University of Arkansas

University of Arkansas senior honors student Burgin Rome and her thesis mentor, Shari Moxley, assistant teaching professor in the School of Human Environmental Sciences, are offering a Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training free to U of A students. Youth Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based program that equips individuals who work with or care for youth with practical skills to recognize and respond to emerging mental health challenges. The training emphasizes early intervention strategies, supportive communication and connecting youth with appropriate help before concerns escalate into crises.

Gabrielle Rancifer, a third-year U of A School of Law student, has secured publication in the Michigan State Law Review Online Forum for her law note, "Fake Goods, Real Harm." The piece discusses the need to include public health and safety factors in the extraterritorial analysis under the Lanham Act when counterfeit goods create unsafe health conditions.

A thesis exhibition by third-year master of fine arts candidate Serena Caffrey, All Signs Point, invites viewers to engage with movable banners that explore attention, presence and ambivalence. At first glance, the sensory delight and imaginative versatility of All Signs Point feels like something of childhood play, with animated language simply guiding viewers to "WALK, SUPPORT, GATHER." These and other words function like mantras: easy encouragements to direct action in gentle and productive ways. However, their phrasing is fickle and could easily be shuffled. "DON'T WAIT" when reversed implies an entirely different meaning: "WAIT, DON'T." Meaning is rendered ambiguous, or at least in constant renegotiation.

Daniela Pineda-Vizcaino, an international business and Spanish major, has been selected for the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) Global Leaders Internship Program. Pineda-Vizcaino will spend the 2026 spring semester in Washington, D.C., gaining experience in both congressional and corporate offices.

Faculty and students from the U of A's apparel merchandising and product development program attended the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) Annual Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, with several delivering scholarly presentations. The 2025 conference, titled "Gateway to a Brighter Future," brought together students, educators and industry professionals to share research and pedagogical advancements focused on inclusivity, innovation and sustainability within the textile and apparel industry.

Grace Helmers, a Master of Professional Accounting student in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, has secured a postgraduate technical assistantship with the Financial Accounting Standards Board. She is only the second U of A student to achieve this honor, and the first since 2012. The assistantship is highly coveted and reflects the growing recognition of the William Dillard Department of Accounting on the national stage.

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.

Four recent graduates from the Department of Communication's nationally-recognized Master of Arts program were honored with outstanding thesis awards at the 2025 National Communication Association Conference in Denver, Colorado. Notably, the department swept the M.A. thesis awards category for NCA's Master's Education Section.

A student team seeking to raise awareness about whole health care captured one of the top prizes at Demo Day, a bi-annual event showcasing a semester of learnings in the McMillon Innovation Studio, the University of Arkansas' campus innovation hub. The team partnered with Community Clinic to create Wellness on Wheels, a mobile education and resource van. The program, unveiled Dec. 3 at the U of A's Institute for Integrative & Innovative Research, helps raise awareness in the community by attending local events to teach whole health principles and distribute preventative tools.

University of Arkansas students, faculty and staff were recognized for their commitment to international education during an awards ceremony Nov. 21 as part of International Education Week. The event, held in the Graduate Student Lounge at Gearhart Hall, recognized students who earned awards and scholarships related to international education.

The Speech & Debate Society at the U of A is celebrating a standout mid-season performance as national rankings from the International Public Debate Association (IPDA) place the team among the top programs in the country. With half the competitive season remaining, the team is positioned for one of its strongest finishes in recent history.

The School of Art in the University of Arkansas Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is proud to announce that four of its members have been awarded Arkansas Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowships. Represented at all levels - faculty, staff and students - the awardees include assistant professor of Foundations Jean Schmitt, equipment technician Andrew Blackwell, assistant director of communications Elizabeth Muscari and MFA candidate Serena Caffrey.

An experimental pain-relieving drug delivery method for farm animals using microneedle patches may not have delivered an effective dose, but it took a pivotal step that offers new leads for innovation. Jeremy Powell, veterinarian and professor of animal science for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the project originated from a simple question: could livestock receive longer-lasting pain management without repeated drug administration by farmers?

The speech and debate society traveled to its final in-person tournament of the semester this past weekend, held at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville earning 18 awards at the tournament and closing out the fall semester with a combined total of 77 - well on track to break their record from the previous season. Together, the team earned four combined total awards, which includes all members' contributions to the tournament.

What if you could look into a cow's face and know if it had a fever? A new tool from the Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision Lab at the University of Arkansas uses artificial intelligence and thermal cameras to estimate the body temperature of cattle. The system, called CattleFever, is the first step toward automated tools that ranchers could use to monitor the health of their herd.

University of Arkansas students are showcasing their career readiness through award-winning professional ePortfolios. Top student work included those by Emma Grace Beard, Kalyx Aikin, Lucy Schram and Marshall Deree. The bi-annual ePortfolio contest recognizes students who effectively articulate their skills, experiences, and professional identities through thoughtfully designed digital portfolios.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering Community and Student Engagement Committee organized the first Biomed ENGAGE DESIGN showcase to provide undergraduate and graduate students with an opportunity to inspire and engage with the next generation of biomedical engineering students. The event brought close to 250 high school students together for an up-close look at medical devices, research models and other prototypes that covered a range of topics from regenerative medicine, genome engineering, neural engineering, biomedical imaging, machine learning and organ-on-chip platforms.

Lexi Applequist, a biomedical engineering Ph.D. researcher at the University of Arkansas and cofounder and CEO of Humimic Biosystems, has earned a spot on the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 Science list for 2026 - a recognition that underscores her groundbreaking work in revolutionizing how drugs are tested before reaching patients.

The shift from warm summer to cool fall conditions can be stressful for many animals. Surviving each season requires a multitude of different physiological and behavioral traits that scientists are still working to understand. An analysis of Buckeye butterflies finds that they aren't just changing colors with the seasons, but changing the way they see on a physiological level.

A recent trip to the Arkansas State Capitol allowed occupational therapy students in the College of Education and Health Professions to experience health policy and advocacy firsthand. Students in Introduction to Health Systems and Policy took a day-long visit that allowed them to engage with legislators, witness policymaking in action and advocate for occupational therapy services across the state.

The summer internship program at Garvan Gardens has provided Fay Jones School students summer learning opportunities since 2018. As participants in the esteemed program, interns have participated in research of innovative nature-based learning opportunities, design and construction of a variety of garden spaces, and collaborated with the U of A's Department of Human Environmental Sciences and with the Fay Jones School's Urban Design Build Studio (UDBS) to develop design concepts for the Ross and Mary Whipple Family Forest Education Center.

The Experiential Learning Lab is a unique, long-running program that has had a lasting impact on both its students and clients in the real world. The lab, housed in U of A's Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, enables students to collaborate with real clients to develop marketing and communications plans and materials. Services offered include writing, graphic design, social media management, drone video production, videography, photography and poster printing.

The Volunteer Action Center (VAC) hosted its annual Make a Difference Day (MADD), one of the largest days of service on campus. Four hundred and twenty-four volunteers participated this year, showing the U of A student body's commitment to the local community. MADD 2025 volunteers served for a total of 1,350 hours, which had an economic impact of $46,966.50.

The Master of Science in Operations Management Program in the College of Engineering announce the recipients of two departmental scholarships for the spring 2026 semester, Julian Mpirirwe and Meerim Seiitova. These awards recognize outstanding graduate students who demonstrate academic excellence, professional promise and a commitment to service.

Jessica Culver teaches at Ozark High School while also earning a doctorate in adult and lifelong learning delivered online by the University of Arkansas. Culver was named the 2025-2026 National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Secondary Level Social Studies Teacher of the Year at the NCSS Conference Opening Ceremony on Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C. Culver is scheduled to graduate with her doctorate next May. She is also a recipient of the W.E. Manning Memorial Scholarship for the past two academic years awarded by the Global Campus to students enrolled in online degree programs.

More than $5.1 million in scholarships was awarded to 3,768 students in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas during the current academic year. These scholarships are made possible with the support of donors, including alumni, faculty, staff and friends of Fulbright College, to aid students across the college's four academic disciplines: arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. "Fulbright College's mission is to provide a transformational education for our students," said Brian E. Raines, dean of Fulbright College. "The generosity of our supporters allows us to do just that. By alleviating financial strain on students, we empower them to focus on their studies and thrive in their academic endeavors."

Avery Isaacson, Henry Jones, Madison Bussell Escoto, Abbie Ahlbrandt, Garrison Brister and Silas Wilkinson shared their scholarly and creative work at the inaugural Arkansas Liberal Arts and Humanities Day at the Arkansas State Capitol.

Student media leaders and journalism faculty traveled to Washington, D.C., for MediaFest25, bringing home national awards and valuable connections with alumni working in the nation's capital.

University of Arkansas student Austin Keefe is ranked first place in the country in the Varsity speaking division. Keefe is also ranked in the top 10 as a varsity debater, coming in at ninth. The Speech and Debate Society at the University of Arkansas is represented by top-performing students and is currently ranked in the top five in the country.

The University of Arkansas Speech and Debate Society traveled to Shreveport, Louisiana, to compete in the 50th Annual "Red River Classic" hosted by Louisiana State University in Shreveport earning a total of 28 awards, bringing their season-long total to date up to 58. The Speech and debate Society is represented by top-performing students in early reports of national overall rankings, and is proud to announce their placements for the fall semester as of November, including a student currently ranked first place in the country.