The University of Central Arkansas honored outstanding faculty and staff during the 73rd annual Faculty & Staff Recognition Celebration Tuesday, April 14.

Ashley Phillips, Department of Accounting, received the Public Service Award, which recognizes individuals whose service contributions to the BT天堂community, professional community and outside communities have been exceptional. Through service work such as volunteering for charitable organizations, serving on advisory boards, donating professional expertise, serving on committees and conducting outreach programs, honorees have improved conditions within the community and enhanced the quality of life for all citizens. Nykela Jackson, Department of Teaching and Learning, and Will Slaton, Department of Physics, Astronomy, and Engineering, were finalists for the award.

Hal Halvorson, Department of Biology, received the Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Award, which recognizes individuals whose contributions to their disciplines have been exemplary. Through original work in research, scholarship or creative activities 鈥� such as performances and artistic productions 鈥� they have expanded human knowledge, interpreted the human experience or enhanced quality of life. Louis Nadelson, Department of Leadership Studies, was the finalist for the award.

Anna Park, Department of Psychology and Counseling, received the Teaching Excellence Award, which is given to faculty who have consistently demonstrated exceptional performance in teaching. Recipients of this award strive to enhance student learning as they continually seek ways to improve their teaching. Ben Cash, Department of Biology, and Matthew Taylor, Department of Music, were finalists for the award.

Sandra Childress, director of Student Health, was named the 2025-2026 BT天堂Employee of the Year. The Employee of the Year is presented to a full-time staff member who has shown extraordinary performance to the university community over the past year and who goes above and beyond in their care for students, colleagues and UCA. Any full-time staff member with two or more years of continuous service to the university prior to Jan. 1 of the award year is eligible. Leila Dickinson, Academic Advising, and Amanda Paladino, Office of the Registrar, were finalists for the award.

Juan Maefield, Department of History, received the Student Advocacy Award, a newly established initiative of the Office of Student Advocacy and Community created to recognize individuals who demonstrate a sustained commitment to advancing the retention and holistic success of students. Travis Johnson, Division of Student Affairs; Stephanie Rose, Department of Health Sciences; and Susan Shaw, Department of Computer Information Systems & Analytics, were finalists for the award.

Ginny Adams, Department of Biology, was honored with the Shumaker-Wright Mentorship Award, which the University Honors Council created in 2022 to recognize the importance of supporting undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity. Supporting student participation in mentored research is an important component of the university鈥檚 mission. The award is named in honor of Conrad Shumaker and Terry Wright, who had each mentored more than 20 undergraduate student capstone/thesis projects at the time of their retirements. Jeremy Lusk, Department of Physics, Astronomy and Engineering; Marsha Massey, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry; and J.J. McIntyre, School of Communication, were finalists for the award.

Retirees and Employees of the Quarter were also honored during the ceremony.

United States Air Force Band – Airmen of Note

The University of Central Arkansas is proud to host the United States Air Force Band – Airmen of Note for a free concert at Reynolds Performance Hall Thursday, April 23, at 7 p.m.

The Airmen of Note, the U.S. Air Force鈥檚 premier jazz ensemble, will be on a spring tour through Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana from April 23 to May 1.

The Airmen of Note, stationed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., is one of six musical ensembles that form the U.S. Air Force Band. Created in 1950 to continue the tradition of Major Glenn Miller’s Army Air Forces dance band, the current band consists of 18 active-duty musicians, including one vocalist. Through the years, the Airmen of Note has presented its own brand of big band and contemporary jazz forms to audiences via annual tours across the United States, deployments worldwide and local performances throughout metropolitan Washington, D.C.

As part of the U.S. Air Force Band, the Airmen of Note鈥檚 mission is to honor those who have served, inspire American citizens to heightened patriotism and service, and connect with the global community on behalf of the U.S. Air Force and the United States.

The concert is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets can be reserved at .

Jason Treuting, Josh Quillen, Eric Cha-Beach, Adam Sliwinski. Photo/Anja Schutz

The University of Central Arkansas Public Appearances, in conjunction with the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Artists in Residence program, will present S艒 Percussion Saturday, April 11, at 7 p.m. at the Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts.

For 25 years and counting, Grammy-winning percussion quartet S艒 Percussion has redefined chamber music for the 21st century. They are celebrated by audiences and presenters for a dazzling range of work: for live performances in which 鈥渢elepathic powers of communication鈥� (The New York Times) bring to life the vibrant percussion repertoire; for an extravagant array of collaborations in classical music, pop, indie rock, contemporary dance and theater; and for their work in education and community-building, seeking to explore the immense possibility of art.

To celebrate its 25th anniversary season, S艒 Percussion released 鈥�25脳25鈥� on Cantaloupe Music in September 2025, an eight-disc box set featuring 500 minutes of entirely new and previously unreleased recordings of 21st century music, each piece written for, in collaboration with and premiered by S艒 Percussion.

Along with 鈥�25脳25,鈥� S艒 has a catalog of more than 30 albums featuring landmark recordings of works by David Lang, Steve Reich, Julia Wolfe, Caroline Shaw, Steven Mackey, Bobby Previte, Matmos and many others.

Rooted in the belief that music is an elemental form of human communication, and galvanized by forces for social change, S艒 enthusiastically pursues a range of social and community outreach through their nonprofit umbrella, including an ongoing partnership with Pan in Motion; the S艒 Laboratories concert series; a studio residency program in Brooklyn; and the S艒 Percussion Summer Institute, an intensive two-week chamber music seminar for percussionists and composers they have led annually since 2009. The members of S艒 Percussion are the Edward T. Cone Performers-in-Residence at Princeton University 鈥� a role they have held for more than a decade.

S艒 Percussion is Jason Treuting, Adam Sliwinski, Josh Quillen and Eric Cha-Beach.

BT天堂Public Appearances has continued to grow each year and now offers five unique series: Broadway, POPS, Night Out, An Evening With, and the Windgate Collection. Reynolds Performance Hall has also welcomed over 70,000 pre-K-12th grade students from across the state of Arkansas to experience live performing arts through the Main Stage Education Series. This series educates while entertaining and provides arts accessibility to all students.

Tickets range from $23 to $46 for adults and $11.50 for children/students. Prices for tickets are all in. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at the Reynolds box office or Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts box office Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., online at uca.edu/publicappearances, or by calling BT天堂Ticket Central at (501) 450-3265 or toll free at (866) 810-0012. Student and children鈥檚 tickets are only available by contacting the box office.

Tom Gordon, co-founder and CEO of Slim Chickens

The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) College of Business has announced Tom Gordon, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Slim Chickens, as this year鈥檚 Davis Lecture Series Speaker. Gordon will present Tuesday, April 7, at 1:40 p.m. in the BT天堂College of Business Auditorium in Conway, Arkansas.

Gordon provides personal and tailored support for franchisees in a rapidly growing system, and he is the driving leader behind the brand鈥檚 goal to have a 600-unit footprint by 2028.

鈥淭om and his co-founder began their journey in 2003 with one Arkansas store, and because of Tom鈥檚 leadership, Slim Chickens has expanded into a global brand,鈥� Dr. Tim Bisping, dean of the BT天堂College of Business, said. 鈥淲e are privileged to have the support of the Davis Family to bring an exceptional leader like Tom Gordon to share his entrepreneurial vision and strategic focus with our students, faculty and community partners.鈥�

The BT天堂campus is invited to attend, and the event is free and open to the public.

The Davis Family Lecture Series was established in 2010 through a gift from Granger and Jan Davis, and Milton and Claudia Davis. The series features prominent business leaders who have made a significant impact in an industry. As pillars of the BT天堂and Conway community, the Davis Family’s gift to the BT天堂Centennial Campaign: New Vision, New Century inspired a lecture series open to all students, faculty, staff and business community who wish to attend.

More information about the BT天堂College of Business and this special event is available at .

Herron Horton Architects principals Jeff Horton, AIA, LEED AP, and Jennifer Herron, AIA.

The University of Central Arkansas will host Herron Horton Architects, a Little Rock-based architecture and interior design firm, for a multiday residency April 10 and April 13-17, with events that showcase the intersection of art, architecture and human-centered design.

The residency will feature a public exhibition, panel discussion and keynote-style conversation highlighting Herron Horton Architects鈥� approach to design, craft, and the relationship between people and place. The exhibition 鈥淎rt + Architecture: Sculpture + Scale鈥� will be on view daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Carmen Thompson Gallery at the Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts.

Additional public events include a panel discussion and a Keystone Conversation exploring the firm鈥檚 design process and residency experience. All events are located on the BT天堂campus and are open to the public and free of charge, with no tickets required for entry.

The full schedule for the Herron Horton Architects residency is as follows:

• Friday, April 10, and Monday-Friday, April 13-17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 鈥� Public Event: 鈥淎rt + Architecture: Sculpture + Scale鈥� exhibition, Carmen Thompson Gallery, Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 2150 Bruce Street, Conway.
• Tuesday, April 15, 6:30-8:30 p.m. 鈥� Public Event: Panel Discussion with Herron Horton Architects, Concert Hall, Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts.
• Wednesday, April 16, 1:40-2:30 p.m. 鈥� Public Event: Keystone Conversation, 鈥淟earning by Design: Inside the Herron Horton Residency Experience,鈥� Keystone Steps, Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts.

Herron Horton Architects is led by principals Jennifer Herron, AIA, and Jeff Horton, AIA, LEED AP, whose complementary passions for people, place, craft and creativity shape the firm鈥檚 human-centered work. Based in Little Rock, Arkansas, they approach architecture as a practice that is rooted in both artistic expression and functional design.

Jennifer Herron, a Little Rock native, earned her architecture degree from the University of Kansas, where she also studied fine art photography. Her experience in the San Francisco Bay Area and Little Rock led her to co-found Herron Horton Architects from a belief that architecture begins with people. Her background in photography informs her sensitivity to light, environment and the emotional qualities of space.

Jeff Horton, originally from the Kansas City area, earned his architecture degree from the University of Kansas and continued his studies at the University of Dortmund in Germany. His curiosity about how buildings are made informs his detail-driven approach to design and his commitment to evolving materials and technologies. In addition to his architectural work, Horton is also a painter through which he explores space and color.

Additional information about the residency is available by contacting Toni Gocke Wyre at awyre@uca.edu.

Leah Fimple playing Jo March.

The University of Central Arkansas Theatre Department has announced its upcoming production of a heartfelt and timeless story of family, ambition and resilience. Based on the beloved novel by Louisa May Alcott, this musical adaptation brings the March sisters to life through soaring music and deeply human storytelling.

Performances are scheduled for April 10, 11, 17 and 18 at 7 each night and April 12 and 19 at 2 p.m. at the James M. Bridges Black Box Theatre in the Windgate Center for the Fine and Performing Arts, 2150 Bruce St., Conway.

Audiences will follow Jo March and her sisters Meg, Beth, and Amy as they navigate the challenges of growing up during the Civil War era, each striving to define their own paths while bound together by love and loyalty. With a sweeping score and poignant narrative, 鈥淟ittle Women: The Broadway Musical鈥� celebrates the enduring power of dreams, creativity and sisterhood.

Directed by Assistant Professor Lauren Carlton, with music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and book by Allan Knee, the production showcases the talent and dedication of UCA鈥檚 student performers, designers and technicians. This moving theatrical experience highlights both the strength of classic literature and the vibrancy of contemporary musical theatre.

BT天堂students, faculty and staff can receive free tickets at the door or at the Reynolds Performance Hall or Windgate box offices. General admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased online. Tickets may also be purchased at the Reynolds Box Office or Windgate Box Office Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by calling BT天堂Ticket Central at (501) 450-3265 or (866) 810-0012.

The University of Central Arkansas has been awarded a $35,000 IDEAS Program grant through the U.S. Department of State for 鈥淪tepping Stones Abroad: Accessible Arts-Based Approaches for Mental Health and Wellbeing in North America,鈥� which seeks to grow study abroad participation among early career, low-/middle-income students, increase Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) in UCA鈥檚 Living Learning Communities, and develop a robust global learning assessment plan for UCA. BT天堂received the only grant in Arkansas during the 2025 award cycle.

The award will be used to develop two new week-long, lower-cost study abroad programs to Montreal, Canada, and Merida, Mexico, in collaboration with the BT天堂Center for Global Learning and Engagement.

鈥溾�楽tepping Stones Abroad鈥� was intentionally designed to be interdisciplinary and appeal to students of all majors,鈥� Dr. Leah Horton, associate dean of the Norbert O. Schedler Honors College, said. 鈥淲e know that this generation of students experience increased mental health struggles, and research shows that engaging in creative pursuits has positive benefits for mental health and overall wellness.

鈥淥ne of the primary goals of this program is to encourage students to tap into their creativity and introduce them to skills, tools and activities that they can utilize over the course of their lives to promote their own mental health and wellbeing.鈥�

The first iteration of the Montreal program will be led by Horton and Dr. Crystal Harris of the School of Language and Literature in May 2027. Dr. Adam Frank of the Honors College and Professor Kayla Gowin of the Department of Psychology and Counseling will lead the Merida program in May 2028.

The U.S. Department of State鈥檚 IDEAS Program awarded grants to 31 U.S. colleges and universities across 24 states to develop international programming for U.S. students that contributes to career readiness and supports American competitiveness, national security interests and international engagement.

IDEAS Program grantees implement projects that expand U.S. study abroad opportunities while advancing key foreign policy goals, including strengthening economic growth, innovation and industry, and promoting freedom and democracy through international academic partnerships. These initiatives prepare U.S. students to contribute to their communities and future careers in ways that support national security and long-term economic prosperity. IDEAS grants support programming in 37 destinations across all world regions, including in Ecuador, India, Japan, Kenya, United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan, strategically expanding the destinations where U.S. students study abroad. More information about the 2025 IDEAS grant recipients and resources designed to expand study abroad opportunities are available at .

The IDEAS Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State supported in its implementation by World Learning.

Guests began the evening with a social hour featuring hors d鈥檕euvres, drinks and live music in the Win and Carmen Thompson Atrium before moving into the Concert Hall for the awards program co-hosted by Dr. Spencer and Leslie Gordy. The program recognized this year鈥檚 Distinguished Alumni, Col. Addie Morris and Dr. Jeff Standridge, while also highlighting the impact of private support on scholarships and student success at UCA.

University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis with the 2026 Distinguished Alumni honoree Col. Addie Morris.

University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis with the 2026 Distinguished Alumni honorees Dr. Jeff Standridge.

One of the evening鈥檚 most memorable moments featured BT天堂Freshman and Foundation Scholarship Recipient Emma Kesterson sharing how scholarship support has shaped her experience and future goals. The program also included remarks from university leadership celebrating recent campus achievements.

Following the program, guests continued the celebration at an after-party in the James Bridges Black Box Theatre, where Tyler Kinchen & The Right Pieces provided live music.

Laurels & Stripes serves as one of the university鈥檚 signature events, celebrating alumni achievement while raising support for students and programs across the university.

Investigative journalist Jerry W. Mitchell

The University of Central Arkansas will host investigative journalist Jerry W. Mitchell for a two-day residency Tuesday, March 31, and Wednesday, April 1, with events that highlight investigative reporting, journalism ethics, and the pursuit of truth and accountability.

Mitchell鈥檚 residency will feature a series of student-focused conversations with journalism classes as well as the public presentation 鈥淭ruth on Trial: An Evening With Journalist Jerry Mitchell.鈥� Most events will take place on the BT天堂campus and are open to the public and free of charge, with no tickets required for entry.

The full schedule for Mitchell鈥檚 residency is as follows:

Tuesday, March 31

• 10:50 a.m.-12:05 p.m., Student Event: Q&A with Beginning Reporting class, Stanley Russ Hall 102.
• 12:15-1:30 p.m., Student Event: Q&A with Media Law and Ethics class, Stanley Russ Hall 109.
• Time and venue TBD, dinner with journalism faculty and students from the Society of Professional Journalists.

Wednesday, April 1

• 11-11:50 a.m., Student Event: Q&A with International Reporting students, Stanley Russ Hall 102.
• Noon-12:50 p.m., Student Event: Q&A with News Editing students, Stanley Russ Hall 102.
• 3-3:50 p.m., Student Event: Q&A with Student Media Outlets (newspaper, yearbook, television station), Stanley Russ Hall 103.
• 7-8 p.m., Public Event: 鈥淭ruth on Trial: An Evening With Journalist Jerry Mitchell,鈥� Stanley Russ Hall 103.

Jerry W. Mitchell is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, MacArthur 鈥淕enius Grant鈥� recipient and author of 鈥淩ace Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era.鈥� During his distinguished career at The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi, Mitchell鈥檚 relentless and meticulous reporting helped lead to the long-overdue convictions of notorious Ku Klux Klansmen responsible for some of the most notorious racially motivated crimes in American history, including the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, the assassination of civil rights leader Medgar Evers and the Mississippi Burning murders.

Mitchell is also the founder of the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and training a new generation of investigative journalists. Guided by a deep commitment to justice, his work combines rigorous reporting with powerful storytelling to uncover truths long buried by silence and indifference.

More information about the residency is available by contacting Dr. Donna Stephens at donnals@uca.edu.

Vice President for University Advancement Mary Lackie, Association of Future Alumni President Julian Martinez, Student Government Association President Kylie McGraw, Senior Director of Annual Giving Haley Fowler and University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis

The University of Central Arkansas community came together March 12 for the university鈥檚 12th annual Day of Giving, with a record 3,115 donors participating during the 24-hour campaign.

Those gifts totaled $1,204,379 in support of scholarships, programs and opportunities for BT天堂students.

鈥淥ne of the most meaningful things about Day of Giving is seeing so many people come together to support UCA,鈥� President Houston Davis said. 鈥淎lumni, students, faculty, staff, parents and friends all step forward because they believe in our students and the work happening across this campus.鈥�

Day of Giving is designed to rally the university community around a shared goal: supporting the people and programs that shape the BT天堂experience. Donors were able to direct gifts to a variety of areas including scholarships, academic programs and student initiatives.

The results were announced Friday during a campus celebration at Buffalo Alumni Hall. Participation stood out in this year鈥檚 event, with supporters giving from 38 states and 70 countries.

鈥淒ay of Giving works because people choose to be part of it,鈥� Vice President for University Advancement Mary Lackie said. 鈥淲e saw alumni remembering their time at UCA, students giving back while they are still on campus, and friends of the university stepping forward because they want to see BT天堂continue to thrive.鈥�

Since the event began in 2015, the BT天堂community has raised $9,382,817 through Day of Giving to support a wide range of needs, including scholarships, state-of-the-art equipment, research and experiential learning opportunities that equip students to be leaders in the local, regional and global economies.

More information about Day of Giving and the funds supported through the campaign is available at .