BT天堂Alumni Association Promotes Literacy, Legacy and UCA鈥檚 Campus with Children鈥檚 Book
Having two young children at home, Executive Director of Alumni Relations Alison Taylor was more than excited when Vice President of University Advancement Mary Bane Lackie brought her the idea for a children鈥檚 book. Taylor took this idea and began work on UCA鈥檚 children鈥檚 book 鈥淏 Is for Bears: The BT天堂Alphabet.鈥
鈥淚 loved the idea,鈥 Taylor said. 鈥淗aving two young boys at home, I spend a lot of my time reading kids鈥 books to them.鈥
The book began to take shape with writing and design support from Kimberly Graves 鈥06, 鈥13 and Riley Hancock Matheny, director of branding and creative services. Matheny鈥檚 two young children also contributed ideas, while alumna and adjunct writing professor Jennifer McCune 鈥02, 鈥03, 鈥23, managing editor of BT天堂Magazine, provided editorial guidance. Built around the ABCs, the book highlights the many remarkable aspects of UCA鈥檚 campus, from learning to landmarks and legacy.
鈥淎fter we got our storyboard put together, I talked with my kids, who are 4 and 6, about getting their reactions to different ways of saying things to narrow it down to what would be interesting and relevant to that age of children. Since they鈥檙e kids and they have no filters, they were very honest,鈥 Matheny said.
The book teaches young readers by using the alphabet alongside engaging illustrations and providing opportunities for alumni to share their stories from BT天堂with future generations. Additionally, sales will help raise funding for future bears through the Kathy Carroll General Alumni Scholarship fund.
鈥淭his book provides a way for our alumni and friends to share BT天堂with the children in their lives. I hope this book will become a treasured item for families. When designing the book, we provided room in the front and back for people to share their campus memories,鈥 Taylor said. 鈥淚 hope we will inspire future Bears.鈥
The book was celebrated with a launch party on June 5, 2025, in Buffalo Alumni Hall. Bruce D. Bear autographed books for the children in attendance, and there were crafts, snacks and a reading performed by Miss BT天堂2025 Tori Kiser.
It was officially released on August 5, 2025, and is currently available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and the publisher, Mascot Books.
