Cummings ✪ BA’32 1948-49 Roy Milum BA’04, LLD’58 1949-50 Paul Sullins ✪ JD’37 1950-51 Francis Cherry LLB’38 1951-52 J.C. Gibson BA’24, MS’38 1952-53 George Makris ✪ BSBA’37 1953-54 Edward B. Dillon Jr. ★LLB’50

1983-84 Mary Trimble Maier ✪+ BA’49 1984-85 Bart Lindsey ✪+ BSBA’67 1985-86 W. Kelvin Wyrick ✪+ BSE’59 1986-87 Larry G. Stephens ✪+ BSIE’58 1987-88 Rebecca Shreve ✪+ BSE’60, MED’63 1988-89 Robert T. Dawson ✪+ BA’60, LLB’65 1989-90 Gregory B. Graham ✪+ BSBA’70, JD’72 1990-91 Blake Schultz ✪+ BA’51 1991-92 Chuck Dudley ✪+ BSBA’76, MBA’77 1992-93 Harriet Hudson Phillips ✪+ BA’72 1993-94 Richard Hatfield ✪+ BSBA’65, LLB’67 1994-95 Jenny Mitchell Adair ✪+ BA’62

1955-56 Louis L. Ramsay Jr. LLB’47, LLD’88

1995-96 Jack McNulty ✪+ BSBA’67, JD’70 1996-97 Sylvia Boyer ✪+ BSE’63

1956-57 Stanley Wood ✪ BA’23

1997-98 Morris Fair ★ BSBA’56

1957-58 A.L. Whitten MS’40

1998-00 H. Lawson Hembree IV ✪+ BSA’83 2000-02 Jeffery R. Johnson ✪+ BA’70

1954-55 Beloit Taylor BA’19

1958-59 W.R.“Dub” Harrison BA’20 1959-60 E.M.“Mack” Anderson ✪+ BA’32 1960-61 Warren Wood ✪ LLB’32 1961-62 Owen Calhoun Pearce BSBA’41, LLB’41 1962-63 James C. Hale BA‘33 1963-64 Jack East Jr. BSBA‘48 1964-65 J. Fred Patton ✪+ BA’29, MA’36

2002-04 Edward Bradford ✪+ BSE’55, MED’56 2004-06 Brian M. Rosenthal ✪+ BSBA’84 2006-08 Kenny Gibbs ✪+ BSBA’85 2008-10 Gerald Jordan ✪+ BA’70 2010-12 Steve Nipper ✪+ BSBA’71, MBA’73 2012-14 John Reap ✪+ BSBA’70

LAST LOOK

Culinary Crickets When the University of Arkansas Office for Sustainability began looking for a way to catch the attention of students, who knew that stir-fry insects would work so well. The office hosted a TED Talk video titled “Why Not Eat Insects?” with ecological entomologist Marcel Dicke suggesting insects as a tasty and ecologically sound alternative to meat for protein and good nutrition. They also provided a buffet of buttered bugs for adventurous students to sample. Spoiler alert: the crickets are crunchy. ■

ARKANSAS • Winter 2014

Class of 2018 Alumni Association Scholars

• In August, the 25th group of Arkansas Alumni Association freshman scholars began classes, adding to a long list of incredible scholars who have attended the U of A. • In 1990, $1,600 was awarded to two scholars; since then, the Alumni Association has awarded 3,500 scholarships totaling nearly $6 million. • Last year, the scholarship program hit a milestone, awarding more than $1 million to more than 400 outstanding U of A students in a single year. This 2014-15 academic year, Alumni Scholarships will total $1.1 million for 470 students. • Past scholars are among a group of 35 volunteers who spend two days in February reviewing hundreds of scholarship applications.

Your Connection Starts Here Want to get involved or give to the Arkansas Alumni Scholarship Program? SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM EST. 1990

Contact Robin January, Alumni Scholarship Coordinator robinj@uark.edu • 479-575-6391

www.arkansasalumni.org/scholarships

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