ARKANSAS: Summer 2017

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ARKANSAS

Summer 2017 Vol. 66, No. 4

Exclusively for Members of the Arkansas Alumni Association, Inc.

Exclusively for Members of the Arkansas Alumni Association, Inc. Summer 2017 Vol. 66, No. 4

Jeff Johnson and Mack McLarty

Lives of Service

$6.00


Traveling this summer?

Don’t forget to use your member perks! Avis Get $15 off a weekly rental and $10 to $20 off a weekend rental. Hertz Hertz offers Arkansas Alumni Association members discounts on daily, weekly, weekend and monthly rentals for business or pleasure, traveling in the U.S. or worldwide. My Hotel Rewards The most economical place on the planet to book hotels. Members can access exclusive savings of up to $1,000 off what’s currently available on the web each time you book your reservation – with no blackout dates. See Full List To view a full listing of our perks visit www.arkansasalumni.org/perks.

Thank you for being a proud member!

Submit your travel photos to photos@arkansasalumni.org or use the hashtag #ArkansasEverywhere when posting photos on social media.


SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE

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Alumnus Mack McLarty returns to campus as the 2017 Johnson Fellow and talks with students about good government.

CHEWING ON A MYSTERY

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Using a trove of fossils in Romania, anthropologist Claire Terhune examines the complexity of the jaw and stumbles into a deeper quest.

ARTISANS AT THE DEPOT

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Students in ceramics and graphic design literally set the table for an evening of scrumptious food atop one-of-a-kind dinnerware.

Campus View

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On the Hill

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Profile

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Association

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Razorback Road

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Yesteryear

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From Senior Walk 54 Last Look

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Summer 2017 Exclusively for Members of the Arkansas Alumni Association, Inc.

photo by Whit Pruitt

ON THE COVER Mack McLarty, right, the 2017 Johnson Fellow, visits with Dr. Jeff Johnson, who endowed the Johnson Fellows program with his wife, Marcia. Learn more about Johnson Fellows at www.arkansasalumni.org/ JohnsonFellows.


C A M P U S V I EW

ARKANSAS Publisher Arkansas Alumni Association Executive Director Brandy Cox ✪+ MA’07 Editor Charlie Alison ★ BA’82 MA’04 Associate Editor Ashley Batchelor ★ BA’07 Creative Director Eric Pipkin

photo by Emma Schock

Photo Editor Russell Cothren ✪

Native people an important part of university’s past, present and future.

Janie Hipp, Director of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative As a University of Arkansas alumna, a member of the visiting faculty at the School of Law and director of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative, I’ve been excited and encouraged to see the increased representation of Native American people and cultures on our campus in recent years. There is an indelible cultural imprint on this region of the country that should be acknowledged and honored, and I’m proud to be a part of that effort supported by the university. Prior to Arkansas statehood, this region was home to the Caddo, Quapaw, Osage, Tunica and Cherokee people until they were relocated during the era of Indian Removal in the 19th century. During this time, this region also served as a passageway for Southeastern tribes on their way to new lands west of the Mississippi, including people of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Creek tribes who were forced to travel across Arkansas to reach the newly created Indian Territory. My ancestors made those journeys, as did the ancestors of many of the Native students and alumni who have developed relationships with the university as their academic home. The history and legacy of these tribes still resonates today, and the university recently installed an amazing display in the Arkansas Union to recognize the important cultural role that tribes have played, and continue to play, in this region. The display would not have been possible without an active network of young Native

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American leaders on campus. Student organizations like the Native American Student Association, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, and the Native American Law Students Association are essential to the growing Native American student population seeking to contribute to campus life while also honoring their distinct cultural heritage. New courses are being offered or are under development in colleges across our campus that focus on the important role that Native peoples have in our beautiful home. The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative is also host to the Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit, now in its fourth year. This year, the summit will bring more than 100 Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students representing nearly 70 tribes to campus for an immersive, 10-day camp. During this vibrant, on-campus, intensive experience these young scholars and community food leaders will learn how they can help invigorate traditional foods for their tribes, improve their communities’ access to healthy foods, and improve the sustainability and success of food businesses and agricultural operations in their communities. The summit is unique in its national and intertribal focus and scope, and would not be possible without contributions from many. Campus departments and schools that provide support are of course the School of Law as the

Photographers Whit Pruitt ★ Emma Schock Writers & Contributors DeLani Bartlette B.A.’06 M.A.’08 Robby Edwards Scott Flanagin Jennifer Holland ★ M.Ed.’08 Bettina Lehovec Matt McGowan Andra Parrish Liwag Michelle Parks Camilla Shumaker B.A.’01 M.F.A.’09 David Speer B.A.’75 Kevin Trainor ★+ B.A.’94 M.A.’05 Steve Voorhies ★ M.A.’78 Heidi Wells ★ B.A.’88 M.A.’13 Advertising Coordinator Catherine Baltz ✪+ BS’92 MED’07 MEMBERSHIP SYMBOLS ★ Member ★+ Member, A+ ✪ Life Member ✪+ Life Member, A+ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor are accepted and ­encouraged. Send letters for publication to Arkansas Magazine, Office of University ­Relations, 200 Davis Hall, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701. 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, Exclusively for Members of the Arkansas Alumni Association, Inc. (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 now $55 per household and a portion is allocated for a subscription to Arkansas. Single copies are $6. Editing and production are provided through the UA Office of University Relations. Direct inquiries and information to P.O. Box 1070, Fayetteville, AR 72702-1070, 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 Summer 2017 All photos by University Relations unless otherwise noted. Cover photo by: Whit Pruitt Please recycle this magazine or share it with a friend.

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A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


Save the Date Friday Nov. 3, 2017

73rd Annual Alumni Awards Celebration

ARKANSAS

ALUMNI

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See You at

Homecoming!

University of Arkansas Homecoming: Oct. 29 to Nov. 4, 2017

Class of 2016 Senior Walk Dedication

Alumni Awards Banquet

Homecoming Parade

Homecoming Pep Rally

Hog Wild Tailgate at the Hembree Alumni House

Razorback Football vs. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

HOMECOMING.UARK.EDU


Hog Wild Tailgates

September 9

Get ready to cheer on those Hogs!

All are welcome to stop by the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House and enjoy Hog Wild Tailgates for Fayetteville home games. Hungry or thirsty? Food and drink tickets are available for purchase on game day and food trucks will be located in the west alumni parking lot.

TCU

Ride Buckingham

September 30

New Mexico State October 21

Auburn

NWA Photobomb

Tailgates begin two and one-half hours before kickoff and conclude 30 minutes prior to kickoff.

November 4

Check www.arkansasrazorbacks.com to confirm game time.

November 18

• Live Music: The Wranglers • Big Screens to watch the big games • Food Truck Court • Razorback Marching Band Catered meals: Game day catered meals* are reserved with your pre-registration. A small number of meals are available to walkups as supplies last.

• U of A Spirit Squads • Special guests throughout the season • Climate Controlled Tailgating • Catered meal option* Pre-Register** Members and guests:..............$20 each Non-Members and guests:....$25 each Ages 12 and under:...................$15 each

Coastal Carolina Mississippi State November 25

Missouri

Walk-Up Members:.....................................$25 each Non-Members:...........................$30 each Ages 12 and under:...................$15 each

* Catered meal ticket includes: 1 “Hog Pen” meal, water, lemonade, tea, 1 ice cream ticket and 2 drink tickets for wine, beer or bottled sodas. ** Pre-registration closes the Tuesday before each home game

www.arkansasalumni.org/hogwildtailgates 1-888-ARK-ALUM or 479-575-2801


ON THE HILL

Clifford Davis, William Dillard Awarded Honorary Degrees The University of Arkansas presented honorary degrees to two notable Arkansans during the spring All University Commencement ceremony, on May 13, in Bud Walton Arena. Pioneer civil rights attorney and retired Judge L. Clifford Davis received an honorary Doctor of Law degree, and Arkansas businessman William T. Dillard II received an honorary Doctor of Business degree. “I am very pleased that the University of Arkansas was able to honor two people who have made such an impact on our state and this university,” said Chancellor Joe Steinmetz. “Judge L. Clifford Davis has never set foot on our campus, but he was instrumental in opening the way for African American students to attend the U of A – and followed that achievement with a significant legal career in Fort Worth, Texas. “William T. Dillard II did more than carry on the tradition of his father – he created his own legend in the Arkansas retail industry, while remaining a steadfast supporter of the University of Arkansas,” Steinmetz said. More than 900 graduate students attended the All University Commencement ceremony.

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William T. Dillard II Bill Dillard, chair and chief executive officer of Dillard’s Inc., is the oldest son of retailing pioneer William T. Dillard, the founder of Dillard Department Stores. He was born in Nashville, Arkansas, on March 4, 1945, and began working part-time in his father’s retail operations while still in school. He graduated from what is now the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration as an accounting major. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University two years later. Dillard began his career in the family business in 1967 and joined the company’s board of directors the same year. From 1977 to 1998, Dillard served as president and chief operating officer of the company. He succeeded his father as chief executive officer in 1998 and was named chair of the company in 2002. Dillard was among the first in the industry to computerize his company’s business operations, and also guided the $3 billion purchase of the Mercantile Stores Company in 1998. He has continued to guide Dillard’s during the tumultuous changes in the retail clothing industry. Dillard served on the University of Arkansas’ Campaign Steering Committee and the Corporate and Foundation Relations Committee of the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century and now serves as a member of the Executive, Campaign Steering, and Corporate and Foundation Relations committees for Campaign Arkansas. He is a former member of the Dean’s Circle and Dean’s Executive Advisory Board of the Walton College and has been a member of the Razorback Foundation for more than five decades. Dillard received the University of Arkansas Chancellor’s Medal in 2015 and joined his father in the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame in 2016. n

A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017

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Judge L. Clifford Davis Clifford Davis, an Arkansas native, is recognized nationally as a civil rights pioneer, but he is also an unsung hero in the effort to integrate the University of Arkansas School of Law and the university itself. Davis was born in 1924 at Wilton, the youngest of seven children. His parents were successful farmers. Davis was denied admission to the segregated University of Arkansas law school, so he enrolled in Howard University in Washington, D.C. But he continued to apply to transfer to the U of A. His persistence, and the threat of lawsuits, were key reasons the law school was integrated in 1948. In fact, when that decision was announced, Davis was specifically named as the student who would be admitted. There were restrictions, however: African American students would be taught in a separate classroom and work in a separate study room without direct access to the library, student dorms or bathrooms. Davis refused to accept those restrictions – but he had paved the way for Silas Hunt and all African American students who have followed. Davis graduated from Howard in 1949, practiced law in Arkansas and worked with Thurgood Marshall on the landmark Brown v. Board of Education lawsuit before moving to Fort Worth, Texas, in 1954. There, he filed lawsuits that led to the desegregation of the Mansfield and Fort Worth public schools.

Davis made history again when he was appointed as criminal district court judge in 1983, then became the first African American to win an openly contested judicial race in Tarrant County. He remained on the bench until 2004 and was instrumental in establishing the first Drug Diversion Court in Texas. He has received many local and national awards. Davis is an advocate for civil rights, but beyond that, for civil responsibility. “I call it civil responsibility because I believe every human being is responsible and has a duty to work for the general welfare of the total population,” Davis said.


photo by Whit Pruitt

Alumni and Friends Go All In Student volunteers during the All in for Arkansas annual giving day got together for a big thank-you picture after raising double the fundraising goal.

The University of Arkansas’ second annual giving day, All in for Arkansas, promised to be bolder and bigger than the inaugural event last year, and it succeeded. The effort, which celebrated the 146th birthday of the university’s founding, raised $411,326 from 1,022 gifts during a 1,871-minute period, March 29-30, more than doubling its original goal of $187,100. The duration of the event and original goal were both nods to the university’s founding year of 1871. Chancellor Joe Steinmetz and his wife, Sandy, led the way with a gift of $25,000 for the new Advance Arkansas scholarship initiative, which aims to increase scholarship availability for Arkansans. Preliminary reports show an additional $130,479 was raised for Advance Arkansas

during the giving day event, thanks to a participation challenge and dollar-for-dollar match made possible by the Steinmetzes’ generous contribution, bringing the total amount they have provided to support scholarships for Advance Arkansas to $100,000. The Arkansas Alumni Association received $23,765 from 101 gifts for scholarships and program support. Participation was key to the success of All in for Arkansas. Thanks to the generosity of several alumni, faculty and staff, numerous challenges and dollar-for-dollar matches were issued throughout the day to encourage gifts of all sizes. n

Amateur Radio Club Celebrates 100 Years

photo submitted

The University of Arkansas Amateur Radio Club recently celebrated a milestone: The club has been a licensed ham radio station for 100 years, since 1916. It is one of the oldest university ham radio clubs in the country, and has been on the air almost as long as radio licenses have been issued. The club’s call letters, W5YM, have been heard around the world, and beyond. In 1995, club members even helped establish a radio link between the space shuttle Endeavour and an elementary school in Huntsville. To cap a year of celebration, Arkansas state Sen. Uvalde Lindsey of Fayetteville recognized the club with an Arkansas Senate Citation. n

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ON THE HILL

U of A Community Design Center Receives Green Good Design Award

images UACDC

The University of Arkansas Community Design Center, working The plan combines traditional constructed hydrology, such as storage with the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, tanks and rain bladders, with “soft” engineering, such as bioswales, was awarded a 2017 Green Good Design Award for Urban Planning infiltration zones, rain gardens, water-loving trees and other low-impact in the Landscape Architecture category by the European Centre development technologies. for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and The Chicago “This is soil conservation brought into the urban system,” Matlock Athenaeum: Museum for Architecture and Design for a project said. “It’s this notion that the softscape can be designed to do more than with Conway. just grow grass, and the Known as the “Conway hardscape can be designed Urban Watershed to do more than just shunt Framework Plan: A water. That the two of Reconciliation Landscape,” those together could be the project addresses the integrated to create more impact of urbanization effective water treatment on the 42-square-mile and more effective water urban sub-watershed that storage in the urban system covers much of Conway. – to create a more resilient Problems include increased urban ecosystem.” flooding, water quality The three-year project contamination and was funded by a $498,000 property damage. grant from the U.S. “The city has its own Environmental Protection flows and networks – and Agency, administered the watershed has its flow by the Arkansas Natural dynamics and networks. Resources Commission, When you put the two in and matching funds the same space, it causes a from the city of Conway, lot of problems, because Faulkner County, the one hasn’t internalized the University of Central dynamics of the other,” Arkansas and the Lake said Steve Luoni, director Conway Property Owners The “Conway Urban Watershed Framework Plan: A Reconciliation Landscape,” a of the Community Design project by the University of Arkansas Community Design Center and its collaborators, Association. Center and a Distinguished has received a 2017 Green Good Design Award for Urban Planning in the Landscape Adopted by the city Architecture category. Artwork courtesy of U of A Community Design Center. Professor in the Fay Jones as a guide for future School of Architecture development, the plan and Design. provides adaptive infrastructure that a variety of stakeholders can use, The center is an outreach program of the Fay Jones School. including urban planners, architects, designers, builders, property “If we want to have resilient communities and mitigate the effect of owners, county agents and city council members. all sorts of forces — from climate change to societal stressors — we’re The framework plan will be published as a book by ORO Editions going to have to figure out how to work within human-dominated this summer. Conceived as a design guide for how to build a green city, the book will feature transferable technology other communities ecosystems and develop strategies where urban infrastructure delivers can use. ecosystem services in addition to the urban services infrastructure has The project will be exhibited at venues in Athens, Dublin and always delivered,” said Luoni, who also holds the Steven L. Anderson Chicago during 2017. Chair in Architecture and Urban Studies. The Green Good Design Award aims to bring public appreciation The project was a collaborative effort between the Community and awareness to design that emphasizes sustainability and ecological Design Center and Marty Matlock, executive director of the U of A restoration. The framework plan previously won a 2016 American Office for Sustainability and professor of ecological engineering in the Architecture Award from the same two presenting organizations. n Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.

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A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


Six U of A Students and Alumni Selected as NSF Graduate Research Fellows Three University of Arkansas undergraduate students and three recent graduates received National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships for the upcoming academic year. The highly competitive awards are made to students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and recognize academic excellence and the potential contribution that they will make to their field and to society at large. This year’s NSF Graduate Research Fellows are: • Alex Khang of Prairie Grove • Larissa Markwardt of Fayetteville • Kelly McKenzie of Searcy • Madeline Meier of Olathe, Kansas • Jordana Thibado of Fayetteville. The sixth student, a recent graduate, has asked not to be named. Each fellowship is worth $34,000 per year and can be renewed for up to three years. Along with the renewable stipend, each student’s institution will receive $12,000 per year to offset tuition costs, bringing the total amount of funding awarded in these six fellowships to more than $800,000. “When our students receive highly competitive awards like the NSF Graduate Research Fellowships, I am reminded just how remarkable University of Arkansas students are. Not only are they intellectually curious and academically ambitious, but they also want to give back to their communities,” said U of A Chancellor Joe Steinmetz. “The National Science Foundation recognizes outstanding students who are going to pursue research careers in a STEM field, but it also looks for those researchers who have an interest in the broader impacts of the work they do. These six University of Arkansas recipients are both stellar scientists and really great people, who are going to make differences in their fields and in our communities.” NSF FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS

photos submitted

Alex Khang graduated in 2016 with an honors degree in biomedical engineering from the College of Engineering. While an undergraduate, he researched Janus-type, polymer-protein nanofibers under the direction of Kartik Balachandran, assistant professor of biomedical engineering. Khang is currently pursuing a doctorate in biomedical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Larissa Markwardt is a senior honors physics major in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. Her undergraduate research mentor is Bret Lehmer, assistant professor of physics. Markwardt’s undergraduate research focuses on X-ray binaries in nearby, face-on, spiral galaxies.

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Kelly McKenzie is a senior honors electrical engineering and physics double major in the College of Engineering and J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. Her undergraduate research mentor is Morgan Ware, assistant professor of electrical engineering. In her research, she studies indium gallium nitride intermediate-band solar cells. Madeline Meier is a senior honors chemistry major in J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. In her current research under David Paul, associate professor of chemistry, she studies biosensors. Their work resulted in a recent publication in the Journal of the Electrochemical Society, with Meier as a second author. She was also recently named a finalist for the National Institutes of Health Oxford-Cambridge Fellowship. Jordana Thibado graduated in 2016 with an honors degree in chemistry from J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. Under the guidance of her mentor Roger Koeppe, distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry, she published a paper based on her undergraduate research in biochemistry as first author. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in physiology, biophysics, and systems biology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City. “The College of Engineering is extremely proud of Alex Khang and Kelly McKenzie,” said John English, dean of the College of Engineering. “The NSF Graduate Research Fellowships are highly sought after, very competitive awards. Both of these exceptional students have been very active in research, and talented faculty have supported their efforts every step of the way. It’s a winning combination.” “What is so striking about these amazing Fulbright College students who have been selected to receive these awards is the breadth of their studies, which range from biosensors to solar cells to neurodegenerative diseases to X-ray binaries in spiral galaxies,” said Todd Shields, dean of Fulbright College. “They are asking big questions in big fields, and the answers are already leading to publications in major journals. I am pleased — and not surprised — that these very capable students have been selected for this national recognition.” Since 1952, the National Science Foundation has awarded the highly competitive Graduate Research Fellowship to around 50,000 students in the STEM fields. The graduate fellowship program is one of the NSF’s oldest and most highly competitive, with roots in the foundation’s original 1950 charter. Each year, approximately 2,000 applicants are selected through a rigorous NSF peer-review process. A total of 128 students and alumni have been awarded fellowships. n

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ON THE HILL

CNN Host, Twin NASA Astronauts Speak as Distinguished Lecturers W. Kamau Bell Retired NASA astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly stop for a photo with members of the Civil Air Patrol Auxiliary who attended the distinguished lecture.

photos by Whit Pruitt

The student-sponsored Distinguished Lecture Series brought three distinguished lecturers to campus this spring. Comedian and CNN host W. Kamau Bell spoke in March, and retired NASA astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly spoke in April. Bell, a San Francisco-based comedian, satirist and host of CNN’s United Shades of America, built his career on candid, insightful and hilarious commentary on race, politics and issues in modern American society. He brought those qualities and more to the student-sponsored Distinguished Lecture Series at the Fayetteville Town Center in March. In his Emmy-nominated United Shades of America, Bell travels the country, offering viewers eye-opening looks inside American subcultures, including an episode that featured the Ku Klux Klan. Bell first came to fame in 2007, with his one-man show, “The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About an Hour,” which he periodically updates as part of his lecture appearances. Bell followed that success with the FX comedy series, Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. He is also known for co-hosting popular podcasts, Denzel Washington is The Greatest Actor of All Time Period and Politically Reactive, in addition to the live public radio show, Kamau Right Now! Bell’s perspective has been described as “post-modern,” “provocative,” “level-headed” and “very human.” His goal was to promote understanding, start conversations – and make people laugh. Retired NASA astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly spoke at the University of Arkansas in April. The Kellys are identical twin brothers who both reached the rank of captain in the U.S. Navy, serving as fighter and test pilots before joining NASA as space shuttle pilots. They are the only known siblings who have both traveled in space.

Speakers are chosen by a committee of students, faculty and staff, and the events are funded by a student-approved fee, appropriated by the Programs Allocation Board. Recent speakers have included Bill Nye, Brandon Stanton and Abby Wambach. n

History Professor Wins Postdoctoral Fellowship in China Studies

University Relations photo

Kelly Hammond, assistant professor in the Department of History in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, was awarded a highly competitive Henry Luce Foundation/ACLS Program in China Studies Postdoctoral Fellowship. Now in its fifth year, the fellowship from the Henry Luce Foundation/ACLS Program in China Studies seeks to maintain the vitality of China Studies in North America through grants designed primarily for humanities scholars early in their careers. Studies on and in China have developed over the last 30 years in the United States and Canada into a robust field, but current conditions pose daunting problems, especially for scholars just before and just after the dissertation. To address this situation, the program offers three competitions: Predissertation-Summer Travel Grants, Postdoctoral Fellowships and Collaborative Reading-Workshop Grants.

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Hammond will spend most of her time on the fellowship working on her book manuscript and plans to spend a few months in China in the spring of 2018 in order to complete some research at the newly re-opened Chinese Foreign Ministry Archives in Beijing. In her book, China’s Muslims and Japan’s Empire, Hammond argues that the constant reconfiguration of global networks in the Asia-Pacific region by imperial powers in the 20th century had a lasting impact on the prevailing ethnic classifications within the People’s Republic of China. She shows how Japanese imperialism partly enabled alternate visions of autonomy for Muslim minorities in China during an era of collaboration and internationalism. Her research also highlights the global connections facilitated by Japanese imperialists with Muslims who lived under the shadow of occupation. Forging connections beyond the borders of occupied China, Muslims also served as mouthpieces of Japanese imperialism and provided the Japanese with the means to expand their political and cultural influence in the greater Islamic world. n

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Apparel, Engineering, Horticulture Students Work Together on Fashion Show Students in the programs of apparel merchandising and product development, horticulture and electrical engineering worked together on production to make this year’s annual spring fashion show — Enclothe: Futuristic Floral Benefit Fashion Show — bigger and better than ever. The apparel program in Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences’ School of Human Environmental Sciences produces a fashion show each spring to showcase outfits created and designed by students. “Based on the success of last year’s Metal & Shine Fashion Show, we were looking forward to again presenting work by our talented apparel students,” said instructor Stephanie Hubert. “The collaboration with electrical engineering and horticulture students added to the anticipation, excitement and quality of the show.” Students in Hubert’s Advanced Apparel Production class have been completing outfits this year to be modeled in the show. Robert Saunders, assistant head of the Department of Electrical Engineering in the College of Engineering, offered to participate in this year’s event, and students in his senior design class helped enhance some of the garments with working lighting systems. They also created lighting for the show’s runway. “We are excited to be a part of the spring fashion show,” said Saunders. “Electrical engineering students designed and created an interactive system of lights for the dresses and runway. These lights changed color as the models moved around the space. The

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interdisciplinary nature of this process is an excellent opportunity for our students to practice communicating and collaborating with people from different disciplines.” Students from the Horticulture Department’s Introduction to Floral Design class also developed a floral component for the show under the direction of instructor Shannon Mason. “Students designed and installed two large, dramatic floral design pieces for the show,” said Mason. “We were working with a perishable product so event-day installation was imperative. Assembly and installation, with a ticking clock for the event, provide a unique opportunity for my students to think on their feet and solve problems efficiently. The collaboration with other disciplines demonstrates the importance of communication and compromise, which I believe is a lesson that not only applies to floral design, electrical engineering or apparel, but to life as well. We are thrilled to be able to contribute to this creative event.” Brittany Short Allen B.S.H.E.S’11, an alumna of the apparel merchandising and product development program, was the featured guest designer. Allen is a pattern maker and computer aided designer for Understated Leather, which sells to Free People, Urban Outfitters and Revolve, and a fashion and CAD designer for a womenswear brand based in Los Angeles. Allen also created hew own brand, Brittany Nicole, and teaches fashion design at the Art Institute of Austin. Allen’s designs have been featured in Women’s Wear Daily and worn by celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Jon Bon Jovi. n

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ON THE HILL

Davis McCombs Awarded Guggenheim Fellowship

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Poet Davis McCombs, director of the Program in Creative Writing and Translation in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, was awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship this spring to support his creative work. Nearly 3,000 people from throughout the U.S. and Canada applied for the fellowship, and McCombs is one of 11 poets recognized by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation this year. McCombs joins Pulitzer Prize winner Gregory Pardlo and Claudia Rankine, recipient of a 2016 MacArthur Genius Grant and author of the critically acclaimed Citizen. According to the foundation website, Guggenheim Fellowships “are intended for individuals who have already demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts.” The selection process is highly competitive.

“These artists and writers, scholars and scientists, represent the best of the best,” said Edward Hirsch, president of the foundation, in an official news release. “It’s an honor to be able to support these individuals to do the work they were meant to do.” “We’re tremendously proud of Davis and gratified to see him recognized among some of the finest artists in his field,” said Dorothy Stephens, chair of the Department of English. “He joins an elite cohort, not just at the U of A but across the nation.” McCombs is the author of three collections of poetry. His most recent volume, lore, won the Agha Shahid Ali Poetry Prize and was published by the University of Utah Press last year. His first book, Ultima Thule, was chosen by W.S. Merwin as the winner of the 1999 Yale Series of Younger Poets. Dismal Rock, his second, won the Dorset Prize from Tupelo Press and was later awarded the 2008 Eric Hoffer Award and the Kentucky Literary Award. McCombs won the Porter Fund Literary Prize in 2015 and is the recipient of fellowships from the Ruth Lilly Poetry Foundation, the Arkansas Arts Council, the Walter F. Laman Public Library and the National Endowment for the Arts. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Poetry, The Kenyon Review, Oxford American, Virginia Quarterly Review, and the Pushcart Prize and Best American Poetry anthologies. n

University of Arkansas teams took first place in the undergraduate division and swept all three places in the graduate division at the 2017 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition on April 11. Graduate team Rejuvenics, a start-up biotechnology company developing a platform for delivering chemotherapy to cancer patients with fewer side effects, finished in first place and won $25,000. The Rejuvenics team includes three executive M.B.A. students at the Sam M. Walton College of Business: Joshua Phillips, Tiffany Jarrett and Mary Rivard. The fourth team member is Amanda Stolarz, a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences postdoctoral fellow and recent graduate of the UAMS PharmD doctoral program. Their drug delivery platform is based on research conducted by research professor Daniel Fologea in the department of biological sciences at the U of A and Michael Borelli, a professor of radiology, neurology and pharmaceutical sciences at UAMS. Undergraduate team AgChron Technology, which is marketing a microchip identification tag and hand-held reader device that helps ranchers track livestock through the commercial production process, also placed first in its division and won the Arkansas Farm Bureau Agriculture Division Award. The AgChron team, which took home $30,000, includes U of A undergraduate students Austin Huett, an accounting and management major; Katie Gairhan, a major in public health with a minor in management; and Emily English, a marketing major with a minor in management.

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U of A Startup Teams Take Top Honors at Governor’s Cup Competition

The AgChron Technology team, from left, Katie Gairhan, Austin Huett, Mark Zweig, and Emily English

Second place in the graduate division, the Delta Plastics Innovation Award, and $20,000 went to Grox Industries, a nanomaterials company that has developed a graphene oxide-based coating for windows that improves their energy efficiency. Third place in the graduate division went to REDBioBattery, which is using a technology developed by U of A chemical engineering professor Jamie Hestekin to create a long-lived battery for implantable medical devices such as pacemakers, reducing replacement surgeries. n

A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


Two U of A Students Named 2017 Truman Scholars

Ryann Alonso Alonso is a lifelong debater who, as she moved through high school and college, became increasingly interested in the ways people discuss and articulate public policy and governance. At the University of

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Arkansas, she is a Silas Hunt Distinguished Scholar, as well as an active member in Young Democrats, Razorback Action Group and Associated Student Government. She is a member of the Student Alumni Association. She was also named a National Forensics League AllAmerican Debater. Alonso’s interest in politics has led her to volunteer in numerous state and local political campaigns, and she has focused much of her time on issues related to voting rights and accessibility. Recognizing a need for greater voting access for U of A students, in 2015 she initiated a student movement to establish a voting center on campus. During the 2016 election, she registered more than 500 students to vote, and she is vice chair of volunteers and voter protection with a county political organization. Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a law degree with a concentration in constitutional law, and she will continue her work to improve access to polling stations and increase voter participation. photo submitted

Two University of Arkansas students, Ryann Alonso of Tulsa and Sam Harris of Greenbrier, have been selected as 2017 Harry S. Truman Scholars. This is the second consecutive year the U of A has had two students selected for this academic honor. Alonso is an honors political science and communications major in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. Harris is an honors agricultural business and agricultural education, communications and technology major with an agricultural leadership minor in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. Alonso and Harris are two of 62 Scholars selected from 54 colleges and universities to be awarded the prestigious scholarship this year. Both will receive $30,000 to be used toward their graduate studies. Truman Scholars are selected on the basis of their academic success, leadership skills, and the likelihood of their becoming public service leaders. The Truman Foundation alerted Chancellor Joe Steinmetz that Alonso and Harris had been selected and encouraged him to surprise the two students with the news in keeping with the foundation’s tradition. Both students were invited to speak to the Executive Committee about their experience applying and interviewing for the Truman Scholarship. Upon entering, they were immediately surprised with cake and congratulations from the chancellor and vice chancellors as well as the scholars’ deans, department chairs, faculty mentors and advisors. “It was a real pleasure to share the news with these two very talented and dedicated students that they had been selected as Truman Scholars,” said Chancellor Steinmetz. “The Truman Foundation has a stated goal of choosing students who are agents of sustained, positive change, and in selecting Ryann Alonso and Sam Harris, they have done just that. Both already have extensive records of service, and they clearly want to make a real difference for people in Arkansas. I have come to know each them — Ryann through her ASG work and Sam as a member of my class this spring — and both are exceptional people who will engage in exceptional work throughout their careers.” The 2017 Truman Scholars will participate in a week-long leadership development program at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, at the end of May.

Sam Harris Harris is an Honors College Pilot Research Scholar. In 2015, he earned an American FFA Degree, as well as the World Food Prize Foundation Elaine Szymoniak Top Research Award for his work on minimizing food insecurity in remote villages in India. Also in 2015, Harris was named a Prudential Spirit of the Community Honoree and was given a Presidential Community Service Award. On campus, he serves as vice president of the Student Organization Outreach Involvement Experience, assistant director of sponsorship for the Student Alumni Board in the Student Alumni Association and a member of the Bumpers College Honors Student board. In addition, he is involved with the local Democratic Party and has volunteered on several local, statewide and national political campaigns. Harris was raised in Central Arkansas and has spent much of his undergraduate career focused on alleviating global food insecurity. He has evaluated extension services in rural India, developed farm business plans for communities in rural Vietnam and is currently preparing a pilot research exchange program in Belize to help facilitate sustainable backyard poultry operations. Harris intends to obtain a Juris Doctor and Master of Laws in agricultural and food law before pursuing a career in the USAID Bureau for Food Security. In 2002, the University of Arkansas was named a Truman Scholarship Honor Institution for student commitment to service and its record with the Truman Scholarship Program. Other recent Truman Scholars include Victoria Maloch, Danielle Neighbour, Grant Addison, Cicely Shannon, Nathan Coulter and Mike Norton. The U of A also had two Truman Scholars in 1999. n

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photo by Russell Cothren

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Chris Shapley B.S.E.E.’17 Staff Success Story:

Former Custodian Earns Civil Engineering Degree By Bettina Lehovec Chris Shapley came to the university as a custodian, waxing floors and cleaning carpets all over campus. He is leaving as a civil engineer, heading for a career with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. The 13 years between are a story of grit and perseverance, as Shapley juggled full-time work with the demands of an engineering degree program. He also pursued a minor in math because: Why not? He was interested; he was here; he wanted to take advantage of every opportunity. That seems to be the mantra for Shapley, the first in his family to graduate from college and the first male to earn a high school degree. His family instilled the virtues of hard work and pride, but encouraged him to go beyond physical labor if he could, Shapley said. “This was my opportunity. It would have been foolish not to take advantage of it, not to keep trying.” As a university employee, Shapley received an 85 percent tuition discount (now 80 percent), as well as help in the form of a staff senate scholarship for three years. “Chris demonstrates that when you put your mind to it, you can do anything,” said Teresa Waddell, secretary of the Staff Senate, which oversees the staff scholarship program. “It’s sad for us to lose him, but we’re excited that he’s moving on.” Shapley worked the graveyard shift for six years, taking classes and studying during the day. He never brought his schoolwork to his

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job, he said, wanting to avoid any hint of compromise. Instead he studied when he got off in the mornings, catching 4 to 5 hours of sleep later in the day. He distinguished himself in the several jobs he held on campus, rising quickly to supervisor, then coordinator, of the Building Services Project Team, a crew of up to 12 people who handle special projects such as floor work, carpet cleaning, weather-related emergencies and other needs. In 2012, Shapley was named Employee of the Quarter and Employee of the Year for his work with the project team. In 2015, he became facilities manager for the Sam M. Walton College of Business, where he oversaw construction and design, served as liaison with Facilities Management, approved all keys and electronic access, updated facilities and performed small repairs. Not satisfied with merely performing job duties as described, Shapley took on aspects of design, added signage and hydration stations and started a Walton College substation for the University of Arkansas Police Department. He was named Staff Rookie of the Year for Walton College in 2015 and Employee of the Quarter for both Walton College and the University of Arkansas last fall. “Chris is highly collegial and energetic and hard-working,” said Tanya Clayburn, assistant dean for finance and administration in the Walton College. “He’s one of those people who gets the job done, no matter what.”

Shapley graduated in December, his job with ODOT already secured. Yet he insisted on staying at the university until March to wrap up existing projects and help his successor with the transition. Now he’s off to Oklahoma City, where he will spend a year in training in the various aspects of his new job – design, construction, materials, inspection. ODOT wooed him away from state agencies in Arkansas and Missouri by promising him he can pick his own area of concentration, and pledging to help him obtain a master’s degree. Shapley plans to take advantage of that opportunity. He’s sad to leave the university, which he considers a home, but ready to tackle the next challenge life brings his way. “It’s been a long journey – and a lot of long nights – but I wouldn’t trade it if I could,” Shapley said. “Sometimes with challenge and hard work, you get more reward out of it. I guarantee you – no one was happier than I was when I walked down that aisle and got my diploma.” Shapley serves as an inspiration for the entire staff body, said Avery Minor, Shapley’s former supervisor in Building Services. “Chris had a drive and a desire to do better, to go through school and reach the highest peak that he possibly could. “He shows that you can grow where you are.” n

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‘Chief Javelin Catcher’ ‘Mack’ McLarty ✪+, the 2017 Johnson Fellow, talks with students in government, politics classes

From Associated Student Government to the Arkansas Legislature to the White House, the commitment of Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty B.S.B.A.’69 to bipartisanship and his willingness to compromise has served him, and our state and country, well. On April 20 he returned to campus to share his experience and advice with Janine Parry’s Arkansas Politics and the Nation class and Michael Hamilton’s American National Government class. McLarty came to campus as the 2017 Johnson Fellow. The Arkansas Alumni Association’s Johnson Fellows program is named for Dr. Jeff Johnson, B.A.’70, and his wife, Marcia. The Johnsons endowed the program in 2009 with the specific purpose of bringing esteemed alumni back to the University of Arkansas campus to engage and inspire students. In both classes, McLarty sat down with Stephanie Streett, B.A.’91, former assistant to President Bill Clinton, past-president of the Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors and current executive director of the Clinton Foundation, to discuss, in her words, “how politics happens.”

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photo by Russell Cothren

By DeLani Bartlette B.A.’06, M.A.’08

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McLarty began his political career while on campus during the 1960s, when he ran for Associated Student Government president. “I promised a lot,” he said, referring to the 21 points he ran on. After winning the office, he instituted many of those promises, despite not having enough money in the budget to do so. So they sold tickets to the speakers, he said, and raised more than enough to fund his new programs. Some of those programs are still in effect today: the internal transit system which eventually became Razorback Transit, a speaker series that recruited national speakers to the campus and the creation of a student ombudsperson. When asked about the main issues on campus during his time here in the ’60s, he said that even though things have changed so dramatically since then, there were similarities, namely, “It was a time of great change in our country.” He recalled at age 17 at Hope High

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School, being summoned to the school loudspeaker to announce the assassination of John F. Kennedy Jr., as well as witnessing the tremendous changes that took place in the realm of civil rights, women’s rights and the Great Society. “You’re [also] living through a time of great change,” he told the students. Later, at age 23, he became one of the youngest members to serve in the Arkansas State Legislature. “I thought I might lose that election,” he said. “I was worried that people might think I was too young and inexperienced, but it was actually a plus.” What this means, he told the students, is “you’ve got to have the courage to run.” McLarty’s relationship to Clinton, which was the primary focus of his presentation to Hamilton’s American National Government class, stretches back to kindergarten, when they were in the same class. Clinton moved away to Hot Springs, but later he and McLarty

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photos by Whit Pruitt

Left: Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty, the 2017 Johnson Fellow, and Stephanie Streett, executive director of the Clinton Foundation, address Michael Hamilton’s American National Government class in April. Above: Mack McLarty visits with Natali Hall, the recipient of the Thomas F. and Donna McLarty Endowed Study Abroad Scholarship.

“You’re going to make mistakes. Recognize them and learn from them.”

attended Hope High School together and often crossed paths during college. “He had an unusual capacity to relate to people,” McLarty said of Clinton. He said the request from then-President-elect Clinton to serve as his first chief of staff was “a life-changer,” even though he had worked with the previous administration (he was appointed by President George H.W. Bush to the National Petroleum Council and the Council on Environmental Quality). “Little did I know that when I walked in the Governor’s Mansion he’d ask me to be chief of staff.” All in all, McLarty served as counselor, chief of staff and special envoy to the Americas under President Clinton. He compared being chief of staff to being “chief javelin catcher” because of all the things coming at the office. He said it was challenging, “a 24/7 job.”

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When asked about his toughest decisions on the job, he said, “Clearly the toughest decision is sending troops into harm’s way.” Following the attempted assassination of George H.W. Bush in ’93, “we felt like we needed to retaliate … [with] a surgical airstrike, to minimize casualties, so we decided to bomb the base at 2 a.m.” He was also asked about his lowest moments. “Fatigue plays a role,” he said. “It weighs you down.” But he didn’t want to discourage the students. “You’re going to make mistakes. Recognize them and learn from them.” “All you can truly do is your best,” he said. “It’s all any human being can do.” In Parry’s class, one student asked him to compare Clinton’s first 100 days with President Donald Trump’s. “The first 100 days is always a benchmark,” he said, going on to highlight the similarities between

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Photos by Russell Cothren

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Above: McLarty and Streett take questions from Janine Parry’s Arkansas Politics and the Nation class. Right: The two took questions from students about past and present politics, including McLarty’s opinions on the political climate in Little Rock and President Trump’s first 100 days.

“Compromise is not a dirty word. It is essential for any functioning democracy.”

the two presidents: “They were both essentially outsiders, surprise winners and new to Washington.” One difference he noted was that he felt Clinton “stepped onto the world stage pretty well, with no major snafus.” He attributed this to Clinton’s “excellent” National Security Advisor, contrasting that with Trump’s National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, who was fired in the first month. Another difference he pointed out was that Clinton’s approval ratings remained high throughout his presidency. McLarty was also asked about the extreme partisanship that seems to dominate the political world now. McLarty agreed that it was a problem. “Compromise is not a dirty word,” he said. “It is essential for any functioning democracy.” “The real strength of our country is the sense of community and people working together,” he said.

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Parry, a professor of political science and director of the Arkansas Poll, said this program often suits her class well. “It’s a great opportunity for us to have people doing the thing that we only read and study about.” Hamilton, a graduate student in political science, said he valued McLarty’s insights because “he’s been in government from national to local, worked for Democrats and Republicans.” One of Parry’s students, Alex Gladden, a junior majoring in journalism, said, “It’s really interesting to see people from Arkansas, get their thoughts on the national scene, people who have been up close and personal with the issues.” Ryann Alonso, a junior majoring in political science and communications who just received a Truman Fellowship, said this kind of experience was why she came to the U of A.

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McLarty is currently chair of McLarty Associates, an international strategic advisory firm he co-founded in 1998. He is also chair of The McLarty Companies, a fourth-generation family transportation business. He was inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame in 2014. McLarty is the recipient of the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Medal; the highest civilian honors of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela; and the Center for the Study of the Presidency Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves as a Senior International Fellow at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. In 1987, McLarty received the Citation of Distinguished Alumni award from the Arkansas Alumni Association. He was awarded an honorary law degree from the U of A in 2000, and is now a member of

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the Campaign Arkansas Steering Committee and A+ Life Member of the Arkansas Alumni Association. In 2002, he and his wife, Donna, established the Thomas F. and Donna McLarty Endowed Study Abroad Scholarships Fund with a gift of $100,000 to create study abroad opportunities for students in the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Four years later, the couple created the Donna C. and Thomas F. McLarty III Fellowship with a gift to the Center for the Study of the Presidency based in Washington, D.C., which allows students to attend workshops at the center twice a year. In 2014, they founded the McLarty Global Fellowship Program, which supports international study for students in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, the Sam M. Walton College of Business and the Clinton School of Public Service. n

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The Tale of the

Tantalizing File Cabinet Claire Terhune tries to unravel two secrets at once in Romania: the complexity of the jaw and a deeper question about early human migration By Matt McGowan

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On their last day in Romania, after two and a half weeks at the “Emil Racoviţă” Institute of Speleology in Bucharest, Claire Terhune and her colleagues found a file cabinet in one of the rooms where they were working. There was a label on the front of the cabinet: “Oltenia.” Hmm, thought Terhune, that’s interesting. “We didn’t have time to go through the whole cabinet,” she said. “We had to catch our flight.” Terhune, an assistant professor of anthropology in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, has one foot in the present and one in the ancient past. As a biological anthropologist, she studies bones and primate anatomy. Her work will help doctors and dentists understand how different skeletal components of the jaw are correlated, how pathologies such as arthritis develop and how anatomical changes occur during the lifetime of an individual, be it human or chimpanzee. But other, related work might explain how and when early humans migrated from Africa to Europe.

Despite medical advances over the past century, science has yet to fully explain the complex mechanisms at work within the temporomandibular joint, the joint that connects the jaw to the skull. This fact is even more remarkable when one considers how much this joint is used. Talking, eating, yawning or anything done with the mouth or jaw depends on the health of this joint. Humans in particular seem to experience a lot of problems with the temporomandibular joint. Some estimates suggest that as many as 75 percent of adults will experience signs or symptoms, such as jaw popping, of pathologies in this joint. In 2016, Terhune and colleagues at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Marquette University received a $219,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to study the anatomy and function of the temporomandibular joint in 16 closely related primate species, including humans. Their study focuses on how teeth, jaw and related joints work together as a chewing system and how these components are affected by aging and abnormal changes. The temporomandibular joint connects the jaw to the temporal bones of the skull and sometimes develops pathologically in primates, resulting in an arthritic joint. But very little research has been done regarding which primate species experience these arthritic changes and how often this occurs. Terhune’s work may help explain these pathologies and inform clinical studies of dental problems in humans. “We’re trying to provide a more complete picture of the anatomical interrelationships of this complex system,” she said. “We hope to show how changes occur during the lifetime of an individual, but also how primate species differ from each other in these changes. By changes, we mean both normal and pathological dental wear, as well as normal and abnormal, or arthritic, changes.” Comparing these closely related primate species, Terhune and her colleagues will also look for similarities in the degree of evolutionary change over time. They will pay particular attention to shapes and pathologies and how or if they vary in relation to each other.

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photos submitted

A Study to Chew On

Claire Terhune studies documents found in a file cabinet on her last day in Romania. Photographs, diagrams, drawings and maps from the cabinet provide a wealth of information about Romania’s Olteţ River Valley, specifically Grănceanu, one of Eastern Europe’s most important fossil sites. These documents will guide her research team in the field this summer.

“For example, do you always see dental pathologies, such as tooth loss or abscesses, occurring with osteoarthritis in the temporomandibular joint? This is the kind of question we’re asking,” she said. In the course of their work, Terhune and her colleagues will build a large database of 3-D models of primate skulls and teeth. After they’ve published their results, their models will be made freely available to anthropological and biomedical researchers. “Sharing data this way is really valuable for pushing research forward,” Terhune said. “Researchers who may not otherwise have the resources to collect these data can use them for their own work, and we can ultimately decrease wear and tear on museum collections.”

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Above, a diagram of a fossil found in the Olteţ River Valley. Left and bottom, a blue LED scanner allows Terhune to create highly accurate digital models of skulls and other specimens. Opposite, Terhune at the Emil Racoviţă Institute of Speleology Bucharest, Romania. She has conducted field work in Romania since 2012.

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photos submitted

An Amazing Valley Since 2012, Terhune and several American and Romanian colleagues have spent a chunk of their summers hunkered over a table in the massive Emil Racoviţă Institute, poring over fossil specimens or exploring farms and tiny communities of the Olteţ River Valley looking for new fossil sites. For researchers like her – paleontologists and anthropologists studying the many facets of human and primate evolution – the Olteţ River Valley is a goldmine. Ancient fossils line the valley. It is one of Eastern Europe’s most fossilrich areas for sites dating to the early Pleistocene, a geological sub-epoch that started roughly 2.6 million years ago and ended 781,000 years ago. The valley’s most famous site, Grănceanu, which dates back about 1.8 million years, is a tremendously rich deposit including thousands of bones of fossil mammals and vertebrates. Extinct species found at Grănceanu include mammoths, saber-toothed cats and the prehistoric ancestors of giraffes, giant deer, horses, rhinos, wolves, bears, hyenas and primates similar to today’s baboons. Scientists discovered the site in the 1960s. Or, as Terhune explained, the site found them. “At the height of Communism in Eastern Europe, agriculture increased in this area,” she said. “As a result, so did deforestation. When this happened, combined with the local geology, landslides increased. Many of these landslides uncovered these fossil deposits.”

Searching for Migration Clues At Grănceanu or one of the other Olteţ sites – either discovered already or not – Terhune and others hope to find clues that might

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answer one of the big questions anthropologists have been asking for decades: How and when did early humans arriving from Africa “disperse,” or migrate, into Europe? Scientists have confirmed the presence of human ancestors in Spain about 1.4 million years ago, but so far they have not found evidence of hominins in Eastern or Central Europe dating back that far. This void begets many migration theories, says Terhune. Did early humans reach the site in Spain by crossing the Strait of Gibraltar? Could they have island-hopped from Tunisia to Sicily and then Italy? Or, did they access the Balkan Peninsula in Eastern Europe by walking from Egypt through the Middle East and Turkey? “We’re trying to build a better understanding of the paleoenvironments in Europe at this time,” Terhune says. “Grănceanu and these other sites are so important, because this is the exact area through which early humans would have had to travel to reach Western Europe from Africa, via the present-day Middle East.” Though they would exult at the discovery of actual fossils of early humans, Terhune and her colleagues would settle for other evidence, such as stone tools that would have been used for cutting meat off bones, or indirect evidence of hominins in the form of cut marks on bones. “So we’re also asking what type of animals might these early humans have encountered when they moved into this area,” she said. “Would the presence of some types of animals have made it less likely for them to be successful in their migration?” Unfortunately for Terhune and her team, the fossils discovered and collected from the Olteţ Valley in the 1960s had not been given much attention for the past few decades. Furthermore, all records describing

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the specimens were lost. This essentially meant they needed to start from scratch organizing and cataloguing specimens, just to see what they had. Additionally, changes in how fossil species are recognized over the past 50 years suggested they might need to reanalyze some specimens to make sure they were correctly identified. Last summer, Terhune and her colleagues worked together on the existing Grănceanu collection. They “bagged, tagged and preliminarily described as many specimens” as they could. They unpacked and sorted large “grab-bags” of fossils, identified specimens and matched them to the correct species and part of the skeleton. Her team also took detailed measurements and photos of teeth, molded teeth for microwear and sampled them for isotopic analysis. All of these analyses will help them figure out what species the fossils are from and what type of foods those animals ate during their lifetime. For significant specimens, such as partly intact skulls, Terhune used a blue LED scanner to create highly accurate digital models (the original fossils have to stay in Romania). These models can be used for later analysis and/or can be used to print out replicas using a three-dimensional printer.

What’s In That Cabinet? Terhune is itching to get back to Romania. In September, she and her colleagues received a $30,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to conduct additional fossil surveys in the Olteţ River Valley, which is roughly 125 miles west of Bucharest. She is excited because the first year they were in the field, Terhune and her colleagues found a site with what they think is a nearly intact woolly mammoth skeleton. “So we know the fossils are there,” she says. “Until now, we just haven’t had the time or resources to look for them properly.”

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The award provides seed money for researchers to assess the feasibility of anthropological research that relies on factors that are difficult to assess but may have great payoffs. If successful, the award and work it supports could lead to more funding. The success of future Olteţ fossil surveys might depend on the other reason Terhune looks forward to returning to Romania. After the landslides and the discovery of Grănceanu in the 1960s, experts from the Emil Racoviţă Speleology Institute investigated and excavated the site. Fossils were recovered and stored at the institute. Scholarly publications about the site flourished in the 1970s, ’80s and into the ’90s, but, for various reasons – mostly political and related to the Ceaușescu regime – access to the fossils was limited. All documentation from the site – excavation notes, geological information and a list of the fossils – was thought to have been lost. “Oltenia,” the word written on a label on the file cabinet Terhune and her colleagues found last summer, refers to the region surrounding the Olteţ River Valley. She and her colleagues opened it. The cabinet contained a treasure trove of documents – photographs, diagrams, drawings and maps of the Oltenia sites. When she realized what they’d found, Terhune immediately sat on the floor and started paging through documents. But she had run out of time. The flight home was waiting. “We still need to comb through these papers,” she says, “but we’re hopeful that they will help us sort through the fossils and discover more sites in years to come.” Of course, Terhune also hopes that one of these sites will produce the big find: fossils or tools that prove the existence of human ancestors in this area a million or more years ago. n

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photos submitted

Opposite, alumna Jenifer Hubbard, B.A.‘14 organizes and catalogs mammoth bones. Above, a skull specimen found at Grănceanu. Right, cataloged fossils on display at the Emil Racoviţă Institute of Speleology. Below, Terhune making a microwear molding of a tooth. Models of teeth help researchers understand the diet of primates and early humans.

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Artisans at the Depot Beneath the culinary artistry are works of art at the Kiln-to-Table dinner Story by Andra Liwag  Photos by Novo Studio Ceramics and graphic design students from two University of Arkansas art classes joined forces with a top local culinary team to create an unforgettable kilnto-table dining experience for Northwest Arkansas art and food aficionados alike. The event – Artisans at the Depot: A Kiln-to-Table Experience – began with the first of four gourmet courses prepared by Chef Patrick Lane at Arsaga’s at The Depot, just off Dickson Street in Fayetteville. And, in a fun twist, all delicacies were served on hand-crafted, brand-new tableware created by students in the Department of Art of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. “Our ceramics and graphic design students have been collaborating all semester to produce this creative culinary experience,” said event organizer Jeannie Hulen, associate professor of ceramics and chair of the art department. “Students are working on the tableware, takeaway packaging, ticket and menu design, wayfinding and many other experiential features. They are putting their hearts and souls into making this an evening to remember.”

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Opposite from top: Students in the university’s new Graphic Design major produced dinner place mats, T-shirts and menus for the Kiln-to-Table event. Above: The tableware at each table — plates, cups and other decorative pieces — was created by ceramics students in the Department of Art.

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Hulen said pieces of the one-of-a-kind, useable artware were intended to be event keepsakes for the Artisans at the Depot diners, and additional ceramics pieces, tableware, apparel and goods were also available for purchase. Ceramics junior Helen Williams helped create some of the event’s unique dinnerware and said her hope is that “people pick them up, turn them over and explore all the colors and textures. The ceramics are there to complement the beauty of the ingredients that are served on them, and the food provides a use for the art.” Madelyn Hewins, a ceramics and painting senior, said, “Great food tastes even better when it’s served on whimsical, colorful tableware,” and that became a guiding mantra as she worked on creating a unique collection being featured in the event. “When food is served on something handmade, it changes the entire experience of eating,” she said. Marty Maxwell Lane, assistant professor of graphic design and co-organizer of the event, said students from her Design for Good class have also been working hard to create this memorable evening. “They have been working on the event’s logo and branding, menus, apparel, environmental graphics and more,” she said. “We wanted the students and diners to see first-hand how experiential design can aid in creating the conditions for a topnotch dining event.” Lane said all proceeds from Artisans at the Depot will support summer scholarships for art students. The scholarships help students attend a variety of competitive, prestigious residencies at places like Arrowmont, Penland, Mildred’s Lane, Anderson Ranch and Thrive Design studio. Scholarships also allow students to study abroad in locations like Rome. During Artisans at the Depot, Hulen said Chef Lane’s menu would include beer and wine, a playful starter, seasonal salad, hearty main dish and luscious desert. Working with local businesses and artisans in the community like Chef Lane has been another part of the project that resonates with students like senior Madeline Lowe, who is studying ceramics and photography. “It has been an incredible opportunity to work with a local business as loved as Arsaga’s,” she said. “The integration of art and food is seamless, and the food being created by Chef Patrick Lane is as much a work of art as the ceramics and designs created for the event.” n

Clockwise from top left: The tableware created by ceramics students was filled with delectable entrées produced by Chef Patrick Lane. Graphic artists matched their table designs to the plates and cupware created by ceramics students. At the end of the evening, the artware went home with patrons as keepsakes. An earthy salad in a ceramic dish that mimics an organic form. The Artisans at the Depot fundraiser provided patrons with a warm and convivial place for dinner at Arsaga’s at the Depot, just off Dickson Street.

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photo submitted

Past Presidents of the Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors

President’s Message My favorite singer, Elton John, turned 70 in March and also celebrated the 50th year of his writing partnership with Bernie Taupin — milestones for two artists who are still making new music. I first became a fan in 1973 (at age 13 or 14) and admire not only Elton John’s artistry, but also his longevity, work ethic and forthrightness. He also has leveraged his success for good — to support charitable work, to advocate for human rights, and to extend a helping hand to other artists, especially young, upcoming ones. Thanks for indulging my Rocket Man fandom. It rivals my Razorback sports passion. My previous letter discussed the Arkansas Alumni Association’s work with chapters and societies. The balance of this letter largely focuses on our work to connect and serve students. The AAA extends a helping hand to students and their families through our scholarship and engagement programs. Our scholarship program provided $1.1 million to hundreds of deserving students in the 2015-16 academic year. Our goal, as part of Campaign Arkansas, is to grow this annual distribution significantly by 2020-21, the year after the campaign’s end. We also are focused on connecting with future AAA members while they are still on campus, largely through the Student Alumni Association. The SAA provides students with early opportunities to make connections and serve others. Its signature events include Homecoming and the Senior Honors program, which recognizes the top graduating students and culminates in the Cardinal & White Banquet. For its members and especially its leaders, the SAA provides opportunities for personal development through hands-on experience with communication, teamwork, and project management, to name just a few. Membership also includes cool T-shirts and a few other perks … The SAA has grown from less than 300 members in 2013 to more than 4,500 by the end of the 2016 fiscal year and now represents the largest registered student organization on campus — an amazing turnaround in just three years. Last summer, our SAA team was recognized as the Outstanding Emerging Organization at a national conference of their peers. More recently, Blake Griffin, who served as Student Alumni Board President in 2016, was recognized as Outstanding Student Leader in February at the CASE ASAP District III Conference in Gainesville, Florida. Continued on page 38

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1923-24 Joseph Kirby Mahone ✪ BA’07 1924-25 Robert Hill Carruth BA’11 1925-26 James E. Rutherford ✪ BA’22 1926-27 Winston Lee Winters BSCE’06 1927-28 J.L. Longino BSEE’03 1928-29 Alfred Boyde Cypert BA’12 1929-30 James William Trimble BA’17 1930-31 G. DeMatt Henderson BA’01 LLB’03 1931-32 Dr. Jasper Neighbors MD’18 1932-33 Scott D. Hamilton BA’24 1933-34 Charles A. Walls BA’07 1934-35 Arthur D. Pope BA’06 1935-36 John C. Ashley BA’11 1936-37 Beloit Taylor BA’19 1937-38 John P. Woods ✪ BA’09 1938-39 Glen Rose ★ BSE’28 MS’31 1939-40 Claude J. Byrd ★ BSA’25 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 1954-55 Beloit Taylor BA’19 1955-56 Louis L. Ramsay Jr. LLB’47 LLD’88 1956-57 Stanley Wood ✪ BA’23 1957-58 A.L. Whitten MS’40 1958-59 W.R. “Dub”Harrison BA’20 1959-60 E.M. “Mack”Anderson✪+ BA’32 1960-61 Warren Wood ✪ LLB’32 1961-62 O wen 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 1965-66 P.K. Holmes Jr. ✪ BA’37 LLB’39

1966-67 William H. Bowen ★ LLB’49 1967-68 Guy H. Lackey ✪+ BSBA’49 1968-69 R obert P. Taylor ✪+ BSBA’47 MS48 1969-70 John Ed Chambers BA’39 LLB’40 1970-71 Chester H. Lauck ’25 1971-72 Nathan Gordon ✪+ JD’39 1972-73 Charles E. Scharlau ✪+ LLB’51 1973-74 Carl L. Johnson ★ BSBA’47 1974-75 R. Cecil Powers ✪ BSBA’30 1975-76 J.C. Reeves ✪ ’25 1976-77 E lizabeth (Sissi) Riggs Brandon ✪+ BSE’55 1977-78 Roy Murphy ✪+ BSIM’49 1978-79 Fred Livingston ✪ BSBA’55 1979-80 Tracy Scott ✪ BSE’53 1980-81 Edward W. Stevenson ✪+ BSBA’60 1981-82 Fred Livingston ✪ BSBA’55 1982-83 Don Schnipper ✪+ BA’63 JD’64 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 R ichard Hatfield ✪+ BSBA’65 LLB’67 1994-95 Jenny Mitchell Adair ✪+ BA’62 1995-96 Jack McNulty ✪+ BSBA’67 JD’70 1996-97 Sylvia Boyer ✪+ BSE’63 1997-98 Morris Fair ★ BSBA’56 1998-00 H. Lawson Hembree IV ✪+ BSA’83 2000-02 Jeffery R. Johnson ✪+ BA’70 2002-04 E dward 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 2014-16 Stephanie S. Streett ✪ BS’91

A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


Maloch, Flocks Awarded 53rd Senior Honor Citation

Summer 2017 • A R K A N S A S

to one day having my name on Senior Walk and now on the wall as a 2017 Senior Honor Citation recipient, a piece of my heart will forever live within the University of Arkansas story. Like our landgrant university, my roots will always be in Arkansas and agriculture. But I will also follow in the example the University of Arkansas and the Arkansas Alumni Association have set of bringing people together, continually learning and improving, and serving as a partner, resource and catalyst to Arkansas and beyond. “The Senior Honor Citation is a great honor, but also a great responsibility. As the recipient of a lifetime alumni membership, it is my responsibility not only to be an active and engaged alumni member, but to make sure all future students have the same opportunities to flourish as I did.” Flocks is from Greenwood and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Flocks said he was in shock when he heard his name called as the winner of the Senior Honor Citation. “I felt so humbled in that moment. If there is anything to describe my reaction, it’s overwhelming gratitude,” he said. Flocks was President of Associated Student Government, President of the Razorbacks Booster Club and Vice President of Board Development for the Student Alumni Board. He served as Secretary for Lambda Chi Alpha. He was a category advisor intern for The Hershey Company. He was also a Distinguished Delegate for Model United Nations in Washington D.C. “My father taught me that to measure the success of a leader, you must look 2, 3, 4 or even 10 years down the road at the leaders they develop. To me, receiving the Senior Honor Citation is a direct result of mentors who have shaped me into the leader I am today,” Flocks noted. “Wherever I go, this will serve as a tangible reminder of why I will forevermore be a part of the Razorback family. When you’re a part of something bigger than yourself, you’re willing to do whatever you can to make it better for everyone involved. When I received this award, my passion to do so was solidified.” n photo by Whit Pruitt

The Arkansas Alumni Association is proud to announce the winners of the 53rd Senior Honor Citation. Victoria Maloch and Connor Flocks were awarded the honor May 4 during the Cardinal & White Banquet at the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House. This honor recognizes the top two seniors on campus. The award was announced at the conclusion of the banquet by Chancellor Joe Steinmetz. Maloch and Flocks were part of the 71 students chosen in fall 2016 as the Class of 2017 Seniors of Significance. They were then chosen as two of the 22 Razorback Classic honorees before receiving the Senior Honor Citation. As the winners of the Senior Honor Citation, Maloch and Flocks received life membership in the Arkansas Alumni Association, permanent recognition on a plaque at the alumni house and were invited back to campus to represent their class at events, including speaking at their Senior Walk Dedication. Maloch is from Magnolia and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business with a pre-law concentration from the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. “Graduating with a class of 20 students in a town of 368 people, I never imagined I would become a Senior of Significance, let alone become a part of Razorback Classics or receive the Senior Honor Citation. During the last few years, however, I have discovered anything is possible when you become engaged in the Razorback community and honor the values it holds dear,” Maloch said. Maloch was a White House intern for the Executive Office of the President and a congressional intern for the U.S. House of Representatives. She was National Secretary of the National FFA Organization. She is a Harry S. Truman Scholar. She is also a member of Chi Omega and the Honors College and was the inaugural Senior Walk Dedication Chair for the Student Alumni Board. “During my time as a Razorback, my experiences have been shaped and defined by the history, traditions and alumni of the University of Arkansas. From being an initiate of Chi Omega’s founding chapter

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University Relations photos

A S S O C I AT I O N

Arkansas Alumni Association announces 2017 Class of Razorback Classics These students were selected as the top graduating students at the University of Arkansas. This is the pinnacle of the Arkansas Alumni Association awards program that started in the fall with hundreds of nominations. The selection committee of over 100 alumni and administrators judged each applicant based on academic excellence, leadership and campus or community involvement. This award looks at the entire student experience, said Ryan Miller, associate director for student and young alumni outreach. Seventy-one graduating seniors were selected in the fall as the Class of 2017 Seniors of Significance. These students resubmitted their applications this spring and 22 students rose to the top as this year’s Razorback Classics. The top two seniors were then selected as the 2017 Senior Honor Citations. Victoria Maloch and Connor Flocks received this honor. This year’s Razorback Classics include representatives from every college on campus. Additionally, 14 awardees are members of the Honors College. Arkansans also make up the majority of the recipients with 14 students hailing from the state. Other states represented include Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.

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The students were recognized at the Cardinal & White Banquet on May 4 in Boyer Hall of the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House. During this dinner and ceremony, each recipient and mentor was honored. The mentors are any current faculty or staff members who have made an impact on the students. Each applicant selects a mentor when he or she applies, Miller said. All of the Razorback Classics recipients will be featured in the Razorback Yearbook. At the conclusion of the banquet, Chancellor Joe Steinmetz announced Maloch and Flocks as the winners of the 2017 Senior Honor Citation. Guests at the Cardinal & White Banquet included the parents of the honorees, past winners and the Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors. n

The 2017 Class of Razorback Classics are: Kimberly Changose Sam M. Walton College of Business, Little Rock*

A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


Madison Cole J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Conway* Alexander Crawford J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Edmond, Oklahoma* Lionel Davis II College of Engineering, Little Rock Emily Degner College of Engineering, Leawood, Kansas* Molly Evans Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, Conway* William Taylor Farr Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, Crawfordsville Ashleigh Hegwood College of Engineering, McKinney, Texas* Antonio Igbokidi J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Little Rock

Lona Robertson, interim dean of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, speaks during the Cardinal & White Banquet May 4 at the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House.

Andrea Kathol Sam M. Walton College of Business, Fayetteville* Justin McVeigh Sam M. Walton College of Business, Plano, Texas* Fred William Pohlman II Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences and J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Prairie Grove* Thomas Selig J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and Sam M. Walton College of Business, Hot Springs* Jake Smith College of Education and Health Professions, Paragould* Nancy Smith J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Marianna Jacob Stansell Sam M. Walton College of Business, Little Rock* Nick Stauffer J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and Sam M. Walton College of Business, Lenexa, Kansas Kathryn Theriot Sam M. Walton College of Business, White Hall*

Arkansas Alumni Awards

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Deadline to submit nominations is

December 1, 2017. To review criteria and secure a nomination form, go to: Ark ansasalumni.org/awards

Madeline Wagnon College of Education and Health Professions, Shreveport, Louisiana* Britney Washington College of Engineering, Little Rock * Denotes members of the Honors College

Summer 2017 • A R K A N S A S

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A S S O C I AT I O N

photo by Whit Pruitt

Announcing the 2017 Student Alumni Board

The Arkansas Alumni Association is pleased to announce the full Student Alumni Board for 2017. The Student Alumni Board serves as the Board of Directors for the Student Alumni Association. The Student Alumni Association is the student membership program established by the Arkansas Alumni Association. Created by students in 2003, SAA was designed to inspire loyalty, preserve University of Arkansas traditions and establish the bond between students and alumni.

Originally called R.E.A.L. Razorbacks, this organization grew out of the Student Alumni Board, established in 1996. The Student Alumni Association is the largest student organization on the University of Arkansas campus with more than 4,500 members. More information can be found at www.arkansasalumni.org/SAB.

Board Development Committee

Alexa McLain, Ring Promotion Chair, Fort Smith Natalie Counce, Traditions App Chair, Fayetteville Caroline Dallas, Traditions App committee member, Flower Mound, Texas Madison McDonnell, Traditions App committee member, Columbia, Missouri Patric Waymire, Traditions App committee member, Bentonville Trent Gattis, Traditions committee member, Peter Pender Savannah Stagg, Traditions committee member, North Little Rock Sophia Storkov, Traditions committee member, Rogers Ann Goebel, Traditions committee member, Overland Park, Kansas

Regan Burgess, Vice President of Board Development, Tulsa, Oklahoma Jourdan Sturges, Assistant Director of Recognition, Edmond, Oklahoma Kendall Brannon, Assistant Director of Records, Allen, Texas Clay Smith, Board Development committee member, Jonesboro

Programming Committee

Brooke Taylor, Vice President of Programming, King City, California Madison Kolb, Assistant Director for Reporting, Little Rock Townsend Warren, Assistant Director of Strategic Planning, Marion Maeleigh Bowen, Assistant Director of Coordinating, Hindsville

Alumni Relations Committee

Matthew Hansen, Vice President of Alumni Relations, Fayetteville Will Watkins, Mentoring Program Chair, Arlington, Texas Taylor Smith, Senior Walk Dedication Chair, Tulsa, Oklahoma Hannah Breau, Hearing from a Hog Co-Chair, Little Rock Cat Voss, Hearing from a Hog Co-Chair, Benton, Louisiana Shay Longmate, Alumni Relations committee member, Bella Vista Lindsay Leake, Alumni Relations committee member, Forrest City Raygan Mills, Alumni Relations committee member, Winnsboro, Texas

Traditions Committee

Taylor Johnson, Vice President of Traditions, Edmond, Oklahoma Dani Zapata, Ring Ceremony Chair, Arlington, Texas

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– Ashlyn Smith, President, Harrisburg

Homecoming Committee

Nikki Anderson, Vice President of Homecoming, Fayetteville Mitch Edwards, Assistant Director for Campus Outreach, Jonesboro Timothy Reynolds, Assistant Director for Volunteers, Pine Bluff Kennedy Rickard, Assistant Director for Philanthropy, Rogers J.P. Gairhan, Assistant Director for Spirit, Cabot Brittany Butler, Assistant Director for Logistics, Rogers Anna Nettles, Assistant Director for Community Outreach, North Little Rock Matthew May, Homecoming committee member, Dallas, Texas Haley Stewart, Homecoming committee member, Siloam Springs Kate Truitt, Homecoming committee member, Fort Smith Amelia Chapman, Homecoming committee member, Judsonia Anna Cunningham, Homecoming committee member, DeWitt

A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


Senior Experience Committee

Emma Buckner, Vice President of Senior Experience, White Hall Nate Garcia, Senior Awards Chair, Olathe, Kansas Anna Faulkner, Senior Celebration Co-Chair, Springfield, Missouri Lauren Landwehr, Senior Celebration Co-Chair, Warrensburg, Missouri Raygan Sylvester, Senior Special Projects Chair, North Little Rock Zachary Spero, Senior Experience committee member, Arlington, Texas Hunter Crager, Senior Experience committee member, Shreveport, Louisiana Hannah Davis, Senior Experience committee member, Overland Park, Kansas

Sponsorship & Promotions Committee

Daniel Shimer, Vice President of Sponsorship & Promotions, Fayetteville Jessica Loechler, Assistant Director for Sponsorship & Promotions, Kansas City, Missouri Sam Harris, Assistant Director for Sponsorship & Promotions, Greenbrier Erica Brewer, Perks Chair, Lonoke McKenzie Meehan, Sponsorship & Promotions committee member, Baldwin City, Kansas Thomas Johnson, Sponsorship & Promotions committee member, White Hall Max Weyforth, Sponsorship & Promotions committee member, Overland Park, Kansas

Membership Engagement Committee

Colman Betler, Vice President of Membership Engagement, Plano, Texas Ellie Bilger, Official BEAT Shirt Chair, Little Rock Makerio Whitaker, SAA Days Chair, Dermott Rachel Hall, SAA Events Chair, Collierville, Tennessee Nikki Norman, Color Those Hogs 5K Chair, Dallas, Texas Trey Langston, Color Those Hogs 5K Assistant, Fayetteville Brennan Stegall, Color Those Hogs 5K Assistant, Bentonville Madeline Mays, Membership Engagement committee member, Shreveport, Louisiana Jennifer Boyer, Membership Engagement committee member, Wichita, Kansas Bethany Kasper, Membership Engagement committee member, Jacksonville

Membership Recruitment Committee

Luke Humphrey, Vice President of Membership Recruitment, Texarkana Erin Smith, Orientation Chair, Harrisburg Geoffrey McKay, Welcome Weeks & Information Chair, Columbia, Illinois Jodi Simeon, International Student Outreach Chair, Roseau, Dominica Khyesha McCall, RSO Outreach Chair, Marvell Spencer Bone, Greek Outreach Chair, Jefferson City, Missouri Caleb Gray, College Outreach Chair, Springdale Sydney Morgan, Membership Recruitment committee member, North Little Rock Victoria Fields, Membership Recruitment committee member, Little Rock

Marketing & Communications Committee

Manny Mejia, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Springdale Izzy Garcia, Assistant Director for Marketing & Communications, Springdale Dalton Doss, Assistant Director for Marketing & Communications, Springdale Molly Feigel, Public Relations & Journalism Chair, Edmond, Oklahoma Jada Gaspard, Marketing & Communications committee member, Little Rock Landri McGregor, Marketing & Communications committee member, Golden, Colorado Shiv Patel, Marketing & Communications committee member, West Memphis

Summer 2017 • A R K A N S A S

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A S S O C I AT I O N

Arkansas Alumni Non-Traditional Student Leadership Award Regina Hamrick received the 2017 Arkansas Alumni Association Non-Traditional Student Leadership Award at the Student Involvement Awards Ceremony held on April 26 at the University of Arkansas. This award is co-sponsored each year by OffCampus Student Services and the Arkansas Alumni Association. A non-traditional student is defined as an undergraduate student with one or more of the following characteristics: 25 years or older, with dependents, married, returning to school after a period of time, G.E.D. instead of high school diploma, works full-time, financially independent, or part-time student. Along with academic eligibility, this award evaluates and acknowledges challenging personal situations or environment, leadership on and/or off campus (including family, community service, or career development), impactful academic experiences and promise for the future. Single mother, full-time student, part-time extended family caregiver, full-time hospital health coach, community volunteer and encourager… These words describe this year’s recipient who returned to college after a series of challenges kept her from fulfilling her educational plans. A junior majoring in interdisciplinary studies focusing on communication, social work and child advocacy in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Hamrick said, “My college education is a validation of my worth.” She is fulfilling a personal goal and, at the same time, serving as a role

President’s Message, continued from page 32

It is still early days in gathering evidence, but we believe the Association’s investment in recruiting and developing SAA members directly supports our other Campaign Arkansas goal of increasing membership and engagement and will pay dividends for years to come, both to the students and to the Alumni Association. Also, the University’s total enrollment exceeded 27,000 students for the first time last fall so the organization still has room to grow! If you know a current or prospective student, the SAA is a great way for him or her to become involved in the life of the university and to gain valuable experience and connections for life after school. I also encourage you to share your experience with students and to hire Razorbacks. They are a capable, hard-working group. The opportunity to mentor to and network with students and recent graduates is energizing and rewarding.

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model for her children. As a single parent with two active, young children, Hamrick balances motherhood with a full-time job and being a full-time college student. She admits that it is not an easy path. But she hasn’t allowed the difficulties or obstacles to hold her back. Instead, she has chosen to stay positive and determined — knowing that she is on this journey for her children as much as for herself. While attending the university, Hamrick remains an involved parent to Matthew, age 10, and Zoe, age 6. She supports their endeavors, such as Odyssey of the Mind, t-ball and football. She also enjoys helping with community events, attending campus lectures, and participating in University research projects. In addition, Hamrick is also a part-time caregiver to her courageous mother, assisting with the many complex issues involved in fighting a serious illness. Time constraints aside, she has mastered the art of scheduling in order to manage her very busy and full life. Hamrick credits her children, her parents and the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Benton County for their continued encouragement and support. They help her stay focused on her dream of earning a degree from the University of Arkansas and being a true Razorback. Off-Campus Student Services, a department within the Division of Student Affairs, educates and advocates for off-campus undergraduates and non-traditional students at the University of Arkansas to advance their success at the institution through programming, services, and campus and community resource referrals. n photo submitted

By Susan Stiers

Let me offer one other “snout out” before concluding. My predecessor, Stephanie Streett, will complete her service on the AAA’s advisory board at the end of June. Stephanie has a young family and a big job, but still has found time to volunteer to the university and the AAA. I value her contributions, counsel and friendship. My goal has been and will be to build on her legacy and the legacy of all those who have served before us. You may remember the name of the AAA’s program for growing membership and engagement is Arkansas Everywhere. This time I will add in closing, “…from the end of the world to your town …” Wooo Pig, Don Eldred ✪+ BSBA’81 President, Arkansas Alumni Association

A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


Modern Living. Perfectly Located. Upscale modern apartments in the heart of Fayetteville just steps from the University of Arkansas

NOW PRE-LEASING FOR SUMMER/FALL 2017 Situated just off Razorback Road literally steps from the U of A campus, Modern 1540 is Fayetteville's newest upscale residential community featuring one- and two-bedroom apartments, each with sleek modern interiors and its own private outdoor living space – all centrally located in the heart of town, in close proximity to popular area attractions, bike trails and more.

Architect’s Rendering

1540 Nettleship St. | Fayetteville, Arkansas | For more information or to arrange a tour, visit modern1540.com or call 479.287.4599

All things Arkansas,

all in one place.

We’re committed to Arkansas and to the people who live here. That’s why we created an entire site dedicated to our home state. Visit OnlyInArk.com for everything from great road trips and fun festivals to local culture and more. When your bank is only in Arkansas, you know it’s all about you.

Summer 2017 • A R K A N S A S

fsban k .com • on lyin ark.com

Member FDIC

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A S S O C I AT I O N

PRESER

By the Numbers

1905

Year Senior Walk Began

1986

Year the Sand Hog was invented by U of A Physical Plant employees, which sped up the annual addition of names to Senior Walk

500

Number of linear feet of cement required for a single year of names on Senior Walk More than

170,000

Number of names engraved on Senior Walk To participate in this initiative, contact Brandy Cox or Debbie Blume at 479.575.6476, brandyac@uark.edu or dblume@uark.edu. As president of the Arkansas Alumni Association in 2008-10, journalism professor Gerald Jordan ’70 began conversations with the university regarding the significance and the need to preserve Senior Walk. The passion for Senior Walk was raised again in 2016, when Jordan Flocks Connor Flocks ’17 ran for ASG president advocating student support for the preservation of Senior Walk. Jordan and Flocks had not coordinated about this common passion and yet their ardent voices of leadership have collectively

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embraced the preservation of this University of Arkansas tradition. “My heart breaks when I see damaged portions of Senior Walk, when I see whole sections of classes erased by time,” said Jordan. “Senior Walk is our treasured tradition. If those of us here today ignore maintaining and restoring Senior Walk, we’re guilty of dishonoring our tradition.” “Senior Walk is more than just an accumulation of names etched into an endless row of concrete slabs or placeholder of the commitment that our students have demonstrated. Senior Walk is a tradition – a tradition that is held in high esteem among all who have heard of and encountered it. It dates back to our very foundation as a university,” Flocks stated. It is hallowed ground; yet the Walk sits inauspiciously in need of

A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


RVATION

“Senior Walk touches everyone who graduated from this fine Land Grant institution and the families who sent them here.” – Gerald Jordan ’70 Beginning with the first seniors who hand carved their names into the walk in 1905, Senior Walk has become an iconic tradition. As one walks across campus today, the cracks and deterioration of the Walk are a reminder that this history should be maintained. The Associated Student Government took this mission to heart and led the student body in raising more than $11,000 this year. The Arkansas Alumni Association will carry on this mission seeking to raise $1,000,000 for the Senior Walk Preservation Fund. “Over the years, the original names in front of Old Main have begun to crumble and disappear, taking with it the history of our university. This restoration project is an opportunity to give back by preserving our history for years to come.” – Connor Flocks ’17

restoration and upkeep. The University of Arkansas administration works diligently to maintain the tradition with the addition of each new year of graduates. However, restoration of the past is becoming a much needed area for support. As the students have shown this year, the time has come to support and give back to this revered tradition. Alumni, family and friends are encouraged to actively continue the legacy of Senior Walk by giving to the Senior Walk Preservation Fund. Jordan’s etched name is a momentous reminder of his legacy. “My name on Senior Walk bears significance for me because I graduated in 1970. My parents’ generation would have required a battery of lawyers to go to school here; my grandparents couldn’t have imagined going to school here. My family name speaks for all my forebears.”

Summer 2017 • A R K A N S A S

“When I come back next year and find my name engraved into the walk, I’ll see my Razorback experience,” Flocks said, vividly grasping the memories his name will evoke. “I’ll see hundreds of hours spent studying in Mullins Library. I’ll see the time we stormed the field against LSU, and I’ll see the countless friends and mentors who made me who I am today. It’s more than a sidewalk – it’s us.”

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CHAPTERS

–1– Central Arkansas Chapter at the Dickey-Stephens Classic on April 19 –2– Hog Bash, co-hosted by Independence County Chapter and White River (Batesville) Razorback Club, on Feb. 20 –3– Chicago Chapter Dinner with Dean Todd Shields on April 6

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–4– Mid-South/Memphis Chapter Supper Club on Feb. 21 –5– Mid-South/Memphis Chapter PIGnic on May 6 –6– The Independence County Chapter awarded a scholarship during the end-of-year awards ceremony on April 24 at Batesville High School. Photo courtesy of Sandra Stroud. –7– Jonesboro Alumni Chapter Watch Party on Feb. 22 –8– Pre-game party for the Frisco College Baseball Classic on March 4, hosted by the Dallas Alumni Chapter and the Greater Dallas Razorback Club

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–9– Connections Luncheon on April 26 hosted by the Dallas Alumni Chapter – 10 – New York City Chapter Ice Cream Social for New Members on March 12

– 12 – Greater Hot Springs Chapter scholarship fundraiser on April 22

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photos submitted

– 11 – Seattle Chapter Dinner on April 4

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SOCIETIES

–1– Lemke Journalism Alumni Society Ice Cream Social on April 11 –2– MSOM Alumni Society Day at the Ballpark on April 13 –3– PRIDE Alumni Society Razorbacks and Rainbows on April 22 –4– PRIDE Alumni Society Out at the Ballpark on April 4 –5– Razorbacks Worldwide Spring 2017 international students and family reception on May 11

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–6– Razorbacks Worldwide Sponsored Students Recognition Program on April 4

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photos submitted

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GREEK LIFE

Greek Sing

From Pleasing the Gods to Pleasing the Crowd By Beth Lewis

Dressed in togas that looked as though they had been bed sheets in a former life, the men of Farm House and Sigma Chi dragged the faux Greek columns, constructed of cardboard, onto the stage. Quickly, a troupe of similarly clad women from Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Delta Delta took their places beside them. This was their final chance to work out the rough spots in their performance, and every minute counted. Portraying the ancient Greek gods, their skit was based on the musical Mamma Mia! With the performance’s sophisticated choreography and clever dialogue, even Apollo himself might have smiled upon. This was dress rehearsal for one of the biggest events of the university’s Greek Life system, “Greek Sing.” Held on Saturday, April 25, at the Embassy Suites Hotel ballroom in Rogers, the morning was a flurry of activity as 10 competing groups ran through rehearsals of their performances. With just 20 minutes apiece, the rehearsal was run with almost a military precision by the university’s New Greek Council. “No talking or you’ll be fined!” commanded one group’s director as she worked to make the most of the time allowed. The theme for this year’s competition was “U of A on Broadway.” Sororities and fraternities representing Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council and United Greek Council were partnered in a random drawing. They were given approximately one month to come up with a 10-minute musical skit complete with choreography and vocal performances that displayed an equal representation of the membership in the grouped organizations. As part of the competition, each of the groups was required to take part in a charitable event as well. The new Greek Council adviser, Martin Cram, who was overseeing the rehearsal, said he and his staff monitored the progress of the performances throughout the month. “They’ve been working so hard on this,” he said. “In the beginning it may be rough, but by tonight, they’ll pour on the energy and you’ll see a really great show!” He spoke as the men of Phi Gamma Delta, Phi Beta Sigma and Sigma Pi took the stage with the women of Zeta Tau Alpha for their performance based on the musical, Legally Blonde. “My buddy talked me into it and I didn’t exactly know what I was getting into,” said Spencer Gilmore, a member of Phi Gamma Delta, “but it’s been really fun!” The “fun factor” to which Gilmore referred seemed to be a universal theme with most participants. However fun the event might have been, there was still serious competition, as the groups tried to act, sing and dance their way to the top. This competitive spirit may harken back to the ancient Greeks,

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who viewed musical performance as an art form and would compete during festivals. It was thought that an excellent performance would please the god of music and poetry, Apollo, as he played on his golden lute of light and truth. The ancient Greeks also found inspiration in the nine muses associated with music, song, dance and poetry — the daughters of Zeus, the lord of all gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. Musical performance traditionally played a significant role when the Greek system was in its infancy on American college campuses. At the turn of the century, it was not uncommon to find young men and women socializing at events designed around skits, singing or waltzing. One of the earliest Greek Sings in the country began in 1936 at Southern Illinois University. While it’s unclear when Greek Sing actually began at the University of Arkansas, individual Greek houses began participating in a spring festival in 1947 called GAEBALE. Pronounced as though the words ‘gay’ and ‘jubilee’ have been fused, the name came from the first letters of the seven colleges on campus at the time: Graduate, Arts & Sciences, Education, Business, Agriculture, Law and Engineering. This annual event included a parade, beauty contest, variety show, carnival, and finished on Saturday evening with a ball and the crowning of the GAEBALE Queen. Most of the campus organizations, including the Greek houses, participated by operating concession stands or carnival booths including sideshows featuring skits and musical performances. GAEBALE continued into the 1960s. This year’s Greek Sing audience was transported back to the 1960s during a performance based on the musical Hairspray, presented by the women of Chi Omega and Delta Gamma and the men of Beta Theta Pi. The skit was judged on its theme, creativity, vocal performance, skit synchronization, time and overall performance, as were the other skits. With nearly a thousand tickets sold for the evening’s event, the performers played to a full house made up predominantly of friends and family. Not surprisingly, the audience was enthusiastic, supportive and appreciative of the entertainers’ efforts. For one group in particular, the hard work paid off when it was announced that the men of Kappa Alpha Order and Alpha Phi Alpha and the women of Pi Beta Phi had won the contest. Their winning performance was based on the musical The Sound of Music. With elements of the perennial storybook favorite, “The Three Little Pigs,” thrown in, it cleverly tied into the university and the overall theme. This marked the fifth win in a row for the Pi Phis, and President Mollie Laws said, “We have found in our success over the years, the trophy is an added bonus to the people you meet during Greek Sing.”

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photos submitted

She said it has become an essential event in their chapter calendar. “Our pairings from other councils have created such a bond that we work hard to get a win for them as well,” Laws said. “I am extremely proud of our guys who participated in Greek Sing this year,” said Kappa Alpha president Zack Williams. “They practiced their routine with Pi Phi and Alpha Phi Alpha several hours a day for three weeks before the event — and we’ve come close to winning — so everyone was happy to see all the hard work finally pay off!”

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Parice Bowser, the university’s director of Greek Life, said that while she looks forward to the entertainment and philanthropy associated with Greek Sing, what really inspires her are the resulting friendships. “This event creates partnerships among the Greek organizations to help build unity and diversity within our system. Young men and women, bound by a common goal, become friends and in turn lead others to more positive community engagement experiences on our campus.” n

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R A ZO R B AC K ROA D

Arkansas Adds to Championship Legacy The University of Arkansas has been selected to host five NCAA postseason championships, including its first NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships and its 13th NCAA Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships, it was announced in April. Arkansas will host the 2019 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships (Women’s - May 17-22, 2019; Men’s - May 24-29, 2019) at The Blessings, marking the first time the university will host the final round of an NCAA Championship, outside previous NCAA Championships in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field. The Randal Tyson Track Center will welcome back the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 12-13, 2021. In addition, Arkansas will be home to a 2019 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Regional (Nov. 15, 2019), a 2019 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Preliminary (May 23-25, 2019) and a 2022 NCAA Gymnastics Regional (April 2, 2022). The University of Arkansas has earned a national reputation for hosting championship events. Since the Razorbacks entered the Southeastern Conference in 1992, Arkansas has hosted 92 conference and NCAA regional and national competitions.

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photos courtesy Razorback athletics

By Kevin Trainor ★+ B.A.’94 M.A.’05

“This is an exciting day for our student-athletes, coaches, fans and the entire Northwest Arkansas region,” said Jeff Long, vice chancellor and director of athletics. “The NCAA has once again acknowledged our outstanding reputation the University of Arkansas has earned for hosting NCAA Championships. For the first time ever, we will host the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships at the Blessings Golf Club. I want to thank John Tyson for his extraordinary partnership in supporting our men’s and women’s golf program and working with us to bring the 2019 NCAA Championships to Arkansas. Simply put, without John’s support this would not happen.” “We are pleased to host the 2021 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Randal Tyson Track Center for the 13th time. It remains the standard for indoor track and field venues and delivers an unrivaled championship experience for studentathletes, coaches and fans. In addition, our cross country, gymnastics

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R A ZO R B AC K ROA D

and outdoor track and field programs will add to their championship history by hosting NCAA competition. “In the coming years, the University of Arkansas will host five NCAA championships in nine of our 19 sports, providing Razorback studentathletes an opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd. We are grateful to our regional partners in Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers and Springdale for their active support in bringing championships to Northwest Arkansas. As a result, thousands of student-athletes, coaches, officials and fans come to Northwest Arkansas, to fill hotels and support local businesses. It is also an opportunity to showcase the University of Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas while providing participants and spectators a memorable and rewarding championship experience,” Long said. A recent study estimated the annual economic impact of Razorback Athletics to be more than $162.7 million annually. “On behalf of the University of Arkansas and the members of Blessings Golf Club, we are honored to host the Women’s and Men’s NCAA Championship in our Northwest Arkansas community,” John Tyson said. “Hosting this event fits well with our goal of supporting amateur golf at its highest levels. We are looking forward to an exciting two weeks of great competition. We invite the families and friends of the young women and men competing to come join

us in our community. Thank you to the NCAA for selecting us to be their partner for this collegiate championship.” Arkansas will host the 2019 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Regionals on Nov. 15, 2019, at the Razorbacks’ home course at Agri Park. The regionals will mark the fifth time the University of Arkansas has hosted an NCAA Cross Country regional at Agri Park with the previous events coming in 2007, 2012, 2014 and 2016. The Randal Tyson Track Center, home to the fastest indoor track in the world, will host the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 12-13, 2021. Since the facility’s opening in 2000, Arkansas has hosted the event 12 times, including for nine straight seasons (2000-09) and 12 of the last 18 championships. Barnhill Arena, on the University of Arkansas campus, has quickly become a familiar stop on the way to the NCAA Gymnastics Championship. For the sixth time in its history, Arkansas will host an NCAA Gymnastics Regional on April 2, 2022. Barnhill Arena served as a home site for regionals in 2006, 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2017. The first three times the Razorbacks hosted, they advanced to the NCAA Championship. In two of those years, 2009 and 2012, Arkansas reached the NCAA Super Six. n

Arkansas Captures 10th Straight SEC Crown Only one SEC program has won a conference title every season since the 2014 SEC Outdoor Championship. In May, the Arkansas women’s track and field team made sure it remained that one program, as it cruised to its 10th consecutive league title and third straight SEC Triple Crown at the 2017 SEC Outdoor Championships held at Cregger Track in Columbia, South Carolina. On the heels of a 65-point performance on day one that included two firstplace finishers, the Razorbacks backed that up with 55 points and two more gold medalists for their fourth-straight SEC outdoor title. Arkansas’ total of 128 points was good for a 28-point victory over second-place LSU. “To win an SEC title – and I think any program in any sport would agree – you better cherish the moment,” said head coach Lance Harter following his 31st SEC title at Arkansas. “We have been on a roll thanks to great leadership from upperclassmen and youngsters that are willing to learn and follow the example. Our comradery has become a culture, and I hope it continues.” With the win, Arkansas became the first SEC program to “four-peat” at the outdoor championships since LSU did so from 1987-91. “Anytime you can compare that type of history with what you just accomplished it’s special,” Harter said. “Those are things I used to read about in track and field magazines and think to myself ‘if we can ever be that good.’ Now we are living it. It makes me appreciate the kids we have in our program.” Junior Nikki Hiltz was the first of two Razorbacks to take the top spot on

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the podium on the final day, as she posted a time of 4:17.94 in the 1500 meters to become the eighth Razorback in program history to win the event. Hiltz’s win added 10 points to the 19-point effort put forth by the 1500-meter crew. Senior Therese Haiss and freshman Carina Viljoen added points with third- and sixth-place finishes. Senior Daina Harper won the 400-meter dash, continuing Arkansas’ dominance in the event by taking the gold and the SEC indoor and outdoor season sweep in the event. Harpers’ win marked the fifth time in the last six years a Razorback has won the SEC outdoor 400 meters. Harper’s 400 win was part of a 15-point day, which also included points in the 4x100-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay. Junior Payton Stumbaugh provided 14 points worth of help with strong finishes in the heptathlon, the 4x100-meter relay team, and the 100-meter hurdles. Just over an hour after winning the 1500 meters, Hiltz returned to score five more points for her team with fourth place in the 800 meters (2:06.09). The near double all-conference performance capped her 15-point day. “One of the things we ask and challenge the kids with is how they can help the team,” said Harter. “How can they contribute to the team effort? Whether is a great performance or your bouncing back from a disappointing one to cheer on your teammate, how can you help? All of it matters when you want to win a championship and over the last three days everyone helped the team.” n

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Neighbors Chosen to Lead Women’s Basketball Team

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Maryland, No. 3 seed Kentucky and No. 4 seed Stanford before squaring off with Syracuse in the national semifinal. It was a drama-filled run as Washington had to use fourth quarter heroics to top Penn, 65-53, behind a 23-point effort in the final frame. On the road at Maryland, the Huskies secured the upset with a 32-point performance from Kelsey Plum. The backand-forth contest saw Neighbors captain Washington on a 16-2 run erasing a seven-point deficit late in the third quarter to hold on to the win. Neighbors also mentored the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer Plum. Plum was a unanimous Associated Press All-American selection after leading the nation in scoring in 2016-17. Plum became the NCAA alltime leading scorer, finishing her career with 3,527 points and the first player in Pac-12 history, female or male, to score 3,000 career points. She is also the NCAA single-season scoring record holder with 1,109 points, passing Jackie Stiles (1,062). Plum’s long list of postseason accolades this season includes becoming the first player in Pac-12 Conference history to be named The Associated Press’ women’s college basketball Player of the Year. Along with being named to the WBCA Coaches’ All-America team, Plum has also won the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, the Nancy Lieberman Award as the best point guard and the Dawn Staley Award. Plum recently added a Wooden Award All-America selection this week and is one of five finalists for the 41st Annual John R. Wooden Award presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards. Neighbors was hired by Xavier head coach Kevin McGuff prior to the 2007-08 season. He served as McGuff’s assistant at Xavier through the 2010-11 season, helping the Musketeers produce a 108–22 record over that span. Neighbors was selected as one of the best assistant coaches in the country and was chosen as one of five recipients for the BasketballScoop.com and ONS Performance Rising Star award. A native of Greenwood, Neighbors received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas in 1993. Following his graduation, Neighbors was a director of basketball operations for the women’s basketball program, serving under legendary coach Gary Blair, who won the NCAA Championship in 2011 with Texas A&M. Before moving into the collegiate profession, Neighbors was a highly successful head coach in the Arkansas girls’ high school ranks. His most notable achievement was taking a 1-24 Bentonville team to the State Championships two years later. Neighbors has two children, a daughter Abby and a son Alec. n courtesy Razorback athletics

University of Arkansas Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long has announced the hiring of Mike Neighbors as the ninth coach in Arkansas women’s basketball history. Neighbors returns to his alma mater after four seasons as the head coach at the University of Washington where he led the Huskies to their first-ever Final Four. “I am excited to welcome Coach Neighbors back to his home state and back to his alma mater the University of Arkansas,” Long said. “It was vitally important to our search committee and to me that we attract someone who is entrenched in the women’s game and someone who has demonstrated the ability to connect with our young women on and off the court. Mike Neighbors has spent his career teaching, coaching and mentoring young women dating back to his time as a high school coach in Arkansas. He is a member of an elite group of coaches who have taken a team to the Final Four and that is the kind of leader we need in the strongest conference in women’s basketball. I know that Mike’s energy and excitement about being a Razorback will inspire our student-athletes and our fans.” Neighbors guided Washington to four seasons of unprecedented success, highlighted by the 2016 NCAA Final Four and two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances. Named the program’s head coach after two years as an assistant, Neighbors led the Huskies to a 98-41 record that was fueled by three consecutive 23-plus win seasons and included four postseason appearances (3 NCAA, 1 WNIT). “I feel like everything that I have done in my career has prepared me to be the head women’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas,” Neighbors said. “As a native Arkansan, I understand how special our state and the university are. There is only one Razorback and I’m excited to be able to put that logo on my chest and represent our institution and our state across the country. “This is my dream job and everyone who knows me, knows that,” Neighbors added. “I grew up wanting to be a Razorback and then a Razorback coach, and the four years I spent at Arkansas prepared me for this moment. It prepared me for my first job and it prepared me for the head coaching job at Washington four years ago. Now it has come full circle and I’m back at Arkansas. “Arkansas is a special place.” Neighbors continued. “We have all the resources in place to be successful on the court and more importantly, to foster the growth and development of the young women who come through our doors.” Entering the 2016 NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed, Neighbors led Washington to victories over No. 10 seed Penn, No. 2 seed

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Y E S T E RY E A R

1957

1877

• By November, at least 35 Arkansas counties had not filled their quota of beneficiaries to the university. Beneficiaries were students selected from each county to attend the university for free.

• Senator J. William Fulbright is the featured speaker at Honors Day as awards were distributed to outstanding scholars and campus leaders.

1887

1997 Razorback

• Mr. Gill of Springdale donates fruit trees for planting in the university’s orchard.

1897

• Fifteen students — William H. Askew, John L. Campbell, Rose C. Leverett, Katherine D. Vaulax, Earl K. Braley, Dave A. McNeill, James T. Moore, Arthur B. Crozier, David C. Morrow, William E. Pruett, Will Howell, John E. Shelton, William H. Watkins, Mattie Williams and A.B. Crozier — graduate from the university.

1907

• James H. Lenow is named dean of the Medical School.

1917

• Tuition is free to residents of Arkansas and $10 annually for nonresidents. • Fall enrollment is nearly 600, a drop of about 10 percent from the previous year. • Juniors and seniors in the College of Engineering of the University of Arkansas are called upon by the War Committee of Technical Societies to combat the submarine menace. All upperclassmen who think of ways to destroy the U-boat will receive a hearing from the Engineering Council of America.

1927

• Alumnus Louis D. Lighton and his wife write a screenplay

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To celebrate the Chinese New Year in 1997, Holcombe Hall offered Chinese food, fireworks, games and the Dragon Dance. Freshman Bryan Thomason said, “It was great. It was an event where everyone could have good, clean fun at the same time as a cultural experience.”

for the last great film of the silent era, Wings, which stars Clara Bow and Gary Cooper and becomes the first movie to win an Academy Award for best picture. • George Pappas and Theodore Kantas open a café called The Majestic in the old Lewis Building on Dickson Street next to the railroad tracks. Today, it’s better known as George’s Majestic. • Six Razorback beauties are selected for the yearbook by John Gilben of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture studios.

1937

• Letters from former President John Quincy Adams and Revolutionary War hero Gen. Lafayette are given to the U of A and placed on display in Old Main. • Construction on Razorback Stadium is underway “in the valley west of the campus.” • University Hall, sometimes called “old main,” has been open for 64 years. Its weathered and ivy-covered façade is the center of

• Construction of the fine arts building, the law building and the physics building as well as the remodeling of the chemistry building make more classroom and research facilities available. • The Army ROTC begins its 85th year on campus, making it one of the oldest units in the United States. • Frank Broyles is announced as the next head football coach for the Razorbacks.

the university, upheld by tradition and is the heart and soul of the school.

1967

• The Vol Walker library loans thousands of books each year.

1947

• The agriculture building is described in the yearbook with this statement: Through these portals pass neophyte housewives and other homemakers. • Commencement is held in the Greek Theatre. • A student group called Organized Independent Women holds its semi-formal Valentine’s Day dance from 9 p.m. until midnight in the Student Union Ballroom.

• After continued student protests over the towing of cars left in red-zones on campus, school officials agree to a transit system trial period. • For the first time on campus, making long-distance calls from any telephone on campus is possible. Previously, all calls went through a telephone operator.

1977

• A campus housing shortage, which has many students sleeping in cars, prompts local Fayetteville citizens to rent out unused rooms.

• New York cartoonist Milton Caniff, famous for his comic strips “Terry and the Pirates” and “Steve Canyon,” selects the Razorback yearbook beauties.

• For the first time in 20 years, students return to campus without Frank Broyles as head football coach. He is now athletic director, and Lou Holtz is at the helm of the Arkansas football program.

• The university celebrates its 75th anniversary of classes Jan. 22, 1947.

• University enrollment swells to more than 13,500 for the first time in its history.

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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: 7993 Dr. Jeffory A. Hattey ’88, ’93 7994 Mary Wells ’77 7995 F. Norton Wells Jr. 7996 Royce N. Walker ’99 7997 Judith Toll-Booher ’64 7998 Dr. Richard A. Jones ’67, ’68 7999 Susie B. Jones 8000 Brooks Looney ’14 8001 Amber R. Birkby ’09 8002 Adrian Gerard Cummings ’03 8003 Shallon R. Cummings ’99, ’03, ’06 8004 Torii K. Hunter 8005 Pat Bourne ’68 8006 Rebecca A. Bourne 8007 Asia Diggs Meador ’08 8008 Carla G. Spainhour ’91 8009 Russell O. Black ’67 8010 Brenda Clem Black ’87, ’94 8011 Ron Hall ’70 8012 Richard M. Schupp ’98 8013 Maria Schupp

8014 Maria Phillips Dermott ’91, ’92 8015 Sharrock Dermott ’89, ’92 8016 Brandi Sanders Joplin ’92 8017 Steve Joplin 8018 David G. Bella ’14 8019 Karina Sanders ’14 8020 Kimberly Renee Oehlert 8021 Dr. Doug James 8022 Austin D. Schilling ’11, ’13 8023 Jade Schilling ’12, ’14 8024 Dr. Blake Brown Showalter ’03 8025 Leigh Ann Showalter ’03 8026 James P. Foster ’49 8027 Wanda Foster 8028 Dr. Barbara Lofton 8029 Dr. Jon C. Lofton ’95, ’05 8030 Justin Andrew Petrus ’12 8031 Dr. Douglas S. Franklin ’75, ’77 8032 Dr. Teresa J. Franklin ’77 8033 Jeffrey Mark Lazar ’88 8034 Cindy Altemus Lazar ’88

• The new $5.25 million Business Administration building opens.

Phi Epsilon charity fundraising event “Fight Night.”

• A federal judge orders that desegregation of higher education in Arkansas has not made adequate progress. As part of the effort to increase integration of traditionally white universities, the University of Arkansas is given specific enrollment goals by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

• Brother Jim, a sidewalk evangelist, spreads his message to U of A students during one of his many sermons in front of the library and student union.

1987

• Grammy winner Steve Winwood performs at Barnhill Arena. • Sigma Nu fraternity wins the trophy for the 10th annual Sigma

1997

• The Razorback yearbook celebrates its centennial edition. • The Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences holds its second annual scholarship luncheon in the Union Ballroom in appreciation of scholarship donors.

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8035 Ty Patterson ’00 8036 Elizabeth G. Stewart 8037 Ashley Stevenson ’15 8038 Gwendolyn Adkinson Parker ’83 8039 W. Douglas Parker 8040 Dr. Cali Keisner ’04 8041 Duke Allison ’59 8042 Charles Craig Bailey Jr. ’11 8043 Monica Wilson 8044 Tyler E. Davis ’06 8045 Ross Burnett ’14 8046 Jeanne H. Milazzo ’66 8047 Pamela J. Williams 8048 Ginger E. Gage ’01, ’02 8049 Jeremiah Gage 8050 Carol L. Boen ’72, ’77 8051 Thomas Dwayne Milner ’84 8052 Aaron Schorr ’76 8251 Richard L. Hall ’70 8375 Elizabeth Tipton 8376 Joshua E. Tipton

• The Graduate Council discusses developing a doctoral program in computing and passes a proposal to implement a new Master of Transportation and Logistics Management degree in the business college. • John A. White becomes the fourth chancellor of the University of Arkansas.

2007

• A gift from Cox Communications allows UATV, the student television station, to extend its broadcasting hours to 24 hours a day.

• Willard J. Walker Hall, which will be home to the Graduate School of Business, and the J.B. Hunt Transport Services Center for Academic Success are dedicated south of Dickson Street. • Silas Hunt: A Documentary won three awards for telling the story of Silas Hunt, the first African American student to enroll in a Southern university since Reconstruction. The film was commissioned by the School of Continuing Education and Academic Outreach and produced by its department of media services. n

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F RO M S E N I O R WA L K

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. Submit Class Notes online at www.arkansasalumni.org/classnotes; by mail: From Senior Walk, Arkansas Alumni Association, P.O. Box 1070, Fayetteville AR 72702; or by email: records@arkansasalumni.org. These symbols indicate Alumni Association membership:

’60

Reed Greenwood ✪+ BSE’61 MED’62 EDD’74, received the Award for Distinguished Contribution from the College of Education and Health Professions on May 13. He served as dean of the College of Education and Health Professions for eight years during a 35-year career at the U of A. He earned a doctorate in counselor education from the U of A, as well as master’s and bachelor’s degrees. Yvonne Johnson BSE’67, received the Outstanding Alumni in Education Award from the College of Education and Health Professions on May 13. She has served as dean of the Humanities and Social Sciences Division at St. Louis Community College since 2007 and is the author of numerous books, chapters and articles. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the U of A. She wrote The Voices of African American Women and edited Feminist Frontiers: Women Who Shaped the Midwest. Martin F. Rosenman ✪ MA’67, has been reappointed to his 22nd year on the investment committee of the Morehouse College Board of Trustees.

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’70

John L. Conner Jr. ✪+ BSBA’70, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sam M. Walton College of Business on April 13 during the 24th annual awards banquet. Conner developed the family business into a 70,000-acre operation that includes land owned by several companies. Conner bought his first John Deere dealership in the late 1980s, and over the past 25 years, Greenway Equipment has become one of the top three John Deere franchisees in the world, with 27 dealerships from Sikeston, Missouri, to Grady, Arkansas. Gerald B. Jordan ✪+ BA’70, Fayetteville, has been appointed as the faculty athletics representative for the University of Arkansas. His term began June 1. John Paul Pendergrass ★+ BSA’77, was recently recognized as the 2016-17 Outstanding Alumnus for the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. Pendergrass is co-owner of Pendergrass Cattle Co. in Charleston. Mike McCarter BSA’79 MS’85, received the 2017 Graduate of

University Relations

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

Distinction Award from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Department of Animal Science during an April 26 banquet. He had a 36-year career as a County Extension Agent. Since retiring from the U of A Division of Agriculture Extension Service, McCarter began a second career in beef cattle feed sales.

’80

Bert Greenwalt ★ MS’80, was named the 2016-17 Distinguished Alumnus by the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness in the Dale Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences. Greenwalt is currently a professor of agricultural economics at Arkansas State University.

Marjorie Presley Burciaga ✪ BSBA’82, is now working in business development for Independence Title Co. and her son just graduated with his second degree in engineering from the U of A. Charlie Alison ★ BA’82 MA’04 wrote a history of Fayetteville titled A Brief History of Fayetteville, Arkansas, which was recently published by The History Press, an imprint of Arcadia Publishing. It is the first narrative history of Fayetteville since 1928.

Philip Tappan ✪ BSBA’83, received the Outstanding Service Award from the Sam M. Walton College of Business during the 24th annual awards banquet on April 13. Tappan serves or has served on the boards of Delta Trust & Bank, Simmons Bank, ACCESS School, CHI St. Vincent Infirmary Foundation, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Foundation, Fifty for the Future, Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission, Central Arkansas’ American Heart Association and the Arkansas Community Foundation. He is a board member of the Arkansas Foodbank Network and a member of the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame Selection Committee and the Walton College Dean’s Executive Advisory Board, where he serves as the co-chair of Walton’s Campaign Arkansas Committee. Robin Elizabeth Bowen MED’83, received the Outstanding Alumni in Health and Human Services Award from the College of Education and Health Professions on May 13. Bowen became the 12th president of Arkansas Tech University in Russellville in 2014. She earned a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Arkansas. Bowen is the first female

A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


president of a public, four-year university in Arkansas. Dina C. Wood ✪ BA’85 JD’88, was honored by the University of Arkansas School of Law Women Law Students Association with the Gayle Pettus Pontz Award during a reception on April 10 at Fresco Café and Pub in Fayetteville. WLSA presents the annual award to a female graduate or a woman with connections to the local legal community who best represents the accomplishments of women and the legal community as a whole. Bryan Clark Oetting BSA’86 MS’88, received the 2017 Advanced Graduate of Distinction Award from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Department of Animal Science during an April 26 banquet. He teaches as an adjunct professor at the College of the Ozarks and operates a cow/calf operation in Omaha, Arkansas.

’90

Bradley Gaines Bruce BSBA’90, was recognized on the 2017 Barron’s “America’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors: State by State” list. This is his fourth consecutive appearance on this list. Tara Suffridge and Calvin Suffridge

✪+ BA’92, welcomed a son, Hayden Franklin Suffridge. He was born June 1, 2015.

Calvin Suffridge ✪+ BA’92, became director of the Endodontic Residency Program at the Naval Postgraduate Dental School in Maryland in July 2016. Christy Tosh Crider JD’96, has been named chair of Baker Donelson’s Health Care Advocacy Practice. Russ Woosley Taylor ✪ BSBA’98, was named 2016 Outstanding Walmart associate northern region by Arkansas Children’s Hospital for Children’s Miracle Network Fundraising Efforts.

’00

Troy Joseph Wistuba PHD’03, received the 2017 Advanced Graduate of Distinction Award from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Department of Animal Science during an April 26 banquet. He is the director of Dairy Technical Solutions for Purina Animal Nutrition LLC.

Ulanda Terry ✪ MS’03, received the 2016-17 Young Alumna Award by the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. She is the owner of the events and design company All Things POSH. Courtney Alyssa Meyers ★ MS’05, was recently named the 2016-17 Bumpers College Alumni Society’s Outstanding Young Alumna. She has been an associate professor of agricultural communications at Texas Tech University since 2014 after joining the faculty as assistant professor in 2008. April Jill Seggebruch BSBA’05 MBA’08, received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, from the Sam M. Walton College of Business during its 24th annual awards banquet on April 13. She co-founded Movista, which became a full-time venture in 2010 and has experienced 300 percent annual sales growth. Seggebruch is also one of the original founders of Tusk & Trotter American Brasserie and Bentonville Butcher and Pint, two award-winning restaurants in downtown Bentonville. Tamla J. Lewis ✪ JD’05 MED’12, joined the leadership team of the University of Arkansas School of Law as associate dean for administration in March. Lewis most recently worked in the university’s Office of General Counsel, where she spent nearly a decade working on a wide range of legal issues including policy development and revision, employment law, student affairs, campus safety, transactional and property matters and responses to Freedom of Information Act requests. Emily L. Money ★ BA’07 and Shannon David Money ★ BSE’02 BSCE’10 of Conway announce the birth of their son, Evan David Money. He was born April 5, 2017. They are also the parents of Elise Ann Money. Marne Alain Coit LLM’07, joined the faculty at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, where she teaches in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

’10

Baylen Linnekin LLM’10, recently published a book, Biting the Hands that Feed Us: How Fewer, Smarter Laws Would Make Our Food System More Sustainable. The book focuses on the interplay of food, regulation and sustainability.

Summer 2017 • A R K A N S A S

David S. Mitchell Jr. JD’10 and Frances Penick Mitchell of Little Rock announce the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth Frances Mitchell. She was born on Jan. 18, 2017. They are also the parents of Susan Grace Mitchell. Richard Flournoy LLM’11, is the new chief of staff at the United States Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency. Flournoy is responsible for the oversight of the development of crop insurance policies, the rate structure and other critical aspects of the federal crop insurance system. Haley Heath Burks ★ JD’11 and Christopher Wesley Burks ★ JD’10 of Little Rock announce the birth of their daughter, Deborah Elise. She was born April 24, 2017. James V. Shuls PHD’13, received the 2017 Junior Investigator of the Year award from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he teaches and conducts research. Shuls was honored for his research into the public school retirement system of Missouri. Rufaidah Almaian PHD’14, received first place at the seventh annual Industrial Engineering and Operations Management International Conference in Rabat, Morocco, for her dissertation titled “A Strategic Leadership Approach to Effectively Manage Supplier Quality within the Construction Industry.” Anna Margaret Egalite PHD’14, received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the College of Education and Health Professions on May 13. She teaches in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development at North Carolina State University. Her research focuses on the evaluation of education policies and programs intended to close racial and economic achievement gaps, such as the introduction of market forces into education through school choice and competition. Adae Briones LLM’14 and Frederick Briones announce the birth of their son, Lana’i Briones, born Oct. 16, 2016. Kholoud Sawaf MFA’15, has been awarded a prestigious directing fellowship by the Drama League in New York. She’s one of two 2017-18 recipients of the Classical Directing Fellowship for Artists of Color, and one of only 11 Drama League Directing Fellows nationwide.

Friends

Rick Fleetwood ✪+, has been named Philanthropist of the Year for 2016 and was also elected to the National Board of Directors for Easterseals in 2015. He also holds the position of Chairman of Board of Directors for CHI St. Vincent Foundation.

In Memoriam 1930 Bartley E. Lasater BA’31, Appleton, Wisconsin, April 23, 1961. E. Nobles Lowe ✪ BA’32 LLB’34, New York, Dec. 1, 2015. He was General Counsel of Westvaco Corporation for 34 years prior to private practice. Survivors: wife, daughter, sons, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren and brother. 1940 Marjorie Offenhauser McLean, Little Rock, Oct. 20, 2016. She chaired many boards, including: Family Service Agency, St. Joseph Home for Children, Pulaski County Chapter of American Red Cross, Budget Committee of the United Fund, State of Arkansas Aeronautics Commission, Alumni Board of UALR, Little Rock Public Library, Chancellor’s Circle UALR, Junior League of Little Rock, Rob Roy Plantation and the Arkansas Bankers Advisory Board. Survivors: daughters, six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. John E. Kerr Jr. ✪ BSA’42, Seminole, Florida, June 23, 2014. He was a board-certified urologist and practiced medicine in Chicago; Michigan City, Indiana; and Seminole. Survivors: daughter and grandchildren. Mar Jo Van Dalsem Spence ★ BSE’45, Jonesboro, Nov. 9, 2016. She taught first grade in the Wynne Public School District. Survivors: Children and grandchildren. Martin T. Dyke III BSEE’46, Boston, Georgia, Dec. 9, 2009. Mary Jordon Carlson BSHE’46, Glenview, Illinois, Sept. 11, 2016. She established the American Association of University Women Mary Jordan Carlson International Fellowship in 2000 that

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F RO M S E N I O R WA L K

inspires girls to make a difference in their own countries by providing them the opportunity to come and study in the United States. J. Walter Keller Jr. BSEE’46 MS’48 MS’50, Miami, Florida, Oct. 12, 2016. He was employed with the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington D.C. He was in involved with many governmental projects including testing atomic bombs in the north Pacific. Survivors: 12 children, 28 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Betty Bryant Reynolds BA’47 MA’48, Norman, Oklahoma, Oct. 11, 2016. Survivors: Children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-greatgrandchildren. Iva Hicks ★ BSHE’47, Paragould, Dec. 2, 2016. He taught high school for 32 years. Survivors: brother and sister. Lela Gibson Parker BSBA’47, Dallas, Texas, March 16, 2016. She was a landman for Ensearch Gas Company. Survivors: two daughters, son, five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Robbie Partain ★ BSHE’47, Tiffin, Ohio, Oct. 23, 2016. Robert P. Taylor ✪+ BSBA’47 MS’48, North Little Rock, Nov. 29, 2016. He served in the Army Air Corps and was a navigator on B 17s patrolling the Gulf of Mexico. He was a businessman in the insurance field. Survivors: children and grandchildren. Raymond W. Toler BSEE’47 MSEE’52, Springdale, Oct. 8, 2016. He was an Army Signal Corps officer and veteran of World War II, serving in the Philippines. During his life he was an active volunteer for many historical societies and museums, such as Shiloh Museum, White County Historical Society, Cotton Belt Rail Society and the Masonic Lodge. Emily Mallory Hamilton BSHE’48, Greenbrier, Nov. 21, 2016. She was a kindergarten teacher and also served on the board of the Panhellenic Children’s Library. Survivors: daughters, granddaughters and greatgranddaughter. Stephen A. Matthews BA’48 LLB’51, Pine Bluff, March 1, 2017. He served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946 and was commissioned an ensign in 1945. He went into general civil law practice with the firm of Bridges, Young,

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Matthews, and Drake in Pine Bluff. Survivors: wife Betty Matthews ★+ BA’49, son, daughter and grandchildren. Lee Webster McGuire BSBA’48, Corpus Christi, Texas, Nov. 23, 2016. He was a retired naval officer, a certified public accountant, and retired from Reynolds Metals Co. as chief accountant for Energy Properties Group, comprised of oil and gas, coal and Henderson Farms operation. Survivors: son, daughter, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Theodore R. Pfrimmer ✪+ BSA’48, Sugar Hill, Georgia, Nov. 25, 2016. He served in the Army Air Force. He was an airplane mechanic and then an electrical systems instructor based at Kessler Field in Biloxi. Survivors: three daughters, two sister, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. E.C. Benton Jr. BSBA’49, Little Rock, Oct. 27, 2016. He served in the United States Air Force and served as a sergeant in the 22nd Bomber Group, 408 Bomb Squadron “Red Raiders” in the Pacific Theater, World War II. He spent his career in the insurance industry, and he was also a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1976 to 1983. Survivors: son and grandchildren. Marie Parker Pamplin BSE’49, Hot Springs, Oct. 17, 2016. Melvin K. Lofton ★+ BSBA’49, Houston, Dec. 5, 2016. Survivors: wife, daughters and grandchildren. 1950 Don S. Bowers ✪+ LLB’50, Los Angeles, Sept. 14, 2016. He served in the United States Navy and later worked in the life insurance industry for approximately 40 years with New York Life and Connecticut Mutual, which later became Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company. Survivors: wife Sara S. Bowers, son, daughter, step daughters and grandchildren. Bud T. Carter ✪+ BSBA’50, Little Rock, Oct. 31, 2016. Everett Edsel Harber ✪ BSBA’50 LLB’62, Blytheville, Oct. 13, 2016. He served in the United States Air Force before retiring as a major. He was a sponsor of the Special Olympics and was a supporter of Emergency Response Team and the Arkansas State Police Teddy Bear Program. Survivors: wife and daughter.

Hugh Nutt ✪+ BSA’50, Rogers, Nov. 12, 2016. He was a World War II Army veteran. Survivors: wife Fran Barton Nutt ✪ BSHE’50, children and grandchildren.

retire from Sears in 1990 after a 37-year career in which he rose through the ranks and eventually became a merchandise manager. Survivors: three sons and one sister.

Monroe C. Barrett BSAGE’51, Richmond, Kentucky, Nov. 20, 2016. He spent his entire professional career working in design and testing for International Harvester, which later became Case IH. Survivors: wife Emily Barrett, son and daughter.

Deryl G. Powers BSBA’53, Springdale, Nov. 7, 2016. He spent a 42-year career working in the canned foods industry, retiring from Allen Canning Company, Siloam Springs in 1996. He served the community by volunteering with the Northwest Medical Center Auxiliary for 22 years, The Jones Center for Families and Ozark Military Museum. Survivors: wife, children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

V. J. Deaton ★ BSBA’51, Benton, Oct. 10, 2016. He served in the Army Air Corp during World War II. Survivors: wife, son, daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Charles R. Johnson BSEE’52, Marked Tree, Sept. 25, 2016. He was a U.S. Army veteran and served in Thule, Greenland, during the Korean War. He worked for Western Electric for 35 years until his retirement. Survivors: two daughters and six grandchildren. Rodney E. Boaz ✪ BSBA’52, Little Rock, Oct. 24, 2016. He served in the U.S. Navy during the last two months of World War II and then joined the Air Force, where he was a jet pilot and flight instructor for 30 years prior to retiring. Survivors: daughter, brother and stepgrandson. Thomas M. Wilkinson BSA’52, Eufaula, Alabama, Nov. 15, 2016. He worked for Procter & Gamble. Survivors: wife, children and grandchildren. Virginia Reeves Jones BSBA’52, Brigham City, Utah, Nov. 11, 2016. She taught elementary school and worked as a bridal consultant with a prominent department store in Memphis, Tennessee. Survivors: husband Charles W. Jones, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. William H. Hestir BSA’52, Jacksonville, Nov. 23, 2016. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 30 years and retired as a lieutenant colonel. Survivors: wife Lorete Hestir, children and grandchildren. Alton McCartney ★ BSA’52 MED’55, Fort Smith, Nov. 15, 2016. He was a retired postal clerk for the United States Post Office. Survivors: Wife, two sons, two daughters, grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Charles Thomas Chaffin BSBA’53, Little Rock, Oct. 24, 2016. He worked for Sears Roebuck and Company as a manager trainee. He would eventually

R.H. Harms BSA’53 MS’54, Gainesville, Florida, Nov. 23, 2016. He was a professor and later became a department chair. He was also elected to the Arkansas Tech Hall of Fame, the Florida Agriculture Hall of Fame and the Poultry Science Hall of Fame. Harms developed a feeding program for the commercial laying hen that is now used internationally. Survivors: sister, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dorothy Oswald Smith ★+ BM’53 MED’64, Fort Myers, Florida, Oct. 6, 2016. E. Harley Cox Jr. ★ LLB’53, Pine Bluff, Nov. 7, 2016. He served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocates Corp from 1953 until 1955. He practiced law with the firm of Coleman, Gantt, Ramsay and Cox (now Ramsay, Bridgforth, Robinson and Raley) in Pine Bluff from 1956 until 1990. Survivors: wife Joanne S. Cox BSBA’50, daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Elbert D. Hunter BSBA’53, Conroe, Texas, Sept. 8, 2016. He served in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant JG from 1953 to 1957. Survivors: daughter and grandchildren. Charles O. Ramsey BSBA’54, Harrison, Nov. 11, 2016. He owned two businesses including a clothing store and a nursery. Survivors: wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandsons. John E. Bush BS’54, Little Rock, Oct. 11, 2016. Survivors: wife, five children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Paul B. Gean LLB’55, Fort Smith, Oct. 28, 2016. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and when Gean passed the Arkansas Bar, he joined and became a senior partner of Gean, Gean,

A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


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Look to the Future with Planned Giving There are many ways to make an impact at the University of Arkansas with a planned gift. Creating a gift annuity is just one easy option.

Please visit our website to learn more, or call or email us for a free illustration that demonstrates how a gift annuity can benefit you.

Fund an annuity by transferring cash to the University of Arkansas Foundation while creating lifetime payments for yourself, you and another person, or as a gift for someone special. Your gift will make a difference now while providing you with security for your future.

Office of Planned Giving (800) 317-7526 legacy@uark.edu http://plannedgiving.uark.edu

Other benefits of a charitable gift annuity include: · Income tax savings · Capital gains tax avoidance · Possible tax-free payments


Corporate Giving Spotlight Gifts from corporations and foundations continue to be essential to the University of Arkansas’ fundraising success. Organizations invest in the university financially and academically, and many of the university’s graduates serve as senior executives and company leaders. These

corporations and foundations collaborate with the university on cutting-edge research, innovative service ideas and student recruitment – all in support of the university’s eight guiding priorities. They also provide critical internships, scholarships and fellowships.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. made a $2.75 million investment to create the J.B. Hunt Innovation Center of Excellence. The center is a collaborative effort between the company, the College of Engineering and the Sam M. Walton College of Business to advance supply chain management efficiency through technology. This

industry collaboration advances the U of A’s culture of research through the creation of a center that allows engineering, computer science and business researchers and students to work with J.B. Hunt employees in finding solutions to real-world problems through innovative design and technology-driven supply chain solutions.

The university received a $2.3 million grant from the Walmart Foundation to fund collaborative projects involving the poultry industry in China. The Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, the Reliasoft Risk, Reliability and Maintainability Research Alliance in the Department of Industrial Engineering and the Supply

Chain Management Research Center will work together with Chinese universities, research institutes and poultry industries to investigate food-borne pathogens and antibiotic residues in poultry supply chains; study in-field testing methods and intervention technologies and apply risk assessment supply chain management techniques.

Greenway Equipment, Inc., based in Weiner, Arkansas, is investing $250,000 in the university through the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences and the Sam M. Walton College of Business. The gift will create the Greenway Agricultural Leadership Scholarship for undergraduate students in Bumpers College, as well as the Greenway Leadership in Business Scholarship Fund

and the Greenway East Arkansas Excellence Fund in the Walton College. The Greenway Leadership in Business Scholarship Fund will benefit two students in the Walton College, and the excellence fund will provide support for recruiting, retention, programming, admissions and financial aid counseling and relationship building, with the intention of recruiting and retaining talented students from east Arkansas.

For more information about the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations, call (479) 575-2638 or visit http://advancement.uark.edu/offices/corporate-and-foundation-relations.php.


F RO M S E N I O R WA L K

and Gean Law Firm. Survivors: wife Kaay Roberts Gean BSE’55, three daughters, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Weldon Eugene Alford BSAGE’55, Emmet, Nov. 13, 2016. He was a retired lieutenant colonel U.S. Army Engineer with Texaco and a retired lieutenant colonel U.S. Army Reserve (Corps of Engineers) with 26 years of service. Survivors: brother, wife and sister. Albert B. Barker MED’56, Amarillo, Texas, June 17, 2015. Don R. Wilkerson ✪ BSBA’56, Fayetteville, Nov. 22, 2016. He worked for the Arkansas Vocational Rehabilitation Services in many different capacities for 50 years before retiring in 2011. Survivors: children and grandchildren. Jerry Johnson ★ BSE’56, Dallas, Sept. 17, 2016. She was an elementary teacher at Albert Pike Elementary School in Fort Smith. She later began teaching in Long Beach, California. Survivors: three sons and three grandchildren. Jerry R. Oates BSBA’56, Alexander, Oct. 5, 2016. He was a U.S. Army veteran. Survivors: wife, daughter and grandchildren. Bob Robert Leslie BA’57 MA’59 DAS’60, Hot Springs, Sept. 22, 2011. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean Conflict. Survivors: wife Verla Leslie, two sons, daughter and two granddaughters. Gene Hall MED’57, Little Rock, Nov. 7, 2016. He was a football and basketball coach at Mountain Home High School, Conway High School and Little Rock Central High School. He later became a team sales specialist at Spaulding Athletic Company of Little Rock. He also served as a lieutenant in the Arkansas Army National Guard. Survivors: Wife, daughter, grandchildren and great-grandson. William F. Jackson BSBA’57, Monticello, Dec. 1, 2016. He and his wife were the publishers of The Advance Monticellonian newspaper from 1964 to 1996. Survivors: wife, children and grandchildren. John M. White ✪ BSCHE’58, St. Louis, Nov. 27, 2016. He was a chemical engineer. Survivors: children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. James L. Worst ✪ BSEE’59, Broad

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Run, Virginia, Oct. 30, 2016. He served in the United States Air Force in the last days of the Korean War as a fighter pilot flying the F86 Sabre jet. After returning to the United States, he joined the Fort Smith Air National Guard while earning his electrical engineering degree. He joined the USAF Reserve, stationed at Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, and worked for RCA on the Cold War radar tracking system known as BMEWS (Ballistic Missile Early Warning System). He began flying for American Airlines in 1966. Survivors: wife Jeanna M. Worst ✪ MA’58, children and grandchildren. John R. Gregory★BSBA’59, Rogers, Nov. 7, 2016. Survivors: wife Martha L. Gregory BSBA’60, children and grandchildren. Michael B. Hightower BSA’59 MS’64, Fort Smith, Oct. 17, 2016. He served in the Army and was also a junior high science teacher. He later took a high school principal job at Lavaca. Survivors: wife, daughter, two sons, four grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren. Paul C. McLeod Jr. BSME’59 MS’67, Sheridan, Oct. 30, 2016. He was an educator starting in 1954 as a research lab assistant at the U of A, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1958. He moved that year with other engineers and scientists to Little Rock to open the Graduate Institute of Technology in the university’s old medical center building at MacArthur Park. He earned his Master of Science in 1967 while teaching graduate courses in GIT’s Department of Electronics and Instrumentation. He spent the next two years in industry at Corning Glass, returning to GIT in 1969 as assistant professor. Survivors: wife Betty McLeod, sons, step mother and grandchildren. 1960 Beverly Ann Cross BA’60, Little Rock, Oct. 8, 2016. She was an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas Graduate School of Social Work in Little Rock. She was also a therapist. Survivors: sister. Edgar E. Johnson Jr. ✪+ MED’60, El Dorado, Oct. 23, 2016. He was a principal at Smith Avenue Elementary and then for 32 years at Northwest Elementary. He is a Navy veteran of World War II serving his tour of duty in China. Survivors: two sons and six grandchildren.

Elsie Shipp Crank BSE’60, Little Rock, Nov. 9, 2016. She was a teacher at the Anthony School and at East End Elementary. Survivors: husband Mallory W. Crank Sr., son, daughter and sisters. Gwendolyn Starlard MED’60, Pine Bluff, Nov. 10, 2016. Her career interests and accomplishments were in the field of gerontology. As a faculty at Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal, later the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, she held the positions of assistant professor of sociology and gerontology and associate professor of gerontology. She held numerous positions in local, state and national professional organizations including being the first female and first African American to be elected president of the Arkansas Sociological Association. She was also appointed to the first Governor’s Advisory Board on Alzheimer’s disease. Actively involved in research on aging, her most important work was the publication of a book titled Voices of Elderly Black Women: A Historical Perspective. She served as a researcher for the Arkansas Delta: Landscape of Change Delta Cultural Center at Helena, Arkansas. Survivors: son, daughter and grandchildren. Patsy V. James ★ MA’60, Bedford, Texas, Oct. 26, 2016. She taught at Tarrant County College. Survivors: cousins. Paul E. Kingsborough ★ BSBA’60, Joplin, Missouri, Oct. 10, 2016. He was a lieutenant in the U.S. Army from 1960 to 1962 and was stationed at Fort Ord in Monterey, California. He also was a paper manufacturing representative for Georgia Pacific for 15 years and later stated his own company, North American Carolinas Corp. Survivors: wife Lydia Lincoln Kingsborough ★ BSHE’60, son, daughter and grandchildren. Kenneth W. Richey BSCE’61, Springdale, Dec. 3, 2016. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War. Survivors: wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Edward A. Richter ★ BA’62, Texarkana, Texas, Nov. 1, 2016. He was a pediatric dentist in Texarkana. Survivors: wife Sue Richter ★ BSE’62, children and grandchildren. G. M. Trammell BSBA’62, Willis, Texas, Sept. 29, 2016. Survivors: Son, daughter and grandchildren.

Helen Rice Wells BSE’62, Fort Smith, July 16, 2016. She was a retired educator, having taught for 28 years at schools in Branch, Dardanelle, Farmington and Charleston, from where she retired. She was a member of the Arkansas Education Association, National Education Association and, following her retirement, the Franklin County Retired Teachers Association and Arkansas Retired Teachers Association. Survivors: three sons, grandchildren and great-granddaughters. Max Howard Rowland BSA’62, Junction City, Feb. 25, 2015. He worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 27 years. Survivors: wife, son, daughter, six grandchildren and three great-granddaughters. Robert E. Ritchie II ★ BSBA’62, Little Rock, Oct. 24, 2016. His career spanned banking, management and computer consulting, retirement planning and 22 years with the Arkansas Department of Computer Services. Survivors: wife Dana Ritchie and children. Linda Lehnhard Johnston BSE’62 MED’65, Oklahoma City, Nov. 6, 2016. She was an elementary teacher in Denver. Survivors: husband Rogers Johnston BSA’57, son, daughter and grandchildren. Don Darrell Doty PHD’63, Starkville, Mississippi, Nov. 16, 2016. He was a veteran of World War II and Korean War. Survivors: wife, daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Guy F. Fenter MED’63, Charleston, Nov. 26, 2016. He served in various capacities, including president of Education Service Cooperatives of Arkansas 1985-88; member of Arkansas Game and Fish Commission 1971-78, chair in 1978; president of Arkansas Activities Association Executive Committee 1976-78; member of Arkansas Activities Association Executive Committee 1966-88; member of Task Force for the Twenty First Century Economy 2007-09; Sunday School teacher at Charleston United Methodist Church; president of Arkansas Association of School Administrators 1974; and Citizen of the Year of Charleston Commercial Club 1966. Survivors: wife Shelby G. Fenter, daughters, son, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Karen K. Harmon ✪ BSBA’63, Huntsville, Dec. 4, 2016. She was a

A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


retired loan officer for Arvest Bank. Survivors: children, grandchildren and sister. Philip C. Hanby BSBA’63, Springdale, Dec. 3, 2016. He was a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Survivors: brother, sons and grandchildren. Lemly D. Hutt Jr. ✪ BA’63 MA’65 PHD’68, Memphis, Tennessee, Dec. 4, 2016. He established the Hutt Psychological Group and worked as a clinical psychologist. Survivors: wife, children, grandchildren and sister. Alfreeda P. Marshall MED’64, North Little Rock, Oct. 21, 2016. She was a resource teacher with the North Little Rock School District. Survivors: daughter and two sons. D.E. Morrison Jr. BSCHE’64, Fayetteville, Oct. 13, 2016. He worked for DuPont Company as a chemical engineer for 40 years. Survivors: wife Pat Morrison ★ BSHE’65, two sons and five grandchildren. James E. Cluff EDD’64, San Diego, California, Nov. 3, 2016. He was an administrator in the Wichita School District. He was also an elementary principal in several schools and retired as director of elementary education. Survivors: daughter, sons, six grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. John L. England BSE’64, Fort Smith, Aug. 14, 2016. He taught for the Fort Smith School System at Ramsey Junior High and Southside High School. Survivors: wife, daughter, son, sister and 10 grandchildren. Martin Lee Crutchfield Sr. BA’64, Jacksonville, Nov. 7, 2016. Paula J. Thompson MA’64, Fayetteville, Oct. 5, 2016. She was an actress, educator, director and costume designer. Survivors: sister and son. William G. Cathey BSME’64, Niceville, Florida, Nov. 19, 2016. He served in the National Guard and later served as an Air Force officer. Survivors: wife Georgia Cathey BSE’63, son, daughter, grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Frances Dilliard Lancaster ✪+ BA’64 MED’66, Hot Springs, Dec. 4, 2016. Her professional career spanned 40 years of counseling high school students. She was employed for 10 years by the Kansas City Missouri School

System and 30 years by the Hot Springs Lakeside School District. John L. Bess BSE’65 MED’73 EDS’81, Fayetteville, Nov. 18, 2016. Survivors: wife Dorothy Bess, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Carol Heathman Albert BSBA’66, Goshen, Nov. 27, 2016. She was co-owner and operator of Kitchen Distributors Inc. Survivors: husband D. H. Albert BSE’66, daughter, sister and grandchild. Charles M. Garlington BA’66, Bedford, Texas, July 3, 2015. He worked in direct mail marketing. He was also a U.S. Army veteran. Survivors: wife Gail Garlington, sister, daughters and step-son. Loretta Pond BSE’66, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Jan. 17, 1995. She was a volunteer, teacher and school board member. Survivors: husband.

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Mary Patricia Lehman BSE’67, Houston, Nov. 17, 2016. She was a teacher in Houston. Survivors: husband David H. Lehman, daughter and sisters. Cheryl Ellis Fox ★+ BSHE’69, Pine Bluff, Nov. 19, 2016. She was a teacher at the Pine Bluff High School, Southeast, Robey Junior High, and worked for Volunteers in Public Schools for many years. She later worked for Neighbor to Neighbor and with her husband for seven years for the Pine Bluff Symphony Orchestra. Survivors: husband William Harris Fox Jr. ★ BSBA’69, daughter, son and eight grandchildren. Herbert W. Brill BA’69, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Sept. 18, 2016. He was an Army veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars. He served his country for 26 years. Survivors: wife Irene Shaver Brill, children, grandchildren, greatgrandchild and sister. Wendell D. Sharp BA’69, Texarkana, Texas, Aug. 29, 2016. He worked for Walmart. Survivors: Mother, two daughters and three grandchildren. 1970 Candyce Pond Ennis BSBA’70, Fort Smith, Aug. 27, 2004. Survivors: husband, daughter, son and stepchildren. Joe F. Carroll Jr. BSIE’70, Little Rock, May 15, 2015. He was a boxer in the Navy, was an inductee in the Reddie Hall of Honor and was the proud owner and operator of Wolfies Tavern and

Summer 2017 • A R K A N S A S

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F RO M S E N I O R WA L K

BBQ for many years. Survivors: wife, two daughters, son and grandchildren. Sharon Heck Montgomery BSE’70, Haymarket, Virginia, July 22, 2016. She was a children’s daycare provider in Virginia for 15 years and a foster mother to infants awaiting adoption. Previously, she had been owner of a children’s clothing store in Katy, Texas. Survivors: husband of 48 years, John Montgomery BSBA’68, two daughters, a sister and five grandchildren. John F. Butterfield MED’70, El Dorado, Nov. 25, 2016. He was a training director for Lion Oil Company. Survivors: wife, son, daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. John Freyaldenhoven ★ MA’70, Oct. 13, 2016. Peggy Gray MED’70, Little Rock, Nov. 24, 2016. She was a teacher for 48 years in the Little Rock School District. Survivors: Son and grandchild. John Wayne Hughes BS’70 MS’71, Oklahoma City, May 2016, Survivors: Siblings and children. Donna Roberts BA’71, Shawnee, Oklahoma, Oct. 30, 2016. Survivors: husband W. Richard Roberts, children and grandchildren. Edward J. McAvoy MBA’71, Hot Springs, Nov. 14, 2016. He worked for Caterpillar Inc. stateside and abroad, retiring April 1, 2007, with 44 years of service. He was a participant and board member of Heart of Illinois Harvest; a team member of OSF Pastoral Care; a coordinator for “Shoes for Water” (a safe drinking water project for underdeveloped countries); a participant in a mission project in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina; and he took vacation days to work in the kitchen on Fridays of Cursillo weekends. Survivors: wife and brother. John R. Clyma BSBA’71, Fort Smith, Oct. 11, 2016. He formerly worked for Arkansas Best in the Human Resources Department, was the former general sales manager at Randall Ford and was the co-owner of Impressions Boutique in Greenwood. Survivors: wife, two daughters, son, eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Jane Rivers Davis ★+ BSE’72, Houston, Texas, Nov. 3, 2016. She worked as a seventh- and eighthgrade reading teacher in the Refugio Independent School District from

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1993-2001. From 2001 until her retirement in 2011, she was in charge of the Reading Lab for Refugio Middle School. She was certified as a master reading teacher. Survivors: sisters, brother and two children. Jimmy D. Bragg PHD’72, Arkadelphia, Nov. 16, 2016. He headed the microbial studies of DeGray Lake, for the Army Corps of Engineers. Survivors: wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jimmy N. Ponder ✪ PHD’72, El Dorado, Nov. 19, 2016. He was a professor at Nicholls State University and was also head of the Accounting Department at Nicholls State. He served as Louisiana Society of CPA’s Committee on Education, Industry, and Government for three years. He also served his country in the Army during the Berlin Crisis of 1961. Survivors: children and grandchildren. Leon F. Bland BSBA’72, Fayetteville, Oct. 22, 2016. Survivors: wife, three sons, seven grandchildren and brother. Rebecca Jean Casteel Cunningham MA’72, Bartlett, Nov. 24, 2016. She taught English at Pine Bluff High School. Survivors: Sons. Bryan E. Byrd BSBA’73, Little Rock, Dec. 6, 2016. He was a ceramic engineer and had a company, American Restoration Tile. Survivors: wife Debbie H. Byrd BA’73, children, brothers and mother. John Coy Nixon Sr. BA’74, Little Rock, Nov. 7, 2016. He ran Nixon’s Rental Center and was also president of the Mid-South Rental Association. He worked as a member of public relations for Jefferson Regional Medical Center and headed their United Way. In Little Rock he was a part of Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s research for allterrain-vehicle safety. Survivors: wife, daughter, son and grandchildren. Stephen D. Lease BSPA’74 MPA’75, Fort Smith, Nov. 7, 2016. Deborah House BA’74 MA’76, Batesville, June 2, 2016. She was a college professor for many years. Survivors: brother. Les A. Watson MED’74, Bentonville, Nov. 4, 2016. Survivors: brother, son and stepdaughters. Stuart Lynn Chaney BSA’74, Chewey, Oklahoma, Oct. 18, 2016. He was the

manager of the Gardens Alive Nursery in Hulbert, Oklahoma. Survivors: wife, parents, daughter and sister. Barbara L. Brown MA’76 PHD’80, Fayetteville, Nov. 21, 2016. She worked for the Area Health Education Center for 10 years and then entered private practice for 33 years. Barbara taught occasionally at the U of A and conducted training workshops for physicians. Survivors: Linda Clay, son and grandson. Belinda K. Moore MED’76, Alexander, Nov. 12, 2016. She was an elementary teacher at Springhill Elementary School for almost 30 years. Survivors: parents, children, five grandchildren and sister. Dennis T. Officer ★ MBA’76 PHD’80, Fayetteville, Nov. 18, 2016. He was on the faculty in the departments of finance at the University of Arkansas, Arizona State University and finally the University of Kentucky. He founded the Lexington Research and Capital Group in 1995. Survivors: wife Nancy R. Officer★BSBA’75, children and sister. Jim D. Hendricks BSA’77, Board Camp, Oct. 9, 2016. He was a cattle farmer and welder. Survivors: sister. Linda Faye Hill MED’78, Little Rock, Nov. 8, 2016. She was a school teacher of the Hamburg School District. Survivors: her mother, two daughters and one stepdaughter. Raul R. Amores Serrano BS’78 PHD’91, Panama. Louise S. Heinrichs BA’79, Fort Smith, Oct. 27, 2016. She was a violinist in the Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra for many years. She also had a weekly radio show where she gave movie reviews. Survivors: her husband, five children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. 1980 Ray Gosack BA’80 MPA’85, Fort Smith, Oct. 21, 2016. He was city administrator of Fort Smith. Survivors: brother. Samuel Andrew Carson MSA’80 PHD’83, June 2016. He was a teacher. Dennis D. Wohlford BSE’80, Rogers, Oct. 17, 2016. He owned home construction and real estate companies. He was a realtor with Metro Board and earned the Million Dollar Club award 2002-06. He served on the Benton

County Quorum Court 1993-94, and was a past president of Sequoyah Kiwanis. Survivors: his wife Mary L. Wohlford BSBA’84 and two daughters. Evelyn I. Looper BSBA’80, Little Rock, Nov. 22, 2016. She was a retired database analyst for the Arkansas Department of Information Systems. Survivor: Brother. Gregory David Mashburn BSBA’80, Fayetteville, Oct. 23, 2016. Survivors: Two children and siblings. John David Moseley BA’80, Little Rock, Nov. 11, 2016. He was a writer, artist and teacher. Survivors: sister. Murlene Barrett Degges MED’80, Warren, Oct. 26, 2016. She was a retired school teacher at Eastside Elementary in Warren. Survivors: son and daughter. Richard David Denniston BSE’83 MED’85 EDS’87, Pelsor, Oct. 13, 2016. He was a superintendent for the Deer/Mount Judea Public Schools for 23 years and a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard for 38 years. Survivors: Wife, nine children and 20 grandchildren. L. P. Stigger MED’83, Pine Bluff, Nov. 29, 2016. He was a retired school teacher. Survivors: sisters. Barry R. Witherspoon BLA’84, Heber Springs, Oct. 22, 2016. Survivors: parents and children. Phillip Scott Finley BA’87, Springfield, Missouri, Oct. 19, 2016. Survivors: father, mother and brothers. Sandra Lynne Brooks BSE’87, San Francisco, California, Nov. 7, 2016. She was a legal secretary for various attorneys in Northwest Arkansas and later was employed by the Arkansas Office of the Attorney General as charitable coordinator for the Consumer Protection Division. Survivors: husband, daughters and parents. Lawrence H. Averill III BA’87 MA’90, Salt Lake City, Sept. 5, 2016. Survivors: wife. Alice E. Beetz MS’88, Fayetteville, Oct. 20, 2016. She was an agricultural consultant for the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture Program. Survivors: siblings. Robert M. Gilmore BSBA’88, Springdale, Nov. 2, 2016. He worked for Sam’s Club. Survivor: Sister. Larry Douglas Mosier MS’89, Sherwood, Nov. 11, 2016.

A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


ARKANSAS

ALUMNI OFFICERS President Don Eldred ✪+’81, Houston Past-President Stephanie S. Streett ✪ BS’91, Little Rock Treasurer Kenneth Biesterveld ✪ ’05, ’10, Bentonville Secretary Debbie Blume ✪+ BSBA’08, Fayetteville BOARD OF DIRECTORS Class of 2017 Ben Beaumont ★ ’04, Little Rock John Berrey ✪ ’91, Tulsa Judy Drummond Covert ✪+ ’83, Bel Aire, KS LaTonya Foster ★ ’96, Springdale Steven Hinds ✪+ ’89, 92, Fayetteville Jordan Patterson Johnson ✪ ’00, Little Rock Carla Martin ★ ’04, Pine Bluff Melissa Pianalto ✪ ’88, ’90, Springdale Molly Rapert ★ ’85, ’87, Fayetteville Class of 2018 Kristen Allbritton ★ ’04, Frisco, TX Teena Gunter ✪ ’92, ’97, Oklahoma City Ashley Harris ✪ ’95, Fayetteville Sharon Hunt ★ ’73, ’75, Fayetteville Kristin Kaufman ✪ ’83, Dallas Bill Kerr ✪ ’88, Tampa, FL Dustin McDaniel ★ ’94, Little Rock Drake McGruder ✪ ’06, ’12, Fort Smith Charles Redfield ✪ ’89 Bentonville Class of 2019 John Forrest Ales ✪ ’02, Bentonville Linda Bedford-Jackson ★ ’80, Austin, TX Susan Kemp ✪ ’73, ’75, Mountain View Robert Kolf ✪+ ’78, Wildwood, MO Greg Lee ✪+ ’70, Fayetteville Paul Parette ✪+ ’89, Dallas Ron Rainey ✪ ’91, ’93, Little Rock Lott Rolfe IV ★ ’94, Maumelle Roger Sublett ✪ ’64, ’65, Mason, OH Amy Tu ★ ’96, Seattle Brian Wolff ✪ ’89, Washington D.C. STAFF Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni and Executive Director of the Arkansas Alumni Association Brandy Cox ✪ MA’07 Associate Executive Director Dale Green ★ Director of Membership and Marketing Terri Dover ✪+

Carolyn Lavern Adams BSE’89 MED’93, Fayetteville, Oct. 5, 2016. She was a physical education teacher for 26 years at Reagan Elementary in Rogers. Survivors: Daughters and eight grandchildren. 1990 Kimbrely Carol Jordan BSBA’92, Little Rock, Oct. 10, 2016. She was an employee at Pulaski Bank and Trust, Summit Bank and Wells Fargo. She specialized in trust administration and financial services. Survivors: her husband Michael Scott Jordan BSEE’91. Teresa Lynn Wells Haven BA’92, Flagstaff, Arizona, Oct. 1, 2016. She was an active member of the Association of Higher Education and Disability and the Access Technology Higher Education Network Professionals. Survivors: husband. Michael D. Glover BSEE’93 MSEE’95 PHD’13, San Jose, California, Oct. 27, 2016. He worked for the University of Arkansas as a research assistant professor in electrical engineering. Survivors: wife Starlet Glover BSBA’93 and two sons. Lawrence K. Yarbrough PHD’96, Rogers, Dec. 2, 2016. He was an associate professor at the University of Arkansas teaching marketing, sales, transportation, logistics and economics. He was instrumental to the opening of the Supply Chain Management Research Center at the Walton College of Business. Survivors: wife Sue S. Yarbrough, children and grandchildren. 2000 Garrett Ross Miller BSBA’03, Clarksville, Oct. 24, 2016. He was a former vice president of fleet

Director of Constituent Engagement Angela Mosley Monts ✪, BA’80 Director of Outreach and Chapters Thomas Ellis ★ BA’96, MBA’98 Director of Finance Hal Prescott ✪ Mercedes Alberson ★ Student Outreach Coordinator; Lisa Ault ★ BSBA’94, Accounting Specialist; Catherine Baltz ✪+ BS’92, MED’07, Manager of Affinity Programs & Analysis; Shanna Bassett ★ Associate Director of Membership and Marketing; Ashley Batchelor ★ BA’07, Assistant Director of Communications; Debbie Blume ✪+ BSBA’08 Board and Campaign Coordinator; Deb Euculano ✪ Associate Director of Alumni Special Events; Rachel Gray ★ Administrative Assistant; Amber Jordan ★ Administrative Support Supervisor; Lisy McKinnon ★ BA’97, Assistant Director of Chapter Programs; Ryan Miller ✪+ BSBA’07, MED’09, BSBA’13, Associate Director of Student and Young Alumni Outreach; Wren Myers ★ Special Projects Coordinator; Emily Piper, Administrative Specialist; Alyssa Pruitt ★ BSBA’13, MED’15, Marketing Specialist; Patti Sanders ✪+ Associate Director of Alumni Scholarships; Julie Simpson ★ Assistant Director of Facilities and Special Events; Lauren Tyson ★ Fiscal Support Analyst

Campus View, continued from page 2

home for the Leadership Summit, but also the Bumpers College and the College of Engineering. We also have partnerships with Farm Credit, USDA, companies such as Walmart, and the Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation and Quapaw tribes. The initiative is also engaged with the Quapaw Tribe – whose chairman is an alumnus of the university and who sits on the Alumni Association Board – as

Summer 2017 • A R K A N S A S

management for Walmart and J.B. Hunt Trucking Co. in Northwest Arkansas. Survivors: son, mother, father and twin brother. Christen Cazort Franke BA’04, Little Rock, Dec. 4, 2016. She was an owner and operator of Franke’s Cafeteria in Little Rock. Survivors: parents and sister. Patricia Lee McClenahan PHD’04, Eagle River, Alaska, Oct. 13, 2016. Laura Elizabeth Adams MA’05, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, May 10, 2014.

Friends Ann Marks ★, Little Rock, Nov. 2, 2016. Survivors: sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Bill F. Beasley, Huntsville, Alabama, May 12, 2016. Survivors: husband, daughter, sons and grandchildren. Carter Price, San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 4, 2016. He was a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Transportation Corps at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Survivors: Lou A. Price BSE’72 MED’77, children and grandchildren. Irene Shaver Brill, Ward, Nov. 14, 2016. Survivors: children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Janelle Burnham Dixon, Dallas, Sept. 1, 2016. She was a teacher at Cook Elementary School in Fort Smith for more than 20 years. Survivors: two sons and three grandchildren.

grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Marcy White ✪, Plano, Texas, April 5, 2016. Survivors: John M. White BSCHE’58, sister, children and grandchildren. Mary W. Deaton ★, Benton, Nov. 20, 2016. She was a first and second grade teacher. Survivors: children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Robert L. Shackelford, Germantown, Tennessee, Oct. 11, 2016. He was national leader in sales for General Electric and Trane Heating & Air. Survivors: wife, sons and grandchildren. Sarah Elizabeth Hughey, Fayetteville, Oct. 15, 2016. Survivors: Parents, brother and sister. Trace Ellis Jr., Hot Springs, May 31, 2011. He was a co-founder and commander of the Naval Reserve Center in Hot Springs, past commander of the American Legion, chef de gare of the 40&8 and member of the Navy League of the United States. Survivors: wife Dora Jane Ellis, two sons, three grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren. Travis Jacob Doss, Springdale, Oct. 21, 2016. He worked in construction. Survivors: parents and sister. Victor Novell Varnado, Hot Springs Village, Nov. 20, 2016. Survivors: Parents.

Jesse Philip Donaldson, Hot Springs, Nov. 16, 2016. Survivors: sons, sisters,

William A. Hemingway, Vicksburg, Mississippi, Sept. 9, 2016. Played for the Razorbacks when he was attending the University of Arkansas. He went on to become a college football coach for many universities. Survivors: Father, son, daughter and six grandchildren. n

they construct and open a new, state-of-the-art value-added food businesses and training facility on their lands. The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative is actively engaged across the entire country on many important efforts to improve tribal success in providing healthy food, growing food businesses, and building sustainability and our campus home is involved in much of this work. But part and parcel of this

work is making sure that our campus is a welcoming home to Native students as they build their own lives and careers. The university community should be proud that we provide this important platform for current and future Native students. With the support of the administration, faculty and staff, our Native students and organizations will continue to weave unique history and cultural diversity into the greater fabric of the university. n

Jerome F. Downs, Oct. 23, 2016. Survivors: Son.

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L A S T LO O K

Stadium Construction Staff members of the Arkansas Alumni Association have a front-row seat to see stadium construction, positioned as they are between the west stands of the Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and the recently erected cranes being used to place steel beams in the new North End Zone Addition. To get your own front-row view of the construction, go to https://app.oxblue.com/open/universityofarkansas and click on one of the North End Zone Expansion cameras. The renovation and expansion project is being paid for by private gift support and Razorback Athletics, one of the few Division I athletics departments that is financially self-sustaining – generating enough revenue on its own to cover expenses. Razorback Athletics does not receive funding from tuition, student fees or other appropriated support. In fact, the athletics department provides more than $3 million annually back to the university in direct support of campus programs. n

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A R K A N S A S • Summer 2017


Travel the World in 2018 ••••••••••

with Razorbacks on Tour

••••••••••

Members, alumni, friends and family – anyone can travel with R azorbacks on Tour.

The Galapagos Islands January 10-17, from $4,495 Amazon River Expedition February 17-25, from $5,395 Sparkling South Pacific February 25 - March 7, from $4,299 includes economy air from select gateways Paris ~ Art, Culture & People April 8-16, from $2,995 Great Trains and Grand Canyons May 6-11, from $2,640 includes economy air from select gateways Apulia ~ Undiscovered Italy (Alumni Campus Abroad) May 9-17, from $2,595 no single supplement for solo travelers National Parks & Lodges of the Old West June 7-18, from $3,995 Alaska’s Glaciers and the Inside Passage July 5-12, from $4,295 Hops, Grains and Sláinte - A Irish Journey of Taste, Knowledge & Adventure (Young Alumni Tour) July 8-14, from $1,695

Breathtaking Bordeaux July 16-24, from $3,899 Cape Cod and the Islands August 19-25, from $2,695 includes economy air from select gateways Scotland ~ Stirling (Alumni Campus Abroad) August 20-28, from $2,895 Island Life® in Ancient Greece – an Aegean Odyssey September 7-15, from $4,495 Discover Spain – To Essos and Back (Young Alumni Tour) September 9-15, from $1,695 Cruising Patagonia’s Chilean Fjords September 28 – October 9, from $6,995 Easy Company: England to the Eagle’s Nest September 29 – October 11, from $5,995 Polar Bears of Churchill November 1-6, from $4,995

NOTE: Prices are per person based on double occupancy unless otherwise noted. Airfare is not included unless otherwise noted. PRICES AND ITINERARIES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

For details on the 2018 Razorbacks on Tour trips

visit www.arkansasalumni.org/tours or contact Catherine Baltz at travel@arkansasalumni.org, 800-775-3465, or 479-575-3151.


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