Century-old traditions. Steadfast commitment. Fundraising carwashes. Lifetime bonds. Formal socials. Service to humankind. They all have a place in Greek Village.

“This is an incredible opportunity BT天堂has given us,” said Hailey Durham, president of the Panhellenic Council and member of Delta Zeta. “Being able to live in a home together will help us grow even more as a sisterhood.”

Greek Village at the University of Central Arkansas opened in August 2015 with residences for the five sororities of the Panhellenic Council–Alpha Sigma Alpha, Delta Zeta, Sigma Kappa, Alpha Sigma Tau and Sigma Sigma Sigma–and a complex for the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. (NPHC) sororities.

“Greek Village is going to be a tremendous recruitment tool for this University,” said Dr. Gary Roberts, dean of students. “When students and parents drive through campus and see these huge, colonial style houses with these pillars outside, and the NPHC Complex, they are just going to say, ‘Wow!'”

The BT天堂Board of Trustees approved a $13.8-million bond issue to finance Greek Village in 2013. Housing and chapter rooms for fraternities and a community center that will provide public space for all Greek organizations is slated to be constructed later.

Each 10,400-square-foot sorority residence includes kitchen and laundry facilities, chapter rooms for meetings and events and living space for up to 32 students. The University provided a “base standard” plan for the Greek homes. Sororities upgraded their facilities with features such as crown molding, granite countertops or custom cabinetry by raising private funds from Greek alumnae.

“They labored and cried and sweated over decisions, design decisions. Someone had to decide every detail,” said Lindsey Shurley ’08, assistant director of Student Life and National Panhellenic Council and Interfraternity Council. “They are proud of their accomplishments and the new traditions they get to start.”

Greek Village sits on the northern section of campus with three homes on Donaghey Avenue and two on Augusta Avenue. The NPHC Sorority Complex sits at the intersection of College and Augusta.

“I think that these houses are really going to bring each sorority closer as a unit simply because each sorority is essentially in each other’s backyard,” Durham said.

The close proximity of the residences will also allow the Greek women greater opportunities to fulfill their organizations’ legacies and founding principles.

“They may have programming about breast cancer awareness or another topic that would engage and serve the campus,” said Wendy Holbrook ’87, ’89, associate dean of Student Life. “These aren’t environments of elitism. It’s all about being a part of the Bear community. I think that’s impactful.”

IT’S ALL GREEK

The four NPHC sororities have a unique prominence in UCA’s Greek Village with the NPHC Sorority Complex.

The NPHC Sorority Complex encompasses four 750-square-foot chapter rooms for the Theta Mu Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Lambda Upsilon Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Gamma Eta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and Lambda Xi Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

“Our rooms give us a guaranteed space for functionality and meetings and events,” said LaDasia McCullough, NPHC president and member of Zeta Phi Beta. “The possibilities are truly endless for usage of these chapter rooms.”

The complex has a common area that bears each organization’s shield. Through Greek alumnae giving, each chapter was able to customize their chapter room with accent walls using each organizations colors, as well as symbols and memorabilia that pay homage to their founders and guiding principles.

“There have been tireless efforts from each organization to garner support for Greek Village from alumnae. The response and outpour of support has been truly overwhelming and heartwarming. It is a true example of sisterhood,” McCullough said.

NPHC sororities have different membership recruitment and intake processes than that of other councils, making them too small to accommodate a Greek residence. The University made special effort to include NPHC organizations in Greek Village.

“When you compare BT天堂to other institutions of higher learning, you will not find a structure like the NPHC Sorority Complex in place based on size and based on history,” said Ronnie Williams, vice president for Student Services and Institutional Diversity. “It is a unique feature, but I think it speaks volumes of the University’s commitment to all of our students.”

THE PILGRIMAGE

The decade-long journey to the construction of Greek Village began as many other university projects do, with a vision. Student leaders, BT天堂administration and staff met with a private contractor to discuss the possibility of constructing Greek housing in 2004.

Roberts said the Office of Housing and Residence Life was in a “crunch” as the University grew, and that problem presented an opportunity to consider Greek housing. At that time, sororities and fraternities had chapter rooms that were located in residence halls.

The University formed the Greek Housing Committee to begin researching lessons learned, best practices and how Greek housing at other universities operated.

Haley Crafton Fowler ’06, now director of annual giving in UCA’s Division of Advancement, was a student on the Greek Housing Committee when they visited Middle Tennessee State University. “It was really exciting to get to go and tour the other colleges and to think that BT天堂administration was actually talking about Greek housing on campus. So, from a student’s perspective, that was huge,” Fowler said.

The University also visited the University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University and the University of West Georgia between 2005 and 2011. During those years, support for a Greek housing system “ebbed and flowed.”

“What was happening was you were raising expectation and nothing was happening,” Roberts said.

The University’s initial idea was to build a Greek housing complex on Western Avenue. Then in 2010, the intersection of Dave Ward Drive and Farris Road was thought to be the future home of Greek residents. Alumni and even campus Greeks were becoming frustrated, according to both Williams and Roberts.

Williams said, “The confidence wasn’t there because they were waiting to see something tangible. Something real that says, ‘This is happening,’ other than a plan and a visual of some rendering.”

Amidst the frustration and uncertainty of the economic and political climates, enrollment fluctuations and leadership changes, the Greek Housing Committee continued to push the conversation.

“President [Tom] Courtway was the first president to really look at the data and see the vision,” Williams said, adding that President Courtway recognized that Greek students, statistically, have higher retention and graduation rates than non-Greek students.

Williams remembered that President Courtway also visited Greek housing at Arkansas State University multiple times, specifically recalling the final visit.

“When he got back from the last trip he made, he put his hand on my shoulder and he said, ‘Ronnie Williams, I’ve got religion. I believe.’ And I said, ‘Amen.'”

“That was the commitment we knew we had to get to move us forward, and the rest is history.”

They work anywhere from 16 to 20 hours a day, four days in a row, in the sweltering summer heat. They carry luggage up and down stairs for 2,000 incoming freshmen students and put in more than 200 hours of work over the course of three months. But the students who volunteer to be on the University of Central Arkansas Student Orientation Staff (SOS) take on these tasks and many, many more with smiles on their faces and orange t-shirts on their backs while asking for nothing in return.

What would possess a student to volunteer for such a tough and exhausting program when they could be relaxing out in the summer sun? “They have hearts for service, plain and simple,” said Colin Stanton, director of New Student Programs. “They want to give back to the University. Somebody, somewhere on this campus, at some time, has made an impact on them, and they just want to pay it forward.”

For incoming freshmen, making the transition from high school to college is an exciting and challenging experience, and SOS makes it as easy and as fun as possible.

The SOS program began in the fall of 1979 under the leadership of Dr. Fred Rhoades, then dean of students. SOS is a staff of 80 volunteer student leaders who are responsible for facilitating all activities during Summer Orientation and Academic Registration (SOAR) and Welcome Week. The SOS Leadership Team consists of Stanton and two student co-directors. This year’s student co-directors are Hannah Kent and Joey Baker. Together, they plan, implement and oversee all orientation programming along with six additional team leaders.

SOAR is an overnight orientation experience that is designed to introduce incoming freshmen to the University and gives them an opportunity to get acquainted with the campus, hear from faculty and staff about what to expect in their first year and have a chance to meet other incoming freshmen. During Welcome Week, which lasts from move-in day to the first day of classes, students participate in activities and programs that give them opportunities to lay a foundation for a successful collegiate experience. During each of these intensive programs, SOS volunteers can be found setting up events, standing on campus holding signs, conducting tours and unloading vehicles.

Hank Phelps, Student Center director, believes that SOS plays an important role when making a first impression on new students. “For many students, SOS volunteers are one of the first personal contacts they make at UCA,” Phelps said. “It’s important that a new student feels comfortable asking questions and requesting help. The fact that SOS kids are volunteers enhances their value, and we hear great things from a lot of parents when they learn that the SOS volunteers are doing what they do for the love of BT天堂and their own desire to help others.”

SOS stands out on campus as an extraordinary organization. SOS volunteers, easily recognizable in their orange shirts, always look like they’re having fun. They’re full of energy, and their smiles are contagious. It’s no wonder that Stanton averages about 220 applicants during each interview process for the 72 open positions. Students have to re-apply every year, and it’s a very competitive process.

Welcome Week 2015

“With a student-run organization, there are usually priorities like financial gain or competition, but SOS isn’t competing with anyone or trying to make money. We are just trying to change people’s lives, you know?” said Baker. “I think students see that, and because they have never been part of an organization with such altruistic motives, that’s what really gets them pumped up to keep coming back year after year.”

Being a volunteer comes with its own special rewards. From gaining new friendships to undergoing personal growth, being a part of the SOS team is worth more than a line on a resum茅. “I’ve built friendships with incoming students and other staff members that have changed my life and developed me as a person,” Kent said. “Those are the kinds of things that make the whole thing worth it when you aren’t getting any other tangible rewards. This organization is in the business of building the most insanely strong friendships and relationships I’ve ever witnessed.”

“At the end of each day, we have a debrief session with Colin,” Baker said. “When we debrief, we talk about which students really stood out and stepped up each day. It’s so rewarding to see them grow and change.”

Witnessing other students undergo personal growth and building relationships is really what service is all about. “It’s like being a coach on a team. You can give them instructions, but you can’t play the game for them,” said Baker. “When they step up and they realize things that you were realizing when you were in their position, it’s so great. It gives you the confidence that when you’re gone, someone will step up and put the same amount of effort into it that you did.”

Bear Tales – SOS and SOAR

Saving the South’s Alligator Gar

Childhood memories of a peculiar fish inspired two University of Central Arkansas professors who today are doing research recognized on a regional, national and, some would say, even international level. More importantly, their work has led to conservation efforts in Arkansas that are making a difference.

Professor Mark Spitzer and Dr. Reid Adams are members of the “Gar Team” that is focused on the alligator gar, a large Southern fish that has fallen victim to over-fishing and habitat changes. Other team members include J.P. Atkinson, a carpenter for the BT天堂Physical Plant, and Lindsey Lewis ’99, who received his Master of Science in biology at BT天堂and now works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

For Spitzer and Adams, their interest began when they were children.

Spitzer, an associate professor of creative writing, was about six years old when he found himself mesmerized by a photo in a family book that showed two men with a 7-foot-long alligator gar in Arkansas. “That picture just stuck with me for twenty-something years,” Spitzer said.

Adams, an associate professor of biology, grew up in the Mississippi Delta where he and his dad enjoyed fishing. “I can remember catching a big alligator gar. I was probably six years old,” Adams said, adding that he was startled by the big fish and its teeth. The gar rocked their boat as Adams’ dad wrestled with it. Adams fell in the boat, hit his knee and cried. “It was so big that we could only get its head out of the water,” he said. “Ever since then I’ve been fascinated by that fish.”

Adams’ fishing experiences impacted his career path. “Fishing on these big, muddy rivers as a kid, you never really knew what you were going to catch. You would pull different, strange-looking fish all the time,” he said. “I never really thought I’d be back in Arkansas where you can still find alligator gar and actually have the opportunity to do research with them.”

Growing up in the Toad Suck area, Atkinson’s interest in alligator gar was sparked in a similar fashion. “Every time a big fish got away, well it was an alligator gar. Every time a big fish splashed, well that’s an alligator gar.”

When he was about eight years old, Atkinson actually saw an alligator gar. “It scared the heck out of me! I didn’t have a clue what that thing was,” he said.

As a teenager, Atkinson took up bow fishing. “Every bow fisherman’s top trophy is an alligator gar,” he said. “There’s nothing that compares to the excitement and the anticipation of knowing that one of these giant 7-foot-long fish is in the water right underneath your boat, and you have to be ready when it comes up.”

When he joined the BT天堂faculty in 2003, Adams thought there were very few alligator gar still calling Arkansas river systems their home. “It wasn’t until Atkinson brought me a fish he had shot locally that I realized that there were still alligator gar here,” Adams said.

Prior to working with Adams, Atkinson researched alligator gar to become a better fisherman. While there was a lot of information on other fish, he found little on alligator gar. “I was hoping to help these guys fill in the gaps in that data to help people like me,” Atkinson said.

Adams, Atkinson and a BT天堂graduate student traveled to western Arkansas to visit a tributary of the Arkansas River, on the first of a series of expeditions to gather information. “Our research really took off from there,” Adams said.

The expeditions continued throughout the years, with teams researching population numbers, habitat, reproduction and movement of alligator gar.

“When we go out to do our research, it’s the Gar Team plus student volunteers, undergraduates and other master’s students who come out into the field to help out and get to experience this fish,” Adams said, adding that three master’s theses have been produced. Representatives of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Arkansas National Heritage and other agencies have also participated.

“That’s kind of a cool thing. We’ve generated a lot of data that has helped in the conservation of this fish but also there’ve been a lot of BT天堂students who have handled and seen alligator gar. The majority of fishery professionals out there have never handled an alligator gar, so it’s a unique experience for BT天堂students,” Adams said.

“What he’s trying to say is that when we go on these trips, these kids are standing in line,” Atkinson added with a laugh. “They want to go.”

Two elements that might be factors in the interest generated by alligator gar are the size and age of the fish.

Adams said it is difficult to estimate their age, but research shows that a 6-foot to 6 1/2-foot fish can be from 15 to 30 years old. “We catch fish bigger than that. You would estimate they would be in the 40-year-old range at times. So, they’ve been out there in the river for a long time. Some of these fish we’re catching have been alive longer than the students who are actually working with them.”

Spitzer began collaborating with Adams in 2008 when he joined the BT天堂faculty. “One reason I was really interested was I had read that Adams was doing work on alligator gar, especially work with the largest known population in the state,” Spitzer said.

When Spitzer initially stopped by the biology department, Adams shared a big box of articles and other gar information with him. “I left with basically half of his ‘gar-chives’ and photocopied those and brought him back half of my ‘gar-chives.’ So we shared a lot of research. He turned me on to a lot of scientific literature I wasn’t aware of,” Spitzer said.

As Spitzer and Adams explain, the alligator gar is one of the top predators in waterways, helping to maintain balance within the ecosystem. After years of over-fishing and habitat changes that negatively impacted reproduction, the number of alligator gar dropped.

“We basically wiped out all of the alligator gar in the state in the 1950s because of the sports fishing industry here. People came from around the world to get them,” Spitzer said. “That had a big effect on the fishery of the state as the whole.”

Without the top predator, other species got out of control and devoured the eggs of game fish, resulting in a less healthy ecosystem. “Sure, there’s been a lot of good fish and a lot of good fishing going on because we do have maintenance for a lot of individual lakes and streams. But big catfish, big bass, big natural species, there’s been a dearth of those because of a lack of alligator gar,” Spitzer said.

“If you take the lion out of the jungle, the hyenas take over,” said Atkinson. “If you take the alligator gar out of these waters, you are going to see fish you don’t want to see.”

Spitzer has written two books about gar, each taking about five years to write. “I pretty much immersed myself in heavy duty gar research for a decade.” During July 2015, both Spitzer and Adams were involved in a 30-minute segment on alligator gar, which was broadcast over KUAR’s radio show “Arts and Letters.” The program was hosted by J. Bradley Minnick and focused on Spitzer’s recent nonfiction book, “Return of the Gar.”

“My research stretches mainly the national level, although we just published some of our research in an international journal so there will be some impact there,” Adams said. Atkinson added, “If there’s somebody in Spain who wants to know about alligator gar, it’s more than likely they are going to be reading some of our stuff. If you Google it, it’s mostly our stuff.”

Spitzer and Adams are appreciative of the University’s support of their research and efforts and are excited about conservation measures that appear to be helping.

“What a unique opportunity it is for BT天堂students to go out and experience this fish and experience the research we do with them,” Adams said. In addition to financial support from UCA, research funding has been provided by AGFC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Atkinson is thankful for the BT天堂biology department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife. “When we first started, we were seeing so little. I was telling everybody I knew if you see one, take your picture with it because you’re never going to see one again. But now, things are looking up. Data gaps have been filled, conservation measures have been taken, real hard steps have been taken to improve – it’s got to help. Now, I’m more optimistic that maybe my grandkids will see one. Six or seven years ago, I wasn’t that optimistic. I thought they were goners for sure.”

Spitzer considers it unusual for a university to have two individuals with so much expert knowledge on the topic of alligator gar – one from the sciences and the other from the arts. “Adams is doing a lot of important gar studies right now. He is on the ‘avant-gar’ of gar research. I’m doing a lot of interesting stuff with gar writing,” he said. “BT天堂is doing some of the lead research on gar at the time, especially in regard to migration patterns, movement, tracking them and facilitating spawning. We are now starting to stock alligator gar into the Arkansas River system. Not only is the science really at a significant level at UCA, but we’re bringing them back in the state. The numbers are on the rise.”

Spitzer, who still has the book from childhood that sparked his interest, never considered that the alligator gar would impact his professional career and create opportunities for research and travel.

“I never imagined that, but it sure has,” he said. “Gar has become part of my identity. It is my major research focus. It’s great that BT天堂supports me and my work. I’ve had a number of grants to do research all around the world on gar. I’m lucky to be able to spread the gar gospel in this way, and I feel privileged.”

Spitzer explains his fascination for the alligator gar because he sees the fish as a metaphor for the environment. “They are sort of an early indicator of what is happening to the environment on a larger scale,” he said. “What’s interesting, which is the subject of my newer book, is after decades of faulty science, rumors, mythology and people not understanding this fish and its role in the ecosystem, we’re really starting to do a lot of things for this fish. It’s an important fish. They help control the balance in the ecosystems. If there’s hope for them, there’s hope for us.”

BT天堂Magazine Extended Content – Gar Conservation

When Julie Murray drives through Heber Springs, she sees a community with great potential. During the summer months, the bluffs along Greers Ferry Lake are never quiet. The splash of divers and the persistent hum of boats are a welcome sound to an economic developer like Murray, Heber Springs Area Chamber of Commerce director, but attractive natural assets and tourism can only take a community so far. For Murray, better utilizing these community assets starts with some much needed direction, and this is where the University of Central Arkansas can help.

In August 2015, Heber Springs Mayor Jimmy Clark, Murray and interested community leaders began working with UCA’s Center for Community and Economic Development (CCED) to assess the strengths of their community. “I look forward to the future community and economic growth that will result from utilizing all of Heber Springs’ natural resources, as well as its citizens,” said Clark. This work will lead to partnerships within the community and local government to outline a plan of action for short- and long-term development efforts in Heber Springs.

BT天堂is one of the earliest leaders in community and economic development in the state of Arkansas.

Through CCED and its primary training program, the Community Development Institute (CDI), BT天堂has been actively involved in preparing Arkansas communities for positive change for 29 years.

CCED recently completed work in Paris, Arkansas on a very similar project. A small community at the base of Mt. Magazine State Park, Paris has much of the typical small-town charm found in many Arkansas communities. Good schools, safe living, Christmas fairs and farmers markets are all parts of the quality of life in Paris, yet community leaders were ready to strive for more.

Working in partnership with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Breakthrough Solutions program, CCED helped Paris craft an action plan that reflected the goals of the public, potential funders and local government. CCED rooted this planning effort in realistic outcomes, and as a result, success came quickly. From the time the planning process began in August 2014 until it was unveiled in May 2015, the citizens of Paris developed a new community brand, received state approval for a new workforce training center, announced the location of a new manufacturer to the city and completed the Eiffel Tower Park in the downtown square, which includes a small replica of the Eiffel Tower.

CCED is a small department in UCA’s Division of Outreach and Community Engagement. Its three full-time staff members work to connect all Arkansas communities with UCA. By focusing on educating community leaders, CCED works to equip Arkansans with economic tools and resources to bring about positive community change.

“Our statewide impact has grown in the past year, but this work wouldn’t be possible without the assistance of our partners,” said Amy Whitehead ’06, ’08, CCED director. Indeed, collaboration is critical to CCED’s mission. CCED works collaboratively with state agencies, local government officials, nonprofits and even other universities.

Focusing on the community’s experience has paid dividends for CCED and for Arkansas. “Local leaders and economic developers throughout Arkansas truly understand what it takes to make a community successful due to the work of CCED,” said Scott Hardin, spokesperson for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC). “AEDC values the training offered through CCED, and our staff sees the positive results of this training on a daily basis as we interact with Arkansas’ leaders.”

In 2014-2015, CCED provided training to more than 500 people. Additionally, 394 Arkansans received some form of technical assistance, and more than 700 people attended presentations by CCED staff.

By consistently focusing on building effective partnerships, the level of statewide support for CCED is very high. This support has been demonstrated through working partnerships and ongoing external financial support. CDI raised $13,500 in private funds for scholarships at the 2015 Institute and received more than $12,500 in private sponsorships from Arkansas businesses in 2015.

This type of statewide support will be carried forward into the next three years. The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation recently awarded CCED an $84,000 grant to support its efforts to provide regional trainings and place-based technical assistance. “Our investment in CCED enables our small communities to address quality of life issues, develop new leaders and promote equity by eliminating economic and educational opportunity gaps,” said Dr. Sherece West-Scantlebury, president and CEO of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. “Engaging small municipal leaders in community and economic development training provides tremendous opportunities for our state’s most underserved communities.”

Through this grant work, CCED is looking forward to expanding its presence across the state. By building connections among communities at the regional level, CCED expects to use this grant funding to maximize potential growth opportunities for smaller communities. “This is an exciting time for our team and UCA,” said Whitehead. “Over the next three years, we will be able to truly engage with each region across Arkansas. We will be building new partnerships and actively demonstrating UCA’s support for Arkansas communities.”

2014-2015 Snapshot

Bear Tales – Community Development Institute

As thousands of students, faculty, staff and visitors walk beneath the shade of the stalwart oak trees across the University of Central Arkansas campus, few are aware of the story behind the trees.

Many of the oak trees lining the sidewalks on Donaghey Avenue and outside Wingo Hall, McCastlain Hall and Bernard Hall were planted after the end of World War II as a living memorial and infinite tribute to those who ultimately gave their lives.

Then named Arkansas State Teachers College (ASTC), the University initially planted 38 trees in 1946 and have planted more over time as more alums were identified as having been killed in the war.

Students from the post-World War II era remember the times all too well.

“Most of the football team worked on that tree project,” said Dr. Conrad Garner ’49. “We had a lot of good people on our campus at that time, and we all worked on it. The student body and everybody was supportive of the tree planting.”

Garner, a World War II veteran himself, played on the undefeated Bears football team of 1947. He is now 93 years old.

He joined the 7.8 million veterans who went to college after being discharged. At ASTC, enrollment increased from 355 students in the 1944-1945 academic year to 1,428 in the 1947-1948 academic year.

“It felt like it was more veterans than there were people who weren’t veterans on campus,” said Bill Ledbetter ’53, also a World War II veteran who played with Garner on that winning 1947 team.

“There were 40 World War II veterans on the team, and we had six guys who weren’t veterans. They were too young when the war ended,” Ledbetter recalled, now 89 years old.

Mike Malham ’49, another World War II veteran and teammate called it the “Fabulous 40 Team.”

“I remember when the trees were planted. We never talked about it too much,” Malham said, now age 91.

In the decades since the trees were planted, the placement of the War Memorial trees was not clearly defined.

“We knew generally where the trees were, but no one really knew for sure,” said Gayle Seymour, associate dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication.

The University unveiled a polished, black granite World War II Memorial in 2003. Names of the fallen alumni are etched with gold lettering on the commemorative structure that sits outside McAlister Hall. The War Memorial Trees, however, had become buried in the University’s memory.

In 2014, Seymour began working with other BT天堂employees–Charlotte Strickland ’81, Kevin Carter ’10, David Williams ’12, Dr. Scott Nadler and Mark White–and two students to form an ad hoc committee. The committee would work to identify the War Memorial Trees and then mark each of them with a soldier’s name.

The committee called upon the assistance of Steven Karafit, biology professor, who helped them identify oak trees on campus that were likely planted in the 1946 era. Amanda Bryant, interlibrary loan supervisor, created a design for the committee featuring an oak leaf and 47 acorns, representing the 46 men and one woman killed in World War II.

Like the trees themselves, the committee stood stalwart, unwilling to lean or fall.

“They sacrificed their lives for our freedom. I still believe in making sure that we take our time and recognize those who sacrificed and gave it all,” said Williams, Veteran聽Services coordinator at BT天堂and Marine Corps veteran. He called his Marine brothers for help.

“When I presented it to them, it was unanimous. It was something everyone could get behind,” said Dwight Witcher ’77, president of the Conway chapter of the Marine Corps League.

Witcher said he and the members of the League secured donations from local businesses for the concrete, steel, form material, powder coating and other items needed to construct the plaques.

Once donations were secured, league members divided into four volunteer work parties, working several days to prep and fabricate the 47 sites. The committee expects to place the plaques at the trees in early November 2015.

“As it turns out, we poured concrete on the hottest day of summer,” Witcher remembered. “The temperature was 103 and the heat index was 115.”

Witcher said the oldest veteran who volunteered on a work party was 89. Another veteran drove from Jonesboro to Conway to help on the work parties. The work teams consisted primarily of Vietnam era veterans and some Desert Storm veterans.

Regardless of the heat and the task, the team kept working and completed their work, motivated by their motto, Semper Fidelis which means always faithful.

“All of us at this age really have an appreciation for the World War II veterans. They absolutely saved the world as we know it,” Witcher said. “We just felt like we owed this to those 47 whose names will be dedicated at those trees, even if its 70 years late. That’s the least we could do for them.”

Bear Tales – World War II Memorial Tree Plaques

In the summer of 2013, the University of Central Arkansas introduced the service-learning program via seminar to BT天堂faculty, hoping to adopt service-learning practices in classrooms to give students even more opportunities to engage and impact the community. Service-learning provides students with the knowledge they need to address issues they are studying in class and practical application to solve real-world problems in the community. The service-learning program was officially approved during the 2012-2013 academic year, but the program really began to take off during the 2014-2015 academic year.

So, what exactly is service-learning? “If you are just learning, it’s not service-learning, and if you’re just volunteering, it’s not service-learning,” said history professor Dr. Kim Little. “Any time a professor constructs a service-learning project, he or she needs to make sure that the students are learning something that is associated with the class as well as providing a service to the community.”

“Sometimes service learning is not a direct one-on-one kind of thing in the community. It can be a research project that will benefit an agency, organization or the government,” said Dr. Peter Mehl, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and service-learning faculty liaison. “There are a number of different models and different ways to incorporate service-learning into the classroom, as long as it fits the curriculum for the class.”

According to the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, academic service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities.

Although the service-learning program was only recently adopted into UCA’s academic curriculum, many professors were already believers in this practice. “As a faculty member, I’ve been doing service learning in my public relations campaign class for over 10 years, probably five years before it was called ‘service-learning.’ It just made sense to me,” said Dr. Amy Hawkins, director of the Center for Teaching Excellence and permanent member of the service-learning advisory committee. “You begin to see students really start making connections between what they’re able to do in the real world and how they might put their education into use in a tangible way once they graduate.”

“Before service-learning was introduced officially, I had been contacted by Richard McFadden about building trails with Ken Smith, author of “The Buffalo River Handbook,” and I had taken students from my environmental history class to the Buffalo River for an overnight field trip already where we met with Ken,” said Little. “Ken and Richard had both said, ‘Hey, this would be a great project for your students!’ So, the first thing I did was make it an optional project for my students, and it became a service-learning opportunity.”

Service-learning is an important approach to facilitate learning and an increasing number of professors are beginning to incorporate service-learning into their classrooms. These practices not only benefit the community, but they also give advantages to students. “There are so many benefits for students,” said Dr. Lesley Graybeal, service-learning coordinator. “To me, the most important benefit is that service-learning research shows that it increases students’ academic success and retention rates.”

” The aim of education is not only to prepare students for productive careers, but also to enable them to live lives of dignity and purpose; not only to generate new knowledge, but to channel that knowledge to humane ends; not merely to study government, but to help shape a citizenry that can promote the public good.”
– Ernest L. Boyer

The community is also reaping the benefits of UCA’s service-learning program. “My campaign class works in competitive teams to write campaign proposals for nonprofits every semester, and it’s extremely gratifying to be able to give nonprofits that kind of service,” said Hawkins. “When my students work with addiction, homelessness or food insecurity, they have a completely different level of motivation. They really start to realize that these problems aren’t problems out there, but that they are right here in this community. They want to serve.”

“For the University, it builds goodwill in our community. It fulfills important community needs and I think it’s part of our mission at BT天堂to connect with our local community,” said Graybeal. “The students tell me that they like to serve the community because it’s the right thing to do. I think everybody serves because they recognize themselves in someone else, because they recognize their common humanity and they want to share that. We share this world with other people. I think that’s ultimately the reason why anyone feels the need to serve others.”

“You can learn from books. You can learn from hearing lectures. But most people learn better by doing,” said Little. “And so, if we can get them learning by doing, with service-learning, and provide service to community at the same time, then we’ve got a win-win situation for the University, for the students and for the community partner. You can do it in a big way or a small way, but either way, it’s going to have an impact.”

Alston-Miller is the first individual in BT天堂history to receive both the Teaching Excellence Award and the Public Service Award in the same year. She was recognized at the 62nd annual BT天堂Service Awards Ceremony, which is held at the end of each academic year to honor and recognize faculty and staff.

Alston-Miller is a board member for the City of Hope Outreach Academy, Conway Cradle Care and the Arkansas Breastfeeding Coalition. She also served as interim president and president of the Faulkner County Graduate Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. In addition to her public service, Alston-Miller is a social media advocate for prenatal, infant and postpartum support groups, and she is also a grant writer for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, an organization committed to reducing infant mortality in the African-American community.

When asked what service means to her, Alston-Miller didn’t hesitate to answer. “Service is helping people constantly. It’s not me coming in, trying to fix a problem and going back to my house,” she said. “You have to know the people you want to help and maintain a constant dialogue. You need to ask, ‘What can we do to help you, and how can we be a part of your lives?’ Let people know that we’re here and we aren’t going anywhere.”

Growing up, Alston-Miller was very interested in helping her fellow woman. “I was a candy striper, and I liked being in that environment where I could help people. I was worried I would just be getting coffee, but they always gave me something to do where I could help people,” Alston-Miller said. “I also took a Safe Sitter’s class, so I learned how to help and protect babies at an early age.”

Alston-Miller also volunteered at a rape crisis center before college, which led her to continue to volunteer with an organization called Stealing Home once she started college at the University of Richmond, where she helped victims of sexual assault and taught others how to do the same. “It was life changing for me,” Alston-Miller said. “This was about how to seek proper consent, how to communicate that and help victims of sexual assault.”

Even if she weren’t a professor, Alston-Miller said she would still have the desire for a service outlet. “I’m fortunate to have a job with service built into it. I have a passion for this,” Alston-Miller said. “To me, service is also sitting in my office and mentoring students. I have formal advisees, but I also have informal advisees. We keep pretty busy in the service arena around here, which makes me happy.”

Leading by Example

The students call him “P Court.” His grandkids call him “Papa T.” At one time, he was addressed as “representative,” and now “President,” but if you run into him on the University of Central Arkansas campus, he’ll ask you to simply call him “Tom.” Serving as BT天堂President since December 2011, Tom Courtway is a man who wears many hats, but what he truly cares most about are the students who call BT天堂home.

“He puts students first. He keeps his focus on them, first and foremost,” said Colin Stanton ’04, ’06, director of New Student Programs. “People who work with students daily, like me, appreciate that because of how it supports the University. It’s just little things that he does so well that says a lot about where his focus is as a leader.”

“When a BT天堂student is sick and in the hospital, he always goes to visit, and I think that is so kind and telling of his personality,” said Shelia Vaught ’71, vice chair of the BT天堂Board of Trustees.

“Leader” is just one positive word that is commonly used to describe Tom. “Honestly, I can’t say enough good things about him,” said Mary Harlan ’65, former chair of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. “He always recognizes, remembers, notices, praises and congratulates. He doesn’t want to get the recognition himself or receive any attention, but he wants to make sure everyone else gets his or hers.”

A great leader does not ask for recognition, but instead leads by example, serving his community and staff. Tom is the embodiment of humility with a spirit of service.

“I think he makes life easier for everyone around here,” said Monty Rowell ’80, Student Center assistant director. “He may be the first president who literally gets down there in the trenches with the students and says, ‘What do you all need? How can I help you make this happen?’ We’ve really got us a winner.”

For example, during the winter of 2014 there were five heavy snow days that shut down campus. When this happens, Physical Plant employees work to make sure the campus is clear of snow and to ensure the safety of students upon their return. “President Courtway and Kelley Erstine [chief of staff] went to Colton’s and bought steak dinners for everybody who had to come in and work. He didn’t have to do that, but it means a whole lot to the people on my team,” said Kevin Carter ’10, recycling and custodial manager. “Things like that go a long way. A lot of people don’t even realize how many things the Physical Plant does to keep BT天堂up and running, but Tom knows and he lets us know that we are appreciated.”

Tom doesn’t only serve on campus. As a survivor of prostate cancer, Tom takes time out of his busy day to personally connect with and offer help to men who have been diagnosed with the same illness. “He’s been amazing, about being a mentor and helping other men who are going through the same thing he did,” said Tom’s wife, Melissa. “I think that helped him deal with it, knowing that he could go and help somebody else.”

With a history of commitment to the University, Tom continues to show his vision for UCA. With the renovation and expansion of both the Lewis Science Center and the Health, Physical, Education and Recreation (HPER) Center, the construction of Donaghey Hall, the opening of five sorority houses and a sorority complex as part of Greek Village and, for the first time in 20 years, an approval of an operation budget that does not include an increase of tuition or fees, Tom’s leadership and service has proven time and time again to be successful for students and the community.

“This is a great University and it always has been, but I think Tom did so much to improve the image of BT天堂that was held by the community and by the state,” said Elizabeth Farris ’77, BT天堂Board of Trustees member. “That will be his legacy.”