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.

Jessica Doss, a junior from Little Rock majoring in anthropology and chemistry with plans to go to medical school, has already built an impressive resume of travel and research. Some of the countries she's visited include Japan, where she studied Japanese, and Canada, to participate in Model U.N. This past summer, she conducted research at Washington University in St. Louis, studying the intersection of economics and clinical applications. Over Thanksgiving break, she'll be traveling to Spain for a Model U.N. conference.

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.

DeShea Rigg, a graduate student and teaching assistant of Japanese in the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures, has been awarded the J. Hillman Yowell Award for Excellence in Teaching for 2026. This award is given to a Fulbright graduate student who exemplifies outstanding contributions to the university and college's teaching mission.

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.

Kirby Gibson fully embraced her identity as a classroom teacher. Then, she was chosen for the IMPACT Arkansas Principal Fellows Program that includes earning a master's degree in educational leadership from the U of A.

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.

The U of A Honors College has selected six incoming first-year students as the recipients of this year's Bodenhamer Fellowships, all ranging widely in interests and skills. The Bodenhamer Fellowship is one of the most prestigious scholarships the university offers to undergraduates, awarding each student up to $80,000 over the four-year course of their education.

On a Chromebook screen in a Bentonville classroom, a cartoon panda blinks and waits. It does not interrupt. It does not get tired. When a child who stutters needs 10 seconds to finish a sentence, the panda listens first, then answers patiently. Its name is Pico, and it was built by two teenagers who understood, better than most adults, why that patience matters.

The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the U of A has selected eight outstanding incoming first-year students as the landmark 40th class of Sturgis Fellows, awarding each fellow $80,000 over four years, the scholarship covers tuition, room and board, books, and other academic expenses directly connected to each student's major or research interests. The fellowship provides scholars with the financial freedom to pursue original research, study abroad, service learning and other ambitious academic pursuits.

The Honors College at the University of Arkansas has selected 10 exceptional freshmen for the Path Program, which offers financial support and personalized guidance to students who are first-generation college students, have significant financial need or come from less-served areas of the state. In addition to receiving scholarships, mentorship and academic advising, Path scholars live in Hotz Honors Hall and benefit from academic and study abroad opportunities.

Hundreds of first-year students are seeing the U of A for the first time. They are learning which sidewalks cut the corner on the way to class, where the dining halls are and what an August afternoon feels like hiking the hill. Gabi Cardenas moved into Futrall Hall last week. But she is unpacking on a campus where she has already lived three times.

The U of A Honors College has awarded the Natural State Fellowship to 10 incoming freshmen from across Arkansas, each bringing a wide range of interests and talents. The prestigious fellowship provides up to $80,000 over four years to cover tuition, fees, books, room and board and other academic expenses. This support enables students to pursue original research, study abroad, service learning and other enriching academic experiences.

The U of A Honors College has selected 75 exceptional high school students, including 72 from Arkansas, to receive Honors College Fellowships. The fellowships, which award up to $80,000, largely cover tuition, fees, books, room and board, and other academic expenses over four years, providing these students the freedom to pursue original research, study abroad, service learning and other academic interests.

The U of A School of Law and the Law Alumni Society Board of Directors are pleased to announce the 2026-27 Student Ambassadors. The five students selected are Hudson Anderson (3L), Julia Beck (2L), Jakara Mills (2L), Jac Shaddoxx (3L) and Colton Williams (2L). These student ambassadors were chosen through an application and interview process with Law Alumni Society board members. They will represent the School of Law at alumni, donor and special events during the year. Ambassadors will also attend Law Alumni Society Board meetings and work with the Office of Development and External Relations to support alumni and donor engagement. The program gives students the opportunity to connect with alumni and the legal community while building important professional and interpersonal skills. As ambassadors, they will welcome guests, help with events and obtain hands-on experience in alumni relations and development.

Hope Caruthers taught kindergarten in Monticello, Arkansas, for nine years. Then, while finishing a master's degree delivered online by the University of Arkansas, she moved into an administrative position. "It has helped my career," Caruthers said. "I moved from a classroom teacher to the preschool director at the end of last year. So, I have finished my first year, but we have made so much progress in a year in our district, and I am super proud of that."

For many U of A students, some of the most valuable lessons happen outside the classroom, where ideas meet real-world constraints, and design decisions have tangible consequences. This summer, Colin Barker, a rising fourth-year landscape architecture student from Lee's Summit, Missouri, put those lessons into practice through a five-week internship at Garvan Woodland Gardens. This outreach center of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the U of A is located on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs.

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.

The English Department and the Program in Rhetoric and Composition are proud to announce the 2026 winners of the annual Jessie O'Kelly Freshman Composition Award. This year's winner is Hunter Thomas, a recreation and sports management major in the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation. He will receive a $500 scholarship award for his paper, "Why Turf?", about the dangers athletes face when playing on artificial turf. Runner-up is Westin Spencer, supply chain management major in Walton College of Business. He will receive a $300 award for his paper, "Managing the United States Military Budget," for Maria Hare's Composition I class.

From the deep blue waters of the Caribbean to brightly colored schoolrooms, through bustling hospital hallways and at lively sports venues, students in the College of Education and Health Professions immerse in hands-on learning across various settings. In the 2025-2026 academic year, 1,649 students in the college were involved in internships and clinical experiences, with 95% of them in Arkansas, learning in 64% of the state's 75 counties.

For Ally Hodges, a junior studying Apparel Merchandising & Product Development at the U of A, fashion has always been more than clothing-it has been a way to tell stories. Growing up in a small town in Arkansas, Ally dreamed of one day working in the fashion industry. This past year, that dream became reality when she collaborated with rapidly growing online retailer, Cocolillys, to design an exclusive Arkansas gameday-inspired collection.

Michad Holliday and Yang Tian, two recent doctoral graduates from the U of A, earned this year's Distinguished Dissertation Award from the Graduate School and International Education. GSIE annually recognizes excellence in dissertation research and publication with the Distinguished Dissertation Awards, recognizing individuals who have completed dissertations representing original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to their disciplines. By winning the award, Holliday and Tian are also nominated to represent the U of A in competition for the Council of Graduate Schools/Proquest Distinguished Dissertation Award at the national level.

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.

University of Arkansas graduate Cole McCallum has been selected as a member of the inaugural class of the Lafayette Fellowship, a nationally competitive program that supports outstanding American students pursuing graduate engineering education in France while strengthening scientific and technological collaboration between the United States and France. McCallum, who graduated in May with bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering and physics, was one of 30 fellows selected from more than 3,400 applicants nationwide for the program's inaugural cohort.

U of A doctoral graduate Sonali Lenaduwe is investigating the genes that help baker's yeast survive extreme stress, research that could offer broader insights into human health. Because yeast and humans share thousands of genes, identifying the genetic mechanisms behind yeast stress resilience may help scientists better understand how human cells respond to environmental pressures and conditions such as inflammation and cancer.

Eva Stephani Caroline, a doctoral candidate in the university's Public Policy interdisciplinary program, was recently awarded the James H. White Doctoral Fellowship by the Graduate School and International Education.

Lane Fritch spends her days teaching, guiding and supporting youth at the Arkansas 4-H Center. While helping young Arkansans discover new interests, she was pursuing her own growth with a master's degree delivered online from the U of A.