University of Arkansas

It's no secret that the future prosperity of any organization lies in the hands of its newest recruits. And rather than waiting for students to grow into leadership roles, the Freshman Leadership Forum branch of Arkansas' Associated Student Government places them directly into an executive simulation that challenges them to think, collaborate and campaign as high-ranking members of ASG in only their first year.

Students, faculty and staff from the U of A Department of Poultry Science and the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science were recognized for excellence in research, teaching, service and leadership at the 2026 Poultry Science Association (PSA) Annual Meeting and World's Poultry Congress, both in Toronto. The department's strong presence included national awards, student competition honors, leadership roles and an extensive slate of scientific presentations showcasing the breadth of poultry research conducted in Arkansas.

Two fourth-year interior architecture and design students in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the U of A have each been awarded $30,000 from the Angelo Donghia Foundation, the most prestigious scholarship in interior design education. Founded by the late international interior designer Angelo Donghia, the foundation is a non-profit organization that promotes design education.

The U of A School of Law marked its fifth year of the Delta Initiative, a two-day outreach program that brings law students, faculty and staff to communities across the Arkansas Delta to help expand access to justice in rural areas while cultivating the next generation of public service-minded attorneys. This year, Arkansas law students traveled to Marion and Wynne, providing free legal assistance and educational programming. Since its launch, the Delta Initiative has also served Osceola, Forrest City, West Memphis, Pine Bluff and Watson Chapel.

Two students in the Cell and Molecular Biology interdisciplinary graduate program earned awards at the International World Poultry Congress held in Toronto in July. Anh Do earned a Certificate of Excellence in the poster competition at the event, while Ashen Epa Arachige won the Cliff D. Carpenter International Essay Competition.

The U of A School of Law's Community and Rural Enterprise Development (CRED) Clinic has released a comprehensive five-part report examining the governance capacity, legal needs and resource challenges facing Arkansas' incorporated towns.

After leading the Razorback Marching Band through Early Week and three weeks of regular rehearsals, four drum majors are ready to take the field for the season opener this Saturday as Arkansas hosts the University of North Alabama. Jose Rodriguez of Springdale, Mackenzie Schofield of Bentonville, Keri Brewington of Conway and Aiden Bowen of Fort Smith were selected as drum majors following a competitive audition process held during the spring semester. Schofield, Brewington and Bowen are serving in the role for the first time, while Rodriguez returns for a second year and will serve as head drum major.

Family is very important to La Taschya Harris. When she enrolled in a doctoral program after 15 years of working with students who are also parents at National Park College in Hot Springs, it was partly to prove she could achieve her dream while caring for her adult son with disabilities.

Angie Ramirez, a junior in the School of Journalism and Strategic Media in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, was selected in September for a prestigious year-long talent-mentorship program with The New York Times.

When Matthew Findlay completed his Bachelor of Architecture at the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design in 2024, he knew he'd eventually become an architect. What he didn't know yet was what kind of architect he wanted to become.

Instead of spending the summer rehearsing on campus, members of the U of A Razorback Marching Band performed before an international audience in London celebrating America's 250th anniversary.

Three U of A representatives recently attended the inaugural SEC Food Pantry and Basic Needs Summit hosted by the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. The summit brought together student leaders, community partners and professional staff to share ideas and best practices for addressing food and basic needs insecurity on college campuses.

Four University of Arkansas students have received English Teaching Assistant Awards through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, and one student has been named an alternate for the prestigious international exchange program.

The U of A's Italian Program proudly welcomed 17 outstanding students into its chapter of Gamma Kappa Alpha, the national Italian honor society, during its annual initiation ceremony in April. Gamma Kappa Alpha recognizes exceptional academic achievement in the study of Italian language, literature and culture at colleges and universities across the United States and Canada. The honor society promotes a deeper appreciation of Italy's rich cultural heritage while encouraging continued scholarly excellence among its members.

Students achieving academic excellence have been named to the University of Arkansas Spring 2026 Dean's List. The honor recognizes undergraduates with GPAs of 3.75-3.99 and law students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Spring 2026 Dean's List is available online. Students on the Chancellor's List who achieve a 4.0 grade-point average for the semester while completing at least 12 credit hours of coursework, also automatically earn recognition on the university's Dean's List.

The U of A is recognizing students for earning a place on the Spring 2026 Chancellor's List. To qualify, undergraduate students must attain a 4.0 GPA for the semester while completing at least 12 credit hours of coursework. The Spring 2026 Chancellor's List is available online. All students on the Chancellor's List also automatically earn recognition on the university's Dean's List, which honors undergraduates who achieve a minimum grade-point average of 3.75 for the term while completing at least 12 credit hours.

Fort Smith native Isabella McCoy has always been curious about how things work. Fortunately, her choice to major in data science was a good fit. "Going into data science gives me the opportunity to do work across a wide variety of fields," she says, "and the ability to analyze these fields and learn about why they are the way that they are. Now a junior, Isabella is on track to graduate in 2027 with a bachelor's in data science, with concentrations in business data analytics and social data analytics, as well as a minor in mathematics.

A total 85 Arkansas student-athletes earned their way onto the 2025 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll as part of the league's total of 1,514 student-athletes. The 2025 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll includes the sports of cross country, football, soccer and volleyball. It is based on grades from the 2025 Spring, Summer and Fall terms.

The College of Engineering's pipeline of aspiring engineers keeps growing. A record 746 first-year students declared their majors during Decision Day events, surpassing last year's mark of 726.

Senior Ashton Laurent's path to Senior Walk began in elementary school in his hometown of Pine Bluff, when he began playing the violin, then the viola, sparking his passion for sharing music. Now a senior on track to graduate with a bachelor's in music education in May 2026, he is currently interning in the Bentonville School District teaching orchestra and general music. He plans to continue his studies after graduation, and has been acceptedinto the Master of Music in Black Sacred Music program here at the U of A - the only one of its kind in the nation.

About 200 sorority members, alumni and supporters gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new Alpha Phi chapter house at the U of A. The $25 million, 37,000-square-foot facility will be located on Sorority Row at the corner of West Maple Street and North Wilson Avenue. Construction begins this spring, with the house scheduled to open in August 2027.

University of Arkansas faculty and students recently introduced local elementary school students to computer science through the Hour of Code program. Organized by the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, the program paired university student volunteers with children from kindergarten through fourth grade to complete hands-on coding activities.

The University of Arkansas School of Art, housed in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, is hosting the United States International Poster Biennial, a juried exhibition with stops across the world. The exhibition, at the Studio and Design Center, offers community members a comprehensive survey of poster designs from around the world, which includes several designs from School of Art faculty and students. A highlight of the exhibition is a dedicated U of A wall showcasing work by U of A-affiliated designers and emphasizing the institution's growing impact in international design spaces.

From planning when and how a package of bacon is going to be produced to when you pick it up and place it in your grocery cart, Allison Primm's influence is there from start to finish. An associate product manager for Tyson Foods, Allison, a native of Rogers and a 2023 graduate from the University of Arkansas, is responsible for leading cross-functional teams responsible for the planning, production, distribution and marketing of Wright Brand and Jimmy Dean bacon - which produce and distribute millions of pounds of bacon each year.

University of Arkansas Student Involvement and Leadership, along with Associated Student Government, announced the Top 20 Homecoming Queen and King candidates, who will advance to interviews for selection as the top seven finalists. The student body will then vote for the 2025 Homecoming Queen and King. Registered student organizations and Greek chapters nominate candidates. To qualify, candidates must complete at least 90 credit hours, plan to graduate in the 2025-26 academic year, hold a minimum 2.25 GPA, enroll full-time, and maintain a record free of conduct or academic integrity violations.

For the past three years, the Golden Cardinal search has been a staple for A-Week participants. A small, three-pound metal cardinal is hidden on campus, and a new clue is published each day of A-Week, leading students one step closer to finding it. This year, the Golden Cardinal was hidden in the brush at the bottom of the Garland Parking Garage and found by freshmen Andrea Sikora and Katie Tucker.

With family and friends witnessing, the Razorback Battalion - the University of Arkansas Army ROTC - commissioned eight second lieutenants into the United States Army on Dec. 15, 2023. These second lieutenants went through at least four years of training here on campus and at various military installations throughout the country. The ceremony was held at Giffels Auditorium. The cadre at the Razorback Battalion are very proud of our newest lieutenants. They will be a great contribution to the U.S. Army.

Nine music students from the University of Arkansas' Department of Music, part of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, competed at the statewide Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Competition hosted at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. The Young Artist competition is open to students ages 19-26 who are currently enrolled in collegiate programs. The winners will have the opportunity to compete at the national level against winners from other states.