Arkansas Times | August 2022

COLLEGE GUIDE | MONSTER TALK WITH AYANA GRAY | SAVVYKIDS: BACK TO SCHOOL

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AUGUST 2022

Advocacy, myth busting and uncertainty in post-Roe Arkansas

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AUGUST 2022

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‘MAKERS, MASTER GARDENERS, HELLRAISERS AND AESTHETES’: At the THEA Foundation, Emily Moll Wood pays tribute to the women who shaped her.

FEATURE 23 POST-ROE ARKANSAS

What does the future of reproductive rights look like for Arkansans in the wake of Roe’s overturning? We talk with Karen Musick of Arkansas Abortion Support Network and with Nicolle Fletcher of Ujima Maternity Network. Sarah Thompson recalls her pre-Roe abortion in light of a post-Roe landscape; law professor Jill Wieber Lens considers the ways pregnancy could be criminalized in the state; and we tap the expertise of pharmacist Gwendolyn Herzig, Planned Parenthood physician Dr. Janet Cathey and ACLU of Arkansas Executive Director Holly Dickson.

By Austin Bailey, Mary Hennigan, Jill Wieber Lens and Stephanie Smittle

9 THE FRONT

Q&A: With Stephannie Lane Baker, director of Emerge Arkansas.

Big Pic: The Arkansans of reality TV.

13 THE TO-DO LIST

84 CULTURE

An exit interview with Brad Cushman, who retired this year as curator of the galleries at UA Little Rock.

By Stephanie Smittle

Emily Moll Wood at THEA, Keith Sweat and Babyface on the riverfront, Trout Fishing in America at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, a celebration of John Cain at Ron Robinson and more.

89 CULTURE

19 NEWS & POLITICS

Three Fold bets big on breakfast.

The January 6 hearings laid the ugly Trump truth bare.

By Ernest Dumas

33 SAVVY KIDS Back to school.

By Katherine Wyrick

A Q&A with “Beasts of Prey” author Ayana Gray.

By Sam Eifling

94 FOOD & DRINK

By Rhett Brinkley

98 CANNABIZ

Celebrities and marijuana strains are a match made in weed industry heaven.

By Griffin Coop

106 THE OBSERVER

Vignettes from a record-breaking Arkansas summer.

4 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

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THE FRONT Q&A

QUEENMAKER A Q&A WITH EMERGE ARKANSAS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEPHANNIE LANE BAKER.

Ladies, you better run. Emerge Arkansas Executive Director Stephannie Lane Baker is coming for you.

Baker swooped across the state this summer, logging 1,000 miles to drum up new recruits and spread her message: If you’re a Democratic woman with your eye on public office, there’s a team in place ready to help you win.

A single mom of two, Baker used to spend her free time helping women run for office. She took the helm of Emerge in December 2021 so she can do it full time.

What is Emerge Arkansas?

Emerge is an organization that recruits, trains and supports Democratic women running for office at all levels. Emerge is a national organization with chapters in over 20 states. Our candidates get the support of a national team of trainers, communications professionals and consultants.

And since I’m here, you also get that person who’s working on the ground in Arkansas.

trainers. The third and most important thing, what I love most about our training, is that it creates a network of women we can rely on for practical help or encouragement.

How do you pay for all this?

We rely on donations from our supporters. Part of my job as executive director is to fundraise.

For folks who share our mission, I offer the opportunity to invest in that mission.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

“Burn the Page” by Danica Roem, executive director of Emerge Virginia.

SELF-CARE PLAN: When we

don’t have such ridiculously high COVID numbers I host a ladies night at my house once or twice a month. We hang out, have snacks, float in the pool.

It’s just a space to connect. I also spend a lot of time cuddling with my kids.

Being a Democrat and a woman in Arkansas feels pretty tough right now. How do you keep your chin up?

I think there are people in power who are trying to limit the rights of everyone else. But I see women who have power in their communities, who are respected in their communities. We are seeing trends of Democratic women doing better.

I have to keep hopeful. We have two choices in the face of this unprecedented time. We can give up, or we can keep going. I don’t think giving up is a viable option in Arkansas right now. Every woman I met is energized and ready to do this work. They’re not going to stop. People who believe in common sense and decency will be the majority eventually. The best way I can see to achieve that is to recruit women, encourage them to run and give them the best tools possible to run their campaigns.

Tell us about your road trip.

I just did over 1,000 miles across Arkansas spreading the word about Emerge, PAWPAC [Progressive Arkansas Women PAC] and AFDW [the Arkansas Federation of Democratic POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS: None Women]. It was my Win With Women Summer for me, but I really, really love Roadtrip Adventure. I wanted to physically go helping the women around me to other areas of the state and have events to run. let people know, hey, we exist, this is what we What are the issues energizing Arkansas do. PAWPAC exists, this is what they do. AFDW women right now? exists, this is what they do.

Obviously the overturning of Roe has been We started out in Fort Smith, then went to Texarkana, El Dorado, Lake extremely energizing. When we ask people what’s important to them, Village, Pine Bluff, Helena and Jonesboro, then ended with a celebration we’re hearing reproductive rights, contraception, marriage equality. in Little Rock. In some cities we had four people show up, in some we People are fired up! I think people underestimated what SCOTUS had 30. In each city we had really meaningful conversations about would do and are feeling let down. We need to focus on the local again recruiting, about government, about difficulties of running a campaign, because now this is a battle at the state level. The other thing I’m especially in smaller rural areas. In every city there was enthusiasm and hearing about is climate. We’re seeing fires, we’re seeing droughts, energy and excitement that these resources exist. we’re seeing mudslides. People can look at that information and feel overwhelmed, or they can decide to take action.

What kind of resources are you talking about?

We’ve already completed training for this year. In election years we Would we be better off with more women in office? do bootcamp training, which is an attenuated version of the longer We live in a representative democracy that is not representative of the trainings we do in other years but covers the same topics. Class size is people it is serving. Women are more than half the population but make limited to make sure everyone gets enough focus and attention. We had up only a quarter of the Arkansas legislature. That is not representative.

24 applicants. I was told I could take seven, but finally got up to 11. The And data tells us that women tend to be better representatives. virtual training is 30 hours over one week.

When they’re elected, there tends to be more transparency, more What we try to deliver to them first and foremost is the understanding communication, they literally bring home more dollars to their home of the nuts and bolts of how to run a campaign: how to craft your story, districts. They are more collaborative, they introduce more legislation how to create a story of self, how to create a budget, how to fundraise and get more legislation passed. for that budget. Secondly, candidates get these connections to expert —Austin Bailey ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 9

THE FRONT BIG PIC

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ARKANSAS ARKANSANS FIND FAME, FUN ON HIT SHOWS

BY MARY HENNIGAN AND GRIFFIN COOP

10 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

BRIAN CHILSON

JOHN DAVID PITTMAN

N

othing compares to learning one of your favorite reality stars is from Arkansas. It brings forth childlike excitement to have a Natural State native, Razorback-lovin’, Buffalo River-floatin’, biscuit-bakin’ contestant on prime-time television. Whether they’re surviving on the Fijian islands with Jeff Probst, winning over the hearts of strangers in paradise or keeping it real on the “Real World,” it’s fun to watch our underappreciated state get some overdue recognition.

COLE MEDDERS “Survivor,” Season 35

MATTHEW GARLAND “Naked and Afraid,” Season 12

A Little Rock native, Cole Medders took his Arkansas-grown adventure skills and ran with them. As a kid, Medders would skip school at Little Rock Christian Academy (we can let that one slide) to go to the climbing gym. He made countless trips to Northwest Arkansas to soak in its natural beauty and grow his skills. As a survival and wilderness coach it would make sense that he would end up on a show like “Survivor,” right? Surprisingly, he was scouted for the show at a Chipotle while visiting Los Angeles. It’s crazy how life works out. Since braving the Fijian elements on Season 35, Medders also made a recent appearance on “Bachelor in Paradise” and is set to head off again to the South Pacific for another survival show in August. Between being a reality star, personal trainer and competitive rock climber, he’s a pretty busy guy. Still, he makes time to come back to Arkansas and unwind with his family. MH

“Naked and Afraid” isn’t one of those shows you go on just for the fun of it — it’s raw, real and tough. Matthew Garland took on the challenge twice — 14 days in the Arizona desert and 21 days in the African forest. He admits he thought, “What idiot would do that?” when he initially heard of the show, but soon he was addicted to the grueling feat of surviving in the wilderness with next to nothing. He became the first Arkansan to complete their endeavor. He mixes his tech day job with Advanced Alarm Technology in Benton with his passion for the outdoors. This third-generation Eagle Scout takes pride in life’s primitive aspects. He’s already excited to see his 2-year-old baby boy splash in puddles and play in the mud. MH

ADAM GOTTSCHALK

KELLIANNE PRATT

CARLA BOECKLIN

KELLEY WOLF “Real World: New Orleans”

KEAUNO PEREZ “Twentysomethings: Austin”

Kelley Wolf was waiting tables at Bordino’s in Fayetteville around 1999 when her boss said, “MTV is on the phone.” The Indiana-born, Fayetteville-raised Wolf (then known as Kelley Limp) was soon cast on MTV’s “Real World,” a forerunner to the reality TV craze. The show placed young, attractive singles in a house and let viewers observe their lives inside the bubble. Wolf admitted in a recent Arkansas Times interview she was a little “withholding” in her interactions in the house, believing that her actions on TV could follow her in the real world even after “Real World.” After the show wrapped, Wolf went back to waiting tables (this time in New Orleans) where she had plenty of fame but not much cash. She hadn’t gotten paid to be on the show. Wolf later met her husband, actor Scott Wolf of “Party of Five” fame, on a blind date and got married at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville in 2004. Wolf regularly visits her family and friends in Arkansas where her dad recently retired as a University of Arkansas professor.

“As much as I’m away, Arkansas remains one of the most special places I’ve ever been on planet Earth,” she said. Wolf, who has three kids, lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, where Scott was shooting a TV show during the pandemic, but the family is moving to Park City, Utah. Wolf’s Utah neighbors should get ready for her brand of Arkansas hospitality, because she said she regularly bakes biscuits for new neighbors. Wolf, who has a psychology degree and works as a life and executive coach, recently published “FLOW: Finding Love Over Worry” about finding joy in life. JGC

Keauno “Keke” Perez is a Texan-turnedArkansan-turned-Texan. On the Netflix original “Twentysomethings: Austin,” Perez said he was from Fayetteville — so we’re going with it. His time in Northwest Arkansas was short, four years for work at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, but Perez said some of his most transformative moments were in The Natural State. Although proudly out now, Perez grew up in an intensely Catholic environment. When he came to Arkansas for work in higher education, he found students sought advice from him about being queer — even though he was closeted at the time. In addition to being surrounded by incredibly accepting co-workers, giving students that representation was part of what encouraged him to embrace his true self. He’s an enneagram two, also known as “the helper,” and would describe himself as positive, futuristic and empathetic. These days, Perez is back in Texas working for TikTok, but said he still gets teary-eyed when he thinks about his time in Arkansas. MH

RAVEN GOTTSCHALK “The Bachelor,” Season 21 and “Bachelor in Paradise,” Season Four Only a true Arkansan would make her future potential husband call those hogs on their first meeting. Sweet, southern Raven Gottschalk (nee Gates) of Hoxie charmed her way into the hearts of America on Season 21 of “The Bachelor.” She brought relatable values of family, faith and football to viewers and offered an alternative to the more common “city girl” contestant. Gottschalk’s Jonesborobased boutique, Grey Suede, got quite a bit of attention from her TV presence, and online orders became the shop’s main revenue. But recently, she sold the boutique and started a new chapter in life. Five years ago, Gottschalk met her husband on Season Four of “Bachelor in Paradise.” After multiple pandemic-pushedback wedding plans, she’s now a wife and mother of a 6-month-old baby boy, Gates.

The small-town girl now resides in big-city Dallas, but tries to make monthly visits to her hometown. Gottschalk said she still keeps up with “Bachelor” friends, including the iconic shark-costume-wearing Alexis Waters. MH

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KEVIN HART

SATURDAY 8/6. SIMMONS BANK ARENA, NORTH LITTLE ROCK 7 P.M. $32.50-$128.50 If Kevin Hart is any indication, being an international celebrity in 2022 is wild, y’all. Earlier this year, the comedian’s media company Hartbeat raised $100 million from a private equity firm, which, according to The New York Times, valued the company at more than $650 million. Hartbeat has produced everything from the FXX comedy “Dave,” to “Night School,” a Netflix comedy starring Hart and Tiffany Haddish, to “Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart & Snoop Dogg.” On his website, Hart sells thousands of NFT alter egos (Hart wearing a wizard hat, Hart dressed like Cobra Commander, Hart with gold skin and a high-top fade) that somehow ties into an animated series (I’m also confused).

There’s also Hartbeat Ventures, his venture capital firm, which has invested in the likes of Beyond Meat. Meanwhile, he’s still finding time to make endless movies and TV shows. His latest is voicing the Bat-Hound in the animated “DC League of SuperPets,” alongside frequent comic foil Dwayne Johnson. You may have seen them on TikTok slapping each other with tortillas recently. With all that happening, the man still finds time to tour the country telling jokes on stage. LM

EMILY MOLL WOOD

HANK WILLIAMS JR.

Acclaimed Little Rock artist Emily Wood spent the early days of the pandemic obsessively painting blooming flowers. It’s since become a spring tradition. Wood thinks it was in part borne from the connection she feels between her female forebears, a long line of “makers, master gardeners, hellraisers, and aesthetes,” she writes in an artist statement. “Working from the many flower studies, combined with sketches from old photos of myself, my mother, my grandmothers, and great grandmothers, I create large paintings on inherited old tablecloths to draw attention to undervalued domestic work.” The artwork featured in the show started during a residency Wood did last summer at Stay Home Gallery, located in an old Tennessee farmhouse. She’ll be celebrated Aug. 5 with an opening reception. LM

Fresh off his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Hank Williams Jr. returns to Central Arkansas with plenty to draw from — over 50 studio albums and 10 No. 1 singles. His discography is vast and bold, and though he lives in the legacy of his father, Williams has crafted a sound that’s all his own. He’ll be joined

by Old Crow Medicine Show, whose song “Wagon Wheel” has become an anthem that all of Simmons Bank Arena is sure to sing along to. MRT

FRIDAY 8/5. THEA FOUNDATION, NORTH LITTLE ROCK 5:30 P.M., $10

FRIDAY 8/5. SIMMONS BANK ARENA 8 P.M., $39.75-$149.75

ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 13

KEITH SWEAT, BABYFACE, JODY WATLEY

SUNDAY 8/14. FIRST SECURITY AMPHITHEATER 6 P.M. $39-$209

BALARAMA HELLER

If you were born anytime between 1977 and the early 2000s, and your parents are very excited for this concert, there’s a decent chance that you were conceived to a soundtrack that one of these R&B legends had something to do with. What’s a reasonable estimate for the number of babies made while listening to Shalamar, solo Jody Watley, Keith Sweat, LSG, Babyface or any of the jillion jams Babyface produced? It’s gotta be a million. LM

PINEGROVE

SATURDAY 8/6. REV ROOM 8:30 P.M., $20-$25 Make a wish, because Pinegrove is touring with its latest album, “11:11.”

Lead singer Evan Stephens Hall describes Bon Iver as a direct influence, and the band takes on a sound that’s somewhere between emo angst and indie rock. The five-member act blends multiple instruments with powerful and vulnerable lead vocals. It sounds a whole lot like what Tumblr made popular in the early 2010s. Pinegrove has plenty to play from its several albums, and popular tracks like “Old Friends” and “Aphasia” are almost guaranteed to be on the set list. Special guest Poise will join in, bringing her delicate vocals alongside dramatic beats with the debut album “Vestiges.” Complementary to Pinegrove’s sound, Poise offers emotional lyrics in a beautiful ethereal way. MH

DAZZ “KING HONEY” MURRY

SATURDAY 8/20. WHITE WATER TAVERN 8 P.M. $12 ADVANCE, $15 DAY OF SHOW Somehow between making music with her beloved rock outfit Dazz and Brie and running Creators’ Village, the nonprofit she launched during the pandemic that aims to link musicians in underserved communities with opportunities for mentorship, publicity and training in songwriting and production, Dazz Murry recorded a solo EP. She’ll be debuting that music, under the name King Honey, at White Water, where she’s encouraging attendees to don ’70s attire, perhaps a hint at what the new jams sound like. The first single, “Liberate,” will be out Aug. 16, which will give you plenty of time to learn the chorus ahead of the concert. LM

TROUT FISHING IN AMERICA

SATURDAY 8/20. JOHNNY CASH BOYHOOD HOME, DYESS 4:30 P.M. FREE

HALESTORM

WEDNESDAY 8/10. WALMART AMP 6 P.M. $35-$99.

Anyone who’s ever heard Lzzy Hale sing is immediately obsessed with her, and rightfully so. She has one of the best voices in rock, and an electric stage presence. A pioneer in the genre, Halestorm became the first female-fronted band to win a Grammy in the Best Hard Rock/ Metal Performance category in 2012 with “Love Bites (So Do I).” The group has been on the scene for years and is still consistently making headbangers. Show up early to catch opening acts The Pretty Reckless, Lilith Czar and The Warning for a show that packs a punch. MRT

14 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

Music partners Keith Grimwood and Ezra Idlet have been performing together for the last 40 years as Trout Fishing In America. Often taking inspiration from their homes in the Ozark Mountains, the folk rock band blends its rich vocals with guitar, banjo, bass and occasionally the fiddle. Their sound is reminiscent of the best summertime classic rock jams but there are music styles for everyone — from upbeat boogies to slow deep beats and catchy blues riffs.

Trout Fishing in America is an award-winning group and a four-time Grammy nominee. So cut yourself an easy afternoon and head out to the historic site to hear the new 2022 album and the bests from their older works. MH

JASON MORANT

RACHEL TRUSTY’S “THE NEW SAINTS”

THE BLACK CROWES

TUESDAY 8/23. FIRST SECURITY AMPHITHEATER 7:30 P.M. $55-$247 If you’re a band that gets big and has a long career, there’s going to be tumult and ego clashes and missteps, so it’s always heartening to see a group like The Black Crowes, more than 30 years after they formed, not only sticking together — or more accurately, coming back together — but also willing to fully live in the past. The Crowes are embracing a welcome, somewhat modern trend: touring musicians playing one of their seminal albums in full in concert. I saw Brian Wilson of Beach Boys fame doing “Smile” in full several years back, and it was glorious. Here, the Atlanta-born rockers will play all of “Shake Your Moneymaker,” the band’s hit-filled 1990 debut record — along with “all the hits” from Crowes’ subsequent career. LM

THE EMO NIGHT TOUR FRIDAY 8/12. THE HALL 8 P.M. $15-$35

Feeling a bit angsty lately? You’re not alone. Why not take the opportunity to scream it all out at Emo Night? The best emo dance party around is making a stop at Little Rock’s newest large-scale venue, and the DJs will be spinning all the best songs all night long. Think My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy and Taking Back Sunday. Whether it was “just a phase,” or more of a lifestyle, we know you can tap back into your inner teenage dirtbag. Grab your eyeliner, maybe some skinny jeans, and head to the Hall. The show is 18-plus. MRT

ELISE DAVIS

FRIDAY 8/12. WHITE WATER TAVERN 8 P.M. $10 Elise Davis’ origin story stretches back 20 years ago to the time her parents wouldn’t let her see the band Bush in concert. Sixteen-year-old Elise fled to her room, found her guitar and channeled her rage into her first song. “When I was done I remember the deep feeling of relief I felt,” Davis told Nashville Voyager. “All that angst, hormones, and rage, just oozed out of my body from writing and it felt amazing. I never looked back.” After gigging around Little Rock during her student years, she moved to Nashville, where she got a publishing deal, toured with the likes of Dwight Yoakam and Emmylou Harris, co-wrote a song with Maren Morris and recorded a song, “Last Laugh,” that became a genuine hit on Spotify (2.8 million streams). She makes her return to Little Rock, for the first since 2019, ahead of the release of a new album in October. The early self-assured and moody singles suggest it’s one we should be highly anticipating. LM

ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 15

FAYETTEVILLE ROOTS FESTIVAL

THURSDAY-SATURDAY 8/25-8/27. VARIOUS VENUES This is how you build a local festival: gradually and thoughtfully, firmly rooted in local culture, but with big names plentiful enough to draw crowds from far and wide. It’s hard to believe the event is celebrating its 12th year. Founded by Bryan and Bernice Hembree of the band Smokey & the Mirror and chef Jerrmy Gawthrop of Woodstone Pizza, the festival continues to emphasize roots music of all stripes and culinary excellence. Among the big names this year are The Wood Brothers, Taj Mahal, Bettye Lavette and the North Mississippi Allstars.

Find tickets and more info at fayettevilleroots.com. LM

A CELEBRATION OF JOHN CAIN

AMBER LANE

SATURDAY 8/27. CALS RON ROBINSON THEATER 7 P.M. $10

STEPHANIE SMITTLE

THURSDAY 8/25. THE JOINT, NORTH LITTLE ROCK 6 P.M. $35 Stephanie Smittle is a longtime friend and colleague, so I’m obviously biased, but it is a fact that she has the kind of voice — mighty and crystalline — that quiets venues. You can attest if you’ve seen her as a chorister and cantor of high holy music at Christ Church Episcopal, or singing in the Southern sludge group Iron Tongue or as a solo performer. Regular readers of the Arkansas Times also know her as a thoughtful and perceptive writer. “Potluck & Poison Ivy” brings this all together: She’ll play songs from her luminous solo, self-titled debut and tell stories, perhaps about growing up in rural Cave Springs (Benton County). Even better, the new record — and this show — features Smittle playing the electric autoharp, which is both novel and badass. Listen to and buy the new record at stephaniesmittle.bandcamp.com, and fingers crossed, the vinyl version will be available to purchase at this show. LM

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ARKANSAS TIMES

I’d venture that few broadcasters anywhere can rival the career of John Cain, the legendary program director of KABF-FM, 88.3. He’s been on the air for 57 years (and counting)! The 85-year-old Wrightsville native is a decorated preservationist and community activist who has long championed efforts to memorialize Little Rock’s historic Ninth Street corridor, once a thriving Black business and entertainment district. Cain continues to educate the masses, with the help of 100,000 watts, on the subtleties of jazz as a KABF DJ. He’ll be celebrated with rare audio and video clips and a panel discussion of friends and family. Beer, wine and concessions will be available for purchase. LM

PAPA ROACH, FALLING IN REVERSE TUESDAY 8/30. FIRST SECURITY AMPHITHEATER 6 P.M. $45-$60

If this is your last resort, spend it at the Rockzilla Tour for a triple-threat show with Papa Roach, Falling in Reverse and Hollywood Undead. The decades-old classics bring back the grit and grunge of the early 2000s that begs for guttural, screaming-along lyrics. Combined, these three bands will bring a night of headbanging and explicit metal thrashers. Expect epic electric guitar riffs and quick-witted lyrics about life’s inevitable doom.

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NEWS & POLITICS

COULDN’T ADMIT DEFEAT: The day after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, President Trump still refused to concede that the election was over.

PSYCHOPATH TRUMP

THE JANUARY 6 HEARINGS LAID THE TRUTH BARE.

BY ERNEST DUMAS

I

t is a rare moment when one — or even two — of the great riddles of American history are solved conclusively in a few seconds, and in a way that the nation and the whole world can see. It was when the bipartisan January 6 Committee showed the unedited tape from the White House film room on Jan. 7, 2021, of an angry, tense and fumbling Donald Trump physically revolting at merely uttering the words, “The election is over.” Apparently suggested by his daughter Ivanka, these words would have left the impression that he knew he had lost the presidential election by 7 million votes — a landslide result that had been certified unanimously by the states.

The first of those two historical riddles is whether Trump was merely an arrogant but harmless sociopath or a more virulent psychopath, defined by Webster as “a person having an egocentric and antisocial personality marked by a lack of remorse for one’s actions, an absence of empathy for others, and often criminal tendencies.” The second riddle is to what extent the insane Jan. 6 mob at the Capitol — and the 25% of Americans who are totally devoted to Trump and “Stop the Steal,” including the Kool Aid-swilling Huckabees and every Arkansas Republican leader except

Governor Hutchinson and 3rd District U.S. Rep. Steve Womack — all were really the second coming of pastor Jim Jones and his Jonestown disciples.

If you watched the hearings, and especially that Jan. 7 video, you know the solution to both riddles. The video confirmed a psychopath, and the benign public reaction to the former president’s insurrection identified a cult.

First, the tape. Sworn testimony by a score of Republican congressmen, family members and Trump associates — several of whom resigned or fled when they finally realized his psychotic condition — demonstrated conclusively that Trump not only caused the criminal attack on Congress, but that he actually expected and wanted a violent conclusion, including the murder of his vice president for refusing to capitulate and declare Trump the winner.

Trump was not at all worried that harm might come to the slavish Mike Pence. While Pence’s desperate aides were texting and telephoning their final sentiments to family members as the noisy armed mob neared the holed-up vice president and his aides, a thrilled Trump was telling Mark Meadows, his glum chief of staff, that Pence “deserves it.” Is this anything but the behavior of a psychopath?

All the exhibits and sworn testimony at

the televised hearings, from Trump cabinet members on down, proved what Trump never disputed: that he had summoned and controlled the armed mob that assembled outside the White House the morning of Jan. 6. They heard his attack on Pence, and they accepted his charge for them to be brave and to march with him to the U.S. Capitol to force his spineless vice president and Congress to keep him in power and save America.

What the evidence at the final hearing proved beyond any doubt was that Trump knew that the mob was armed, knew of the assault on police and others, knew of the threats to the lives of Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others — and that he didn’t care. He refused to call off his violent followers, and he refused to mobilize soldiers and federal agents to bring the mob under control and to protect the Capitol and members of Congress, including Missouri’s sappy Yale grad Josh Hawley, who were madly fleeing to sanctuaries. Pence and defense officials had to mobilize the armed forces and law enforcement when Trump would not.

Trump finally texted the rioters to go home and cherish the day, but only after troops and agents arrived to restore order and he knew his gambit had been foiled.

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The legal purpose of the Trump statement the next day, crafted by lawyers with the help of daughter Ivanka, was to try to absolve the president of criminal liability for the seditious attack. His White House legal team knew he had to do it, and so did his family members — and even his Fox News apologists. For the record, he had to denounce the violence and criminal assault on the nation’s Capitol and call for the punishment of those involved in the assault, but he physically recoiled while trying to get the words out. And he couldn’t utter the words indicating that he accepted his defeat, which his lawyers, family members and aides thought he had to do to show that he was not responsible for the crimes on Jan. 6. It was not that he merely didn’t want to say it. He couldn’t. And he never will, even to save himself from prison.

longer a government employee and therefore could not claim executive privilege about his conversations with Trump. *** If you had actually followed this weird but fascinating duck, the 45th president, for the past 3 1/2 decades — his desperate clamoring for fame and boasts of sexual prowess to the New York tabloids, his false-on-the-face-of-it claims in celebrity magazines and financial journals of his academic success and business acumen — none of the revelations about the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol would have surprised you in the least.

Let’s just consider the false election claims.

Trump never won a popular vote election in his life — a bunch of Republican primaries in

WHAT THE EVIDENCE AT THE FINAL HEARING PROVED BEYOND ANY DOUBT WAS THAT TRUMP KNEW THAT THE MOB WAS ARMED, KNEW OF THE ASSAULT ON POLICE AND OTHERS, KNEW OF THE THREATS TO THE LIVES OF PENCE, HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI AND OTHERS — AND THAT HE DIDN’T CARE. That is the definition of a psychopath. The greatest man on earth cannot make a mistake, cannot be defeated, can never admit he lied, can never even say he was wrong. Trump once said he picked up that wisdom from his lawyer and patron saint, Roy Cohn, the psychopathic star of the Army-McCarthy hearings. (It has to be noted that when Cohn contracted AIDS and was dying, Trump, who had ritually talked to him by phone every day, cut off contact and never spoke to him again.)

A memorable part of the televised hearings was the mercifully brief and sympathetic glimpses of Ivanka Trump — a doe caught in the headlights — testifying under oath in response to a direct question about whether she thought her daddy had won the election. She knew he didn’t. An angry Trump said his little girl was just clueless.

One of the devastating disclosures of the last hearing was the evidence of two short telephone conversations between Trump and his old adviser, the conspiracist Steve Bannon, as the voting on Nov. 3 was about to begin. This was followed, a few minutes later, by Bannon’s videotaped ravings on his show that he had the inside dope on what was about to happen — that no matter how the voting went on election night, Trump was going to declare victory. The day after the devastating hearing that revealed Trump’s and Bannon’s scheming, a jury convicted Bannon of two criminal counts of contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena to testify under oath about his activities around the election and the Jan. 6 riot, when he was no

both 2016 and 2020, and of course the Electoral College in 2020, yes, but never the popular vote. He first ran for president in 2000, as a liberal abortion champion, for the nomination of the Reform Party of the United States — Ross Perot’s failed springboard. Trump defeated the petulant Pat Buchanan in the California Reform Party primary and crowed confidently that in the fall he would swamp the Republican (George W. Bush) and Democrat (Al Gore), before he realized just how stupid that was. He understood that he would finish a distant third, like any third-party candidate, and he knew that claiming election fraud would be laughable. He quit the race and blasted the Reform Party as a collection of misfits. Gore won the election but Republicans on the Supreme Court stopped a recount in Florida and directed the certification of Bush as the winner of Florida’s electors. Gore bowed and congratulated Bush.

Trump saw his chance after the election of Barack Obama in 2008. He brought all the nation’s virulent racists into his orbit by insisting that the Black man was not an American citizen or a Christian, but an African and a Muslim, and thus not the legitimate president of the United States. Getting ready for another shot at the presidency, Mike Huckabee saw the same opportunity to capture the white-supremacy vote, but faltered by admitting that he had been wrong in claiming that Obama was reared in Africa and wasn’t a real American. (Huckabee said that he hadn’t really lied and that the lie had just been a mere slip of the tongue — that he had meant to say that Obama was from

Indonesia, not Kenya.) Unlike Huckabee, Trump has never admitted a mistake or failure, unless you count his statement that he was wrong to have placed his trust in Pence’s loyalty.

At his first contest for the Republican nomination in 2016, Trump performed like a consummate psychopath. He finished a distant second to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the first-of-theseason Iowa caucuses (although well ahead of Huckabee, who had won the caucuses in 2008).

Remember Trump’s tweet after his defeat? You can still read it: “Ted Cruz didn’t win Iowa, he illegally stole it. That is why all of the polls were so wrong any [sic] why he got more votes than anticipated. Bad!” He followed that with another tweet suggesting that Iowa should hold its caucuses again, that Cruz should be prosecuted for committing election fraud, and that he probably would sue Cruz or Iowa. Of course, he never did.

Trump then won the first actual primary of the Republican race, in New Hampshire — but when the polls showed him about to lose the state election to Hillary Clinton in November, he tweeted on election day that Democrats were sending caravans of buses filled with illegal immigrants from New York City into New Hampshire’s hamlets to cast illegal ballots for Clinton. New Hampshire Republicans said such fraud didn’t and couldn’t happen. Trump lost New Hampshire, but Republicans won the other major races in the state.

Enough about the election fakery. As for those other mental-health attributes — lack of empathy and remorse for the plight of others — the stories are too legion to record or even mention here, but a couple of categories should suffice. He has almost never shown sympathy for the dying, whether they be American soldiers who died or (like John McCain) were tortured in foreign wars, or the millions who perished from COVID-19 — including hundreds of thousands of Americans who died because Trump insisted that the virus was no problem and that vaccines and protections like masks were unneeded. (Then, of course, Trump himself got the disease and then said, well, it wouldn’t be bad if someone got a shot.) His defenders say it is a matter of showing strength and confidence instead of weakness — in contrast to the mewling of Joe Biden, whimpering about the death of his loved ones, or condemning the murder of an American writer at the hands of the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. Remember when Trump canceled a scheduled visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018 for fear that his hair would get messed up by the rain? He confided to aides, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.”

On the same trip, Trump referred to more than 1,800 Marines who lost their lives to the German army at Belleau Wood in 1918 as “suckers.” No one needs reminding that he got out of military service in Vietnam by having his daddy’s doctor write that he had bone spurs in one foot.

Then there are the serial failures of leadership, both domestic (the mind-boggling pandemic deaths, or the staggering $8 trillion he added to the national debt, or the net loss of 2.7 American jobs in his four years — the first negative jobs record since Herbert Hoover) or abroad (such as his disastrous efforts on behalf of Vladimir Putin to break up or weaken the North Atlantic alliance and the European Union). As for the fake diplomatic triumphs — inevitably followed

by Trump’s claims of victory — everyone can recall his exchanges with the North Korean dictator. After threatening to blow each other’s country off the map, they exchanged “love letters” and swooned publicly for one another, until Trump finally realized that the little tyrant was not going to stop upgrading his nuclear weapons and intercontinental missiles so that he could strike the American heartland. At this point, Trump declared victory and moved on. *** The American Psychiatric Association might not include arrogance, deceit and ineptitude as symptoms of psychosis but might rather identify them as common human faults, so perhaps this line of reasoning should be taken with a grain of salt. My apologies.

As for the cult of Trump worship, which may be the largest since Hitler’s, it is hard to quantify — even in Arkansas, where tens of thousands will always vote Republican, or Democratic, no matter the candidate or circumstance. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who got the Republican nomination for governor almost by default once Trump endorsed her, provides a good gauge of the cult’s depth; the coming election will measure its breadth. Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, Trump’s most fanatical idolater, had to end her race after Trump gave Mike Huckabee’s daughter his embrace and supplied her with $14 million in cash from his rich supporters around the country. Instead, Rutledge had to use her own big war chest to nail down the most worthless political office in all the land, lieutenant governor of Arkansas, where her only function will be to sit in a chair a few weeks a year and recognize which member that the Senate rules allow to speak.

Huckabee Sanders’ whole campaign is a collection of dog whistles to conjure up Trump causes — white grievance against growing Black and immigrant power, college-educated liberals and their gender nonsense, whining women with their stupid health problems, cringing cowards who are afraid of real men carrying guns, and the evils of public-health and common-sense safety measures like vaccines and masks. Check her fancy fliers, which arrive in your mailbox every few days.

She won’t be answering any questions about what any of it means, but you are supposed to get the message. Just remember that all of it is what Donald Trump wants. It’s Kool-Aid, and it is very, very tasty.

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IN THIS UNPRECEDENTED ASSAULT ON WOMEN, ARKANSAS REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ADVOCATES FIGHT BACK.

T

he my-body-my-choice mantra co-opted by anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers in recent years does not apply below the belt. At least not for women in Arkansas, whose equal rights under the law ended on June 24, 2022. No bodily autonomy for you, you dirty Whores of Babylon!

Watching Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge blubber with happiness as she signed the draconian measure into law was stomach-churning. With no allowances made even for victims of rape or incest, Arkansas’s cruel and shortsighted law might save a few gooey globs of cells but is guaranteed to kill women. Probably lots of them.

But reproductive rights activists in Arkansas and the rest of the country aren’t about to give up. The Arkansas Abortion Support Network pledges to help women access abortion care out of state, offering resources financial and logistic to get them to Illinois, North Carolina and other places where abortion is still allowable under state law. Doctors and public health experts are directing patients to online resources to help them procure abortion pills by mail. Planned Parenthood is amping up education and outreach to help women get hold of contraceptives, even as the constitutional right to birth control comes back under fire by right-wing commanders at the U.S. Capitol.

In this month’s issue we hear from law professors, nurses, activists and midwives who stand ready to help women navigate the bleak future until the revolution is at hand.

Recent battles for equal rights and bodily autonomy for Arkansas women are lost, but the guerilla war to regain them is well underway. When reproductive rights advocates say they won’t go back, believe them.

ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 23

A New Mission Field

KAREN MUSICK ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A MISSIONARY. SHE’S BEEN DOING JUST THAT — AS AN ABORTION CLINIC ESCORT.

BY STEPHANIE SMITTLE

A

BRIAN CHILSON

MUSICK ON A MISSION: Karen Musick of the Arkansas Abortion Support Network.

24 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

fifth-generation Seventh Day Adventist, Karen Musick was “raised looking for a missionary challenge.” Her high school was an Adventist academy. She went to an Adventist college. She grew up hearing stories of how far people would travel to visit her grandfather, a respected missionary doctor working in Africa. Musick’s first exposure to life “outside of the Seventh Day Adventist world at all,” she told me, was when she graduated from college and went to New York City for a finance job in the World Trade Center.

But these days, that spiritual call has taken a very specific direction. As one of three volunteers who helm the Arkansas Abortion Support Network, Musick spent the last eight years donning a rainbow vest with the word “ESCORT” on it, accompanying patients from an often-vitriol-charged parking lot to the doors of the Little Rock Family Planning Clinic, the only spot in Arkansas that was dedicated to performing surgical abortions. None of the escorts, nor any of the organization’s three leaders — Musick, Ali Taylor and Roz Creed — take a paycheck for their work. And yet, when we talked with Musick a week after Arkansas’s “trigger law” took effect and made abortions illegal immediately even in cases of rape and incest, every single person who had reached out for help from the organization had received assistance to get their transportation and procedure costs covered, “if that’s what they needed,” Musick said. “But how that’s going to work in another month, in another several months, is going to be different. There are a lot of barriers. The effort to try to make what we’re doing illegal is frightening.”

On the Friday morning the news came down that the U.S. Supreme Court, newly stacked with three Trump-nominated justices, would upend the 50-year precedent set by the Roe v.

Wade decision, Musick first heard the news on the concrete parking lot of the abortion clinic — from the mouth of an anti-abortion protestor. She and another escort were there at 7:15 a.m., mirroring the clinic’s appointment schedule. The three protestors (all of them men) who showed up that morning to harangue and photograph patients as they entered the clinic began “cheering and yelling,” Musick recalled, “and neither of us had gotten the notice yet on our phone.” Musick was left to console patients whose appointments had been

abruptly canceled. One patient had driven with her mother from Oklahoma for an appointment that day; the clinic hadn’t been able to reach her on the phone to give her the news, and she arrived to discover that she’d have to start the process all over again — in yet another state.

“It was enough to scar me for life,” Musick said. “I can’t imagine the pain of the clinic staff. I’ll never get over some of the pain I had to witness.” Protesters turned up “out of the woodwork” that day after news of the decision spread, Musick said, “but so did half a dozen clinic escorts! They just didn’t know where else to go, so they just put their vests on and came on over and helped us through the day.”

Musick didn’t get home until around midnight that night. After her shift at the clinic, she went to the state Capitol for the reproductive rights rally that materialized in the immediate wake of the decision, where state Rep. Jamie Scott (D-North Little Rock), state Sen. Joyce Elliott (D-Little Rock) and state Sen. Clarke Tucker (D-Little Rock) stood with Arkansans in the summer heat and spoke out against the abortion ban. “It was a very long day,” Musick said. “But the community is an amazing community. The support is incredible.”

Musick and the league of volunteers at

STILL HERE. We can help you go out of state to access abortion in states where it is still legal.”

Musick’s work has changed in expected and unexpected ways. She’s still helping pregnant people navigate access to safe abortions, albeit over the phone instead of in the clinic parking lot. She’s trying to remember to take care of herself — to “sleep well and eat appropriately, accurately, carefully, to keep myself fueled.”

She’s fielding calls from reporters at national media outlets who want her to put them in touch with Arkansans seeking abortion access, and turning them down. “I’m not going to put people through that,” she said. “I’m not going to call people up and say, ‘Remember last month?

A reporter wants to talk to you!’ … I’m delighted that people can share their stories,” she said.

“It takes a lot of strength to be able to do that.

If reporters are asking the right questions, it’s such an important thing to do — to connect the stories to the general population. But I’ve decided I’m leaving myself out of it. I can’t.”

There’s an exception to that rule, though: Musick’s own abortion story. “I had an abortion when I was in college,” Musick told me. The pregnancy, she said, “was not God-intended.

It was not any-intended.” At her devoutly religious college, continuing the pregnancy

The sin that I did was having sex before I got married. I knew that. But pregnancy is just an outcome of that. I had already sinned.”

With that experience in the rearview mirror, along with a subsequent ectopic pregnancy, multiple miscarriages and, eventually, the birth of her daughter — her “pride and joy” — Musick considers herself an “abortion rights missionary” of sorts. “I see myself doing this the rest of my life, making sure that people have access to safe, legal abortions.” Though she doesn’t consider herself a practicing Adventist, she doesn’t bristle at another spiritual label — being called “an angel” by some of those whose lives she’s dropped into at pivotal moments.

“I’m going to try and live up to that,” she said.

Musick’s husband of over 40 years, with whom she moved to Arkansas in 2001, rubs her feet at the end of a hard day. “He’s so proud of me,” she said. “My daughter will post pictures of me doing things and her friends will say, ‘Your mom’s such a badass.’ They give me the strength I need. Both of them do.” She’d love to be a grandmother, she says, “but not one second before my daughter is ready to be a mother.”

“When we started this as clinic escorts,” Musick said, “we never envisioned that the

THERE ARE A LOT OF BARRIERS. THE EFFORT TO TRY TO MAKE WHAT WE'RE DOING ILLEGAL IS FRIGHTENING. the Abortion Support Network had been anticipating the criminalization of abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court allowed a Texas abortion ban to take effect last fall, and especially since May 2, when a leaked Supreme Court opinion threatened future removal of federal protections for abortion access. Up until June 24, the text on the Arkansas Abortion Support Network’s website under the “Need help?” tab read: “ABORTION IS STILL LEGAL IN ARKANSAS.” Now, the website reads: “WE ARE

would have meant the end of her education, or worse. “I know for a fact my life would have taken turns that I can’t even begin to fathom if I had continued the pregnancy,” she said.

“Although I can’t envision that. I seriously would have killed myself before having a baby at that point.” Having committed what her religious upbringing deemed a sin — sex before marriage — she “used that moment to reclaim my life for God. I wasn’t raised in a world where people thought it was a sin to have an abortion.

ability for someone to access an abortion might depend on our abilities to raise enough money to help them get out of state. This is so much bigger than we envisioned it being. And it’s a little bit frightening because we’re all still volunteers.” Still, she said, she’s hopeful.

“I believe in the good in people,” she said. “I believe that we’re put here to be of service to others. I believe that if we do have a purpose in this life, it has to include being kind, or why are we here?”

Danger grows for pregnant Black women

BY MARY HENNIGAN

T

he end of guaranteed abortion rights will affect people who can get pregnant nationwide, in some places more than others. In Arkansas, with abortions now banned almost completely with no exception for rape or incest, the law stipulates abortion is legal only to save the life of the mother. In the state that reliably languishes among the worst for maternal mortality in the nation, health experts predict a grim picture for pregnant Black people in Arkansas.

Arkansas’s abortion ban will likely have a greater impact on Black women, said Gloria Richard-Davis, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

“When we look at Black women and pregnancy, period, we’re at a higher risk,” Richard-Davis said. “So, if you take away an option, and women who didn’t plan a pregnancy, or they have complications … all of those things will contribute to our increase in morbidity and mortality.”

Black women are three to four times more likely to die a pregnancy-related death, according to a 2022 report from the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. And Black infants are twice as likely to die within their first year of life, compared to white infants.

“If we’re not addressing some of the underlying factors that are impacting Black women’s health, then they’re just going to persist,” said CaSandra Glover, author of the report. “If more women are going to be in a predicament where they’re going to have to give birth, this will just exacerbate those outcomes

that are already trending negatively for Black women and other women of color.”

At Ujima Maternity Network, a Conwaybased nonprofit founded in 2018, sustaining Black women and their babies through healthy pregnancies and births is the goal.

“We specialize in women who are currently pregnant and fearful that their life might end because they’re pregnant,” Ujima Board President Nicolle Fletcher said. “I’m a Black mother, and I want to live.”

The group is relatively new, but growing. “I know we are the only organization founded and dominated by Black women, Black birth workers and professionals, as well as Black mothers,” Fletcher said.

Stances on abortion access vary among the board members, doulas, apprentice midwives and other providers who make up Ujima’s network of caregivers and advocates. Fletcher places herself on the right-hand side of the spectrum. Regardless, the trigger law banning abortion in Arkansas means more women will be having babies, and facing the health risks that pregnancy and childbirth entail.

A MULTILAYERED PROBLEM Lack of money or insurance and a shortage of health care providers in rural areas are some of the numerous barriers keeping Black women from getting adequate pregnancy-related care.

These factors are called social determinants of health. Compounded with the limited options available for unplanned pregnancies, they will likely contribute to an increased mortality rate among minority women in Arkansas, Richard-

Davis said.

“In Arkansas, Black women’s health and maternal mortality was already an emergency that we should have been addressing long ago,” said Laura Kellams, Northwest Arkansas director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. “[The abortion ban] will just make it more dangerous because people without the resources will be giving birth who may not have otherwise.”

Without the protection of Roe v. Wade, many Arkansas residents will likely choose to travel out of state for care. With bans in most of the Southern states, the nearest operational clinics are hundreds of miles away. Factor in travel, hotels, missed work shifts and child care costs, and it’s easy to understand why seeking an abortion outside the state is unrealistic for lowincome and underserved communities.

As more people carry children, Richard-Davis said, one of the most important things to do is to seek care as soon as possible. Because Black women are at a higher risk for pre-existing health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, they face a higher risk for pregnancy complications. The risks do not end after delivery, Richard-Davis said.

“If we are able to optimize women’s health, pre-conception, then we can improve on the outcomes for the mother and the baby,” she said. “Preventive care is critical. But in order to do that, there needs to be access and culturally competent care.”

On top of systemic obstacles, Black women often feel unheard and disrespected in medical settings, Richard-Davis said. These disconnects

‘CULTURALLY COMPETENT CARE’: A range of experts discussed the barriers for adequate health care for Arkansas Black women. From left to right; CaSandra Glover, Deneshia Simpson, Laura Kellams, Gloria Richard-Davis, Joi McGowan.

26 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

REMEMBERING HER PRE-ROE ABORTION IN A POST-ROE WORLD

can fuel dangerous outcomes, she said.

“It really underscores the issue that women who are even within the health care system feel like their voices aren’t heard,” RichardDavis said. “They may bring up a problem and it gets dismissed. They know their bodies better than anyone else.”

Increasing diversity among medical professionals is a key component to providing a safer environment for people of color, she said.

‘YOU DON’T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE STRONG, YOU CAN SET BOUNDARIES’ For now, mental health experts are unsure if the abortion ban will affect the need for mental health services among Black women in Arkansas. The same barriers to other types of care exist for mental health services, and a cultural stigma adds to that.

“There is that stereotype of, ‘We don’t share things outside of the home, or we rely on our faith,’ because dating back to slavery, that’s what we had,” said Deneshia Simpson, counselor and co-founder of Resilient Black Women, a nonprofit that prioritizes mental health resources for minority women in Northwest Arkansas.

A lack of diversity in existing psychiatric settings can also bring feelings of loneliness and dismissal, she said. Ultimately, having a therapist who will go to lengths to understand their client is best, regardless of any demographic. Still, Black women may question what level of understanding they can receive when they communicate racespecific issues with a white therapist.

“A lot of people in our field have said things like, ‘It’s like death by 1,000 papercuts,’ ” counselor and Resilient Black Women cofounder Joi McGowan said. “There is never really a moment to heal and recover. I don’t actually get an opportunity to stop being Black. I’m always a Black woman, no matter what room I go into. Either I’m the only Black woman, or I’m one of few. That’s a lot. That’s difficult.”

These experiences also lead women to question if they’re being too dramatic, or if they should follow the trope of a “strong Black woman,” McGowan said. “We want to tell women, ‘You don’t always have to be strong, you can set boundaries.’ ”

only had enough remover to clean three fingers on her right hand, she said.

The atmosphere was not warm and fuzzy.

Her mother paid with a traveler’s check, but Thompson does not know how much it cost.

She was sedated for the surgery and kept overnight.

Afterward, three other women were in the room with her; one was from Florida and wore fake eyelashes. The hospital window was open; she could see the East River.

Thompson and her mother stayed a few nights before returning home to Arkansas.

Once back, her mother helped her get on birth control. Thompson told her dad to sell the new car that had been a graduation gift.

“I remember my mother saying, ‘We will never speak of this again.’ We never did,” Thompson said.

When she went to college, she told lies to cover for her procedure — kidney infections, the car using up too much oil. Until a few years ago, most of Thompson’s family didn’t know about her abortion.

“I have always felt extremely fortunate that I was able to get on with my life — get my degree, and my master’s degree,” she said. “I’ve been married 42 years. I have a 38-year-old son. It did not ruin my life. If anything, it made me more determined to be responsible.”

Thompson said she is “terrified” for the young women in Arkansas who will live in a post-Roe v. Wade world. She said she is concerned with a lack of sexual health education in public schools, and how access to resources will be limited.

“I’m ready to drive somebody,” she said.

“I’m ready to donate. I’m ready to assist in any way that I can. Legally, it’s a minefield. Nobody really knows what’s going to happen.”

Thompson said she donates monthly to several groups, including the Arkansas Abortion Support Network, Progressive Arkansas Women’s PAC and Emerge Arkansas.

She has been on the board for the Arkansas Coalition for Reproductive Justice and various Planned Parenthood boards.

When she looks toward the future of women’s reproductive rights in Arkansas, Thompson said her “heart breaks for them.”

—Mary Hennigan BRIAN CHILSON

"I

remember the day that Roe passed.

I was a sophomore in college, and I remember saying to myself, ‘If they ever try to take this away, I’m going to go chain myself to the steps of the Supreme Court.’”

Sarah Thompson hasn’t done that yet, but she has spent several years advocating for safe and accessible abortions by protesting, contibuting to groups that support women’s right to choose and monthly donations. The advocacy Thompson does today as a 68-yearold woman is because of the decision she made during the summer of 1971, before Roe v. Wade was made law.

Before the landmark case protected women for half a century, many were forced to travel hundreds of miles — or to perform dangerous methods of selfinduction — when they could not obtain local legal abortions. Now, with the law overturned, and abortions banned in Arkansas, many women and people who can become pregnant could find themselves in similar situations.

“I have always been so adamant that no little girl in Little Rock should have to go through what I did,” she said.

Although it happened 51 years ago, the details remain ingrained in Thompson’s mind.

Thompson got pregnant shortly after her 1971 high school graduation. She was 17, lived in Little Rock with her parents and was preparing to move to Fayetteville for school at the University of Arkansas. Her period was “clock-work regular,” and after missing one, Thompson saw an OB-GYN in the city who confirmed she was about eight weeks pregnant.

After her doctor’s visit, Thompson told her mother she was pregnant while they watched afternoon soap operas. She told her father when he got home from work. Abortion was illegal in Arkansas at the time and together, they decided to travel to New York — 1,200 miles away from home — for the procedure.

She wore a white, blue floral patterned dress on the plane with her mother from Little Rock to New York. It was sleeveless and stopped above-the-knee. Thompson and her mother walked on the tarmac into the plane because the enclosed walkways were not yet regular.

She was wearing nail polish, which she was later asked to remove for the procedure. She

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AUGUST 2022 27

BUSTING MYTHS AND SURVIVAL TIPS WHEN ABORTION IS OFF THE TABLE

T

he dreaded and dramatic end to all abortions in the state except to save a pregnant woman’s life has implications beyond locked clinic gates. The new law plunked Arkansans into a stew of confusion and unintended consequences.

Health and legal experts can help with some of it. Questions like, “What’s the difference between a morning-after pill and an abortion pill?” and “Is Plan B still legal?” are pretty straightforward.

But other questions have no solid answers yet. Will doctors need to wait until a woman’s condition has deteriorated to near death before they can swoop in with a life-saving abortion, or can they intervene earlier and remain on solid legal ground? Are we standing at the top of a slippery slope that will lead to Arkansans being criminalized if they seek abortion care across state lines?

We tapped the expertise of pharmacist Gwendolyn Herzig, Planned Parenthood physician

Dr. Janet Cathey and American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas Executive Director Holly Dickson to clear some things up.

Are Plan B, the morning-after pill and the abortion pill the same thing? Are they all still legal?

Abortion pills are not emergency contraception and emergency contraception is not abortion pills.

In the foggy confusion of the Dobbs decision’s aftermath, reproductive health advocates are pushing to put this message in lights.

Plan B, often called the morning-after pill, is one brand of emergency contraception available without a prescription. It remains legal and available in Arkansas. Other brand names of this same drug include Take Action, My Choice, New Day, Next Choice One Dose, My Way, Fall Back Solo and Aftera. Ella, another medical emergency contraceptive pill made up of a different drug, requires a prescription.

These medications work by disrupting or

preventing ovulation, meaning there’s no egg to be fertilized. They may also prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine lining, which is a requirement for a viable pregnancy. But the Food and Drug Administration said evidence suggests Plan B does not prevent implantation. And it’s only effective within five days of unprotected sex, although it works best the sooner you take it.

“Plan B is a contraceptive. It does not work if you’re already pregnant,” Dr. Cathey explained.

The abortion pill is not the same thing at all. The abortion pill, actually a set of two drugs, induces miscarriage. It’s no longer legal for health care providers to prescribe abortion pills in Arkansas.

Can you order abortion pills through the mail?

You probably can, but it might be trouble. The Biden administration is fighting states’ attempts to ban them, likely setting up the next legal showdown over abortion rights. The pills are not allowed under Arkansas’s abortion ban.

ABORTION LAWS BY STATE BANNED Ban in effect

28 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

Expected soon

GESTATIONAL BANS Ban Blocked

Six Weeks

15 or 18 Weeks

So how will this play out?

“Possessing abortion pills is not illegal,” Dickson said. “The definition of abortion in the trigger ban includes ‘administering, procuring or selling’ abortion drugs ‘with the purpose to terminate the pregnancy of a woman’ [unless it’s your own pregnancy that’s being terminated]. It remains to be seen in what circumstances that would apply.”

Say someone in Arkansas takes the abortion pill but then finds herself in medical trouble. Will she be arrested if she goes to the hospital?

There is no way for anyone to know whether you have taken an abortion pill or if you have miscarried naturally, a reproductive health nurse said. Her advice: “Tell them, ‘I just woke up like this.’ There’s no way for them to prove otherwise.”

Will long-term birth control methods become illegal in Arkansas?

There’s definitely a lot of concern out there on this one. IUDs and implants that go under the skin

(Nexplanon) are among the types of contraception that theoretically might prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine lining. Because so many Arkansas politicians whoop and holler about life beginning at conception, some worry contraception that has even the smallest chance of preventing a fertilized egg from implanting could be criminalized.

Herzig fields lots of questions about this at her pharmacy. “Are IUDs and tubal ligations still legal? People are fearing they won’t be on the table in the future, and a lot of people are rushing to try to get stuff done,” she said.

Cathey hears similar questions from patients at Planned Parenthood. And while she thinks it’s possible that access to emergency contraception, IUDs and implants is threatened, she cautions patients not to make rushed decisions. Women considering having their IUDs replaced early in fear that they won’t have the option in a few years when their current IUDs expire should take some time and be thoughtful, Cathey said.

LEGAL FOR NOW Lawmakers or courts could decide

“People are thinking, mine is OK for two more years but I need to change it now. I would not recommend that,” she said. “I don’t think anybody should make those decisions just because they’re worried and afraid. It needs to be a thoughtful decision.”

Will contraception become harder to get? Will my private medical information be safe?

Contraception is pretty easy to get a hold of, and that’s a message Cathey wants to push. Pelvic exams are not required to get birth control pill prescriptions, and those appointments can often be done as telehealth visits for people who can’t get to the Planned Parenthood clinics in Rogers or Little Rock. No parental permission is required for people over age 14, and some types of birth control pills cost less than $10 a month, even without insurance. Your medical information is safe, she said.

— Austin Bailey

LEGAL Legal or protected

Source: The New York Times. Information current as of 7/28/2022.

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AUGUST 2022 29

The Future of Arkansas Abortion Laws PUNISHING PREGNANT ARKANSANS

BY JILL WIEBER LENS

R

oe v. Wade is over. In Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court ruled that there is no constitutional right to an abortion, overturning almost 50 years of precedent.

Abortion is illegal in Arkansas with limited exceptions, yet it’s still possible and even likely that the Arkansas legislature will do more.

The law Arkansas adopted in June will do little to deter pregnant women from obtaining medication abortion and traveling out of state for an abortion. This means the likely next step for the Arkansas legislature is to target pregnant women directly.

Arkansas law bans doctors from performing abortions, with two statutory exceptions. The first is allowing treatment for ectopic pregnancy, when a fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the uterus. Ectopic pregnancy can be fatal for the woman if untreated and the embryo/ fetus will not survive because of its inability to develop. Treatment involves ending the

pregnancy; is that enough?” The Arkansas statute doesn’t answer this hypothetical.

Notice that I said the Arkansas laws prohibit doctors from performing abortions — criminally punishing doctors. Currently, pregnant women cannot be criminally punished for having an abortion. Arkansas’s abortion ban is clear that women cannot be charged or convicted “with any criminal offense in the death of her own unborn child.” Arkansas’s statutory prohibition on the use of telemedicine for medication abortion is clear that no penalty can be assessed on the pregnant woman. Similarly, Arkansas’s murder statute is clear that it does not apply to the pregnant woman in cases of fetal death. Under these statutes, the only person who can face consequences is the doctor. (Still, the laws are the same in other states, and eager prosecutors have still pursued even murder charges against pregnant women after pregnancy loss.)

We should all be prepared for this focus on doctors to change, however. This is due first to

and FDA-approved for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. It is illegal in Arkansas for a doctor to prescribe these medications for an abortion (or an impending miscarriage if the fetal heart is still beating). But these drugs are also easily accessible over the internet via international pharmacies. An organization called AidAccess has been offering abortion services to Americans since 2017, pairing patients with a doctor in another country who can prescribe medication abortion if appropriate.

A pregnant person could obtain these drugs, take them, and have an abortion. And Arkansas’s laws provide no consequences.

Arkansas leaders are very clear that they want to end abortion in this state. If they want to stop pregnant women from obtaining and taking mifepristone and misoprostol, the most obvious way to do so is to punish pregnant women.

Even after Dobbs, abortion is still legal in about half of the states. If they have the means, pregnant women can still travel to another state

THE LAW ARKANSAS ADOPTED IN JUNE WILL DO LITTLE TO DETER PREGNANT WOMEN FROM OBTAINING MEDICATION ABORTION AND TRAVELING OUT OF STATE FOR AN ABORTION. THIS MEANS THE LIKELY NEXT STEP FOR THE ARKANSAS LEGISLATURE IS TO TARGET PREGNANT WOMEN DIRECTLY. pregnancy, but the Arkansas statute specifically defines this treatment as not an abortion.

The second exception is when abortion is necessary to “save the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency.” The statute defines medical emergency as “a condition in which a pregnant woman’s life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury.” But how endangered does her life need to be? The dissent in Dobbs asked: “Suppose a patient with pulmonary hypertension has a 30-to-50 percent risk of dying with ongoing 30 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

the wide availability of the abortion pill drugs mifepristone and misoprostol, and second to the ability to travel out of state and obtain an abortion in a state where it is legal. Arkansans can still have abortions by either obtaining these drugs or traveling to another state — and not be subject to criminal or civil consequence.

Mifepristone and misoprostol are the drugs used for medication abortion, and are also used to treat impending miscarriage. In 2020, over half of abortions in the U.S. were medication abortions. These drugs are extremely safe

if they desire an abortion. This will not be an easy feat. The geographically nearest states where abortion remains legal are Kansas (for now — a ballot measure in August will determine if abortion remains legal in Kansas), Colorado and Illinois. Between the burden of getting time off work, and the costs of traveling and possibly of child care, it will not be easy for Arkansans to travel out of state and obtain a legal abortion.

But some will. And it’s likely that the Arkansas legislature will look to prevent this. Sen. Jason Rapert (R-Conway) has already mentioned this

NEED HELP?

Navigating an unwanted pregnancy can be scary.

Here are a few places to start.

possibility. He is likely considering a law specifically targeting abortions that occur outside of Arkansas. The possibilities include laws that prohibit any doctor from performing an abortion on an Arkansan, making it illegal for Arkansans to get an abortion anywhere in the U.S., or prohibiting pregnant Arkansans from traveling out of state to obtain an abortion. The dissenting opinion in Dobbs brought up the possibility of these state laws, pointing out this future unknown.

Can a state legislature really do that? In his concurring opinion, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh dismissed this possibility, stating that in his view, states could not do so because of the constitutional right to travel. A recent prophetic law review article, however, answers more honestly: We don’t know. Some precedent says no, but it’s older and wasn’t about abortion. Plus, any rules of the game tend to change when abortion is involved (even overruling 50 years of precedent to take away a previously recognized right). And eventual legal resolution may not even matter.

Even the possibility of legal ramifications has caused Montana Planned Parenthood clinics to stop providing medication abortion to outof-state residents.

Again, the most obvious way to stop Arkansans from traveling out of state to obtain abortions is to (attempt) to punish women.

It would be much easier to do than trying to punish out-of-state doctors, especially since many states where abortion is legal have or are in the process of passing legal measures to protect their doctors.

Roe is gone, but the campaign to end abortion for Arkansans is not at all over.

Punishing pregnant women was previously a bridge too far for most anti-abortion advocates.

Governor Hutchinson has reassured that Arkansas laws will not punish pregnant women. But the current circumstances — the availability of medication abortion and legal access to abortion still in about half of the states — mean that abortions will continue. If the Arkansas legislature is as anti-abortion as it claims to be, punishing pregnant women is likely the next step.

Jill Wieber Lens is an instructor and associate dean at the Robert A. Leflar Law Center at the University of Arkansas. Her research focuses on reproductive health and justice.

Anyone navigating an unwanted pregnancy doesn’t need extra obstacles thrown in the way. But attempts to find abortion resources can turn up a churn of misinformation and diversion tactics from anti-abortion organizations — or worse, attempts to collect the personal data of those seeking an abortion in order to incriminate them. Here, in alphabetical order, are a few resources the experts recommend for getting an abortion or finding the right birth control — and taking care of your mental health along the way.

ARKANSAS ABORTION SUPPORT NETWORK arabortionsupport.org Founded in 2016, the Arkansas Abortion Support Network has been best known for its abortion clinic escort volunteers, who shielded patients showing up for their abortion procedures from harassment and intimidation by anti-abortion activists. In the post-Roe world, they’re acting as logistical escorts, helping connect pregnant people with abortion options outside of Arkansas, “regardless of a pregnant person’s economic or social status, or ZIP code.”

I NEED AN ABORTION ineedana.com In 2013, disillusioned by the fake clinics they found while googling abortion clinics near them, a designer and engineer built this website “to make it as easy as possible for people to find the information and resources that apply to them, without having to sift through a lot of noise or, worse, misinformation and stigma from anti-abortion organizations.” Ineedana.com collects three pieces of nonidentifiable information (age, ZIP code and weeks since last period) to link abortion seekers up with vetted, localized options.

PLAN C plancpills.org If you’re looking to manage a medication abortion at home, you can find reliable information at plancpills.org. The information campaign and platform was launched by veteran public health advocates, researchers, social justice activists and digital strategists. Their goal is to transform access to abortion by normalizing the self-directed option of abortion pills by mail.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD GREAT PLAINS plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthoodgreat-plains Since 1935, Planned Parenthood has been advocating for sexual health, and they’re still around, providing a broad collection of reproductive health services and fighting the good fight in the nation’s courts. Most helpful

right now might be the organization’s Post-Roe FAQ, which breaks down in detail what the overturning of Roe does for people who can become pregnant and live in Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri or Oklahoma. You’ll find it at plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthoodgreat-plains/post-roe-faq.

REPROACTION reproaction.org This “left-flank culture change organization” does tons of advocacy and community organizing, but is also a helpful resource on SMA (self-managed abortion) — abortions that happen outside of a provider’s care, often with a pill called misoprostol. Head to reproaction. org/campaign/self-managed-abortion for some detailed mythbusting on the differences between Plan B, misoprostol and mifepristone.

THERAPY FOR BLACK GIRLS therapyforblackgirls.com Not everyone who gets an abortion will need to talk with a therapist, but some will, and we know that the people most likely to bear the biggest burden from restrictions to abortion access are Black women. Founded by psychologist Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, this website helps connect Black women with online mental wellness resources and with local therapists.

WOMEN HELP WOMEN abortionpillinfo.org Under the mantra of “connecting the personal experience of swallowing a pill to global political activism,” this organization’s SASS arm (self-managed abortion; safe and supported) exists to “support people in the United States who choose to have an abortion with pills outside of the health care system. The goal of SASS is to ensure that people in the U.S. can get accurate, up-to-date information about how to self-manage an abortion with pills safely, with dignity, and with minimal legal risk.”

WOMEN ON WEB womenonweb.org Based in Canada and founded in 2005, this international telemedicine service connects people (including “trans, non-binary, genderqueer, and gender nonconforming people,” though their name doesn’t reflect that) with medical doctors, researchers, activists and help desk members. You can schedule an online consultation and, after a review from a medical doctor, get access to medical abortion pills or contraceptives through the mail. There’s also a helpful FAQ about abortion pills and a place to share your own abortion story if you’re ready.

ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 31

JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL VENT SCREENING E !

THIS MONTH Learn more at s bs.org/event myarkansasp 32 AUGUST 2022

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Break through the surface to explore the living, breathing ecosystem beneath our world.

“Dirt” — a new documentary about saving our soil — delves into how Arkansas farmers, ranchers and more are improving their operations by helping the environment.

SE E H OW

THURSDAY, SEPT. 1, AT 7 P.M. Never miss an update.

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FIRST CLASS Get Ready, School Starts Soon

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AUGUST 2022 33

Welcome

back to school

THE PULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT boasts many dedicated educators and administrators from 26 schools across central Arkansas, which now includes the DRIVEN Virtual Academy in its second year with PCSSD. These educators have dedicated their careers to investing in young people. With a new school year beginning, here are some tips from Oakbrooke Elementary principal, Dr. Kim Truslow, and Mills Middle principal Dr. Lisa Watson.

What are you looking forward to as a new year begins?

DR. TRUSLOW: I am looking forward to seeing the bright faces of students excited to learn in a new school year and to meet new friends, making memories along the way. I am looking forward to a “normal” school year with many activities and learning opportunities present.

DR. WATSON: As an instructional leader of Mills Middle School, I am looking for scholars to showcase their creativity, be innovative, and ready to explore all areas of learning.

What can families do to prepare for the first day of school as the weeks of summer wind down?

DR. TRUSLOW: Families can begin new habits of going to bed early and getting into the school routine. Families can begin talking about how exciting a new school year is because it marks new beginnings and a fresh start to learning. Families can practice packing your backpack, opening your lunch, getting in and out of the car seat belt or booster seat, and talking about how their students will get home from school each day.

What can families and students expect when school begins?

DR. WATSON: Scholars and families can expect a school community that will meet the personalized academic and social needs of all scholars to prepare them for college and career readiness. Where differences are valued and respected.

What are your goals for the 2022-2023 school year?

DR. TRUSLOW: My goals for the 2022-2023 are to foster learning for all students where each student is known and nurtured to be the best version of themselves. My goals for the 2022-2023 school year is that every student will advance academically at least one school year in their learning and will be proud to say they are an Oakbrooke Bobcat!

DR. WATSON: The goals for Mills Middle School for the 2022-2023 school year are to establish a positive learning environment where scholars’ voices are heard and they are participating in an engaging rigorous academic setting where scholars and staff are striving for excellence.

ABOUT PCSSD

REGISTER NOW

Pulaski County Special School District spans more than 600 square miles in central Arkansas and requires highly skilled and passionate personnel to adapt educational policies and personalization to 26 schools. Every school is accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Education. PCSSD has served schools across Pulaski County since July 1927.

PCSSD is committed to creating a nationally recognized school district that assures that all students achieve at their maximum potential through collaborative, supportive and continuous efforts of all stakeholders.

pcssd.org/register 34 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

AUGUST 2022 NEWS & NOTES HOMEMADE PIE DAY

Aug. 1

Keep your eyes on the pies! Today is about celebrating this symbol of American life in its many forms

NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DAY

Aug. 2

Known as the most toothsome of treats, the chocolate chip deserves its day. Bake your own or sample one from Fidel, Flake Baby Pastry or The Root (listed in order of preference).

TAIL WAGGIN’ TUTORS

BREAKFAST WITH A TWIST — MACAWS

Aug. 1

Aug. 13

Hot dog! Tail Waggin’ Tutors is back at the Central Arkansas Library System’s Thompson Library! This program, a part of Therapy Dogs International, encourages dogged readers by providing a receptive, nonjudgmental, furry listener.

Takes place every first Monday of the month, 4-5 p.m.

Birds of a feather … breakfast together! Share scintillating conversation and a meal with the macaws at the Little Rock Zoo. Check-in at 7:50 a.m.

In other zoo news … There’s a new animal ambassador in town! Meet Petunia, a prehensile-tailed porcupine.

'SHREK THE MUSICAL'

Through Aug. 13

Murry’s Dinner Theater Everyone’s favorite ogre is back in this hilarious and twisted adventure based on the Oscar-winning smash hit movie.

Follow this unlikely green hero, his sassy ass sidekick and their pea-green princess on a journey full of romance and zany misfit characters. The perfect show for any age! For showtimes and ticket info, check murrysdp.com.

BACK-2-SCHOOL BASH

Aug. 7

3-5 p.m.

Arkansas Hands and Voices is hosting three back-to-school events FREE to children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.

Back-2-School Bash will be held at three locations: Professor Bowl, Conway Family Bowl and Springdale Bowl. Snacks provided. Don’t forget your socks! For more information call/text 501-932-7700 or email info@arhandsandvoices.org. Register by 8/4 at bit.ly/3AlaJhw.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR LRSD & PCSSD!

Aug. 22

'PAW PATROL LIVE! THE GREAT PIRATE ADVENTURE'

Aug. 27-28

Simmons Bank Arena Set sail on a pirate adventure! It’s Pirate Day in Adventure Bay, and Ryder will need all paws on deck as he and the PAW Patrol discover a secret treasure map while on a mission to rescue Cap’n Turbot from a mysterious cavern. Check online for ticket info/times.

SAVVY kids

Brooke Wallace, Publisher, brooke@arktimes.com | Katherine Wyrick, Editor, katherinewyrick@arktimes.com Lesa Thomas, Senior Account Executive, lesa@arktimes.com | Sarah Holderfield, Art Director Find more at SAVVYkidsAR.com ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 35

Butterflies, Supplies, Checkups & Checklists

GET READY, SCHOOL STARTS SOON

By Katherine Wyrick

T

he sight of school supplies on shelves in mid-summer elicits mild panic in some, elation in others. Whether you’re in back-to-school denial or are eagerly counting down the days, the fact remains that the first day of class is right around the corner, bringing with it the perennial questions: What will this school year look like? Will your child get the teacher he/she/they want? Do they need checkups? Are they up to date on vaccines? Where is that school supplies list? What about a haircut? And, eek, weren’t you supposed to practice multiplication tables?!

And then you also have to build in time to worry about your kids making new friends, adjusting to new teachers, and managing the transition from one grade or school to the next. It’s a lot.

We conducted an informal survey asking moms for their best back-to-school tips.

The responses were practical — and candid.

10 BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIPS! 1

Ask what they saw, enjoyed, took part in that day and what they’re grateful for. Have them make a list and add to it daily. “I helped (a person, animal, etc.) today … ” — GLENDA WHITE 36 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

2

Lay out clothes the night before. I knew a mom who kept school supplies in the car so if something was missing from the backpack while driving to school, no worries. — SARAH RC

(Toilet)

SAVVY PARENTS KNOW:

THE POTTY IS NOT A TOYBOX! Small children love exploring the toilet, and unflushable items can accidentally get

flushed. But you can do your part to prevent toys and other small items from going down the drain. Keep the lid down and invest in a lid lock. It can save you time and

money. Besides, you don’t want your little ones to lose their favorite toy to the toilet.

Visit lrwra.com/dontflushthat for more toilet tips and ways to protect our shared system, public health and the environment.

11 CLEARWATER DR. LITTLE ROCK, AR 72204

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3 ENROLL NOW At dinner we say three things that made us happy in the day and three things that made us not happy or something that we just weren’t sure about.

This way there is open communication and then we also know what we can work on. If it’s been a pretty stressful day, we turn the music up loud in the living room and dance it out. — NORITA MARIE NURSS

•Free Tuition •Free Before and After Care •Free Transportation •Free Uniforms •Free Tutoring 3615 W. 25th St. Little Rock, AR 72204

501-500-0558 friendshipaspire.org

4

Keep expectations low. We’re always late. If someone doesn’t have the right clothes and breakfast ends up being a Pop-Tart, it’s still fine.

— ALYSON COURTNEY

5

I wish I could say we were super organized, but we aren’t. We always pick out clothes the night before. I make my kiddos take a first day of school pic on the way out the door. We have dinner together that night, discuss the day and complete first-day paperwork. — LEAH KILBURN GOLLEHER 38 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

In the “dog days” of August, savvy kids stay indoors and...COLOR Dogs, horses, cats and pets of all kinds have been an ongoing theme for books authored by Pat Becker and those that she sponsors. Particularly appropriate for children indoors during the “dog days” of August are these coloring books featuring dogs. Pat says, “Grab your crayons, kids, and let your imagination do the rest!”

This coloring book follows the fun when a playful Dachshund dog named Duchess befriends a hungry bunny rabbit. All that’s missing is the color for this adventuresome tale.

A variety of dogs and their various characteristics and activities are just waiting for imaginative minds to bring some color into the lives of these canines.

Reasonably priced. FREE SHIPPING with orders of four or more of these fun coloring books. To order, go to:

DogTalkTV.com/PatBecker-Books ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 39

6-10

BACK-TO-SCHOOL SAFETY TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS AT ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S INJURY PREVENTION CENTER

A MUST do is make sure we start getting back on our sleep schedule at least a week before school starts. (Not fun but necessary.)

I have a big chalkboard calendar, and the kids help fill that out with important dates, birthday parties, etc.

The fun thing we purchase is a new lunchbox and plastic containers. We try to be as waste-free as possible when bringing our lunches to school. I find that there are always new neat accessories.

We buy school supplies on Amazon now. My kids no longer enjoy the thrill of school supply shopping.

We buy a back-to-school gift for the new teacher! Usually flare pens and a cute notebook, day planner or tumbler. — MARCIA MCCONKIE

MOVES MEET BRANDON: FATHER, COMMUNITY LEADER, DYNAMIC PRACTITIONER “I think that everybody has two choices in life: either to go forward or to stop, and I just don’t like stopping.” read more about brandon whitfield and how his life changed after frank snell invited him to take a walk with him at snellarkansas.com

RESTORING MOBILITY AND INDEPENDENCE SINCE 1911

Little Rock n Bryant n Conway n Fayetteville n Fort Smith n 800-342-5541 Hot Springs n Mountain Home n North Little Rock n Pine Bluff n Russellville 40 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

Hope Mullins with Arkansas Children’s IPC suggests parents focus on three things: bus, school and playground safety.

“On the bus or any moving vehicle, distractions are a major factor in crashes. It is up to each individual child not to be a distraction. Parents should advise children to refrain from yelling and fighting,” says Mullins.

When it comes to recess, Mullins points out that because children outnumber adults on the playground, it’s imperative to talk to your child about what’s safe and what to avoid — such as hard surfaces or broken equipment.

Here are some other reminders to keep your family safe this school year: BUSES • If your child rides the bus, talk to them about ways to get safely on and off.

• Always cross in FRONT of the bus when crossing a street.

• Make sure the bus driver sees you before crossing in front of the bus.

• When getting off the bus, take five giant steps away from the bus before walking.

BACKPACKS • The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends packs weigh no more than 10% of a child’s body weight.

PLAYGROUNDS • Nearly 80% of all playground injuries are caused by falls. Talk to your children about playing safely and check with your school to make sure the equipment meets safety standards.

NO PHONE IN THE SCHOOL ZONE • It is illegal to use your cell phone in a school zone.

Phones are a significant distraction and put children in danger. According to the National Safety Council, 26% of crashes in the United States involve the use of a mobile device. Put it away — it’s not worth a life.

For more expert tips all year long, check out the ACH blog and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH IS A BIG DEAL. Our Promise: Unprecedented Child Health.

Defined and Delivered.

Arkansas Children’s is the state’s only health system built just for kids. By working within the communities we serve, it’s our mission to make children better today and healthier tomorrow.

We are Champions for Children where they live, learn and play.

#championsforchildren | archildrens.org (501) 430-3142

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A GUIDE TO HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE NATURAL STATE

HOW TO PAY

FRESHMAN ADVICE

CAREER TRENDS

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times since 1987

2019 COLLEGE GUIDE

2022 COLLEGE GUIDE

MESSAGE FROM THE

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENTS DR. STEVE ROOK COLLEGE OF THE OUACHITAS “College of the Ouachitas is changing the lives of the residents of Hot Spring, Grant, Dallas, Saline, and Clark Counties. For 50 years, COTO has been committed to making a positive difference in people’s lives. COTO ensures you have an opportunity to achieve your educational DR. goals byMICHAEL providing programs (MIKE) DOYLE KYLE D. PARKER, JD, PRESIDENT and services designed for students who plan CRAFT SCHOOL ARKANSAS AND CEO to seek immediate employment, transition to Arkansas Craft School educates aspiring craft ARKANSAS COLLEGES OF HEALTH a new career or a“The four-year degree. Nowhere artisans forstate-ofsuccess in the creative economy. Located else in Arkansas will you find the EDUCATION the-art technical in programs with cutting-edge Mountain View, the Arkansas Craft School is a “Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) is changtechnology to prepare you for today’s high-private career school, offering 16-week non-traditional, ing the direction of healthcare in Arkansas and beyond tech world. Visit us at One College Circle in programs in Artistic Blacksmithing, preparation through the power of education. Whether you pursueMalvern or on thecareer web at www.COTO. edu.

Woodworking, becoming a physician, physical therapist, occupational At College of the Fine Ouachitas you will discover Ceramics/Pottery, Textile/Fiber Art, Higher Degree and of You!”Jewelry Making. Unlike other schools, education therapist, or achieve a master in biomedical science,a ACHE

at Arkansas Craft School is hands on, fast paced, and competency based. There are no grades; rather, students work at the skills and techniques needed to gain employment as an artisan until they can demonstrate proficiency. Instruction is sequenced, each week new skills and techniques are introduced to students that build upon their prior learning and accomplishments. At the end of the sixteen-week program, students receive a Certificate of Competency in Contemporary Craft Arts and a transcript documenting their preparation to enter their chosen field. The Arkansas Craft School is an open DR. W. JOSEPH (JOEY) KING school. Our only criterion for admission is an admission LYON COLLEGEability to benefit from our program and a willingness to “Lyon College leads the way in preparing learn.

ForThemore students for today’s workforce. skills information, or to enroll, contact Dr. Mikethinking, at 870-269-8397 or sought by employers--critical mike.doyle@arkansascraftschool.org.” leadership, collaboration--are those in which

is ready to make your dream a reality. Our mission to educate and train a diverse group of highly competent and compassionate healthcare professionals to improve the lives of others is the driving force behind the outstanding faculty and staff that make up ACHE.”

our graduates excel. Small class sizes foster mentoring between students and faculty in an interdisciplinary liberal arts program where experiential learning and a culture of innovation are embraced. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive residential community focused on educating the whole DR. STEVE ROOK person. Campus priorities include restoring ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY a computer science major and the addition of a film and media studies minor. We have THREE RIVERS “Arkansas State University Three Rivers is committedalso toexpanded varsity and club sports, and have a professional gamer to coach the new improving the lives of the residents in our communities esports program, offering another “only at we serve. For 53 years, the College has been committed to Lyon” experience.

A ROTC military science concentration is planned, along with an making a positive difference in people’s lives. ASU Three exercise science major and minor, pending Rivers ensures you have the opportunity to achieve your final approval by the college’s accreditor. educational goals by providing programs and services Lyon is the only pet-friendly campus across designed for our students who plan to seek immediate the region, and a newly opened dog park is one of many spots where students find employment, transition to a new career, or earn a four respite. year degree. Visit us at One College Circle in Malvern or Come see what has made Lyon College such an exceptional place for nearly at www.asutr.edu. At ASUTR, you will discover a Higher 150 years.”

Degree of You!”

myfuture@walton.uark.edu

DR. SHEMWELL DR. STEVE COLE, CHANCELLO DR.JAMES JAMES SHEMWELL ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY OF ARKAN ARKANSAS NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN COSSATOT COLLEGE COLLEGE “We are arevery veryproud proud of the Arkansas Northeastern “We of the Arkansas “We know you have choices College’s reputation for bothfor personal attention andyour friends, your mus Northeastern College’s reputation about excellence teaching; both personalinattention andhowever, excellencewe in are especially wouldproud love to be your choice of the individual achievements teaching; however, we are especially and proudsuccesses of Wethe refuse for UA Cossatot to PLAN YOURofVISIT: whoand comprise a We love te ofthousands the individualstudents achievements successesour history. and ANC staleiscollege.

OBU.EDU/ADM IS S IONS two-year institution of higher education, which boasts the 1.800.DIAL.OBU oflowest the thousands of students comprise always looking for ways cost of any collegewho in the stateAtwhile itsaregraduates Ouachita, we dofresh. moreOur textbook p our history.

ANC is a two-year institution of college earn the most. ANC graduates go onthan to learn become doctors together.

We do higher education,business which boasts the lowest really cool;gone and lawyers, owners andlifecorporate managers, together. As a nationally- are the days cost any college in the stateand whilewelders, its ranked, books cost more than your tu top-tier steelofindustry technicians nurses anduniversity, EMTs pride ourselves in for a small graduates earn the most. graduates go wecertificates textbook rentals — the possibilities are ANC plentiful.

Technical and offering high-impact learning training programs relevant skills for entering the on to become doctors provide and lawyers, business classroom materials are comp experiences that will prepare workplace with better earning potential—in one orOur for a job, we owners and corporate managers, steel youyear are looking you for your future career. less, in technicians many cases. can nurses provide the foundation for commitment totechnical a love of God that will ge industry and ANC welders, options andcareer love ofadvancement, learning means future academic studies,are training and EMTs—the possibilities plentiful.for quickly.

If you are looking fo here ready to or skills certificates for a whole career.

Joinyou’ll us atleave thecollege Arkansas Technical andnew training programs enjoy the engage with the worldexperience, – and Northeastern College to prepare for a make betterafuture.” difference it. and then ma provide relevant skills for entering the college lifeinfirst workplace with better earning potential—in a four-year college. We are e Ouachita one year or less, in many cases. ANC can Come see how another awesome year and h invest in you. provide the foundation for future academic can choice for higher education!”

We would love to studies, training for career advancement, or show you around! skills for a whole new career. Join us at the Arkansas Northeastern College to prepare for a better future.”

2019 COLLEGE GUIDE 2022 COLLEGE GUIDE

PUBLISHER Alan Leveritt

COLLEGE GUIDE EDITOR Lindsey Millar

PUBLISHER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mandy Keener

ADVERTISING ASSISTANT Hannah Peacock

DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGY Jordan Little

ADVERTISING TRAFFIC MANAGER Roland R. Gladden

ALAN ALAN LEVERITT LEVERITT

ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR Mike Spain GRAPHIC DESIGNER Katie Hassell

COLLEGE GUIDE EDITOR

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING DWAIN DWAIN HEBDA HEBDA Phyllis A. Britton

EAST ARKANSAS DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING PHYLLIS PHYLLIS A. A. BRITTON BRITTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE “EACC’s career-ready and transfer-ready programs provide students with the best and ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES most economical education available, comBROOKE BROOKE WALLACE, WALLACE, LEE LEE MAJOR, MAJOR, plemented TERRELL TERRELL JACOB JACOB AND AND by the highest degree of personal KAITLYN KAITLYN LOONEY LOONEY service. We are small but mighty, and we care deeply about our students. Our recent merger has resulted in an institution that is better than ever. All programs continue in the new institution, offering students the opportunity to select from a diverse menu Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times of options when developing their educational plans. Our goals remain the same: to A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT OF THE ARKANSAS TIMES

ARKANSAS TIMES

DR. JOHN A. HOGAN NATIONAL PARK COLLEG “There is a lot to get excited a National Park College. Join Nig and be a part of amazing stud athletics and campus ARKANSASTIMES.COM AUGUST 2019organizat 3 has NJCAA teams for men and basketball, men and women’s baseball and softball. We offer 75 transfer degrees and if you or higher, you may qualify for Nearly 70 percent of NPC stud financial aid and scholarships. students received over $7.5 mi and scholarships. At National P you can have a full college exp close to home–at less than ha of the average four-year unive

IT DIRECTOR Robert Curfman CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Anitra Hickman CONTROLLER Weldon Wilson BILLING/COLLECTIONS Linda Phillips

DR. CATHIE CLINE ARKANSASTIMES.COM

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44 AUGUST 2022

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Brooke Wallace, Lee Major, and Terrell Jacob

YOUR COLLEGE

DREAMS ARE SURPRISINGLY AFFORDABLE. The full college experience can be a smart financial choice, too. UCA has the top academics, vibrant campus and social opportunities you’re looking for, plus amazing extras you won’t find anywhere else. Even better? Our students graduate with valuable degrees that keep those big dreams going. Learn more and apply today.

▶ Conway is an ideal college town with access to all that central Arkansas has to offer ▶ Scholarships, financial aid and high-value tuition work with your budget ▶ The Integrated Health Sciences Building provides real-life health care scenarios ▶ Hands-on learning, internships and study abroad opportunities bring education to life ▶ Campus Outdoors offers all the (free) gear you need to explore the Natural State ▶ Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts opens spring 2023

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AUGUST 2022 45

019 COLLEGE GUIDE GUIDE 2022 COLLEGE DR. JAMES SHEMWELL DR. STEVE COLE, CHANCELLOR MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENTS ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENTS

DR. ROBIN E. BOWEN DR. JUDY I. PILE, CHANCELLOR ARKANSAS TECH BAPTIST HEALTH COLLEG NORTHEASTERN COLLEGE COSSATOT UNIVERSITY LITTLE ROCK “We are very proud of the Arkansas “We know you have choices in life—choices “Arkansas Tech University empowers “BHCLR is a unique institution Northeastern College’s reputation for about your friends, your music, your life. We students to apply their grit and transform the health care workforce nee both personal attention and excellence in would love to be your choice for education. their lives for the better. We rank No. 1 in We offer one-year programs, teaching; however, we are especially proud We refuse for UA Cossatot to be an old Arkansas and among the top 10 percent degrees, and bachelor degrees of the individual achievements and successes and stale college. We love technology and of colleges and universities nationwide in several university affiliations. of the thousands of students who comprise are always looking for ways to make our providing students with access to upward in retention, board/registry pa our history. ANC is a two-year institution of college fresh. Our textbook program is social mobility after graduation. Over 93 graduate placement are comp higher education, which boasts the lowest really cool;gone are the days where your percent of our more than 12,000 students available on our website. BHC cost of any college in the state while its books cost more than your tuition. We offer are from Arkansas, and approximately one clinical experiences and a Chri graduates earn the most. ANC graduates go textbook rentals for a small fee and many of every four ATU students comes from a ment. Individuals who fit well JAMES SHEMWELL DR. STEVE COLE, CHANCELLOR DR. ROBIN E. BOWEN DR. JUDY I. PILE,WeCHANCELLOR on to become doctors and lawyers, business classroom materials are completely free. If diverse tenacious, yet TODD SHIELDS, CHANCELLOR DR.background.

JUDY I. PILE,areCHANCELLOR have a natural tendency to ca DR. ROBIN E. BOWEN KANSAS ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS ARKANSAS TECH BAPTIST HEALTH COLLEGE owners and corporate managers, steel ARKANSAS you are looking for UNIVERSITY a job, we have many supportive; competitive, yet compassionate BAPTIST HEALTH COLLEGE enjoy learning and challenges TECH ORTHEASTERN COLLEGE COSSATOT UNIVERSITY LITTLE ROCK UNIVERSITY ROCK industry technicians and welders, nurses“Higher education technical that will you trained andLITTLE caring. Innovative, leading-edge and professionalism in all areas of is aoptions pathway to aget better life for you e are very proud thecommitted Arkansas to continuing“We know you have choices in life—choices “Arkansas Tech University empowers “BHCLR is institution by by healthcare work““Iofam the student-centered “BHCLR isa aunique unique institution and EMTs—the possibilities are plentiful. quickly.

If you are looking for abyuniversity forward-thinking—we are Arkansasguided Techguided and your family.

Independent research CollegeNET has field of health care is dynamic theastern College’s reputation for State, and strengthening about your friends, your music, life. We students to apply their grit and transform the health needs Arkansas. success of Arkansas a your force needs inworkforce Arkansas.

Weinoffer one-year programs, ranked Arkansas Tech University in Arkansas when it University.

Technical certificatesit with and training programs college experience, enjoyNo.the1 community Learncaremore at www.atu.edu.” and there are many avenues t h personal attention excellence inthat has a people-first would love to be yourA-State choice for education. their lives for the better.position We rank No. in servantandleadership We offer one-year associatedegrees through several associate degreesprograms, and bachelor thefirst economic its1students. provide relevantfocus. skills for entering the comes to improving college life and then make theofleap to career.ofVisit our website to lea special balance students ching; however,has we that are especially proud for its We refuse with for UAfaculty Cossatotwho to be an old Arkansas and among the topon10student percent university Check out our wide variety degrees, andaffiliations. bachelor degrees through It’s a distinction that reflects workplace with and betterlabs. earning potential—in a four-year college.ourWefocus are excited about access www.bhclr.edu.” are incredible classrooms programs and our outcomes on our website.

BHCLR offers he individual achievements andteachers successesin their and stale college.

We loveMy technologyand andstudent success. of colleges and universities nationwide in several university affiliations. Our outcomes Invest inyear yourself.

Invest inyour your one year or less, in many cases.

ANC can another awesome and hope to be is to help us become the best A-Statelooking possible for our rich clinicalboard/registry experiences passage and a Christian environment. he thousands goal of students who comprise are always for ways to makefuture. our Choose providing students with access Learn to upward in retention, and Arkansas Tech University. more at provide the foundation for future academic choice for higher education!” staff growing community.””

Individuals who fitarewell in healthcare history. ANC isstudents, a two-yearfaculty, institution of and our college fresh.

Our textbook program iswww.atu.edu.”social mobility after graduation. Over 93 graduate placement competitive and arehave a natural studies, training for career advancement, or tendency to care for others, enjoy learning and challenges her education, which boasts the lowest really cool;gone are the days where your percent of our more than 12,000 students available on our website. BHCLR offers rich skills for a whole new career. Join us at the and exhibit professionalism in all areas of their lives. The of any college in the state while its books cost more than your tuition. We offer are from Arkansas, and approximately one clinicalofexperiences Christian and environArkansas Northeastern College to prepare for field healthcareandis adynamic growing, and there are duates earn the most. ANC graduates go textbook rentals for a small fee and many of every four ATU students comes from a ment. Individuals whoanfitincredible well in health care Visit our website to many avenues to career. a better future.” to become doctors and lawyers, business classroom materials are completely free. If diverse background. We are tenacious, yet have amore naturalattendency to care for others, learn www.bhclr.edu.” ners and corporate managers, steel you are looking for a job, we have many supportive; competitive, yet compassionate enjoy learning and challenges and exhibit ustry technicians and welders, nurses technical options that will get you trained and caring. Innovative, leading-edge and professionalism in all areas of their lives. The EMTs—the possibilities are plentiful. quickly. If you are looking for a university forward-thinking—we are Arkansas Tech field of health care is dynamic and growing hnical certificates and training programs college experience, enjoy the community University. Learn more at www.atu.edu.” and there are many avenues to an incredible vide relevant skills for entering the college life first and then make the leap to career. Visit our website to learn more at kplace with better earning potential—in a four-year college. We are excited about www.bhclr.edu.” year or less, in many cases. ANC can another awesome year and hope to be your vide the foundation for future academic choice for higher education!” dies, training for career advancement, or DR. KELLY DAMPHOUSSE ELAINE KNEEBONE, J.D. DR. JOHN A. HOGAN s for a whole new career. Join us at the ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY HENDERSON STATE UNIV NATIONAL PARK COLLEGE ansas Northeastern College to prepare for “I want every high school senior in our “At Henderson State Universit “There is a lot to get excited about at etter future.” region to know that he or she has a place at believe in the ability of every National Park College. Join Nighthawk Nation DR. CATHIE CLINE CLINE their research university. I want our faculty be extraordinary. We offer mo DR. CATHIE DR. life, JOHN A. HOGAN and be a part of amazing student EAST ARKANSAS EAST ARKANSAS NATIONAL PARK and staffCOLLEGE to know they are respected and undergraduate and graduate p athletics and campus organizations.

NPC COMMUNITY COLLEGECOLLEGE COMMUNITY is a lot to get excited about at National their ideas matter, and that Park we all share prepare you for the career of has NJCAA teams for men and“There women’s “EACC’s career-ready transfer-ready programs provide College.

Join Nighthawk Nation and be a part of amazing “EACC’s career-ready andand transfer-ready the same goal of helping our students reach Whether you want to study wi basketball, men and women’s cross country, students with thestudents best and economical education student life, athletics and organizations.

NPC programs provide with most the best and theircampus highest aspirations.

Most of all, I hope ranked education, nursing, or baseball and softball.

We offer more than available, complemented by the comhighest degree of perhas NJCAA teams for men women’s basketball, menbelieves most economical education available, for aand university community that truly programs or take flight with A 75 transfer degrees and if your ACT is 19 sonal service. holddegree paramount the goal of providing and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, plemented by theWe highest of personal thatoffer ‘Everytransfer Red Wolfopportunities Counts.’ ” to only professional pilot degree, orand higher, you may qualify forbaseball scholarships. students with quality learning opportunities, our and softball.

We service. We are small but mighty, and we you to visit our campus. Hend percent of NPC students receive across Arkansas and if your ACT is 19 or highinstitution offers students the opportunity to Nearly select 70 from universities deeplymenu about of ouroptions. students. Our University encourages scholarl acare diverse We recent are dedicatedfinancial toDR. serving aid and scholarships.

Last year, NPC er, you may qualify for scholarships.

Nearly 90 percent KELLY DAMPHOUSSE ELAINE KNEEBONE, J.D. DR. JOHN HOGAN merger hasA.resulted in aninstitution institution that activities in a caring, personal our students and our has isan unparalleled of NPC students receive financial aid and scholarships. students received over $7.5 million in grants ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY HENDERSON STATE UNIVERSITY NATIONAL PARK COLLEGE better than ever. programs continueOur in only goal that reflects the university’s m commitment toAllstudent success. to help At National Last year, NPC students received over $7 million in grants andis“Ischolarships.

Park College, want every high schooland seniorscholarships. in our “At Henderson State you University, we “There isinstitution, a lot reach to getoffering excited about atthe the new students our students their goals.”

At National Park College, can have than a century, ‘The School w youregion can have a fullthat college to know he orexperience– she has a place at believetoinhome–at the abilityabout of every student to National ParktoCollege.

Join aNighthawk Nation opportunity select from diverse menu a university experience– close half the Learn what it means to Live R close to home–at less than half the cost CATHIE CLINE their research university. Icost wantofourthefaculty be extraordinary.

We offer more than 65 and be a part amazing student life, average four-year university. Our experienced of options whenof developing their educational hsu.edu. of the average four-year university.

Our ST ARKANSAS and staff to know they arefaculty respected undergraduate graduate programs to andandstaff are committed to yourand success in the athletics campus organizations. plans. Ourandgoals remain the same: toNPC experienced faculty and staff are committed MMUNITY COLLEGE their ideas matter, and that we all share you for the career of your dreams. workforce.

Find your path prepare at np.edu.” has NJCAAstudents’ teams for women’sour improve livesmen andand strengthen to your successgoal in the workforce. your reach CC’s career-ready and transfer-ready the same of helping our Find students Whether you want to study with our highly basketball, community.”men and women’s cross country, paththeir at np.edu.” grams provide students with the best and highest aspirations. Most of all, I hope ranked education, nursing, or business baseball and softball. We offer more than t economical education available, comfor a university community that truly believes programs or take flight with Arkansas’s 75 transfer degrees and if your ACT is 19 A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT OF THE ARKANSAS TIMES 2 AUGUST 2019 ARKANSAS TIMES mented by the highest degree of personal that ‘Every Red Wolf Counts.’ ” only professional pilot degree, we invite or higher, you may qualify for scholarships. ice. We are small but mighty, and we you to visit our campus. Henderson State Nearly 70 percent of NPC students receive deeply about our students. Our recent University encourages scholarly and creative financial aid and scholarships. Last year, NPC ger has resulted in an institution that is activities in a caring, personal atmosphere students received over $7.5 million in grants er than ever. All programs continue in that reflects the university’s motto for more and scholarships. At National Park College, new institution, offering students the than a century, ‘The School with a Heart.’ you can have a full college experience– ortunity to select from a diverse menuARKANSASclose Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times Learn what it means to Live Reddie at 46 AUGUST 2022 TIMES to home–at less than half the cost ptions when developing their educational hsu.edu. of the average four-year university. Our ns. Our goals remain the same: to experienced faculty and staff are committed

2019 COLLEGE GUIDE

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENTS

DR. KEITH PINCHBACK PHILLIPS COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS “Here at Phillips College of the University DR.Community RANDY ESTERS of Arkansas, we want you to know thatCOLLEGE we are all about NORTH ARKANSAS encouraging our students to think about how important “North Arkansas Collegeand ranksourascommunities. the education is in building our families 17th Best Community College and the Through engaging coursework and leadership activities 24ththeMost Affordablewe Community College both in and outside classroom, are in this together Offers Onlineway.

Degrees in the nation. and with you everythatstep of the a new online We realize thatWe’re whatexcited we dotoisannounce so important, because hybridthese format delivery MedicaltoLaborawhat happens inside walls has oftheourpower change our students’ livestory andTechnology that change the Coursework potential (MLT)offers program. to positively affectis the lives families and their online andofthetheir clinical is completed in communities. a facility near the student’s home. We’ve I cannot say enough about our faculty for their added four university partnership agree-hard work in helping usments: achieve a newTechlevel of recognition Arkansas University, John Brownas a Leader College of Distinction.

This special recognition University, the University of Arkansas Sam is awarded when aM.college has met challenges Walton College of Business, andand Evangel succeeded in improving student success over at least Internships three consecutive University years. Werecently. are very proud with to beFedEx selected Freight, Tyson Foods and Pace Industries for this honor and pledge our continued commitment to to getachieves hands-onhis/her experience ensuring that eachenable of ourstudents students goals. while they pursue theirsystem education.

We state, we As the oldest community college in the are a nationally withindivida have the most experience whenrecognized it comes college to giving small-townand feel. walks I’d like ofto life extend personal uals from all backgrounds thea necessary invitation to you potential. to visit us in Harrison and tools to increase their earnings Whether you have chosen PCCUA to getWeyour degree tour Northark for yourself. are proud to at a lower cost, because it is closer to home and family, or, be Pioneers!” perhaps, because you realize that the courses provided here are the same quality as those taught by universities, you have made a wise decision. By choosing PCCUA, you choose to be a part of a culture of respect, diligence, and collaboration, and we are proud to be your next step.”

JASON L. MORRISON, ED.D. SOUTHERN ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY TECH “SAU Tech is moving forward at a fast pace with the inclusion of NJCAA softball for fall 2019. The Rockets’ first basketball season went beyond expectations and we are excited to gear up for another year. Next summer, we will be adding an addition to our health care lineup and this fall we have added non-destructive testing to our industrial technology area of study. SAU Tech continues to grow with student housing and extensive student support services. Our business and industry partners share our excitement as they are supporting our efforts as never before and our team of faculty and staff are looking forward to a busy and successful 2019-20 academic year. Be Great! Be Tech!”

CHARLES ROBINSON, INTERIM DR. JEROME GREEN CHANCELLOR SHORTER COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS “Shorter is committed to its motto, ‘Your Path to AT FAYETTEVILLE Possible.’ We are graduating students that are capable “The University of Arkansas is proud to have students and equipped to compete not just within the state of from every county in the state andDR.every state L.inSMOTHERS, the Arkansas, nationally. Since our founding, Shorter DR. EVELYN but E. JORGENSON DR. BEN R. SELLS RODERICK SR. country.

We are a destination school for students in state College has been in the business of transforming lives NORTHWEST ARKANSAS OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY PHILANDER SMITH COLLEGE and outas because we have the most“For comprehensive rangeSmith College by providing ourCOLLEGE students with a premier, quality “Ranked higher by Niche.com COMMUNITY the top private 142 years, Philander of majors, classes, research and artistic opportunities, and the next education.

One of our primary goals is to enrich “NorthWest Arkansas Community College university in Arkansas, Ouachita is a has been inspiring and educating world-class faculty.

We also provide nearly 240 differacademic instructional programs and student services to seeks to empower lives, inspire learning and Christ-centered learning community that pregeneration of leaders who seek to enact ent degrees and certificates at a quality and cost that endow students withthrough the knowledge, strengthen community accessible, skills and abilities pares students for ongoing has intellectual and change our communities, routinely us recognized as one of theinbest values in state, nation toaffordable, becomequality scholastically professionally productive education and at locations spiritual growth,the livescountry. of meaningful work, and world.

Our a quality Embracing our land-grant mission,legacy the Uofofproviding A in today’s global society. Shorter has remained steadfast throughout Benton and Washington counties. and reasoned engagement with the world. liberal arts curriculum, with a focus on socia has been at the center of higher education in Arkansas for in ensuring that our students are receiving all of the We focus ontools providing what our learners complete their Ouachita is risingmore to further and and we’re just justice, has withstood test of time and thaninnovate 150 years, getting better. Iftheyou necessary required to effectively need, whetherjourney. that’s adultWebasic achieve the students today will be asserted Philander an educational pillar i lookingoffor a once-in-a-lifetime experience thatassets educational areeducation, supplying our students withso that are new job skills for today’shotspots workplace, or the able As to meet theyou challenges and embrace the success,Arkansas.

Though a small, up to achieve lifelong then I encourage youprivate institution laptops and mobile at no out of pocket cost. foundation to pursue a four-year degree opportunities of totomorrow.

Students dreams Our dreams include making come check us benefit out. I think you’llPSCfind you big. belong.” we continue to move the college forward, it is imperative and post-graduate study. NWACC creates an past achievements from the university’s liberal arts tradition and education accessible to students who have a that we work together to build on our and plan forthat continued successes.” environment inspires students and enunique high-impact learning opportunities, desire for knowledge and academic achievecourages them to maximize their potential.” which afford valuable perspectives and ment. As we celebrate this great milestone experiences in their respective fields. With a in our history, we know our greatest assets 99 percent placement rate for new graduates are our students and our faculty and staff. and record retention for current students, It is with a student-centered approach to Ouachita is committed to providing students learning and a steadfast dedication to with a college experience that shapes their helping our scholars thrive that we continue lives and sets them on a trajectory for to move FORWARD into the future.” success. At Ouachita, our students are truly known–by the dedicated faculty and staff who take a personal interest in them, and the close-knit campus community they do life with.”

DR. TERISA C. RILEY, DR. CHRISTINA DRALE, CHANCELLOR DR. TERISA C. CHANCELLOR RILEY, CHANCELLOR UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS – UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK FORTFORT SMITH SMITH AT “As a metropolitan research university in Arkansas’s “The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith offers students DR. TREY BERRY “The University of Arkansas–Fort Smith on its location to UNIVERSITY aoffers transformational SOUTHERN ARKANSAS a transformationaleducational educational experience. Highly trained largest city, UA Little Rock capitalizes develop partnerships in every key“Over economic and Southern Arkansas professors in state-of-the-art facilities prepare students the pastsector six years, experience, where students learn from builds those connections into the student to excel in high-demand careers and Universityexperience. has experienced record enrollmen highly-trained professors in state-of-the art top-tier graduate DR. ANDREW ROGERSON Students will find a wide variety of internship, work,programs in cyschools.

UAFS lives up to the promise of providing and growth.

Newfield academic facilities. UAFS lives up to the promise of UNIVERSITY clinical OF ARKANSAS practice, and client-based project opportunities students deepa deep and rich knowledge ber criminology, public providing both and rich knowledgeinintheir area ofATstudy LITTLE ROCK that bring what they learn in the classroom to life. health, game design as well as a welcoming, engaging community that enables andand animation, poultry science, musical the athem majortoarea of study as well as engaging number of merit need-based “As chancellor ofBytheoffering Universitya oflarge Arkansas learn to think critically, communicate expertly, ater and engineering have attracted student students so that they learn to think critically, provide access to an affordable, quality and work with diverse teams. We are committed toat Little Rock, I scholarships, invite students toweconsider and have transformed communicateanexpertly and work with diverse education for a diverse student body.

UA Little Rock isSAU into a truly globa providing affordable education by offering exceptional an education in the state’s capital city, campus.

The School of teams.

Our graduates are prepared to than its internship, location; it’s a place where you can findGraduate Studies scholarships and grants that allow graduates of UAFS wheretoaccess to more many research, has realize also grown dramatically and offers a compete jobs their in theirpeers. chosenUAFS is truly the your unique sense of belonging and your full take outnationally less debtforthan home community and employment opportunities wide variety of programs, both online and potential.” careers, andopportunity, gain admissionand to some of of access, success.” are just minutes away. We are dedicated to on campus. Our primary mission at SAU is the world’s top graduate programs. We are providing an affordable, quality education to to serve students, and our culture of caring committed to providing an affordable eduArkansas students to ensure they graduate has new and current students and alumni cation, providing students with exceptional with as little debt as possible in their pursuit throughout the state and nation saying SAU scholarships and grants which allow graduof higher education. Our goal is to see them ‘feels like home.’” ates of UAFS to take out less debt than their through to a timely graduation and ensure peers. UAFS: Excellent Education, Affordable the appropriate skill sets are acquired so Investment, Invaluable Opportunities.” they are career-ready. We are proud to be Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times an engine of social and economic mobility ARKTIMES.COM AUGUST 2022 47 for Arkansas. Come by for a visit and learn

2022 COLLEGE GUIDE

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENTS

DR. LAURENCE B. ALEXANDER, CHANCELLOR UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF “Access and opportunity are the foundations of the educational experience at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Since our inception, UAPB has educated and inspired some of the world’s greatest minds to reach beyond their circumstances and be who they want to be.

UAPB’s designation as an 1890 land-grant institution means that our mission to serve a diverse student population and foster learning, growth and prosperity will never change. Our core values of empowerment and accountability drive our tight-knit community of educators and learners. Strong support from faculty and administration and a familial atmosphere create the optimal environment for student success. And our 1890 land-grant designation continues to pave the way for innovations in technology, agriculture, medicine and business. UAPB shapes minds that go on to reshape the world.”

RODERICK L. SMOTHERS SR., PH.D. PRESIDENT AND CEO PHILANDER SMITH “Philander Smith College is celebrating its 145th Anniversary by heralding our triumphant heritage that has paved the way FORWARD. The world is quite different than it was when the institution was founded as Walden Seminary in 1877. Today, Philander Smith is producing world-class leaders in the fields of education, health care, social sciences, business and the humanities.

With our liberal arts curriculum and social justice focus, we are responding to the world’s most emergent needs and building up a new generation of trailblazers who are equipped to lead, serve and create change in our communities. The college has long been a beacon of hope and pillar of educational excellence. 145 years later, we remain committed to ensuring that we are Still Moving Philander Forward. “ 48 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

DR. TREY BERRY SOUTHERN ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY “Students from all across our nation and around the world are making SAU their home. SAU residence halls offer living-learning communities in which students live among classmates with similar interests, such as engineering, game design, and many others. Student activities host on-campus entertainment options weekly, providing social experiences for students who seek a vibrant campus community yet appreciate living in a rural small town.

Our low student-to-faculty ratio creates a more personal learning experience for students, enabling faculty to know the students who sit in the classroom. These intentional services produce successful graduates. The spring 2022 nursing graduates earned a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX. The majority of our graduates find jobs in their fields or are accepted to graduate schools of their choice within short periods of time following graduation. Combine all these qualities, along with successful athletic teams and growing academic programs, and it isn’t difficult to see why students choose SAU and continue to say SAU Feels Like Home.”

DR. HOUSTON DAVIS

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS “The University of Central Arkansas is committed to the success of our students. Our faculty are some of the best in the nation and provide the academic rigor to set students up for success after graduation, allowing them to join the outstanding UCA alumni who are making a huge difference in Arkansas and beyond.

Our dynamic and growing campus provides a sense of place for our students. When you combine these qualities with our vibrant and diverse student body, UCA provides a complete collegiate experience that is second to none. Go Bears!”

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DR. JASON MORRISON, CHANCELLOR SOUTHERN ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY TECH “SAU Tech is entering fall 2022 with a new healthcare program in diagnostic medical sonography and baseball as the latest NJCAA athletic program available for students. The College is in the second phase of renovations to the campus’s historical housing and is planning for a busy and exciting 2022-2023 academic year. We offer everything a student needs to experience college in a family atmosphere and succeed. We are the SAU Tech Rockets!”

LINDSAY BRIDGEMAN CHANCELLOR UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS GRANTHAM “Young people should have the opportunity to go off to college and take in all of the things that make the university experience so enriching and memorable.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way for everyone. I’m honored to be a part of the state’s only 100 percent online university, which provides an affordable and high-quality University of Arkansas System option to those who simply can’t make it to a campus.

UA Grantham uses world-class faculty and UA System resources to provide a completely online and unmatched experience. In the last year we combined UA Grantham’s rich tradition with a new, innovative UA System effort that makes us the state’s newest college opportunity. Not sure going off to a campus is your best option? We’d love to introduce you to online college without compromising quality or your budget. See how we do college differently by visiting uagrantham.edu.”

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AUGUST 2022 49

2022 COLLEGE GUIDE

SHOW ME THE MONEY

Arkansas’s educational institutions, like UA Pine Bluff, have a variety of ways to help students afford a degree.

No matter how you slice it, college is expensive and student loans last forever.

Fortunately, most schools have well-designed financial aid departments that can help a student and his or her family formulate a plan to pay for school. Be sure to give yourself enough time for a sit-down with the college of your choice to understand all of your options.

ARKANSAS NORTHEASTERN COLLEGE Arkansas Northeastern College has routinely been ranked among the best buys in Arkansas higher education, providing outstanding value for the student’s education dollar. Financial assistance is provided to 85% of the student body in the form of federal (Pell Grant) and state (Arkansas Challenge, Future Grant, Workforce Challenge, Career Pathways) education funding programs as well as the following competitive and need-based awards: Nucor Diploma Squared Nucor-Yamato Steel and Nucor Steel Arkansas have jointly committed up to $75,000 per year to fund the Nucor Diploma Squared Scholarship at Arkansas Northeastern College for area high school students. The ANC Foundation contributes an additional $40,000 for this program. Nucor Diploma Squared encourages students to complete the certificate of general studies, or higher, at ANC while also earning a high school diploma at the same time.

This year, 30 area high school graduates completed the certificate in general studies and four completed the associate in arts degree through this program.

Because of Nucor’s support and partnership with Arkansas Northeastern College, this program allows students to take ANC classes for only $10 per credit hour, saving them time and money in their quest to earn a college education.

Great River Promise Mississippi County students may be eligible for the Great River Promise Scholarship. Students are nominated by their high school counselor. This scholarship may pay tuition and mandatory fees if no other resources are provided. Students must be enrolled full time (12 hours) during a regular fall/spring semester.

ANC Foundation The ANC Foundation (a private, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation) provides several needbased scholarships to students attending ANC. The college’s foundation, created in 1977, is one of the most successful two-year college foundations in the state, awarding between $150,000 and $200,000 in privately funded scholarships each year.

Additional scholarships available include awards focused on public school teachers, performing arts,

or are offered through law enforcement waiver, the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act and miscellaneous third-party scholarships.

ARKANSAS TIMES

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

50 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY A-State is seventh among the 10 four-year universities in Arkansas when it comes to the cost of tuition and fees. This commitment to keeping costs down in turn leads to A-State having one of the lowest default rates in the state at around 4.9%. This fall, A-State is adding the transparency of rolling almost all mandatory fees into tuition.

More than 90% of the student body receives some sort of financial aid. In addition to traditional federal student aid programs for students, Arkansas State University provides additional need-based scholarships, including new scholarships targeting students from neighboring states.

Traditional financial aid offerings include options like the Pell Grant the Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant as well as federal work-study and federal direct subsidized student loans. A-State also participates in all state funded programs such as Academic Challenge, Distinguished Governors and others.

The university’s admission standards now provide pathways that don’t require an ACT score, although having a high score still unlocks certain merit-based scholarships. The A-State Scholar program is a competitive scholarship that can provide up to $14,000 per year for those who are selected. This is a competitive scholarship and requires a separate application. Selections are made in December of each year.

Merit-based scholarships valued up to $8,000 are available to students who have obtained at least a score of 23 on the ACT and a high school GPA of 3.00 or better.

Transfer students with a 3.25 or above and 24 transferable hours or more may be eligible to receive a scholarship of up to $4,000 per year. Students with an associate’s degree from an ASU System Campus can receive up to $5,000. Private scholarships valued at $250 and up are available to students who meet required criteria, while need-based scholarships such as the A-State Heritage valued up to $3,000

are available to those who meet certain guidelines.

A-State’s financial aid and scholarship office is available for one-on-one advising with parents and students and provides numerous financial aid workshops across the state for high school students and their parents who want more information about financing education. The university strives to provide individualized service to students to help them meet the cost of a college education.

“A-State’s advising programs help students manage costs.” As part of this support, the university sponsors Scarlet2Black, a program that teaches financial literacy to all students, especially first-year students.

The award-winning program is in its third year. For complete details on financial aid and budgeting programs, visit astate.edu/a/finaid.

ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY The primary purpose of student financial aid at Arkansas Tech University is to provide assistance to students who, without aid, would be unable to attend college. All awards are administered by the ATU office of financial aid in accordance with state and federal regulations and the university’s equal educational opportunity policy.

The application for undergraduate admission to Arkansas Tech University serves as the scholarship application. There is not a separate scholarship application to complete; however, admission status is required. An admission file includes an application for undergraduate admission and a current high school transcript with a qualifying grade point average. For the high school graduating class of 2023, academic scholarship consideration for freshmen will be based upon the applicant’s high school grade point average.

To apply for ATU freshmen academic scholarships, there is a priority scholarship deadline of Nov. 15 and a regular scholarship deadline of Feb. 15 of the current award year. Students receiving academic scholarships must be U.S. citizens.

Athletic and music scholarships are among the specialized types of financial aid that are offered to Arkansas Tech University students with a particular talent in those areas. Scholarship opportunities also

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exist for transfer, graduate, honors and ATU-Ozark Campus students. Arkansas Tech students may also avail themselves of other scholarship opportunities through the ATU Foundation. Learn more at the university’s website atu.edu.

Faculty and staff in Leadership Tech, a professional development program for employees at Arkansas Tech University, have partnered with the ATU office of financial aid to develop a student resource called Tech $ense. Tech $ense is a one-size-fits-all resource for financial literacy. Located at atu.edu/finaid/techsense, the website helps students plan for college, pay for college and make sound financial decisions.

In addition, trained professionals in the ATU office of financial aid are available weekdays from 8 a.m.5 p.m. to assist students in their search for financial resources to pay for college. Representatives of the ATU office of financial aid are also regular guests at high school parent nights, where they offer presentations about making college affordable. In addition, ATU financial aid analysts assist high school students in the completion of the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) during their in-school visits.

Another way ATU connects students with financial resources is by offering on-campus employment opportunities, including college work study positions.

NATIONAL PARK COLLEGE Not only are National Park College (NPC) tuition and fees less than half the cost of the average university, NPC disbursed over $7.1 million in scholarships and aid last year and over $10.4 million when including student loans. Approximately 90% of NPC students receive some type of financial assistance (excluding student loans).

Students who earn a GED at NPC qualify for a half-tuition scholarship. The college also offers the National Park Promise scholarship to senior students graduating from the National Park Technology Center. These students will receive assistance to fill any gaps in tuition and fees not covered by other federal, state, private or institutional aid.

NPC offers scholarships for students with the potential to excel in college in the belief that students are more than a test score. The Academic Achievement Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship for two semesters. It requires a 2.75 cumulative GPA, a 19 or higher on the ACT, and you must enroll within one year of high school graduation. To maintain the scholarship, you must have a 2.75 cumulative GPA and be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours each term.

If you work hard, it may be renewable for a second year.

For those who demonstrate exceptional academic performance, NPC is proud to offer the President’s Scholarship. The President’s Scholarship is a full tuition and fees scholarship and is renewable for up to four semesters. It requires two of the following criteria: 3.25 cumulative GPA, 24 or higher on the ACT, or rank in the top 25% of your graduating class. To maintain the scholarship, you must have a 3.25 cumulative GPA and be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours each term.

In addition, the college supports several special ability awards, including the Nighthawk Leadership Scholarships, available for students who take an active role on campus in student government, student 52 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

ambassadors, Phi Theta Kappa and other student organizations. It requires a 2.0 cumulative GPA and a minimum of 12 credit hours each term.

Nighthawk Athletic Scholarships are available for some student athletes according to NJCAA guidelines. These scholarships also are in line with state maximum spending limits for athletically related institutional funds. NPC Singers scholarships are also available to students who audition and are selected by the music/choral director.

NPC offers financial aid advisers who can answer questions and walk students through the process of applying for student aid. There are also work study and internships available on and off campus and housing options available on campus. Textbook rentals are available and provide a less-expensive electronic option for many courses.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS Across its wide variety of scholarships, the University of Arkansas offers a number of financial aid programs. The majority of scholarship funding is merit-based and competitively awarded based on written applications, special talent, test scores, high school GPA, and/or college GPA and considers the entire applicant pool. In addition to awards recognizing academic achievement, the university also offers scholarships to students who have special talent in band, music, art, athletics and more.

Some scholarships require enrollment in a certain college or pursuing a certain major. Others require the student to be an alumni-affiliated student or be aimed at students who represent an underserved community, such as first-generation college students or students from underrepresented ethic or minority groups, among other requirements.

In addition, Advance Arkansas scholarships support new, returning and transfer students from Arkansas who exhibit some financial need, a record of academic success and a strong desire to complete their degree at the University of Arkansas.

Students have the opportunity to work on campus up to 20 hours per week and the university’s RazorTemps program makes it easy to try out jobs.

The University Libraries, in collaboration with faculty, continue to develop open-source textbooks and study materials in a variety of classes to reduce the cost of textbooks. The University of Arkansas Bookstore offers a rent-a-textbook program and repurchases textbooks at the end of each semester.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH UAFS offers more than 200 financial aid options, awarding nearly 1,000 scholarships annually. Each program has its own requirements with academic awards available for specific majors and academic programs from each of its three colleges.

Private funding is also available for nontraditional students, single parents, alumni legacy students and graduates from area high schools. UAFS offers scholarships based on academic need and merit.

Additionally, the UAFS Foundation provides $2.3 million annually in scholarships through the Lions Share program.

Altogether, 97% of students receive scholarships or grant aid.

A sample of the prestigious freshman merit scholSpecial Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

arships available include: First Bank Corp. Business Scholarship: Full tuition/fees over four years for students seeking a business degree with optional $2,500 housing for two years; minimum requirements include 27 ACT and 3.5 GPA. Myles Friedman Honors Program: Up to $34,000 over four years with optional $2,500 housing for two years; minimum requirements include 27 ACT and 3.5 GPA).

STEM Scholarship: Up to $27,000 over four years for students seeking a STEM degree, with optional $2,500 housing for two years; minimum requirements include 26 ACT and 3.5 GPA. Roland Boreham Jr. Engineering Scholarship: Full tuition and fees over four years including books, supplies, and laptop computer for students seeking a mechanical or engineering degree, with $2,000 for housing each year; minimum requirements include 27 ACT and 3.5 GPA. The university also offers several scholarships for athletics, arts and other activities, including 10 DII sports, e-sports, music, student government, Miss UAFS and resident assistants. UAFS also received an $8 million gift in 2021 to support students in need. This includes $4 million in direct student support to those students who are eligible to receive Pell Grants.

In addition, UAFS offers federal work study, funded by the Department of Education, off-campus jobs through the JumpStart/America Reads Program and university work study funded from the university budget.

UAFS’s Pay It Forward program helps students build a financial plan by taking the guesswork out of their financial aid and helping them develop a personalized payment plan. In addition, the university helps students save money through a campus textbook loan program through the Boreham Library and via rescue and finish grants.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK Nearly 90 percent of UA Little Rock students receive some form of financial aid. Institutional scholarship programs are broken down into academic merit and mentored programs for incoming freshmen with a wide array of private, alumni and external scholarships for all students. Browse a list of thousands of awards at ualr.edu/scholarships.

A sample of awards for incoming freshmen includes: Chancellor’s Academic Distinction: $5,000 tuition/fees and $5,000 on-campus housing per year; requires a minimum 20 ACT/1030 SAT and 4.0 GPA. Provost’s Academic Excellence: $4,000 tuition/fees and $4,000 on-campus housing per year; requires a minimum 20 ACT/1030 SAT and 3.75 GPA. Dean’s Academic Merit: $4,000 tuition/fees and $2,000 on-campus housing per year; requires a minimum 20 ACT/1030 SAT and 3.5 GPA. UA Little Rock Academic Achievement: $3,000 tuition/fees and $1,000 on-campus housing per year; requires a minimum 20 ACT/1030 SAT and 3.25 GPA).

Mentored awards include:

Donaghey Scholars Honors Program: Full tuition and fees, stipend, study abroad, laptop; highly selective honors program enrolling 25 new scholars each year and open to all majors.

STEM Academic Scholarship: $3,000-$6,000 depending on ACT and GPA; competitively awarded based on academics, leadership and STEM-based activities.

Chancellor’s Leadership Corps Scholarship Program: $3,000 tuition/fees and $3,000 housing allowance; highly competitive based on academics, leadership, activities and community involvement; open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and international residents In addition, UA Little Rock provides work study, campus employment, textbook rentals and opensource course materials to help students hold the line on expenses.

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS Students are eligible to apply for federal, state and institutional aid programs to attend UCA. A full 96% of full-time undergraduate students receive some type of financial assistance. Need-based and non-needbased work study is available for enrolled part-time and full-time students.

A sample of the merit-based scholarships available

include: Distinguished: $6,500 in tuition and fees/$2,000 toward housing; requirements include service, ACT and GPA. Achievement: $5,000 in tuition and fees/$1,500 toward housing; requirements include GPA of 4.0.

University: $3,500 in tuition and fees/$1,000 toward housing; requirements include GPA of 3.75.

Future Leaders: $1,000 in tuition and fees/$500 toward housing; requires GPA of 3.5.

In addition, transfer students who have completed 27-75 credit hours with a 3.5 cumulative GPA are eligible to apply for a $4,000 annual transfer scholarship.

A significant number of performance scholarships are also available in athletics, cheer, dance, band, orchestra, art, theater, etc. In addition, the UCA Foundation provides scholarships to students based on academic performance, background, area of study and special interests.

For more information, visit uca.edu/financialaid.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF At the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, eligible students receive financial aid that includes federal aid in the form of grants (Pell/SEOG), loans (sub-

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

sidized/unsubsidized) and employment through the federal work-study program. In order to be considered for federal student aid, students and parents must complete the federal application for federal student aid (FAFSA) in order to determine eligibility.

UAPB also has academic scholarships for students with a minimum of 17 ACT (900 SAT) and a high school GPA of 2.75. Tuition waivers are available for out-of-state scholarships serving students who meet certain criteria in the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois.

In addition, UAPB offers performance-based scholarships awarded through its music, arts and athletic departments related directly to the skills, talents and abilities of the student. Various alumni and Greek organizations support students at UAPB as well as national organizations like the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which regularly disperses funding to the institution.

Another way UAPB helps students afford college costs is a program for students to rent textbooks through the campus bookstores. UAPB also offers various living experiences that range from traditional college dorms to apartment-style complexes complete with suites and shared living spaces, Federal work-study is also available.

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Choices can be tough!

ANC’s skilled degrees produce in-demand, well-paid graduates.

ARKANSAS NORTHEASTERN COLLEGE

But, not this one!

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54 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

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wo-year colleges have long marketed themselves as the low-cost alternative.

Not only have these schools traditionally been cheaper per credit hour, but degrees can be earned in a fraction of the time as fouryear schools. And there has rarely been a twoyear school that has leveraged these benefits as skillfully and to students’ advantage quite like Arkansas Northeastern College in Blytheville.

“One of our greatest advantages is the return on investment for our students,” said Rachel Gifford, associate vice president for development and college relations. “We are the most affordable college in the state and our graduates earn more than any other state-supported institution of higher learning, including universities.

Year in and year out, the college has been ranked as a best value for its low tuition and a curriculum that gets students to graduation fast, without sacrificing educational quality. Gifford said this doesn’t happen by accident.

“There has been a growing movement toward fast-tracking education and training,” Gifford said. “National surveys have shown students are more interested in short-term programs where they can begin earning money faster. ANC offers many programs that take only a year or less yet result in high wage-earning careers. This, in turn, helps our local workforce in filling much-needed positions at a faster rate.”

One of the best examples of this philosophy is the school’s construction technology program, funded by a federal Emergency Training Programs Grant. Students graduate in high demand after just one semester, earning an average of $57,769 in their first year. They also study tuition-free and are even gifted a set of tools upon graduation, to assist them in their new career.

Another very powerful statistic is what gradu-

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ates earn compared to other Arkansas colleges and universities. According to the Arkansas Research Center and Arkansas Department of Workforce Service, ANC’s two-year degree graduates out-earn every other institution in the state, including four-year institutions. ANC outpaces the school in second place by about $10,000 a year.

“We have many students gaining credentials to head immediately to the workforce while others are preparing to transfer to the next educational level,” Gifford said. “We are very wellknown for our nursing programs, specifically for our high pass rate among graduates and our state-of-the-art Angela Wren Nursing and Allied Health Building.

“We are also known for our Steel Industry Technology program, the only college in the state offering such a program. We have a very strong relationship with our steel industry partners and local community leaders, which allows us to combine efforts for the betterment of all involved.”

The college is also tuned in with the challenges many students face when it comes to balancing college with other life responsibilities.

“The ANC family works hard to find solutions to problems so that students can succeed,” Gifford said. “Those solutions range from financial aid to assisting with food, clothing and transportation. ANC appreciates its students as individuals who have lives outside of the classroom.

Sometimes those lives need a little help in order to even be in the classroom and to be able to perform academically.

“At ANC, much more is provided than just academic instruction. We provide opportunities and help our students overcome challenges.”

Learn more at anc.edu.

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2022 COLLEGE GUIDE

EXPERTS: FLEXIBILITY A MAJOR TREND IN HIGHER ED TODAY

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Today’s college students demand more for their tuition dollar and UCA delivers.

he world of higher education is changing as institutions try to stay in step with what students demand for their tuition dollar. And according to leadership at some of Arkansas’s institutions of higher learning, that starts with flexibility.

“Students are looking for more flexibility in how they learn,” said Carrie Phillips, chief communications and marketing officer for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “They’re demanding more hyflex learning environments, which allow students to learn in the manner that makes the most sense for them on any given day.

“The hyflex model we are using in many classes supports this and allows a student to choose from one of three participation paths: participate in faceto-face synchronous class sessions in a classroom, participate in face-to-face class sessions via video conference, or participate fully asynchronously.”

Robert Z. Carr Jr., provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff agreed, saying today’s students are often juggling much more than term papers and lab assignments, and institutions must provide a learning environment that accommodates that.

“Too often, college students are faced with difficulties on how to separate home life, work life and college life,” he said. “These added responsibilities can often affect their health and create additional barriers to academic success.

“UAPB has adjusted well to the changes and challenges of the pandemic to become more student-centered and adapt to the students’ learning needs, especially when students are learning remotely. Experienced coaches are assigned to students and work one-on-one to assist them.”

Students have also become savvier when it comes to the education they receive, demanding practical degrees with applicable skills.

“College still matters because knowledge is the essential ingredient to solving problems in today’s highly technological world,” Carrr said. “Our university goal is to make education as accessible as possible, regardless of location. We are planning to offer accelerated programs, online degrees and competency-based certificate programs to accommodate varying learners.”

Experiential learning is another priority for students today, from study abroad and community service to internships and hands-on “living labs.” Even leadership programs are finding they are more successful when they go outside the four walls of the classroom into the real world, according to Arkansas Tech University student Glendon VanSandt.

“Leaders aren’t born, they are made,” he said.

“With that, you have to understand yourself before you can know how to lead a group.

“When I came to Tech, I was very introverted, very quiet and not confident in a lot of my abilities. I had to push myself out of my shell. ATU’s leadership minor has helped me take a longing to lead and understand how to use it. I haven’t grown as a leader as much as I have as a person.”

VanSandt said the key to his development was finding a safe space to take chances.

“Arkansas Tech was a perfect place to fail because there are so many people who will support you and use those failures to build you into a better person,” VanSandt said. “It allowed me to say yes to a lot more opportunities to grow and, more importantly, to allow my peers to have better experiences.”

The coronavirus pandemic forced much of this change, as professors and students alike adjusted to all-online learning environments.

“COVID preparedness drove investment in digital technologies that have opened access to our students in ways previously unseen,” said Rachel Rodemann Putman, associate director for strategic communications at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

“Thanks to Zoom, we can bring speakers from across the world to our campus with ease. Our university also invested in student success, purchasing 200 laptops and 100 hotspots to loan out to students and faculty, secured Zoom licenses for every student and employee, and added more than 100 webcams for the classroom to enhance remote instruction.”

UAFS also continues to examine the validity and user-friendliness of its curriculum, to stay in step with today’s college students.

“UAFS’ tiered approach to learning is designed for the modern student,” she said. “Our degrees and programs are set up in a way that allows students to earn credentials throughout their academic careers.

In many cases, our programs allow students to stack college credits so that they consistently earn valuable credentials. UAFS’ quality of programming and affordable tuition makes this the perfect choice for Arkansas students.”

Campuses have also gone to great lengths to invest in student success. John Baltz, senior associate director for communications at the University of Arkansas, noted facilities and technology have been laser-focused on developing new methods of instruction to meet the demands of today’s college students.

“In January 2022, the University of Arkansas opened a new, 71,000-square-foot Student Success Center, the Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence,

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in the heart of campus,” he said. “The center boasts the Walmart Academic Innovation Hub, which is dedicated to creating and advancing academic success innovations. The Hub and partner programs are working to create and promote proactive advising and outreach strategies and to increase experience-based learning opportunities for students.”

Baltz said these teams have made great strides in developing a new model for students who struggle under conventional classroom instruction. This new philosophy combines advanced pedagogy, mentoring and other novel approaches to learning, and is particularly valuable for first-generation college students as they navigate the challenges of college rigor, he said.

“The teams have successfully launched a new embedded tutoring model, aimed at supporting students in writing-intensive courses and math courses,” he said. “The Student Success teams have also successfully created proactive advising, mentoring and outreach models designed to help first-generation students thrive during their time at the university.

“Academic innovation, with a student-centered framework, has been intentionally designed into the workflow of the new Student Success Center.”

Finally, students today are looking for a more holistic experience when it comes to the learning environment, placing a high value on alternate and even contrasting views compared to their own.

“Higher education in the United States has a long history of restricting access to the privileged few,” said Kurt Boniecki, associate provost for academic success at the University of Central Arkansas. “Students deserve and expect equitable access to a college education and a campus culture of inclusion that promotes a sense of belonging. UCA has long held diversity as a core value central to its mission as a comprehensive public university.”

Boniecki said what really separates one institution from another is the ability to think creatively and innovate the educational process, especially as the profile of the so-called “traditional” student continues to evolve.

“Over the past decade, UCA has worked closely with most Arkansas two-year colleges to develop over 400 2+2 articulation agreements,” he said.

“We’ve also launched the Bear Partners program with nearby two-year colleges to give students access to UCA campus activities and resources, such as athletic and cultural events, the library and card services.

Through these changes and others, UCA is demonstrating it understands and is prepared to meet the educational needs of a diverse Arkansas population.”

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2022 COLLEGE GUIDE

JOBS IN HIGH DEMAND Let’s face it, most of us have a reason for going to college and that reason is to prepare us to land the job of our dreams. College Guide asked institutions of higher learning to identify the majors that lead to the most in-demand and highest paying careers out there.

The job market is great right now, so follow your bliss into a career you’ll love!

Arkansas Northeastern College’s industrial technology students are in high demand.

ARKANSAS NORTHEASTERN COLLEGE ANC is fortunate to have strong relationships and support from local business and industry. Through these relationships, partnerships and periodic advisory meetings, ANC stays abreast of business and industry needs. It has a nationally recognized customized workforce training department called the Solutions Group, which provides flexible training that is tailored specifically for industry and their individual needs. ANC also works with several industries to provide paid internship opportunities.

Some of the high-demand fields for which Arkansas Northeastern College is preparing students are listed below. The Arkansas Research Center’s 2020 Economic Security Report provides wage data for first-year graduates in each of these fields.

Construction trades: one-semester certificate of proficiency; average yearly wage $57,769; offered free through the Emergency Training Programs Grant; students will also receive a tool set valued at $250 upon completion of the program.

Industrial electrical systems: one-semester certificate of proficiency; average yearly wage $98,902.

Emergency medical technician: one-semester certificate of proficiency; average yearly wage $47,271.

Paramedic: one-year technical certificate; average yearly wage $49,611.

Welding: one-year technical certificate; average yearly wage $46,951.

Registered nurse: two-year associate degree; average yearly wage $53,757.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning: one-year technical certificate; average yearly wage $50,365.

Steel industry technology: two-year associate degree; average yearly wage $73,056.

Students can hone their job-seeking skills through resume assistance, mock interviews, and additional career support and guidance through ANC’s place-

ment services, Career Connect program and Career Pathways Initiative.

In addition to support for students, ANC also has programs that incentivize employers to hire employees that come through its programs. ANC facilitates the Mississippi County Subsidized Wage program, in partnership with Mississippi County Economic Development. Through this, it incentivizes local employers to hire graduates of ANC programs (including the W.O.R.K. program) through a reimbursement of wages for the first 16 weeks of employment.

ANC also has a partnership with the state of Arkansas TANF program for the Career Connect program. It is also an employer incentive program that could reimburse up to $15,600 of the first year of wages for employees hired through the program.

Career Connect works to place individuals meeting certain household and financial criteria, including but not limited to ANC students or graduates, and helps them obtain full-time employment and get on a path to financial independence.

ANC’s paid internship program is a partnership with several local businesses and industries to offer on-the-job experience to students in specific degree programs. This helps reduce recruiting and training costs for employers while also giving students an opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge as they’re learning.

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ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY Providing career opportunities through education is not and cannot be a one-size-fits-all solution. Arkansas Tech University offers a diverse curriculum that provides learners with multiple access points to higher education, ranging from technical certificates, certificates of proficiency and associate degrees offered through its Ozark campus to the associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as a specialist and a doctoral degree available through its Russellville campus.

Arkansas Tech University is a leader for STEM ed-

ucation in Arkansas, as demonstrated by Arkansas Division of Higher Education data from recent years showing that more graduates from Arkansas high schools chose to major in STEM at Arkansas Tech than at any other university in the state. STEM is integrated into the curriculum in a manner that prepares aspiring nurses, emergency managers, musicians, educators, business and tourism leaders, agriculture practitioners and others for the modern, technology-based world.

Programs in cybersecurity are a recent addition to the STEM curriculum at ATU. Arkansas Tech’s bachelor of science and associate of applied science degrees in cybersecurity, which debuted in fall 2017, prepares graduates for rewarding career opportunities with courses that are designed to teach them how a threat occurs, how to prevent a threat and how to recover from a threat.

In the ATU College of Business and Economic Development, the business data analytics program is the first baccalaureate degree program in Arkansas that approaches data analytics from a business perspective. Graduates from the ATU business data analytics program are prepared to analyze data in a way that allows firms to determine strategy and solve problems.

Recent years have presented a new era of opportunity for students in the Arkansas Tech University Department of Art. ATU students in the disciplines of fine arts, game and interactive media design and graphic design may now pursue a bachelor of fine arts degree in their chosen field as opposed to the bachelor of arts degrees previously offered by the institution.

Norman Career Services at Arkansas Tech University engages in a variety of programs designed to prepares graduates for full-time jobs, part-time jobs, internships, graduate/professional school, military services or acceptance to a service program. Initiatives such as peer career advising and workshops related to interviewing, resumes, personal branding, salary negotiation and networking help ATU students become career-ready.

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Career Services also hosts numerous career fairs that are tailored for employers seeking a particular skill set and students from corresponding major fields of study. Personal, on-campus interviews with potential employers are also facilitated through Norman Career Services. Learn more at atu.edu/career.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK The university has multiple degrees that are consistently in demand — nursing, social work, business administration, cybersecurity and computer science.

These relevant, industry-needed careers are consistently among the top programs at the university.

UA Little Rock maintains great relationships with industry partners. Many of the programs have advisory boards that help to ensure curriculums are relevant.

Many of these partners support the programs as well.

For example, local construction firms have partnered with the university to upgrade classrooms to ensure students have the latest access to technology and equipment.

This year the school piloted a new program under-

writing internships at nonprofit, governmental, arts and start-up entities that typically cannot afford to pay student interns. Career services also incorporates work-study positions and nonacademic graduate assistants into Handshake, UA Little Rock’s student career portal. Both of these initiatives are designed to enhance equity in career exploration, one through experiential learning opportunities and the other in the student job search and application process.

In addition to hosting career fairs, workshops and employer information sessions, UA Little Rock offers group and one-on-one appointments for resume and cover letter review, salary negotiation, mock interviews, LinkedIn profile review, career and major exploration, interview tips and job and internship search strategies.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF According to a survey conducted by NACE in 2019, the careers that have remained in demand are in the fields of business, engineering and computer science/information systems.

The Most

UAPB offers bachelor’s degrees in accounting and business administration with concentrations in management, marketing or finance. In technology fields, students may opt for a degree in computer science, industrial technology management, applied engineering or agricultural engineering. UAPB also has an MBA program and a master’s degree program in computer science and technology.

Projected starting salary for business degrees is $58,869; in engineering, $71,088; and in computer/information systems, average starting salary is $72,173.

To help graduates land that all-important first job, UAPB offers the Career Services Advisory Council, composed of Arkansas employers, students, faculty and career services staff. The members of this board hire students for summer internships, cooperative education and permanent career opportunities.

In addition, the Office of Career Services offers one-on-one career coaching, resume critiques, mock interviews, professional development workshops/ conferences, career fairs and job search assistance.

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All BHCLR programs are certified by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. BHCLR-Schools of Nursing are approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.

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2022 COLLEGE GUIDE

EDUCATION IN THE DIGITAL AGE

If there was any doubt where higher education was headed, the pandemic erased them: The future lies with those who have mastered technology. That includes higher education, which today is more connected and more flexible than at any time in history, making it easier than ever for students to complete a degree on their terms.

ARKANSAS COLLEGES OF HEALTH EDUCATION Ever since its inception, Fort Smith-based ACHE has offered cutting-edge technology for students to access learning opportunities wherever they are. The colleges’ preference is for students to attend in person, and all programs are in-person as opposed to online. However, if a student isn’t feeling well or has an important life event, they can tune in virtually so as to not miss out on important information or the ability to participate live with their classmates.

ACHE’s technology infrastructure was beneficial during the pivot to online curriculum delivery during the pandemic, which allowed instruction to continue without skipping a beat. Students, the future health care industry leaders, continued learning to prepare for their future careers with faculty mentorship and high-quality student support services.

ACHE’s e-learning is delivered through the Microsoft Teams platform and can be used for virtual meetings, synchronous and asynchronous lectures, real-time chats, course group collaboration and more.

Students also use Canvas as a hub for classroom resources where they can view grades and receive centralized feedback on activities and assignments.

Finally, the library offers most required and recommended textbooks, plus thousands of other resources online. Students use a personal device to access these resources from anywhere. In addition, faculty and staff have open-door policies and respond to emails most hours of the day, meaning they are very accessible to students.

Much of the learning in graduate and professional school is not about how to do specific things, it’s about learning how to respond to changing demands of the field. Medical education is constantly evolving to include new trends and current research. The most important thing ACHE teaches students is to improve the lives of others one must always learn and grow.

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UCA Online courses provide a flexible, convenient way to earn a degree.

nation. Students are encouraged to collaborate, ask questions and challenge each other to become better human beings. Sometimes this growth involves technology such as medical equipment and high-fidelity simulation mannequins, but many times it involves activities that build interpersonal communication skills.

ARKANSAS NORTHEASTERN COLLEGE Multimodal classes allow students to choose how they attend a class by combining the elements of 1) face-to-face instruction, 2) real-time virtual instruction (Zoom), and 3) asynchronous online instruction (INET courses) into one combined course. This allows students to attend class using any of those forms and may opt for any of the delivery modes throughout a semester.

While this “ANC your way” concept is greatly beneficial for students, it has taken a great deal of work on the part of faculty to prepare courses for all methods of delivery. Preparing and delivering multimodal instruction is more complex and time consuming as opposed to teaching solely face-to-face or in asynchronous online fashion.

“The greatest advantage to multimodal delivery is the fact that students will no longer get behind if they cannot attend face-to-face classes due to illness, children home from school, work obligations, etc.,” said James Shemwell, ANC president. “Furthermore, online students will have the benefit of each recorded lecture to augment their virtual studies. Multimodal delivery offers students maximum flexibility and maximum access plus resources provided to all forms of delivery.”

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY While many people think about graduate certificates with the A-State Online (AOS) program, ASU now has more than 1,200 undergraduate students, the most undergraduate online students in the state.

AOS is the largest overall online program based in Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

Arkansas, recently surpassing 6,000 students.

A-State Online has a support team based in Jonesboro to back faculty and students, a team with more than a decade of experience in the online space. One of the important differences between A-State and others for the place-bound or time-shifted student is this technical experience, which leads to better designed courses.

In the area of “what’s next,” AOS continues to expand more health care offerings, as the recent pandemic has raised the need for more credentialed and qualified workers across a wide range of degree programs. AOS is also looking at new doctoral degrees to serve the state and region.

On preparing graduates, the AOS team coordinates with A-State’s campus-based resources, including Career Services and Pack Support, to extend advising and other assistance to students. The program is stepping into new hybrid opportunities for students around the world, mixing live (synchronous) classes with more traditional (asynchronous) courses for degree programs, with courses taught in person at distance learning centers.

ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY Montell Doucet’s story is evidence that while technology is making the world smaller, the transformational power of education remains as large as ever.

Doucet earned his master of science degree in health informatics from Arkansas Tech University. It was his second degree from ATU. He previously received a bachelor of science degree in health information management.

What differentiates Doucet from other graduates is that he achieved all of that with just five visits to campus. He resides in Lake Charles, Louisana, where he took his undergraduate and graduate ATU classes through distance learning.

“It has been phenomenal,” Doucet said. “I have done everything 100% online, but the way the classes

are structured I’ve felt like I’ve been in live classes. It has been truly amazing. The greatest benefits of being an online student are being able to work full time, take care of things at home and still have the time to focus on school.”

Arkansas Tech University offers the following programs through online learning: Certificates of proficiency: Banking services, law enforcement, office support specialist, professional leadership.

Technical certificates: Banking services, business technology, law enforcement.

Endorsements: K-12 dyslexia therapist, birth-K special education, K-6, 7-12 special education, K-12 special education.

Associate degrees: Banking services, business administration, business technology, business technology-human resources management option, general studies, law enforcement.

Bachelor’s degrees: Applied science, business management, creative writing, criminal justice and criminology, emergency management and administration, English, history, organizational leadership, political science, professional studies, RN to BSN. Master’s degrees: Business administration, student affairs administration, emergency management and homeland security, English, health informatics, information technology, instructional technology, nursing administration and emergency management, special education K-12, K-12 literacy, teaching English to speakers of other languages, educational leadership.

Graduate certificates: Collegiate advising, online teaching, risk management in higher education.

Specialist degree: educational leadership.

SHORTER COLLEGE Overall, Shorter College in North Little Rock highly encourages students to attend class on campus, due to the effectiveness of in-person learning. However, Shorter College believes in education without boundaries, putting a high priority on meeting students where they are.

Shorter College’s virtual learning delivery has attracted a variety of students, such as dual-enrollment high schoolers, traditional and nontraditional students, and students outside the state. Shorter College has created a virtual learning environment that allows each student to maintain a school-life-work balance.

In this way, learners navigate their education process to align with their life balance.

The college uses multiple platforms for delivering e-learning. Students have the opportunity to participate in synchronous and asynchronous learning environments. The online option is good for commuters outside of Central Arkansas and those who work overnight as it provides students the opportunity to secure a quality education through a collaborative virtual environment. Faculty and staff work closely with the director of library services to educate all students on the valuable resources on campus to augment their coursework.

Students also have the opportunity to secure valuable training through Shorter’s Re-Imagine

Workforce program, which is 100% virtual, as well as other academic programs. Distance learning is also used through the school’s Second Chance Pell program by which Shorter educates incarcerated citizens.

SOUTHERN ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY Online learning is a vital tool in SAU’s academic toolbox. Whether a student is looking to complete their general education, pursue a graduate degree or see how SAU’s family environment can benefit them, online courses meet multiple needs. Flexible and accessible, these courses provide the personalized service students require to be successful. The Magale Library, Student Support Services and the Employment Resource Center support the online programs.

Nontraditional students enjoy the freedom of online access while graduate students can fulfill their dreams while managing families and careers.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS The University of Arkansas offers more than 70 online degree programs, certificates and licensure plans that allow adults to continue living and working in their hometowns while earning a degree from the state’s flagship institution. In the academic year 2020-21, 3,733 UA students, or about 12% of the institution’s total enrollment, studied exclusively online.

Students studying online are full UA students who earn diplomas, walk during commencement and have their names carved into the sidewalks on campus. Online students are supported by Fayetteville’s academic departments, libraries, IT help desk and other support systems detailed on online.uark.edu.

As one of the top public research institutions in the nation, UA empowers its students — including online students — to face the challenges of an ever-changing world by providing transformational opportunities and skills, promoting an inclusive and diverse culture, nurturing creativity, and solving problems through research and discovery.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK UA Little Rock has a long tradition in promoting research, innovation and professional opportunities within the state’s largest metropolis. Dedicated to making higher education accessible to all Arkansans, UA Little Rock offers flexible paths to pursue learning at a distance, including hybrid, hyflex and online course options.

UA Little Rock offers more than 60 fully online degree and certificate programs in business, health, information technology and more. Students participating in its fully online programs receive a reduced rate and have access to academic resources online and on campus. UA Little Rock’s award-winning, fulltime faculty continue to develop additional online programs each semester to create more possibilities for the future of online learning.

UA Little Rock is also an Air University Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC) partner and part of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges.

Its online military students have access to our Military Student Success Center, do not pay the application Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

fee, and receive discounted tuition. These benefits apply to active duty, Guard/reserve and honorably separated veterans.

Fully online students have the option of visiting the physical campus to meet with a professor, gain career mentoring or use academic resources on campus, such as the library, learning commons and writing center. UA Little Rock’s Ottenheimer Library also works with online students via the library reciprocity program, ARKLink, so students can access library privileges in other parts of the state.

Students have the opportunity to develop expertise and gain technological knowledge through immersive and interactive collaborations applied to practical problems in industry, government and research organizations. UA Little Rock continuously examines trends and attempts to make informed decisions regarding new programs, so that students have the educational options to help their future.

Visit ualr.edu/online for more information about UA Little Rock’s fully online degree programs.

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS Online courses at UCA Online are completely online and require no face-to-face or classroom attendance. Online courses meet the same learning objectives as their counterpart face-to-face courses and are just as rigorous. Online courses are not easier than face-to-face courses.

These courses provide a flexible, convenient way to earn a degree. All online courses have deadlines, but work can be completed when convenient for the student. Online courses can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection UCA offers high-quality online degree programs.

UCA offers six online undergraduate degree completion programs in addiction studies, business, insurance and risk management, computer information systems, RN to BSN nursing and general studies.

UCA’s Center for Teaching Excellence provides training and development for UCA Online instructors that focus on innovation within the classroom and support to students in a virtual environment.

The UCA College of Education was recently selected as an Apple Distinguished School, centers of excellence that demonstrate Apple’s vision for learning with technology. There are only 400 Apple Distinguished Schools in the world and UCA marks only the third in the state of Arkansas, and the only college of education.

The multidisciplinary bachelor of science program in cybersecurity is designed to produce graduates who can identify, assess and manage cyber threats.

Computer information systems and analytics graduates serve in multiple roles and in a wide variety of functions in the workplace. Some become developers, others work with databases or networking technologies, many work as analysts, using both business and technical expertise to exploit data and systems for organizational competitive advantage. Most are involved in project management helping to carry out improvements and new systems. The demand for such graduates is extremely high.

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LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE

All work and no play makes for a pretty dull collegiate experience. It’s great to study hard, but don’t forget to mix in some activities and a social life, too. Getting involved in campus is good for your physical and mental health and results in better academic performance, so get out there and have a little fun!

Work hard, play hard is a daily routine at National Park College.

ARKANSAS COLLEGES OF HEALTH EDUCATION The ACHE Fit Lab is a state-of-the-art workout facility that allows students to exercise 24/7. The campus housing offers a pool for recreation and relaxing, while the system of trails allows students to safely run and ride bikes in the immediate surrounding areas of the campus.

Besides a wellness counselor, the campus has a dedicated student activities office that works on additional campus programming through registered student organizations. Additionally, student activities include community volunteer opportunities as well as fun activities.

Counselors as well as counseling services are always available to students. If the student’s needs exceed ACHE’s ability to help in this regard, students are referred to one of ACHE’s partner clinics locally. The school has a system of peer mentoring and tutoring. A new anonymous wellness check system has been put into place to help identify students who might be struggling in any way.

Faculty/staff/administration have a strict open-door policy that helps students freely stop by and talk to them through any problems they may be facing. The campus also has a dog who is ADA-certified and trained in stress therapy to help students cope with anxiety on test days, or any other days, for that matter.

ARKANSAS NORTHEASTERN COLLEGE The ANC community relations department provides for many needs and partners with area organizations and agencies to assist in meeting the needs of the underserved student population.

Along with the ANC community relations department, which works successfully with representatives from various communities, organizations and neighborhoods to help meet the needs of students, ANC now offers tele-mental health services to all students at no cost to the student. Along with community volunteer mentors, ANC also offers a career closet and food pantry, working to help provide for the mental, emotional and physical health of its students.

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY In partnership with the NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine located on campus, A-State operates an on-campus health center to assist students with illness or health needs on campus.

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more space. At the center, individual and group counseling sessions are held as well as personal development outreach programs targeting student mental wellness.

The CARE Team supports members of the campus community struggling with academic and personal situations, connecting students with appropriate campus services to assist them in overcoming obstacles.

The Red WOLF Center is a full-service fitness facility with cardio equipment, free weights, a variety of gymnasiums, virtual and face-to-face fitness classes, cycle studio, indoor walking/running track, club sports program and intramurals. A variety of student organizations for academic, social, athletic and religious interests are available to help students connect with the larger university community.

The university offers a variety of housing options: traditional residence halls, quad-style living and apartment-style living. Students can select the preferred location to best fit their needs on a first-come, first-served basis. A resident assistant is assigned to each resident pod to offer support and encouragement throughout the year. Each residential community has a full-time A-State staff member living in residence to provide programs, services and mentoring to residents.

Club sports are offered through the Red WOLF Center. These organizations provide wellness opportunities for students to participate in competitive sports while developing social, leadership and organizational skills. Club sports include rugby, spirit squads, softball, eSports, swimming, archery, bass fishing and ultimate Frisbee.

The Student Activities Board and Student Government Association work collaboratively with student organizations and campus departments to host events throughout the academic year, including homecoming, Spring Fest, MLK Day of Service, Welcome Week and Volunteer Day of Caring. These programs provide occasions for students to engage in campus life, spend time with friends and develop an affinity for A-State.

You can keep up with everything that’s going on via the A-State Student App, a one-stop resource for connecting with campus services, engaging in campus events and meeting peers.

ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY Tech Fit provides a workout space and indoor walking track for Arkansas Tech University students, faculty and staff. Outdoors, the Tech Connect trail on the western Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

boundary of campus provides members of the ATU community with access to a network of bicycle and pedestrian trails that includes Bona Dea Trails and Sanctuary.

In all, the Arkansas River Valley features more than 150 miles of trails. There are also multiple waterways within an hour of campus that ATU students explore using outdoor equipment they have free access to through the Arkansas Tech Office of Campus Recreation.

There are about 170 registered student organizations at Arkansas Tech University representing a wide variety of academic, professional and social interests. The academic year typically begins with a series of events that help orient new students and re-engage returning students, including the annual ATU Involvement Fair. The Student Activities Board keeps the entertainment going throughout the school year with movie nights, appearances by comedians, bowling nights with the university president and additional social activities.

Green and Gold Give Back is an annual day of service conducted by ATU students in the Arkansas River Valley community each November. Forty-seven households in Russellville and Lake Dardanelle State Park benefited from Green and Gold Give Back 2021. During spring 2022, ATU fraternities and sororities also collected and donated 39,588 food items and 3,506 hygiene items to local children. Finally, the ATU Department of Athletics is a nationally recognized leader in community service, donating more than 2,500 hours and supporting 15 community organizations during the fall 2021 semester.

The Arkansas Tech University Health and Wellness Center received a new and expanded home in the Doc Bryan Student Services Center at the beginning of the 2017-18 academic year. The center assists the educational mission of Arkansas Tech by modifying or removing health-related barriers to personal development and learning. ATU Counseling Services provides a wide range of free and confidential counseling, consultation and outreach services to the Tech community.

Each incoming freshman at Arkansas Tech University participates in an orientation program before the beginning of his or her first year. Tech Connect orientation includes information about how to access helpful resources on campus, meeting faculty and staff mentors, training on the computer systems students use as ATU students and offering an opportunity to learn more about opportunities for student employment on campus.

EXPECT MORE

It’s a declaration.

It’s a call to action. A promise being made.

At the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, you get more.

Excellent academics. Faculty support.

Community internships and partnerships.

IT’S TIME TO EXPECT MORE. FROM YOURSELF. FOR YOURSELF. FOR YOUR FUTURE.

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UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS UCA offers a wide variety of resources to assist and promote physical health and wellness among the student population. Students can visit the UCA HPER for physical fitness needs, utilizing a weight room, cardio room, group exercise studios, full-size basketball courts, recreational game space, three racquetball courts and an outdoor recreation center where the campus community can check out kayaks, canoes, camping equipment and even get basic bicycle services and repairs.

The UCA Student Health Center staff includes a phy-

sician, nurses and nurse practitioners who are available to assist students’ physical needs. The Student Health Clinic offers services such as general family practice services, lab testing, X-rays, immunizations, procedures, coronavirus testing and vaccination, and flu shots for students free of charge. There is also a dedicated Women’s Health Clinic to support women’s health needs.

The UCA Counseling Center offers students a place to meet with trained professionals to discuss mental health issues they may be facing. The Counseling Center offers students 10 sessions free of charge, with meetings offered on campus at the center or through telehealth.

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The Counseling Center also hosts many programs surrounding mental health and provides tools and resources for those struggling with anxiety and depression.

Student social development is a high priority at UCA. The UCA Office of Student Life provides students with opportunities to develop in leadership, community building, creative expression and mentoring. In addition, UCA offers more than 200 student organizations and clubs hosting activities for students.

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A WHOLE NEW CHAPTER

Affordable, accessible UA Grantham a new player in online college education.

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COMING SOON 2022!

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t’s not very often that a new institution is added to the state’s slate of higher education opportunities, but the University of Arkansas System has been working hard to find ways to ensure it is reaching as many potential students as possible.

Aside from adding existing high-quality, two-year colleges to its repertoire in the last five years in the University of Arkansas Community College at Rich Mountain and University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College, the UA System is now fresh on the heels of completing its latest project by acquiring a Lenexa, Kansas-based online institution and rebranding it as University of Arkansas Grantham.

“This project represents a game-changer for our efforts to reach those adults who are underserved by public higher education because of their need to attend fully online, flexible institutions,” said Dr. Donald R. Bobbitt, president of the UA System. “We launched eVersity to serve those Arkansans who have completed some college but not earned their degree. Their success in earning a credential is imperative to their future and to the future of our state and region. By acquiring the assets of Grantham University, we will be able to scale up this effort to reach beyond the borders of Arkansas and diversify the educational offerings and revenue profile of our system.”

It wasn’t long ago that the UA System launched eVersity, a 100% online institution with a unique business model that offered shorter classes and one of the country’s lowest tuition rates. While eVersity successfully started a new institution from scratch and grew to serve as many as 1,200 students at any given time, efforts to grow its reach through marketing and advertising on the heels of the pandemic and in a time of increased competition in the online space proved to be a challenge.

“Through eVersity, we were able to build a very high-quality product with limited resources and do it in an even more limited timeframe,” said Michael Moore, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs for the UA System. “We were consistently winning coveted national awards for our course design and reaching students with a new, exciting way to earn a college degree they never thought possible.”

“An opportunity arose to take what we learned from eVersity and use this newfound ability to scale it outside of the state and reach more people. It made sense to move forward in a ready-made, singular focus.”

The UA System tackled a momentous six-month task to gradually transition all of its employees and students into UA Grantham, which it recently completed. It is now moving forward with growing this new 4,500-student online-only institution under the system umbrella while still offering a high-quality, low- tuition effort to better compete in the world of online learning.

“We went from having very limited degree programs as a start-up to now being able to offer more than 60 credential and degree programs and an option for graduate degrees,” Moore said. “We feel really good about this newfound ability to reach more students with greater opportunities, and build upon the rich tradition that Grantham had already established nationally.”

To learn more about UA Grantham visit uagrantham.edu.

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2022 COLLEGE GUIDE

CAMPUS NEWS

ARKANSAS NORTHEASTERN COLLEGE Appearing at the American Association of Community Colleges Workforce Development Institute conference, focusing upon best practices and new innovations in workforce development, Dr. James Shemwell was the featured speaker during the opening night keynote plenary session. Shemwell addressed numerous innovations at Arkansas Northeastern College including the Solutions Group workforce training delivery model, the emergence of multimodal instruction, and efforts leading to the elimination of the achievement gap related to minority graduation rates at ANC. Over 500 community college representatives from around the country were present for the opening session.

The Economic Security Report, published by the Arkansas Research Center and the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, reveals associate degree graduates of Arkansas Northeastern College earned an average of $57,250 in 2020. As with the previous five Economic Security Reports, ANC’s associate degree average placed above every bachelor degree average of every public university in Arkansas. For the first time, ANC’s associate degree average even exceeded the bachelor degree average of the medical school at UAMS. With the emergence of local economic development projects, including U.S. Steel/Big River Steel, Envirotech Vehicles and other active prospects, the ANC Board of Trustees approved authorization for the college to hire multiple customized instructors and other related positions during the 2022-23 fiscal year as needed. Any such positions would directly relate to the recruitment, training and placement of a workforce related to local economic development initiatives. The board’s authorization now will give the college more flexibility and timeliness in meeting training/staffing needs of local economic development projects.

ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY Arkansas Tech serves 9,640 students through campuses in Russellville and Ozark. The four-year graduation rate on the ATU campus in Russellville is 46.8%, an improvement of 19.3% as compared to three years ago. The three-year graduation rate on the ATU campus in Ozark is 38.1%, an improvement of 10.6% as compared to four years ago.

U.S. News and World Report recognized Arkansas Tech University as the No. 1 choice among regional public universities in Arkansas as part of its 2022 college rankings. ATU is listed as the No. 1 regional public university in Arkansas for overall quality, best value and service to veteran students.

University President Dr. Robin E. Bowen announced April 7, 2022, that alumni and friends of the institution have donated $42 million to the ATU Foundation during the silent phase of the first comprehensive campaign in ATU history. Bowen announced the goal for the “Together We Can” campaign is $55 million. The campaign will support scholarships, student success programs, innovation initiatives and the construction of a new student union and recreation center.

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Old Main shines on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville.

Arkansas Tech University alumnus Stan Miller and his wife, Patrice, made a $5.3 million gift to the Arkansas Tech University Foundation to support the establishment of the Miller Center for Global Engagement at ATU. The Millers’ gift will support student scholarships for study abroad programs, upgrade ATU’s language computer labs in support of world language education, facilitate international faculty exchange opportunities and create an international speaker series.

The university became the first institution of higher education in Arkansas to partner with TheDream.US, the nation’s largest college access and success program for immigrant youth. The program provides eligible students with the opportunity to apply for up to $33,000 in scholarships that can be applied to the pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. The scholarship program from TheDream.US includes eligibility for Arkansas immigrant youth, who are DACA eligible for in-state tuition rates at Arkansas universities and colleges.

SHORTER COLLEGE Shorter College, the only private two-year Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Arkansas, has named Dr. Johnny D. Jones dean of academic and student affairs. His responsibilities also include that of chief academic officer.

Jones comes to the role from Wilberforce University in Ohio, where he served as provost and vice president for academic affairs. He earned his undergraduate degree from Mississippi Valley State University and a master of education degree from Springfield College with an emphasis on recreation and tourism. He also holds two doctoral degrees, one in educational leadership and policy from Berne University and the other in education administration and supervision from Jackson State University.

Before his new role, he held various positions of leadership at Mississippi Valley State University, Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Little Priest Tribal College and Washington State University. In Arkansas, he served as executive vice president and chief academic officer at Arkansas Baptist College and assistant dean of the graduate school at the University of Arkansas.

Jones’ other professional accomplishments include Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

creating the first African American community leadership academic program, linked directly to community service and urban community leadership, at Arkansas Baptist College in 2007. He’s also the author of “Leadership of Historically Black Colleges and Universities: A What Not to Do Guide for HBCU Leaders.“ SOUTHERN ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY Mulerider baseball enjoyed a historic season in 2022, winning both the Great American Conference regular-season and tournament titles and the Central Region title, the first regional championship in the program’s 26-year NCAA membership.

The College of Science and Engineering, in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Health, was awarded a $1 million federal grant for a new initiative addressing health disparities among high-risk populations. Meanwhile, the Biology Department received a $40,000 grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences through the Arkansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence program. This grant will help in the study of innate immune systems in animals.

Brad Smiley was named the 21st head coach of the Mulerider football program. He brings 27 years of successful collegiate coaching experience at the NCAA Division I, NCAA FCS and NJCAA levels.

Historic Bussey Hall, an architectural landmark on campus, has been restored to its former glory thanks to a generous grant from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council.

The Mulerider band sports a new look thanks to a generous donation from the Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable and Educational Trust of Arkadelphia. The gift of $100,000 provided the majority of funding needed to purchase new uniforms, the first in more than 15 years.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS For the first time in school history, the university welcomed more than 29,000 students to campus for the fall 2021 semester with more than 15,000 coming from within the state. A record 29,068 students enrolled in the fall of 2021. More than 6,000 new students enrolled in fall 2021, including a record number of freshmen from Arkansas.

The Arkansas Razorbacks athletic program finished in a program-best seventh place in the Learfield Directors Cup Final Standings a national ranking of college athletic programs by performance. The Hogs won eight SEC championships in the 2021-22 school year and had nine national top10 finishes across various sports. Athletes’ 3.27 average GPA was also the highest on record at Fayetteville.

Recent academic initiatives include opening the 70,000-square-foot Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence, which provides advising, tutoring and financial services to ensure student success for all. New undergraduate majors include drama education and interior architecture, as well as new minors in outdoor leadership, Russian studies and sustainable landscape design.

The University of Arkansas is also building nondegree certificate programs as well as the newly created microcertificate options at the graduate and undergraduate level, consisting of six to 15 hours of required coursework in a specialized area.

In spring 2021, the University of Arkansas enhanced the options for payment of tuition and fees by going cashless. The university will continue to roll out the cashless initiative to other payment gateways in the future.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH University of Arkansas-Fort Smith students now have the option to minor in diversity studies, following approval from the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees and the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board. This new minor will allow students to combine courses from multiple disciplines to form a meaningful understanding of the social implications of diversity, equity and inclusion in history and the workforce.

The newly formed Division of Student Success and Retention, led by Dr. Blake Johnson, seeks to centralize efforts to guide students on the path to graduation, including developing new student support initiatives and increasing graduation rates. The initiative creates a cohesive climate of student support addressing obstacles to graduation in a holistic way.

UAFS has been recognized by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education with two global awards in strategic communications. CASE awarded a Grand Gold award in the student-oriented digital campaign category for the university’s Mental Health Monday campaign and a Silver award for the university’s 8-bit web launch video during the organization’s 2022 Circle of Excellence awards.

The university earned recognition as one of the top public universities in the South according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Colleges rankings. The university ranked fifth overall for social mobility and 12th among all regional public schools. UAFS also earned accolades in overall academic excellence among other regional colleges in the South (No. 48) landed among the top 500 nursing programs in the nation and among the top business programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK UA Little Rock is excited to partner with Amazon and provide opportunities for Amazon employees to advance their skill set and receive their degree. Full- or part-time Amazon associates living and/or working in Arkansas are eligible for annual assistance for tuition, fees and books.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock online bachelor of science in nursing (RN to BSN) program has been ranked the best in the state for the second year in a row.

RegisteredNursing.org, a nursing advocacy organization, ranked UA Little Rock first in its annual list of the Best

Online RN to BSN Programs in Arkansas.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has been recognized as having some of the best online programs in computer information technology in the country. U.S. News & World Report ranked UA Little Rock 19th in its 2022 ranking of Best Online Graduate Computer Information Technology Programs. This ranking assesses online master’s degree programs in computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, information systems and information technology.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received a $1.96 million workforce development grant to fund further development of the Cyber Learning Network (CyberLearN) to address Arkansas’s talent gap in cybersecurity.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF UAPB has added several new fields of study, starting with a master of business administration (MBA) with focuses on business analytics, hospitality management and gaming and casino management. Also accepting students is a new master of education-vocational rehabilitation-addiction counseling.

College freshmen and undecided majors may now consider enrolling in two new degree programs at the School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences.

The Department of Agriculture is offering a degree in agricultural engineering and the Department of Human Sciences is offering a program in hospitality and tourism management.

New nonthesis graduate degree programs in agricultural regulations and aquaculture and fisheries are also now offered at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences.

Because these are nonthesis programs, these programs will primarily emphasize practical application and training.

UAPB alums have been groundbreakers in their chosen career fields including Dr. Ruth B. Jones, the first woman to receive a bachelor of science degree in physics from UAPB, who is manager for the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center’s Human Exploration Development and Operations Office. Raye Jean Montague, class of 1956, served as a female naval engineer and is credited with creating the first computer-generated rough draft of a U.S. naval ship. She was also the first female program manager of ships in the U.S. Navy.

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS UCA has received the 2022-23 Military Friendly® School designation. Institutions earning this designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2022-23 survey with 665 earning special awards for going above the standard.

The university also received the Jesse L. Moore 2022 Supplier Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. The INSIGHT Into Diversity Jesse L. Moore 2022 Supplier Diversity Award is a national recognition honoring colleges and universities that take proactive steps to support and engage with minority-owned businesses.

UCA was one of eight Arkansas universities participating in a Forward Arkansas program designed to help transform K-12 teacher recruitment, training and retention in the state through a $100,000 grant as part of the nonprofit’s Educator Preparation Program Design Collaborative.

UCA is enjoying record enrollment. In fall 2021, firsttime undergraduate enrollment at the school surpassed fall 2020 and 2019 numbers, reaching 1,854 students.

First-time undergraduate enrollment increased by 8.1% over fall 2020 first-time enrollment of 1,715. Fall 2019 first-time enrollment was 1,840.

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New Student Orientation is a required rite of passage for all Trojans at UA Little Rock.

NEW KIDS ON CAMPUS

First year of college is exciting. It’s also hectic, unfamiliar and frankly a little intimidating. But fear not, young scholars, for Arkansas’s colleges and universities have invested time, money and human resources into programs that target first-year students, helping them adjust both inside the classroom and out.

ARKANSAS NORTHEASTERN COLLEGE Arkansas Northeastern College, believing every student needs the right start to be successful, offers the Academic and Career Advising (ACE) Center to help guide students in their educational and career goals.

The ACE Center is staffed with individuals who focus on specific fields of study to best meet the needs of students.

Advising occurs by area of interest and study, allowing students to interact with professional guidance specific to their needs.

The ACE advisers assist students in the enrollment process, from placement testing to career services. They work one-on-one with students to help them make decisions about programs of study, scheduling classes and time management. The advisers are always available to offer encouragement and support, and once the student is comfortably into his or her program of study, usually within a semester or two, he or she transitions to a faculty adviser. Through the ACE advisers, students have a built-in cheerleader and coach from the very beginning of the process.

The ACE Advising Center houses testing services; tutoring services, available on a study group basis at no cost for those who need assistance with coursework; computers that are available for ANC students to complete homework; and ACE student navigators, who are peer mentors helping ANC students prepare and enhance their academic and social skills Career Services, available to prepares students to find a career in their field of interest through internships, job search, resume writing and job interview preparation.

Additionally, the ANC Community Relations Department provides community volunteers to serve as mentors, as well as other support services such as the Opportunity Bus for transportation to and from school. The college also partners with many outside organizations and agencies that provide for additional needs students may have.

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY A-State has a long tradition of providing support for first-year students. It begins with encouraging all to participate in New Student Orientation during the summer before to their first fall semester. It continues into the first semester with a First-Year Experience class that is geared toward acclimating students and connecting them with peers in their academic area.

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targeted at first-year students, A-State also encourages students to get involved immediately in campus leadership and campus groups. All extracurricular activities are open to first-year students, including specialized areas like cheer or dance squads. The Student Government Association has senator slots just for first-year students.

Through FYE courses, the academic advising center gets involved with new students during their first semester and works with faculty to identify if individuals are having difficulty transitioning to university work. There is also campus-wide Pack Support for students to ask questions and seek help on anything, whether it is personal or tutoring. It’s also where peers or faculty can anonymously refer those they see as struggling for help.

ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY Scott Tomlin has a simple message for Arkansas Tech University students as it relates to visiting the Tech Learning Center.

“Come early and come often,” Tomlin said. “Just pop by, check in and see how it’s going. Just having someone around who you can bounce an idea or question off is super important. Come by and see us. It doesn’t even have to be a problem. I’ll gladly hear about how you aced that paper.”

Tomlin took over leadership of the Tech Learning Center in October 2021. Located in Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center Room 124, the center provides services such as academic coaching, peer tutoring, online tutoring and group study sessions. Services are offered to Tech Learning Center clients in-person and online. Staffed by two graduate assistants who oversee the staff of 18 Tech Learning Center peer tutors and mentors, the Tech Learning Center provides assistance in more than 75 courses. In addition, the ATU Department of Biological Sciences and the ATU Department of Mathematics both provide an additional 12 tutors who work in the Tech Learning Center.

“I really want to put an emphasis on student-led initiatives and student-led learning,” Tomlin said. “The teamwork involved in student-led initiatives and student-led projects can help make for better success for everyone involved.”

NATIONAL PARK COLLEGE The college has mandatory NPC Orientation for all new students. NPC offers that course in on-campus and online formats. Every academic division, student organiSpecial Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

zation, student club and student services office is represented on the agenda (and in the content for the online version), explaining their respective areas and what is offered there.

In addition to the mandatory NPC Orientation for new students, NPC offers Welcome Week activities for all students. These largely social activities are designed to offer students a more in-depth look at the numerous connection points on campus. Every student organization, student club and service program is represented during Welcome Week.

NPC offers a fully staffed Academic Success Center for tutoring and study support. Online tutoring is available for every academic subject taught at NPC. In-person and virtual tutoring (via Zoom) is available in most subjects. Also, for undecided students, NPC offers a Career Services Center in which students can research various career fields and complete a career fitness survey.

NPC partners with about 20 area employers to provide internship opportunities for students.

SOUTHERN ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY There are many ways to become a Mulerider! Two of the biggest and best are Becoming a Mulerider (BAM) and Mulerider Round-up, designed to answer any questions first-year students or their families may have while demonstrating all the fun activities and meaningful traditions incorporated into the SAU experience.

BAM, a requirement for all new freshmen, orients new students, allowing them to meet faculty members, tour the campus and get a sense of life at SAU. At Mulerider Round-Up, new students meet other members of their Freshman Seminar class and learn more about the traditions that comprise SAU’s Community of Caring.

SAU cares about academic success and provides resources that allow students to achieve their goals. The Academic Enrichment Center offers a comfortable, quiet study area with tutors available to help answer questions. Virtual services offer one-on-one sessions or free video and audio tutoring. Student Support Services also provides vital assistance, offering tips on time management, test taking and other college survival skills. These free services and others work together to enhance the Mulerider experience.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH All incoming freshmen are asked to attend a Mane Event New Student Orientation either online or in-per-

son to learn about registered student organizations and campus resources, student panels led by upperclassmen and breakout sessions on various topics. Welcome Week is held the first week of the fall semester with a series of events throughout each day to assist students with learning about campus resources and how to get involved. This is followed by a campus picnic and block party.

UAFS has a residence hall specifically for first-year students. Upperclassmen resident assistants are available to answer questions, provide information about educational and social events and serve as campus resources. This year, UAFS will also host the Ask Me program on the first two days of fall classes to assist students with finding their way around.

All freshmen meet with their adviser before the start of their first semester to declare a major, register for classes and discuss other issues related to their college experience. Advisers review students’ course schedule, upcoming academic calendar and introduce them to UAFS’ learning management system, Blackboard, as well as the many in-person and online tutoring and writing resources available within the Academic Success Center.

The university offers in-person and online tutoring as well as academic coaching through the Academic Success Center. Student Support Services, a TRIO program, is also available for many students on the campus. Students attempting to navigate to the right major have access to many available resources to help them make good decisions. Those resources include FOCUS 2 and E-Parachute, in addition to many resources provided on the UAFS website.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK Before each semester begins, UA Little Rock offers New Student Orientation to all new students to help ease the transition to college. During orientation, new students get the opportunity to connect with each other through small group sessions, interactive icebreakers, meals, attending the student organization fair and meeting other students who have the same major. UA Little Rock hosts multiple events throughout the year to get students involved on campus. The first large event is Welcome Week, designated for students to have fun, meet new people, eat great food, stock up on school supplies and enjoy campus.

The Learning Commons provides tutoring services to students in one convenient location on the first floor of the Ottenheimer Library. Within the space, students can receive tutoring from the Communication Skills Center, Math Assistance Center, University Writing Center, World Languages Center and Trojan Tutoring for core courses not served by one of the other centers.

Career Services provides career exploration to assist students in selecting the best major for their career path as well as in finding, affording and deciding on internship opportunities. They provide a career internship grant that pays for unpaid internships. Students use Handshake, UA Little Rock’s student career portal, to search local and national internship opportunities. They also offer negotiating sessions that teach students how to evaluate internship opportunities.

Counseling Services provides individual and group sessions on a wide range of topics, including stress management, relationships and assertiveness.

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UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS UCA offers both one-day and two-day Summer Orientation and Academic Registration (SOAR) sessions throughout the summer for incoming freshmen. These mandatory orientations focus on helping students make connections with Student Orientation staff as well as providing academic and financial aid presentations, meetings with academic advisers and specific programming for parents and families. The university also offers a Campus Involvement Fair so students can discover the services, resources and organizations the campus has to offer.

During the two-day orientations, students receive personalized class schedule tours as well as tours of the campus library, student health clinic, campus recreation center and residence halls.

UCA’s Office of Student Success provides peer coaching, tutoring services, academic success workshops, video and print resources and specialized programming and events for first-generation college students. Other resources include the Center for Writing and Communication, which offers assistance to students with writing or communication projects or presentations; the Math Resource Lab, which offers free math tutoring; and the Language Learning Center, offering free language tutoring, conversation and pronunciation practice, and access to technology.

All students are also assigned an academic adviser within their academic college whom they are required to meet with every semester for help with choosing a major and minor, scheduling classes, adjusting to college life and learning about internship opportunities.

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CHECK OUT WHAT’S NEW

Colleges and universities across the state are investing millions of dollars in buildings, dorms, libraries, technology and campuses to provide students with the best learning and living environments possible. Find out everything that’s new on campus in the snapshots below.

ATU officials cut the ribbon dedicating a sculpture entitled “Murmuration” on the Russellville campus in April.

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY The Windgate Center for Three-Dimensional Arts, a function of the College of Liberal Arts and Communications, Art + Design Dept., opened last fall, providing a new home for A-State’s sculpture, pottery, and other three-dimensional art forms. The $7.9 million facility provides a new foundry and modern studios, working spaces and tools for faculty and staff.

“We often use the word transformative to describe change to the point it nears cliché, but let me be clear: Replacing an 85-year-old, retrofitted gymnasium with this beautiful facility transforms the lives of the students at Arkansas State University,” said Dr. Carl Cates, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Communication. “Replacing a 5,600-square-foot-space inside a New Dealera building with more than three times that space transforms the lives of students.“ Phase two of the PAC Paths Campus Loop was completed and opened in July. The $650,000 project extends the campus’ pedestrian and bike loop an additional 1.5 miles and connects east and west sides of campus. The protected cycle-track repurposed parts of the existing University Loop Drive and is the first protected cycle-track in the NEA region.

The PAC Paths Campus Loop is the latest in a fourphase project to ring the campus as a connector for both the A-State community as well as the city of Jonesboro, connecting into their planned bike system.

ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY Arkansas Tech University nursing programs have landed $675,000 in federal funds, which will provide ATU students in Russellville and Ozark with enhanced access to simulated clinical situations. ATU will utilize the federal funds to complete such projects as updating simulation rooms, purchasing hospital beds, upgrading computer laboratories and acquiring human patient simulators.

“Murmuration,” a new outdoor sculpture by Andrew Malczewski, was introduced during a ceremony at Arkansas Tech University on April 26, 2022. Malczewski served as Windgate Foundation artist in residence at Arkansas Tech for the spring 2022 semester. The sculpture, which is located on the quad south of the ATU Administration Building, on the ATU campus in Russellville, was inspired by the ATU vision statement: “Where students 74 AUGUST 2022

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succeed, innovation thrives and communities flourish.”

Following a more than three-year journey, Arkansas Tech University’s Williamson Hall is back. ATU rededicated the historic structure on March 3, 2022, in memory of Marvin Williamson and in honor of the perseverance of the students, faculty and staff who call it home.

Williamson Hall is home to classrooms, laboratory spaces and offices used by ATU’s programs in recreation and park administration and hospitality administration.

Opened in 1940 as the home of the National Youth Administration headquarters for Arkansas, the building that came to be known as Williamson Hall reverted to ATU ownership after the NYA was discontinued in 1943.

Arkansas Tech students from the 1940s through the early 1970s knew the building as the home of the fine arts program. The studios for radio station KXRJ, which later became KARV, were located in Williamson Hall from the time it went on the air in February 1947 until 1957.

Williamson Hall was named to the National Register of Historic Places on Sept. 8, 1992.

SOUTHERN ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY Southern Arkansas University takes pride in the physical beauty of its campus and the facilities that enhance academics, athletics and the overall Mulerider experience.

In 2021, the Dawson Athletic Complex opened.

SAU’s newest athletic structure contains 60 yards of marked turf, perfect for many types of sports, providing top-quality practice and conditioning space for the university’s 450 student-athletes, coaches and administrators.

A new education building opened in 2021, placing all of SAU’s quality education programs under one roof and offering state-of-the-art instruction in two high-tech classrooms.

To accommodate the skyrocketing growth in SAU’s Mulerider Band program, Oliver Band Hall expanded from 3,264 feet to 6,632 feet, reflecting the program’s surging enrollment.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS Ongoing construction projects continue to transform the campus of the University of Arkansas, accommodating enrollment growth and providing the latest in facilities and amenities for students.

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Headlining these projects is the $55 million Windgate Studio and Design Center, a facility serving the university’s School of Art and bringing its various disciplines under one roof. It is slated to be finished in October.

Another large project, the $45 million Student Success Center, was completed in December 2021. The 71,000-square-foot facility provides classroom and study space focused on maximizing student success, particularly for first-generation Arkansans.

Other projects include the UREC Playing Fields and the Indian Trail Tennis Facility, a $4.7 million tennis complex that was completed in March. The Dickson Retail Shops Renovation, a $5.5 million project, will provide ground floor retail space to accommodate student demand.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK Improvements to the campus plaza, nicknamed the Trojan Way, got underway during the summer of 2022.

The $5.5 million project, paid for with a grant from the George W. Donaghey Foundation, includes redoing the campus internal plaza with canopy trees, seating, stage and new pavers. The new Trojan Way will also include a north-to-south promenade that allows students to enjoy seating, lit walkways and greenspace.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF Numerous capital improvements are ongoing or recently completed at UAPB that are transforming the campus. Here’s a roundup of what’s new: The largest of the projects is the Student Engagement Center, slated for completion in 2024. The new $23 million facility will house student success, career services, a new health and wellness center, and food court.

An additional $8 million is being spent to renovate Larrison Hall, home to the School of Agricultural, Fisheries and UAPB Human Resources. New research and teaching space, including smart classrooms throughout, will support the university’s programs in bio/nanotechnology, regulatory science and agricultural engineering.

Renovations to Kountz Kyle, home to the Biology Department, included modernization of classrooms and laboratories, completed last fall at a cost of $5 million. The L.A. Davis Student Union is getting $4 million in improvements, including expanding the campus bookstore, mailroom and print shop, plus renovations

to student government offices and the office of student leadership and involvement. Meanwhile, the Hazzard Building, home to the university’s ROTC program, has just embarked on a $2.1 million overhaul that will completely transform the building.

Douglas Hall underwent a $750,000 renovation, completed in summer 2022. The residence hall received upgrades to the student rooms, bathrooms and shared common spaces. Another residence hall, Lewis Hall, kicked off its renovation work in August. The $750,000 improvement will upgrade windows, plumbing and electrical as well as updating the sleeping rooms, bathrooms and common spaces.

The H.A. Hathaway Fine Arts Building and Auditorium, home to the art, music and theater departments, is getting a $1.7 million upgrade to its physical plant and audio-visual system. That project is expected to be completed early next year. Corbin Hall, home to continuing education and distance education, completed its $500,000 upgrade to its physical plant in August.

Henderson Young Hall is receiving $450,000 in new upgrades; it houses the School of Business and Management.

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS The basketball court in the Farris Center at the University of Central Arkansas was unveiled in June 2021 in honor of alumnus Scottie Pippen with his name and signature. Pippen, who came to UCA as a walk-on student manager from tiny Hamburg (Ashley County) in 1983, left as a two-time NAIA All-American and a lottery pick (No. 5 overall) in the 1987 NBA Draft. He went on to play 17 years in the NBA, winning six championships alongside Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls, one of the most prominent dynasties in professional sports. He also won two gold medals as part of the USA Olympic Dream Team and had his No. 33 jersey retired by both the Bears and the Bulls. Pippen was on hand for the unveiling, along with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, UCA President Houston Davis, UCA Director of Athletics Brad Teague, UCA head men’s basketball coach Anthony Boone and many others.

The University of Central Arkansas launched a health care clinic providing services to the local community through its new Interprofessional Teaching Center (ITC).

The ITC is housed in the newly constructed Integrated Health Sciences Building, located at Western Avenue and Bruce Street. The services provided in the clinic are primary care with advanced practice registered nurses, nutrition services, occupational therapy, and speech and physical therapy. Patients do not need a referral from their health care provider to make an appointment at the ITC. The new Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Central Arkansas will merge art, music and theater in one incredible place. This 104,000-square-foot facility will strengthen UCA’s position as a leader in the arts community, serve the university community and attract visitors and business to Central Arkansas. The facility will include a 450-seat concert hall, black box theater and public art gallery. It is expected to open in January 2023.

Doyne Hall will open for classes in fall 2022 with newly renovated lab spaces for the Exercise Science Department, new classroom spaces, technology, furnishings and a new faculty staff lounge.

UCA is renovating a church building on Bruce Street across the street from Donaghey Hall. When complete, the facility will have study rooms, classrooms, a computer lab, a lounge and a gaming area to serve as a home away from home for veteran students.

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AUGUST 2022 75

2022 COLLEGE GUIDE

STAYING SAFE ON CAMPUS

A primary concern for students, faculty and parents alike is the safety of any college or university campus. Higher education has taken this matter seriously, deploying a number of safeguards to keep both campus and students secure.

Below are snapshots of security efforts at work on campus; be sure to ask more questions of the school of your choice.

ARKANSAS COLLEGES OF HEALTH EDUCATION At Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, safety and security are top priorities. One major safety procedure is being in a constant state of “lock down” and requiring all faculty, staff and students to use their ACHE ID badge to access and enter the buildings, offices, labs, etc. Moreover, the institution employs a team of campus police officers who are diligent in keeping all ACHE constituents safe via 24-hour surveillance 365 days of the year; on-call services for walking students, faculty and staff to their cars; camera surveillance inside, outside and around the campus; emergency call box stations across campus and email and text message alerts for school closings and emergencies.

ACHE embraces and supports mentorship of all students enrolled in each program. Students not only receive peer-to-peer opportunities through registered student organizations, tutoring services, etc., they are also assigned a faculty mentor/adviser from their program who is there to help support their personal and academic success until graduation.

Additionally, ACHE academic advisers, the campus wellness office and other ACHE faculty and staff collaborate with one another to create an environment that is safe and supportive for all students to develop and thrive during their tenure at the institution.

The wellness and student services offices also do a great job of informing faculty and staff about how to identify student mental health struggles and the process of requesting assistance. Mental health and wellness are important for all students attending ACHE, so they are provided with this type of support as soon as they arrive to campus for orientation.

ARKANSAS NORTHEASTERN COLLEGE ANC offers several programs to assist those who have additional needs, such as the Opportunity Bus, Career Closet, the W.O.R.K. Program, the Pathways Program, the food pantry and the mentoring program.

The ANC Opportunity Bus provides transportation for county residents to and from ANC. This free service is available to all ANC students, including those engaged in noncredit workforce training and adult 76 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

Students enjoy many activities on the beautiful (and safe) campus of UA Fort Smith.

education programs. SNAP recipients receive first priority with the Arkansas Department of Human Services matching grant that support the program.

The W.O.R.K. Program is designed to assist unemployed local residents living in poverty in gaining basic skills and finding a job. This short, six-to-eight week program touches on problem-solving skills, correct use of tools, basic computer skills, job interview preparation and resume writing. The program, which is offered at no cost, provides individuals with a support network to access job opportunities. The Career Closet provides ANC students free professional dress items for interviews, career fairs and work.

ANC Community Relations also offers male and female mentoring by community volunteers. These mentors provide Empowering Workshops promoting personal and professional growth. Additionally, they emphasize employability, financial literacy, goal setting, study skills, health and wellness, and grit. The mentors provide resources and referrals for employment assistance and health services.

ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY From active-shooter training within First-Year Experience programs to providing on-campus walkhome and ride-home security, A-State puts a high premium on campus safety. The school was among the first in the state to earn StormReady designation from the National Weather Service with its program of education and warning to students related to severe weather.

The University Police Department was recently reaccredited by CALEA and has held the nationally recognized law enforcement rating for several years.

A-State regularly invests in upgraded campus lighting along walkways and the PAC Paths, along with security upgrades for cameras and almost 100 dispersed emergency phone locations on campus.

UPD and University Housing collaborate on a wide range of safety programs for new students, including personal safety on campus, alcohol and drug awareness, street safety for pedestrians and bike riders, and Title IX reporting awareness.

A-State is opening a new space for its on-campus Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

counseling center, renovating a space next door to the Reng Student Union into the Wilson Counseling Center for fall 2022. This will expand the office and meeting space for counselors as well as provide a more discreet location for those attending in-person sessions.

ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY The Arkansas Tech University Department of Public Safety is a service-oriented agency employing the philosophy of community policing within its jurisdiction. This philosophy is based upon the concept that police officers and the campus community as a whole can work together in creative ways to solve problems related to crime prevention.

All new students at Arkansas Tech University participate in online training during the summer before they begin classes. New graduate students are asked to complete “Sexual Assault Prevention for Graduate Students” and new undergraduate students are asked to complete “AlcoholEdu for College: Primary” and either “Sexual Assault Prevention for Adult Learners” or “Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergraduates.” A version of the sexual assault prevention training module designed for employees and returning students is mandatory on an annual basis.

Among the additional related resources offered by ATU are informational sessions during new student orientation and continuing education provided by the ATU Health and Wellness Center, the ATU Office of Title IX, the ATU Department of Public Safety and the Jerry Cares program.

Jerry Cares is an initiative named for the university’s campus ambassador, Jerry the Bulldog, that disseminates helpful information about keeping Tech safe for all. As part of its Jerry Cares initiative, the ATU Division of Student Affairs oversees the Arkansas Tech University CARE (Campus Assessment, Response and Evaluation) team. Any member of the campus community may submit a report to the CARE team when they encounter an individual who is experiencing problems and needs assistance. Reports may be made anonymously.

You’ve been preparing for this your whole life.

The University of Arkansas is a welcoming campus of students, faculty and staff who are determined to build a better world.

Join the Razorback family and be at home on the Hill.

Scholarship funding for Arkansas students has grown by $6 million since 2019, and 97% of students from Arkansas who applied for scholarships last year received an award.

ARKANSAS.EDU

Picture yourself on campus with our virtual tour.

A BOLD NEW CHAPTER Small class sizes, individualized instruction and a flexible curriculum that changes to meet the needs of the marketplace are all things today’s college student is looking for in an institution of higher learning.

Shorter College, a private, faith-based, twoyear liberal arts college in North Little Rock, is one such institution. One of the country’s 110 Historically Black College and Universities, Shorter provides the kind of flexibility and academic rigor that gives students a head start on the future while still paying attention to each student’s unique opportunities and challenges.

“Shorter College is every student’s path to possible,” said Dr. Johnny Jones, dean of academic and student affairs.“The college was founded to educate citizens and provide them with a foundation that will allow each student to accomplish their goals.”

The college was founded in 1886 by the African Methodist Episcopal Church and is today the only private, two-year HBCU in the country. Jones said this long history of service to students and a dynamic vision for the future set the school apart.

“We have secured qualitative and quantitative data to guide student success,” he said. “The global pandemic also sped up many of the enhancement processes the college was already exploring and we have made adjustments to maximize each student’s learning experience.

“Since the global pandemic began, the college has staffed the Department of Student Affairs, reactivated sports teams, created new academic programs and is building a residential hall. We’ve also allocated significant funding for scholarships and partnered with our state’s flagship university.

What’s more, the college has a structured improvement platform whereby we’re continuously evaluating our academic programs and delivery.”

This eye for innovation has allowed the 400-student college to offer academic programs and features that rival institutions several times its size, such as stackable degrees and a robust concurrent credit program for high schoolers.

“Students at any high school in the state can take any class at Shorter College,” Jones said. “We are particularly excited to partner with the North Little Rock School District allowing high school students to secure job-ready certifications from IBM and Apple.”

But for everything that’s new at Shorter, which Jones noted was one of the fastest-growing institutions in the state, the core elements upon which the college was built are as relevant as ever.

“Shorter College is ready to serve all citizens,” he said. “Our mission is to provide accessible, affordable and high-quality education for students to accomplish their academic goals by offering programs that meet the learner’s needs in a challenging and nurturing Christian environment. Staying true to that mission was important on day one, but it’s even more critical today. Technology and subject matter may change, but the fundamental mission of this college never will.”

Learn more at shortercollege.edu.

78 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

NATIONAL PARK COLLEGE NPC has year-round 24-hour armed security coverage of a Garland County Sheriff’s Deputy as its designated school resource officer on weekdays during the day and contracted security officers at all other times, including holidays and breaks. Security personnel can be called at any time to escort students to and from buildings, cars, dorms, etc. NPC has also invested in the infrastructure on campus to further enhance the existing safety measures.

In addition to the cameras across campus, the residence hall has additional cameras placed within the common spaces, monitored by the security team and residence hall staff.

In addition to traditional mental health services, the Counseling Center along with the security team, dorm personnel and health and safety team are trained in assessing and administering emergency intervention for opioid overdose using Narcan. The Counseling Center also provides on-campus training, education and outreach activities throughout the year.

Tutoring services are provided through the NPC Academic Success Center and are free to access for any student in person or via Zoom. Tutoring topics are not just limited to academic subject areas, but also include skills necessary for overall student success, including note taking, time management, study and test-taking skills.

In addition to the services outlined above that are available to all students, participants in programs like TRIO (for first-generation college students), Career Pathways (for low-income parents/guardians) and veterans (or children/dependents of veterans) have additional supportive services, such as designated facilities/spaces, financial assistance, social supports and more.

SOUTHERN ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY Muleriders take campus safety and staying healthy seriously. Students are encouraged to contact law enforcement in an emergency on campus. Students living off-campus may call the University Police Department for safe passage back to the school campus.

Student Service Officers assist UPD as liaisons during sporting and other major on-campus events. CARES Program training helps staff, faculty and students recognize, assess and report abnormal behaviors of individuals on campus. SAU’s Criminal Justice department has teamed with SAU police to allow student interns to work alongside campus police personnel. Crime prevention programs include internet safety, self-defense for men and women, and active-shooter training.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS All new students at the University of Arkansas participate in a First Year Experience course, which is designed to provide them with healthy guidance and help them connect with peer-to-peer opportunities like supplemental instruction, course-specific tutoring, peer academic coaching, peer career coaching and the Writing Studio.

The new Student Success Center, in the Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence, has a student-led Welcome Desk where students can access peerto-peer support on a walk-in basis. There are over 1,000 student staff on campus ready to help in the mode of students helping students.

UAPD has both sworn, uniformed police officers and unsworn, uniformed security officers that patrol the campus and provide escorts to students, faculty and staff as well as respond to other calls for service Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

of both an emergency and nonemergency nature.

The campus utilizes the SafeZone app provided by Critical Arc, provided free of charge to students, faculty and staff and the RAVE emergency notification system that sends notifications to the campus community via text, email, landline phone and cell phone.

Security measures related to facilities include all exterior doors controlled by DSX Access Systems using a security package, door prop alarms, door position switch, motion detectors and delay egress sirens monitored by Housing’s 24/7 Service Center.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH The University Police Department is a 24-hour department with state-certified police officers providing courtesy escorts, self-defense classes for women, safety walks for campus groups, training presentations on active shooter, severe weather, personal safety awareness and other services. Emergency phones exist on campus as well as an opt-in safety app through RAVE. Other safety features include panic buttons across campus in certain offices, text messaging, email alerts, safety app alerts and social media posts to provide timely warnings or emergency notification.

UPD also presents situational awareness training to incoming freshmen, which includes personal safety awareness and reporting options and the offices responsible for those reports. UPS partners with Housing and Student Affairs and various campus groups and departments to present these trainings to assure students are aware and informed.

The university’s Student Counseling Center is available to all students. In response to the pandemic, counseling sessions are made available online through a virtual telehealth option. Students are able to schedule confidential counseling sessions online or request virtual pop-in sessions throughout the week.

UAFS also recently won a global education award for its social media outreach, using advanced digital tactics to help students connect with the counseling clinic and remove barriers to access UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has a full-time campus police force on the property, fulltime investigative division and full-time staff that run emergency communication for the department. RAVE emergency alert system is in use on the property and the department has updated emergency phones located on poles in the parking lots and building elevators. All new students undergo crime prevention and personal safety education training.

Residence halls are staffed with resident assistants and lobby managers. RAs are specially trained to help residents learn about UA Little Rock and adjust to campus life. Each RA is in a living unit of about 30 to 40 residents. UA Little Rock is also launching a peer mentoring program to provide new students with help navigating the university experience. The Student Retention Initiatives Peer Mentoring program offers all UA Little Rock students the opportunity to work closely with peer mentors.

Before registering for classes, freshmen meet with their adviser in one of three college advising centers.

Additionally, UA Little Rock has a campus counseling service that can help students with issues that may arise as well.

Health Services provides inclusive, evidenced-based, quality health care to students and employees of UA Little Rock. Currently enrolled stu-

dents with a valid UA Little Rock ID card and active employees are eligible for care. Services include evaluation and treatment of illnesses; physical examinations; women’s health visits and more.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF To provide for the overall safety and campus experience, the university has navigated a new way of life regarding the coronavirus pandemic. Modifications to meetings and learning have taken place within communication networks to assure a safe environment. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to continue to practice social distancing and monitor crowd space.

Regarding safety and security measures, the university continues to follow the guidelines from campus police to assure a safe environment. Alert notifications are distributed to keep the campus community aware of emergency events and protocols of when and how to respond. Students are encouraged to register through the university campus alert system to stay updated with safety/emergency measures.

New student orientation provides students with an array of opportunities to learn about the campus community and find their place in it. Freshman Leadership Core programs, including the Freshman Leadership Academy, student success engagement and first-year experience classes, allow students to adjust to the collegial environment and engage in campus experiences. Faculty and staff have an open-door policy and practice communication measures to assure students receive quality feedback regarding any concerns.

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS The University of Central Arkansas Police Department is accredited with the Arkansas Law Enforcement Accreditation Program by demonstrating a high level of excellence and professionalism in the field of law enforcement. During the spring and fall semesters Bear Patrol offers anyone on campus a safety escort service. This service is provided by a registered student organization through the police department.

UCA supports a system of “blue light” emergency telephones throughout the campus on walkways and in parking facilities to provide direct communication with the UCA Police Department.

The UCA Police Department, UCA Physical Plant and the Student Government Association partner annually to work with constituencies across campus to conduct Operation SafeWalk, whereby groups of students, staff and faculty assemble into teams to survey closely for any safety or security hazards.

The UCAAlert System is an emergency mass notification system for sending text messages in the event of a significant incident that necessitates the urgent dissemination of emergency information. Alert messages sent by the UCAAlert system may also be posted to the Safe@UCA Mobile App, UCA websites and social media outlets, including Facebook and Twitter. Members of the larger community surrounding UCA are encouraged to install the mobile app on their device, giving them the ability to receive emergency notifications.

Access to residence halls is restricted to residents, their approved guests and other approved members of the university community. The exterior doors of all residence halls are locked at all times. Residents may gain access to their residence hall by using their UCA BearCard ID with the card access readers.

Unparalleled COMMITMENT to STUDENT SUCCESS

EACC.EDU | 1-877-797-EACC It's Not Just a Job. It's Your Chance to Help the Lives of Children Program coordinators and consultants Therapists – outpatient, acute, school-based, psychiatric residential treatment facility, recreational Qualified behavioral health providers Nurses – LPNs, RNs, admissions Teachers Teaching parents Residential assistant Office manager Housekeepers Cooks Behavioral Instructors

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ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 79

4 YEAR SCHOOLS 2 YEAR SCHOOLS

SCHOOL

CITY

PHONE

ENROLLMENT/SEM

HRS/SEM

TUITION/SEM

HOUSING/SEM

Arkansas Baptist College

Little Rock

501-420-1200

878

12-18

$4,380

$4,412 (double occupancy: 16 meals/week)

Arkansas State University

Jonesboro

870-972-2100/ 800-382-3030 (in-state only)

13,752

15 (full-time undergraduate)

$4,655 (in-state @ $287 per credit hour)

$4,605 (room & board)

Arkansas Tech University

Russellville

479-968-0343/ 1-800-582-6953

10,866

15

$3,585

starting at $3,374 (includes meals)

Central Baptist College

Conway

501-329-6872

605

15

$7,800

$3,750

Crowley’s Ridge College

Paragould

870-236-6901

200

12 or more

$6,325

3250 (includes meal plan)

Harding University

Searcy

800-477-4407

4,970

15

$11,295

$2,106

Henderson State University

Arkadelphia

870-230-5000/ 800-228-7333

2,914

12-15

$2,580 (12 hours)

$3,660 (room & board)

Hendrix College

Conway

501-450-1362/ 800-277-9017

1,120

4 courses/sem

$17,550 (including fees)

$6,800 (including meals)

John Brown University

Siloam Springs

877-528-4636/ 479-524-7157

2,343

12-18

$13,831

$4,777

Lyon College

Batesville

870-307-7000

700 est. *census date Sept. 1, 2017

12-17 (including tuition costs)

$14,395

$4,565 (for freshmen)

Ouachita Baptist University

Arkadelphia

870-245-5110/800-DIAL-OBU

1,764

up to 18

$15,590 (including fees)

$4400 (room & board)

Philander Smith College

Little Rock

501-375-9845

800

12-16

$5,902

1st/2nd-yr $2,596/upperclass suites $2,954; board/sem $1,528; room reservation $235

Southern Arkansas University

Magnolia

870-235-4040

4468 (Fall 2018)

15

$3,210

$3,208

University of Arkansas Cossatot

De Queen

870-584-4471/800844-4471

1,550

12

72/hr (in-county)/$102/hr (out of state)

N/A

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Little Rock

800-482-8892

9,000 (Fall 2020)

12

4764.30 (tuition & fees, 15 hours)

$3,502.50 (including room & board)

University of Arkansas at Monticello

Monticello

870-460-1026/800844-1826

3,643

15

$150/credit hr

$1,320-$2,260

University of Arkansas Pine Bluff

Pine Bluff

870-575-8000

2,579 (Fall 2018)

15

$2,565 (AY 2019-20)

$4,236 (20 meals)

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville

479-575-5346/800377-8632

27,562

15

$4,787 (including fees)

$5,971 (room & board)

University of Central Arkansas

Conway

501-450-5000

10,105

15

$4,489

$4,125

University of Arkansas at Fort Smith

Fort Smith

479-788-7000

6,626 (Fall 2017)

15

$166/credit hr (in-state); $461/credit hr(out-of-state)

$2,208-$3,506/sem + meal plan

University of the Ozarks

Clarksville

479-979-1227/800264-8636

836

18-Dec

$12,475

$1,800

Williams Baptist University

Walnut Ridge

800-722-4434/870759-4120

600

12-17

$8,550

4,275/735 ageneral fees

Arkansas Northeastern College

Blytheville

870-762-1020

1,300

15

$74/hr

N/A

Arkansas State University - Beebe

Beebe

501-882-3600

2,776

12

$106/hr

$3,100(double); $3,525 (single)(including meals)

Arkansas State University Mid-South

West Memphis

870-733-6722/866733-6722

1203 (Fall 2020)

1-18

$95/hr (in-county); $115/hr (out-of-county/in-state); $155/hr (out-of-state)

N/A

Arkansas State University at Mountain Home

Mountain Home

870-508-6100

1,345

15 to 18

$2,304 In-State Plus Books and Fees/$3912 Out-of-State Plus Books and Fees

N/A

Arkansas State University- Newport

Newport

870-512-7800

2,362

15

$96/hr

N/A

Arkansas Tech University Ozark

Ozark

479-667-2117

1,995

15

$12,820

N/A

Baptist Health College Little Rock

Little Rock

501-202-6200

700

Varies by program

Varies by program

No Campus Housing

Black River Technical College

Pocahontas

870-248-4000

1476 (Fall 2019)

12

$160 Instate per credit hour with fees

N/A

Arkansas State University Three Rivers

Malvern

800-337-0266/501337-5000

1,243

12

$102/hr

N/A

East Arkansas Community College

Forrest City

870-633-4480

1047 (Fall 2017)

12

$85/credit hr (in-county); $95/hr (out-of-county); $113/hr (out-of-state)

N/A

National Park College

Hot Springs

501-760-4159

approximately 1900

15

$90/hr, $1,350/semester max in district; $100/hr, $1,500/semester max out of district

N/A - Varies by floor plan

North Arkansas College

Harrison

870-743-3000/800679-6622

1,786

15

$1,260 (in-county)

Single Occupancy Room $2,750 per term (spring/fall) Double Occupancy Room $2,5 fall)

North West Arkansas Community College

Bentonville & Springdale

479-986-4000

8000

15

$1,125 in-district ($75/credit hr); $2,025 out-of-district ($135/ credit hr)

N/A

Ozarka College

Melbourne

870-368-7371

1,120

12-15

$90/credit hr

$1800-$2000

Phillips Community College

Helena

870-338-6474

1,298

15

$1,125

N/A

University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College

North Little Rock

501-812-2200

5591 (Spring 2019)

Varies

$134/credit hr, in-state

N/A

University of Arkansas Rich Mountain

Mena

479-394-7622

798

15

$1,245

$2,500

Shorter College

North Little Rock

501-374-6305

N/A

12

$2,052

N/A

South Arkansas Community College

El Dorado

1-500-955-2289

1,200

15

$1,260/$1,455/$2,580

N/A

Southeast Arkansas College

Pine Bluff

870-850-8605/888-SEARKTC

1,400

12-18

$94/hr

N/A

Southern Arkansas University Tech

Camden

870-574-4558

1,800

15

$110/hr (in-state); $156/hr (out-of-state)

$2,396/sem double (on-campus) (all housing costs include meal plans)

University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville

Batesville

870-612-2000

1,069

12

$79/hr (in-district); $94/hr (out-of-district)

N/A

University of Arkansas Community College at Hope-Texarkana

Hope & Texarkana

870-777-5722

1,500

12

$66/credit hr (in-district); $74/hr (out-of-district)

N/A

University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton

Morrilton

800-264-1094

1,836

12

$92/hr (in-district); $102/hr (in-state)

N/A

80 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

To compile this, forms were sent to every qualified college and university with instructions to return by a specified deadline. Those schools not meeting the deadline were

ncy Room $2,50 per term (spring/

TOTAL SEM COST

FINANCIAL AID DEADLINE

%ONAID

SCHOLARSHIPDEADLINE

REQUIREDEXAMS

APP DEADLINE FEE

$9,033 (Tuition + room & board)

June 30th

97%

None

ACT/SAT/ACCUPLACER

Open Enrollment

$9,260

June 30th

91%

Frb. 1st

Not required for admission.

ACT/SAT for some scholarships.

1st day of classes/$30-Undergraduate; $30-Graduate/Masters Specialist; $50-International Students; $50-Doctoral

$8,311.25 (not including books)

Open

75%

Nov. 15 Priority, Feb. 15 Final

ACT/SAT

Open/No Fee

$11,550

July 31st

90%

N/A

ACT/SAT/ACCUPLACER

10 days prior to first day

$10,875 for boarding students

Open

80%

Aug. 1st

ACT/SAT

Aug 1st

$15,570

Aug. 1st

92.0%

Open

ACT/SAT

Open/$50

with fees, approx. $6,954.50

April 15th Priority

90%

Nov. 1st Priority

ACT/SAT

None

$24,350

Mar. 1 Priority

100%

Feb. 1st for most scholarships, however scholarships are awarded through all application deadlines.

ACT/SAT

Early Action I - Nov. 15, Early Action II - Feb. 1

$19,239

Mar. 1 Priority

90%

Mar. 1 Priority

ACT/SAT/CLT/Test-Optional

Rolling/$25

$18,960

Rolling, but priority consideration by Feb. 1st

99%

Rolling, but priority consideration by Mar. 1st

ACT/SAT

Early Action 1 - November 15, 2018, Early Action 2 - February 15, 2019, Regular Decision - April 1, 2019

$19,900

Rolling, The priority deadline for fall entry is Dec. 1.

97%

Rolling, Dec. 1 Priority

Test-Optional

Open/No Application Fee

$10,459

Mar. 1st

98%

Rolling Deadline

ACT/SAT

Open/$25

$7,698

May 1st

81%

Mar. 1st

ACT/SAT

Open/No Fee

$1100-$1500

Fall- None, Spring- None, Summer- April 15

75%

Apr. 1st

ACT/ASSET/COMPASS/SAT/ ACCUPLACER

Open/No Fee

$9166.80 (est 15 hrs tuition/fees, rm/brd, books/supplies), $9166.80

February 1 (Priority), July 1st (Preferred) November 1 (Final Deadline)

85%

March 1 Mentor Programs, Aug. 2 Merit and Need-Based Scholarships

ACT/SAT

Freshman admission and credential deadline is one week before classes begin. July 15 International Students

$8,503 including campus room & board

Rolling

83%

Mar. 1st Priority

ACT/ASSET/SAT/COMPASS/ ACCUPLACER (for placement)

Rolling/No Fee - Except for international applicants

$8,268 (based on 15 hrs/sem)

Rolling Basis

90%

Mar. 1st/ April 1st

ACT/SAT

Open

$10,758

March 1st

75%

Nov. 1st (Freshmen), Apr. 1st (transfers)

ACT/SAT

Aug. 1

$9,104

Open

96%

24-Jan

None

None

Varies

June 15th

96%

Nov. 15

ACT/COMPASS/SAT

Open/No Fee

$16,975 (including meal plan)

Feb. 15 Priority

99%

April 1st Priority

Test Optional

May 1st Priority

$13,560

May 1st

97%

None

ACT/SAT

Open/No Fee

$1,360

Open

86%

Apr. 1st Priority

ACT/ACCUPLACER

Open

$1,512 tuition/fees

Priority dates April 1

72%

April1st

ACT/ASSET/ACCUPLACER

Open/No Fee

Approx. $2,500 but varies depending on academic/technical program (does not include transportation, personal expenses, housing).

Open. Spring 2022 priority, Dec 7, 2021; Summer & Fall 2022 Priority, April 25, 2022

Approx 75%

Dec . 1 (Spring 2022), May 2 (Fall 2022)

ACT/ASSET/SAT/ACCUPLACER

Open

Priority Consideration Deadline - June 1st

85%

Mar. 15

ACT/COMPASS/SAT/ ACCUPLACER CLASSIC/ ACCUPLACER NEXT GEN

Open/No Fee

$2,610 (plus books & fees)

Open

72%

June 1st

ACCUPLACER/

Open/No Fee

$2,820 (not including books or applicable course fees)

Open

69%

June 15 (Fall)/Nov. 15 (Spring)

ACT/SAT/ACCUPLACER

Open/No Fee

Varies by program

May 1 / Oct 1

85%

June 1st/Dec. 1st

ACT/SAT

Varies By Program/No Fee

Varies

Open

65%

Mar. 1st

ACT/ACCUPLACER

Open/No Fee

$1,224 plus books & fees

Priority Consideration Deadline June 1st

86%

May 1st

ACT/ACCUPLACER/SAT

Open/No Fee

N/A

July 1st

76%

Varies

ACT/ACCUPLACER

Open/No Fee

Varies

Open

78%

Open

ACT/SAT/ACCUPLACER

Open/No Fee

N/A

Varies

60%

June 15th

ACT /COMPASS

Open

$2,325 in-district, $3,225 out-of-district (tuition/fees/books)

1-May

55%

25-Feb

ACT/ACCUPLACER/SAT

Open

Varies

Priority deadline June 1

80%

Apr. 1st

ACT/ACCUPLACER

Open/No Fee

$1,555

Call 870-338-6474.

67%

Call 870-338-6474.

ACT/ACCUPLACER

Open/No Fee

The average cost of tuition and basic fees for a full-time student taking 15 hours is $2,835 per semester.

Fall-May 15, Spring-Oct. 15, Summer-Mar. 15

72%

Open

ACT/ACCUPLACER

Open/No Fee

$1,245 including fees & books

July 1st

Nov. 15 & Apr. 1st

ACT/SAT/COMPASS

Open/No Fee

$3000 including books

Open

95%

Open

ACT/SAT/COMPASS/ ACCUPLACER

Open

Varies

July 1st

60%

Mar. 1st Priority

ACT/Accuplacer/SAT/COMPASS/ASSETT

Open/No Fee

Varies

Apr. 15 priority

81%

Apr. 30th

ACT/ACCUPLACER

Open

Varies

Preferred July 1st

59%

Mar. 1st

ACT/ASSET/SAT/ACCUPLACER

Open/No Fee

Varies

Open

Varies

Contact Financial Aid

ACT/ASSET/SAT/ACCUPLACER/ COMPASS

Open/No Fee

$1,350 (including textbooks)

Open

87%

Apr. 1st

ACT/COMPASS/ACCUPLACER

Open/No Fee

$2,000

June 30 Priority

68%

Nov. 1st/ Apr. 1st

ACT/COMPASS/ACCUPLACER

Open/No Fee

repeated from last year. Every attempt is made to gather and verify the information. The Comments section was removed due to lack of space.

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 81

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AUGUST 2022 83

CULTURE

THE PAUSE BUTTON

AFTER A DECADES-LONG CAREER AS A CURATOR, BRAD CUSHMAN IS TAKING A BREATH.

BY STEPHANIE SMITTLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON

84 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

‘PICTURE THIS’: Brad Cushman and his husband, Bobby Williams Cushman, in their artcentric living room.

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hen you say the name Brad Cushman to an art-minded Arkansan, two things are pretty likely to happen.

First, their eyes light up. Cushman’s spark is the kind that imprints itself on the people around him and, like a sort of invisible ink, can make a sudden reappearance under the right conditions. Second, they’ll give you a clue as to which Brad Cushman they know.

For public radio listeners, he’s the host of “Picture This,” a short segment in which Cushman distills centuries of context and art history into a 150-word, 60-second spot on KUAR-FM, 89.1.

For the UA Little Rock students he mentored before his retirement in April, he’s the art teacher who loved the ceramic and porcelain pitbull statue in your senior show so much he bought it from you after the exhibit closed.

For a fellow artist like Delita Martin, he’s the friend who books a trip halfway across the world to see and celebrate your work exhibited at the prestigious Venice Biennale.

For his neighbors, he’s the amiable guy who lives in that house with the neon green door with his husband, Bobby Williams Cushman.

For patrons of the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (then the Arkansas Arts Center), he’s the curator responsible for “Face to Face,” a 2013 exhibit of eccentric self-portraits from the collection of Jackye and Curtis Finch Jr., which people still talk about almost 10 years after the fact.

For his physical therapist, I suspect, Cushman is the patient constantly on the move, mounting resistance straps on a doorway outside his laundry room to do strengthening exercises; Cushman was born with cerebral palsy and has managed pain and mobility limits his entire life.

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AUGUST 2022 85

BRINGING THE GALLERY HOME: An avid supporter of fellow Arkansas artists, Cushman stands next to a Robyn Horn sculture — “Shifting Stone” in redwood, created in 2016.

For residents of Durant, Oklahoma, he was the local art professor who made headlines for “The Big Peanutmobile,” a 1976 Delta 88 Cushman bought from his landlord for a dollar and then, with his students’ help, covered in shell peanuts affixed to the car’s exterior with silicone caulk.

Cushman’s aesthetic is a mosaic marvel — part queer Americana, part weirdo outsider art, rarely neutral, resolutely playful, often preoccupied with the human face. The walls in the front room of his and Bobby’s home pay tribute: a wooden head by pop art pioneer Leo Jensen serves as unofficial substitute for a doorbell at the front doorway, donning wirerim glasses and a functioning metal whistle sprouting from the top of his head, while a trio of images of Black women with natural hairstyles transmit messages in declamatory text: “THE BIGGER THE AFRO THE CLOSER TO GOD” and “I AM AMERICAN/THE PART YOU WON’T RECOGNIZE.” A few feet away is a print with a familiar silhouette — that of the Big Bad Wolf crouched in Grandma’s bed, ready to pounce, hovering above an alternate version of the fairy tale: “I am a little girl. I have a red hood. … I go to grandmother’s house. I carry a basket. ‘Son 86 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

of a bitch!’ ” Like the work that lines every wall, floor to ceiling, Cushman’s own work skips and hops from medium to medium. A serene, softfocus strata of deep blue oil and acrylic called “Rivercrest I” came from the same hands that embossed a rusty soda can with a spooky, hollow-eyed bunny figure using an antiquated process called solarplate etching, and along the stairway in his home are a series of ’90s-era pieces based on Stellen optometry charts — ruminations on the multiple eye surgeries a young Cushman had for detached retinas, and the month he spent with protective patches over both eyes. When asked to give a “Picture This”-style synopsis of his own work, Cushman told this publication in a 2015 interview that he was probably “a burlesque dancer, vaudeville performer or sideshow barker” in a previous life, but that “today I am just having fun making uncomfortable art in uncomfortable shoes. If you hear anxious laughter in the gallery, then hopefully (good or bad) I have hit a nerve.”

Cushman has carried that love of the uncomfortable into the halls of academia, too, as curator for the galleries at UA Little Rock.

From the time he took the job in 2000, he’s

remained steadfastly committed to displaying work from historically ignored voices, and work that grapples with systemic racism, political enmity and institutional bias, like Joe Jones’ meticulously restored mural “The Struggle of the South.” When word hit our editorial desk in 2021 that Cushman was curating something called “A Visionary Vernacular Road Trip,” an exhibit that included, among other wonders by self-taught artists, oddities by the late painter Jane ‘in vain’ Winkelman and by Gurdon (Clark County)-based railroad man and folk artist buZ blurr, it was clear that Cushman had no intentions of playing it safe with the exhibition space the university had named after him, let alone running out the retirement clock with conservative curatorial choices.

Chalk it up to his warmly mischievous personality, or to his decades of experience.

Cushman’s first curating gig came when he was a high school student in Illinois, before he even knew what a curator was. Cushman’s art teacher, Mr. Edwards, assigned him to keep some display cases full of objects — seasonal decor, maybe a megaphone for a pep rally. “He was the first one who got me thinking about objects and their relationships,” Cushman told

CUSHMAN’S AESTHETIC IS A MOSAIC MARVEL — PART QUEER AMERICANA, PART WEIRDO OUTSIDER ART, RARELY NEUTRAL, RESOLUTELY PLAYFUL, OFTEN PREOCCUPIED WITH THE HUMAN FACE.

us, “how you create a setup. And those are all the elements that come into play when you’re staging an exhibition.”

The same goes for his art. Before Cushman thought of himself as an artist, he was honing a skill most fundamental to the craft: Make what you can with what’s available. As a child in the Midwest, Cushman and his brother staged backyard carnivals and DIY haunted houses, soaking up dramaturgical sensibilities from “The Carol Burnett Show,” “Adam-12,” “Gilligan’s Island” and Sonny & Cher’s variety act. (Later, Cushman would see Sonny and Cher live at the Illinois State Fair, and to this day remembers Cher turning to Sonny and saying in the throes of comedy: “Oh, fuck off.”

He counts this as a pivotal moment in his pop culture education, along with the time he and his family ended up at the same St. Louis hotel as The Monkees.) “We were making boats out of scrap wood to float in the creek,” he recalled, “or doing paper mache birds. It was like, ‘Make your fun. Make your stuff.’ And that was a gift.”

These days, he and Bobby find any excuse they can to host friends in their dining room — the room a realtor escorted them into 7 years ago, sealing the deal right then and there with an abundance of natural light and a grand view of where the Little Maumelle meets the Arkansas River. A thickset Kensuke Yamada sculpture extends its childlike ceramic hands toward the sky, and the couple’s 15-year-old cat, Charlie, wandered over to find a spot on the sun-warmed tile as Brad defended the thesis that he is not the only artist in the house; Bobby “has an engineer’s mind,” Brad said, and when Bobby’s real estate job got slow in the early days of the pandemic, he designed a series of decorative leather masks, donating the sales to the Arkansas Foodbank. Their origin story as a couple is quintessential modern gay romance: They found each other on a site called Manhunt (IYKYK) while Bobby was working as an overthe-road trucker, and the two began what Brad called “a telephone courtship, truly,” talking for

hours on end and plotting ways for their paths to intersect along Bobby’s work routes. “We talked about what we wanted, what we believed in,” Brad said. “A true courtship, which is kind of a rare thing in this world.”

Sitting in the dining room with the river view, they finish each other’s sentences. They’d just returned from two weeks in Spain and Italy on “contemporary art overload,” and were comparing the Spanish wine they bought in Little Rock to the wine they’d had in Barcelona.

The older streets and plazas of old Europe aren’t especially known for their accessibility, and Cushman wanted to retire early enough to get in some travel while he still feels like it. “It’s a 60-year-old body! There’s a lot of wear and tear.” Last fall, his doctors told him his body was producing excessive amounts of calcium.

Bad news for the spine, with no real surgical remedy. So, he formed a plan to retire, and he and Bobby googled “mobility-friendly cities in Europe,” turning up search results like London, Barcelona and Berlin. And off they went. “You can tell a lot about a country when you see how they take care of the vulnerable people, the people who need extra care,” he said. “It is embedded into the culture very deeply in Europe.”

In a downstairs guest room, I watched Cushman pick up a weathered baseball glove from his childhood with the letters B-R-A-D in faded Sharpie on the blonde leather, his arm resting on the forearm crutch he uses to help him get around. Cushman had told me in an earlier conversation that as a kid, he wasn’t big on reminiscing. “I was always saying, what’s the next thing we can do? How are we gonna decorate our bikes next?” Born two months prematurely, Cushman said he jokes that he had to bust out of the womb early: “I got stuff to do! … So, I’m still running, I think. Running in place. And that’s an interesting place to be as I’m retiring. I’m stepping out of a job, and there’s a little pause, and I’m gonna exhale, and we’ll see where the shift is gonna go. To be determined.”

ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 87

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CULTURE

W

hen Ayana Gray’s second novel hits shelves this summer, the 29-year-old author will enter a rarefied space: that of the franchise. Her debut, “Beasts of Prey,” headed straight for the New York Times Best Sellers list for young adult hardcover upon its release in late 2021. The second installment, “Beasts of Ruin,” offers another almost-500-page adventure for (ravenous) readers to follow the young animal keeper Koffi and the warrior Ekon through a realm of magic, lowercase-g gods, jungles and dangers. Notably, like Gray, her characters are Black, and the pan-African world she built for them is a refreshing departure from the traditionally Eurocentric visions of monsters and heroes.

For Gray, who moved to Little Rock from Atlanta as a young teen, and who calls Little Rock home now, the rise from a total unknown — pitching her epic in 2019 via a Twitter hashtag — has been meteoric. That fateful tweet got her an agent; the agent got her a deal with Putnam.

“A dazzling debut,” Kirkus called “Beasts of Ruin.” Netflix agreed and snagged it into development for a feature film.

In a very short order, the University of Arkansas grad went from studying historical power struggles in a tower of Old Main to becoming a power player herself.

To follow her on Instagram or on Tiktok, where Gray shows off an obvious knack for wit and timing, you’d assume she was born for the spotlight. (You might also assume from her given Twitter location, Wakanda, that she isn’t in the 501. Rest assured, she’s around.) Rather, the self-described introvert is hitting her stride only after years of rudderless solitude that forced her to write her way through, drawing from her experiences in Little Rock, Fayetteville and Ghana to spin undiscovered worlds.

I reached Gray via Zoom to talk man-eating lions, book sales during a pandemic, her dog Dolly, and the exotic land that is Arkansas, perpetually mystifying America at large.

BEAST OF A TIME LITTLE ROCK’S AYANA GRAY WEAVES A LOVE OF HISTORY AND POWER STRUGGLES INTO PAN-AFRICAN YOUNG ADULT FICTION.

BY SAM EIFLING PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON

Why’d you move from Atlanta?

My dad had originally gotten a job in Little Rock. I went to Pulaski Academy and just had a really good academic experience that set me very much on the path. I had really smart friends at PA, and it pushed me to be a better student. I was reluctant to come, but everything about my life now is because of that move.

As a teenager, were you thinking about becoming an author?

I knew I was a writer. I didn’t know I was an author. I grew up during the YA boom. So “Twilight,” Harry Potter, “The Maze Runner,” “Hunger Games.” It was a cool time to be a teenager who loved books. And I was writing, but the idea of being a full-time author? I’m the oldest and I was in a middle-class family that was like, go to college, get a job. I didn’t know that I would be able to ever sustain myself just writing.

What brought you to the U of A? I applied to 19 colleges. ’Cause I had nothing better to do.

ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 89

Apparently because you’re a writer and you like writing applications and that’s just what you do.

I felt a tremendous pressure — like, where I go to school is going to dictate the trajectory of my life. And it did. I applied to 19 schools. I got into 18 of them. I remember distinctly, April 2011, I didn’t know where I was gonna go to school. And I got a phone call from Dr. Charles Robinson. He was head of the multicultural affairs office at the time. He said, “Have you made a decision?” And I said no. And he was like, “Well, I tell you what, if you come to U of A, we will take care of you.” That really struck me and had a big impression on me. No other school had done that.

That does seem like a powerful gesture from an administrator.

Between the financial aid — no other school was really that competitive in that regard — and that, I decided to go there. And there’s a stigma around going to big state universities, but it ended up being great in the honors program.

People who know writing know the U of A. How did that academic experience set you up for what came after?

I studied political science and African and African American studies. I loved discussing ideas of power. My focus specifically was political violence about power, how people gain power, how they take it away, how they justify taking it away. There are so many stories embedded in that. And I had the chance to study abroad on a month-long program in Ghana. We stayed in Accra, the capital, and saw five-star hotels and restaurants, but we also went out to really rural areas, no running water, no electricity, and took bucket showers. We’d go and see parliament, and then we’d go and see these huge nature reserves and elephants in the wild. And then we’d go to these historic places like the place where a lot of slaves had their last bath before they were put on ships, the castles and the dungeons where slaves were kept. That experience had a huge impact on my writing, on how I viewed my space in the world as a Black woman.

On the poli sci side, I took a colloquium from the honors college. My professor that taught it, Dr. Jeff Ryan, handpicks 10 students every other year to meet in one of the towers of Old Main for three hours once a week. We read books about political violence, about dictators, about genocide, these really heavy topics.

And we discussed. That was the first time in my life that I realized, “Oh, good and evil are not as clean-cut as we are taught.” We would go in thinking this dictator or this terrorist was a horrible person. Dr. Ryan has this way of asking the right questions to be like, “Well, are you honestly saying that if in these 90 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

circumstances you can’t empathize?”

For a fiction writer, empathizing is the whole game in some ways, right? Figuring out these characters who inhabit your world and how you come to identify with them.

Whoever has the power is the person who controls the narrative, which seems obvious.

But as a kid, if someone you trust tells you something, this person is good, this person is bad, you just trust it. You don’t think about their place in power or the other perspective in that.

How did you get started on the novel, then?

Um, existential crisis?

MY DAD SAID, “YOUR POWER IS IN YOUR PEN.” AND, WOW, THAT BROUGHT ME THIS CALM. We all have one of those now and again.

I wanted to be a lawyer. And then halfway through college, I became very disillusioned with the U.S. justice system. My idea that I can go in and be — again, this idea of good and evil, I can be the, the good guy, I can put the bad guys away — and understanding that the U.S. justice system puts a lot of people who are not the bad guy in jail. Lets a lot of the bad guys go. I just became very disillusioned.

For the first time in my entire life, I didn’t have a plan. I retreated into the one thing I did know, which was writing. I started writing this story.

I didn’t know where it was going, but it made me happy to be in that world and not think about the fact that I’m 22 and I don’t have a plan, you know?

When did you start seeing it as something to maybe sell and build a career around?

I moved to Florida, for a job at the University of Florida. And I lived somewhere where I had no community. I didn’t know anyone. And so I found the writing community on Twitter.

I found an event called #DVpit, where you literally pitch your book through a tweet with a hashtag. If an agent likes that tweet, that’s

them saying, ‘Hey, please send this to me.’

I found out about it in 2018. I contacted the creator of #DVpit. I said, “When is the next one?” And she said, “It’s gonna be in April of 2019.” So for the first time in my life, I had a real deadline. I was like, “I have to finish this book I’ve been working on for four years by the second tweet.”

April 2019 came around and I tweeted. I closed my phone and I was like, “I’m not gonna look at this. I’ll be happy if a single agent sees this.” And a friend of mine was like, “Have you looked at your Twitter?” I had gotten a lot of love and support. I got very lucky because I pitched right after one of the really big episodes of “Game of Thrones.” I pitched my story as Black Arya Stark plus “King of Scars.”

That’s how I got the agent interest.

I love the idea of world-building in this pan-African space, because everything else seems to take place in some version of England. Even for “Game of Thrones,” George R.R. Martin was pulling from the War of the Roses. How did you start envisioning what this new place could be?

At that time I had not seen a ton of epic fantasy that centered Black people. Or if it did, it had to have a theme of oppression and racism. When I turn on the news, I have to deal with some sort of racially based trauma, and I’m kind of over it. From history there’s a story called the Tsavo man eaters — if you’ve ever heard of the movie “The Ghost in the Darkness”? Tsavo is a region in Kenya. It was a real thing that happened. Two male lions were attacking railroad workers as they were trying to build a railroad. It was almost paranormal because male lions typically don’t hunt. They certainly don’t hunt together. And they were not necessarily doing it for food. They were just killing. And they were impossible to kill.

What a good monster movie, right?

Oh, it was, it’s a great movie. The railroad workers were in tents and every night for months, they knew these male lions were going to come into the camp and kill someone.

I just thought about, like, the utter terror you would live with. And I expanded it. So what if there was a city that lived with this constant fear that something’s going to come out of the jungle every night and kill people? And how would that change the culture of a city? You’d need to have warriors to protect them and they would be revered. My mind just starts snowballing.

Every author has that dream of hitting it big.

Are there moments that stand out from that journey?

Selling a book in the midst of not only a pandemic, but also in the midst of civil unrest, it was a life raft. There were people protesting outside my window. At the time, my spouse

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and I had been separated because of COVID and we were in the middle of an immigration process — we went a year without seeing each other. And I was isolated at home. There was a point where I had not hugged anyone in like four months. It was a very grim time. I thought, “Nobody wants this weird story about two kids going after a monster. People are trying to survive.”

ARKANSAS TIMES

Did that also make you feel weird?

Everything is going to hell and somebody’s like, best day of your life, here you go.

I was in Gainesville. You know college towns — any time there’s any chance for protests, people are marching. I felt like, “This is it. If you’ve ever wondered what you would’ve done in the civil rights movement, this is your moment.” And I remember wanting to go out and do something, but I also don’t wanna get sick because I live alone and I don’t want my mom or dad to have to come to Florida, you know?

I called my dad. I was like, “I feel really bad about this. I wanna go to a march.” My dad said, “Your power is in your pen.” And, wow, that brought me this calm. I’m not an extrovert. I’m not someone who’s out with a microphone or a megaphone yelling. It’s not because I don’t care. But my power, the way that I protest is in what I write. The way that Black boys are not allowed to have mental illness and talk about it, the way that Black girls and Black men and Black women and Black people are expected to only occupy certain spaces — me writing was my protest to that. And the fact that Black people aren’t allowed to be in fantasy, or historically have not been allowed, and we can’t tell fantastical stories outside of medieval England? That was a protest.

On your “Good Morning America” interview, they mention “Beasts of Prey” has drawn comparisons to “Black Panther.” “Black Panther” was a big deal for kids who had not seen a place like Wakanda on screen before.

I wonder if you’re also connecting with an audience that had not found a book like this before.

That’s another reason I wrote it. So Black kids could see themselves, not as disposable sidekicks or as the comedic relief. This story’s about someone who looks like you and very unapologetically. We see Blackness often filtered through a white gaze or a more palatable kind of Blackness. So you see lighter skin. You see Black, but with some sort of Eurocentric feature that makes you beautiful.

Hair is one of those sub-languages. When I talk about the hairstyles in “Beasts of Prey,” I’ve had girls be like, “I wear my hair like that.

I know what Fulani braids are. I know what Senegalese twists are.” There’s a moment

where one of the characters is kind of lamenting a wash day is coming up, and the almost ritual within the Black community of hair. It takes all day long to wash your hair because it’s curly and it’s thick and it’s a process. And I’ve had a lot of kids be like, “I liked that part because that’s how I feel about wash day for my hair.”

Little Rock is a small town, as Arkansas is a small state. Do you get recognized?

I’ve had it happen twice.

That’s the perfect number. You know it wasn’t an accident the first time, and yet you can still live your life in peace.

I feature my dog pretty prominently in my social media. I was walking her and somebody messaged me on Instagram, like, “I saw you walking your dog this morning.” And I was at WordsWorth bookstore. Someone came in and said, “I’m here about that book that I keep hearing about.” And I was like, “Hello.” She was like, “Oh, you’re actually here!” Like, hi, I do live here.

There’s a lingua franca within the state.

Which is fun.

Before “Beasts of Prey” came out some Arkansas media were reaching out. And I think at first my publisher was like, oh, that’s cute, this local thing. And I was like, “You don’t understand. When Arkansas finds out that one of their own did something, it’s a big deal.” It’s the Arkansas effect. Then the mayor wrote me a letter and my agent was like, “Oh, you weren’t kidding.” The love I have felt would not have happened if I was in Atlanta.

We keep our standards really, really reasonable. That’s a key to happiness in so many ways.

I’m really grateful for Arkansas. Like our track program’s like one of the best in the country, our architecture school is one of the best in the country. We have so many things. Somebody asked me, “Are there million-dollar houses in Arkansas?”

Have you ever heard of the Waltons?

I just deadpanned. “Not at all. There’s no money in Arkansas. Don’t come.”

A million dollars, that’s like a triple-wide. You could get running water with that.

It’s wild. But there’s so much to be proud of Arkansas for, and it’s really cool that I get to add my little book to cool things that come out of our state.

Maybe you’ll have your name stenciled into the side of the Little Rock public library one day.

A girl can dream.

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Magic Springs Theme & Water Park, 1701 E. Grand Ave. Experience MJ Live at Magic Springs Theme and Water Park at the Timberwood Amphitheater on Saturday, Aug. 20! Special guest opener Jacob Flores will kick off the night! Concert venue opens at 6 p.m. Show starts at 7 p.m. Bring your blankets and chair and enjoy the show!

AUGUST

Expedition: Dinosaur Rise of the Mammals

Mid-America Museum, 500 Mid-America Blvd.

The Expedition Dinosaur: Rise of the Mammals exhibit will be on display from May 28-Aug. 20. The excitement of Jurassic Park collides with the adventure of Indiana Jones in this new, fully interactive exhibit.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 4

Labor Day Fireworks

Lake Hamilton, Highway 7 South Bridge The Labor Day fireworks display will be held Sunday, Sept. 4 at 8:40 p.m. In case of rain, the fireworks will be rescheduled for Monday, Sept. 5. The Labor Day fireworks are sponsored by Visit Hot Springs.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, AUG. 26 AND 27

Fifth Annual Hot Springs Baseball Weekend Hot Springs Convention Center Visit hotsprings.org for more information and schedule.

SEPT. 23-25

SPA CON

Tickets for the 2022 Spa-Con are available at the Spa-Con website: spa-con.org. Weekend Pass Ticket Prices are only $35 between July 23 and Sept. 23. VIP passes are $125 between July 23 and Sept. 22. These passes purchased on Sept. 23 are $150. Featured guests include; Lori Petty (tank girl), Beau Billingslea (cowboy bebop), and Mark Rolston (aliens).

FRIDAY AUG. 26

‘Facing Nolan’ Documentary Film Arkansas Premiere at the Fifth Annual Baseball Weekend Horner Hall, 134 Convention Blvd.

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FOOD & DRINK

THREE FOLD MOVES WEST

THE WEST LITTLE ROCK LOCATION BLENDS CHINESE CULTURE CUES WITH THE AMERICAN BREAKFAST TRADITION.

BY RHETT BRINKLEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON

O

n July 6, Three Fold Noodles & Dumpling Co. opened its highly anticipated West Little Rock location in the Pleasant Ridge Shopping Center at 11525 Cantrell Road. The restaurant’s move to West Little Rock took a winding path, transpiring after owner Lisa Zhang’s dreams of opening Haybird — a 9,000-squarefoot facility on Rebsamen Park Road that would incorporate three concepts: Chinese fried chicken, a sake brewery and an Eastern pantry — were dashed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Three Fold had purchased the land on Rebsamen Park Road next to Pizza Cafe where the antique store Marshall Clements was previously located. The day Zhang was scheduled to sign with the building contractors was the same day Governor Hutchinson mandated the dining room shutdown in March of 2020.

Zhang wisely delayed. She ended up using the land to house a facility far smaller than what she had planned, a 160-square-foot mobile food trailer that opened in April of 2020 to help keep Three Fold afloat during the first wave of the pandemic. After a year, Zhang sold the land and soon after, announced that Three Fold would be opening a West Little Rock location in the former Panera space in May of 2021. Zhang said the expected six months of renovations turned into 14 due to pandemic-related delays.

The result is a stunner of a space. It has the same minimalistic charm of Three Fold’s downtown spot, but with 800 more square feet than its Main Street spot. The patio out front features several tables and bar seating facing the parking lot. At the front of the restaurant is a long, wrap-around bar that includes the ordering station, an espresso machine, a shaved ice station, various teas served from a keg system and bar seating on the opposite side. An open kitchen takes up the back of the restaurant. The north side of the building has a walkup window for to-go orders.

Three Fold expanded its menu for West Little Rock to include breakfast and a variety of shaved ice offerings that Zhang created for the food truck. It also has a selection of teas on tap, brewed at its production facility on Pinnacle Valley Road. The move to breakfast has a lot to do with the location itself, Zhang said. There was a demand for breakfast from customers who used to frequent Panera, and it was also encouraged by the landlord. When Zhang and I spoke in June, she put it perfectly, saying that if she didn’t serve breakfast, the only option would be Chick-fil-A to warm up the shopping center in the morning.

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MAKING A MENU: The Multi-Grain Congee Bowl is a savory porridge dish unlike any oatmeal you’ve ever had before (top). Three Fold offers three signature lattes incorporating popular Chinese flavors. (bottom).

For a brief time Three Fold served a traditional Chinese breakfast at the downtown location, but it wasn’t popular, general manager Rebecca Yan said. So Zhang’s goal was to create a menu that incorporated Chinese culture and tradition with the American breakfast tradition. It wasn’t easy, she said.

“During my development I tore down my menu at least three or four times,” Zhang said.

“I made a menu, I’m happy with it, and then I see a lack of the link with the cultures, so I have to kill the menu and start over again.”

Zhang wanted to create a menu for people on the go in the morning that worked just as well visually on plates for those dining in.

The Milk-Bread Toast is a unique spin on avocado toast featuring house-made milk bread. “It’s more Chinese/Japanese bread and is popular right now on the East and West coasts,” Zhang said. “It’s very soft, milk-flavored, sweet but not real sweet.”

It’s a large, thick slice of bread that’s soft and fluffy, topped with a carrot spread and served with fried shrimp and mushrooms — each battered with a flourless starch breading — and a tea-scented egg.

The Three Fold Bing Wrap is Zhang’s take on the breakfast burrito. It’s a scallion pancake that’s more flaky and crispy than traditional breakfast burritos. It’s filled with scrambled egg, potatoes, crispy crunchies (thin, flaky chips that add a nice textural addition to the wrap), green onions and cilantro.

The Multigrain Congee Bowl is a savory porridge dish unlike any oatmeal you’ve probably ever had before. Congee is typically a rice porridge, but Zhang’s is made from whole grains that give it a distinctive purple shade. It’s topped with the same crispy crunchies, house pickles, green onions and a tea-scented egg. A long piece of youtiao (deep-fried dough) sits atop the bowl and extends the width of the bowl on both sides. Youtiao is what Zhang ate for breakfast growing up. It’s like a cruller without the glaze, or a churro without the cinnamon and sugar.

“When I grew up in high school, middle school, I go to the youtiao shop and they have only two items: youtiao deep fry and soy milk from the pot, fresh-brewed.” Zhang said youtiao is a very traditional Chinese breakfast and hopes by incorporating it with the congee a cultural barrier can be crossed, “but I don’t put too much hope,” she said with a laugh.

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CULTURAL BREAKFAST LINKS: Zhang’s Milk Bread Toast, Bing Wrap and fried sweet buns deliciously riff on avocado toast, breakfast burritos and donuts.

If your breakfast palate desires something sweeter, fried sweet buns are also on the menu, filled with traditional Chinese sweet pastes and drizzled with brown sugar syrup and sweetened condensed milk. Any donut seeker should make a point to find these buns. They come out hot, the texture is soft and pillowy, and the fillings are uniquely delicious.

Zhang also made the decision to purchase an espresso machine rather than serve drip coffee.

Though the main beverage focus is the craft tea brewed at Three Fold’s production facility, “We cannot ignore the fact that maybe eight out of 10 people walking in are gonna want coffee with breakfast,” Yan said. Three Fold is using beans roasted at Fidel & Co and incorporating regional Chinese spices with beverages like the Mala Latte, which a Three Fold social media post says highlights Sichuan’s signature tingly (ma) and spicy (la) flavors. There’s also the Black Sesame Latte and Yuanyang, a combination of espresso and black tea. All three are served hot or iced.

Three Fold started offering shaved ice concoctions while working out of the food trailer in the summer of 2020. Yan told me in an interview that year that they had been wanting to explore the traditional Eastern dessert (a highly skilled craft in Japan and a popular street food in Taiwan, she said) and the food truck seemed like a good place to test the waters. If you tried the shaved ice at the mobile truck, the game has changed. The texture of the ice is more like snow (the good snowball-to-the-face kind), laden with condensed milk and flavored syrups. Three Fold is offering four signature flavors: Creamy Lychee, Black Sesame, Bubble Tea and Creamy Mango.

There’s also a variety of craft teas made to order, including Summer Jelly Dessert Tea with Thai milk tea, red bean, grass and coconut jellies, tapioca bubbles and brown sugar syrup.

Zhang said that the business flow is completely opposite out west as it is downtown and she’s having to adjust accordingly. Lunch is slower and dinner is busier. Gluten-free rice noodles are more in demand. But things are going smoother than anticipated, and the new staff is very good, she said.

Zhang said if breakfast goes well, a future Sunday brunch could be on the horizon.

“I just give myself time to develop,” she said.

“I need to learn the customer, I need to learn taste buds, I need to learn tradition, so I do need a lot of honest feedback. … I do hope Three Fold fans can give me time and to be patient with us.”

Three Fold West is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Breakfast is served until 11 a.m.

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CANNABIZ FAME MEETS FLOWER: Celebrity strains, such as T.I.C.A.L. from rapper Method Man, are produced and sold in Arkansas.

FLOWER STAR POWER

CELEBRITY CANNABIS BRANDS ON OFFER IN ARKANSAS.

BY GRIFFIN COOP This article first appeared on arkansascannabiz.com, the Arkansas Times’ new online marijuana industry publication.

T

he celebrities have made it to Arkansas. Or at least their cannabis brands have.

Cannabis flower and other products associated with celebrities like comedy duo Cheech and Chong, basketball player Gary Payton, and rappers Method Man, Rick Ross and Run the Jewels hit Arkansas shelves this year.

Cookies, led by its founder Berner, is a well-known brand in the cannabis world. While not associated with any particular A-lister, the Cookies brand has celebrity appeal of its own. Berner’s

by Good Day Farm, a dispensary in West Little Rock, sells the state’s widest selection of Cookies cannabis products.

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APPROVAL OF THE STARS: Celebrity cannabis strains, such as Gary Payton, were developed by Cookies and are produced in Arkansas by Good Day Farm.

While the celebrities might be familiar to customers, the business arrangements that allow the products to be sold here are not. Because of federal cannabis law, national brands can’t operate like brands in other industries. The workarounds are a bit complicated, but in the end, Arkansas consumers have a chance to purchase cannabis products that carry the stamp of approval of the stars.

HOW DOES IT WORK? Like many things in the cannabis industry, it’s complicated. While cannabis is legal in many states, it’s still illegal federally, meaning companies can’t work across state lines. Instead, the companies work on a state-by-state basis in places where cannabis is legal at the state level.

Marijuana is legal for medicinal use in 38 states and for adult use in 19 states, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. It’s legal for medicinal use in Arkansas and a group is trying to get a state constitutional amendment to legalize adult-use marijuana on the ballot in November.

Because of federal law, national cannabis brands can’t make products at a single production facility to distribute across the country. Instead, the national brands work with individual cultivators in states where cannabis is legal to produce a product that is sold under the brand’s name and with the brand’s unique packaging and marketing.

The brands can’t be franchises because of the federal cannabis laws, said Sumer Thomas, director of regulatory operations for Canna Advisors in Boulder, Colorado. Instead, the brand

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uses licensing agreements with cultivators in the states.

THE PRODUCT So what is that product exactly? It differs from brand to brand. Some brands use their own unique plants (known in the industry as genetics), while others work with local cultivators to pick out the right strain of their own.

For example, imagine Coca-Cola. If someone buys a can of Coke in Little Rock or Las Vegas, they are going to get the same beverage inside the can. But that’s not always the case with cannabis.

National brands don’t often license their own genetics for their products. Instead, they work with local cultivators to find a strain of flower that meets the brand’s expectations for quality, THC content, terpenes, effects and more.

So the product you buy in a national brand’s packaging carries that brand’s stamp of approval and meets their expectations, but the products inside the package vary from state to state.

In some cases, as with Cookies, the brand provides its own genetics. That means the product a customer buys inside the package is, generally speaking, the same regardless of where it’s purchased.

But cannabis plants aren’t like recipes where you can whip up the ingredients and produce the same results over and over. As BOLD’s Senior Director of Operations Annie Iselin points out, cannabis plants are grown in different states by different growers. The results may vary.

“Anytime you harvest plants, it’s not going to be exactly the same,” she said.

Iselin doesn’t see a big difference in whether a

brand uses its own genetics or uses a cultivator’s strains that meet the brand’s standards. She works with Cheech and Chong Cannabis and Method Man’s T.I.C.A.L. brand, and neither licenses its own genetics.

But because the products are different in each state, some caution that brands can fall victim to a lack of consistency and quality.

COOKIES The Cookies brand was introduced to Arkansas in April when Berner’s by Good Day Farm dispensary opened in West Little Rock.

In Arkansas, Cookies works with Good Day Farm, the Jefferson County cultivator that is associated with a larger Good Day group that owns Berner’s by Good Day Farm dispensary and manages dispensaries in Van Buren and Texarkana.

Berner’s by Good Day Farm carries the state’s widest variety of Cookies products, according to Laurie Gregory, chief marketing officer of Good Day Farm. Cookies products are also sold at select dispensaries around the state, including those not owned or managed by Good Day Farm.

Cookies was founded by rapper Berner and “grow expert Jai’’ in San Francisco, and has grown into a force in the industry. Berner, whose real name is Anthony Milam Jr., said he turned down an offer of mostly stocks equal to $800 million for the company in the early stages. Now, he says the company is worth more than $1 billion. If true, it would be the first legal billion-dollar cannabis brand, Business Insider reports.

Cookies has a wide variety of strains, such as Red Velvet, Big Face, Laughing Gas, Cereal Milk and Fish Scale. Cookies also produces the Gary Payton strain and Collins Ave, the cannabis brand of rapper Rick Ross.

CHEECH AND CHONG BOLD Cultivation of Cotton Plant introduced the first celebrity brand to the state in February when it brought Cheech and Chong Cannabis Company on board. If you’re reading this story, surely you know Tommy Chong and Richard “Cheech” Marin, the marijuana-inspired comedy duo that rose to fame with movies like “Up in Smoke” and “Still Smokin’” in the ’70s and ’80s.

Chong and Marin each previously launched their own cannabis brands before starting the Cheech and Chong Cannabis Company together.

In Arkansas, BOLD is producing the brands Tommy Chong Cannabis and Cheech and Chong’s.

Marin’s brand, called Cheech’s Private Stash, is not sold in Arkansas.

Cheech and Chong Cannabis Company does not provide its own genetics. Instead, Iselin worked with the company to find the right strains for the brands in Arkansas.

In Arkansas, the Cheech and Chong strains

are Panama Red, Hash Plant and Acapulco Gold.

The Cheech and Chong brand gets the premium nugs of these three strains, while smaller nugs are sold at a lower price point as Tommy Chong’s Cannabis.

T.I.C.A.L. The newest celebrity brand to hit Arkansas shelves is T.I.C.A.L. from rapper Method Man, named Clifford Smith Jr., of the famous New York rap group Wu-Tang Clan. The brand, which stands for Taking Into Consideration All Lives, was started by the rapper and actor in 2020.

BOLD launched T.I.C.A.L. in May with the Heavy C.R.E.A.M. strain, a 25% THC strain that Weed Maps describes as relaxed and euphoric.

BOLD launched a second T.I.C.A.L. strain in July called Glueball, a 27% THC indica-dominant hybrid strain.

T.I.C.A.L., pronounced tih-KAL, does not license its own genetics. Iselin worked with T.I.C.A.L. executives to match the right strains for the Arkansas market while meeting all of the company’s standards.

“We have parameters [with T.I.C.A.L.] regarding THC level, regarding how many nugs can be in an eighth jar, because they want to be known as premium,” Iselin said.

SUCCESS While some brands are well-known and highly successful, one industry expert says not to make assumptions about the success of brands in new markets.

Michael Werner, senior business development manager at Canna Advisors, said cannabis consumption should not be oversimplified.

Just because a brand is successful in one part of the country doesn’t mean it will be successful elsewhere, he said.

For example, he said, people drink wine in Sonoma, California, beer in suburban blue-collar Chicago and cocktails in Manhattan.

“It’s all alcohol but very different cultures and vibes and approaches,” he said. “You can’t just say, “Oh wow. Cookies is incredibly recognizable, it’s going to kill it in New York. It might, but you can’t just assume that.”

Addison Aquino, a budtender at CROP dispensary in Jonesboro, said the customers he’s seen don’t really know who Berner is but they are familiar with Method Man and Cheech and Chong.

“Everyone pretty much knows Cheech and Chong,” he said.

Aquino said the celebrity brands are more expensive and that the cheaper, noncelebrity strains coming from Arkansas cultivation facilities are good and affordable.

“The celebrity strains are kind of on par with everyone else,” he said. “You get a cool package, though. I’m sure that’s part of it for some people.”

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GET YOUR CANNABIS EDUCATION: Scenes from the 2021 Medical Marijuana and CBD Wellness Expo.

CANNABIS EXPO IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TO COVER ALL THE BASES

T

he Arkansas Times and the Arkansas Cannabis Industry Association will host the Medical Marijuana and CBD Wellness Expo Aug. 26-27 at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale.

In addition to an exhibit hall, the event will feature two days of discussion sessions with industry leaders from cultivation facilities, dispensaries, processors, regulatory agencies and more.

On Friday, topics of discussion will include compliance and market changes if a constitutional amendment legalizing recreational marijuana makes the ballot and passes in November. Speakers will include Scott Hardin, spokesman for the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division and the state Medical Marijuana Commission, and Erika Gee, attorney at Wright Lindsey Jennings.

On Saturday, topics will include a session on cooking with THC with Natural State Medicinals’ Trevor Swedenburg, although the cooking demonstration will use CBD in place of THC. Eddie Armstrong, former state legislator and chairman of Responsible Growth Arkansas, will discuss how a proposed constitutional amendment will impact the state and what impact it will have on the state’s medical marijuana patients.

Other Saturday speakers include Angela Campagna of Face2Face Therapy, Dr. Daniel Whitelocke of Ozark MMJ Cards, and representatives from the ReLeaf Center Dispensary and Farm, Purspirit Cannabis Company, Good Day Farm, Buffalo Co CBD, Greenlight Dispensaries, Custom Cannabis and more.

To register for the event, go to centralarkansastickets.com.

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DRIVERS PLEASE BE AWARE, IT’S ARKANSAS STATE LAW: USE OF BICYCLES OR ANIMALS

Every person riding a bicycle or an animal, or driving any animal drawing a vehicle upon a highway, shall have all the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle, except those provisions of this act which by their nature can have no applicability.

OVERTAKING A BICYCLE

The driver of a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on a roadway shall exercise due care and pass to the left at a safe distance of not less than three feet (3’) and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken bicycle.

AND CYCLISTS, PLEASE REMEMBER...

Your bike is a vehicle on the road just like any other vehicle and you must also obey traffic laws as applicable — use turning and slowing hand signals, ride on right and yield to traffic as if driving. Be sure to establish eye contact with drivers. Remain visible and predictable at all times.

ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 103

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IT PROFESSIONALS

*SR. SOFTWARE DEVELOPER to Plan, dsgn, dvlp, create, test & modify comp applications s/ware & specialized utility prgms using latest tools & technologies on different O/S. *SR. IT ANALYST to Plan, dsgn, dvlp, test, enhance, customize & co-ord activities to implement advance s/ware module components in complex comp environments using latest tools & technologies on different O/S. Analyze business reqmts & dvlp s/ware solutions. *SYSTEMS ANALYST to Dsgn, dvlp, test & modify comp applications s/ware & specialized utility prgms.

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ARKTIMES.COM

AUGUST 2022 105

THE OBSERVER

FREON & FRIED CHICKEN A QUIET COOLING ON THE AIRWAVES

T

he Observer listens to a lot of KABFFM, 88.3. Reasons are manyfold. It’s completely community-run and has a long history that ties it inextricably with the weirdo modern history and culture of Little Rock; those who managed to catch the DIY documentary film “88.3 FM & The Voice of the People” during its ephemeral 2022 streaming release know this. The station’s reach is notoriously broad but its focus remains hyperlocal, and I defy you to find something on the dial with more diverse programming.

(Where else are you going to get an impassioned monologue from Judge Wendell Griffen but also shake your ass to some 607 and get weepy on some Angel Olsen?) Maybe most important of all, though, its volunteer DJs can utterly throw down. (Looking at you, Boom Hour and Midday Mixtape.) And over the course of a 24-hour-ish period in July, The Observer found out something kind of sweet and tender and awesome.

It started late Friday afternoon when I was tuning into Amy G’s “Backroads,” a countrycentric show that wanders through rock territory and a little blues — an all-around great way to ease yourself into the weekend. Garland, a musician herself, has superb and wide-ranging taste, as did her predecessor on the show, Flap Jones, as well as Garland’s sometimes-stand-in, Aaron Reddin. When The Observer is blissfully free on Friday evenings, “Backroads” is her goto radio show for hanging out in the backyard with a super-cold Busch Light in hand. Anyway, in between songs, Garland was pointing out 106 AUGUST 2022

ARKANSAS TIMES

how much cooler the radio booth was now that the air conditioning — a perennial thorn in the side for the station’s budget and aging building — had been repaired. Garland mentioned something about the guys from “The Fix It Show” having put in a new window unit that was making the studio tons more tolerable (read as: not a sweltering hellhole, though Amy G. was a tad more diplomatic).

Do you know these guys? It’s a “Car Talk”esque recipe that airs late on Saturday mornings, when you’ve had just enough coffee to make caulking around your door frames sound palatable. They talk about DIY repairs, how to fix basic things around your home instead of calling a repairman, etc. They’re very chill and they’re very knowledgeable. One of the dudes sounds uncannily like Bill Clinton, which pleases The Observer to no end. And while on a quick grocery run to put together a care package for a friend who was ill, I happened to tune in and catch them talking about: Guess what? The air conditioning unit. They said that Bobby Fuller of Fuller & Son Hardware had quietly donated a window unit — also quiet, evidently — to the station to alleviate the hotbox effect, which the volunteer DJs then installed. Go, Bobby! In short: Fuck Home Depot, three cheers for KABF, buy your hardware stuff locally.

THE OBSERVER GETS IN LINE WITH OTHER NEWS OUTLETS TO COVER A FAST FOOD OPENING

The Observer was aware of the July opening of Chick-fil-A’s new location on Broadway, not because I’m a Chick-fil-A fan, I’m not. It’s

a highly overrated fried chicken chain in a saturated market that’s not worth the wait and has a history of supporting anti-LGBTQ organizations. Easy pass. And ever since the Little Rock City Board voted to grant Chick-fil-A a franchise over a city right of way along Seventh Street and Broadway, I’ve been anticipating a lunchtime shitshow of pull your hair out traffic on Broadway. So on opening day I grabbed a water and drove over there during the noon hour lunch rush to timestamp how long it would take to get lunch in hopes of writing a snarky piece about how I foolishly waited over an hour for fast food from a ubiquitous chain on opening day. Much to my chagrin, the double line with 15 to 20 cars moved really fast thanks to the help of the 10 or so employees walking around in 100-degree heat with shaded tablets, taking orders from cars. The whole experience only took about 5 minutes. I ordered the traditional sandwich and, I’ll be honest, there have been times in my life when I really enjoyed that sandwich. But not this time. The white flour enriched bun looked like it had been smashed in a poorly packed bag of groceries.

The fried chicken was OK, but nothing to write home about. It had two sad end-of-thejar-looking pickles on it and that’s it. There’s a wide variety of locally owned restaurants making fried chicken sandwiches that are far better. Take your sandwich eating talents outside your fast food comfort zone and seek them out. Oh, look, here’s a list that might’ve taken years off the author’s life: arktimes.com/ eat-arkansas/2022/06/02/a-central-arkansasfried-chicken-sandwich-guide

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