“It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” -Mother Teresa
Dear COE faculty & staff,
Another successful fiscal year has come to a close, and I didn’t want to let the opportunity pass to thank you for all that you’ve done to support the COE over the past year. With your help, we hit several milestones in fundraising, not the least of which was our Day of Giving goal. In years past, the COE has slowly increased its Day of Giving goal from $5,000 to $15,000, then finally to $20,000 in 2024. With help from each and every one of you, not only did we hit that goal, but we far surpassed it, raising $52,544.50! All of our departments came together to contribute their gifts and achieve this enormous feat. In case you missed the end-of-year lunch, each department was recognized for its efforts on Day of Giving:
Student Transitions - Most Generous
(largest average gift per faculty/staff donor)
Elementary, Literacy, and Special Education - Outstanding Participation
(highest number of faculty/staff donors)
Teaching and Learning - Student Support Award
(most donations to the COE Student Emergency Fund)
Leadership Studies - Crowdsource Award
(highest number of alumni donors and donors to a single fund)
Though Day of Giving is certainly a personal highlight of mine, the COE also saw several other fundraising achievements this year. Some highlights include establishing two new student scholarships, submitting five grant proposals to private foundations (in addition to many federal grants!), setting up a new fund for ELSE summer camps, and increasing our total number of Day of Giving donors by nearly 80%. Overall, we raised a total of $2,296,909.99*! This funding supports scholarships, departmental funds, the COE Student Emergency Fund, our partnership with APSRC, summer camps, and more.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all that you’ve done to make these achievements possible. Fundraising is truly a team effort, and we have one of the best teams around! As always, I am here to be a resource for you. Please reach out to me when you need support on a grant or fundraising initiative. My door is always open!
GO COE & GO BEARS!
Mollie Henager
Senior Director of Foundation Relations & Development
*Please note that the largest portion of this funding is provided by APSRC to pay salaries for their employees. The COE retains an administrative fee to directly support the College.
LaShannon Spencer (Doctoral Excellence Award):
LaShannon, MPA, MHSA, is a national speaker on topics of social determinants, cultural competency, and care delivery for vulnerable populations. As a healthcare executive, she has a wealth of knowledge in labor relations, public policy, advocacy, patient and physician relations, patient and family engagement, and patient safety. LaShannon's dissertation, titled "Prioritizing Equity As A Core Component of Organizational Culture In Healthcare Organizations: A Study of Black Women Leaders As Transformational Leaders," stands out as a remarkable piece of scholarship that significantly advances our understanding of healthcare equity.
Carl Frizell (Doctoral Community Leadership Concentration Award):
Carl has made significant contributions to the healthcare field through his clinical practice and research endeavors. His work as a Physician Assistant Educator and his experience in medical oncology at Cancer Treatment Centers of America demonstrates his commitment to providing high-quality patient care and mentoring future healthcare professionals. Carl offers innovative insights and approaches to address critical equity and inclusion challenges within the concentration area, Community Leadership. In addition to his published research and contributions in high-profile journals in healthcare, Carl's research and practical initiatives demonstrate the potential to advance knowledge, theory, and practice in the respective field.
Laura Marshall (Doctoral K12 Leadership Concentration Award):
Laura's long-standing contributions to gifted education, active involvement in professional organizations, and her impactful research and presentations focused on traditionally underrepresented groups in gifted education demonstrate her unwavering dedication to her field and PhD program of study. Laura's scholarly work as a doctoral student is notable, including her recent co-authored publication, "Interrupted Programming: School Shutdown and Gifted Student Identification and Services," in the Journal of Advanced Academics. This work, alongside her upcoming co- authored book chapter "Differentiated Instruction and Adaptive Learning Technologies” showcases her commitment to enhancing educational practices for marginalized groups through K12 educational research.
Jill Ellis (Doctoral Digital Age Curriculum and Instruction Concentration Award):
Throughout her career, Jill has demonstrated visionary leadership qualities within the context of digital age curriculum and instruction. Her dissertation focuses on literacy coaches and virtual communities of practice and offers innovative insights to address critical equity and inclusion challenges. With her extensive experience in designing and developing robust professional development for adult learners, Jill shows great promise in advancing knowledge and driving positive change in educational settings.
Andrea Flucas:
Prior to joining the Deans for Impact team, Andrea served as a district intervention and dyslexia coordinator for a large public charter school system in Houston, TX. Andrea developed a love for literacy education as an elementary classroom teacher, Literacy Interventionist, New Teacher Mentor, Literacy Instructional Coach, and a curriculum writer for public school districts in the Houston Metroplex. Andrea received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Central Arkansas (Go Bears!) and her Master’s degree in Education Administration from the University of Kansas. Andrea is currently pursuing her PhD in Leadership with an Education Leadership concentration at UCA. When asked why she decided to return to UCA for an advanced degree she stated, "I feel that UCA prepared me well for my first years of teaching. Although I didn't know everything in those early years (but who does), I felt more prepared and confident to meet the needs of my students than many of my counterparts." Andrea realized that her teacher preparation at UCA was not a common experience for many other first year teachers who often felt lost- overwhelmed, unprepared, and unsupported. As a result, Andrea developed a passion for working with early career teachers to feel more confident and prepared in their first years of teaching. Andrea plans to continue to support early career teachers through mentorship, education, policy changes, etc.
In her spare time, Andrea enjoys spending time with family and friends, discovering new brunch spots, traveling, singing loudly at music concerts, and cuddling up with a good book.
Marieca Ashworth:
Marieca Ashworth was recently hired as GearUP Grant Family and Community Coordinator.
Marieca is the Family & Community Coordinator for Gear Up Arkansas. Born in Jacksonville, she currently resides in Conway with her husband of 39 years, Phillip, and their two doodles. Prior to working at UCA, she was the Director of Student Services at Central Baptist College (CBC) in Conway. She attended UCA in 1984 where she pursued a degree in Nursing, but left after a year to raise her children. She returned to college in 2018, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from CBC in 2021. A mother of two, and grandmother to four, Marieca loves being with her family and friends (especially at the beach). Marieca is most passionate about honoring God and serving people. She is fond of the quote: “Avoid distractions that prevent you from putting people first.” She feels that “time is never wasted when you are with people.” Marieca is thrilled to be able to serve and build relationships with the families and communities of Gear Up Arkansas.
Katrina Curruth:
Katrina Curruth was recently hired as a GearUP Grant Regional Coordinator.
Katrina said, "I am from North Little Rock, Arkansas. I got my bachelors degree from Henderson State University in General Studies and received my masters degree at UA-Little Rock in Higher Education, Student Affairs. I have been a higher educational professional for about seven years now. I recently left UAMS as an Education Coordinator. When I am not at work. I love talking and hanging out with friends and family. Love listening to music and watching movies."
Hazel Harris:
Hazel Harris was recently hired as a GearUP Grant Regional Coordinator.
Hazel said, "As a mother, educator, veteran, and woman of faith, my journey blends dedication with adventure. Over nineteen dynamic years in education, I've championed student success and teacher empowerment through innovative strategies and collaborative leadership. Beyond my professional calling, I immerse myself in creative pursuits—crafting abstract artworks that reflect my unconventional spirit. Each brushstroke, from acrylics to crushed glass, speaks to my journey of relentless passion and profound self-expression."
Dr. Jessica Herring-Watson & Olivia Bundrick:
Dr. Jessica Herring-Watson and Olivia Bundrick presented a session at ISTELive 24 in Denver, CO. ISTELive is the annual conference for the International Society for Technology in Education. Their session was titled "Moving Beyond Techno-optimism: Critically Examining Technology's Role in our Classrooms." The session guided participants through practical strategies that technology coaches and teachers can use with their learners to support a fuller understanding of data privacy and digital equity.
*Photo info - Mrs. Bundrick (left) & Dr. Herring-Watson (right)
Dr. Tracie Rushing:
Dr. Tracie Rushing, Lecturer at the University of Central Arkansas, celebrated a significant milestone in May 2024 by completing her Doctor of Education in Administration in Higher Education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Her dissertation, "The Forgotten Classrooms: Uncovering the Educational Experiences of Japanese American Students During World War II," explores a critical yet often overlooked aspect of American educational history. Dr. Rushing's academic journey was guided by a distinguished committee, including Dr. Kristin Dutcher Mann as the Committee Chair, along with Dr. Johanna Miller Lewis and Dr. Charles Romney. Dr. Greg Barrett and the late Dr. Sondra Gordy also made significant contributions to her research.
*Photo info - Dr. Lewis (left) and Dr. Rushing (right)
Dr. Jeff Whittingham:
Prior to serving as Interim Department Chair of the Department of Leadership Studies, Jeff Whittingham served as a full professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning. Dr. Whittingham joined the faculty of UCA in 2002, following a thirteen-year career teaching grades 4, 5, and 6 in the Westside and Valley View School Districts in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He received a B.S.E. in Elementary Education, a M.S.E. in Elementary Principalship, and an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He received his Ph.D. in Curriculum Instruction / Generalist Elementary Education from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. His current research interests include book insecurity, attitudes toward graphic novels, and the attitudes of teachers toward using artificial intelligence in the classroom.