Three Philander Smith Collegiate Choir members Nolan Butler, Heaven Clary, and Shanell Matthews are featured in a virtual performance by the HBCU National Concert Choir that was a part of the White House Initiative for Historically Black Colleges and Universities 2020.
These students are a part of the 105 Voices of Historically Black Colleges and Universities National Video Initiative performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “United as One Global Voice.” All 105 HBCUs across the nation are represented.
According to Clary, “Over the summer, Dr. Stephen Hayes gave me an opportunity of a lifetime. In July of 2020, he asked me if I would do this audition and be a representative of Philander Smith College, and of course, I told him yes.”
Each student selected received a certificate of appreciation in recognition of their participation in this first-of-a-kind performance. The event premiered on YouTube September 23, as a kick-off for National HBCU Week 2020.
Territorial Arkansas: The Wild Western Frontier will be displayed at Williams Baptist University October 6 – 14. The traveling exhibit tells the story of the Arkansas Territory, and it will be on display in WBU’s Felix Goodson Library.
The exhibit consists of 15 panels that explore the history of Arkansas Territory though the collections of the Arkansas State Archives and their branch archives, the Northeast Arkansas Regional Archives in Powhatan and the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives in Washington.
On March 2, 1819, President James Monroe signed a congressional act that established Arkansas Territory from the southern portion of Missouri Territory. The new territory was a wild frontier on the western edge of the United States, where politicians settled debates by deadly duels.
Formerly a colony of France and Spain, the land had only become part of the United States 16 years prior as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. After its creation, Arkansas Territory had an influx of settlers who established small communities and isolated homesteads.
Territorial and county governments were set up, businesses opened, and workers of various trades moved to the territory to help it flourish. Initially Arkansas Territory included what is now Oklahoma, but through changes in boundary lines and the relocation of Native Americans further and further west, the territory’s land was reduced to its present size in 1828. After 17 years as a territory, Arkansas was admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state.
“I am very pleased that Williams Baptist University is sharing Territorial Arkansas: The Wild Western Frontier with their visitors and community,” said Dr. Wendy Richter, the Arkansas State Archives’ Director. “Created to commemorate the Bicentennial of Arkansas Territory, this exhibit allows us to bring the incredible Arkansas Territory resources of the Arkansas State Archives to local communities throughout the state.”
Admission is free, and the exhibit will be open during regular library hours. Felix Goodson Library is located at 91 W Fulbright near the west entrance to the WBU campus. For more information, contact Joel Olive at (870) 759-4139 or jolive@williamsbu.edu.
Williams is a private, Christian university in Walnut Ridge.
Ouachita Baptist University has been named “#2 Best Regional College in the South” for the second consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report. The university landed high honors in other categories in the region, as well, including #4 rankings for “Most Innovative” and “Best Undergraduate Teaching” and #5 for “Best Value.”
The U.S. News rankings come as Ouachita has its highest fall enrollment in 20 years and the highest four-year graduate rate on record for the institution.
“It’s exciting and gratifying to see this affirmation of the innovative educational models Ouachita has developed over the last several years,” said Dr. Stan Poole, Ouachita’s vice president of academic affairs. “From embedding undergraduate research into the curriculum to pioneering online and graduate programs that address critical needs for our state and region, we have expanded the university’s reach by capitalizing on the expertise and creativity of our faculty.”
The “Most Innovative” ranking is defined by U.S. News as “schools the public should be watching because of the cutting-edge changes the colleges are making on their campuses.” This ranking was determined by peer nomination. College presidents, provosts and admissions deans may nominate up to 15 schools already listed in the “Best College” rankings who they consider have a particular strength in the area. To be selected, a college also had to receive seven or more nominations.
“I’m especially pleased that Ouachita earned this distinction while simultaneously being recognized for outstanding undergraduate teaching,” Poole added. “Year after year our students affirm the quality of our faculty and the strong tradition of teaching excellence, grounded in personal relationships, that distinguishes their Ouachita educational experience.”
The “Best Undergraduate Teaching” ranking “focuses on schools where faculty and administrators are committed to teaching undergraduate students in a high-quality manner,” said U.S. News. It also is chosen by peer nomination.
Additionally, Ouachita’s Hickingbotham School of Business was listed in the U.S. News “Best Undergraduate Business Programs” nationwide. The ranking is based solely on the judgments of deans and senior faculty members at peer institutions accredited by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB); Ouachita is one of only nine private, undergraduate-only schools in the world to be accredited by AACSB. A school or program had to receive seven or more top-15 nominations to be listed.
The “#2 Best Regional College in the South” ranking includes both public and private colleges and considers peer assessment and average first year retention rate. In the South region, Ouachita trails only High Point University, a college in North Carolina with an enrollment of 4,590.
“These recognitions come as we begin the fall semester with the highest enrollment the university has seen in 20 years and are further evidence that Ouachita is rising,” said Dr. Ben Sells, Ouachita president. “They speak to distinctive qualities we are proud of – providing an excellent and affordable education, embracing innovation, and supporting our students in the classroom and beyond to meet their educational and career goals.”
The “#5 Best Value College in the South” ranking weighs academic quality and cost after accounting for total expenses and financial aid. Schools were scored based on factors including average discount and percentage of students awarded aid.
Ouachita also was included in U.S. News’ “A+ Schools for B Students” list, which recognizes schools with an environment where students of all levels are likely to succeed. Ouachita is one of only three colleges in the South and one of 17 regional colleges nationwide to be listed. The ranking considers, among other things, student GPA and the university’s freshman-to-sophomore retention rate.
Ouachita Baptist University, a private liberal arts university in Arkadelphia, Ark., is in its 135th year as a Christ-centered learning community. Its seven academic schools include business, Christian studies, education, fine arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. For more information, visit www.obu.edu or call 800-DIAL-OBU.
Let Us March On, which documents and contextualizes the Black Lives Matter movement in Arkansas, will open at the Windgate Museum of Art on Friday, September 25, 2020, and will be on display through January 22, 2021. The exhibition will be on display in the Window Gallery, which is visible at all times from the exterior of the museum. A wide variety of virtual programs will accompany the exhibition, including virtual talks by the curator and participating artists, films, panel discussions, and podcasts. Guest curator for the exhibition is Stephanie Sims, Director of the Museum and Cultural Center at the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
The exhibition includes a rich mix of documentary photographs, artwork, artifacts, interactives, and narrative text. Let Us March On reveals how the efforts of the Black Lives Matter movement motivated activism amongst youth and allies to advocate against racial inequality and police brutality nationwide. The exhibition looks at those stories from a local perspective but situated within the larger national and international movement, because change begins locally.
“When thinking of the Black Lives Matter movement we often focus on its national influence while overlooking its impact on our local community,” said Stephanie Sims, guest curator for Let Us March On. “Hundreds of Arkansans gathered and began marching and demanding justice for the victims and their families, as well as accountability from police departments. As the guest curator for Let Us March On, it is my mission to dismantle negative depictions of the movement by educating our audience on the importance of the movement’s activisms and advocacies.”
“Stephanie Sims has done an outstanding job of bringing the story of the Black Lives Matter movement in Arkansas to life in our Window Gallery,” said Mary Kennedy, director of the Windgate Museum of Art. “Through a variety of media, she has captured what the movement means for all Arkansans. We are grateful to her, the participating artists and photographers, the Exhibition Planning Team, and the contributors for allowing Hendrix College to organize this timely exhibition.”
For information about various programs and activities for Let Us March On, please follow @windgatemuseum on Instagram and @WMAatHDX on Facebook. For more information, contact Amanda Cheatham at 501-328-2383 or cheatham@hendrix.edu.
About the Windgate Museum of Art
The Windgate Museum of Art is the new art museum located on the campus of Hendrix College. With a vision to be the premier teaching art museum in Arkansas, the WMA presents outstanding art exhibitions, compelling educational programs, and invigorating social activities for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to campus. Free and open to all, the museum uses hands-on experiences to train students in all facets of museum work, including curatorial research, collection management, educational and social programming, marketing and communications, as well as all aspects of exhibition research, planning, installation, and evaluation. The Windgate Museum of Art is made possible with the generous support of the Windgate Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
University of the Ozarks Chaplain Rev. Jeremy Wilhelmi has been appointed by the Presbyterian College Chaplains Association (PCCA) to represent the group on the board of directors of the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities (APCU).
Wilhelmi is filling an unexpired term on the board due to the departure of the current president of the PCCA. He will move up from vice president to president of PCCA and his term on the APCU board is schedule to run through February 2021.
The APCU is an independent, non-profit association that is dedicated to assisting the 56 Presbyterian-affiliated colleges and universities throughout the United States. U of O President Richard Dunsworth is the immediate past chair of the board.
Wilhelmi has served as the chaplain of the U of O since 2016.
“I am honored to fill this role on the APCU board,” Wilhelmi said. “The APCU recognizes the important role chaplains play on their campuses. I hope my role will continue to strengthen those bonds along with strengthening the ties between our institutions and the Presbyterian Church (USA.) I look forward to good work ahead.”
A native of Hot Springs, Ark., Wilhelmi joined Ozarks in August 2016 after serving the previous three and a half years as associate pastor for youth ministry at Salisbury Presbyterian Church in Virginia. He has also served as a youth and family minister and camp director in North Carolina, Texas, and Arkansas, since graduating from Arkansas Tech with a degree in music in 2003 and from the Columbia Theological Seminary with a master of divinity degree in 2007. Wilhelmi and his wife, Whitleigh, have two sons, Beckett and Jasper.
As part of its mission, the APCU advocates the important, ongoing role that higher education plays within the Presbyterian Church (USA) and assists presidents in the development of strategies that fulfill their respective institutional missions. APCU member institutions are eligible to participate in APCU-sponsored programs that include an insurance and risk management program, an international student exchange with institutions in Northern Ireland and a tuition exchange for children of faculty and staff members.
For former University of the Ozarks Walton Scholar Juan Pablo Vivar ’04, it is an exciting time to be working in the finance industry.
Juan Pablo Vivar
Vivar is living in Mexico City and working as a senior consultant at the Dubai-based Amarante Consulting, a firm that offers advisory projects to a variety of public and private institutions in digital transformation and digital financial services. He works with financial intermediaries and associations in Mexico and throughout Central and South America, assisting in the development of digital strategies.
“These are the most exciting days to be working in financial services,” Vivar said. “Financial services had not been updated for more than 100 years and now we’re seeing the acceleration of innovation and mobile technologies that are allowing financial institutions to operate in a whole new competitive environment. Thanks to this wave of innovation and digitalization, the most vulnerable segments of society, especially in developing economies, are having the opportunity to have access to financial services and products and make a true difference in their lives.”
Originally from Guatemala City, Vivar graduated from Ozarks with Magna Cum Laude honors with a double major in business administration and marketing. Except for a year completing an MBA in finance in the United Kingdom, Vivar has lived in Mexico City since 2011.
His current position allows him to combine his experience in and passion for technology and finance.
“My responsibilities include different tasks from business development, preparation of project proposals, client relationship management, institutional assessments and recommendations and building and developing business cases, models and feasibility studies,” Vivar said. “Basically, I’m working with clients to co-design solutions and create digital routes that help them maximize the digital wave within their institutions.”
Vivar especially likes helping underserved populations in his role. He works with clients throughout Central and South America as well as the Caribbean.
“The whole purpose of supporting financial institutions is to expand the access of quality financial services,” he said. “These institutions serve mainly micro, small and medium size companies, and undeserved individuals. It’s a very fulfilling career to be able to help individuals have the opportunity to expand their businesses, obtain a mortgage loan, facilitate their transactions, respond to a family emergency, modernize their houses, and those types of things. The lack of access to finance is the main challenged faced by many of these individuals and businesses, who represent approximately 90 percent of the total number of companies, 40 percent of the GDP, and more than 60 percent of the total labor force of the emerging economies.”
When looking back at his time at Ozarks, Vivar said he values most his acquisition of soft skills and the growth in his faith.
“Besides obtaining a degree from an American university and being able to speak a second language, I believe my time at Ozarks helped me in discipline, focus, self-confidence and networking. Those areas really helped me build my career,” Vivar said. “ I also got involved since my first days in Alpha and Omega campus ministries, an organization dedicated to spreading the Gospel on campus and organizing yearly relief trips to Central America. I started as a junior member and became the president of the organization during my last year. I also participated actively in a student-led Spanish Bible study called ‘Amisadai,’ which met every Friday during the school year for praise and worship events for the Spanish speaking students and the community. We shared the word of God in a cool, youthful manner. I am very thankful to the Baptist Collegiate Ministry for letting us use their facilities and for their unconditional support during those years.”
Vivar and his wife, Alejandra Leon, have been married since 2015. He said receiving the call in 2000 from former WISP Director Dr. Rickey Casey that he had earned the Walton Scholarship remains a transformational moment in his life.
“I came from humble origins and my parents were not able to afford my university education,” Vivar said. “I had not attended a bilingual school back home, so attending a university in the United States represented a big challenge in terms of the language. Dr. Casey truly trusted that I was going to contribute to the WISP program and that I would improve my English since the first day in Clarksville. I will always be grateful to Dr. Casey, Ozarks and the Walton family.”
John Brown University is one of the best colleges to work for in the nation for the sixth consecutive year, according to the Great Colleges to Work For survey administered by The Chronicle of Higher Education. This workplace recognition program, now in its 13th year, identify colleges and universities that receive top ratings from their employees regarding workplace practices and policies.
Nationally, JBU is one of only 79 institutions to receive Great College recognition, among the 42 institutions on the Honor Roll for elite performance in four or more categories and placed top 10 within the small enrollment size category.
JBU received distinct honors for best workplace practices and policies in 10 of 12 categories: collaborative governance; compensation and benefits; confidence in senior leadership; facilities, workspace and security; job satisfaction; respect and appreciation; supervisor/department chair relationship; work/life balance; and professional/career development programs, a new distinction this year.
“This distinction is especially meaningful during this challenging year,” said JBU President Chip Pollard. “Our faculty and staff have responded with incredible flexibility and diligence to the changes needed to fulfill our mission during the pandemic. To know that they continue to think highly of working at JBU is deeply humbling.”
To administer the survey and analyze the results, The Chronicle of Higher Education worked with ModernThink LLC, a strategic human capital consulting firm that has conducted many “Best Places to Work” programs, surveying hundreds of thousands of employees nationwide.
The survey results, based primarily on employee feedback, included a two-part assessment from each institution: an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies, and a survey distributed to faculty, administrators and professional support staff.
Great Colleges to Work For is one of the largest and most respected workplace recognition programs in the country. For more information and to view the survey results, visit www.greatcollegeslist.com.
John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked regional university (U.S. News Best Colleges, 2021), JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 37 states and 48 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 majors, with top programs including nursing, psychology, kinesiology, engineering, biology, family and human services, and graphic design.
Lyon graduate Iva Popović, ’20, is stepping off the volleyball court and into her new role as financial manager for STARS Academy in Batesville.
STARS Academy is a locally-owned therapy clinic and developmental preschool. As financial manager, Popović maintains financial services by assisting the executive management team
with budget planning and by offering insights and financial advice that will allow the team to make the best business decisions for the company.
“My job allows me to implement the theoretical knowledge I learned at Lyon and see it work in real life,” she said.
Popović learned about the theory of corporate finance from her economics and business finance professors, preparing her for her current position.
“I am learning how a small business actually runs, not just from a financial standpoint but also from a human resources and, in STARS Academy’s case, a therapy standpoint, too.”
She continued, “It feels great that I am finally able to practice what I was learning about for five years.”
Popović also collects, interprets and reviews financial information, predicting future financial
trends and reporting them to management. She reviews, monitors and manages budgets for both of STARS’ North and South locations in Batesville.
“My favorite part of working at STARS is that I indirectly get to help the kids and work with an
awesome group of people,” she said, “including Lyon men’s basketball alum, David Brogdon, ’93.”
The job opportunity also allowed Popović, a native of Novi Sad, Serbia, to stay in Batesville.
“International students like myself have limited employment options during our time in college,” she said.
This obstacle was made even more challenging by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Finding a job during a global pandemic was extremely challenging and stressful,” Popović said, “but I believe that every stressful situation in life only makes us better and stronger.”
“Perseverance does conquer all!”
She recommends students interested in similar careers participate in as many internship and job shadowing opportunities as possible.
“That experience is very valuable later on,” Popović said. “Network and put yourself out there as much as possible.”
She encourages students to keep an open mind when looking for a career.
“Don’t be afraid to venture out of your comfort zone and be open to all opportunities that come your way, especially in the times we are in.”
For the fifth consecutive year, John Brown University is the top-ranked regional university in Arkansas according to U.S. News and World Report, released today.
JBU ranked 12th out of 133 southern universities in the 2021 U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Universities list. Other Arkansas schools in the cohort include Harding University, Arkansas State University, University of Central Arkansas, Henderson State University, Arkansas Tech University and Southern Arkansas University.
“We are honored to again be recognized by U.S. News,” said Ed Ericson, vice president for academic affairs. “The faculty and staff at JBU are dedicated to providing students with a rigorous Christian education that prepares them to excel in their chosen field.”
U.S. News & World Report is widely recognized as a leader in higher education rankings and a key resource for a student’s college search. To determine its rankings, U.S. News evaluates graduation and student retention rates, class size, student-to-faculty ratio, SAT and ACT scores, alumni giving rate and peer assessment.
“The past six months have been a clear illustration of the level of dedication of our faculty and staff as they both pivoted to remote education in the spring, and then prepared for in-person education this fall with COVID-19 precautions,” said Dr. Chip Pollard, JBU president. “It is encouraging that U.S. News recognizes JBU’s excellence, but we also see it every day in the faculty and staff’s service to students.”
U.S. News also recognized JBU as “A School for B Students,” a top school in “Undergraduate Engineering” and a top performer in “Social Mobility,” a category that measures graduation rates for students who have received Pell Grants. For more information on U.S. News’ ranking methodology, visit https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/rankings-methodologies.
John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked regional university (U.S. News Best Colleges, 2021), JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 37 states and 48 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 majors, with top programs including nursing, psychology, kinesiology, engineering, biology, family and human services, and graphic design.
