The Forum October 2019 Edition

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

JORDAN WOODSON

NEWS EDITOR

MARIA ROMERO

SPORTS EDITOR

HARRISON HUDSON

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR COPY EDITORS

OKSANA DURKEE

ALEX BALL

CONNNOR GOODSON

CHLOE MCGEHEE

CHRISTINA TURNER

KELLY CONNELLY

ANDREA BENBROOK

IVAN HENLEY

MIRIAM BATTLES

JORDAN WOODSON STAFF

ALEX BROWN

LATOSHA NEWMAN

KOLTON RUTHERFORD

ADRISHI YADAVA

GUEST WRITERS

ARTISTS

ASHISH BHAKTA

KENNETH REED

ADVISER

SONNY RHODES

The Forum is the official student newspaper at UA Little Rock. It is published monthly from the newspaper office in the Donaghey Student Center Room 116. Any UA Little Rock student is welcome to be a staff member. Opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the staff and contributing writers and do not represent the official views of UA Little Rock. Any inquiries should be directed to the Forum’s executive editor, Jordan Woodson, at editor@ualr.edu.

The Forum welcomes letters to the editor on any subjects as well as comments on our news coverage and editorial positions.

- Letter should include the author’s name, classification, major or position and a contact telephone number for confirmation.

- Letters are subject to editing to meet space limitations. Please limit letters to 500 words or less.

- The staff will not alter the meaning of a letter, but will correct spelling and punctuation.

- The editor reserves the right to reject any letter, especially one that is considered libelous, obscene, or incoherent.

Letters should be emailed to editor@ualr.edu.

Executive Editor: Jordan Woodson

ENT. Editor: Oksana Durkee

News Editor: Maria Romero

@mariafvromero

Sports Editor: Harrison Hudson

Copy Editor: Miriam Battles

Dr. Bain appointed Vice Chancellor and Provost

By Alex Brown // The Forum

Dr. Ann Bain has been named the new UA Little Rock Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost after Dr. Christina Drale got promoted to the new UA Little Rock Chancellor following Dr. Andrew Rogerson’s resignation.

Connectivity is the change that Dr. Ann Bain is willing to bring to UA Little Rock. For 32 years, Bain has been committed to serving this university. Before her appointment, she was the dean of the College of Education and Health Professions. With her new position, she continues to think of ways to improve UA Little Rock so that this university can reach its full potential.

“This position is responsible for the academic side of the institution,” Dr. Bain said. “It’s

all things academic so it is the research component, teaching competent and all of the academic partners that we have.”

Bain grew up and attended school in Little Rock. After graduating in 1972 from Mount St. Mary Academy, Bain obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing from the University of Central Arkansas. From there, she began her career in nursing at different hospitals in Little Rock. During her career journey in nursing, Bain grew passionate about education.

“I was in the middle of a management position in clinical practice and I worked a lot with nursing students who came on to our unit to take care of patients,” she said. “I really enjoyed the interaction with those students and watching them take care of patients and learn things. I was approached by someone years

ago to consider going into education. My first teaching position was in Baptist Hospital where I kind of found my place.”

Opportunity presented itself when Bain came to UA Little Rock in 1987 to be the assistant professor of nursing. In 1988, she obtained a doctorate in higher education administration from this university. Bain contributed to the advancement of this institution’s nursing program.

“At the time I joined the faculty, nursing was in a very small building off of Fair Park,” she said. “It was in an old church and was a small program at that time.”

When she became the chair of the nursing program in 1997, Bain saw an opportunity for growth. They only admitted 60 students every fall and Bain contributed to turning their associate degree program to one that

Staff Senate in hopes to have more connectivity with the staff and as well as the students.

“I value this institution,” she said. “I think it makes a difference to many people’s lives. We have served our mission of education and outreach, so I believe in us. I believe that we have a positive future. When I was asked to consider this position, I did some careful thinking about it because I recognize that taking this is taking it at a time where we’re going to have some challenges in terms of budget and what we need to look like in the future.”

“‘Is there another way we could do something and is there another opportunity that we haven’t really looked at?’” - Dr. Bain

contains several nursing programs that accepts about 900 students.

Aside from her notable work accomplishments, Bain describes herself as a creative and upfront person. She’s constantly thinking of innovative ways to challenge the state of what she’s working on.

“I’ve taken fused glass classes, done pastels and watercolors,” she said. “I also like to read for enjoyment. People would tell you that I always think ‘Is there another way we could do something and is there another opportunity that we haven’t really looked at?’ Nursing is a good example. We could’ve just sat here and not grown that program.”

Bain’s appointment was effective on Oct. 16 and she is already reaching out to the Student Government Association and the

Bain is determined to make a difference on this campus. She would like the institution to increase its connectivity and service with the community to make this institution a “go-to” place. She values the needs of the students and wants them to be met. Dr. Bain and Dr. Drale will work as partners to have planning session for modifications to occur.

“With challenges comes great opportunity,” she said.

Though this university will embark on a journey of many changes, with leaders like Bain, great opportunities and modifications can occur for UA Little Rock.

Dr. Bain’s appointment as executive vice chancellor and provost as well as Dr. Drale’s appointment as chancellor from last month marks the first time in UA Little Rock history that the two top positions were occupied by women.

New CEHP interim dean named

By Jordan Woodson // The Forum

Former associate dean of the College of Education and Health Professions here at the UA Little Rock, Dr. Shannon CollierTenison, has been promoted to interim dean after former dean, Dr. Ann Bain, became the new executive vice chancellor and provost on Oct 4.

Collier-Tenison was appointed to interim dean by Dr. Bain and Chancellor Christina Drale. Collier-Tenison and Dr. Bain have been working alongside each other since the college was founded back in 2014. Dr. Bain says that it was an easy decision on who to choose as her replacement.

“Shannon Collier-Tenison is wonderful,” she said. “She has a solid knowledge base of the college and understands finances, academics and research.”

Dr. Bain didn’t give up her position easily, however, and only accepted the executive vice chancellor and provost job if she knew the college was in the right hands.

“Shannon Collier-Tenison is wonderful!”

- Dr. Ann Bain

“I feel that that college is in good hands and that also figured into my decision to accept this position because I wanted to be able to ensure that the college wasn’t disrupted with that change in leadership,” she siad. “Moving Shannon into that position has been an easy transition and she’s great.”

As interim dean, CollierTenison has a wide range of responsibilities within the college.

“I will be responsible for the leadership and oversight of the College of Education and Health Professions,” she said. “Which includes college level planning,

Shannon Collier-Tenison replaces Dr. Bain

budgeting, enrollment management, student success initiatives, curriculum and program oversight, research support, outreach endeavors and fundraising.”

Collier-Tenison is also an associate professor of social work and has worked as the associate dean of the College of Education and Health Professions since its start.

“I have been fortunate to work closely with a faculty and staff that support programs in social work, nursing, education, counseling, human performance, rehabilitation, and communication sciences and disorders,” she said.

Collier-Tenison grew up in northeastern Arkansas and graduated from Blytheville High School. She attended Hendrix College and graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree in psychology. It was there when she

found her passion for social work.

“During my senior year there, I was introduced to the profession of social work,” she said. “I applied and was accepted into the Master of Social Work program at Washington University in St. Louis.”

After graduating with her Masters in Social Work, CollierTenison worked as a therapist and case manager for the Young Women’s Christian Association Sexual Assault Response Team and as the Coordinator of Women’s Programs and Community Service at Washington University in the Office of Student Activities. She then returned to Washington University to achieve her doctorate in social work.

“My research interests and scholarly writing focus on interpersonal violence, bystander intervention, economic assets

and welfare,” she said.

After getting her doctorate, she worked as an assistant professor and graduate advisor at the University of Texas at Arlington until she got the opportunity to return to Arkansas in 2006 where she joined the School of Social Work as an Assistant Professor here at UA Little Rock.

“In my tenure here, I have served as the program coordinator for the Bachelor of Social Work program, interim co-Director of the School of Social Work and interim chair of Audiology and Speech Pathology, Speech Language Pathology, in addition to the Associate Dean role,” shesaid.

Now, Collier-Tenison steps into her new role as interim dean along side her husband, David, and her almost 16-yearold twin boys.

“I am excited to step into this new role and to continue

my work to ensure the College of Education and Health Professions is well positioned for continued growth as we maintain our commitment to students seeking well established professional degree programs,” she said. “I have been fortunate to have many strong female mentors in my time in academia and I try to honor them by serving as a mentor to new faculty as well.”

Missed the last edition of The Forum? Scan this QR Code to access it online!!!

‘Cancer is a Metaphor’ Professor blogs about eating and traveling after throat cancer

By Adrishi Yadava // The Forum

“When I got sick, there were no social media support outlets,” Yoder said. “So, so my wife wouldn’t have to keep answering the same question about how I was doing, I set up a Listserv.”

Most of us wake up every morning going through our mundane life routines, not stopping for a second to look around and question the importance of life or learn to realize that life in essence is much more fragile. Neither did Dr. Paul Yoder, a professor of English here at UA Little Rock, when he began his New Years in 2004 dealing with constant agony and uncertainty when he would go for CT scans until the results came in and he found out he had throat cancer. Since his recovery, Dr. Yoder has shared his story on his blog “The Hunger Artist: Eating and Travel After Throat Cancer.” This very interesting and sometimes surprisingly upbeat blog talks about his journey with cancer. Luckily, I had an opportunity to meet the man behind this, and talk more about his blog, his struggles and how cancer was in fact a blessing in disguise.

Listserv is an old electronic mailing list software where senders can send one email to a list of people and then transparently send it on to the addresses of the subscribers of the list. Yoder used this service to post updates about what was happening with his cancer journey.

“Cancer is not something you can opt out of,” he said. “If you can’t beat something, why try to fight it, right? Is that something you would want to do last with few years of your life?”

Dr. Yoder’s therapist told him how cancer is a metaphor, only when you’re not living every waking moment with it. Ironically, he was also told that he had about an 80% probability of cure, which means he will still be around in five years. Those, to him, seemed like pretty good odds.

Dr. Yoder says he feels like his cancer is back every time he has

Dr.

a sore throat. In his blog, he talks about his dreams of the eraserboard that had reports about the cancer kept appearing, a metaphor for how cancer was always on his mind.

Because of his throat cancer, Dr. Yoder is no longer allowed to chew food and must get it all through liquid form.

“I take a lot of comfort in the fact that I am alive and that I am a better person.”

- Dr. Paul Yoder

“I am not a liquid diet person,” he said. “I am not going to puree my food.”

Instead of just doing this alone, he realized a lot of people out there deal with cancer

like him, so he decided to raise awareness through his blog.

“While it may save your life, cancer treatment also can do some significant damage of its own,” he said. “For throat cancer patients, that damage generally has to do with eating, and my blog is intended to discuss eating problems that accompany throat

cancer treatment,ΩΩ and I hope, gather solutions.”

Not only is Dr. Yoder an inspiring person, and a pleasure to be around, he is also a great teacher.

“I take a lot of comfort in the fact that I am alive and that I am a better person,” he said.

Scan the QR Code to access Dr. Yoder’s blog

Two more students named Forbes Under 30 Scholars

By Jordan Woodson

// The Forum

Seniors Shibani Lal and Jacqueline Arroyo have been added to a list of UA Little Rock students being apart of the Forbes Under 30 Scholars List who will be attending the Forbes Under 30 Summit on Oct. 27 in Detroit.

The Forbes Under 30 Scholar list is a yearly list published by Forbes magazine that invites 1,000 students under the age of 30 from across the United States to attend the Forbes Under 30 Summit, which is said to be the world’s greatest gathering of young entrepreneurs and gamechangers. There, they will be able to meet one-on-one with top recruiters from the top companies across the nation.

“The Forbes Under 30 Franchise represents the movers and shakers, innovators and leaders of tomorrow,” according to Forbes’ website. “The best candidates for Under 30 Scholars are students who embody those tenets.”

With this recognition, Lal and Arroyo, along with fellow UA Little Rock senior Jared Stovall who has also been given this recognition, will be able to attend the Forbes Under 30 Summit for free along with the other nominees from across the country.

“I am most excited about the diversity of entrepreneurs

attending the summit,” Arroyo said. “There will be athletes, actors, actresses, gamers, technologists, fashion designers and more. It will be very exciting to hear from entrepreneurs in a different industry than my own.”

Arroyo is a Donaghey Scholar majoring in Computer Science and is a Management Leadership for Tomorrow Career Prep Fellow, a Harvard Business School Summer Venture in Management Program Alumna.

She says she has interned at nonprofits, tech companies and at Deloitte Consulting, which is considered one of the “Big Four” accounting firms and the largest professional services network in the world which Arroyo says is often harder to get into than Harvard.

“I’ve developed my skill set beyond what the classrooms are able to teach, and I’ve been fortunate as a senior to have companies contacting me inviting me to interview with them instead of me contacting them,” she said. “That is the result of me taking ownership of my college experience, working hard towards my goals and creating opportunities for myself when others might complain about there not being any.”

Lal is a business marketing student who is currently working as an Amazon Prime student ambassador intern, which she credits as her greatest accomplishment in life even beyond

making the Forbes Under 30 Scholars list. The program is highly competitive and only a hand full of students get selected to work for Amazon. With this internship, Lal promotes the Amazon Prime brand to college students through social media and other marketing platforms.

“I have always been a shy person and never wanted to get out of my comfort zone,” she said. “UA Little Rock has helped me in my career and life as a whole because I have been able to get out of my comfort zone and participate in competitions in the area of my expertise which has opened up doors of opportunity for me.”

“Without my family’s support I would not be where I am today.”

- Shibani Lal

Besides the fact that they both made the list, Lal and Arroyo have a lot of similitaries in their journeys getting to this moment. Both immigrated to America at young ages, Lal coming to America from India back in 2008 and Arroyo moving here from Mexico, both crediting their parents with helping them achieve their goals.

“Without my family’s support I would not be where I am today,” Lal said. “My parents have encouraged me to become a better individual and provided all the resources that they did not have access to when they were my age.”

Another similarity both women share is that their parents own a local restaurant. Lal’s parents own Star of India in Westchase Plaza while Arroyo’s mom owns Chano’s Mexican Grill on Bowman Road.

“My mom opened her restaurant after twelve years of selling Mexican food for extra income,” Arroyo said. “Even with the language barrier that they would soon overcome, my parents always found a way to provide for my sisters and me. My family is my backbone, my inspiration and ultimately the reason why I am determined to succeed.”

Post graduation, Arroyo plans on entering the industry of computer science with the countless job offers she says is already awaiting her while Lal aspires to open her own marketing business where she can help businesses grow. Both ladies along with Stovall will be attending the Fobres Under 30 Summit on Oct. 27-30 in Detroit.

“Honestly, it was a milestone moment when I found out I made it to the list,” Lal said. “I couldn’t be more thankful for those who have invested in me and helped get me to this moment.”

By Chloe McGehee// The Forum

UA Little Rock’s Health Services Department is hosting a campus wellness event, the Fall Step Challenge, from Oct. 14 through Nov. 24.

The goal of the challenge is to accumulate 40,000 steps each week of the challenge. The steps will be measured through a Google spreadsheet that will be sent out to participants each Monday of the challenge.

Not only will t-shirts be provided for the first 100 people to sign up, but prizes will be randomly awarded to participants who complete the 40,000 step goal per week. Get

Where can I get student discounts?

By Kelly Connelly // Guest Writer

For many students that are barely scraping by, every penny counts. College discounts can assist these students by lowering the price of items they normally purchase at non-discounted prices.

“Even if you are on scholarships, you don’t necessarily have a job,” Amanda Gordon, a student here at UA Little Rock, said. “I think student discounts help a lot.”

Some students do not take advantage of college discounts because they do not know where they are offered.

“I am not in the habit of asking everywhere I go to eat if they do student discounts,” Regan Beliew, another UA Little Rock student, said. “I feel like a lot of students don’t even know because they don’t advertise it.”

Recently, I was ordering a coffee at Nexus Coffee and Creative when a barista asked if I was a college student. When I replied yes, he gave me a 25% discount on my drink. It saved me more than a dollar and made me wonder what other discounts are offered.

I have researched several websites that discuss student discounts, but some of these sites relay false information. UA Little Rock’s website mentions several student discounts, but it is not accurate and displays dated information. The following list includes current Little Rock restaurants, coffee shops, movie theaters, and more that offer student discounts.

Movies:

The Rave Movie Theater offers $5 tickets to university students. New movies and throwback films are played weekly.

Thursday is student discount day at Movie Tavern. College students can snag $6 tickets for older flicks and $9 tickets for newer movies. A valid student ID is needed at both theaters to receive discounted tickets.

Outdoor Gear:

Gearhead Outfitters carries outdoorsy clothing brands like Fayettechill, Nativ, and Patagonia. Gearhead, which is an Arkansas-born business, gives students a 10% discount at all their locations.

Automotive:

Fair Park Automotive is right by the UA Little Rock campus. Students with a valid student ID can receive a 10% discount on repairs, parts, or any other carrelated need.

Coffee:

College students fueled by coffee can take advantage of Nexus Coffee and Creative’s 25% student discount. Located in downtown Little Rock, Nexus provides free WiFi for all paying customers.

College students can also claim a 10% discount at The Meteor, a coffee shop located on Kavanaugh Boulevard.

Restaurants:

Many Little Rock restaurants near UA Little Rock offer college discounts. On South University Avenue, Burger King gives students a 10% discount on Wednesdays, and Popeyes and Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese Cooking offer students a 10% discount every day they are open for business.

While calling local restaurants, I talked to the new owner of the Dunkin Donuts on North Rodney Parham Road. After our conversation, he decided to support local college students by offering a 10% discount.

Transportation:

Rock Region Metropolitan Transit Authority is the largest transit agency in Arkansas. Rock Region Metro provides transportation throughout Pulaski County every day of the week. A 31-day pass for adults is $36, but students can get a 31-day pass for $19.50.

Spotify:

Spotify Premium enables listeners to enjoy ad-free streaming with unlimited skips. College students get their first three months of Spotify Premium free. After the free trial, students receive 50% off and a subscription to Hulu.

FedEx:

FedEx started its Student Discount Club to save college students 30% on a document with FedEx Envelop/Park and 20% on a package with FedEx IP services. Students can drop-off their shipments with a valid Student ID card to enjoy savings.

Amazon Prime:

Amazon Prime Student offers students a six month free-trial of Amazon Prime, which includes free two-day shipping, streaming of Prime media, exclusive deals and savings, and more. After the six-month trial, students receive 50% off Amazon Prime.

Unidays:

Unidays is advertised as the essential college app. Students can learn about scholarships, internships, and obtain incredible discounts after downloading the app. All they have to do is sign up with their email and look out for a verification email. A few discounts students can claim include: 15% off H&M, 20% off Aerie, 10% off Holister, 25% off ModCloth, 10% off the Microsoft Store, 10% off of Dell products, 15% off HelloFresh, and 20% off Grubhub.

UA LIttle Rock also has plenty of discount opportunities when you sign up for their alumni program.

Food Pantry observes World Hunger Day

Ra’phael Davis and Geneva Galloway in the Trojan Food Pantry

By Chloe McGehee // The Forum

UA Little Rock participated in a campus-wide food drive for the Trojan Food Pantry in honor of World Hunger Day Oct. 16.

World Hunger Day is an initiative created by The Hunger Project in order to spread awareness of poverty in poor and underprivileged communities. For the drive, campus departments were given boxes labeled for World Hunger Awareness Day and asked to spread the word to students and faculty in the department in order to receive donations of nonperishable and canned food items.

The International Studies Club worked in collaboration with the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps and Donaghey Scholars Program to organize the drive

and distribute and collect the donations boxes from the different departments. Students were also encouraged to drop off donations to the Donaghey Student Center.

More than 50 percent of the UA Little Rock community experiences food insecurity or knows of someone who does. The Trojan Food Pantry was established to combat this problem. It is open to all students and faculty. Participants can go to the food pantry once a week to receive up to three days of food supplies.

If you experience food insecurity or need help, you can fill out a food request form and visit the food pantry to receive meals. Donations are also always appreciated. The pantry is located in the Administration North Building.

Police Beat

By Alex Brown // The Forum

The UA Little Rock Police Department had reports of suspicious person/activity and property damage.

Suspicious person/activity:

Officer Gavin Hearst and Rommel Benjamin received a call about a man asking people for money by the D.S.C on Sep. 24 at 9:20 a.m. Benjamin observed the subject talking to different people walking by on the north side of Student Union B. He claimed he wasn’t begging for money, but waiting for his sister to get out of the science building. The subject revealed he wasn’t a student at UA Little Rock. In the report, a student stated the subject had asked him for money. Benjamin asked to gather further information about the man.

The subject said he didn’t have any identification and provided Benjamin with a false name. Benjamin then asked if he was from Arkansas, he said yes. The subject then claimed he was from Memphis. Both times, the information did not appear on the subject. Dispatch then did a cross-reference check between the ACIC and R.P.S systems and found out the subject’s identity.

It was then revealed the man had an active warrant out of L.R.P.D for a traffic violation. Benjamin placed him in handcuffs while waiting for the police. The subject was taken into custody and transported to

the department of L.R.P.D to pick up. The subject is banned from the campus and will be arrested for criminal trespass if he is on campus property.

Property damage:

Officer Gavin Hearst received a call that a man’s vehicle had damages to it on Sep. 27 at 1:58 p.m. The subject was attending a business meeting and parked his car in Lot 13. When the subject was done with the meeting and returned to his car, he noticed a dent and some scratches on the back driver’s side fender. Benjamin took pictures and estimated there was $500 worth in damages.

Officer Gary Mcgee was dispatched to the “Day Parking” area near Lot 9 in reference to a woman’s car being struck. On Sep. 30 at 8:21 p.m., the subject stated her vehicle was parked from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. while she was in class. In the report, it was revealed the woman was wanted out of Brinkley, Ark for traffic violations. She was advised of this information and was given the number for Brinkley PD. Pictures were taken and attached to the report. No further actions were required by UA Little Rock Police Department.

Student Spotlight

Filming Squidward’s wedding Keely Reeves

By

Keely Reeves, a senior Mass Communications student majoring in Motion Picture and Professional Technical Writing, got the opportunity of a lifetime when she became the videography for Rodger Bumpass, who plays the voice of Squidward Q. Tentacles on the popular children’s show SpongeBob SquarePants.

It all started when Reeves emailed one of her professors, Dr. David Weekley, a professor at UA Little Rock School of Mass Communication, over the summer asking if there were any photography or videography projects people needed. He told her about a wedding coming up in July. Later, she got an email from Angela Vanzandt, Bumpass’ then fiancé, saying that Weekely highly recommended her for the job. During the whole process they discussed what they wanted

and price range. Vanzandt gave Reeves creative license and asked for vows, the carriage and the reception. She also went to the reception and place where they were having the wedding to see where she would set up.

Reeves stayed in contact with them to let them know two more people would be with her.

She went to scope out the reception where she ran into the groom, Bumpass, who walked her through what he wanted.

Reeves knew she needed more than one camera, so she used her Canon camera and borrowed a Panasonic camera from the Mass Communications Lab. She decided she needed a third person with a camera as well to help her out with being the videographer for the wedding.

Reeves was a little scared and nervous about the wedding and getting quality audio. She had so many challenges. She had to take three different camera videos that were shooting at different angles and change the

color to make some parts of the video lighter and darker. For some of the video the camera shaked more than she wanted it to. Overall, she did a good job but wishes some things could be better but is happy she had her very first paid job.

“I never thought I would get a job like that right now,” Reeves said. “I met other celebrities, so I wasn’t in complete shock. I wasn’t the biggest fan of SpongeBob SquarePants, so I was more like ‘let’s just do this.’”

Reeves talks about how students need to be more proactive, getting to know their professors more, and being determined. Establishing relationships and connections with people is very important. She feels inspired by being able to get an opportunity like this. She hopes her story does inspire people to follow their dreams and wants others to feel like “if she can do it, I can too.”

“I never thought I would get a job like that right now.”

- Keeley Reeves

Reeves grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma and then later moved to Arkansas and has been living here for six years. She attended the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College before transferring to UA Little Rock. She is thinking about going to graduate school to pursue her Masters in Professional Technical Writing and teach while she does that. This will allow her to focus on building a portfolio of short videos. Reeves loves videography, photography and editing and is thinking about starting her own business of doing wedding videos thanks to filming this wedding. Keely aspires to work for Disney’s Marvel one day. Reeves’s friend, Trinity McCracken-Howard, says Reeves is a fun person to be around and is such a good and supportive friend, she just wishes Reeves would slow down sometimes and relax.

Student Spotlight

“No matter how tough my days can get, I find it hard to truly be upset because I know that I have worked hard for students, programs and our university all day.”

- Claire Mitchell

By Chloe McGehee // The Forum

Alumni Affairs Specialist Claire Mitchell not only works in the university’s Alumni and Development department, but is also heavily involved in the School of Public Affairs and she has made a home for herself through her Bachelor’s work in the Political Science department. Mitchell has played a key role in many advancements for each department she is involved in. Her accomplishments blur the line between her academic, professional and personal lives.

Mitchell was elected President of Model Arab League Executive Team for the 2019-2020 year, and since being

Leading for change Claire Mitchell

elected has advocated for structural change in the program that allows for much more collaborative executive teams and opportunities for expansion in the future, such as a scholarship for Model Arab League students, and other ways to celebrate participants.

One change Mitchell is proud of is a fundraising event in the works to honor and celebrate students that participate in Model Arab League and potentially provide scholarships for former members to continue their international education and go on more study abroad trips. She is passionate about creating positive trajectory for future Model Arab League members who will go through the program she holds so close to her heart. Mitchell believes

in the program and claims it is what keeps her sane and makes every bit of work worth it. Despite all the accomplishments Mitchell has under her belt, her favorite thing is still seeing and inspiring people to care. She is passionate about change and helping others make a difference in the world. She wants to save some part of the world as much as she possibly can. She has volunteered and fundraised for many organizations as a member of the UA Little Rock Advancement Team and Bilateral Model Arab League, including UA Little Rock’s alumni association, as she was involved in the organization of BBQ at Bailey’s.

Mitchell credits a lot of her success and passion to the opportunities UA Little Rock

and its community gave her. She claims the work she is doing now will continue to motivate her during her future professional career.

“UA Little Rock has given me so much in the opportunity it has afforded me,” Mitchell said. “I am able to be a part of a community of some of the greatest and fascinating people I have ever met, earn an education, become a professional and also grow up and figure out who I am all at the same time. No matter how tough my days can get, I find it hard to truly be upset because I know that I have worked hard for students, programs and our university all day.”

Want us to spotlight a student or faculty member? Nominate them using this QR code

Windgate Art Center host new art exhibit

By Chloe McGehee // The Forum

The Windgate Art Center’s Brad Cushman Gallery is hosting an art collection by FrenchAmerican artist AnaÏs Dassé. The collection titled Saint George features three large textural paintings and a substantially sized sculpture as a centerpiece.

Saint George is sharing the Brad Cushman Gallery with photos from artist Simon Johan, a collection Cushman thought would go well with Dassé’s works.

Dassé’s portfolio features many other tableaus, or motionless figures, based in the forests of Arkansas and Texas. Her work highlights subjects such as guns, religion and civilization. All four works on display are black and white, possibly to represent night time and wildlife photography.

The title piece of the exhibit

combines many materials such as wool and fabric to create a child-like figure wielding a gun and a large lifeless alligator hanging from the ceiling.

Each painting has a natural theme with animals and children as main focal points. One of the three paintings depicts a child being attacked by a horde of angry eagles. The next depicts a group of dogs and a woman on a hunting trip with a wild boar. The last painting is set in a forest and depicts a group of three people surrounded by deer.

Dassé’s work has strong themes of nature and childhood, which can be seen throughout the whole collection. Her works are powerful and convey strong messages about current issues and opinions.

The collection will be shown through Dec. 2 in the Brad Cushman Art Gallery on the second floor of the Windgate art center. Dassé will also be hosting

Student Artist Q&A

Jermone James Jr.

By Miriam Battles // The Forum

UA Little Rock has an underground variety of artists across campus. This column was created to showcase some of these artists. Jerome James Jr., the first candidate of the column, is a senior who is majoring in Marketing. James always knew he wanted to be an artist. During his junior year, he branched out to accomplish his music goals.

Can you tell me exactly how you got into music?

James: “Well, I first got into music- I’ve always played guitar since I was like ten years old and my mom listened to 80’s music, my sister listened to metal music, so naturally I kind of gravitated towards guitar. When I first got my guitar, I was really ecstatic. I always knew I wanted to be a studio artist, I always knew that deep down. So over the years, I have honed my ears [by] playing guitar, getting in jazz band and taking AP Music Theory in high school, to really just know the ends and outs of music and what makes good music, good music. That’s how I got my start

in music, just playing guitar at ten years old.”

You said you’ve been into music since you were a kid, so was it something your parents knew about or did you keep in under wraps?

James: “Well yea. I kind of expressed it to my mom and she didn’t take me seriously. You know when you’re that young, they think you just want things to want things. When I told her I wanted a guitar for Christmas, she was like ok. I didn’t get one that Christmas, I got a Gameboy Advance instead. They say be thankful for what you get, but I was so mad [because] I got that Gameboy and not a guitar. The very next Christmas, I got my guitar, so I was happy. So she knew about it but it’s just a matter of your parents taking you seriously.”

And how long did it take her to realize that you were on to something?

James: “Probably when I was 13. Probably like three years after I got my guitar because that’s when I really started learning songs and learning how to

play music. More importantly, when other people could tell when I was playing.”

How would you categorize your style of music?

James: “I have two different styles of music that I create. I call it Neo Rock. Most of my songs have elements of guitar in them. It’s a new wave.”

I’m not familiar with Neo Rock, so is there a [mainstream] artist that is in that same category?

James: “Umm... I take elements of different artists and combine them into the Neo Rock style. Some of my favorite artists are Swae Lee and Drake and one of my favorite bands is Avenged Sevenfold.”

I want to know about your recording process.

James: “So one thing I’ve had to learn over my short time really, I’ve only been doing it for a year, is not to force it. That’s the most important thing about recording. Honestly being a musician period, you want to come from a place of honesty.

I always told myself if you’re having trouble coming up with lyrics to a song, it may not be for you.”

Yeah, I’m a songwriter too. So when I get stuck on a song, I’ll just take a break and come back to it. It just flows naturally.

James: “Yes! I was about to tell you that. With a song, I had already had this beat made for a long time. I just didn’t have any lyrics to put to it. So when I finally stepped back, took a break and didn’t force anything, it all came naturally. That’s the biggest key in the creative process.”

Now let’s talk about your music that’s coming out this month. Tell me about it, is it an album or single?

James: “This is a single, but this single is a prelude to the upcoming album. The album is called Duality. The reason I called it Duality is because I wanted to give people both elements of Jerome, both hemispheres of me. We have all those different elements like Rock, Hip Hop and R&B, all coming into one. It’s also coupled with my religious beliefs of duality and opposites. For everything in this universe, there’s an opposite and it’s all about balance. Duality brings balance.”

What’s the name of the single?

James: “The single’s called Stranger Things. I kind of started watching the latest season-”

Oh my God! I was going to ask you that. What was your inspiration behind the name?

James: ‘So I was watching the latest season of Stranger Things and I didn’t even think anything about it until I got in the studio and started recording. I’ve never done a song like this before in this way, but it is mostly freestyling in Stranger Things. It was kind of like a perfect storm with the latest season of Stranger Things coming out and me kind of using that as a play on words for having nice things.

How can listeners get your music?

James: “Listeners will be able to get this song on Oct. 30 on all streaming services.”

So when the album comes out, how many songs are on it?

James: “I’m shooting for eight songs.”

And this is out when?

James: “Honestly, it’s to be announced. I would say Spring 2020 for Duality. I’m halfway done with the album. I have five songs done and I need three more. “

Are there any videos?

James: “I do have a music video for a single on the album called Santorini. Also, Santorini is [my] most-streamed song. It has 1.8K streams on Spotify right now.”

How does that make you feel?

James: “Pretty good! It’s crazy because you don’t know who’s listening. I’ve had people from my high school message me and [say] ‘Yo bro, keep it up. This is great stuff.’ At a party randomly, the Kappa Deltas started playing Santorini and were all dancing to it. That was the best feeling in the world.”

So since you’ve started this music journey what has been your most memorable memory?

James: “Probably performing at Optica. It is a music festival in Little Rock that one of my brothers throws every year. It’s slowly grown over the years. There are a bunch of Electronic and Hip Hop artists from around Little Rock and beyond. I got to perform live.”

On Oct 30, Jerome James Jr., will release Stranger Things, a single off of his upcoming album called Duality. The release date for the album is yet to be announced.

‘Truth Is’ Claudio has set the bar for R&B

Sabrina Claudio’s album cover art for her album, “Truth Is.”

By Miriam Battles // The Forum

Being sucked into a world of emotions through sensual harmonies stacked on beautiful combinations of soulfully played keys is how you would feel after listening to Sabrina Claudio’s discography.

Authentic. Intimate. Sensual. The LA-based singer’s signature musical taste heavily reigns through her sophomore studio album, Truth Is.

Claudio released Truth Is on Oct. 4, following up on the successful release of her 2018 debut album, No Rain, No Flowers.

“Usually the inspirations for all of my songs come from different stories or different conversations that I’ve had with people in my life. I rarely write from personal experiences,” Claudio said, during an interview with The Morning Show.

She writes through the experiences of her family and peers, but the way she delivers messages through her music feels like it true to her life experiences. She said in a 2018 interview with Ebro Harden that she sees herself as a storyteller.

Truth Is starts off with a slow and sultry vibe with the track Take One To The Head. It sets the mood for the rest of the album.

She tackles many different situations that happen throughout life. In Truth Is, a song co-written by Julia Micheals, Claudio discusses not being able to commu-

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Opens 2019-2020 Concert Season

By Chloe McGehee // The Forum

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s 2019-2020 fall season began on Sept. 28 and will continue through Nov. 10.

nicate how you truly feel about someone because of the fear of “getting too deep.” In her melancholic ballad, Hurt People, she sings about how trying to love someone while you’re broken can negatively impact another person. She brings sass to the album with the confidently written song Me In Her. In this song, she questions an ex-lover, “Was it a mistake that you find someone whose body favors most of mine?” She goes on to reassure her ex-lover that he will never find another her.

Claudio has always written alone on her past albums, but on this album cycle, she decided to allow herself to grow through the collaborations of songwriters and producers on the album.

“These people really had such an effect on me. I was trying to figure out how I could thank them in a way where they would know how much they changed me,” Claudio said about the collaborators on Truth Is.

The cover art features the faces of the people Claudio collaborated with on Truth Is, including Julia Micheals and Zayn Malik. She said in an interview with The Morning Show that collaborating with songwriters was one of the best decisions she has made for her career.

Claudio is currently headlining her North American tour that will end on Nov 8. Her album, Truth Is, is available on all streaming platforms.

Each weekend of the orchestra’s season has a theme and a guest star.

The opening weekend highlighted the end of the ACANSA arts festival and the beginning of the ASO season. The first night featured string trio Time for Three along with the orchestra conducted by JoAnn Falletta.

The second night of the seson

was on Oct. 5, A Broadway Evening with Heather Headley, and featured Tony and Grammy Award-winner Heather Headley. The night also featured vocalist Chris Mann and conductor Ron Colvard.

For the final weekend on Nov. 9-10, the symphony will be performing a series called Beethoven and Blue Jeans and will feature a pianist.

The Symphony performs at the Robinson Performance Hall in downtown Little Rock. For more information about the Arkansas Symphonic Orchestra, visit ArkansasSymphony.org.

Top Rated Haunted Houses in Arkansas

By Christina Turner // The Forum

Cooler weather is here which means fall leaves, sweater, apple cider and… haunted houses. Here’s your quick list of the top three haunted houses to check out before the end of the month

1. The Expelled Haunted House in Huntsville, Ark. This is an abandoned slaughterhouse that has been turned in a horrifying sanctuary. Located at 29555 AR-23 Huntsville, Ark.

2. Riverside Haunt Attractions in Siloam Springs, Ark. Riverside hosts a trio of haunts during the Halloween season which includes the Warehouse of Fear, Lost Corn Maze and the Swamp Walker Zombie Shoot. Located at 17023 chamber Springs Road, Siloam Springs, Ark.

3. Phobius Haunted House Estate of Fears in North Little Rock. The Terrorplex has been set up to to have the theme that Dr. Fears set his Macabre Manor of Madness beside the railroad tracks so that you can be at his deadly commend.

Arkansas State Fair returns for its 80th anniversary

By Christina Turner // The Forum

The 80th annual Arkansas State Fair took place Oct. 11 -20. Little Rock and surrounding area patrons got to enjoy live music, animals and different foods to satisfy their cravings. Admission to the fair was $10 for adults and children ages 6 to 12 and over 60 years old were only $5.

Kicking off the start of an eventful week was the Arkansas Federal Credit union/ KARK/FOX 16 ride day where you could by an armband for $30 and get unlimited rides.

Military appreciation night was Oct. 15 and Oct. 17. This event made the fair free for military personnel and immediate family members with valid

Military ID. Ladies night was Oct. 16 for ladies 18 years of age and older received free gate admission with valid ID. College students got free gate admission from 6 p.m. to close with valid school ID.

The Arkansas State Fair will return as always next year for its 81st.

Movie Reviews

Executive Editor: Jordan Woodson

Okay, let’s talk about ‘Joker’

[SPOILER FREE]

“Joker” is written and directed by Todd Phillips (director of “The Hangover” trilogy) and with writing help from “8 Mile” writer Scott Silver. The film follows the infamous Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a struggling comedian suffering from countless mental disorders. When the corrupt city of Gotham keeps pushing him down, his mind spirals further and further, until he finally snaps and finds himself as the poster child of the working class rebellion.

This film has been extremely divisive and has been riddled with controversy ever since its release at the 76th Venice International Film Festival. People are hating on this movie for the wrong reasons, but also people are loving it for the wrong reasons as well. I can see both sides of the argument

while I disagree with both too. The film does tow the line a little as painting this mass murderer as a hero figure. People are definitely over exaggerating exactly how far it goes at painting the Joker as a hero, but there is still an argument to be made.

Phillips does his best directing ever with this movie and it’s nice to see a director like him do a complete 180 with his work and do it really well. He’s able to craft an extremely dark and gruesome depiction of one of the most infamous villains in comics and somehow go a completely different direction with it that you’ve never really have see done in comic book movies before.

While Phillips does a career best directing job, Phoenix gives a career best acting job. Phoenix has always been good at playing

disturbed characters and that fact is no different here. There’s a line you can cross when playing a person suffering with mental illness and thankfully he never crosses it. I don’t think you can compare his performance to Heath Ledger’s portrayal in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” because they are two totally different takes on the character.

Where my main (and for the most part only) problem I have with this movie stems from is the writing. This movie gets a lot of inspiration from Martin Scorsese films like “Taxi Driver” and “The King of Comedy” with the second half of this movie almost being a complete rip off of the latter. Phillips and Silver seriously walk the line between

paying an homage to and completely copying Scorsese’s films and I’m not quite sure which one it is if I’m being honest.

Despite the questionable copying of Scorsese and the debatable hero portrayal of a mass killer, “Joker” is still the best DC movie since “The Dark Knight” (although still no where near the levels of that film) with career best showcases from Phillip’s directing and Phoenix’s acting as well as a fantastic score from Hildur Guðnadóttir. Like I said, people are going to hate this movie for all the wrong reasons and people are going to love it for all the wrong reasons, but while I overall think it’s a really good film, I can definitely see where others would disagree.

Even two Will Smiths can’t save ‘Gemini Man’’s horrid

script

“Gemini Man” is directed by Ang Lee (director of.”Hulk (2003),” “Brokeback Mountain” and “Life of Pi”) and is written by Darren Lemke (writer of “Shazam” and “Goosebumps”), Billy Ray (writer of “The Hunger Games” and “Captain Phillips”) and David Benioff (writer of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and “Troy”). The film follows Will Smith as Henry Brogen, a skilled assassin who is ready to retire and live a normal

life, but when his former organization turns on him and sends a different assassin to murder him, Henry must find a way to protect himself, soon learning that the assassin isn’t that much different to him after all.

The script more than likely had countless rewrites throughout the 20 years of development, but it should’ve used one last major rewrite before filming. Either it was like this from the beginning or along the way the rewrites made the film lose it’s overall vision, but the final script is just bad. Despite the concept of Smith’s character having a clone out to kill him, it’s an insanely generic plot that tons of movies have done over the years. The dialogue is probably the worst part, however, as there is far too much exposition and the movie insists on reminding you constantly that the assassin out to kill Smith’s character is a clone, despite that being very obvious even if you never seen the trailer. The main villain who is in charge of the organization is lazily written and we barely learn anything about him or his true motives. It’s not like he’s an interesting villain either, just the same old “Big Boss” guy you’ve seen many times before.

While the Godawful script does eclipse the entire film, there are some good elements here. It’s not all bad. For one, Smith is really good as he usually is in any movie he stars in no matter how bad it is. The de-aging technology is great for the most part and Smith pulls it off perfectly, being able to act both 51 and 23 at the same time.

Also, most actions scenes are pretty well made, but there are a few that try too hard to be “different” where it just comes off as just awkward and silly. The good ones, however, are fun like any good action-fight or chase scene should.

While Smith, the de-aging technology and most of the action scenes are really good in this film, “Gemini Man”‘s screenplay is so poorly written and generic that it feels like the writers and Lee were focusing too much on the special technology used in the film and not so much on an actual interesting or intriguing story.

‘Little Monsters’ finally brings something new to the zombie genre

“Little Monsters” is an Australian zombie-comedy written and directed by Abe Forsythe and stars Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o as Miss Caroline, a kindergarten teacher that takes her students on a field trip, but when zombies escape from a nearby lab, she must pretend it’s all game to protect her students from the emotional trauma.

The zombie genre is a subgenre that’s kind of been overused throughout the past couple decades and it seems to be difficult for filmmakers to find anything new to add to it. Thankfully Forsythe has found a new concept to spin the zombie genre in a new direction. Having a kindergarten teacher pretending that a zombie invasion is all just a game to a group of five-yearolds is hysterical in both concept and especially in practice. It’s a plot that is both extremely original and refreshing to see unfold as the majority of zombie movies direct their focus on either adults or teens, never do you see the perspective of kids in zombie flicks.

This film would be nothing with Nyong’o’s incredible performance. Never have I seen

‘Zombieland: Double Tap’ is double the fun

“Zombieland: Double Tap” isn’t perfect by any means, but overall it knows exactly what it is and still has the same amount of fun and humor from the original film. Everyone brings their A-game even ten years later and it’s such a delight to see.

NOVEMBER MOVIES

NOV 1

Artic Dogs - Animation

Harriet - Drama

Motherless Brooklyn - Crime Drama

Terminator: Dark Fate - Sci-Fi

NOV 8

Doctor Sleep - Horror

Last Christmas - Rom-Com

Midway - War Drama

Playing with Fire - Comedy

Honey Boy - Drama (LIMITED)

NOV 15

Charlie’s Angels - Action Ford v Ferrari - Drama

The Good Liar - Drama Waves - Drama (LIMITED)

NOV 22

Nyong’o do a comedy before, but man does she hit it out of the ball park proving to everyone why she is an Oscar-winning actress. Josh Gad is also playing a completely different character than he usually does, going from sweet, innocent characters like Olaf to the foul-mouthing jerk he plays in this film.

The film isn’t perfect, sadly, and does have a few problems. For one, there aren’t even any hints of zombie until 20 minutes in. For a zombie film, I feel it should at least have opened with the lab the zombies escape from. Also, the main plot in this movie centers around Alexander England’s character getting out of a toxic relationship and trying to get with Miss Caroline. This entire plot was entirely uninteresting and I would’ve rather have had all the focus on just Miss Caroline and her kids.

Besides that, “Little Monsters” is a refreshing take on the zombie genre with great performances, amazing make up on the zombies, and a ton of heart and humor. It’s currently on Hulu and I definitely recommend watching it this Halloween season.

“Zombieland: Double Tap” is the sequel to the 2009 film with the original director, Ruben Fleischer, and writers, Paul Wernick & Rhett Reese, returning. The film takes place ten years after the original where the gang of Columbus (Academy Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson), Little Rock (Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin) and Wichita (Academy Award winner Emma Stone) are still fighting zombies, but when Little Rock leaves the group, they must go out to find her. Only one problem: the zombies are evolving.

The original Zombieland came out at a time where the zombie genre was still popular. “The Walking Dead” hadn’t come out yet so the market wasn’t tired out by zombies. I know I said in my “Little Monsters” review that it was a rare modern zombie film that was actually good and reinvented the sub-genre. Zombieland: Double Tap does in no way reinvent the genre, really bringing nothing new at all, but at the end of the day it reminds us why the original was so good: it’s SO much fun.

It’s amazing that despite their Oscar nominations (and Stone’s Oscar win for “La La Land”) the original four all return back to this now franchise and they’re just as good as they were before. You can tell that they all are having so much fun in their roles and giving it their 100%. However, it’s not the Oscar nominees that are the standout. That title goes to new arrival Zoey Deutch, daughter of Lea Thompson from the “Back to the Future” movies. Deutch plays a dumb blonde that joins the group and she plays the dumb blonde role PERFECTLY. All her jokes hit the mark and she is such a nice, new edition to our favorite gang of zombie killers.

The screenwriters and directors find new and mostly interesting ways to change up the plot and bring something new to the film ten years later. Although most things that take place are pretty predictable, there’s no denying how fun it all is to witness unfold. There’s also some meta humor that may have been a little bit much, but in the end doesn’t take much away from the entire movie.

21 Bridges - Crime Thriller

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood - Drama

Frozen 2 - Animation

NOV 27

Knives Out - Mystery/Comedy

Queen & Slim - Romance

NETFLIX

American Son - NOV 1

The King - NOV 1

Earthquake Bird - NOV 15

Klaus - NOV 15

The Irishman - NOV 27

Forum Comics

*Include spaces between words

Swim & Dive off to a solid start

By Jordan Woodson // The Forum

Little Rock (LR) swimming and diving team are off to a great start after starting their new season back on Sept 28 with many personal bests and a win under their belts already.

North Texas

LR Swimming and Diving began their season on Sept 28 against North Texas in Denton, Texas where they lost 213-84. Freshman Fer Moussier was the only Trojan to win a race that weekend, placing first in the 200 yard butterfly with a time of 2:08.40.

Despite not many first place finishes, the ladies did come home with quite a few top three finishes. In the 100 yard butterfly, sophomore Carolyn Godwin placed second with a time of 1:01.29. In the diving event, Junior Sierra Thain also placed second with a score of 229.43, less than three points behind the ultimate winner.

Both relay teams, the 400 yard Individual Medley (IM) relay team consisting of Moussier, Godwin, junior Palmer Ristroph and freshman Anna Grom and the 200 year freestyle relay team consisting of Godwin, Grom, freshman Asmalia Redzuan and junior Regan Lawrence, placed third with times of 4:04.09 and 1:41.84 respectively. Freshman Emma Bleasdell also placed third in the 1000 yard freestyle, the longest event, with a time of 11:05.23. Other third places include Redzuan in the 200 yard freestyle with a time of exactly 2:00.00, Moussier in the 200 backstroke

with a time of 2:10.77, and Thain in the 1-meter dive with a score of 203.70.

Fayetteville

On Oct 5, LR Swimming and Diving swam against the Razorbacks in Fayetteville for the first time ever where they met their second loss of 161-121. While no one won any of their individual races, there were still quite a bit of top three finishes.

Junior Coy Jones got third in both her diving events, scoring 214.58 in the 1-meter board and 210.08 in the higher board. Thain got second in the higher board with 223.05 points. Just like in North Texas, Moussier got the highest placement of the team for the swimming portion of the meet with the 200 yard Fly, placing second with a time of 2:07.78, almost a whole second faster than her time at the previous meet.

Junior Ashley Hornbuckle placed third in the 100 yard freestyle with a time of 11:18.00. Ristroph also got a third place finish in the 100 yard breaststroke with a time of 1:08.31.

Season best times were also achieved at this meet with Redzuan getting a 1:57.42 in the 200 yard freestyle (two and a half seconds faster than in North Texas), freshman Khadijah Brown in the 100 freestyle with a time of 55.71 (almost two seconds faster than in North Texas), junior Mia Gibson in the 100 yard backstroke with a time of 1:02.73 (compared to her time of 1:03.8 from North Texas), freshman Nicole Burek in the 200 yard breaststroke with a time of 2:36.53 (as opposed to 2:39.47 in North Texas), and freshman Brianna Ridings who went from

2:32.48 in North Texas to 2:19.99 in the 200 yard butterfly.

Little Rock ‘Swim Pink’ Invitational

Home pool advantage was in effect on Oct 19 when LR Swimming and Diving took home first place at the Little Rock “Swim Pink” Invitational, where the team wore pink swimsuits and pink nail polish in support of breast cancer awareness. The ladies swam against Oklahoma Bapist, Henderson State, Ozarks, and Williams Baptist and placed third last year against those teams, ultimately winning out this year.

Many first places were had in the meet this weekend which led to their golden overall finish. The 200 yard freestyle relay, consisting of Redzuan, Godwin, Lawerence and Brown, took home the gold with a time of 1:39.42. On the 3-meter board, Thain placed first with a score of 238.95 while Jones was right behind in second with 220.72 points. Bleasdell placed first in the 1000 yard freestyle with a time of 10:51.70, almost 14 seconds faster than at North Texas. Redzuan placed first in both the 500 and 200 yard free, finishing with times of 5:18.61 (season best) and 1:57.71 respectively. Also, the 200 fly was unsurprisingly won by Moussier with a time of 2:07.65, even faster than her time in Fayetteville.

The two backstroke events were dominated by Trojans with the top five finishers of the 100 going to Trojans and the top three of the 200 going to them as well. Senior Jessie Baldwin placed first with a time of 1:01.36 and sophomore Lea Zengerling was second with

TrojancontinuesGolf

their season

By Harrison Hudson// The Forum

Little Rock (LR) men’s golf tied for sixth place in the Maridoe Intercollegiate in Carrollton, Texas, on Oct. 6-8.

As a team, the Trojans finished a 46-over 910, tied with New Mexico and four shots behind 5th place finisher Arkansas State.

a time of 1:02.24. Lawrence and freshman Fernanda Gamez tied for third with a time of 1:02.28 while senior Charis Won rounded out the top five with a time of 1:02.32. The top three of the 200 went to first place finisher Moussier with a time of 2:08.96, second place finisher Baldwin with a time of 2:12.65 and third place finisher Bleasdell with a time of 2:15.71, all achieving season best times, Bleasdell achieving a personal record for herself.

The Trojans’ Aaron Ramos tied for 14th overall with a 10-over 226 performance, while Logan Pate finished tied for 18th with an 11-over 227. With a 13-over 229, Anton Albers rounded out the top 25.

Malena Austerslaatt hit a career-best 3-under 69 finalround performance of the Lady Red Wolves Classic on Oct. 14-15 in Jonesboro, and Little Rock (LR) women’s golf finished seventh overall.

Thea Wakeford-Wesmann finished with a score of 225, good to tie for 21st overall, and Tilde Bocker and Sydney Scraba tied for 34th (231).

Cross Country continue great season run

By Jordan Woodson // The Forum

Little Rock (LR) Men and Women Cross Country have had great October runs in both their meets this month.

Chile Pepper Festival

The Men and Women both had great finishes at the annual Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, with the men placing 10th out of 39 teams with 250 points in the 8k race and the women placing fourth out of 41 teams with 210 points in the 5k race.

Sophomore Carter Reynolds was the first to cross the finish line out of the LR men in 15th place overall with a time of 26:05.9. Fellow sophomore Ricardo Banks II was right behind in 21st place with a time of 26:19.5.

Two freshman led the pack for the LR women with Jordan Edwards finishing with a time of

19:03.9 in 25th place and Ariana Garcia finishing with a time of 19:11.8 in 34th place. Both women got season-best times.

Little Rock Open

The Little Rock Open was held on Oct 19 where the men were runners-up out of 12 teams with 56 points and the women were third place also out of 12 teams with 74 points.

Reynolds again finished at the top of the men, placing second overall with a season-best time of 26:11.7 despite the difficult course. Banks along with senior Emilio Medina also had great back-to-back finishes, placing 11th and 12th with only fourtenths of a second away from one-another, with Medina winning out with a season-best time. Just like Reynolds, Edwards also once again led the LR women, getting 11th place with a time of 19:17.4. Sanchez and Paul were close behind in 13th and 14th place with times of 19:42.2 for Sanchez and 19:43.0 for Paul.

Trojan Volleyball down 3-16

By Harrison Hudson// The Forum

Little Rock (LR) volleyball limped to a 1-6 record in its first seven Sun Belt matches, standing at 3-16 overall. The Trojans dropped eight consecutive matches from Sept. 20 to Oct. 11, including its first five conference matchups.

LR’s struggles in league play are a continuation of a poor non-conference showing, as the team did not win a single set in its first seven matches. Five of the six conference losses have been in straight sets, and overall this season the Trojans have dropped 52 sets while only clinching 12.

Opponents recorded 13.7 kills per set and 81 points per match, compared to LR’s marks of 10.1 and 63, respectively.

The Trojans are averaging almost two blocks per set, but have committed 41 ball-handling errors to opponents’ 16, along with allowing 118 service aces. LR’s defense ranks 3rd in the Sun Belt for blocks allowed (189).

Senior Carol Barbosa leads the team with 212 points scored

Trojan soccer gets ready to close out season

By Harrison Hudson// The Forum

this season, good for an average of nearly 4 points per set, which ranks 7th in the league. Barbosa ranks 6th in the Sun Belt for kills, with an average of 3.4 per set. Sophomore Laura Jansen averages around 3 points per set.

Jansen and Alyssa Nayar pace the team with 12 service aces apiece, while Nathalia Vigineski averages a team-best 4.5 assists per set.

In its last outing, LR was bested in straight sets by visiting Arkansas State.

Barbosa logged nine kills, Madison Nichols had three blocks and the Trojans kept the first two sets competitive early before being outscored 10-3 late in the first set and 11-3 in the second to create an insurmountable deficit. LR had the third set tied 19-19 but allowed three straight kills from the Red Wolves and failed to rally.

The loss came a week after LR took down Appalachian State at home, three sets to one, to snap a losing streak dating back to September. The Trojans won their sets by an average of 3 points.

Little Rock (LR) women’s soccer stands at 2-3-4 in Sun Belt, ranking 7th of 11 teams heading into the regular season’s final weekend. The Trojans have gone 2-2 in the last few weekends of play, most recently falling at Troy, 2-1 on Oct. 17, and at South Alabama, 3-0 on Oct. 20.

LR got on the board first against Troy, with a goal from Julia Edholm in the 34th minute. Troy scored two unanswered goals in the 66th and 83rd minutes, and held a 16-10 shot advantage to help seal the decision.

South Alabama held the Trojans to just one shot on goal in the match, while the Jaguars logged 10 and scored two goals

Nov. 1: VB (HOME)

Nov. 2: XC (AWAY)

(AWAY)

(HOME)

Nov. 5: VB (AWAY)

(AWAY)

Nov. 8: VB (AWAY)

Nov. 9: WBB (AWAY)

Nov. 10: VB (AWAY) MBB (AWAY)

within a three-minute period late in the first half. Moa Ohman headed in a shot off the crossbar in the 41st minute, then Gracie Wilson scored in the 44th to start the Jaguar rout.

Prior to the two consecutive losses, the Trojans blanked ULM 4-0 with goals from Morgan Smocovich, Astros Luckas, Ziva Payer and Abril Lucio in the team’s first conference victory. Two days later, Edholm responded to a first-half Appalachian State goal with two goals in a span of as many minutes (62’ and 64’), and redshirt freshman goalkeeper Julia Curatolo recorded four saves to clinch a secondstraight win.

After dropping its conference opener 1-0 to Georgia State, LR posted four consecutive ties, three of them scoreless. In the exception, Louisiana scored a

game-tying goal in the 83rd minute, seconds after LR’s Fanney Einarsdottir scored off Edholm’s assist.

Edholm paces the Trojans with six goals scored this season, four more than any other player, and her shot percentage of .316 is also a team best. Smocovich has logged a team-high six assists, while also posting the most shots on goal (15).

Curatolo has a save percentage of .793, allowing 19 goals and posting a solid seven shutouts.

The Trojans’ shot-on-goal percentage is .466, compared to opponents’ .417, but LR has been outscored 25-18 this season, including 14-4 in first halves. Opponents have had 109 corner kick opportunities to the Trojans’ 49, and posted 19 assists to LR’s 11.

November Schedule

Nov. 13: WBB (HOME)

Nov. 14: MBB (HOME)

Nov. 15: XC (AWAY) VB (HOME)

Nov. 16: WBB (HOME) VB (HOME)

Nov. 17: MBB (AWAY)

Nov. 20: MBB (AWAY)

Nov. 21: VB (AWAY) WBB (AWAY)

Nov. 22: VB (AWAY)

(AWAY)

Nov. 23: VB (AWAY) SWIM (AWAY) MBB (AWAY)

Nov. 24: VB (AWAY) SWIM (AWAY) WBB (AWAY)

Nov. 26: MBB (HOME)

Nov. 27 MBB (HOME)

Nov. 30: MBB (HOME)

George Lee named Director of Athletics

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale has named George Lee, current senior associate athletic director and CFO, as the new athletic director for the UA Little Rock Trojans.

Lee, who joined the Athletics Department 23 years ago as business manager, assumes the position Nov. 1. He replaces Chasse Conque, who left the university in August to become vice chancellor and AD at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

“George Lee’s experience with our Trojan Athletics program, along with his thorough understanding of every aspect of NCAA Division I collegiate athletics, make him highly qualified for the position,” said Drale. “He is well respected by his colleagues and is dedicated to the success of our student athletes. This two-

year appointment will give us the opportunity to review and strengthen our program under the leadership of someone who knows the program well, understands our mission, and has critical institutional insight.”

Lee thanked Dr. Drale for the opportunity. “We have an outstanding program of coaches and staff who will help me continue to move UA Little Rock Athletics forward,” he said. “Our student-athletes are talented not only in their respective sports but also in the classroom. Last year our athletes’ GPA average was one of the highest percentages in program history.”

The new athletic director pointed out that this is the university’s inaugural year of men’s wrestling, and many fans are enthusiastic about starting the state’s only Division I wrestling program.

Lee commended the members of the Trojan Athletic Foundation for their support and assistance in raising funds for the program and helping raise the profile of the Trojans.

“We wouldn’t be where we are today without them and all of our fans and supporters over the years,” he said. “We will continue to lean on them and the community to back Little Rock’s Team and generate enthusiasm for the program.”

A 1987 graduate of UA Little Rock, he is married to Joni Lee, UA Little Rock vice chancellor of University Affairs. They have two children.

Story courtesy of the UA Little Rock Athletic Department

Expectations differ for Trojans Basketball Programs

By Kolton Rutherford // The Forum

Little Rock (LR) men’s and women’s basketball are gearing up for a new season in which expectations couldn’t be more different for both teams. The Trojan men, coming off a 10-21 season in which they failed to even qualify for the Sun Belt Tournament, look to improve under second-year coach Darrell Walker. Alternatively, the Trojan women were 21-11 last season, winning the Sun Belt Tournament and competing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Joe Foley and his team look to repeat last season’s success, and even improve and go further in the postseason.

Men’s Trojans need to show improvement

Needless to say, Darrell Walker endured a difficult inaugural season. Taking over from Wes Flanigan, Walker’s Trojans increased their win total from 2017 in 2018 (7 to 10) but missed out on the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. In 2019, Walker will hope for even more improvement. Another poor season might suggest questions for Walker’s direction for the program.

LR’s non-conference schedule is highlighted by a Nov. 20 contest at the Memphis Tigers. Last season, LR lost at the Tigers in a close 99-89 game. Despite losing that game and the following, those mid-December games proved two of the best performances of the season for LR, losing close to top competition like Memphis and Georgetown (102-94).

In 2019, standout athletes for the Trojans include sophomore guard Markquis Nowell, junior guard Jaizec Lottie, and sophomore forward Kamani Johnson.

Nowell was something of a freshman revelation, starting 18 games for LR.

Johnson started 15 games of his own as a freshman, notching 10 points at Georgetown.

Lottie, a stalwart of LR basketball since his arrival on campus in 2017, started 17 games last season, and commands the floor for LR with Nowell.

To help gauge the potential success of the 2019 Trojans, one can consider their Oct. 20 charity exhibition contest against the Arkansas Razorbacks in

Fayetteville. Despite only losing 79-64, the final box score was a bit charitable and failed to highlight some significant defects in the Trojan game, namely at the free-throw line and turning the ball over. LR made only 13 of 30 free throws and turned the ball over 22 times. Further, the Trojans shot just 33 percent from the floor in the first half.

Despite their struggles, competing against an SEC opponent like Arkansas provided LR with valuable experience heading into the season, experience they’ll desperately need in 2019.

Trojan women aim to defend title

LR women’s basketball is thriving under Joe Foley, coming off a Sun Belt title and NCAA Tournament appearance. However, despite conference titles and tournament appearances, one success seems to allude the Trojan women: a win in the NCAA Tournament.

Last season, LR lost to Gonzaga 68-51 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Before that contest, the team notched a 15-3 conference record and played a difficult non-conference schedule against opponents like LSU, Memphis, and Mississippi State.

In 2019, non-conference matchups against the likes of Texas A&M, LSU, and Mississippi State. However, perhaps no matchup is more exciting than a Dec. 21 contest against the Razorbacks at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock. A rare competitive in-state contest for Razorback Athletics, a win would be a boon for Trojans basketball and heighten a program already at the top of the Sun Belt.

As with any team, however, there are significant changes for the Trojans heading into the new season. The DeGray sisters have graduated, leaving a hole at the core of Little Rock’s Team. The onus will be on senior guards Sydney Chastain and Kyra Collier, as well as junior guard Tori Lasker and junior forward Teal Battle to plug the holes and keep the team’s prospects at a high level.

LR has six new freshmen on the roster, including guard Shyla Knight and forward Kiana Anderson. Finding the right balance between rotating experienced veterans and the unproven freshmen will be critical for the short-and long-term success of the Trojans.

New Greg L. Hatcher Wrestling Center opens

By Connor Goodson

// The Forum

The newest building on the UA Little Rock campus is now home to the newest Division 1 wrestling program in the nation, and only one in the state of Arkansas.

The 16,000 square foot Hatcher Wrestling Center is the large part of a $1.4 million gift from Greg Hatcher, who is credited with starting the explosion of wrestling in Arkansas. Hatcher has helped start numerous high school and smaller collegiate wrestling programs in Arkansas but had special plans for the Trojans.

“I had met Greg [Hatcher] when I interviewed for the Ouachita Baptist job back when they first started their program,” recalls Trojan head coach Neil Erisman. “I was blown away by his plans and facilities there, so when I found out he wanted to start a Division 1 program I started kicking down every door I could to get an interview.”

Hatcher’s plan was to make the capital city’s university, a

poster for what collegiate wrestling should be in the entire state. To accomplish that in any collegiate sport, you need the best facilities. That’s why a major portion of Hatcher’s gift went to building a state-of-theart training center.

“This facility is rivaled by no other wrestling facility in the country,” said Erisman. “It’s a game-changer in terms of the caliber of wrestler we’re able to get on campus solely because of this building.”

Before you even enter the Hatcher Wrestling Center, you notice the two large patio areas where students can lounge between classes on nice days. On the inside, you’re first greeted by a large trophy cabinet that will eventually house various awards the wrestling program hopes to win.

Each side of the trophy cabinet is an entry way to the central portion of the wrestling center containing four full size wrestling mats. Behind the mats sit treadmills, stationary bikes and various other cardio workout equipment.

Adjacent to the wrestling mats area are various rooms and hall-

ways that serve many different purposes. You have a long hallway, closest to Stabler Hall, that houses a sauna, player locker room, coach locker room, showers, laundry room and coaching offices.

The opposite side of the facility houses a weight room, student lounge and training room. The weight room contains approximately ten custom made squat racks emblazoned with “Little Rock” and benches that have the Trojan logo embroidered into them.

The student lounge contains two brand new flat screen TVs, a ping-pong table, numerous couches, tables and chairs. The training room isn’t reserved for only wrestlers as athletes from other sports routinely come in to get treatment.

“It’s like getting a new toy,” said Coach Erisman while giving a tour. “You want to play with it, but you also don’t want to rid it of the newness.”

When asked to elaborate on his feelings of having the Hatcher Wrestling Center, Coach Erisman continued to express his gratitude and thankfulness for people like Greg Hatcher.

“Arkansas is the second fastest growing state for wrestling in the nation, so just having people like Greg Hatcher pouring this much back into the sport really makes me happy and hopeful for the future,” said Erisman. “You’ve gotta crawl before you can walk, walk before you can run and run before you can sprint, but we’ll be in great

shape to accomplish a lot here thanks to guys like Greg.”

The Little Rock Trojan wrestling team will have their first meet on November 9th in Oklahoma City. Then, they will have their first home meet in the Jack Stephens Center against the University of the Ozarks on November 24th.