Community service is a priority for the University of Central Arkansas , and the Bears and Sugar Bears have found a more than willing partner in an international organization named Samaritan’s Feet.

For the past three years, UCA’s student-athletes have partnered with Samaritan’s Feet for “Shoes of Hope” events, where money is raised and shoes are distributed to needy children in the region.

Various BTÌìÌÃcoaching staffs, including volleyball, basketball and softball, have coached games barefoot in support of the cause. In the past 11 years, more than 3,000 coaches at the college and high school levels have coached or made public appearances barefoot to raise awareness for the initiative.

Student-athletes representing all 17 of UCA’s athletic teams have participated in the shoe distribution events in Conway in conjunction with Samaritan’s Feet and True Holiness Saints Center throughout the past two years.

Dr. Brad Teague, BTÌìÌÃdirector of athletics, said the projects under Samaritan’s Feet have been a true blessing to the Athletic Department and BTÌìÌÃstudent-athletes.

“Part of our mission statement for BTÌìÌÃathletics is a well-rounded, student-athlete experience,” said Teague. “There is no better way to accomplish that than through community service. Our partnership with Samaritan’s Feet has been highly beneficial to both their outstanding, worldwide organization and to our student-athlete community.”

The shoe events are the epitome of what giving back to the community is all about.

“When you see 18- to 22-year olds sitting down and talking with these young people, washing their feet and then putting a brand new pair of socks and shoes on their feet… it really is a rewarding thing to witness,” said Teague.

The mission of Shoes of Hope, as in all of Samaritan’s Feet initiatives, is to bring a life-changing message of hope, love and compassion to children and adults in need, according to its website (samaritansfeet.org). “Every time we sit across from a child, we not only meet their physical needs with a pair of shoes and socks, but we spend quality time with them asking about their dreams and their lives. We at Samaritan’s Feet believe that a new pair of shoes can be a tangible foundation for hope to a person in need.”

The organization has distributed more than 48,000 pairs of shoes throughout the past three years.

Along with the Shoes of Hope events, BTÌìÌÃhas been a valuable contributor to Operation Christmas Child, another outreach program under the umbrella of Samaritan’s Feet. Each Christmas since 2013, the BTÌìÌÃstudent-athletes from all 17 sports have purchased, wrapped and distributed hundreds of gift boxes for needy children.

Operation Christmas Child has delivered more than 1 million Christmas shoeboxes stuffed with gifts for children in more than 100 countries around the world since 1993.

“Every year a new group of our student-athletes takes the initiative and makes these programs a huge success,” said BTÌìÌÃassistant athletic director Natalie Shock, who is the sponsor of UCA’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). “Some of our student-athletes commented on how much fun they had buying the gifts and packing the boxes. It made them feel like kids again. One of our sports last year went to a store in Conway to buy their gifts, and another sport had beaten them to the store and bought all the toys.”

“I truly believe the student-athletes get as much out of this endeavor each year as the children who receive the shoeboxes. It’s gratifying to see them work so hard to put a smile on a child’s face and make this project so successful every year. You can see the joy on their faces when they deliver the boxes to our office, and this is nothing compared to the joy the boxes bring those children around the world,” said Shock.

Indeed, putting smiles on the faces of children never gets old.

The University of Central Arkansas dean of the was given the National Collegiate Honors Council’s 
() Sam Schuman Award for Excellence at a Four Year Institution. Dr. Richard “Rick” Scott received the award at NCHC’s 50th anniversary gathering in Chicago on Nov. 13, 2015. NCHC’s award recognizes Scott as an accomplished scholar, professor and administrator.

“Every morning, for more than three decades, I wake up grateful to work with bright students and faculty to better ourselves as citizens and scholars,” said Scott. “To that bounty my colleagues have now added this award — I owe the collegiate honors community more than I can ever repay for gracing my life with meaning and purpose.”

Scott has worked with the Schedler Honors College for more than 30 years, serving as dean following the retirement of founder, Dr. Norbert Schedler.

Established in 1982, the Schedler Honors College at BTÌìÌÃhas become one of the most fully featured in the nation and is a leader in providing enhanced educational opportunities in a living and learning environment designed to develop “citizen-scholars”.

Robert “Bunny” Adcock was reappointed to the University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees by Gov. Asa Hutchinson in December 2015.

Adcock’s term began January 2016 and expires in 2023.

Adcock was originally appointed to the board in May 2012 and served until December 2014. During his time on the board, he served on the Audit and Finance Committee in 2013 and 2014.

“I’m really excited to be back on the BTÌìÌÃBoard of Trustees,” said Adcock. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being involved with the University. I think the University has a very bright future, and I’m just extremely pleased to be a part of that future.”

Adcock has served the University in several capacities for decades. In 1974, he served on the State College of Arkansas, now UCA, University Status Committee. He is a founding member of BTÌìÌÃPurple Circle and Friends of the BTÌìÌÃLibrary.

He was appointed interim vice president for Financial Services in 2008 and served until June 2009. Prior to that, he had served as vice president for Alumni Services and Development, BTÌìÌÃgolf coach and president of the BTÌìÌÃFoundation.

Adcock and his wife, Carol, live in Conway. The Adcocks established the Robert and Carol Adcock Scholarship at UCA, which provides funding for BTÌìÌÃforeign language students to study abroad, in addition to the International Affairs Emergency Fund for international students. In 2010, BTÌìÌÃunveiled the Carol Adcock International House on Farris Road.

“We have developed a comprehensive action plan that will embody the academic integrity and spirit of our University, while also appealing to prospective traditional and nontraditional students alike,” said Christina Madsen, associate vice president of communications, public relations and marketing. “The updated logo is simply the beginning of what we have planned for the upcoming months; however, it will serve as the cornerstone for all University brand communications efforts moving forward.”

The updated academic logo features a shield, window and laurels, and emphasizes the University’s location in Central Arkansas. The crest allows for both official school colors — purple and gray — to be featured prominently.

The overall shape of the logo is an academic shield — a conventional symbol of strength, trust and security. The shield is also a subtle nod to the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas, which was the primary symbol of the institution for many decades.

The window — a long-standing symbol of the school that represents the opportunity to explore new worlds — is prominently featured in campus architecture. In the academic logo, it is reversed out of purple for emphasis and accentuated with subtle lighting details.

As a traditional symbol of academic achievement, the laurels flank the shield and represent the institution’s heritage of and commitment to academic excellence. The term baccalaureate is derived from the Latin bacca lauri or “laurel berries,” as laurels were traditionally awarded to scholars on the completion of their studies.

“We are proud of our academic heritage and our location in Central Arkansas,” said Board Chair Shelia Vaught. “We are excited to create an identity that clearly reflects these elements and incites even more Bear Pride within our community.”

Also revealed was a microsite for prospective students, which provides an overview of the University in a series of eight videos and links back to the main website where they may apply, schedule a visit or learn more about a specific area of interest. The microsite may be viewed at .

New television commercials were also unveiled that highlight successful graduates.

The core message of the campaign also serves as the call to action: “GO HERE. GO ANYWHERE.” The campaign takes an “anything is possible” approach with the backdrop of the University’s academics and amenities.

New Logo and Campaign Reveal Photo Gallery

Bear Tales – New Marketing Campaign and Logo

Dr. Jimmy Ishee, dean of the University of Central Arkansas College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, has been designated a 2016 Fellow of the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education ().

Ishee was inducted as the 15th Fellow during the 2016 Annual Conference of NAKHE in San Diego, California in January 2016.

NAKHE’s mission is to foster leadership in kinesiology administration and policy as it relates to teaching, scholarship and service in higher education.

The purpose of the Fellow designation is to acknowledge kinesiology leaders who have made significant contributions to both NAKHE and the field of kinesiology.

The criteria used to designate Fellows include significant contributions to NAKHE, including but not limited to leadership on NAKHE committees, editing and reviewing NAKHE publications, holding senior NAKHE leadership positions or other significant contributions to the organization. In addition, consideration was given to scholarly productivity, leadership in the field of kinesiology and one’s home institution and leadership in professional societies other than NAKHE.

“My involvement with the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education over the last 26 years has been one of my most rewarding professional experiences. Being designated as a Fellow by my colleagues is truly an honor,” Ishee said.

Ishee became dean of the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences in July 2014. The college encompasses the departments of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health Sciences, Kinesiology and Physical Education, Military Science and Leadership, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Psychology and Counseling.

The University of Central Arkansas Foundation, Inc. received $215,500 to support the Nursing Simulation Lab in the Department of Nursing.

“Nursing has afforded me the opportunity to care for a lot of individuals,” said Elizabeth A. Blankenship, CEO of Southridge Village Nursing and Rehabilitation. “With our ability to give to the nursing program, the students will have some of the best technology available to them, and I believe it will assist in their training and education.”

Blankenship, along with her daughters and fellow BTÌìÌÃalumnae Ashley M. Blankenship and Gretchen E. Humphreys, made the gift in a presentation that included BTÌìÌÃfaculty, staff and students in December of 2015.

“Thank you very much for your generosity,” said President Tom Courtway. “Thank you, more than anything else, for believing in BTÌìÌÃand believing in this college and this department.”

The gift will help outfit the Department of Nursing with a high-fidelity manikin, which is a patient simulator that aids students in training to work with real patients in the field, as well as cameras, microphones, a control station and other equipment to record student performance.

“The high-fidelity manikin will be remotely controlled by the instructor and modified in real time to evaluate the skill and problem-solving ability of a student or student team,” said Dr. Barbara Williams, chair of the Department of Nursing. “The student and/or instructor can then watch the video and determine performance gaps and identify areas for improvement or to evaluate the care.”

Richard Hammond is the new director of Campus Recreation at the University of Central Arkansas.

In this role, Hammond will provide overall leadership to Campus Recreation, including overseeing the Health Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Center that reopened in fall 2014 after undergoing extensive renovation and expansion.

“BTÌìÌÃhas a wonderful HPER facility. Now we just need to make sure that we get every student at BTÌìÌÃto come through the door so they can experience it,” Hammond said.

Hammond comes to BTÌìÌÃafter spending 18 years at Valdosta State University as director of campus recreation. He also has worked in campus recreation at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Georgia Southern University and Southwest Texas State University. He and his wife, Leighia, have four children.

Hammond earned a Bachelor of Science in health, leisure and sports/sports science from the University of West Florida and a Master of Arts in interdisciplinary studies from Southwest Texas State University.

“I am very excited about working at BTÌìÌÃand to have this opportunity to continue the great work that the Department of Campus Recreation has been doing,” said Hammond.

The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics () named University of Central Arkansas Athletic Director Dr. Brad Teague a 2015-16 Athletic Director of the Year in March.

Teague, in his ninth year at UCA, was one of 28 collegiate athletic directors from seven divisions (NCAA, FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA and Junior College/Community Colleges). He was joined at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level by Thorr Bjorn of the University of Rhode Island, Dave Blank from Elon University and Bill Chaves from Eastern Washington.

“We all congratulate Dr. Brad Teague on this prestigious national honor,” said President Tom Courtway. “He has done a remarkable job at BTÌìÌÃleading our athletic department and has also worked on many campus-wide initiatives. These activities, combined with his work in our conference and nationally, establish very clearly that he is most deserving of this award.”

Teague received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1992 and a Master of Education in Administration in 1995, both from Delta State University. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy in leadership from the University of Mississippi in 2000. He contributes heavily to the Conway community, serving on the Conway Airport Committee, Rotary Club, Conway Chamber of Commerce board, the Conway School District Foundation and the Board of Directors for Conway Corporation, Conway’s public utility company.

Teague has guided the BTÌìÌÃAthletic Department through unprecedented success and growth since taking the reins in the spring of 2007. Teague took the position during the school’s first year of the four-year reclassification process from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I and guided the program to full D-I status while overseeing numerous facility upgrades, strengthening fundraising efforts and ensuring a smooth transition academically under the more stringent standards of Division I athletics.

“I’m honored that my colleagues nominated and our association selected me this year,” said Teague. “But it’s truly more about this great institution, the University of Central Arkansas, than it is about me.”

University of Central Arkansas President Tom Courtway and now retired Arkansas State University-Beebe Chancellor Dr. Eugene McKay signed the 17th transfer agreement between the two institutions at a ceremony on Nov. 5, 2015.

These agreements simplify the transfer process and allow students to transition from ASU-Beebe to BTÌìÌÃin the most efficient manner possible.

“Today shows the continuation of a great partnership and relationship between ASU-Beebe and UCA. The real beneficiaries are the students, and that is as it should be,” said President Courtway. “We also want to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate Dr. McKay for almost 50 years of service to the students of Arkansas. He is a true leader and an outstanding educator.”

“These agreements are a ‘win-win’ for both schools with the real winners being the students who earn an associate’s degree at ASU-Beebe and want to earn a bachelor’s degree from UCA. They have a clear path to completion for both degrees and will not have to worry about which classes to take for their intended major,” said Dr. Steven Runge, executive vice president and provost. “We thank our colleagues at ASU-Beebe for their partnership in this endeavor.”

By May 2016, BTÌìÌÃwill have transfer agreements with 19 Arkansas community colleges, which include 73 BTÌìÌÃbaccalaureate programs of study.

Veterans Day Celebration Photo Gallery