Monticello Live

Patrick Neece (right), chief information officer for Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff and a 1999 graduate of the School of Computer Information Systems at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, addresses current UAM students at CIS Alumni Day last week.

The event was held as part of UAM’s year-long centennial celebration and brought back some of the program’s outstanding young alumni.

Other speakers included Kevin Grant, information technology manager for The Price Companies, Inc., Holly Cathey, Arkansas Public School Computer Network coordinator for the Monticello School System, Chris Lagrone, a programmer and analyst for Dillard’s Store Services, and Chris Simpson, a system analyst for Entergy Corporation

The School of Agriculture at the University of Arkansas at Monticello is joining other agriculture schools across the country in celebrating National Agriculture Week.

Sponsored by the National Agriculture Council of America, the event began Monday and runs through Saturday, March 20, the first day of spring. UAM will host a reception on Wednesday, March 17 from 11:10 a.m. to 12 noon in the auditorium of the Agriculture Building. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet with students and faculty. Students from Dr. Bob Stark’s Agriculture Business Firm Management class will present posters and be available to discuss various aspects of the agriculture industry with visitors. Read the rest of this entry »

University of Arkansas at Monticello agriculture major Shelby Williams of Little Rock recently joined more than 100 Arkansas Farm Bureau County presidents, collegiate presidents, and Farm Bureau staff members for the 2010 Farm Bureau County Presidents’ Tour of Washington, D.C. Read the rest of this entry »

The reaccreditation site team from the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission Council of Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs visited the University of Arkansas at Monticello School of Nursing last week. The School of Nursing is seeking continued accreditation for its BSN program.

Preparations for the visit spanned two years and was a school-wide effort. Results from the visit are expected in April. Pictured from left are (seated): Christine Felts, Belinda Well and Leia O’Fallon of the UAM nursing faculty, (standing) James Crow, Anita Shaw and Dr. Laura Evans of the UAM nursing faculty, Pam Gouner, dean of the School of Nursing, faculty members Charlotte Denton and Sharon Walters, and Dr. Carolyn Kornegay and Dr. Toni Barnett of the NLNAC accreditation team.

Junior high and high school students from throughout southeast Arkansas put their mathematics skills to the test at the 32nd annual Arkansas Council of Teachers of Mathematics regional contest hosted March 6 by the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

One hundred and sixty-two students representing five school districts participated in five different contest areas. The winners were:
Read the rest of this entry »

(First row, from left) Ethan Ferguson, Lane Hewett, Jeff Anderson, Shelby Williams, Justin Jones, Farm Bureau Southeast Area Coordinator Jim Hemann, (second row, from left) Drew County Farm Bureau President Bobby Hood, UAM Collegiate Farm Bureau Faculty Advisor Dr. Bob Stark, and Farm Bureau Associate Director of Organization and Member Programs Harry Willems.

Justin Jones of Monticello recently took first place in the 2010 University of Arkansas at Monticello Collegiate Farm Bureau Discussion Meet and will represent UAM in the state finals of the event on March 5 in Little Rock.

The discussion meet competition gives students the opportunity to discuss a current agricultural issue in a committee meeting format. Competitors are judged on analysis of the topic, problem solving and implementation, a cooperative attitude, and general delivery. Each participant makes an opening and closing statement and participates in a general discussion period.

Jones is a junior agriculture major with an emphasis on plant and soil science. He is a native of Saline County. Shelby Williams of Little Rock took second place while Jeff Anderson of Grapevine finished third.

The UAM Collegiate Farm Bureau co-sponsored the event with the Arkansas Farm Bureau. The event moderator was Dr. Bob Stark, professor of agriculture and faculty advisor for the UAM Collegiate Farm Bureau. Dr. Whitney Whitworth, associate professor of animal science, served as timekeeper. Judges were Bobby Hood, president of the Drew County Farm Bureau, Jim Hemann, southeast area coordinator for Arkansas Farm Bureau, and Harry Willems, the Arkansas Farm Bureau’s associate director of organization and member programs.

The University of Arkansas at Monticello will go to a four-day class schedule for its first and second summer terms, offering classes Monday through Thursday, according to Dr. Debbie Bryant, registrar.

The schedule change was made as an energy-saving measure for UAM’s campuses in Monticello, Crossett and McGehee and for students who commute to the campuses on a daily basis during the summer. UAM will not offer free housing during the summer terms as it has the last two years, but residence halls and the cafeteria will be open at a reduced rate for students who choose to live on campus. Read the rest of this entry »

Log rolling and bow sawing are two of the physical events scheduled for this year’s Conclave competition.

Forestry students from universities across the South will converge on the Drew County Fairgrounds March 25-27 for the 53rd annual Association of Southern Forestry Clubs Conclave competition hosted this year by the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

The three-day competition is a test of both technical and physical forestry skills and will bring together students from Alabama A&M, UAM, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana State, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, North Carolina State, Stephen F. Austin, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech. Read the rest of this entry »

The 2009 Boll Weevil yearbook staff at the University of Arkansas at Monticello recently received a Superior Performance Award from Walsworth Publishing Company. Read the rest of this entry »

The University of Arkansas at Monticello is once again offering scholarships to two high school seniors who have participated in the EAST educational technology initiative for at least two years while in high school.

The scholarship covers tuition for 15 semester hours of course credit, excluding summer terms, and is renewable by maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better on 12 semester hours and providing 10 hours per week of voluntary assistance in either the UAM Information Technology or Spatial Analysis laboratory. Read the rest of this entry »

Click here for the list from UAM’s website.

Members of the UAM debate team display their awards from the 2010 Southern Regional Tournament held at LSU-Shreveport. Pictured from left are (front row) Jim Evans, director of forensics, Anna Blace Barron, Laura Ramos, Tiffany Reed, Brittany Booker, Amber Rowe, (second row) Tyler Tessaro, Melissa Rodgers, Jonathon Hoskins, Kelly Reed, Bobby Evans, (back row) Chris Brown, Zack Tucker, Yvonne Hinshaw, and Jamie Ward.

The University of Arkansas at Monticello debate and forensics team won the prestigious Michael Fisher Sweepstakes Arkansas State Tournament Championship at the Southern Regional Championship Tournament January 29-31 at Louisiana State University-Shreveport.

Competing against debate and forensics teams from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, UAM also captured the Arkansas State Overall Sweepstakes Championship, the Arkansas State Individual Forensics Events Championship and nine more state and regional championships at the three-day competition. Read the rest of this entry »

The School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas at Monticello will host a site review for the continued accreditation of its bachelor of science in nursing degree program by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).

Interested persons are invited to meet the visiting accreditation team and share comments about the program at a meeting Wednesday, March 3 at 2:30 p.m. in the Caucus Room of the John F. Gibson University Center. Read the rest of this entry »

The University of Arkansas at Monticello has set a new spring semester enrollment record with 3,474 students currently enrolled on its three campuses in Monticello, Crossett and McGehee, according to preliminary figures released by the university’s registrar.

The total represents a 7.45 percent increase over last spring’s enrollment of 3,233, which at the time was also a record for the spring semester. Read the rest of this entry »

High school seniors and their parents can get a sneak peek at college life during Weevil Welcome Days February 5 or February 8 at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

The event will be held in the Fine Arts Center from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon. Prospective students and parents will meet current UAM students, faculty and staff and receive information about admission, scholarships, financial aid, how to select a major, and extracurricular activities. Door prizes will be awarded. Representatives from UAM’s Colleges of Technology at Crossett and McGehee will also be available to discuss the technical programs available on their respective campuses.

Campus tours and tours of residence facilities will be available in the afternoon. Persons interested in attending should notify the Office of Admissions at (800) 844-1826 by February 2.

Students at the University of Arkansas at Monticello will get to enjoy international cuisine and immerse themselves in other cultures as part of the university’s observance of International Education Week February 15-19.

Aramark Dining Services, the UAM campus food vendor, will feature various international foods each day at lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A display by international students will be located in the Adams Room of Harris Hall and will be available for viewing February 15-17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Read the rest of this entry »

The University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology-McGehee will help celebrate UAM’s centennial by hosting a 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, May 1 beginning at 7 a.m.

The deadline to register is April 8 with free t-shirts presented to the first 100 registrants. Registration is free.

Medallions will be awarded to the first, second, and third place finishers five age groups – 18 and under, 19 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, and 50 and over. The overall event winner will receive an engraved brick to be placed on the donor walk around Weevil Pond on the Monticello campus.

Registration forms are available at UAM-CTM or may be printed from the school’s website at www.uamont.edu/mcgehee <http://www.uamont.edu/mcgehee> . For more information, contact Kim Ray at (870) 222-5360

The University of Arkansas at Monticello has joined the Arkansas Department of Higher Education to promote “Say Go College Week” February 15-21, culminating with “College Goal Sunday” on February 21.

As part of “Say Go College Week,” UAM will host a variety of events that focus on the importance of attaining a college education. “We’ll provide practical advice on things like how to apply for admission and financial aid,” said Mary Whiting, director of admissions and coordinator of the event. According to Whiting, college promotion packets will be available in all southeast Arkansas area schools, with specific college success timelines for sophomores, juniors and seniors. These may be obtained through counselor’s offices. Read the rest of this entry »

An education instructor at the University of Arkansas at Monticello has received a grant from the Arkansas Department of Education to help teachers and parents learn the special skills needed to teach and mentor children with autism. Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. John Kyle Day, assistant professor of history at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, was recently elected to a national leadership position in Phi Alpha Theta, the national collegiate history honor society.

Day was elected national councilor for Phi Alpha Theta and will serve on the board of directors while developing policy for the organization and representing the honor society to the academic community. Read the rest of this entry »

Click here to go to UAM’s website for the announcement.

A new program in correctional law enforcement will be available at the UAM College of Technology-McGehee beginning in January, according to Bob Ware, UAM-CTM vice chancellor.

Developed in cooperation with the Arkansas Department of Corrections, the program includes two semesters of course work. Completion of the first semester results in a certificate of proficiency in correctional law enforcement while completion of a second semester earns a technical certificate with the option to continue toward an associate of applied science degree in general technology. Some of the courses may be applied to other associate or baccalaureate degree programs. Read the rest of this entry »

The University of Arkansas Board of Trustees has approved a request for name changes for three academic units at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, according to Chancellor Jack Lassiter.

UAM’s Division of Agriculture, Division of Computer Information Systems, and Division of Nursing will now be known as the School of Agriculture, the School of Computer Information Systems, and the School of Nursing. The title of each division chair will become dean. Read the rest of this entry »

Nursing, exercise science, and physical education students at the University of Arkansas at Monticello will receive better training in treating heart attack victims thanks to a recent donation from the Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association and the National Automobile Dealers Charitable Foundation.

Those two organizations recently presented Resusci Anne training units to UAM to provide better CPR training for students majoring in nursing, exercise science and physical education. CPR training is required in each academic discipline. Read the rest of this entry »

Students and faculty from the Division of Nursing are (from left, first row) Pam Gouner, division chair, Jacob James of Monticello, SNA president, Jessica Craig of Hamburg, SNA parliamentarian, Brittney Hollis of Hamburg, SNA historian, Brooke Thurman of Tillar, SNA vice president, Christine Felts, associate professor of nursing and SNA advisor, (second row, from left) Jennifer Harris of Warren, SNA treasurer, Julie Ross of Monticello, SNA secretary, Candace Jerry of Crossett, SNA projects chair, (back row, from left) junior class officers Shana Forrest of Kingsland, Amanda McKeown of Tillar, Kristy Breedlove of Oak Grove, La., SNA president-elect, Brooke Gray of Bryant, Kelli Johnson of Jacksboro, Tenn., Wendy Tullos of Rison, and April Brown of Hermitage.

The Student Nursing Association (SNA) at the University of Arkansas at

Monticello won the Arkansas Student Nursing Association Chapter of Excellence Award at the organization’s recent state convention in Little Rock.

The chapter was recognized for its work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, its efforts in saving the Ashley County Medical Center, and its work in community health. Read the rest of this entry »

The University of Arkansas at Monticello’s Phi Alpha Theta history honor society has been named the nation’s best chapter for colleges and universities with enrollments between 3,000 and 6,000 students. Read the rest of this entry »

U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and U.S. Representatives Marion Berry, Vic Snyder, and Mike Ross have announced that the Senate and House have passed the Conference Report for the Fiscal Year 2010 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which contains funding for Arkansas priorities.

Among these priorities is $319,000 for the Center for Integrated Forest Management Strategies at the University of Arkansas in Monticello for forestry research and education activities.  Read the rest of this entry »

In six years on the faculty at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Scott Kuttenkuler has developed as reputation as one of the top communications instructors in the state.

Now Kuttenkuler will take those skills across campus and use them to direct UAM’s private fund-raising efforts as the University’s newly-appointed director of advancement. Read the rest of this entry »