Alumni+Friends Connections I’VE ENJOYED MEETING SO MANY wonderful members of our alumni family at our Little Lions family events and during on campus student/alumni events, the Numa Awards and Scholarship Banquets, Homecoming and working with the members of our Alumni Advisory Council. It’s heartwarming to observe the interaction between you and your children at Little Lions events, hear stories of your time on campus and your hopes and dreams for your children. Along with our alumni staff members Nikki Cureton, Tyler Lamon, ‘11, and Kerstie Breeze, I’ve enjoyed meeting and helping those of you who have called or come by the office. This year we launched Numa’s Alumni Advisory Council Perks, our free phone app disRebecca Hurst ’00 count program. The app gives you – Chair discounts with more than 60 local Pam Rice ’70 – Secretary vendors. So far more than 1,500 Lap Bui ’93 – Chair Elect alumni, students, faculty and staff Karla Jacobs ’95 – Past Chair are saving money using the proConaly Bedell ’56 gram. If you haven’t joined yet, go Shawn Cozzens ‘90 to www.uafsalumni.com/perks. Elizabeth Echols ’87 We also have facilitated interacJennifer Enslow ‘91 tion between you and our students. Jimmie Lincks ’68 These contacts have come through: Jeremy May ’07 Student/alumni conferences Rick Rice Panel discussions Eric Smithson ‘09 Mentor Connections, our pilot mentor program launched this year. The advice and guidance you provide to students at these events rounds out the classroom education our outstanding faculty provides. You give our students an understanding of the transition from college life to the real world, which comes quicker than they realize, as well as an idea of what it takes to be successful in whatever career field they choose to enter. Please accept our heartfelt thanks for your time and efforts. We hope to offer more opportunities for involvement as we grow these programs in the coming years. As always, if you have suggestions or ideas on how we might better serve you, please send us an email at alumni@uafs.edu, call the office at 479-788-7920, or best of all drop by our office at Grand and Waldron. With Lion Pride,
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R I C K G O I N S Director of Alumni Affairs
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DROP US A LINE! Let us—and the people you went to school with—know what you’ve been up to! Please take a few minutes to sit down and tell us what’s been going on since your time at UAFS, Westark, or FSJC. Tell us about your job, your family, your hobbies, your adventures, your plans—whatever you want to share with other alumni. We love to get photos too, and we’ll happily run them in this section. Be sure to include your name (and your name while you were in school if it has changed since then) and the year you graduated or the years you attended. Email your class note to belltower@uafs.edu or mail it to Alumni Office, UAFS, P.O. Box 3649, Fort Smith, AR 72913.
1950s Neal Little, ’54, died June 17, 2014. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Celia Maria (Pola) Little, ’54, whom he met while playing with the Fort Smith Junior College’s softball team. He also is survived by five children and seven grandchildren. He served in the Korean War and was awarded a Bronze Star. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology and a doctor of education from the University of Arkansas. He had a 37-year career serving individuals with disabilities while employed by the Arkansas Rehabilitation Service and the University of Arkansas Research and Training Center.
1980s Jack James, ’81, has retired from public education and is now “living the life of no papers to grade or bells” ringing in his ears. His three sons attend UAFS, twins Jacob and Josh James are seniors while Caleb James is a freshman. Juanita Nave, ’88, spent one year working at Sparks Regional Medical Center after graduating as a registered nurse. She then moved to Lakeland, Florida, where she worked in many different nursing positions, including
as a traveling nurse. Since 1999 she has resided in Elizabethton, Tennessee. She is married and has one daughter. “Graduating with this degree really opened up a lot of doors in my life and I’m thankful and blessed for my time there. Thank you UAFS/ Westark. I’m proud to call myself an alumna!”
1990s Kendall Triplett, ’96, received five nominations for the 2015 Rhythm of Gospel Awards, one of the largest independent gospel awards in the nation, from his independent, debut album, “Lose Myself.” The nominations include for Urban Contemporary/Rock and Pop CD of the Year and Praise and Worship CD of the Year. The awards will be given out in July.
2000s Jeremy Nuckolls, ’07, and Melissa Boyt-Nuckolls, ’10, had a baby boy, Trent Isaac Nuckolls, on Sept. 23, 2014. Hanna Valli, ’09, successfully defended her doctorate dissertation in molecular genetics and (continued on page 32)
BELL TOWER spring/summer 2015
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