This year the chapter wants you to help make the week’s events bigger and better than last year by becoming a volunteer. Have fun and help your alma mater make this the best year yet for RazorRock by assisting with events, promotion and logistics. If you are interested in helping make RazorRock 2010 better than last year just drop us an email at capitalchapter@razorbackroad.com with your name and phone number today.

Jay Chesshir BSBA’85, president and C.E.O. of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, will be the guest speaker during the chapter’s Career Networking Reception. Make plans to attend and learn how the chapter and the Alumni Association can help you find a shining professional future.

Also stick around for the RazorRock Ladies Night Out/Tailgate Shopping extravaganza featuring Razorback clothing and accessories presented by Inviting Co. and Revelry Jewels on Tuesday, Sept. 7^th.

Join us as we take a tour of War Memorial Stadium’s renovated press box on Friday, at the RazorRock Luncheon, with Chuck Barrett, host of “The Bobby Petrino Show” and “Razorback Classics” television shows. He will tell us about the old press box and the upcoming football season.

Most of all, be sure to purchase a commemorative RazorRock wristband with proceeds going toward helping Central Arkansas students attend the University of Arkansas through the Capital Chapter Scholarship fund. In addition to supporting future students and showing your Razorback pride, the wristbands can be worn to receive discounts at participating businesses, including Lindsey’s Hospitality House throughout RazorRock week.

Tell us “How have your Arkansas connections helped you succeed?” in your professional career by sharing their name and class or company along with a brief story of how this individual helped you.

The Arkansas Alumni Coffee Store offers fresh-roasted, gourmet-quality coffee delivered to your door on a schedule you control! The store carries a wide variety of gourmet coffees from the Callao Coffee Company as well as quality teas and specialty drinks from other fine makers.  They roast daily and ship within 24-36 hours so you receive your fresh-roasted coffee usually within five days!

The products are price competitively with retail, so this program simply allows you to re-direct your existing coffee purchases from the grocer to Arkansas Alumni while enjoying a fresh- roasted coffee experience each morning! The Association receives a royalty on every item purchased in the store. Now you can effortlessly support the Association simply by purchasing coffee or tea at our store, and wake up each morning with pride in Arkansas!

In addition to providing an exceptional product, Callao Coffee is committed to making a difference in the world and serving a compassionate corporate citizen.  Their stewardship focus has led them to partner with and support many organizations including Orphan Helpers, The Rainforest Alliance, the Northwest Shade Coffee Campaign, Bird Friendly, Farmer Friendly and Free Trade. Visit http://www.callaocoffee.com/pgPblcStwd.aspx to learn more about the stewardship practices of Callao Coffee.

The distribution of these 50,000 Hog Wild totes will allow University of Arkansas alumni and Razorback fans to show their team spirit while reducing their community’s carbon footprint on the environment.  Using these 50,000 totes just four times will replace 800,000 plastic shopping bags.  The production of these 50,000 habitotes® will also remove 250,000 plastic water bottles from the world’s waste stream.  In addition to these environmental benefits, all habitotes® products are durable and washable.  They last 100 times longer than plastic shopping bags and allow shoppers to hold up to four times as much.

As a sponsor of the program, the Association will gain awareness through our logo presence on these fashionable symbols of Razorback and University of Arkansas pride. The Association is also committed to sustainability through its support of the University’s sustainability efforts, certification as GreeNWAy certified business by the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, and its pending certification as a Green Nonprofit. Participating in this program is a visible sign of sustainability in action among the University of Arkansas family.

habitotes® is a Northwest Arkansas-based company which markets reusable totes made with material comprised of 80% recycled water bottles. Their mission is to help reduce our use of plastic bags – most of which are not recyclable – and create a solution for the huge number of grocery bags that already litter our environment.  The Hog Wild habitote® is modeled after a very successful program conducted last December in which 50,000 habitotes® were distributed with the support of the City of Fayetteville, Fayetteville Public Schools , the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce and the Fayetteville Visitor’s Bureau.

Alumni and friends are invited to like habitotes® on Facebook and become a follower on Twitter to get the latest details on this program and to participate in giveaway promotions surrounding the distribution of the Hog Wild tote.

The Association invites alumni and Razorback fans to also join the Razorback habitotes® program. Please visit www.habitotes.com or contact Greg Sparrow at 479-236-2268 or sparrow@habitotes.com to learn how your organization can show its strong support of the environment and the Razorbacks.

Razorback CareerLink, a product of NACElink and Symplicity, is provided to UA students and alumni by the UA Career Development Center, the Walton College Career Development Center and the Arkansas Alumni Association. Considered the world’s largest network of college and university career centers, NACElink, the parent system of Razorback CareerLink, includes over five million employers.  The University of Arkansas is now providing students and alumni with cutting edge tools and resources to help them reach their career goals.

Razorback CareerLink is available now for current students and alumni to login at  http://careerlink.uark.edu.  Students will use their current U of A username and password to access the system, while Alumni Association members will use their current e-mail and a unique password.  Alumni will receive an e-mail from Razorback CareerLink with this information, but they are also encouraged to use the forgotten password tool to obtain their password.  Once logged in, users will verify their profile information and will need to upload their resume.

Employers also have a new dedicated site to utilize in posting job opportunities for current students and alumni.  If alumni have job opportunities to post, they will need to utilize this page in order to establish a company profile.

We are delighted to be able to offer this great new service to Alumni Association members. This new system is top of the line and will provide our most recent graduates to our most experienced alumni the career tools they need to be successful. This product launch represents the first of many exciting new services and programs that the Association will be adding through the next year as part of its Arkansas Alumni Career Network.

Tell us “your predictions” in the comments below and vote up the ones that you like best. You can vote up a comment by clicking the “Like” link next to it.

The program’s purpose is to assist Chamber member organizations to implement best practices for green and sustainable business. This public recognition is a proud accomplishment for the Association’s staff, who are strongly committed to practicing sustainability. Recycling, water and energy conservation, carpooling, reducing copies and communicating with alumni through e-mail when possible are just a few ways the Association remains sustainable. Alumni and friends are encouraged to help the Association stay green by updating their profile and providing their e-mail address.

Other sustainability efforts the Alumni Association is working on include completing the final stages of the certification process for GreenNonprofits, a global movement focused on greening nonprofit workplaces.

The Arkansas Alumni Association challenges other University of Arkansas entities to go green!

This love and dedication for sports, which she strongly exemplified during her time at the university, has translated into her professional career as well. Obtaining her degree in broadcast journalism, Dyer chose to pursue other ventures, but insists that the invaluable lessons and skills she learned from professors Dale Carpenter, Larry Foley and Hoyt Purvis, have helped her in her current profession. She now works as director of the Fayetteville Convention and Visitors Bureau, helping to “promote Fayetteville as a tourist destination.” In the eight years she has spent working for the bureau, she has continued to work closely with the University of Arkansas and its athletic program.

“We work very closely with the athletic department on events and we work with various departments on trying to bring meetings and conferences to Fayetteville,” she said. The Bureau also works to plan events and festivals in the Fayetteville area, allowing people to become more knowledgeable about the area and its residents.

Apart from her position as director of the Visitors Bureau, Dyer serves on the board of directors of Pagnozzi Charities, an organization dedicated to paying for various sports-related programs and leagues, such as football, basketball, baseball and gymnastics, in the Northwest Arkansas area. “The charity makes it possible for kids in Northwest Arkansas to play sports,” she said.

As busy as Dyer may seem, she still finds the time to give back to the university. Her decision to join the Arkansas Alumni Association was never viewed as a “choice,” she claims. As a former student athlete, Dyer recognizes the opportunities that being a Lady Razorback brought her upon graduating in 1995. Her connection to the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the Alumni Association and its athletic programs has continued to open doors for her through the years. Her involvement as an A+ Annual Member of the Arkansas Alumni Association led her to serve on the board of the Razorback ‘A’ Club, an organization for former student athletes, and as a member of the Razorback Foundation, working to promote university athletics and student scholarships. The importance in staying connected to the University of Arkansas makes her feel that by being a member, she is able to help other students, making it all “well worth it.”

A Magnolia native, Nipper graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1971 with an undergraduate degree in finance and banking and a master’s degree in business administration.  He is also a graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking and the national Commercial Lending School.

Nipper’s professional and community service leadership roles have been exemplary. He has served in numerous leadership roles including service as president of the Little Rock Jaycees, a member of the Magnolia City Hospital Board of Commissioners, a member of the Magnolia Arts Council Board, president of the Magnolia United Way and president of the Magnolia/Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, he has worked with Leadership Magnolia and served the Columbia County Community Foundation Board. He has been appointed twice by Arkansas governors in state leadership positions (Commission for Arkansas’s Future appointed by Gov. Bill Clinton and the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority appointed by Gov. Jim Guy Tucker. Nipper was recognized as Magnolia’s 2004 Citizen of the Year.

Having served on the Arkansas Alumni Association’s Board of Directors since July 2003, Nipper is looking forward to his new leadership role. “I am humbled and honored to be elected president of the Alumni Association,” he said. “I am certainly proud to be able to serve. It is gratifying to find a way to give back to my university, which has given me the foundation for my career.”

Former Association president, Gerald Jordan, a University of Arkansas journalism professor, will remain on the Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors for a one-year term as past president.

Tell us “who inspired you” while you were in college by sharing their name and class or department along with a brief story of how this individual inspired you.

While working on her Bachelor of Arts in anthropology, Middleton found herself becoming involved in various organizations, including Alpha Delta Pi sorority. Her involvement didn’t end there, as she later joined several other clubs and programs on campus. Ultimately, this led her to meet Dwayne Bensing, a classmate whom she found to be quite influential. “I had spent the first two years of college very absorbed in Greek Life and Dwayne showed me how many other awesome opportunities for involvement there are,” she said. This connection with Bensing led Middleton to begin working with University Programs as their Cinematic Arts chair, as well as working with the Distinguished Lecture Committee.

Her work through University Programs gave her hands-on experience in budget management and programming events. She quickly realized that what she had learned would be useful when she became part of the Distinguished Lecture Committee.  “When I joined the Distinguished Lecture Committee, I had an even larger budget, comprised of student fees, that I had a direct hand in utilizing,” she said.

Because Middleton is closely tied to the city of Fayetteville, she hopes to continue networking with local residents and alumni. Her status at the university led her to receive the complimentary membership that the Arkansas Alumni Association offers to new graduates.  Middleton realizes just how important it is to be an alumni member because of the opportunities she has been given and feels it’s important to give back to her alma mater, as well as the students who are walking the same paths she took.

“I know how much I appreciated the people who took time to help me and to mentor me,” she said. By getting involved, Middleton goes on to say that “it continues the sense of community that you felt while attending school and helps it carry on in your new life,” which in her experience, leads to a new adventure.

Modica has gone on to achieve academic success as he has earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism, which he was awarded in 2007; a master’s degree, also in journalism, in 2008; and is currently pursuing his doctorate in the Higher Education Leadership Program. “The relationships I built as an undergraduate student are still beneficial to me because many of the people I got to know were professors or staff members, and these individuals still serve as informal mentors to me today,” he said.

Spending much of his educational experience studying journalism, he looked to his departmental professors for guidance and leadership. One of these professors, Gerald Jordan, associate professor of journalism and past president of the Arkansas Alumni Association Board of Directors, became a mentor for Modica during his undergraduate and graduate years. Identifying Jordan as an influential figure, Modica expresses much gratitude when speaking about his former professor. “He consistently encouraged me through difficult times to earn my degree and for that I am forever grateful.”

The impact of the people who have played such positive and encouraging roles in Modica’s life has made him want to reach out to others who may need help while attending the University of Arkansas. “I wanted to be sure that one day I positioned myself to help younger students as people had helped me as an undergraduate,” he said.

Modica is achieving this goal through his work as a graduate assistant in the UA Multicultural Center, where he helps in the diversity efforts of the university, as well as being a member of the Arkansas Alumni Association’s Young Alumni Board. Since graduating in 2007, Modica has found that being involved with the organization has enabled him to stay connected with the University, not only through academics, but through service as well.

That’s right! We want to know “Where do you keep your diploma?” Is it hanging on the wall in your office showing off your pride, home, garage or maybe in that drawer at your parent’s house?

So tell us “Where your diploma is” in the comments below and vote up the ones that you like best. You can vote up a comment by clicking the “Like” link next to it.

While working towards his Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Engineering, McGruder met his wife, Kelly, formed friendships and established connections with faculty and alumni. Dr. Charles Robinson became an influential figure for McGruder, both inside and outside the classroom. “I first met Dr. Robinson in a history class during my sophomore year.  While his class was not the easiest I took in college, he made learning fun and was always willing to help.” He learned that they shared a love for working out and soon found his professor not only encouraging him in the classroom, but in the weight room as well.

During this time, McGruder also became involved in numerous clubs and organizations, including serving as Vice President of Outreach Programs for Student Alumni Board, a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and a participant on the Judicial Board. The experience he gained helped him to become “a better creative decision-maker, a better leader and to not be anything but the best I can be.”

One of his fondest memories is when Elizabeth Underwood, Associate Director with the Arkansas Alumni Association, asked him to accompany former Chancellor John White, his wife, herself and other Alumni staff members on the University plane and fly to Memphis to listen to the Chancellor speak about the Campaign for the 21^st Century. “The experience of flying aboard the University plane, getting to meet and talk with the Chancellor of the University and being selected as a representative of the students at the U of A is one I will never forget,” he said.

McGruders’s involvement with the University of Arkansas did not stop when he graduated in 2006. He now serves on the Young Alumni Board of the Arkansas Alumni Association and provides “insight and my opinion on how the Alumni Association can better serve young/recent alumni.” Being a Recent Grad member of the Alumni Association has allowed him to “stay connected” and “give back to the University of Arkansas,” he said. He has also served on the Department of Biological Engineering Advisory Board. McGruder is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Engineering at the University of Arkansas, while working as a Process Engineer/Spoilage Coordinator at Georgia-Pacific, in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Although he stays busy with work, school and organizational involvement, he continues his efforts to attend as many Razorback sporting events as possible. After all, it allows him to show his support for just one of the things that initially drew him to the University of Arkansas—his love for the Razorbacks.

Recipients from left are: Carol A. Reeves, Larry Foley and Amy Apon

Since 1961, the Arkansas Alumni Association has proudly recognized the exemplary achievements of University of Arkansas faculty through the Distinguished Faculty Achievement Awards amongst three categories of accomplishment: teaching, research/creative activity, and public service.  This year’s recipients will be honored at Homecoming this fall:

Named the recipient for Teaching, Carol A. Reeves, is Associate Professor of Management in the Walton College of Business.  She is lauded as an exceptional individual who has accumulated an impressive record in teaching while dramatically enhancing the entrepreneurial spirit of students.   Nationally recognized for entrepreneurship training and innovative teaching, Reeves founded the S.A.K.E. program (Students Acquiring Knowledge through Enterprise) which is a not-for-profit organization operated by a select group of students within the Walton College of Business.  The business offers students first-hand knowledge of business enterprise operations and is a part of the management curriculum.  Reeves is also well known for the development of business plans through the entrepreneurship course in which students have participated in business competitions landing them with numerous regional and national awards.  Most recently, the “Tears for Life” team (a student run medical diagnostic-equipment company) placed or won in five competitions, earning the team members more than $85,000.  This student-run company is a medical diagnostic-equipment company that is licensing technology from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.  Its screening test uses proteins found in tears to detect breast cancer.

Professor of journalism and 1976 University of Arkansas alumnus, Larry Foley has been named the recipient for Research/Creativity.  Foley’s contributions to the field of documentary video are widely known and his work is highly regarded.  A three-time Emmy award winner, Foley has been a member of the Lemke Department of Journalism faculty for 17 years coming to the university from AETN.  He has developed a body of work that includes 20 documentaries, which have received more than 40 national, regional, academic and professional awards.  Many of his works have been selected for national distribution by the Public Broadcasting System.  Though he is nationally renowned for his work, his most significant contribution has been to the State of Arkansas—in telling stories through images and sound of its natural, cultural and historical heritage.  Included in his works are the Emmy award-winning documentaries:  the 2008 documentary film “The Buffalo Flows” about the first ‘national’ river; the 2007 “Beacon of Hope,” a first-ever documentary film that chronicles the history of the state’s flagship institution of higher learning; and the 2006 documentary “Charles Banks Wilson:  Portrait of an American Artist” on the life of 88-year-old artist and the people he has known and painted.

Professor Amy Apon of Computer Science and Computer Engineering is receiving the award for Service.  She also serves as director of Arkansas High Performance Computing Center.  Apon led the effort to bring a high profile team of experts in high performance computing to the State of Arkansas and coordinate this advisory committee visit with state academic and business leaders.  After presenting the recommendations of this committee to the governor and other advisory councils and committees, the Arkansas Cyberinfrastructure Initiative was funded through the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority in May 2008.  Dr. Apon led initiatives for cyberinfrastructure for the state of Arkansas, which resulted in two bills being passed by the Arkansas General Assembly in support of these initiatives.  The supercomputer resources have been instrumental for the study of computing policies and software architectures.  Besides providing a service to the university as a leader in this industry, Apon also provides extensive professional service to many professional organizations including the coalition for Academic Scientific Computation, Association for Computing machinery, and SIGMETRICS.

Ann Wizer, a senior and Student Alumni Board member, opened the evening with a welcome and introduction of Elizabeth S. Underwood, associate director of the Arkansas Alumni Association. Underwood shared the history of the official ring and the symbolism of its design. Underwood provided wearing instructions for the ring and began the ring presentations. The students were called forward individually, awarded a ceremony certificate and presented in groups by their College or School. The first group represented the first college founded on University of Arkansas campus, the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences and continued in order of the founding dates of each college or school. As each group was presented to the crowd the students proudly put on their rings at the same time.

Following the presentation, each student marked their place in the tradition of the ring by signing the Official Ring Ceremony book.  The book is a permanent record of all ring ceremony participants and is kept in a place of honor in the Underwood Library at the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House.

Check out the Ring Ceremony Photos on Flickr

Holding true to tradition, the ring ceremony ended with the singing of the Alma Mater, led by Wizer, and a special champagne toast by Underwood welcoming the recipients to the Arkansas Alumni Family.

Students who were unable to attend and receive their Official Ring can pick it up at the University of Arkansas Bookstore on campus. Graduates and qualified students can order the ring online directly from Jostens (your information will be validated through the Registrar’s Office prior to manufacturing), or by contacting the Arkansas Alumni Association at 479-575-2801, the UA Bookstore at 479-575-2156, or Jostens at 800-854-7464. You must know your finger size to order.

3 Ways To Save
In Store – Online – By Phone

Become a member today and enroll for your Brooks Brothers Corporate Membership Card to save.

For Tim, the memories that stand out the most involve Connie. In 1995, after leaving a Razorback basketball game they saw their adoption attorney leave the arena and jokingly said to each other, “He better be leaving to get us a baby.” Upon returning home, he had indeed called to ask them to come to Washington Regional Hospital to meet their new daughter. “Nothing compares to that,” Tim said.

For Connie, growing up in Arkansas with a father who was active in University of Arkansas Alumni Club, she really couldn’t imagine going to any other university. As she toured the journalism department, she felt even more excited to come to the University of Arkansas because of the comfort she felt in meeting professors such as her mentor, Ernie Deane. She loved working for the Arkansas Traveler student newspaper as a reporter, assistant copy editor and features editor.

As the first female student to receive the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation Scholarship and selected for Phi Beta Kappa, Connie realized she could accomplish any goals she set for herself. “I knew I could compete with anyone, regardless of where they had gone to school,” she said.

Connie’s greatest accomplishment was the completion of her Ed.D. “Our daughter was born in January of that year and with much pushing from my committee, defended my dissertation in December. I give my husband a lot of the credit because he understood how tedious the completion of a doctorate becomes at that point.” Connie currently serves as the executive director of The Peel Compton Foundation, formerly Peel Mansion and Historic Gardens, as well as Compton Gardens and Conference Center.

Tim became a professor in the Department of Botany and Bacteriology (now the Department of Biological Sciences) at the University of Arkansas in August 1981 after finishing two years of postdoctoral work at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. As a faculty member, Tim has been a member of Faculty Senate since it was revived on campus in 1996, was the Liebolt Chair of Premedical Sciences, a charter member of the Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Science, has served on 65 university, college and departmental committees and chaired 14 of them. He is also a charter member of the Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

The opportunity to serve as a faculty member later led him to one of the most pivotal moments in his career. As a researcher dealing with the bacteria that causes dental cavities, he had always dreamed of being involved in space biology, doing research involved with the search for life on other worlds. In 1992, an opportunity presented itself that changed his life.

The Arkansas Space Grant Consortium was created and they put out a call for proposals. One requirement was that you had to have a contact at NASA. Tim didn’t know anyone at NASA, but a year earlier at an American Society for Microbiology meeting, he heard Chris McKay, one of the leading astrobiologists in the world from NASA Ames, give a talk. “I took a chance and called Chris. Chris rarely answers his phone, but this time he did. He told me that he would be happy to collaborate with me,” Tim said. McKay faxed him a copy of a proposal and told him to use whatever he needed from it, which began an18-year collaboration along with tremendous support from the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium.

The University also brought Connie and Tim together. They met at what was most appropriate for them – a banquet on April 14, 1988. Doris Cordes, the senior advisor to Mortar Board, introduced Connie, serving as the junior advisor, to Tim Kral, the professor being honored that evening. “I asked her out and she said yes. Our first date was a lunch date on Monday, April 18th at Hugo’s. We celebrate every April 18th.”

Despite their busy schedules, they always take the time to support for the University of Arkansas. Connie feels it is so important to be a supporter of the education she received so as to keep the brightest students here. She said, “For so long, you had to leave the state if you wanted to advance. That is no longer true. I found that I could compete with the students who had gone to the so-called more prestigious universities.” Tim confirms this desire to be involved and feels honored to be a Life Member of the Alumni Association. Even though he did not attend the University of Arkansas, he refers to it as “my university now.”

As of today, April 13, 2009, we have reached $41,255.

As of May 1, 2009, we have reached $46,762.

As of November 23, 2009, we have reached $72,203. We have also awarded Eleven need-based scholarship thanks to membership dues.

As of today, March 31, 2010, we have collected $77,721 for need-based scholarships for students to attend the University of Arkansas. Thank You Members!

Update:
As of today, August 23, 2010, we have reached $83,792 for need-based scholarships. Thank You Members!

That figure includes a generous contribution from Ginger Graham, CEO and president of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, who serves on the Alumni Association’s National Board of Directors. Upon learning about the need-based scholarship fund, she quickly responded with the gift to encourage others to join and donate to the program.

Most of the scholarship money, however, is raised through Association memberships. With each annual “Pride” membership renewal, $5 goes toward the need-based scholarship fund. From the newly created three-year “Passion” memberships, $15 is put toward need-based scholarships. It’s just one more reason your membership in the Arkansas Alumni Association is so important.

Help us continue to grow that dollar amount and make a college education possible for more students.

We want to know what your favorite Spring Break destination was!

Leave your Favorite Destination and Year(s) you went in the comments below and vote up the ones that you like best. You can vote up a comment by click the “Like” link next to it.

He fondly remembers his freshman year – his favorite year – when he lived in Pomfret Residence Hall. “I lived on campus and the entire year was a blast. I got to meet so many new people.” He feels that is what the University is all about — bringing people together.

Before graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1998, Bao took part in a co-op opportunity within the Sam M. Walton College of Business. It helped him figure out which career he wanted to pursue. This experience was invaluable to him. It allowed him to see if the career he wanted to choose was a good fit for him. The experience also afforded him the opportunity to take a job with his current company.

Bao, an annual member of the Arkansas Alumni Association, felt the University of Arkansas gave so much to him that he desired to give back upon graduating. He is a past president of the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the Arkansas Alumni Association, and currently serves as a member of the Arkansas Alumni Association National Board of Directors. He loves giving back in this capacity because it shows his continued love and appreciation for the University of Arkansas.

Taking on such leadership, he can help educate alumni on how their membership to the Alumni Association can help past, present and future alumni. He hopes all alumni will give back to their alma mater and make a difference.

Take advantage of this benefit today!

Don’t forget that anyone can join the Arkansas Alumni Association and start take advantage of all our benefits.

Members of the Arkansas Alumni Association and Student Members who show their current membership card will receive 15% off of their entire bill every Wednesday night from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.! Visit any of these locations between now and July 31, 2010 to show your support of all three great local businesses and the Arkansas Alumni Association. Plus, you’ll save money and have a great time doing it.

This offer is available for up to four person parties, and will expire July 31, 2010.

Anyone can become a member today to take advantage of these and other great savings.

Stuttgart, Arkansas
Through the eyes of Catherine Baltz, Print Communications Coordinator for the Arkansas Alumni Association

Agriculture was the word of the day as we gathered at the El Canaveral Mexican Restaurant in Stuttgart. We were joined by Lalit Verma, interim dean of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, and Kellie Knight, director of development for Bumpers College. The Bumpers College staff who joined us are graduates from the college as well.

Dr. Verma provided us with a brief update on the Bumpers College, and we enjoyed a viewing of the video “The Razorback Family: Generations.”

Check out our Stuttgart photos on Flickr

Bill Free ’86 shared memories of his time as a Ag Business major, recalling professors like Max Meisch, whom he continued to see on a regular basis in a professional capacity in the years following graduation. Bill told us that his daughter, Shelby Free, will be attending the university this fall. She is the three-time women’s world champion duck caller.

The room filled with smiles and laughter as 90-year-old alumnus Seth Henry ‘50 entered the room and announced that he thought he might “find some old people there but you are all just kids.” Seth continued on to share that when he was a student on campus, he had a car, which was really very rare. He recalled only one other car that was regularly on campus and needless to say parking was not a problem. This latter sentiment was shared with a grin and following comment that the same could not be said for today.

Lunch concluded with more conversation and laughter. We look forward to seeing Shelby on campus this fall.

Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Through the eyes of Angela Mosley Monts, Associate Director of the Arkansas Alumni Association

The Laurel House in Pine Bluff was filled with memories, joy and laughter. Alumni members and friends from the ‘50s, ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s gathered to hear the updates from the University of Arkansas and the Alumni Association.

Members and friends in attendance were Kelly Bryant ’94 BSCHE, Richard Bullard ’80 BA, Sharon Harris ’84 BSIE, Maxie Kizer ’79 BA, ’82 JD, Zachary Taylor ’76 BA, ’78 JD, Robert Wyatt ’95 JD, David Beck, Dr. Dewayne Goldmon ’85 BSA, ’87 MS, John Rush ’57 BA and Gene McKissic ’74 BA, ’76 JD.

Check out our Pine Bluff photos on Flickr

The group enjoyed the video, “The Razorback Family: Generations,” and cheered when they saw fellow student Cordia Harrington ’76 BSHE in the video. They were also pleased to know Earl Hill, a current student in the video, is from Pine Bluff.

The group also was pleased with the ratings the University of Arkansas School of Law has received being ranked 48 in the country and the standings the graduate engineering school has received for its 16^th ranking in biological engineering and 26^th in industrial engineering. The Sam M. Walton College of Business consistent ranking of 24^th among the nation’s top public undergraduate business schools was also praised.

Come Share Your Stories With Us!

Do you have a story or campus memory you’d like to share with us and fellow alumni? Make plans to join us at one of our next Pride of Arkansas Tour Stops near you today or share your own story in the comments below if you live in one of the areas we have visited.

Fort Smith, Arkansas
Through the eyes of Angela Mosley Monts, Associate Director of the Arkansas Alumni Association

The fourth week of the Pride of Arkansas Tour got off to an excellent start. Mike Macechko, executive director of the Arkansas Alumni Association, and Kris Macechko, director Constituent Relations for the University of Arkansas, joined the traveling Alumni staff in greeting alumni and friends at Adelaide Hall inside Varsity Sports Grill.

Also in attendance were Joe Euculano, University of Arkansas Planned Giving outreach officer;  Lawson Hembree, former president of the Arkansas Alumni Board of Directors; and H. L. Hembree, former member of the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees.

It is amazing how two young women lived in Humphreys Hall on the same floor and never met. But it was the Pride of Arkansas Tour that brought them together and they shared stories of their days as Humphrey Hunnies. That’s what the women who lived in Humphreys Hall were called.

Linda Post, along with her family members, came to see the video, “The Razorback Family: Generations.” Her family, known for their winery in Altus, is featured in the video. The video has multiple generations of Posts attending the University for several decades.

Check out our Fort Smith photos on Flickr

Linda and I lived on the seventh floor of Humphreys Hall. Linda was a walk-on for the Lady Razorback Cross Country Team. She told me how she wanted to stay in shape and would run up and down the stairs at Humphreys. Eugene Post convinced her to go to the track and run. He was on an athletic scholarship. He also told her when she felt tired to keep pushing herself and run two more miles. The cross country coach saw Linda running and told her to try out for the cross country track team. The rest was history. We both worked in sales for Fortune 500 companies. It took the Pride of Arkansas Tour for our paths to cross again.

One of the Post family members in attendance was Ashley Post, who is featured on the video.  During the course of the evening we all learned that fellow attendee Sid Johnson had been Ashley’s seventh grade study skills teacher.

George ’69, ’77 and Millie McGill ’98 were also among the attendees. George said he remembers the good times and the bad times at the University. He never lived in a dorm because during that time African Americans were not allowed to live on campus. But his parents always taught them how to take bad experiences and make them out to good things. They also taught them they were at the university to get an education and a degree.

When he was questioned by one of his professors on why he was taking microbiology, he took his seat and knew what he had to do was to excel in the class. That’s exactly what he did. George has a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree from the university. McGill also has a brother and a niece who are graduates.

North Little Rock, Arkansas
Through the eyes of Catherine Baltz, Print Communications Coordinator for the Arkansas Alumni Association

We met generations of Razorbacks at the Whole Hog Café in North Little Rock and each shared memories of the University of Arkansas.

Janive Blanchard ’44, ’67 introduced herself as the senior member of the group. She shared with us that when she graduated in 1944 her class was only 128 people and the ceremony was held in the Greek Theater.  She also mentioned that her husband (Hubert Blanchard) was a member of the Class of ’43.

Joann Martin shared with us that she began her freshman year in 1956. During that year of school she met her husband, Don, just 21 days before he graduated from grad school and left. They knew right away they were meant to be together so she “hurried and graduated in three years.”  Joann also shared with us that she was a ladies basketball player at the University before there were “Ladybacks.”  She played throughout her three undergraduate years, and in fact, though she did not know it at the time, she was recruited to attend the University for basketball. Her husband, Don, joined the conversation and shared that he had been in the Razorback Marching Band and had been in the same class as Lewis Epley. Don told us all that he really enjoyed coming back for Homecoming each year.  Joann explained that when she was in school the girls lived downtown in Washington Hall, a suite-style dorm by the square, and they were bussed back and forth to campus.

Check out our North Little Rock photos on Flickr

As the conversation continued around the table, Allen Berry told us that he began at the University in 1962, graduating in ’66 with his undergrad degree and ’67 with his graduate degree.  He recalled being a student in ’64 when the football team won the national championship and shared that other than one year the team had success throughout his time as a student.  On the other hand, Allen told us, basketball and other sports were barely even noticed on the campus at that time. The basketball team played in Barnhill Arena, he explained, however it still had a dirt floor as the football team also used it for practice. Allen continued on to say that any student could just flash their ID and walk into a basketball game for free at that time. Allen expressed to us how much he loves coming back and seeing the wonderful facilities on campus for all the sports.

Allen commented that the hardest thing he ever did was go through the registration process as a freshman.  As he explained the long process at the time, which involved standing in individual lines for each class that you wanted to register for, a discussion ensued at the table with several people sharing their registration stories.

Mary Seagraves shared that her son will be attending the University of Arkansas as a freshman this fall.

Lynann Papan shared that she attended the University’s business school from 1981 to 1985. She is very involved with the Capital Chapter and encouraged others to get involved.

As lunch ended, the owner of Whole Hog, Rich Cosgrove ’81, joined us as we gathered for photos and called the Hogs.

Little Rock, Arkansas
Through the eyes of Angela Mosley Monts, Associate Director of the Arkansas Alumni Association

Alumni and friends were asked the following question during the Pride of Arkansas Tour at The Rogers House in Little Rock: What was your fondest memory while attending the University of Arkansas?

John Holloway said his wife Stacie was a pre-vet major. Her class went to the animal lab, where they were castrating bulls that day. Stacie fainted and that was the day she changed her major to accounting.

Stacie lived in Fulbright and John lived in Hotz Hall. Both experienced the RVs parked prior to the Razorback football games. “We were always excited about Razorback game day. We had the best of everything. We were excited when we saw the alumni and friends parked in their RVs and hearing the Razorback Band practicing before the game. John and I can’t wait to fulfill one of our goals which is to one day have a parking spot in Lot 44.”

Check out our Little Rock photos on Flickr

Andrea Hopkins pointed out that her husband Marcus’ fondest memory was meeting her. Marcus’ fondest memory was surveying the lawn in front of Old Main. He did this exercise for his survey class for his engineering major.

Dr. James Wear has three degrees. He received his master’s in one year and his PhD in three semesters. James stated it is because of him the process for the length of time one receives a doctorate was changed to the current process it is now. He also stated he got his bachelor’s degree on a Saturday and married his wife Judy the next day. Their son, Eric is also a graduate of the University of Arkansas and a Rhodes Scholar.

Gus Farver talked about meeting his lifetime friends at the university.

There are so many memories, Ramona Collins said. “I guess I would have to say camping out for tickets and seeing the final men’s basketball game played in Barnhill Area. We played LSU and I got to see Shaquille O’Neal. But we won 84-83!”

Kasey Carolina said she met two of her lifelong friends in her Freshmen Year Experience class. They are now sorority sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Dr. Carl Johnson: said he had so many fond memories he couldn’t just pick one.

Amanda Richardson told us her grandfather was the university physician from the 30s to the 60s. The past health infirmary had Amanda’s grandfather’s name prior to the Pat Walker Health Center.

William “Bill” Martin said his fondest memory was being editor of the year book while he was a second year law student. Most folks told him this was impossible to do but he made it work. His next memory was being tackled by an All American from Rice University named Dickey Magel. Magel hit one of our football players out of bounds and he also hit Bill, who was taking photos. Bill said he went down but he made sure he held his camera away from the ground so it would not be damaged. There is also a picture of this hit on the column in Razorback Stadium. It is the only picture from the 1954 game.

Bill has several pictures in circulation at the university. One of his pictures is in our video, “The Razorback Family: Generations.” The picture is shot outside of the men’s gym (next to the Silas Hunt building) and it shows students standing in line waiting to register for classes.

Robert Zeiler recalled going to the Razorback football games on the rare occasions he had a chance to go. Robert was working on his MBA. He thought he was coming to Fayetteville to have a great time but soon found out there was a great amount of time spent working on projects in the MBA program. Robert was in the first class of the new MBA program which lasted for three semesters.

Come Share Your Stories With Us!

Do you have a story or campus memory you’d like to share with us and fellow alumni? Make plans to join us at one of our next Pride of Arkansas Tour Stops near you today or share your own story in the comments below if you live in one of the areas we have visited.