University of Arkansas

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.

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.

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.

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.

All musical artists need access to a marketplace, and Hill Records at the U of A is providing that connection for Arkansans. The record label, which is completely student-run, creates promotional campaigns for Arkansas artists while providing hands-on learning for students interested in the music business. In "Short Takes: On the Record," Hill Records president Abbie Petersen, director of operations Natalie Jenz and Malibu Moon singer/songwriter Blake Diaz give a behind-the-scenes look at what makes their experience with the label so unique.

M.J. Ferguson, a political science senior at the U of A, has been selected to participate in the 2026 Ralph Bunche Summer Institute at Duke University. The program, named for Ralph J. Bunche, encourages students to pursue careers in political science by providing scholars with opportunities to participate in writing and research workshops, develop statistical skills for data analysis and explore questions relevant to the discipline. The institute also introduces participants to leading industry professionals and scholars, educates them about career opportunities and provides assistance with finding and applying to Ph.D. programs in the field.

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 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.

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.