Volume 19, 2017 Henderson State University
Freedom and
Respect
Magazine for the Ellis College of Arts and Sciences
For the Dean
Dr. Angela Boswell Interim Dean, Ellis College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. John Hardee Former Dean, Ellis College of Arts and Sciences
This year, Dr. John Hardee steps down from serving as Dean of Ellis College after a decade of dedication to the faculty, students, and programs of arts and sciences as associate dean and dean (including two years when he served as both). When he accepted the position of dean five years ago, the university was undergoing significant transitions with a new university president and an interim provost. He stepped up to the challenges, offering the college and the university stability at a time the faculty and students needed him. Â Over the last five years, he has articulated a clear vision of academic excellence and commitment to the liberal arts. He has guided the college through myriad changes and improvements in order to achieve that vision. Many of our programs have expanded, updated their curricula, and tried innovative approaches. He has encouraged departments to add new programs, such as engineering, and faculty to think creatively across disciplines and add new interdisciplinary studies, such as the innovative media program and the museum studies minor. Under his guidance, programs with accrediting agencies have taken steps toward achieving national and regional recognition of their programs. In addition, he has supported the growth of experiential learning activities. Above all, he has been a strong advocate for the students and faculty of the college, improving the teaching and learning environment, assuring fair processes, and working to make sure the college provides the best education possible for our students. Dean Hardee has been a calm, steady force while enabling the college to change and grow. He has left Ellis College of Arts and Sciences a much better place and has bequeathed a tremendous legacy for the next leaders of the college. Although he will no longer be serving as dean, we are very grateful that he will remain as Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, doing what he has always loved, teaching students at Henderson State University.
Content
Volume 19 2017
President Glen Jones
Provost Steve Adkison
Interim Dean of Ellis College Angela Boswell Forge Editorial Board John Hardee Angela Boswell David Stoddard Michael Ray Taylor Designers Kris Keys Emily Bell Franchesca Smith David Stoddard Editors Scott McKinnon Emily Bell Michael Taylor Contributors Emily Bell Steve Fellers Wendy Harris Scott McKinnon Ashley Smith David Stoddard
Cover Illustration Design by Kris Keys based on photos by Brenda Hardee
The Magazine of Ellis College Zenjo in Print
Former Oracle editor helps Orlando’s homeless Page 2
Stronger, lighter, better Page 5
Real News: Alum is on the scene Page 6
Positively Ninth Street Page 8
Shoot out in Mexico Page 12
Giving back Page 16
New Programs Page 18
Lost and Found: A new kind of major Page 20
Consider making a donation
to an Ellis College organization or department or endow a scholarship in memory of a friend. www.hsu.edu/academics/elliscollege
FORGE is published yearly by the Henderson State University Matt Locke Ellis College of Arts and Sciences. Through profiles and current news, the magazine serves as a personal link connecting the college to its alumni and other related communities. The FORGE staff, composed of students and faculty, strives for excellence in magazine journalism through fair reporting and high quality photography and design. To suggest topics for future FORGE articles or to comment on the magazine, please email boswela@hsu.edu.
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big plans
I want to make the world a better place . . .
A simple walk across the street not only changed Mary Downey’s life, It helped her find her calling: to improve the world. By Scott McKinnon
In the 10 years since Mary Downey left Henderson with a pair of degrees, she has become a mother of three, an ordained Methodist minister and a lifeline for thousands of low-income individuals and families in central Florida. Her path toward opening the Community Hope Center of Osceola County in 2013 was guided by Downey’s faith, along with abilities instilled at Henderson. 2
“Together, Martin and Mary became known as an ‘HSU media power couple’” – Paul Glover
Above: Mary as editor of The Oracle. Left: Mary (top center) and The Oracle staff in 2004. Below: Martin and Mary enjoying college life at a 70s costume party in 2005.
“I have such a well-rounded set of skills – problem solving, non-linear thinking, creative thinking, a broad knowledge base,” Downey said. “All because Henderson is this perfect, small liberal arts school that let me grow and have amazing opportunities.” As a first–generation college student discovering her passions and talents in all things media, she became editor-in-chief of The Oracle and director of both KSWH and HTV, earning the nickname “the Rupert Murdoch of HSU.” Downey loved Henderson from the first day she set foot on campus. She had started her college career across 10th Street, at a place she refuses to identify by any name other than “that other school.” That environment “never felt quite right,” and she transferred east of Highway 7 after her freshman year. “Everything just seemed more relaxed and comfortable at Henderson,” she said. “I felt like I had found my place.” While at Henderson, Downey became involved with the HSU Wesley Foundation campus ministry where she spent a great deal of time growing her faith. Downey also credits involvement in mass media as the reason why she is a successful communicator with local media outlets in Florida, why she never needed classes on delivering sermons, and why she has the confidence to lead an organization fighting injustices in society.
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She said she arrived on campus uncertain about her future, but quickly found her passions because of the encouragement she got from Michael Taylor, professor and chair of Communication and Theatre Arts and former Oracle adviser. “Mike always encouraged me and pushed me to realize my capabilities,” she recalls. “He recognized my talents and cultivated my passions.” “What I remember most about Mary is how organized she was,” Taylor said. “A student media office is a relaxed, informal environment, but ultimately a team has to work together to meet deadlines. She always kept everyone on task.” By the time Downey received her bachelor’s degree in mass media in 2004, she had discovered the empowering abilities of journalism. “One thing I saw as a drastic difference between HSU and the ‘other school’ was that Henderson actually has a free press that lets the writers and editors at The Oracle challenge and push university administrators,” Downey said. “I have no qualms about standing up and asking questions when I see something I disagree with. I learned that can be a powerful thing.” During this time, Downey also became engaged. She had known her future husband
Martin since the first grade, and they had started dating before coming to Henderson in 2001. He also worked with KSWH, HTV and The Oracle. Together, Martin and Mary became known as an “HSU media power couple,” according to Paul Glover, associate professor of communication. Their engagement came during a student media convention in Las Vegas, when Martin proposed in front of the iconic Bellagio Hotel fountains, a surprise that he had kept from everyone on the trip, including faculty members and fellow students. Glover got to know both Downey when he first arrived on campus. “The summer
“ Henderson is this perfect, small liberal arts school that let me grow and have amazing opportunities.” Mary Downey Continued after I got hired and before I actually started teaching, we had to put on an eight-hour telethon from Arkansas Hall for the Red Cross,” Glover said. “I met Mary at a preproduction meeting. Her love of the media was obvious. Thanks to both of them, we pulled the telethon off. Mary just spent every day trying to make things better here, and it seems she’s doing that in Florida now.” After college, the couple intended to begin graduate study at Arkansas State University. Their plans changed following a visit to the campus, where Downey learned that her graduate assistantship would entail nothing more than checking video equipment in and out, something that she saw as a step backwards compared to the teaching assistantships offered to her at Henderson – so she stayed for the Master of Liberal Arts degree. She said the program gave her the freedom to be creative, as well as to lead and discover new passions because of the interconnectivity of the liberal arts model. Some of Downey’s most influential memories come from a graduate independent study course on women journalists throughout American history with Angela Boswell, interim dean and professor of history. “I’m pretty sure I was already a feminist and just didn’t know it at the time,” Downey said. “But seeing someone so successful and passionate as a women’s history scholar in the South as Boswell, really empowered me to become a strong woman.” Boswell remembers Downey as a dedicated student of human beings, of what they thought and why they did what they did. “What struck me most about Mary as a student was her interest in and talent for seeing the ways that thought and disciplines interconnected in the world,” Boswell said. “She loved the why as well as the what, of everything she studied. She was the perfect student for liberal arts and the liberal arts program was stronger for her presence.” Downey completed her MLA in 2006, capped with an art history thesis project on the history of women on magazine covers. As her time at Henderson ended, Downey found work as a writer, photographer and page
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designer for the El Dorado Times in El Dorado, Ark. However, due to her husband’s work in the video production industry, the couple knew that moving to a larger market was inevitable. Around this time Downey became involved with First United Methodist Church in Gurdon, Ark., as a lay speaker. The church asked her to fill in as a pastor, leading her to attend advanced lay speaker training taught by former Henderson mathematics professor William Durand. While filling in for a pastor in Okolona, Ark., Downey realized that becoming a pastor wasn’t her true calling, but she continued serving the church while still working at the El Dorado Times. In September 2006, Martin was offered a job as a video editor with a production company that films weddings at Walt Disney World in Orlando. The couple packed up, rented an apartment sight unseen and began the next chapter of their lives in Florida. Downey hadn’t found a new job in Orlando prior to the move, so she spent most of her time searching until a sign pointed her in the right direction. After walking out of a library, Downey heard the distinct ringing of church bells down the street. She had intended to stop by the church to check out their services and see if it could potentially be their new house of worship. Upon entering, a woman asked Downey if she was looking for a job, as the church was in need of a children’s minister and director of evangelism. Later that day, Downey received a call from the church’s senior pastor, who hired her on the spot. A short time after taking the job, her boss left the church and the position of director of programming fell to Downey. The new job set in motion events that would lead her toward what Downey calls “a manifestation of a life’s calling.” Every Sunday night, the church would offer a sermon and hot meal to the community’s chronic homeless—an experience that made Downey slightly uncomfortable. “I was 24 and from rural Arkansas. I had never met a homeless person and I certainly didn’t know how to preach to someone in that position,” Downey said. “I’d help out in the kitchen, give my sermon and kind of sneak
out the back door without talking to anyone, basically because I was a little afraid.” On her drive in to the church one Sunday, all of that changed. “I heard God talk to me and ask me what I was doing,” Downey said. “I went in that night and sat down right next to someone. I just started talking to them. Not lecturing or preaching to them, just talking.” The experience showed Downey that many people were trapped in bad situations by barriers that could be overcome with just the slightest bit of help. “Someone would say they were trying to find a job but didn’t have work boots, and they couldn’t afford work boots because they didn’t have a job,” Downey said. “I saw that there was an opportunity to meet needs beyond a meal. We could be doing more.” Downey began calling around to see what more could be done. She found several nonprofit groups, including an organization working to find housing for single mothers. She began helping with case management and grant writing, a skill she attributes to her journalism training. “Grant writing is nothing more than a good news story – tell a compelling story and back it up with facts and data,” Downey said. As Mary and Martin celebrated the birth of their first child Jude, she decided to work as a grant writer from home. She was also being solicited by a Presbyterian church in Celebration, Fla., a town that declares itself “The community Disney built,” to come on board as their mission director. The job would mean going to work at a different denomination church from her own following. The offer also made her uncomfortable because Downey did not feel compelled to work in the area of church missions. The church remained persistent and eventually asked her what she’d like to be doing, to which she replied that she’d like to help the homeless by filling in gaps of support for them in the community. The church’s response was $200,000 and a salary to do just that. Downey went to work on making her dream a reality in 2011. While building her new organization, she also obtained a second master’s degree in Christian leadership in 2012, from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wymore, Ky.
Left: Downey learning the Community Hope Center had been awarded a Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Award. Above: Receiving the check for the award.
Down speaks during the Bank of America ceremony. The ribbon cutting ceremony to open the Community Hope Center in 2013.
In 2013, Downey saw massive changes to her life. In addition to her second son Luke being born, the Community Hope Center of Osceola County opened its doors. The center defines itself as “a program-based project that impacts the low-income, poverty level families and individuals living in and around Osceola County, Fla.” The program “works to restore dignity and self-sufficiency to those in need through a holistic approach to case management, funds assistance and life skills.” It partners with local churches, social service agencies, community businesses and both city and county governments to accomplish its goals. Since opening, it has served nearly 2,000 families and has helped more than 15,000 individuals with food, clothing, resources, official identification documents and referrals. The Center has also placed more than 1900 clients in stable housing and has received awards and support from the Walt Disney Company, including the Bob Allen award in 2015. This award “recognizes the creativity and outstanding service of a Central Florida charitable organization,” according to the organization’s website. In October 2016 the Community Hope Center was awarded the Neighborhood Builders award from Bank of America, which included a $200,000 gift. “This was the first year we had applied to it,” Downey said. “I was told that we were one of a select few organizations to ever win on first application and the first organization in Central Florida to win, so that was incredibly special.” Downey was recently ordained in the United Methodist Church, something that required one more teaching lesson from a Henderson professor. During her certification candidacy, Downey reached out to Marck Beggs, professor of English, asking him to read over her final theological paper.
“I emailed him last year to read over and edit this 80-page paper, and though I hadn’t been his student in ten years, I was still stressed out about sending it,” Downey said. “Even with our drastically different views on religion, he helped me so much on it without hesitation. Thanks to his notes and edits, I was told it was some of the best theological writing they had seen.” The success of the Community Hope Center has led to offers coming in regularly for Downey’s services. Despite the offers and acclaim, Downey doesn’t feel that she is doing anything special. She’s just following the model she learned many years ago as a student: research, find the best method or tool for the job and put it into practice. As she did with Henderson student media, she credits those who work with her. “I have such a phenomenal team,” Downey said. “I’ve always made sure to hire skills that I don’t have,” Downey said. “I also make sure to hire people that are smarter than me.”
Despite the challenges of a growing family with the recent birth of her third child Benjamin, Downey is not resting on her laurels. She wants everyone to see that women can do it all: be a mom, a wife and a leader, because those three things define who she is. Downey is going to keep fighting injustices, asking tough questions and looking for the next way to bring positive change, something she has done ever since crossing the street to Henderson. “I have big plans,” Downey said. “I want to make the world a better place. I want to change the world.”
. . . I want to change the world
Left to Right: Martin, Mary, and their three sons, Luke, Jude and Benjamin
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MateriaL Girl
Amelia Hart makes it better By Serene Garcia
At 20 years old, when most college students have barely hit the halfway mark of their undergraduate degrees, Amelia Hart graduated from Henderson with a bachelor’s degree in physics and plans to work in materials science. Last year while with NASA’s Glenn Research Center she developed a new material that uses “fuzzy fibers” of carbon nanotubes to “make” a tougher, lighter material that could be used to make a powerful new generation of jet and rocket engines.
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“There can only be so much weight on a plane,” said Hart. Materials need to be durable, light, and if possible do more than one function. As the weight of engine material goes down, it can be used in other areas, such as carrying more passengers or making a bigger, faster engine. “You can always make better materials,” said Hart. “Making better materials can drive the whole world.”
Hart came to Henderson not knowing exactly what to study— but after receiving a D in organic chemistry, her first D ever, she decided to try physics. “I took a physics class with Dr. Basil Miller and I got an A,” she said. “Not that it was an easy class but it clicked with me.” She enjoyed the close-knit community of Henderson, walking along the Quad where she could
Hart holds “fuzzy” silicon carbide fibers enhanced with silicon carbide nanotubes that entangle each other when put inside a ceramic composite and add strength and resistance to extreme heat. (Credit: Ajayan Research Group/Rice University) Rice University provided additional reporting for this article.
“say ‘Hi’ to 5000 different people, and they all know you and you know them.” Hart’s teachers and mentors speak of her strong work ethic, a characteristic that she attributes to her countless hours in the pool as part of the swim team. “Nothing I could throw at her phased her,” recalled Coak Matthews, head swimming coach. After earning her undergraduate degree, she attended Southern Illinois University and then moved to Rice University in Texas. While at Rice, Hart earned the NASA Harriett G. Jenkins Fellowship. This fellowship is open to women, minorities, and the disabled with the goal of maintaining diversity within the NASA workforce. The fellowship was created to help students seeking a master’s or doctoral degrees in mathematics, science, engineering and technology. Work on the fellowship led her to a collaboration with NASA research engineer and paper co-author Janet Hurst. “She was partially converting silicon carbide from carbon
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nanotubes,” Hart said. “We used her formulation and my ability to grow nanotubes and figured out how to make the new composite.” Back at Rice, Hart and her colleagues grew “hooks and loops” by first bathing silicon carbide fiber in an iron catalyst and then using water-assisted chemical vapor to deposit carbon nanotubes directly onto the surface. These became the template for the final product. The fibers were then heated in silicon nanopowder at high temperature, converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide “fuzz.” As Hart and her team developed the complex process, she was forced to make major changes to it two weeks before her deadline, which required extensive research and rewriting. “It wasn’t a question of, am I going to do this?” Hart said, “Or it’s going to be hard. I said, No I am going to do this.” Currently living in Texas with her husband and two children, Hart gave birth to her son before beginning her Ph.D. program. “It’s not easy raising a family while going to graduate school,”
said Rick McDaniel, professor and chair of the physics department. “The department is extremely proud of all that Amelia has accomplished.” Hart is taking a break after graduating in May with her Ph.D. in materials science and nano engineering. She encourages students to continue to reach out to people and to be stubborn even if they don’t know what their plans are. “I have to say that when I was little I probably wanted to be a ballerina or something,” Hart said. “In high school, I thought that science and engineering was for boys and I didn’t want to do that. It all stemmed from Henderson and that feeling of science is fun. I was excited about what I could do.”
“The department is extremely proud of all that Amelia has accomplished” – Dr. Rick McDaniels
Intern To TV Reporter Raising Her Hand By Wendy Harris Design by Franchesca Smith
In her first week as a news intern for THV11 in Little Rock during the summer of 2016, Alex Durham and her colleague Katlyn hiked up Pinnacle Mountain, toting $30,000 worth of equipment and no rain gear.
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As it started to sprinkle, they were able to shoot some footage to air for the 6 p.m. broadcast. But just as they began a live shot it began to pour down rain. Durham used her shirt to cover the equipment the best she could during the slippery hike down the mountain. From then on her colleagues identified her as “The Pinnacle Intern”—a nickname that reflected her willingness to pitch in. It’s a skill she developed in the Henderson TV studio in Arkansas Hall, and one she uses in her current job as a reporter for 5NEWS in Fayetteville. As a child Durham would record video with her mother’s camera, hosting her brothers’ magic shows or narrating the antics of her pet goat. Durham was always trying to entertain. “My high school didn’t have a journalism or broadcast program,” she said, “but I took every type of creative media class I could.”
These classes included desktop publishing, multi-media skills and yearbook. The classes taught her how to use different editing software and how to tell stories creatively. Being a cheerleader from second grade to her senior year prepared her to perform in front of a crowd. She also joined high school groups like Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). She ran for FBLA District Vice President in ninth grade and didn’t get chosen, so she decided to focus on FCCLA and the community service that came with it. One day her Family and Consumer Science teacher and FCCLA adviser, Ms. Huckabee, asked whether anyone wanted to run for a officer position in FCCLA. Durham raised her hand. At the district office meeting, the director asked for candidates willing to run for state office.
“I love being a reporter. In five years I hope I’m in a top 30 market, still loving every day of being a reporter.”
She raised her hand again. She was called forward and had to give a speech on the spot. On the strength of this she was eventually voted to a state office. A year later she ran for a National FCCLA position. “This was the best decision of my life,” Durham recalls. “I was forced to gain critical thinking skills, learn how to ad lib, give speeches on the spot and communicate with students and U.S. Senators.”
“This was the best decision of my life” Durham travelled to Anaheim, Calif. to attend the FCCLA National Leadership Conference the summer before her senior year. After a week of competing for a national office, she was elected FCCLA National Vice President of Community Service. She spent the next year traveling around the country speaking to students and members of Congress. The downside of this office was that she was unable to cheer her senior year, and she missed 40 days of school. Durham initially decided to attend Henderson because it was close to home and she had younger siblings that she wanted to see grow up.
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She never toured the school before moving in and didn’t know a single soul on campus. “I fell in love with the campus,” she said, “and most importantly the people.” Still one to raise her hand, Durham became a Reddie Ambassador her second semester, holding that position until she graduated in 2016. She is also a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority, where she held almost every leadership position. Durham was introduced to Martha Myrick by a sorority sister during her sophomore year. Myrick is a Henderson alum and a former producer at THV 11in Little Rock. Durham went to THV and shadowed Myrick a few times during the summer. “Martha showed me the ropes of writing and producing,” she recalled. “I knew I wanted to intern there one day, and I made it known to the managers at THV.” She applied for the internship as soon as it was available online and waited impatiently to hear back from them. She finally got the call and started two days after graduation. As an intern Durham kept detailed journals of her daily duties. These sometimes included running live shots, shooting footage, writing VO-SOTS (story to video and sound bite), and editing. Henderson uses the program Final Cut for editing and THV uses Edius, so she had a little more learning to do.
While at THV 11 Durham put together a demo reel—which is crucial in landing television work. She familiarized herself with other stations around the state and country. She became a local news junkie, watching other stations to learn their style. Then she applied for jobs in places that she would be willing to relocate to. The Fayetteville station 5NEWS is an affiliate of THV 11, so they were able to get a good idea of Durham’s work habits as an intertrn before she interviewed there. By August she had been hired—all because, she firmly believes, she raised her hand in the ninth grade. “I love being a reporter,” Durham said. “In five years I hope I’m in a top thirty market, still loving every day of being a reporter.” Website – Alex Durham 5newsonline.com Twitter – Alex Durham @5NEWSAlex
Dream On Dr. John Graves dedicates his career to preserving Arkansas’s black culture and sheds light on the state’s racially tense history in AETN’s documentary, “Dream Land.” Story and design by Emily Bell
As a member of the Black History Commission of Arkansas and the Arkansas Historical Association, John Graves, professor of American history, never fails to accept an opportunity to preserve and promote black history and culture in America. Graves has spent the majority of his professional life researching and studying this subject. His book, Town and Country: Race Relations in and Urban-Rural Context, was the first scholarly investigation of Jim Crow laws and segregation in Arkansas. Additionally, Graves published several articles regarding the history of race relations in the South and Arkansas. Graves was also partially responsible for founding the Mosaic Templars Building Preservation Society (MTBPS) and continues to serve as a board member since its conception.
Above: Dr. Graves (far right) with Berna Love (far left) and director Gabe Mayhan (middle) at screening of “Dream Land” Right: Dr. Graves interviewed in the documentary, “Dream Land” [Courtesy of Tanisha Joe-Conway] Far right: 9th Street photo with man looking down the street [Courtesy of the Arkansas History Commission and Tiffany Head]
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With this organization, he was able to help restore the Mosaic Templars of America building in Little Rock. These works were what prompted Tanesha Joe-Conway, co-director of AETN’s documentary “Dream Land,” to reach out to Graves. Originally, the documentary’s purpose was to focus on the history of the Dreamland Ballroom and the music scene throughout Little Rock’s West Ninth Street. Many early-twentieth century jazz and blues legends partook in the famous street’s musical life through the famous “Chitlin’ Circuit.” “However, as the production unfolded, its focus was expanded to cover much of the whole history of race relations in Arkansas’s capital since the end of the Civil War,” Graves said.
Because of the documentary’s change in adding such context, Graves happily shared his extensive knowledge. The Dreamland ballroom, which occupied the third floor of Taborian Hall, attracted people from across the nation. Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald are among those who performed at Dreamland. At the end of the Civil War, many freed from slavery flocked to Arkansas, particularly Little Rock. Some came willingly, while others were dropped off by their former slave owners with what few possessions they managed to pack. Little Rock proved more tolerant of the black community than Mississippi and Alabama. However, after a short time, that would change. The minstrel character “Jim Crow” emerged, and thus racial segregation became madly and boldly apparent.
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“Minstrel characters are people who would perform in black face, and they would perform in ways that stereotyped and stigmatized African Americans,” said Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch, professor of history at Arkansas State Univeristy. From this, the Jim Crow laws that promoted racial segregation were born. “It meant that the black population found itself increasingly isolated and increasingly controlled,” Jones-Branch said. Ninth Street provided a community haven desperately needed to survive the segregation and racism in our country, and symbolizes that need for a free community, safe from prejudice, to this day.
As time went on, the majority of Ninth Street was demolished. From clubs and theaters to funeral homes and churches, every building was eventually taken down to its foundation. Only small features of their existences ghostly remain. All have disappeared except for the Taborian Hall. Because of MTBPS’s fight to keep and restore this historic building, it is now a privately owned flag production business. Kerry McCoy, owner of Arkansas Flag and Banner, initially didn’t know the history of the building she chose to invest in for her business until former patrons visited the old hall. “I realized I had been entrusted with something more than just saving an old building, but also with carrying the story on,” McCoy said. Graves noted, “My role in ‘Dream Land’ aside, it was truly a magnificent documentary.”
O
ne of the greatest
LIGHT AND COLOR
Photography and art history students use their creative skills to capture the culture and history of Mexico.
opportunities a student should seize is to study abroad.
It sounds like cliché advice from any of our upper-middle class family members, but its honesty weighs heavy. At Henderson, students are given quite a few chances each year to travel abroad and absorb as much culture as possible. Through these international trips, students can gain new perspectives, expand their minds, and receive inspiration for years to come. Such an experience is precisely what Margo Duvall, assistant professor of photography, had intended. “I wanted to plan a study abroad opportunity for our art students that would broaden their experience and reinforce the history and traditions we cover in our courses,” said Duvall. Duvall worked with Dr. Emily Gerhold, assistant professor of art history, to plan a trip to Mexico. They merged their courses together, Photo II and Survey of Non-Western Art, and developed an itinerary that focused on the rich artistic history of Mexico while students made their own art along the way. “We didn’t go that far from home, in terms of distance, but we really felt like we were in a completely different world,” Gerhold said. “It felt like every moment was filled with color, excitement, and the unexpected.” While Gerhold’s students dived into Mexico’s culture and history, Duvall’s students captured colorful, exciting, and unexpected moments. “Some photos are normal travel snapshots,” Duvall said, “but the students also looked for sights and imagery that would be strong in composition, lighting, and create an interesting theme in their work.” Although students had the freedom to express their creativity daily and to take initiative with their themes, Duvall ensured that they didn’t miss an opportunity to improve. Duvall encouraged her students to research prominent, groundbreaking Mexican photographers, and to write about these photographers’ lives and artistic works. She would also meet with her students every evening to review the images they had taken earlier.
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Story and design by Emily Bell
Innovative media student, Gabrielle Calvin, made a vibrant collage of her journey’s photos for the Arkadelphia Art Center “Light and Color” exhibition, showcasing the work of the entire class.
“While traveling throughout Mexico, I wanted to embody Mexican culture without being cliché. I photographed left and right, and I admit I had some trouble sticking to one clear theme. So many new things, concepts, and ideas were constantly being presented to me. Needless to say, Mexico is a very busy place, and that’s when it hit me. I hadn’t realized it, but I had taken quite a few photos that accurately portrayed the consistent activity of Mexico.” – Calvin’s artist’s statement
Statue of Virgin Mary at a cemetery in San Miguel de Allende. Many statues of biblical figures were fixed beside and above several graves. Photo by Gabrielle Calvin
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“I first thought my project would reveal how prevalent the commercialization of the symbols of death was in Mexico,” Brenda Hardee, photography student said. “Then, as we traveled to different locations, I was moved to capture the understated and varied natural beauty of the places we visited.” Gerhold reflected on how well everyone melded together during the trip. “Although we spent our days engaged in study, we also laughed so much, and had such a great time together as a group,” Gerhold recalled. “The group dynamic was fabulous – everyone got along, and offered so much support to one another.” The group was engulfed by the culture and made time to travel to archaelogical sites, such as Monte Alban, which dates back to 500 BCE and 900 CE. Of course, as with any good studious trip, experiencing foods native to the country was a neccessity. Gerhold and her
students decided the churros, genuine Mexican churros, were “life changing.” Gerhold remembered how one night, several women from their group joined some professional dancers. Together, they danced their way through the City Center of Oaxaca. Students and professors alike were equally touched by the intimate tour they took of famed artist Frida Kahlo’s home. “It was amazing to see the objects that Kahlo used in her work and daily life,” Gerhold said. When the students returned, they presented their photography in their own “Color and Light” gallery, held at the Arkadelphia Arts Center. “I hope it opened their eyes to a world bigger than their immediate surroundings,” Duvall said, essentially stating the significance of studying abroad. “I’m extremely proud of the work they made.”
“I was moved to capture the understated and varied natural beauty of the places we visited.” –Brenda Hardee
Early morning street view in San Miguel. Photo by Brenda Hardee
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Upper left: wooden “Skull Art,” taken in a shop in Mexico City. Photo by Brenda Hardee Upper right: women weaving baskets at a local market in Oaxaca, Mexico. “The markets were huge. You could very easily get lost in one. If you’re not born wealthy in Mexico, you basically have to work your whole life to make money. Concerning currency in Mexico, it’s about 18 pesos on the American dollar right now, which means everything was very cheap for us.” Photo and quote by Gabrielle Calvin Right: close up of above-ground grave in a Mexican cemetary. Photo by Gabrielle Calvin Below: blossoming tree over stacked cans in an alley way.
Photo by Erica Burrow
“Some students chose specific themes for their collections, but I focused on simplistic images based around lines, patterns, and repetition of the streets and buildings we toured.” –Erica Burrow
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What you become What you give back By Ashley Smith
Countries south of Mexico are frequent study grounds for Henderson biology students. Twice each summer, a group of current students – and occasionally some talented high school students – make their way south of the border to engage themselves in new cultures and new experiences. Thomas Saul, a biology alumnus, attended a trip to Panama in 2005 that impacted his life in ways he didn’t think were possible at the time. More than a decade after being submerged in the ecosystem and conservation practices of Panama, as an administrator dealing in medical subspecialties and primary care for the University of Virginia Health System, he decided he was ready to return the favor that shaped his career path by making a donation to fund a future participant in a biology field trip. Dr. James Engman, professor of biology, leads educational adventures overseas. For him, students like Saul are few and far between, but they make the job more rewarding. “Thomas was always a mature, serious student, whose academic success was unquestionable. He was serious about studies on the trip, but he also had a lot of fun,” Engman recalls. “He really seemed to love being in new environments and with new people. He got along well with everyone.”
Accepting unique obstacles to make an out-ofclassroom opportunity happen is difficult for everyone, especially while trying to learn new things. “That particular Panama trip was one of my most challenging – all students find themselves outside their comfort zone at times,” Engman said. “Tears are not rare, but the students seem to grow from the experiences, from pushing themselves.” Though Saul was not immune to the difficulty of primitive travel in a different country, accepting the challenges head on helped him thrive in the new environment. “We spent five days with indigenous people called the Kuna, and the only electricity they receive runs for four hours a day,” Saul said. The team could reach their destination only by boat, and the living conditions were more primitive than most students had previously experienced. But, Saul discovered, such circumstances helped them find resiliency and determination. Immersion in both nature and culture in Panama made a tremendous impression on Saul, according to his mother Yvonne, who works in the Henderson alumni office as advancement researcher and database coordinator. “That experience of seeing the natural habitats and how people actually lived, compared to our life in the US, made a huge difference,” she said. Saul’s group studied neotropical ecology, an educational experience enriched becuse the country is bordered by two oceans. Students studied
organisms within their ocean habitats. “Getting those experiences can help shape what you want to do after college,” Saul said. “Or, more importantly, what you don’t want to do.” Even though he knew at the time he wanted to make his way in the health care field, Panama still made a difference in his college career. “It was eye opening to learn new cultures,” Saul said. “It was an awe-inspiring trip to go on.” With other accomplishments such as presenting at a national conference and helping in community outreach programs, taking an active part in the biology program helped him get where he is today. “He always was a student who was very determined to succeed with organizational skills and had very good study habits,” his mother said. As a professional in the health care field, Saul believes the skills and knowledge learned in his college career keep him afloat in a demanding world. “Working in a hospital, the best thing you can do is use the scientific method, and observe what is happening,” he said. “Even if it’s not in a hospital, it will help accelerate your field of study.” Setting goals and figuring out what you want to do with your degree is a piece of advice Saul offers undergraduates. “Take the initiative to engage with advisors, professors, because they’ve done it successfully,” he said. “They have helped shape who I was going to be in the future.”
Far left: Dr. Jamie Engman (forground) and students including Saul (sunglasses at the front of the boat) on a boat ride during the 2005 trip to Panama. Left: Saul and other students with Panama villagers. Right: Thomas Saul today.
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Ellis College Transitions Lynette Smith
Lynette Smith retired in fall 2016 after serving Henderson State University for twelve years as an assistant professor in the Nursing Department. She advised and mentored countless number of students over the past decade, also serving an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Chi Nu Omega Chapter since 2003. Smith graduated from Henderson with a BSN in 1980, and then went on to serve as a Psych Health Nurse, Nurse supervisor, charge nurse of medical/surgical unit, and in nursing homes as well as in other nurse educator roles. She returned to Henderson to teach both didactic and clinical nursing, sharing her knowledge from forty years as a licensed nurse with the new generation of graduates.
Michael Miller Dr. Michael Miller, professor of communication and chair of the Communication and Theatre Arts department, retired in May after serving in the position for 17 years. Prior to that, he had chaired the Communication department at the University of Hawaii for nine years. Why leave paradise for Henderson? When he set out from Honolulu for Arkadelphia, Miller had actually been “coming home,” as he explained at a retirement reception held in his honor at Huie library in April. “I grew up hanging out around Henderson’s campus,” the Gurdon native said. “When I started here as a student in 1970, I had already been a Reddie for a long time.”
Miller earned his bachelor’s degree at Henderson in 1973 with a double major in English and education. As a student, he was active in theatre— where he became a member of Masquers—and played on the men’s tennis team. He earned a PhD in communication from the University of Florida in 1978, and taught in various locals including West Virginia and Michigan before settling in Hawaii. Even after coming to Henderson in 2000, he continued to teach one or two summer courses each year in Hawaii, and while teaching there this summer, formally retired from UH as well. One Hawaiian habit that stayed with him during his years at Henderson was a propensity for colorful aloha shirts—a habit picked up by several other faculty members in the CTA department. He was known to students for his cheerful disposition, academic rigor, and work as volunteer assistant coach to the women’s tennis team—a position he plans to continue “at the same salary” in retirement. He also plans to travel with his wife Debbie, who retired as an education specialist with Henderon’s Student Support Services last year, and to “eat and play tennis.”
Stuart Shaw Dr. Stuart Shaw, professor of geography, passed away from natural causes in November at the age of 58, after serving Henderson for 26 years. Many of his students admired him greatly, and he fostered several close connections with fellow faculty members throughout his time here. “The last time I saw him was in my European Geography course,” Emily Whitley, a senior English and history double major, said.
New Programs for Ellis College Wildlife and Field Biology
Biology is introducing a new curriculum alowing students to practice skills learned in the classroom while outdoors. By introducing field-based learning in areas such as organismal identification and ecology, management, and applied biology, students are open to more opportunities as they prepare for the workforce or graduate school. Classes offered within the program cover field ecology and teach “the rich biodiversity of animals and plants that occur in Arkansas.” Identifying animals and plants, acquiring management and conservation techniques are just some of the skills students will learn. The new track will take advantage of the department’s own biological learning environment on the shores of DeGray Lake. “The Wildlife and Field Biology track will increase the impact of the Simonson Biological Field Station on the success of the biology program,” Dr. Brett Serviss, professor of biology and curator, said. A degree in biology with an emphasis on Wildlife and Field Biology will create a sensory-rich experience for students to complement knowledge and skills acquired on campus.
RN-to-BSN Online Program Combining convenience and knowledge, the RN-to-BSN online program offers already licensed nurses higher education. Nurses have the option to accomplish fully online or partially online curriculums at either the Hot Springs campus or at Henderson. “The RN to BSN Online students will receive hands on experience in practicum, but in a different setting since they are already licensed, working nurses,” Dr. Shelley Austin, chair of the nursing department, said. With the higher degree, students may acquire skills such as using research in the health community, improving health care and reasoning for decision-making in the field. Students will be able to relate the liberal arts core to practicing their skills in a health care setting.
Nuclear Medicine Technology Nuclear medicine is a skillful degree that will challenge students while they learn how to use radioactive imaging to aid patients. Modern imaging is used to treat diseases, analyze organs, and investigate biological samples. The Ellis College of Arts and Sciences offers a Bachelor of Science degree in nuclear medicine technology after completing three years at Henderson and
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By Ashley Smith
the fourth year at Baptist Health in Little Rock. “The one year of professional coursework at Baptist Health College Little Rock is where students take part in clinical experiences where they will learn how to be nuclear medicine technologists,” Dr. John Long, professor and chair of the department of chemistry, said. “Course work at HSU is only preparation for that final year.” Upon graduating from Baptist Health, students are able to enter the health care field with the skills and knowledge for a rewarding career.
Engineering For students involved in math and science, engineering is a new degree they have been waiting for. Project design and completion will become a reality for advanced students who learn how to problem solve with technology. “We are currently pursuing accreditation in General Engineering,” Dr. Shannon Clardy, associate professor of physics, said. “By adding an engineering degree to our offerings, we are creating more options for science-minded students who like to build, design and create.” Students with this degree will be able to enter the workforce with jobs in electrical engineering, computer technology, research and aerospace. Once the first graduates complete the curriculum, a self-study will be submitted to the ABET for accreditation.
Innovative Media Innovative Media students learn the latest in media and design by collaborating on entrepreneurial projects such as app-building, virtual reality simulation, drone videography and online publishing. By mixing media skills with new technology, students become relevant in several rapidly changing fields. “We hope to instill skills such as creative problem solving – synthesizing solutions by drawing upon any and all available resources – which, because of the web, are vast,” said David Stoddard, professor of graphic and media design, and the program’s director. “We want students learn to participate and function as part of interdisciplinary teams.” For students who have a creative passion and a technical mind, Innovative Media offers both a major and minor that will empower them toward new career paths. Contact the program at imhsu@hsu.edu.
Stuart Shaw Continued She remembered that halfway through his lecture, he paused for an unusual length of time. After a few minutes, he dismissed class early. He passed away the following weekend. One of his closest friends was the recently retired director of Huie library, Robert Yehl. “Stuart did not drive and he appreciated the frequent trips we made to Hot Springs and Little Rock,” he said. Yehl recalled Shaw’s avidness for collecting DVDs, music and books. On those trips, Yehl noted that Shaw’s “DVD and book purchases outdid his regular groceries.” His collection didn’t go wasted after his death: Nearly 5,000 DVDs and books from Shaw’s collection were donated to Huie library. “I was one of the people unloading all the books from his office,” library worker and junior English major Kansas Tye said. “He was a collector of great stuff.” A sale of a portion Shaw’s donations went to the library, while approximately 2,000 of his video and audio recordings have been added to the permanent collection. “We have named our popular music collection the Stuart Shaw Popular Music Collection to recognize his contribution,” said David Sesser, collections librarian. As his collection educates and entertains students for years to come, Shaw’s memory presses on. “I miss him as a colleague and as a friend,” Yehl said.
Above: Enineering students with instruments and large rockets. Below: Innovative Media students and faculty ham it up with social media.
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Drone Discoveries Innovative Media Drone Filming
The innovative media program has been learning to use drones for the creation of new media, starting with filming a commercial for the university last semester. Thanks to a partnership with the School of Business and the mass media program, the technology was made available last April. “This is the first full year of the innovative media program, and one of our cornerstones is experience,” said Michael Taylor, a professor of mass media and chair of Commuication and Theatre Arts. Each semester, innovative media project classes are assigned to create something new. For the aerial videography project, Taylor led the class with the help of graduate assistant, now lecturer of innovative media, Scott McKinnon, along with Henderson aviation director Troy Hogue. They spent the first half of the course learning new regulations that the Federal Aviation Administration had implemented earlier this year on commercial drone usage. The second half of the semester was spent learning how drones can be used for creative videos. Taylor had the class sit down and come up with a promotional video that would use drone photography and a scripted story. “It was a shame they had to pick one script, since there were several good ones,” Taylor said, “although a few ideas from other scripts made it into the story we actually filmed.” Senior communication major Aaron Charles wrote the winning script. The video tells the story of a boy in a small Arkansas town who becomes a school of business student and a Henderson football player, finding his way through the college experience and passing
on his knowledge to others. The innovative media program hopes to continue working with Hogue’s aviation department and its new drone certification minor, along with the mass media program’s Paul Glover. “It’s impossible to not see how prevalent drone videography has become in everything from local news broadcasts to tent pole summer blockbuster movies,” McKinnon said. “If students can get their certification from the aviation department and then come learn how to compose aerial shots, they’re going to have a huge advantage over potential job candidates from other schools.” The inclusion of drone usage into the innovative media program is another way the program hopes to help prepare students for current fields of employment. “Our goal is to bring the students’ production skills into the twenty first century media,” Taylor said. He adds the drone minor may appeal to students in the sciences, history and even criminal justice – all fields in which drone use has become increasingly common. By Leighton Hall/ Scott McKinnon
Chances are that some high school seniors and undecided college students have felt pretty lost at some point in their academic careers. The stereotype is that students attend college to become doctors or lawyers or engineers, jobs they know will fill a wallet nicely. Planning a future around dollar signs seems to be the norm. Money, like it or not, makes the world go round. But what if it were possible to find that mythical career, one that pays the bills and is also creatively rewarding? That idea can seem out of reach to students who imagine a future mid-life crisis ushered in by a boring job. But Henderson might have a creative solution in one of Ellis College’s newest major: Innovative Media. The name leaves much to the imagination. But maybe that’s because innovative media spans a broad set of fields by design. From shooting video with drones to creating virtual reality reef systems, innovative media is a flexible program that suits a variety of career paths, all looking to the future. “Media majors used to specialized in narrow fields, such as print reporting or video editing,” said Michael Taylor, professor of mass media, who co-founded the program with David Stoddard, professor of graphic and media design, and program director. “Days of specialization are gone. Anyone working in media needs to be flexible and entrepreneurial. We wanted a program that would let students cross disciplinary lines to create new things.” At the core of innovative media is the everchanging use of technology. In a world where people live inside their phone screens, adapting to new and evolving tech is crucial for nearly any employment opportunity. Jobs in fields such as broadcasting, reporting and content creation are more dependent on emerging technology than ever before. Innovative media trains students to be prepared for their future employer at a TV station handing them a camera drone to capture footage for their story, a microphone for interviews, and a computer to edit the final package. They can not only create a mobile app that allows users to read breaking news—they can know how to monetize the creation for other fields. That’s where the “innovative” part of innovative media comes in. The program teaches students to become interdisciplinary pioneers. Simply knowing how to use certain software or gadgets can give students an advantage in the job market, but knowing how to put together creative teams to serve audience needs can place candidates well above the rivals. IM students aren’t stuck in a classroom being lectured about the what-ifs and theoretical situations. They learn “real world” conditions by experiencing it for themselves. The program is centered around team-based projects to create a final finished product. “Innovative media is supposed to be teamdriven, not professor oriented,” Stoddard explained. “In the end, we’re a team.”
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Create the next great thing Over the past year, students have put their brains together on several projects. In the fall, a team began learning Federal Aviation Administration regulations for drone videography, then using that knowledge to shoot aerial footage for a Henderson promotional video, with the department’s DJI drone. Starting from scratch, the team went through the steps of commercial production, from brainstorming story ideas and scripting, to casting, to eventually going airborne and filming scenes on location. They commissioned original music form Devin Anderson, a recent Henderson music composition graduate. Along the way, they faced many obstacles, learning to work as a team. Another team has been taking on the challenges of virtual reality by creating an educational game that allows players to put on a VR headset and dive into a coral reef to
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explore the anatomy of a sponge and the threats to reefs from pollution and global warming. “ABSORBED” teaches about the dangers of human interference in reefs around the world. Guided by Stoddard, the VR team hopes to make an authentic experience that can be used in marine biology classrooms when complete. Every detail, from the color of the fish to the individual species of seaweed, has been checked for validity by the biology department. The team divided up responsibilities through a networked business model, which throws the idea of a single “leader” out the window. Instead, each team member focuses on their specific set of skills to contribute what they can to the project. While one student might be working with Blender to create 3D eel models, another might be searching for a voice talent to do the game narration, and a third might be writing text for a pop-up quiz that lets players move to a higher level. For a third project, students worked with a marketing class in the College of Business to research and create a dedicated app that would serve the needs of current business students. It will go into live testing with students and faculty this fall. Still other projects are being solicited from across campus.
Scott McKinnon, who worked with the program as graduate student while earning his Master of Liberal Arts degree last year, will be leading IM project classes as a lecturer this fall. “Having been around to see innovative media from its first semester, it’s great to see student interest in the program grow every year,” McKinnon said. “Giving students the opportunity to get hands-on experience with burgeoning technologies like drones or virtual and augmented reality is something that excites me as their teacher.” This fall, his student projects will lay the foundation for a digital media hub that can support all of the university’s publications as well as provide new forms of digital storytelling using tools like 360 degree video and interactive graphics. Students will also begin work on an augmented reality campus tour. Ask any current innovative media student, including the author of this article, and of course they’ll talk up the program. But they won’t do it out of obligation. They’ll tell you that the program is a great idea because it appeals to such a vast group of people. Artists, computer whizzes, writers, entrepreneurs, and everyone in between have a place in the future of media. Innovative media offers students the potential to find the next big thing or steer someone’s once unsure major choice in a happier direction. Story by Jacob Glasgow
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Choices Art Education graduate Sacha Martin displayed her massive work 51,840 Choices as part of her spring 2017 Senior Exhibition titled “choices.” “I focused on choices and how little choices can come together to make your life, so the small objects making bigger pictures kind of represents that.” 51,840 Choices is about one story of her family’s immigration from the Netherlands seventeen years ago. “We had the picture made (the picture used for 51,840 Choices) by the flag and the sunset, and for her it meant the ending with the sun going down in the Netherlands, and a new beginning in the United States with the sun coming up,” said Marcelle Canals, mother to the artist. Martin undertook the daunting task of designing and producing small ceramic tiles to form the image that makes up the piece.