The Department of Psychology and Counseling, in the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, has received a seven-year accreditation for the counseling psychology program from the American Psychological Association (APA). BT天堂now houses two of the three accredited psychology programs in Arkansas. APA is the only organization that accredits psychology programs and is considered the gold standard for quality education for psychologists.

The Bachelor of Science in Education in elementary education and Master of Science in Education in reading have been accredited by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and its affiliate, the Center for Effective Reading Instruction. The faculty revised the curriculum to embed all IDA standards in the programs.

The College of Business maintained its accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International. AACSB Accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education and has been earned by fewer than 5 percent of the more than 16,000 schools worldwide granting business degrees.

Dr. Donna Lampkin Stephens, associate professor of journalism at the University of Central Arkansas, was part of the 10th class inducted into the Arkansas Sportscasters/Sportswriters Hall of Fame on July 9, 2016.

鈥淚 am humbled and honored to join a group that includes many of the icons of Arkansas sports writing,鈥� said Stephens. 鈥淭o be listed along with them is one of the highest honors of my life.鈥�

Stephens was a sportswriter for the Arkansas Gazette from 1984 until its merger in 1991. Her beats covered high school sports, golf, the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference and the Arkansas Razorbacks. Since then, she has freelanced for numerous Arkansas publications. After teaching in Arkansas public schools, Stephens came to BT天堂in 1999.

She produced documentary films such as 鈥淭he Old Gray Lady: Arkansas鈥檚 First Newspaper鈥� (2006), which tells the history of the Arkansas Gazette, and 鈥淭he Crisis Mr. Faubus Made: The Role of the Arkansas Gazette in the Central High Crisis鈥� (2010).

Her dissertation from the University of Southern Mississippi, 鈥淚f It Ain鈥檛 Broke, Break It: How Corporate Journalism Killed the Arkansas Gazette,鈥� won an honorable mention in the American Journalism Historians Association 2013 Margaret A. Blanchard Dissertation Prize contest and was published by the University of Arkansas Press in 2015.

The University of Central Arkansas established the Arkansas Coding Academy (ACA) in order to stay on top of advancing technology. As part of UCA鈥檚 Division of Community Outreach and Community Engagement, the academy will provide turnkey education and training opportunities to individuals seeking new careers in information technology.

The ACA is a six or three-month boot camp for individuals interested in learning how to code. The program covers the building blocks of Java and Android OS. ACA wants to provide individuals with the skills and mentorship to succeed in the technology industry, and create a talent pipeline from classroom to workforce. Classes are available both full-time and part-time.

鈥淭he Arkansas Coding Academy will not only fill a void in the state for an educated workforce in the areas of technology and computer programming but will also provide the talent that our new tech startup and existing companies need around the state,鈥� said President Tom Courtway.

Several tech companies and other organizations have partnered with BT天堂in this venture to provide funds and accessibility for prospective students. Partners include, but are not limited to, Metova, Acxiom, the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, JB Hunt, First Orion and Rock Fish.

鈥淏y producing technical talent to local employers, we are not only educating Arkansans, but we are providing these new developers the chance to stay in Arkansas,鈥� ACA Director Mary Dunlap 鈥�14 said. 鈥淭he accelerated nature of the program also allows students to gain their education and be propelled into the workforce in the matter of a few months.鈥�

For a complete list of partners and information about how to apply to the coding academy, visit

Bear Tales – Arkansas Coding Academy

A University of Central Arkansas creative writing professor was named the recipient of the 2016 Porter Fund Literary Prize. Sandy Longhorn is the first BT天堂professor to be named a Porter Fund awardee.

The Porter Prize is presented annually to an Arkansas writer with a substantial and impressive body of work that merits enhanced recognition. The $2,000 prize makes it one of the state鈥檚 most lucrative and prestigious literary awards. Eligibility requires an Arkansas connection.

鈥淕iven that writing is such solitary work, receiving the Porter Prize is all the more meaningful,鈥� Longhorn said. 鈥淚鈥檓 honored and thankful to all of my readers, fellow writers and friends for their encouragement, and I鈥檓 especially thankful to BT天堂for creating an atmosphere where creative writers flourish.鈥�

The Porter Prize was founded in 1984 by novelist Jack Butler and novelist and lawyer Phil McMath to honor Dr. Ben Kimpel. Butler and McMath were students of Kimpel, noted professor of English at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. At Kimpel鈥檚 request, the prize is named in honor of Kimpel鈥檚 mother, Gladys Crane Kimpel Porter. The annual prize, $2,000, has been given to 30 poets, novelists, non-fiction writers and playwrights.

Longhorn is the author of three books of poetry: 鈥淭he Alchemy of My Mortal Form,鈥� which won the 2014 Louise Bogan Award from Trio House Press, 鈥淭he Girlhood Book of Prairie Myths鈥� and 鈥淏lood Almanac.鈥� Longhorn was named the director of the C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference, which will debut in November 2017 at UCA.

She graduated summa cum laude with divisional honors from the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, where she studied English and creative writing. Longhorn earned a Master of Fine Arts in poetry at the University of Arkansas. She joined the faculty at BT天堂in 2015.

Former University of Central Arkansas Bears men鈥檚 soccer player Logan Miller is no stranger to success, having experienced it on every level of soccer at which he has played. As such, it should come as no surprise that he鈥檚 succeeding again this season as the first BT天堂men鈥檚 soccer alumnus to play at the professional level in the United States with the United Soccer League鈥檚 Wilmington Hammerheads.

Miller, a native of Tomball, Texas, started his collegiate career in Colorado, earning Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors and Division II All-American honors during his freshman and sophomore years at Regis University. But something was missing.

鈥淚t really wasn鈥檛 a good fit for me, off the field,鈥� said Miller. 鈥淎nd on top of that, I was looking for something bigger. I鈥檇 already been named an All-American, and the team had been ranked No. 1, so I was wanting more. My older brother, Ethan, was already in Conway, playing for UCA, and he would tell me how much he loved playing there. He would tell me how much fun he was having, and I realized that was what I was looking for.鈥�

Miller wasted no time in making the move to UCA, transferring in for the spring semester his sophomore season and becoming a mainstay in coach Ross Duncan鈥檚 starting 11 for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. While at UCA, Miller continued to rack up accolades, earning All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in both of his seasons in the purple and gray.

鈥淗aving coaches who you like playing for and who you want to play for make the game so much more enjoyable,鈥� said Miller of his time in Conway. 鈥淚 just enjoyed every second of it.鈥�

From UCA, Miller began pursuing his dream of playing professional soccer, moving to Seattle to play for the Kitsap Pumas of the Professional Development League. Miller helped lead the Pumas to an undefeated record of 10-0-2 and a Northwest Division title while scoring seven goals over the final five games of the season.

After suffering a foot injury in the offseason, Miller was picked up in January 2016 by the Wilmington Hammerheads Football Club of the USL. He has tallied a pair of goals in 15 matches played, including a game-winning goal in his first professional match for the club, a 2-1 Wilmington win over Orlando City B.

鈥淐oming in, I wasn鈥檛 really sure about the level of play or if I鈥檇 be starting,鈥� said Miller of his season so far. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of like coming to college from high school. You think you know, but you really don鈥檛. But I had a good preseason, and come game time I got the start and was able to net the game-winner, so it was a really cool debut.鈥�

Miller has also taken the field against Major League Soccer鈥檚 Real Salt Lake when they faced the Hammerheads in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. In front of 17,000 fans, the Hammerheads forced RSL to penalty kicks, before eventually falling to the MLS side.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 start that game, but I came in around the 70th聽minute,” said Miller. 鈥淚t was really cool being able to compare ourselves to the top level of American soccer and realizing, 鈥楬ey, I can play with those guys.鈥欌��

Miller and Wilmington currently sit in 10th聽place in the USL’s Eastern Conference, just a point back of a playoff spot.

As for Duncan, he couldn鈥檛 be more proud of the former Bear.

鈥淭here are so many obstacles along the way to being a professional,” he said. 鈥淚njuries, lack of exposure and opportunity, disappointment and a lot of luck all contribute. So to eventually make it on to a roster is an incredible accomplishment. And to step right into the starting lineup and make the impact that Logan has this season is astounding.鈥�

Duncan continued, 鈥淧laying at the professional level is a dream for every player that comes through our program. Most players don鈥檛 understand the commitment and ability to take advantage of opportunities, though. Logan has both the commitment to drive himself into the right situation and the quality to take advantage of those opportunities when they came his way.鈥�

Student recruitment expanded its tool belt when a virtual tour of the University of Central Arkansas campus launched on June 14, 2016.

This new tool offers a virtual reality component that allows inquiring students and parents to take a step-by-step tour of campus with a . Users can also access and to explore the interior of buildings.

鈥淥ur hope is to attract and engage prospective students by enabling them to experience campus before they set foot on the grounds,鈥� said Director of Admissions Courtney Mullen.

Potential students and parents can view the tour on UCA鈥檚 website and the host site, .

Since the virtual tour is a 鈥渓iving project,鈥� it will be updated to include improvements to the campus. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to follow these updates and additions as they take place so incoming students and their families can get a real sense of who we are,鈥� Mullen said.

Bear Tales – New Virtual Tour

The University of Central Arkansas Police Department now has an Outreach Center, which will be used to better educate the community.

Opened in fall 2015, the 600-square-foot facility will be used for in-service training for UCAPD personnel along with training for students, faculty and staff.

鈥淚t became apparent to us that we really needed a dedicated space for training, education and community engagement in order to operate more efficiently and provide a better service to our community,鈥� said Officer Michael Hopper, UCAPD public relations and information officer.

Located on the north side of campus, the facility is within a few hundred feet of five sorority houses and a community center known as Greek Village.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a centralized location,鈥� Hopper said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good spot for ease of access for when we do classes for sororities and fraternities.鈥�

Bear Tales – UCAPD Outreach Center

Elected officials, development professionals and nonprofit leaders convened at the University of Central Arkansas in August to participate in the 30th Annual Community Development Institute (CDI) on the BT天堂campus.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson opened the session with special remarks applauding the participants for their dedication to economic growth.

鈥淚 look out here and I see people who are engaged in economic development every day at the state level but also those from small communities across Arkansas,鈥� Hutchinson said. 鈥淚鈥檝e never been more optimistic about the direction of Arkansas. You are the reason it is happening, so I鈥檓 here to applaud you.鈥�

CDI participants progress through the professional development program in class cohorts by attending one week of training each year for three years. Participants attend innovative class simulations, instructor-led presentations and community tours, as well as group discussions and case studies. Nearly 120 individuals from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas participated in the five-day training session held on August 1-5, 2016. To date, more than 1,600 individuals have participated in CDI and more than 900 individuals have graduated from the three-year program.

Shelley Mehl, associate vice president for Outreach and Community Engagement, said, 鈥淲e are proud of the long history of CDI and its impact in our state and region. CDI strengthens our division鈥檚 efforts to offer knowledge, expertise and research to communities looking to improve community and economic development. With leadership from the CDI staff and advisory board, we will continue that support into the future.鈥�

The Nabholz Charitable Foundation made a $500,000 gift to the University of Central Arkansas during a March 2016 presentation.

The gift was used to help fund renovations and purchase equipment in the Doyne Health Sciences Building to establish the Nabholz Center for Healthcare Simulation that opened in August 2016.

鈥淭his is a way for Nabholz to give back to BT天堂for the outstanding impact the University has made in our community for educating young men and women in the healthcare field,鈥� Charles Nabholz, chairman emeritus of Nabholz Corporation, said during the check presentation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 our charitable foundation鈥檚 pleasure to make a pledge of $500,000 for this institution.鈥�

The simulation center includes areas that simulate hospital or clinic settings that allow students more hands-on learning opportunities. Students use a SimMan, or mannequin, that can be programmed to talk, cough, change respirations or functions that simulate a real patient experience. The faculty members can control the simulated experience from a separate control room which allows the students to practice clinical decision making without the influence of the instructor in the room. The new technology can record the students鈥� performance during the simulated experiences and allows the faculty and students to review and learn during the debriefing portion of the simulation.

鈥淧reviously in our labs, we鈥檝e always had the instructors right here, even if they were in the room talking to us, and now we鈥檙e completely separated and isolated and are going to be able to watch ourselves while the instructors are manipulating our environment,鈥� said Alexandria Hufford, a fourth year nursing student.

Nursing faculty member, Amber Files said, 鈥淣ot only are they going to be able to do more hands on [skills], but we鈥檙e also able to evaluate the performance in a safe environment, which is great to supplement their learning environment.鈥�

BT天堂School of Nursing students will primarily use the Nabholz Center, but other students in the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences will also use the center.

鈥淭he Nabholz Center for Healthcare Simulation is not just technology and space, but a whole program of simulation that we will integrate through the curriculum,鈥� said Susan Gatto, director of the School of Nursing. 鈥淭he other departments in the college will be involved in the simulation center as well.”

The other departments in the college are Communication Sciences and Disorders, Exercise and Sport Science, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health Sciences, Military Science and Leadership, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Psychology and Counseling.

Gatto said the Nabholz Center is one of the first in the nation to include the interprofessional component.

鈥淭his is an extraordinary gift and is one that will transform our nursing and health sciences programs. We appreciate the generosity of the Nabholz family and company, and the entire University joins me in expressing our most sincere thanks,鈥� said President Tom Courtway.

Bear Tales – Nabholz Charitable Foundation Gift

Associate Professor of Philosophy Jesse Butler was selected as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar.

鈥淚 am very excited,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淭his is a tremendous opportunity for positive cross-cultural exchange, and I鈥檓 looking forward to making the most of it.鈥�

The Fulbright Program aims to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries, and it is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government.

Butler will spend 10 months teaching an American philosophy course at Jinan University in Guangzhou, China, and he will lecture at other Chinese universities. The curriculum for the class, titled 鈥淪elf-knowledge in American philosophy and literature,鈥� was developed through a National Endowment for the Humanities 鈥淓nduring Questions鈥� grant.

鈥淚 hope to conduct some interesting discussions based on how Americans understand themselves and how that relates to the Chinese people,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淲hile there are differences between us, it is crucial to recognize our shared humanity in the increasingly global world in which we live.鈥�

Butler earned a bachelor鈥檚 and doctorate degree at the University of Oklahoma. He began teaching at the University of Central Arkansas in 2007 and earned tenure in 2013. He teaches philosophy, critical thinking, logic and theories of knowledge courses in the College of Liberal Arts.