UAFS Spring 2022 BellTower Magazine

Bell Tower The

The magazine of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith

SPRING 2022

UAFS TRANSFORMS LIVES

The Bell Tower

SPRING 2022 CUB CAMP: New students who attend Cub Camp get a head start in the college experience. They meet fellow first-year students, upper-class members, and some of the staff who will help them navigate their first year.

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Faculty and students alike were searching for ways to make the UAFS campus welcoming and provide students with the understanding they will need as they face the world. Many years of research and work culminated in creating a new minor in Diversity Studies.

Of course, attending classes and studying are high priorities for students. But a smorgasbord of extra-curricular activities keeps Lions alert and motivated while teaching soft skills like leadership, networking, and grit.

The Men of Excellence program, in its first year, exists to educate, empower, and uplift men. The first step in that program is to offer a feeling of belonging on campus. The next step might be a new suit.

The new UAFS Center for Economic Development is community-forward, offering training, professional development, and networking at the Bakery District. The local business community calls it home.

New Diversity Studies

Men of Excellence

Hot Spot

COVER IMAGE BY RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

A Week in the Life

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UAFS MISSION

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UAFS prepares students to succeed in an ever-changing global world while advancing economic development and quality of place.

THE BELL TOWER Spring 2022 Volume 12, Number 1 The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith CHANCELLOR Terisa C. Riley, Ph.D. CONTRIBUTORS Judi Hansen, Rachel Rodemann Putman, Samantha Contreras, Chris Kelly PHOTOGRAPHERS Rachel Rodemann Putman, Elliot Nemeth, Alexis Davis ART DIRECTOR John Sizing, www.jspublicationdesign.com The Bell Tower is published semi-annually by the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, P.O. Box 3649, Fort Smith, AR 72913, for friends, faculty, and alumni of the university. Tel.: (877) 303-8237.

Email: alumni@uafs.edu. Web: uafs.edu/belltower.

Send address changes, requests to receive The Bell Tower, and requests to be removed from the mailing list to alumni@uafs.edu or UAFS Alumni Association, P.O. Box 3649, Fort Smith, AR 72913.

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While I Have Your Attention The Campus Green

On Campus 4 5 6 7 9

University Changes Anthony Ming, Arts & Science Elliot Nemeth, Business & Industry Haylie Sigmon, Health, Education & Human Sciences Pillars of our Service

Community 10 Dr. Johnson Leads Student Success, Support 11 Hannah and her Siblings 12 Alumna, Historian, Leader 13 Adult Degree Program Applauded

Athletics 14 Jane Sargent Raises Up

15 Gayle Kaundart Arena

Alumni 28 Jasmine Smith Heads Alumni Office – With a Little Help from Her Friends 29 Class Notes 30 Criminal Justice Grad Keeps the Peace 32 Day of Giving

LETTERS ARE WELCOME, but the publisher reserves the right to edit letters for length and content. Space constraints may prevent publication of all letters. Anonymous letters will not be published.

Send letters to alumni@uafs.edu or The Bell Tower, P.O. Box 3649, Fort Smith, AR 72913.

Views and opinions in The Bell Tower do not necessarily reflect those of the magazine staff nor of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith.

Contents © 2022 by the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith.

Strong Women

15 Coach Whorton Remembered SPRING 2022 THE BELL TOWER 1

WHILE I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION Judith Hansen, Ph.D.

Serving Students

At UAFS, every student matters. At a college our size, it is possible to know nearly everyone, at least by sight: There’s the kid in my chemistry class.

I see this girl every morning when we pass going to different classes. I see that guy at the RAWC – he is wildly strong!

Our Chancellor, Dr. Terisa Riley, remembers not just faces, but names and stories, and not just people on campus but in the community, too. We think it’s her superpower – or at least one of them.

But let us return to students who matter to all of us individually and in groups. If we have only athletics, we know that student-athletes and their fans would be served, but others wouldn’t. So it is with all our registered student organizations.

Each reaches some students, and with more than 100 RSOs, we think something reaches everyone who wants to be involved in campus activities.

There are abundant opportunities for students to develop leadership skills and to give them a sense of belonging. And there are many career development opportunities, like learning to create an effective resume, that help students get a little polish as they start looking for postgraduation jobs.

In this issue of The Bell Tower, you will read about the amazing young woman on our cover who meets every setback with a smile.

You will meet a student whose life plan changed after a single meeting with his Mentor Connections team.

Men of Excellence, a new RSO on campus, provides a sense of belonging, leadership experience, and polish.

It’s a one-stop-shop for students who participate.

And you will learn about two alumni wielding the skills they learned as students to continue building UAFS today.

Because every student matters to us, we strive to have something for everyone. Let us know how you think we’re doing!

Dr. Judith Hansen Advancement Editor

2 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

STUDENT EVENTS AVAILABLE REGISTERED STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS, STUDENT LIFE OFFICE, AND DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES:

1394 17 175 1586 LIONHEART VOLUNTEER SERVICE:

CAREER SERVICES AND THE BABB CENTER:

TOTAL ACTIVITIES:

RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

You’ll see that we’ve tweaked the design of The Bell Tower as we have made other changes on campus. Please let us know what you like about the magazine, things you think we could improve, and ideas or topics you would like us to report in future issues. Just scan this QR code and share your best ideas.

BY THE NUMBERS

CAMPUS GREEN: Students take advantage of the Campus Green in almost any weather, but during the dog days of summer, when the university hosts its annual campus block party, the shaded pathways are especially delightful.

ON CAMPUS University Reorganizes for Efficiency, Collaboration, and Savings In April 2021, UAFS Chancellor Dr. Terisa Riley announced the culmination of months of research, discussion, and discovery: A realignment in university structure meant to streamline operations and yield $1.2 million in annual savings or new revenue.

UAFS moved from a five- to a three-college model and the adoption of a cohesive Center for Student Success and Retention. The new colleges, the College of Health, Education, and Human Sciences; the College

of Business and Industry; and the College of Arts and Sciences represent a modern approach to strategic cross-disciplinary education and an alignment of resources and professionals who share goals and vision for their students.

Though the cost savings were significant, Chancellor Riley, Provost Georgia Hale, and the committees who charted the reorganization accomplished a tremendous feat, especially during a global pandemic: They kept every

individual working at UAFS employed without a reduction in salary or demotion.

Because the faculty and staff who make the student experience so unique were retained, students likely noted minimal changes beyond changes to the names of the academic colleges conferring their degrees.

The entire university had opportunities to contribute to the process that led to realignment and budget assessment throughout fiscal year 2020.

Faculty, staff, and student

representatives served on six budget subcommittees to evaluate implications and strategies for revenue generation, institutional and instructional technology, campus facilities, student engagement, benefits and compensation, and organizational structure.

Subcommittees presented recommendations through open, all-campus Zoom conferences, and final recommendations were submitted to the chancellor by the UAFS Budget Council.

New Dean to Lead College of Health, Education, and Human Services

D

r. D. Antonio “Dean” Cantu assumed

tremely dedicated and exceptionally talented

role it plays today

the position of Dean of the College

faculty and staff.”

as a university in

of Health, Education, and Human

Cantu said he most looks forward to

the twenty-first

Sciences on Feb.1. The search for the new

working collaboratively with the leadership

century – in serving

head administrator had been underway since

team, faculty, staff, community partners, and

students from a

June, led by the ACES (Academic Career and

alumni.

variety of diverse

“Collaboration is essential to building

backgrounds,

upon the rich tradition of excellence in each

including from

to come to UAFS as the inaugural dean of

of the college’s unique programs, and in

underrepresented

the College of Health, Education and Human

working to provide our students with the

and underserved populations.”

Sciences,” said UAFS Provost Dr. Georgia

best educational experience possible to

Hale. “His broad experience includes leading

prepare them for their respective professions

ate dean and director for the Department

the successful merger of multiple depart-

that are focused on caring for the physical,

of Education, Counseling, and Leadership

ments, which will be very valuable as he

mental, social, and educational needs of our

at Bradley University, where he oversaw

works with departmental leadership, faculty,

communities,” he said. “Indeed, the pandemic

strategic initiatives including the merger

and staff within this newly formed college.”

serves to remind us all of the critical impor-

of two distinct academic departments into

“I am honored and humbled to be se-

tance of this charge, and just how essential

one cohesive unit and the development and

these professions are in our society.”

implementation of a five-year departmental

Executive Search) national search firm.

“I am very pleased Dr. Cantu has chosen

lected as the inaugural Dean of the College of Health, Education, and Human Sciences

“In addition, as a first-generation college

Dr. Cantu currently serves as the associ-

strategic plan.

He also currently serves as a Research

at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith,”

student, I was attracted to UAFS because

shared Cantu. “I am truly grateful for this

of its rich history – from its early twentieth-

Fellow in the Future Institute Research

opportunity to work together with the ex-

century origins as a junior college to the

Center.

4 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

Student Views ON CAMPUS

ANTHONY MING: Work on rovers for the moon and Mars was a great experience, but Ming’s favorite job at NASA was working with astronauts at the International Space Station during a space walk.

Back in Fort Smith for his final semester, he is leading a team of 13 UAFS engineering students building a new Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV). Anthony’s team plans to demonstrate their work at NASA and give engineers “insight on our design to potentially use parts of it on the Moon in NASA’s final LTV design which is launching in 2023.”

Throughout his time at UAFS, Anthony worked on interplanetary rovers with his Engineering professors and student colleagues. “I have to thank the entire engineering faculty for my successes, especially Dr. Lewelling as he has been my mentor throughout college,” he said. “I started working with him on the rover projects my sophomore year, and he encouraged me to apply to NASA.” “The projects and teams I’ve been able to be a part of at UAFS

ARTS& SCIENCES

COURTESY

Electrical Engineer Aims for the Stars Anthony Ming has spent more than a year working as an Engineering Pathways intern at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, NASA’s center for human spaceflight in Houston, Texas, where human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are conducted.

In his time at NASA, he’s worked four rotations. During his EC5 rotation, he worked as a space suit engineer and helped the team developing the next xEMU space suit (intended for Moon exploration in 2024) by

designing various space suit testing equipment. In rotation CX3 - Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) Systems Operations, Anthony learned from the real men and women behind “Houston, we have a problem,” and studied the methods they use to keep astronauts safe during Spacewalks outside of the International Space Station.

And during his ES5 - Mechanical Design and Analysis Branch - rotation, he helped assemble the VIPER rover which will be used on the moon in 2023 to prospect

lunar resources, and he helped design mechanical systems for international space docking.

While everything at NASA is incredible, Anthony said the coolest thing he’s done so far is support a spacewalk by International Space Station astronauts from the mission control center. Astronauts were installing new solar panels on the International Space Station.

“Being able to work with and support astronauts with the amazing things being done in space is indescribable,” he said.

gave me great experience that I was able to use directly to build my knowledge, and then leverage to gain other internships and even more experience leading up to where I am now.”

Though he added a year to his college experience to have the time at NASA, Anthony has no regrets. “I hope to return to NASA as a full-time deep space mechanisms design engineer working with rover designs and lunar habitats to help make us interplanetary,” he said with pride - and confidence.

SPRING 2022 THE BELL TOWER 5

ON CAMPUS Student Views

ELLIOT NEMETH: Elliot thought he knew what he wanted to do, but then life got in the way.

to open a coffee shop somewhere near campus - that’s something that’s missing on Grand Avenue.

A lot of students are looking for a place to hang out, and many of our international students don’t have cars, so a welcoming place students can walk to would be so appreciated.

It is a shift from international business, but it’s also a shift in calling. I’ve decided this is my home now. I see a lot of students who have always lived in Fort Smith leave because they want something different. But I’m an outsider. I only recently moved here, and it’s the biggest city I’ve ever lived in. I love Fort Smith, and I feel a calling to make it an even more enjoyable place.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

Changing Focus Elliot Nemeth is an international business and consumer marketing major in the College of Business and Industry. He is a barista.

A professional photographer and licensed drone pilot. He leads the Chi Alpha campus ministry and is on the worship team at his church. He sings, plays guitar, and gleefully shows his Canadian pride with a maple leaf sticker on his water bottle and his longboard. He’s a busy man, soaking up the multitude of opportunities UAFS and the River Valley have to offer. And he’s made time to answer some questions about those opportunities today: I am an extrovert, a real people person. Anyone who’s met me will tell you that straight away.

Last year I had COVID-19, and despite the coughing and the 6 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

In addition to attending school full time, I am the senior photography assistant in the UAFS marketing department and a barista at The Artistic Bean. I love having the freedom to be creative and use what I learn in my classes. At “the Bean” I helped the owners shift to making our bakery items in house because of accounting skills I’d learned in my classes.

business I had a plan to return to Canada, and as I explored my creative talents in photography with the Marketing Office at UAFS, I realized I had a unique position to bridge the gap between creatives and businesses, so I added a marketing concentration.

This past year, I realized I really wanted to own a business.

I was so encouraged by people around me and after some prayer, I changed that concentration to small business management. It meant adding another year to my education, but I am perfectly happy with that because I know I’m where I’m called to be. I love Jesus. And while I miss the cold and the snow, I believe Jesus has a vision for me in Fort Smith.

How did you decide on your major?

So you want to be an entrepreneur?

When I chose international

When I graduate in 2023, I hope

Tell me about your schedule.

Absolutely. I started this year, and I have a great team. RC Sims, ’17, works at the First National Bank in Mena and is the young alumni team member. He is trying to get a virtual business off the ground. Tim Baily, who owns Candy Craze, is the executive mentor. There are 14 Candy Craze stores, including Fort Smith, and all across the South. After one meeting with RC and Tim, I knew I wanted to open a business here. If they can succeed here, maybe I can too.

They’ve even encouraged me to dive into creating my business plan.

What are your plans after that?

I am really a self-starter. I don’t think this will be my last business. I want to see Fort Smith become a place of economic prosperity, and I want to be part of that revitalization.

RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

How do you describe yourself?

fever, the worst part for me was definitely the isolation. I remember toward the end of my isolation a friend figured out a way we could play a board game while 12 feet apart. It made my whole month.

Did the Mentor Connections program help you find that path?

Student Views ON CAMPUS

HEALTH. EDUCATION, AND HUMAN SCIENCES

RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

Choosing Life and Happiness Haylie Sigmon’s life could have easily gone in a different direction. As a child, she was shuttled from home to home, too often finding herself in abusive situations. A perceptive child, she realized early that she would never find stability beyond what she created herself. So, determined to improve her life, she threw herself into her education and learned to lean on God. Her hard work in high school paid off in the form of several prestigious scholarships, including the Chancellor’s Leadership Council Scholarship, which made it possible for her to attend the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. She set her sights on becoming a nurse and fulfilling a life-long dream to better the world.

As a first-generation college student with no immediate role models, she dove head-first into her studies - and nearly every collegiate experience that came with it. At every opportunity, Haylie took the chance to develop herself, hone her leadership skills, and give back to her UAFS community.

She was active in the Lions for Christ Ministry and served as the director of Cub Camp.

She served twice on the Student Government Association, once as secretary; and she was a student ambassador, coordinator of the Lions ROAR Drug and Alcohol prevention programs, and president of the May 2021 Nursing Cohort. Through it all, she excelled academically and socially and found time to plan a wedding and marry her high

HAYLIE SIGMON: No matter what stands in her way, Sigmon finds a way around or above it to reach her goals.

school sweetheart.

Her involvement helped her grow in many ways.

“I was encouraged to identify and stand up for the things I believed in,” she said. “Dr. Dave Stevens always says ‘leaders eat last’ and it’s become a mantra of my own. I learned what servant leadership looks like working with Dr. Stevens, Chancellor Riley, and Dr. Korvick.”

Through all of her life experiences and her triumphs over hardships, Haylie found the strength she would need to battle first a small tumor on her pituitary gland and then a brain malformation. In January of 2021, doctors told her she needed immediate cranial surgery.

But Sigmon had other ideas, ideas that included graduating on time. And so her surgery, ultimately successful, waited until mid-May, just days after she crossed the graduation stage.

Sigmon has high praise for the Nursing faculty, including executive director Dr. Paula Julian, who encouraged and

supported her during her last semester. But her gratitude goes further.

“I am eternally grateful to the faculty, staff, and administrators that I have met here at UAFSwho have encouraged me to take leaps of faith, speak in front of crowds, plan events, train peers, and stand up for positive change. I can say with certainty that due to my time here and the people I have met, I can move forward with confidence in my future career and personal goals.”

In August, Haylie started her career at Baptist Health as a nurse in the Cardiac Stepdown Unit and Cardiovascular ICU.

SPRING 2022 THE BELL TOWER 7

ON CAMPUS Diversity Studies

WORLD VIEWS: At the annual Block Party, some of the registered student organizations celebrate ethnic heritage that engage students’ interest.

Around the World and At Home

8 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

diversity, equity, and inclusion.

As part of continuing effort to create a more welcoming campus community where everyone can be seen and heard, in early 2021 the university appointed John Blue as executive director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Although

Megan Sonnenmoser

the creation of the minor was underway before Blue joined the university, both reflected the goal of inclusivity.

The minor is multidisciplinary so students who take it will take classes across various department. And the classes provide an international focus “Students who engage in a conversation about social justice must see it, not just in this country but in a global context,” Dimitrova said.

“The United States is a country of migrants. Students need to see why people came here and why they keep relationships in a global context.”

When asked the value of studying inequities, mobility, and poverty, UAFS student Megan Sonnenmoser said the study challenged her to think about ideas she hadn’t

considered before. Even familiar topics were discussed in a new way, a way that built an urgency in her, she said.

“The class helped explain the importance of anti-poverty initiatives both on campus and in society as a whole,” she wrote. “It also highlights antipoverty initiatives that help people wanting to gain social mobility. These initiatives will help motivate people like me to get involved with anti-poverty initiatives to better society.

“College is about education, and part of that education should include the world around you and the problems within it. I know this is not the kind of class that provides a fast track to a career, but it does help one become a better and more aware human,” Sonnenmoser said.

RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

In December, UAFS announced Diversity Studies will be available as a minor.

The measure was approved by the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees and the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board. But those were only the last two steps in a process that began in 2017, said Dr. Svetla Dimitrova, assistant professor of Sociology and one of the faculty members who helped develop and flesh out the new program.

While she and other faculty members were researching and refining their ideas for a new minor, students also were considering the issue. Dimitrova recalled at Chancellor Chat – periodic town-hall style gathering with Chancellor Terisa Riley – a student requested courses that directly confronted issues of

Pillars Support Mission ON CAMPUS

Pillars of Our Core Beliefs Life as a Lion in 2022 –Chris Kelly, Senior Director, Marketing & Communications

RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

In the summer of 2019, just days after starting a new journey at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, I found myself in the Chancellor’s Office. Dr. Terisa Riley, who started her tenure at UAFS only weeks before, challenged me to leap into two major undertakings - a reinvigoration of the UAFS brand, and a complete overhaul of the UAFS.edu website. It was time to modernize and to unify our message.

I must admit the thought of tackling two projects of this size at the same time made me and the team a bit anxious.

Building a website is a difficult and cumbersome, but fairly straightforward process.

Developing a core brand for a

university, especially one that serves so many stakeholders, is much more complicated.

As a newcomer, I knew the best way to uncover the core of what it means to be a Lion was to ask the people who create it: Lions of the past and present.

We went directly to our students, alumni, faculty, staff, and our community (more than 1,200 individuals in all) to discover what makes UAFS special. We asked them about their experiences, expectations, and aspirations. Then we did something that is uncommon today: We listened.

What we learned inspired us all. We heard stories of faculty who allowed students to believe in themselves, life-changing

experiences, unexpected opportunities, and community connections that continue to make a difference.

As their answers and experiences accumulated, we saw five common themes emerge, and our brand pillars were born.

• Thinkers & Doers: We teach people to put theory into practice. Our students land the job and do it well.

• Options & Opportunities: We don’t replicate how higher education’s always been done. We redefine it for the good of our students by providing an abundance of academic options.

• Empowering: We hold an

unwavering belief that every student has the capacity to achieve, and we help them realize the possibilities within themselves.

• Rooted in our Region: We serve students from around the globe but are deeply and unapologetically rooted in this region and our local community.

• The Pride of Arkansas: UAFS Lions form a tightknit community that works together, plays together, and hunts for new opportunities together.

It was an honor to have led this project and to see the hard work of our Marketing and Communications team come to life. This brand launch, coupled with our new website, will allow us to tell the UAFS story in a consistent and meaningful way.

It is an exciting time to be at UAFS. I cannot wait for what the future holds. I am proud to be a Lion.

ROOTED: The UAFS Pillars express the university’s place in the community.

SPRING 2022 THE BELL TOWER 9

COMMUNITY Everyone To Support Student Success As part of the 2021 reorganization, leaders at UAFS took a step back to look at student success and retention in a holistic way.

The newly-formed Division of Student Success and Retention led by Dr. Blake Johnson aims to centralize efforts to guide students on the path to graduation, including developing new student support initiatives and increasing graduation rates.

Johnson, an accomplished writer, researcher, and presenter on the subject, says

NEW DIVISION: Blake Johnson wants to involve everyone in student success initiatives.

his focus as assistant provost is to create a cohesive climate of student support, a climate that addresses obstacles and promotes meaningful responses.

“I talk a lot about four primary barriers students face in college,” Johnson said.

“Cost, academic preparedness, sense of belonging, and career applicability. These are things nearly every student has to address in order to justify persistence. And if these are the things students are facing, then our programs and services need

10 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

ELLIOT NEMETH

FIGHTING ALZHEIMER’S: UAFS students participate in the 2021 Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Arkansas River Valley.

The walk aims to raise awareness of the disease and funds to fight it.

to be connecting with them in a significant way.”

Core to his approach in addressing barriers is creating an atmosphere of support from application to graduation, and creating a campus culture where everyone – from dining staff to academic deans – understands the tremendous importance of their role in student success.

“The world of retention has undergone many changes in the past 20 years,” Johnson said. “The question is much bigger than how do we attract students or how can they get in the door? It’s really, are we creating the right environment for them to be successful over the next 4-6 years of their lives? That is a deep, holistic question. This new division is solely focused on ensuring UAFS is aligned correctly and empowering students with the right resources, interventions, and learning experiences necessary to help them succeed in the classroom and ultimately, in their careers.”

Beyond retention, Johnson said collaborative efforts with admissions means UAFS will have even more students to retain moving forward.

“Applications for first-time students are up, and admits are up,” he said. “There is a new wave of energy to get students involved and better connected, and it appears 2022 is going to bring back a more immersive student experience.”

A Six Pack of Siblings COMMUNITY

A FAMILY AFFAIR: From left, Holly, a math education graduate; Hart, enrolled as an engineering student; Hannah, a nursing student, and her husband, Allen; Hunt, an automotive technology and electrical engineering graduate and his wife, Loreliel; brother-in-law Cameron, an accounting student, and, Hope a radiology technology alum who has returned to study sonography; parents Mary and Wade; Hailey, a paralegal studies graduate; Heather, a biology graduate, and her husband, Preston; and Hadleigh, who is still in High school.

RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

A Pride of UAFS Grads and Students When applications for the Alumni Legacy Scholarship crossed our desk before the 2021-2022 academic year, we knew there would be standout students. But no one stood out quite the way Hannah Deaver did.

Hannah is a senior in the university’s bachelor of nursing degree program. Her application said she hopes to become a nurse practitioner and practice as a family practitioner in underserved communities in Arkansas.

She said she’s working hard to keep her grade point average so she can attend an excellent graduate school. The scholarship, she said, would allow her to quit her job and focus on her studies while

preparing for the N-CLEX board exams for nurses.

All of this is remarkable and admirable but also typical of the high performing students in the UAFS nursing program.

Here’s where the story becomes unique.

“My parents have raised a remarkable generation of UAFS alumni as five of my siblings have already graduated from the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, and I am next in line but followed closely by my little brother,” she wrote.

She is the sixth in line and holding the door open for her little brother.

“I am proud to be a UAFS student, and I am proud of the legacy of sibling alumni that I come from,” Deaver said. “The

challenge I face today is to stay diligent in my studies. Most of my siblings graduated with a high GPA. So it’s a fun challenge to achieve the same. There’s nothing like a little sibling rivalry to keep motivated in your studies.”

Who are these motivators?

Heather Davis - Biology Hunnt Hickman - Automotive Technologies and Electrical Engineering Holly Hickman - Mathematics with Teacher Licensure Hailey Carty - Paralegal Studies Hope Chronister - Radiology Technology Little brother Hart Hickman started in fall 2021 with a plan to study electrical engineering.

We are sad to hear from

students that they can’t wait to finish their college degrees so they can head off to larger cities and “better” opportunities. But not Hannah Deaver.

“Within the next 5 years, I hope to secure a nursing position in one of Fort Smith’s hospitals,” she said. “I love my hometown and want to stay and work in the region to see the outcome of all the exciting changes that are happening in the community, like the new VA medical center. There are many opportunities for nurses to help the community, and I am eager to start.”

We are eager to see how Hannah and her sisters and brother will help the community.

SPRING 2022 THE BELL TOWER 11

COMMUNITY Museum of History

Alumna Makes History

12 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

CAROLINE SPEIR: The executive director of the Fort Smith Museum of History decided to finish a history degree at UAFS after seeing Tom Wing talking about historic re-enactment.

Speir started at the museum as a historical interpreter, and in 2009 she became the exhibit designer, and she found satisfaction in the job.

“I’ve done some reenactments,” Speir said. “But I like other kinds of interpretation more.”

“Historical interpretation has many meanings,” she said.

“It should connect with people on an intellectual level and on an emotional level. When people interact with history, they understand it better, remember it more, and maybe let it impact their lives.”

After Gramlick retired, it took some consideration for

Speir to decide to apply for the position. She wasn’t sure she wanted to give up her hands-on work as an exhibit designer.

“I like production,” she said with a laugh.

Eventually, it became clear to her that her institutional knowledge and belief in the museum’s mission made her the ideal candidate. The museum’s

Historical interpretation should connect with people on an intellectual level and on an emotional level.

COURTESY

Even when she was little, Caroline Speir was that girl, the one who wanted to stop to see every historical site, read every historical plaque, and understand every historical event.

Today, Speir, University of Arkansas - Fort Smith class of 2020, through a crooked path of educational events, work experience, faithful determination, and a fleeting vision of Tom Wing, is the executive director of the Fort Smith Museum of History.

A Fort Smith native, Speir started college right out of high school, but life has a way of derailing plans, and Speir dropped out of school and spent several years as the single mother of three girls.

Then one day around 2006, while sitting in a hospital waiting room on a visit to a relative, Speir saw a TV set to the UAFS access channel. And there was Tom Wing, now an assistant professor of History and director of the Drennen Scott House, UAFS’s Van Buren historical site. Wing was talking about reenactment as a way of interpreting and understanding history.

Caroline Speir had a shock of insight. This was how she wanted to study history, but she needed to work it around the obligations she already had.

One of those obligations was work. In 2008, she was a paraprofessional in Roland schools, working with Leisa Gramlick until Gramlick left to become the executive director of the Fort Smith Museum. Shortly after that, Gramlick convinced Speir to join her.

Board of Directors agreed. So in 2019, she became the executive director of the Fort Smith Museum of History. But in an organization so modest, Speir became convinced she could still design and build exhibits.

One part of her job that Speir especially values was the chance to travel to Cisterna, Italy, to renew the relationship between Fort Smith and its sister city.

“The sense of history in Cisterna is palpable,” Speir said.

“I knew about General Darby.

But there you really learn about General Darby.”

The memory of city residents’ living in tunnels during the four to five months Cisterna was bombarded is fresh, as is the notable liberation of the town by Fort Smith’s native son, William O. Darby commanding Darby’s Rangers, precursors to today’s Army Rangers.

Speir achieved another goal while she was executive director of the museum: she completed her bachelor’s degree in History/Public History.

As for what comes next, she’s more certain about the museum than herself. She’d like to add connections between the museum and the local community. She thinks the museum could be an agent for change, providing resources for events like an international festival.

As for herself, Speir said maybe she will pursue a master’s degree in History. Maybe she’ll teach. Maybe she will research a local history project, like events surrounding the Cubans at Fort Chaffee.

The universe has brought her this far without a clear plan.

She’s sure to recognize the next step when it presents itself.

Adult Learning COMMUNITY

Prestigious Award Recognizes ADCP’s Flexibility, Innovation In October, the UAFS Adult Degree Completion Program, Dr. Tina Root, Dr. Kristin Tardif, and Dr. Ken Warden earned the prestigious Malcolm Knowles Award for outstanding adult education program leadership.

The Adult Degree Completion Program began in the fall of 2019 with 19 students.

In fall 2021, more than 100 students participated in the ADCP program. The program was honored for its innovative and robust assessment process for portfolio assessment, granting of credit for prior learning, and dedication to student success.

“Serving our non-traditional

students in new and innovative ways is core to the mission of UA Fort Smith, and the Adult Degree Completion Program is one of the many ways UAFS works to improve our community,” said Dr. Ken Warden, associate vice chancellor for compliance and legislative affairs. “I’m very proud to be a part of the ADCP program and (to receive) the Malcolm Knowles Award. This national recognition highlights the great work of the university and demonstrates how UAFS is a premier institution of higher education.”

Dedicated resources for ADCP students include

• An advisor who works with them from admission through graduation.

• An introductory course that guides students through the portfolio process and prepares them for a return to college classes.

• Access to special accelerated sections of major and general education courses to increase the speed of degree completion.

• Courses offered online and during the evening with instructors who are experts in adult education.

president and private banking manager, said the degree program has been an excellent option for her.

“By receiving credit for prior learning, I am on track to complete my degree in two years,” Gage said. “This national recognition highlights the university’s work and demonstrates how UAFS is a premier institution of higher education.”

Since 2019, 19 students have completed the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership. An additional 13 students have completed Associate of General Studies degrees.

Melanie Gage, senior vice

DEGREE DREAMS: Dr. Tina Root, director of the Adult Degree Completion Program, works with nontraditional students to help them achieve their goal of earning a college degree.

SPRING 2022 THE BELL TOWER 13

ATHLETICS Volleyball Lessons, Life Lessons When you say the name Jane Sargent on the UAFS campus, everyone has the same image: strong, determined, committed.

That describes Sargent and the volleyball players she coaches.

Since she arrived on campus in 1998, she has never had a losing season.

Coach Sargent’s win-loss record is 711-178. That includes time spent coaching teams in the NJCAA, the league Westark College and UAFS competed in for a time. When Sargent started, volleyball was new on Westark’s campus. Sargent developed the teams that became a force to be reckoned with nationally in the NJCAA. Then she turned around and developed a program that competes successfully in the NCAA Division II. In that league, she is 309-95.

Sargent passed a significant benchmark in the 2021 season when she gained her 700th win against Albany State at a tournament in Valdosta, Geo. It didn’t faze her. She just turned to the next game and the next win for the student-athletes she coaches in volleyball and in life.

We tried to get some time with Coach Sargent in what we thought would be some downtime between the end of the volleyball season and the winter break. Instead, she was out of town on a recruiting trip.

However, she was generous enough with her time to answer questions for The Bell Tower.

after they graduate, after they step away from the program. During my time with them, I’m constantly pushing them to do, be, grow, fight, and they can’t see that until it’s over. I love hearing from former players that they now get it; they understand the “push” and how they feel better prepared to take on life because I saw what they were capable of even if they didn’t.

STRONG WOMEN: Coach Jane Sargent recorded her 700th win in the fall of 2021.

She’s ready to keep going.

I think you started the job here without necessarily thinking you would make it your career. How did that happen -- did you suddenly discover you were still here, or did you make a series of conscious decisions to stay?

I’ve always been very familyoriented, so my plan all along was to come home after college.

I was fortunate enough to find a job teaching/coaching at Chaffin Junior High. During those 10 years, I looked at other jobs in different states a few times and had some interviews, but as they say, everything happens

for a reason. I was meant to stay in Fort Smith to help with family and, surprisingly enough, to start the collegiate volleyball program at then Westark College. It’s been nothing but a labor of love, and I’ll gladly stay as long as they will have me.

We know that coaches teach/ mentor the student-athletes they work with. I wonder if you have ever been on the other side. What (if anything) have you learned from the young women you coach?

That they don’t really understand the way I “push” until

RUN TO THE ROAR: Follow the Lions on Social media: @UAFSLions and @UAFSSports

14 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

Since you are recruiting right now, I will ask you this: What do you look for in a volleyball player you would like to bring to campus skill, heart, character, or a little of all three?

Yes, all three for sure, but I also have to find a tough kid, a kid that can handle my brand of coaching. I’m definitely not easy to play for. I’m going to push them to fight and get back up again when they get knocked down. I want my kids to be bulletproof and capable of taking on all of life’s setbacks.

I don’t know who said this first, but it’s always been my motto: Here’s to strong women.

May we know them, may we raise them, may we be them.

I’ve always felt like that was my job in life: raising up strong women.

HOF Coach Remembered

RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

In December, Lions across the country, especially women’s basketball fans, said goodbye to the man who put “winningest” in their vocabulary.

Hall of Fame Women’s Basketball Coach Louis Whorton passed away. Whorton compiled a 648-277 win-loss record over 30 years in the NJCAA and NCAA Division II. He was inducted into the UAFS Athletics HOF in 2019 and the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. He is a member of the University of the Ozarks Eagles Hall of Fame.

“Coach Wharton is a UAFS

legend,” UAFS Athletics Director Curtis Janz said. “He set a standard not only for UAFS Women’s Basketball but for the entire department. He set a standard for excellence on the court and made an impact on so many people’s lives. Coach will be missed, but he will always be remembered here. We love him and his family, and they will always be in our hearts.”

He won a national championship in the 1994-1995 season by going 35-0 and was named the NJCAA Coach of the Year.

His team placed second in the NJCAA national tournament in

WINNINGEST: Family, friends, and fans said goodbye to legendary womens basketball coach in December.

1993-1994. In their 1997-1998 and 2005-2006 national tournaments appearances, the Lady Lions finished seventh. In 20032004, they finished fourth. In 2004-2005 and 2007-2008, they finished third.

Former player and friend Brenda Frederiksen remembered Whorton for two of his sayings.

He told players to “always keep the main thing the main things.

And, as he always said, ‘Once a Lion, always a Lion.’”

KAUNDART ARENA: The court of the Joel and Barbara Stubblefield Center has been named in honor of the well respected Northside High School and Westark College men’s basketball coach.

SPRING 2022 THE BELL TOWER 15

A

WEEK IN THE

LIFE

Students at UAFS can participate in more than 1,000 activities every semester.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN, ELLIOT NEMETH, & ALEXIS DAVIS

16 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

M

onday mornings come early for college students. It’s dark, it’s cold, and the week ahead is still a mystery. What’s going on? Where do I have to be? Where’s my phone?

“Where’s my phone?” is the inflection point for UAFS students. When they check their phones every Monday, they find the UAFS Weekly Campus Announcements, full of upcoming activities, athletic events, free food, new clubs, and study tips. The excitement of a packed week on a beautiful campus begins with that Monday morning email.

Whether students are looking for the perfect Registered Student Organization to meet their unique interest; spiritual and religious organizations and events; career and professional development offerings; fraternity and sorority socials and service projects; electronic, intramural, and varsity sports events; or a host of other activities, they’re sure to find the right fit at UAFS. Of course, a notice about a pop-up escape room in the library may, by itself, not be quite enough to draw a student out of bed on a dark, February morning.

It’s Monday, after all. But a list of so many things along with, maybe, an invitation to meet a friend at Starbucks first, certainly makes the week ahead a little brighter.

M GLENN BREWER: President, Men of Excellence

20 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

MOX EDUCATE, EMPOWER, UPLIFT

Young Men of Excellence Create Sense of Belonging and Home

When you talk to John Blue and Glenn Brewer, the word that comes up most is “belonging.” Other words, like “empower” and “uplift,” are there too, but developing a sense of belonging among young men on campus is the key to all their goals.

Blue is the executive director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at UAFS, and Brewer is the president of the student organization Men of Excellence.

Blue has recently completed his first year in the inaugural position, which was created as part of Chancellor Terisa Riley’s commitment to fostering an inclusive campus culture where all feel welcome.

The Men of Excellence initiative, also in its inaugural year, aims to empower young men who may have come from financially challenged backgrounds, may be the first in their families to attend college, or may be

members of a marginalized community.

The organization is open to all men, but Blue says his experience is that African American and Latino students are most active in the organization.

Blue was moved to bring the MOX program to UAFS when he saw a national trend repeated on the UAFS campus. Recent reports from the Bookings Institute, the Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic, among

PHOTOGRAPHS BY RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

SPRING 2022 THE BELL TOWER 21

LEARNING TO SHINE: Undergraduate members of the Men of Excellence can expect to find welcome, belonging, and a little polish. One day each week they they practice that polish by wearing customfitted suits and matching ties, which they purchased with funds raised in the organization’s inaugural fall crowdfunding campaign.

many others show that male enrollment and male degree completion are on the wane.

In his previous role at Mississippi State University, Blue oversaw the MOX organization, and he has used his experience at that institution and best practices among other MOX programs nationally to develop the program on the UAFS campus. The organization seeks to “nurture young men holistically,” Blue said. That means helping them succeed academically and socially and prepare for the world of work when they

A Sharp Dressed Man

M

embers of the Men of Excellence demonstrate that clothes may not make the man, but they can help to identify him.

At an executive board meeting each week, members vote on one of three outfits members can wear on a specific day. Choices are business professional: a suit with a button-down shirt and tie; business casual: a branded polo and khakis; and a third choice in the future that will include a branded blazer.

Sophomore Glenn Brewer says the tidy ensembles make a number of statements.

They may attract other students to the organization. Many other men may imitate the crisp fashions. And the MOX students will need to step up their game on the other six days of the week.

“I can’t wear a suit one day, and then show the next day looking like a mess. That wouldn’t be right,” Brewer said.

22 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

graduate - all of which begins with establishing a sense of belonging.

Brewer, a sophomore and the president of the Men of Excellence, said last year he would drive to campus, attend his classes, and then leave. He wanted to be involved but wasn’t sure how to do it. Men of Excellence offered him that chance, and now he is ready to get the word out.

“I am definitely one of those people who will go out and spread the message,” Brewer said. “I try to influence people in any way I can – on social media or my day-to-day life.

I want to be the guy people look at and say, ‘Wow, I want to be like him.’”

When Brewer talks to prospective students he looks into the crowd before he delivers his message. He wants people who may have overlooked UAFS to consider it.

“I want them to know they can get a great education here and be a part of something.”

But he has a different, serious message when he talks one-on-one with African American students.

“For one Black man to see another in a professional setting, it gives them a new perspective on what they can do with their life,” Brewer said. “A lot of us don’t feel like we have the same opportunities or that we can’t do things because they aren’t for us.

“A lot of people think they can’t do things because they aren’t for us, but that’s not the case.”

– Glenn Brewer, President of UAFS Men of Excellence

But that’s not the case.”

He tells prospective African American students about the mission of MOX. “I tell them Men of Excellence exists to educate, empower, and uplift men. Ultimately, we want to help men to become the men they want to be,” he said. “And the key to that is helping young men develop a sense of home and belonging.”

John Blue said many students in MOX just need some help. “We are here to help them develop as individuals, to help them grow and mature wholistically.”

Blue hopes to keep 12-15 current members into the spring semester, then actively recruit this spring – although recruitment will be exclusive to fall semesters in the future. Blue compares MOX to a fraternity with an annual rush, and in its dedication to building fellowship and belonging.

Of the larger effort of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Blue added, “I think the DEI office is here to help the university create a more welcoming environment, not just for our students but for our faculty and staff and visitors on campus.

We want to be known as a place where someone can get diversity training and listen to diverse perspectives. If we don’t offer it, who else in the River Valley will?”

STANDING OUT: Members of the Men of Excellence organization emphasize their respect for each other and other members of the UAFS family by standing out through their clothing. The men wore suits and a tie when they met a campus speaker; university branded apparel for a photo shoot; and casual clothes for an evening event on the Campus Green.

SPRING 2022 THE BELL TOWER 23

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Kendall Ross meets with staff in the new center in the Bakery District, renovated office and retail space where the Shipley Baking Co. was located.

HOT SP 24 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

Fort Smith to make ‘dough’ again at Bakery District.

OT

The Bakery District is more than the hottest, hippest place for people searching for coffee, a book, and the best food trucks in Fort Smith; it has become the best place for local business owners and want-to-be business owners.

The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Center for Economic Development hosted its inaugural event in December with the quarterly breakfast meeting of the Family Enterprise Center. About 70 people attended the event, which went off without any hiccups.

The Family Enterprise Center, the Center for Business and Professional Development, and the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Center are now located at the UAFS Center for Economic Development location in the Bakery District. All three were housed in the Flanders Building on the college’s campus.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

SPRING | SUMMER SPRING 2022 2018 THE BELL TOWER 25

“It’s in the middle of downtown and will be accessible to everyone.

We can take our services to the people instead of asking them to come to campus. We stand ready to help any business with a training need.”

—KENDALL ROSS

KICKING THE TIRES: Kendall Ross, left photo, facilitates a discussion among members of the Family Enterprise Center while attendees enjoyed a catered breakfast in December.

“It’s in the middle of downtown and will be accessible to everyone,” said Kendall Ross, director of CBPD. “The UAFS campus is very friendly to visitors, but some of the people we work with still didn’t want to go there. Now

MEETING SPACE: The center can accommodate small groups and larger ones.

26 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

we can take our services to the people instead of asking them to come to us.”

The CBPD offers designedto-order training to large and small businesses. “We talk to people about what they need, and then we put it together for

them,” Ross said. “We stand ready to help any business with a training need.”

The Family Enterprise Center provides training to members, family-owned business leaders, who are seeking a confidential way to share experiences and seek recommendations from others with family-owned businesses.

The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Center is a higher educationbased economic development program that assists new and seasoned entrepreneurs with everything from business plans to succession strategies.

The new Center for Economic Development has seven full-time staff members, two student workers, and plans for interns. It is about 10,000 square feet and is equipped with the latest technology.

Classrooms for 45 to 75 are available on the lower level.

Taking out the moveable wall between them creates a room for 120. Flexible space presents opportunities for an executive

LOCATION, LOCATION: The entrance to the Center for Economic Development is between Fort Smith Coffee Co., owned by alumni Katy and Gabriel Gould, and Bookish, owned by UAFS adjunct faculty member Sara Putman. Putman used the services of the ASBTDC in creating her business plan.

ASBTDC: Bill Sabo, director of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, discusses what his office can offer local businesses.

conference room or large meeting room.

Office space for the three centers will be upstairs, where there also will be two collaboration spaces and plenty of room for expansions.

Ross said the idea of a space for the three entities, which do not serve traditional students, has been considered for a while.

When UAFS Chancellor Dr. Terisa Riley arrived, she “had a vision of a regional office.”

When in 2019, she had a chance to tour the Bakery District, “she saw the potential for a center of excellence,” Ross said.

Active construction on the space began in January 2021.

“We are in downtown Fort Smith, where the people who would benefit from our services can see us,” Ross said. “Anyone can just walk in, whether they never had a business

but want to start one or they are the owner of a Fortune 100 company who needs professional development or upscaling. We want to get our service in front of people.”

PLUGGED IN: The center has state-of-the-art technology.

SPRING 2022 THE BELL TOWER 27

ALUMNI

unique experiences that will set

ENGAGEMENT

them apart in their career field.”

Alumni Services

portance of the reimagined Day

Smith emphasized the imof Giving, which last year raised more than $100,000 for seven specific projects.

“I am planning UAFS’s Day of Giving which supports special projects and initiatives to create unique experiences for students that couldn’t happen without the support of our community,” Smith said. “I hope I can grow Day of Giving and other annual giving initiatives because I know our students don’t take these opportunities for granted, and they deserve the absolute best.”

Equally committed to providing the absolute best for students and alumni, Josh Simonds said his interest in alumni service comes from his belief that students are “endlessly hardworking and authentic in a way I think is re-

ALUMNI STAFF: Jasmine Smith, center, is the director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving. Josh Simonds, assistant director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving, and Chloe Ezell, student worker, provide her support.

W

ally special. That doesn’t change when they walk across the stage.

Working with alumni gives me

hen Alumni Director

Smith, ’14, is married to Phillip

sees what alumni services mean

the chance to serve those same

Rick Goins retired

Smith ’16, whom she calls her

for students, who benefit from

people and reconnect them to the

at the end of June

“college sweetheart.” She said

scholarships, and alumni, who

institution that shaped them and

2021, he knew he was leaving the

she felt at home at UAFS from

take advantage of networking

that they shaped.”

office in capable hands: Alumni

the time she took classes through

and professional development op-

Assistant Director Jasmine Smith

the WATC program. She left Fort

portunities.

stepped seamlessly into his role.

Smith to pursue a master’s degree

“In my role (as director of

University at Fulton, Mo., in 2020.

Smith also serves as director of

at Arkansas Tech. She graduated

alumni involvement), I’m here to

He returned to Fort Smith in 2020

annual giving.

in 2016 with a degree in College

build connections and help foster

and became the Upward Bound

Student Personnel, and then it

Lion Pride in our graduates and

Classic coordinator in August of

was a matter of timing.

our community. I work closely with

that year before stepping into his

the Alumni Advisory Council to

current role in September 2021.

Smith knew she was leaving her position in good hands when she hired Josh Simonds to take on

“As soon as I saw the coordina-

Simonds, class of 2018, earned an MBA from William Woods

her dual role as assistant director

tor for Student Activities job open

create meaningful experiences for

Simonds’ interest in annual

of alumni engagement and assis-

up, I came straight back to Fort

our grads and support our Alumni

giving stems from his vision of

tant director of Annual Giving.

Smith,” she said. “It was my dream

Legacy Scholarship Endowment.”

UAFS’s role in the community.

About the other part of her

are working to make alumni

worked in the Student Life office

job, Smith said, “Annual giving can

River Valley and the region be-

engagement a natural part of the

in that role until I applied for and

strengthen our institution. Gifts

yond,” Simonds said. “Our alumni

lives of every graduate, includ-

accepted the assistant director of

from alumni, friends, and com-

are actively serving their com-

ing those who attended UAFS,

Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving

munity supporters ensure that our

munities and changing the world

Westark, or Fort Smith Junior Col-

in 2019.”

students are leaving with not only

around them. Consistent, robust

a degree but a resume filled with

annual giving allows meaningful

lege. Both are UAFS graduates.

28 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

Smith said, as an alumna, she

RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

“UAFS is an integral part of the

job out of graduate school, and I

Together Smith and Simonds

News & Notes ALUMNI

support for more students, which

tor in the nursing program in

Mo. He will be working remotely

and at Hackett Schools.

leads to more alumni, which leads

August 2020.

from Fort Smith.

Hayley Howard, ’16, starting a

to more leaders in our workforce

Carol Westcamp, ’94, married

and more progress in our com-

Tommy Sessums.

munities.”

Former UAFS standout and head

Clinton Johnson, ’11, started a

Health Systems - Fort Smith.

women’s basketball coach Tari

new position as organizational

Carla Acosta, ’18, started new

gifts make a difference at UAFS,

Cummings, ’99, has accepted a

development specialist at Gerdau.

position as senior analyst at

but Simonds said gifts of any size

position as an assistant coach at

Audra Cooper, ’16, and her hus-

Lowe’s Companies Inc.

have an impact.

Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

band Colton Cooper welcomed

Tristen Long, ’18, started new

their daughter, Lexie in to the

position as loan processor at

world on Aug. 6, 2021.

Primary Residential Mortgage.

Jerry Cervantes, ’10, celebrated 1

People might think only large

“Reasonable gifts go a long way here, especially when they

2000s

2010s

new position as Manager of Strategic Initiatives for Mercy

become routine,” he said. “I want

Alicia Peerson, ’08, received

Daniel Peek, ’17, got engaged

to provide opportunities for

an Education Specialist Degree

and was promoted from opera-

year at Pyramid Central Roofing,

people to give realistic gifts in

in reading from Arkansas State

tions supervisory for ABF Freight

LLC.

simple ways that make them feel

University.

in Kansas City, MO, to supervisor

Murphy-Michelle Burt, ’18, started

comfortable repeating their gifts

Casey Perez, ’04, is newly mar-

implementation for Innovative

new position as clinical liaison at

in the future.”

ried with two biological children

Operations for ABF Freight.

Northwest Health System.

and one stepchild.

Priscilla Red, ’18, accepted a mar-

Corrie M. Harrold ’16, got married

Brandon McFadden, ’07, was

keting position with Amazon in El

and became Corrie M. Jenkins.

Please take a moment to tell your

promoted with tenure to associ-

Paso, Texas.

Joshua Anderson, ’17, started his

former classmates and us what’s

ate professor in the Department

Joshua Harris, ’17, began facilitat-

new role as information security

been going on since you left UAFS,

of Applied Economics and Statis-

ing an opiate addiction focus

analyst at Arkansas Blue Cross

Westark, or Fort Smith Junior Col-

tics at the University of Delaware.

group at Rightway Medical of

Blue Shield.

lege. Tell us about your job, your

Luke Crouch, ’08, celebrated 8

Roland.

Chasse Daniels, ’18, started a new

family, your hobbies, your adven-

years at Ouro Mining Inc.

Amanda Terbieten, ’16, got mar-

position as planning supervisor at

tures, your plans, or whatever you

Robert Jetton, ’09, started a new

ried on Nov. 21, 2020.

ArcBest.

want to share with other alumni.

role as controller at Industrial Pip-

Amra Nicholson, ’19, planned

Matt Callaway, ’17, received a

ing Specialists Inc.

to welcome baby Nicholson in

promotion to trade compliance

be able to use photos, feel free

Cody Fabor, ’09, and his wife

December 2021.

specialist at ArcBest.

to send them (highest resolution

Casey welcomed Scarlett Faber

Angela Mattingly, ’10, had her

Amy Wilson, ’09, and Brock

possible), and we will use them

into the world on June 12, 2021.

first child, Oliver, in 2018.

Wilson, ’10, welcomed their son,

if we can. Then make sure we

Katie Schluterman Kratzberg ’07,

Aaliyah Grant, ’18, planned to be

Grant Kendricks Wilson into the

have your full name, including

and AJ Kratzberg welcomed their

married April 24, 2021.

world on June 17, 2021.

your name when you were here

son Konner Joseph Kratzberg to

Ashley Boyd, ’17, got married

Travis Schluterman, ’13, and Staci

if it is different, and the year you

the world on June 2, 2021.

over the summer and has a

Rietman ’15 were engaged to be

graduated or attended classes.

Elizabeth Love, ’09, accepted

3-year-old child.

married on Sept. 25, 2021.

Email your class note to alumni@

new position as principal of Spra-

Ashley Capes, ’18, teaches at

Callie Sphan, ’19, has been ac-

uafs.edu, mail it to us at Alumni

dling Elementary.

Lavaca High School. Since gradu-

cepted into the ATU Instructional

Office, UAFS, P.O. Box 3649,

Matthew Hominick,’08, accepted

ating from UAFS, she has gotten

Technology, Library Media mas-

Fort Smith, AR 72913. Or drop

new position as director of Belle

married and had a baby.

ter’s degree program.

in to see us in the office at Grand

Point Center.

Brittany Brazil, ’14, married in

Constance Elmore, ’14, has

Avenue and Waldron Road.

Rachael Foster, ’03, accepted

2015 and had her first son in

started a new position at Hackett

new position as assistant princi-

August 2020.

School this fall as a family and

pal of Southside.

Brook Fruits, ’10, got married in

consumer science teacher.

Donna Jones, ’78, accepted a

Keith Lux, ’07, achieved the

2011 and welcomed her first son

Katie Burgess, ’17, and her hus-

new position as Assistant Princi-

status of an Ameriprise Financial

in 2019.

band welcomed their daughter,

pal of Ballman/Bonneville.

private wealth advisor.

Tia Teague, ’17, graduated

Parker Sloane Burgess, into the

Jeremy May, ’07, has accepted

with her master’s degree in

world on June 21.

a new position as vice president

Speech Pathology. She is starting

Ian Miller, ’11, is the lab Director

Patricia Briley, ’92, became part

for Client Services and Strategy

a new job as a contract speech

for Higher Testing.

of the UAFS faculty as an instruc-

at Ramsey Mediaworks in Joplin,

therapist at HOPE Therapy

Mary Barker, ’12, has been ac-

Class Notes

Although we may not always

1970s

1990s

SPRING 2022 THE BELL TOWER 29

ALUMNI News & Notes

cepted into the master’s degree

McCollum, ’18, Pope got married

vice president of the Downtown

Tony Phanouvong, ’17, started

program in American Studies at

April 24, 2021.

Fort Smith Arts Walk.

a new position as senior tax ac-

Northeastern State University.

Dylan Karber, ’15, accepted a new

Kristen and Remington Pate,

countant at Tyson Foods.

Tony Jones, ’16, passed the Ar-

position as senior analyst, sales

’16, welcomed Brooks Reming-

Bailee Crenshaw, ’19, continued

kansas Bar Exam in April 2021.

financial planning at Tracfone

ton Pate, their first child, on May

her career as a tax accountant at

Steven Stone, ’19, graduated in

Wireless.

8. Brooks arrived at 8 pounds 9

Hanna Oil & Gas on Aug.16.

May from UA Fayetteville with

Mason, ’18, and Erin, ’20,

ounces, and 20 ½ inches.

Brittany Brazil, ’14, has been

a master of education degree

Rhodes welcomed their son,

Tia Teague, ’17, has accepted a

married since 2015 and had her

in Higher Education and has ac-

Barrett Hunter Rhodes, into the

position as a contract speech

first son in August of 2020.

cepted a position as a financial

world on April 29, 2021.

therapist at HOPE Therapy and at

Brook Fruits, ’10, got married in

aid student success specialist at

Erin Rhodes was promoted to

Hackett Schools.

2011 and welcomed her first son

Northwest Arkansas CC.

Logistics manager at Tankersley

Zack Gramlich, ’15, graduated in

in 2019.

Angela Havro, ’15, started new

Foodservice.

May with his master of science

Cara Boyd, ’16, was hired by Fort

job as a software support analyst

Laura Millican, ’17, graduated

degree in educational leadership

Smith Public Schools in June of

for Fort Smith Public Schools on

with an MBA with a specializa-

from Arkansas State University.

2016 at Sutton Elementary. She

April 16.

tion in marketing and social

Chasse Daniels, ’18, graduated in

got married in March of 2017. She

Spencer Hart, ’15, was promoted

media marketing from Saint Leo

May with an MBA and a graduate

has had two babies in 2018 and

to senior pricing analyst at ABF

University.

certificate in project management

2020. She is starting her sixth

Freight.

Tyler Armstrong, ’17, is the vol-

from Missouri State University.

year at Sutton Elementary.

JD Clayton, ’18, released his new

unteer coordinator with the Fort

Daysi Rosales, ’17, graduated

Chandler Papasan, ’15, has been

single “Dance Another Dance.”

Smith International Film Festival

with her master’s degree from

married for 5 years.

Joseph, ’17, and AnnMarie

as well as the founder and the

Harding University.

Cheyenne Boots, ’15, got mar-

EVERYDAY HERO

UAFS Criminal Justice Grad Shines as Community Protector

A

ndy would say it was no big deal, but his sister Darcy sees it differently.

“He is a lifesaver,” she said recently.

Andrew Gibson and sister Darcy Parker are alumni of the Univer-

sity of Arkansas - Fort Smith, classes of 2011 and 2016, respectively.

They are talking about one of those potentially life-changing events.

On May 4, Prairie Grove police officer Tyler Franks and his partner

Gibson believes his Criminal Justice degree prepared him for his career in two ways.

“It laid the foundation for understanding common practices in corrections, the justice system, and law enforcement in general,” Gibson said.

But he also learned skills that are harder to measure.

“I also established friendships through networking with classmates

Andrew Gibson responded to a domestic call, something police know

and professors who helped fast track me into law enforcement,” Gib-

is always unpredictable. On this occasion, violence broke out.

son said. “I greatly value my education from UAFS and wouldn’t be

Franks entered the scene first. The suspect fired three rounds from a shotgun and a semiautomatic pistol, according to the Prairie Grove Facebook page. Franks was struck in both legs. Gibson pulled his partner to safety and placed two tourniquets on Franks’ left leg, which authorities have said saved his life. Franks’ left leg ultimately was amputated, and he continues his rehabilitation.

Gibson is a graduate of the Criminal Justice program at UAFS. He said it was always his plan to pursue a career affiliated with law en-

where I am today without it.”

The law enforcement community greatly values Gibson and his partner Franks.

In September, the Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police named Franks and Gibson the 2021 Motorola Solutions Officer of the Year.

Darcy Parker, who works in the UAFS Testing Center, is not surprised about the award or the events that led to it.

“I was not surprised at all by the way he reacted,” she said. “Andy’s

forcement. His father started as an auxiliary deputy and then became

always been quick on his feet. No matter what he does, I’m always

a police officer, retiring from that position.

proud of him! He’s a lifesaver, vital to the safety of the area, and pro-

“I was introduced to law enforcement at a young age and always looked up to them as the go-to protectors of the community,” he said.

30 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

tecting the community comes easily to him.

“He’s a wonderful little brother!”

News & Notes ALUMNI

ried last year and is a new home

ties management at Encompass

September 25, 2021.

position as child care licensing

owner.

Health.

Lauren Andrews, ’18, passed

specialist at Oklahoma Depart-

Cindy Popa, ’15, is a new grand-

Brittany Potts, ’15, started a new

her AANP certification and has

ment of Human Services.

mother as of September.

position as territory sales manag-

accepted a position with Mercy

Remington Pate, ’16, has a new

Morgan Smith, ’13, recently be-

er at Tempur Sealy International.

Rural Health Clinic in Paris, AR.

position as North America work-

came engaged to Josh Karsten,

Meagan Price, ’14, started a new

Ashley Hill, ’19, received a job as

place health & safety client lead

’14. The two met while attending

position as owner agent of Farm-

a special education paraprofes-

recruiter at Amazon.

UAFS and have been together for

ers Insurance.

sional at Poteau Public Schools

Allie Deacon, ’16, has a new posi-

10 years.

Ryan McMahan, ’11, started a new

Allison Thomp-

tion as ambulatory sales repre-

Daniel Bibiano, ’16, and Giau

position as director of sales at

son, ’19, became

sentative at Medline Industries.

Pham, ’16, recently married after

Zengistics.

engaged to Chris

Courtney Burdick, ’16, and her

Giau graduated with her doctor-

Alex Glennon (now Schneider),

Strasser and

husband welcomed Emmett

ate of physical therapy from the

’16, got married on Sep 17, 2021.

planned to be mar-

Scott Burdick into the world

University of Arkansas for Medi-

Tony Phanouvong, ’17, married

ried on Dec. 4, 2021.

cal Sciences.

Kim Phu,’16, on Oct 3, 2021.

Megan Nichols, ’15, was pro-

Jennifer Work, ’17, and her

David A. Trotter, ’16, published

Hunter Cabe, ’13, started a

moted to market executive for

husband welcomed Bentley Allen

a book, Birthrights: Book One

new job at Walmart as a

Regions Bank.

Work into the world on March 1,

of the Last Son of the Feromage

manager in Global Procurement,

Kevin, ’18, and Ashlee, ’17,

2021.

Saga. His artist is Aaron

focusing on Facilities and

Wein, welcomed their baby girl,

Chasse Daniels, ’18, accepted

Moschner, ’13.

Maintenance, on Sep 27, 2021.

Poppy Jean Wein, into the world

Jeff Goines, ’16, proposal of mar-

Stephen Cranford, ’14, started a

Travis Schluterman, ’13, and Staci

on Nov. 11, 2021.

riage at Treasure Falls in Pagosa

new position as director of facili-

Shluterman, ’15, got married on

SIBLINGS: Darcy Parker, UAFS Testing Center coordinator, is proud of her little brother Andy Gibson.

March 2, 2021.

Kayla Sidwell,

Springs, CO, on March 9.

’18, and husband,

Kayla, ’18, and Ryan, ’19, Mc-

Tyler, welcomed

Cutcheon were married , and

Jensen Tyler into

they welcomed Raiden Brian

the world on

McCutcheon into the world on

Oct. 30, 2021.

March 18.

Brice Jones, ’10, has a new posi-

Luis Aguilar, ’15, was promoted

tion as vice president of Industrial

to assistant vice president of

Sales at Bauer Compressors Inc.

finance at Citizens.

Trae Norton, ’11, was promoted to

Brittany Christian, ’14, joined

partner at RMP Law.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services as a

Meagan Bowling, ’12, married

driver recruiter in September.

Daniel Fudge, ’12, on March 14,

Monica Cortez, ’14, started a new

2021.

position as media clerk at Fort

Nikki Dapson-Yardley, ’18, com-

Smith Public Schools in Novem-

pleted her Master of Science in

ber.

Education from Arkansas State

Carlos Ceron, ’15, proposed to

University.

his fiancé Breanna Peace on the

Allie Wilson Deacon, ’16, and her

beach near Miami, FL on Nov.

husband Adam welcomed the

22, 2020. He planted the ring in

birth of Davis Deacon, their first

a seashell, which he made sure

son, who weighed in at 7 lb. 15

Breanna “found” while they were

oz. on Feb. 19, 2021.

seashell hunting.

RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN

Logan Emery, ’17, started a new

LueDE Yang, ’15, started a new

position as the regional sales

position as an equipment main-

director for Sugar Creek Farms.

tenance technician with Tesla

Jeff Jamell and Felicia Jamell,

in November at their facility in

both ’15, welcomed Violet Grace

Sparks, NV.

into the world on Feb 24, 2021.

Hannah, ’14, and Travis, ’12,

Michael Peters, ’12, has a new

Sandifer announced the birth of

SPRING 2022 THE BELL TOWER 31

ALUMNI News and Notes

their second son, Boone, on Sept.

their son on Nov.16. Theodore

experience and people applica-

Angie Meija, ’20, married Wyatt

17, 2020. Boone was 9lbs, 6oz and

Lucas Achilles Trotter weighed in

tions analyst at ArcBest.

Mahuron.

21.5 inches long.

at 7 lbs. 2 oz. and 19.5 inches.

Tommi Vorabouth, ’19, was

Chelsea Peugh, ’21, was a mem-

David Trotter, ’16, and his wife

Laurel Sneed-McGehee, ’17,

promoted to Extended Coverage

ber of the first class to graduate

Heather announced the birth of

started new position as employee

Fleet Manager at USA Truck in

from UAFS with a Master of Edu-

November.

cation degree, is interning with

Tulsa House, ’17, started a new

NASA to create STEM educational

position as the marketing/social

resources.

media coordinator at Crawford-

Coy Wineland, ’20, and Heather

Sebastian Community Develop-

Casteel (now Wineland) are

ment Council.

married on Sept. 6, 2020.

Cristina Recinos, ’20, has

2020s

accepted a position as a sales

Rachel Covington, ’21, was ac-

representative at ArcBest.

cepted to UAM’s Master of Arts in

Cassandra Lopeman, ’20, and

Teaching program.

Alvis Center, ’18, were engaged

Jordan Dart, ’21, is enrolled in the

Sept. 19, 2020. They have a tor-

master’s program in Social Entre-

toiseshell cat named Star Crunch.

preneurship at the University of

Caroline Langham, ’21, has ac-

Southern California.

cepted a position as a human

CELEBRATION TIME

Emily Tedder, ’20, moved to

resources compliance specialist

UAFS Day of Giving

Rogers and is about to start her

at ArcBest.

master’s degree in mental health

Alec Armstrong, ’21, has accepted

April 28th is a special day for UAFS. Not only is it our mascot

counseling.

a teaching/coaching position at

Numa’s birthday, but it’s also when we celebrate our annual Day

Amanda Norris, ’20, works at

Glen Rose High School in Malvern,

of Giving.

Fort Smith Public Schools work-

AR, beginning in the fall semester

ing for the Peak Innovation Center.

of 2021.

university to spotlight a handful of our unique student-centered

Bheyleigh Nufer, ’20, got en-

Cecilia Flores Hernandez,

initiatives, programs, and special projects. And it provides our

gaged in 2020 with plans to

’20, accepted a new position as

community, alumni, and friends of the university with a chance

marry October 2023.

an account manager at Snelling

to support those endeavors. In 2021, we were able to support six

Breanna Davenport, ’20, got

Personnel- Fort Smith.

initiatives and raised a monumental $100,110. This total is the result

engaged in February 2021 with

Alina A. Storm, ’20, has accepted

of 556 unique donors and 56 active fundraisers. Numa was happy

plans to marry in December 2021

a position as administrative special-

that so many of his friends celebrated his birthday by investing in

Colton Key, ’20, is a software

ist in the UAFS Business Office.

our students.

developer at ArcBest.

Kristi Martin, ’21, started as a staff

Brice Langley, ’20, got married to

accountant at Landmark CPA.

highlighted for the 2021 Day of Giving. One of these initiatives

Taylor on July 11, 2020, and their

Hunter Engel, ’20, accepted a

was our Geosciences program. Funds donated to the Geoscience

baby Gracelynn was born in

new position as customer support

program helped eight students attend and present their research

April 10, 2021.

coordinator at ArcBest.

Day of Giving is special because it’s an opportunity for the

Every single dollar raised went directly to the initiatives

at the Geological Society of America (GSA) in Portland, Ore. These experiences build students not only academically, but professionally. We are excited for Day of Giving 2022 to provide more life-changing opportunities to our students.

ALUMNI ADVISORY COUNCIL STEPHANIE LONDON, ’06, CHAIR

Day of Giving 2022 will be April 28 and will feature multiple new initiatives from around campus and a birthday party for

Mike Daniels, ’77; Sharon Daniels, ’78; Taylor Goodson, ’15;

Numa to celebrate such an auspicious day. There will be plenty

Tony Jones, ’16; Hannah Osborne, ’08; Rham Cunningham, ’01;

of opportunities to give as the day approaches, but if you are

Jerry Glidewell, ’91; Stacey Jones, ’91; Brenda Frederiksen, ’89;

interested in getting involved with the UAFS Day of Giving in other

Jerry Frederiksen, ’84; Sarah May, ’05, ’07; John Sturrock, ’15;

capacities, please contact Alumni Director Jasmine Smith at jasmine.smith@uafs.edu.

32 THE BELL TOWER SPRING 2022

Jennifer Kelly, ’91, ’98, ’15, ’19; Chris Dooly, ’99

FUN TIMES: Keyla Moss throws bubbles into the air at the Chi Alpha Foam Party in the Lions Den court yard. The event was part of the annual Welcome Week slate of events.

The Bell Tower A publication of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith

UAFS Alumni Association P.O. Box 3649 Fort Smith, AR 72913

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 479 FORT SMITH, ARK

VIRTUAL 5K: Benefits Alumni Legacy Scholarship

RACHEL RODEMANN PUTMAN