Department News

Department holds 2026 Pi Sigma Alpha induction ceremony

罢丑别听Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies听held its annual induction ceremony for the听Alpha Beta Theta听Chapter of听Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, in the Fireplace Room of McCastlain Hall on Tuesday, April 16, 2026.听 Dr. Mark Mullenbach, department chair, announced the 2025-2026 inductees, including Taylor Brewer, Micah Castleberry, Summer Charles, Connor Farmer, Caleb Ferguson, Caroline Fortenberry, Kyla Hinton, Yasmine Kouadio, Max Long, Mary Lyle, Kylie McGraw, Stephany Morales, Kamarion Pickett, Sydney Poe, Ava Walker, Lillian Ward, Kayla Wyatt, and Taya Young.听 The department also honored its 2025-2026 Outstanding Students: Political Science 鈥� Caroline Fortenberry, Katelyn Nees, and Richard Ware; Public Administration 鈥� Micah Castleberry and Mitchell Gray; and International Studies 鈥� Lillian Ward.听 Dr. Joseph Howard and Dr. Aaron Sparks served as Faculty Advisors for UCA鈥檚听Pi Sigma Alpha听chapter in 2025-2026.

Posted in: Pi Sigma Alpha on April 17, 2026

BT天堂Model UN students participate in 2026 spring conferences

Several members of the BT天堂Model United Nations (MUN) student organization participated in three conferences during the 2026 spring semester.听 The 2025-2026 officers for the BT天堂MUN student organization included Corbin Williams (president), Hlib Shevchenko (vice-president), Adrian Chavez (secretary), and Gracelynn King (treasurer).听 Dr. Mark Elrod and Dr. Mark Mullenbach of the Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies served as co-faculty advisors for the BT天堂MUN.

On February 18-21, 2026, twelve BT天堂MUN students and Dr. Mark Elrod travelled to St. Louis, Missouri to participate in the 66th Midwest Model United Nations (MMUN) conference.听 The BT天堂MUN students participated as delegates representing the countries of Burkina Faso and Ukraine.听 Julien Mrad, a 2025 BT天堂graduate who majored in international studies and linguistics and a former secretary-general of the Arkansas Model United Nations (AMUN), was presented a best position paper award for his representation of Burkina Faso in the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA).

Julien Mrad and four current BT天堂students (Hlib Shevchenko, Corbin Williams, Kyle Urban, and Omar Jarkas) served on the staff of a high school Model United Nations conference held at Conway High School on March 13-14, 2026.听 Participating in the conference as delegates were more than 50 students from Conway High School, Little Central High School, Little Rock Catholic High School, and Maumelle Charter High School.

Nine BT天堂MUN members participated in the Ozark Regional Model Arab League (OZMAL) Conference at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri on April 10-11, 2026.听 Delegations from Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK), Oral Roberts University (Tulsa, OK), Drury University (Springfield, MO), and Missouri State University (Springfield, MO) also participated in the conference.听 The BT天堂students represented the countries of Bahrain (Taylor Brewer, Lillian Ward, and Maritsa Rosas); Egypt (Waylon Matthews, Hlib Shevchenko, and Kyle Urban); and Saudi Arabia (Elizabeth Velasco-Moya, Cobin Williams, and Jasmine Strickland) in the Joint Defense Council, Political Affairs Council, and Environmental Affairs Council.听 During the closing ceremony on April 11th, several of the students were recognized with awards, including Corbin Williams (Outstanding Delegate), Waylon Matthews (Distinguished Delegate), Elizabeth Velasco-Moya (Honorable Mention), Kyle Urban (Outstanding Delegate), and Maritsa Rosas (Distinguished Delegate).

Posted in: BT天堂Model UN on March 17, 2026

Department students complete 2025 summer internships

Emmet Brick, dual听degree in Public Administration and Logistics/Supply Chain Management
鈥淭his summer, I interned at the Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office. I first began working in the Election Division, working on a petition project that gave me valuable insight into how the division collects and stores information related to petitions. I then worked under an Inventory Specialist in the Business Office, which gave me the opportunity to see all the duties performed by the Secretary of State as we had to account for the equipment used by various departments. Overall, it was a transformative experience that gave me valuable insight into how our state government operates.鈥�

Georgia Miller, Public Administration major and Political Science minor
“I had the opportunity to intern for The CALL, a local nonprofit that equips, educates, and trains current and future foster parents. I had the privilege of managing events, running social media accounts, and spreading awareness to the community that every child deserves a loving home. This organization has opened my eyes by shedding light on how much we take everything for granted. Working with this organization for over a year has allowed me to grow and develop my future career in the nonprofit sector.”

Mary Lyle, Political Science Major and Journalism Minor
“Over the summer, I had the opportunity to intern at STOPDV, a nonprofit in Conway. While I was there, my main tasks included going to weekly court meetings and taking notes on cases related to domestic violence, organizing files, and working on longstanding projects related to outreach and reducing recidivism. Through my time at STOPDV, I learned how nonprofits function and the amount of dedication it takes to continuously fight for victims in the legal system. ”

Posted in: Student News on December 10, 2025

Department student selected for Arkansas Collegiate Civic Leadership Academy

Kylie McGraw, public administration major in the Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies (GPI), was selected for the inaugural Arkansas Collegiate Civic Leadership Academy at the 听 The Academy prepares the next generation of public leaders by bringing together students from colleges and universities in Arkansas to engage in academic discussions, practical training, and service-learning.听 Students gain the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to become effective community leaders. The program culminates in the awarding of a Civic Arkansas Credential.

Kylie is a senior public administration major from Little Rock.听 Kylie is serving as the President of the BT天堂Student Government Association (SGA) and the Secretary of the Public Administration (PA) Club in 2025-2026.听 After graduation from UCA, Kylie will be pursuing a law degree and hopes one day to become an elected official and policymaker in her community.

Dr. Kim Hoffman, Director of the undergraduate public administration program and Director of the NextGen Service Corps program in the Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies (GPI), commends McGraw鈥檚 leadership as SGA president and for representing BT天堂in the first cohort of the civic leadership academy.听 According to Dr. Hoffman, 鈥淜ylie embodies the kind of student we have in the GPI Department who strives to make her community better, seeks opportunities to become more civically engaged, and aspires to be a future change agent and problem-solver.鈥�

Posted in: Student News on December 5, 2025

Department hosts 60th Arkansas Model United Nations (AMUN) Conference at UCA

The Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies (GPI) hosted the 60th Arkansas Model United Nations (AMUN) Conference at BT天堂on November 21-22, 2025.听 A total of 565 high school students from the states of Arkansas and Louisiana participated in the conference.听 Attending the opening session on Friday, November 21st were several former AMUN secretaries-general, including Brett Newcomb (AMUN S-G 1968), Larry Lanes (AMUN S-G 1976), and Bill Waddell (AMUN S-G 1977).听 David Gruber (AMUN S-G 1967) observed committee and plenary sessions on Saturday, November 22nd.听听Kyle Urban served as AMUN S-G in 2025.听 Dr. Don Baker, former BT天堂instructor and AMUN coordinator, gave the keynote address during the opening session.听 Dr. Baker has been a Foreign Service Officer (FSO) with the U.S. Department of State since 2005. The AMUN was established by Professor Simms McClintock during the fall of 1966.听 The first AMUN conference was held in January 1967.听 The second and third AMUN conferences were held in January and December 1968.

Posted in: AMUN on December 1, 2025

BT天堂Model UN students participate in 15th ACMUN Conference at Harding University

Seventeen members of the BT天堂Model United Nations (MUN) student organization represented nine countries at the 15th Arkansas Collegiate Model United Nations (ACMUN) Conference held at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas on Friday, November 7, 2025.听 More than 60 delegates from Arkansas State University-Jonesboro, Harding University, John Brown University, Northwest Arkansas Community College, and BT天堂represented countries in the Security Council, Council of the Arab League, Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC), and Human Rights Council (HRC).听 The BT天堂delegations included France (Dice Ferguson and Bethany Alford), Greece (Hlib Shevchenko), Haiti (Jasmine Strickland), Japan (Adrian Chavez and Natalie Hood), South Korea (Stephany Morales and Izzy Funes), Qatar (Corbin Williams, Waylon Matthews, Connor Farmer, and Elizabeth Velasco-Moya), Saudi Arabia (Codie Cash), South Africa (Taylor Brewer, Lillian Ward, and Maritsa Rosas), and Turkey (Ava Walker).听 At the end of the conference, awards were presented to the Best Delegates and Best Delegations, including members of UCA’s delegations to the conference: Hlib Shevchenko (Greece) was presented the Best Delegate award in the Security Council.听 Corbin Williams and Waylon Matthews (Qatar) were presented the Best Delegate-Honorable Mention award in the Economic & Social Council.听 In addition, Best Delegation-Honorable Mention awards were presented to UCA’s delegations representing Greece and Qatar.

Posted in: ACMUN on November 8, 2025

Department presents 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards

Dr. Mark Mullenbach, Chair of the Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies, presented distinguished alumni awards to Benjamin W. Hovland (Class of 2000) and Troy B. Braswell, Jr. (Class of 2002) during a听reception hosted by the department in Buffalo Alumni Hall on Thursday, September 18, 2025.听 Several alumni, faculty, students, and other guests attending the reception were welcomed by BT天堂President Houston Davis.听 A graduate of the University of Central Arkansas in May 2000 with a BA degree in Political Science,听Benjamin Hovland听earned a JD degree from the University of Oregon in 2007.听 After serving for six years as Senior Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules & Administration, Hovland was appointed to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) in Washington DC in 2018.听 Hovland’s appointment was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a unanimous vote on January 2, 2019.听 Hovland served as chair of the EAC in 2020-2021 and 2024-2025.听听Troy Braswell, Jr.听graduated from BT天堂in August 2002 with a BS degree in Political Science and from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law with a JD degree in 2005.听 Between 2005 and 2024, Braswell worked as a law clerk for Circuit Court Judge Tim Fox, deputy prosecuting attorney in Pulaski County, and chief deputy prosecutor for the Arkansas 20th Judicial District, which covers Faulkner, Van Buren, and Searcy counties in Arkansas.听 In 2014, Braswell was elected to a six-year term as Circuit Court Judge in the Second Division of the 20th Judicial District.听 He was elected to a second term in 2020.听 Among his other responsibilities, Judge Braswell presides over the Juvenile Court in the Arkansas 20th Judicial District.

The 2025 distinguished alumni, Benjamin W. Hovland and Troy Braswell Jr., pictured with their award plaques

Posted in: Distinguished Alumnus Award on October 23, 2025

GPI Department awarded grant for NextGen Service program

The University of Central Arkansas has partnered with the听听to join the听听(NextGen Service), a nationwide network of higher education institutions committed to preparing undergraduate students for public service. BT天堂is the first institution of higher education in Arkansas to join this network to inspire and prepare students to serve their communities.

The Volcker Alliance awarded a $41,485 grant to the Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies (GPI) in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences to design and launch the NextGen Service program on the BT天堂campus. Dr. Kim Hoffman will lead the development of the program along with Dr. Joe Howard and Dr. Kisha Hardwick. The first cohort of students will begin the program in January 2027.

鈥淭he Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies is committed to preparing students for careers in public service and inspiring them to become active participants in their community,鈥� Hoffman said. 鈥淲e envision BT天堂as the place where young people come to learn about public service and gain practical skills to become the next generation of leaders, policymakers and public administrators.鈥�

The NextGen Service program will be open to all students, regardless of major, who express an interest in public service, civic engagement and solving public policy problems. Students in the program will engage in experiential activities including internships and community service activities, enjoy access to exclusive events and activities, network with public service professionals, and engage with other students from across the country who are dedicated to public service.听听Read more about our department’s plans to join Next Generation Service Corps on UCA’s news pager here.

Posted in: NextGen Service Corps on October 14, 2025

BT天堂Students Commemorate 2025 Constitution Day

As part of UCA鈥檚 commemoration of Constitution Day, students in U.S. Government & Politics courses taught by Dr. Mark Elrod and Dr. Aaron Sparks recited the U.S. Constitution in Griffin Planetarium on Tuesday evening, September 16, 2025.听 Dr. Elrod is a lecturer and Dr. Sparks is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies.听 The U.S. Constitution was signed by 38 delegates representing the 13 original U.S. states in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787.听 The U.S. Constitution officially entered into force on June 21, 1788.

Dr. Elrod pictures leading students in a reading of the U.S. constitution in the Planetarium

Posted in: Constitution Day on September 17, 2025

Department hosts the 2025 International Affairs Summer Camp at UCA

The Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies hosted the Arkansas and the World: International Affairs Summer Camp at the University of Central Arkansas on July 13-18, 2025.听 Previous summer camps were hosted by the department in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, and 2024.听 Forty-seven Arkansas high school students participated in a unique, interactive learning experience designed to enhance their understanding of international relations, international organizations, and diplomacy.听 Early in the week, students participated in educational workshops on international relations, the United Nations, and fundamentals of Model United Nations.听 The students represented assigned countries in interactive simulations of the UN General Assembly, including committee and plenary sessions of the UN General Assembly throughout the week.听 During the week-long summer camp, students participated in several group competitions, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Poster Competition and the Global Trivia Competition.

The International Affairs Summer Camp was funded by an Academic Enrichment for Gifted/Talented in Summer (AEGIS) grant awarded to the department by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE).听 Dr. Mark Mullenbach, Associate听Professor of Political Science and International Studies, and Dr.听Bailey Fairbanks, Assistant Professor of Political Science, served as Co-Directors of the Summer Camp.听 Several college and university students and BT天堂graduates served as summer camp staff members, including Emily Temple, Abby Bunch, Kyle Urban, Julien Mrad, Hlib Shevchenko, Cecilia McCarthy-Galvan, Paul Jonsek, Jacey Hale, and Ian Gayler.听 Guest speakers during the summer camp included Manuel Rapalo,听a BT天堂graduate who formerly worked as a journalist for Al-Jazeera Media Network and currently works as a podcast presenter for Al-Jazeera Podcasts in Los Angeles, CA; and Mouaz Moustafa, a BT天堂graduate who has served as the Executive Director of the Syrian Emergency task Force (SETF) in Washington DC and Little Rock since 2011.

Posted in: International Affairs Summer Camp on August 26, 2025