Insectival 2008 at ASUMH

Over 1,750 students from neighboring elementary schools were on the Arkansas State University-Mountain Home campus on Friday, May 9, for Insectival 2008. The event, organized by the Fran Coulter Honors Program and Phi Theta Kappa with the biology department at ASUMH, featured a variety of activities designed to provide young students with a hands-on, personal experience with insects and nature.

The event included insect crafts, a petting zoo, cockroach races, and edible bug snacks. Microscopes provided students a close look at bugs and other creatures. Volunteers painted bugs on the faces of any child who requested it and free popcorn and the movie “A Bug’s Life” were available from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in Gaston Lobby.

After watching the cockroach races, one student from Evening Shade Math and Science Academy was heard telling her friends to “watch out for the ants” as they tiptoed across the grass on Keller Green on their way to another event. It seemed one of the goals of Insectival had been met – bringing nature to life for students!

MHHS Bomb Squad Receives Scholarships

Dr. Ed Coulter, Chancellor at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home, recently visited Mountain Home High School to honor the silver-medal winners of the FIRST Robotics World Championship. Coulter, who watched a demonstration of the 140-pound robot the MHHS students designed, built and programmed, presented six graduating senior students a four-semester scholarship to Arkansas State University-Mountain Home in recognition of their accomplishments. The Bomb Squad from MHHS was among 344 teams from around the world competing and more than 20,000 students from around the world who participated. First (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was designed to excite students about careers in math, science, and technology through fiercely competitive robotics contests. Pictured receiving scholarships to ASUMH are (left to right): Alex Penrose, Chris Marts, Clayton Brinza, Kevin Adams, Chancellor Ed Coulter, Kyle Markowski and Kellye Young.

Top GED Graduate Honored

Roxanne Hurt Winnett was recently honored at the Capitol in Little Rock, Arkansas. Ms. Winnett, a student at ASUMH, placed 17th in the state out of over 7,500 students who received their GED (General Educational Development) in Arkansas this year. Ms. Winnett is the grandaughter of Jim and Kay Hurt of Whiteville. Pictured (left to right) Penny Ellis, ASUMH State GED Examiner; Jim Smith, State Adult Education Director; Roxanne Hurt Winnette; Senator Bill Walker; and Janice Hanlon, Director of GED for Arkansas.

Commencement Scheduled for May 12

Fran Coulter Honors Graduates

Arkansas State University Mountain Home will hold its annual commencement ceremony Monday, May 12 at 7:00 p.m. on Keller Green.

Dan Sherrid II of Mountain Home, Arkansas, has been selected by the ASUMH faculty to deliver the student address.

Records indicate 444 Intent to Graduate forms for spring 2008 have been filed with the Office of the Registrar by students hoping to fulfill the degree and certificate requirements by the end of the academic year on June 30. That is an increase from last year’s spring record of 374.

Rosalyn Blagg, Registrar and Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment stated, “Commencement is such a busy and exciting time at ASUMH! We continue to be thrilled by the steady growth of graduates. Because our mission is to lead through educational opportunities, we are delighted that our students’ lives are impacted by the completion of an educational goal that can change their lives and the world around them.”
ASUMH will award associate degrees, technical certificates, and certificates of proficiency and Arkansas State University–Jonesboro will award graduate degrees and undergraduate degrees at the Mountain Home ceremony. Dr. Ed Coulter, Chancellor of ASUMH, and Dr. Robert Potts, President of ASU-Jonesboro, will present the various diplomas.

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will move to Mountain Home High School’s Dunbar Auditorium in Mountain Home.

ASUMH Student Named State PBL President

Four ASU-Mountain Home students attended the Arkansas State Leadership Conference of Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) in Hot Springs, Ark. April 20-22. Each student entered competitive events covering a variety of business subjects and competed against students from other two and four-year colleges across the state.

Jesse Wilcoxson was elected president of the Arkansas Chapter. Wilcoxson will travel Arkansas visiting PBL chapters at the state’s two and four-year colleges serving as an Ambassador for Arkansas PBL. He will also serve as Chair of the State Executive Council and as a member of the Board of Directors.

Dustin Johnson placed first in Networking Concepts, Ethan Rogocki placed fifth in Networking Concepts, and Sandra Wilcoxson placed fifth in Accounting for Professionals. The ASUMH PBL Chapter placed fifth in Largest Increase in Local Chapter Membership.

Wilcoxson and Johnson will represent Arkansas and ASU-Mountain at the National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Ga. this summer.

PBL, the collegiate division of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), is a nonprofit educational association of students preparing for careers in business and business related fields. As the largest business student organization in the world, PBL reaches over 11,000 college students. Arkansas FBLA-PBL is the second largest chapter in the United States. Instructors Karen Heslep, Tonya Smith and Leda Thompson serve as advisers to the ASUMH chapter.

First picture: From left to right: Dustin Johnson, Sandra Wilcoxson, Jesse Wilcoxson, Ethan Rogocki
Second picture: Front row: Sandra Wilcoxson, Jesse Wilcoxson, Dustin Johnson; Back row: Karen Heslep, Ethan Rogocki, Tonya Smith

Aid and Loans Available to Students

The Arkansas State University – Mountain Home Office of Financial Aid is committed to providing financial resources to students who would otherwise be unable to pursue their educational goals. Today, financial aid is available for Summer 2008 sessions as well as for Fall 2008-Spring 2009. While there have been some reports in the media of the Arkansas Student Loan Authority not making new student loans, ASUMH’s Director of Financial Aid Joyce Rone commented, “it is business as usual in the Financial Aid Department at ASUMH. Our lenders include Sallie Mae and the Oklahoma Student Loan Authority, plus there are a number of resources through private scholarship donors to take care of student need.”

The most critical source of funding for students seeking financial aid is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), said Rone. Students may access the FAFSA application online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. For students with an ACT score of 24, or for students who rank in the top 10% of their class with a 3.0 GPA, there are Academic Distinction Scholarships available as well. In addition, Federal aid is available in the form of grants, loans and work-study. “The dollars are there for students,” said Rone. “Our office is open and our employees are committed to assisting all students who are seeking financial aid to meet their goals.” For more information, contact ASUMH’s Financial Aid Department by calling 508-6195. The Arkansas Department of Higher Education’s Web site, www.arkhighered.com, is also a recommended resource for a complete listing of state sponsored funding for students.

Web Addresses for Financial Aid Information:

www.fnbmh.com/scholarship.htm
www.baxterregional.org (click on Foundation)
www.fastweb.com
www.arkhighered.com
www.scholarships4students.com
www.fastaid.com
www.statevoucher.org
www.uams.edu/don/nursing.htm
www.arsbn.org
www.walmartfoundation.org
www.scholarships.com
www.thesalliemaefund.org/smfnew/scholarship
www.free-4u.com

ASUMH Annnounces Graduates of CNA Class

Pictured standing (left to right): Melissa Vanderkooi, Deborah Parks, Danielle Knight, Gerri Vanscoy; seated (left to right) Tricia L. Clark, Kimberly Lockhart, Erica Garcia, Kristina Sellers.


Arkansas State University – Mountain Home recently held a ceremony honoring graduates of the certified nursing assistant program. Graduates completed 99 hours of course work and passed a skills and knowledge test to graduate. Instructor JoAnn Thomas presented the graduates with their certificates.

Academic Awards Luncheon

Art	Accounting & Economics
Biological Sciences	Business Management
Composition	Criminal Justice
Elementary Education	History
Literature	Mathematics
Military Science	Networking Specialist
Office Administration Specialist	Oral Communications
Physical Science	Philosophy
Political Science	Psychology
Respiratory Care	Sociology
Theatre	World Religions
All-USA Nominees	Overall Academic Achiever

The Office of Academic Affairs and Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, Beta Iota Epsilon Chapter, held the 2008 Academic Awards Recognition Luncheon on April 23 in Gaston Lobby. The following students were recognized for academic achievement:
Accounting and Economics, Rachel Hoff
Art, Amanda Fonte
Biological Sciences, John Milner
Business Management, Geneva Sinor
Chemistry, Charity Coleman
Composition, Tamara Novian
Criminal Justice, Jim Morgan
Elementary Education, Mattie Crawford
Funeral Science, Stephanie Moore
History, Tamara Novian
Literature, Sally Stone
Mathematics, Ashton Erwin
Military Science, Anthoney Paxton
Networking Specialist Emphasis, Daniel White
Office Administration Specialist Emphasis, Ashley Bell
Oral Communications, Stephen Pace
Physical Science, Caren Photides
Philosophy, Keith Brummund
Political Science, Richard Emanuelson & Jake
Psychology, Victoria Root
Respiratory Care, Lisa Everhart
Sociology, Penny Honey
Theatre, Paul Richter
World Religions, Lindsey Norman
ASUMH Overall Academic Achiever, Dan Sherrid
All-USA Nominees, Elizabeth Howell, Lindsey Norman

2008 Photo Contest Winners

Grand Prize Winner Sunny Archibald

Digital Photography Contest Winners Announced

Arkansas State University-Mountain Home and First National Bank and Trust announced the winners of the 2008 Digital Photography Contest recently. A reception was held at the Baxter County Library where the first and second place winners in ten categories and one grand prize winner were recognized.
Category winners are as follows:
People:
1st Prize - "Nonna" by Sunny Archibald
2nd Prize - "Who Is That" by Matthew Johnson
Wildlife:
1st Prize - "Spiky Bug" by Amanda Zimmer
2nd Prize - "Patience" by Jerry Wilcoxen
Pets:
1st Prize - "Pretty Kitty" by Willa Gregg
2nd Prize - "Cat On A Rock" by Christi West
Grandchildren:
1st Prize - "Butterfly Garden" by Pam Rosinbaum
2nd Prize - "Big Eyes" by Mel Coleman
Black & White:
1st Prize - "Scintillation" by Willa Gregg
2nd Prize - "Concrete Angel" by Amanda Zimmer
Structures:
1st Prize - "The Wall" by Ron Helvey
2nd Prize - "Galaxy Reflections" by Sunny Archibald
Plants:
1st Prize - "Busy Bee" by Jerry Wilcoxen
2nd Prize - "Iris In The Rain" by David Murphy
Landscape:
1st Prize - "Lovely Light" by Charin Reed
2nd Prize - "Sunrise at Haleakala Volcano-Maui" by Beth Vanderstek
Creative:
1st Prize - "Sunflower" by Jerry Wilcoxen
2nd prize - "Art In The Park" by Marjorie Jones
GRAND PRIZE:
"Innocence" by Sunny Archibald
Judges for the contest included Dirk Martin, Ed Harwell, Dave Henricks, Kevin Pieper, Phyllis Bailey, Erric Totty and Stacy Lee. Exchange Judges were Carol Martin and Jerry Wilcoxen. ASUMH faculty member Dr. Steve Johnson served as coordinator of the event.

Groundbreaking at ASUMH

On Friday, April 11, residents of the Twin Lakes Area gathered with officials including former Senator Dale Bumpers and Representative Marion Berry to break ground at the site of the Vada Sheid Community Development Center on the campus of Arkansas State University-Mountain Home.

The Vada Sheid Community Development Center is on the northern boundary of the campus. The building’s design includes a 1,600-seat auditorium and stage, convention and banquet space, college library, classrooms, outdoor amphitheatre and art gallery space. It will be both an academic support facility for students and an outreach facility available to the community for events, concerts, graduations or conventions.

The 60,000 square-foot building will be the largest on campus and will serve as a cultural center for Baxter County. The building will bear the name of the first woman elected to the Arkansas State Senate, Vada Webb Sheid of Mountain Home. Sheid died in February of 2008, just two months before the scheduled groundbreaking ceremony. The Wilcox Group, an architectural firm out of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Nabholz Construction of Conway, Arkansas, will serve as designers and general contractors on the project.

Commenting on the proposed center, Ed Coulter, Chancellor of ASUMH said, “From this day forward when we look at the Vada Sheid Community Development Center, we will remember the impact Vada Sheid had on Mountain Home and the way she took the lead in helping this area grow economically. It is my hope that this Center will be of great economic benefit to the Twin Lakes Area for many years to come.”

Funding for the construction of the proposed $16 million facility is ongoing. Donations include a gift of $500,000 from Jim McClure for the Convention Center, $250,000 from First Security Bank for the Amphitheatre and Fountain, $200,000 from Jim and Jill Gaston for the Bumpers Great Hall, $100,000 from Dr. Peter and Betty Dykstra for the Auditorium Stage and Auxiliary Area and over $90,000 from ASUMH employees for the Entrance Tower.

On the day of the groundbreaking ceremony, a luncheon was held in recognition of donors. Dr. Christy Preis, Assistant Professor of Mathematics at ASUMH, gave the invocation and Bob Knight, a member of the original ASUMH Advisory Council presented a challenge from the group for the sale of the auditorium’s chairs. The group has developed a recognition plan whereby patrons may name chairs in the auditorium in honor or memory of a designee for $1,000. Jim Gaston introduced the luncheon speaker, Honorable Dale Bumpers, former Senator from the State of Arkansas.

At 1:00, the groundbreaking ceremony began with a welcome and introductions by Dr. Ed Coulter, Chancellor of ASU-Mountain Home. Larry Nelson, CEO of First Security Bank, Mountain Home, gave the invocation and Oksana Pavilionis performed a violin instrumental of America the Beautiful. During the ceremony, a proclamation from the Mayor’s office was read by Dr. Joe Tullis, Chairman of the ASUMH Advisory Council. The proclamation declared April 11 as Arkansas State University-Mountain Home/Vada Sheid Day and called upon the people of Mountain Home to join their fellow citizens to celebrate the special event. The document also praised Representative Marion Berry and Senator Dale Bumpers for their support of ASUMH.

Richard Sheid, son of the Center’s namesake, Vada Sheid presented remarks, as did ASUMH student Elizabeth Howell, ASUMH faculty member Shawn Dennis, and Dr. Jim Purcell of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. From the Arkansas State University System, Mike Gibson represented the ASU Board of Trustees and Dr. Les Wyatt, ASU System President, introduced the speaker, U.S. Congressman Marion Berry.

Following the program, ceremonial groundbreaking photographs were taken of various groups including the family of Vada Sheid, donors and Campaign leadership, ASUMH faculty and staff, ASUMH students, ASUMH administrators and board members, Advisory and Development Councils, the founding ASUMH Advisory Council and local officials.

Carol Gresham, Vice Chancellor for Development at ASUMH said, “This is such a historical day in the life of ASUM. We appreciate so much the support we have had from the community since 1995 when this campus was the dream of so many. Today one more dream becomes a reality here at ASUMH.”

Two Students Receive Patee Scholarship

Jesse and Sandra Wilcoxson Win Scholarship

Jesse and Sandra Wilcoxson recently received the Patee Scholarship for International Travel for an upcoming trip to Europe. The two were chosen by competing in an essay contest. Each will receive a $500 scholarship for a nine-day trip to Rome, Athens, and Pompeii in May. History instructor Sandy Richardson is the faculty advisor for the International Travel Program and will accompany the Wilcoxsons and a group from ASUMH on the European trip. Pictured are Sandra (left), Jesse (center) and Sandy Richardson (right). For more information on the ASUMH International Travel Program, contact Richardson at 508-6143.

Busy Bees Receive Gift

The Arkansas State University-Mountain Home Relay for Life Team, Busy Bees, recently received a generous gift from Dr. and Mrs. James Snodgrass and the Snodgrass Racing Team. The donation, made to the American Cancer Society through the Busy Bees, kicked off months of fundraising activities on the ASUMH campus. Pictured presenting a $500 check to Lisa McBrayer, one of ASUMH's honored cancer survivors, are Gina Wilbur and Merilyn Snodgrass, also cancer survivors. The Snodgrass Racing Team is led by Jason Snodgrass who drives car #71. For more information on Relay for Life, contact Scott Raney at 508-6168.

Two Gates Dedicated on Feb. 28

Two new gates at the College and Wade Street entrances to the Arkansas State University – Mountain Home campus were dedicated on February 28. The addition of the College Street gate, named in honor of the Thompson and Martin families by Gayla and Mike Thompson, and the Wade Street gate, named in honor of the McClure family by Jim McClure, means that every entrance to the ASUMH campus is beautifully appointed with a gated entrance. Funding for the construction of the two gates has been provided by these families who are all natives of Baxter County.

Gayla Thompson’s twin aunts, Irene and Eileene Martin, were sisters of her father, Mr. J.V. Martin. Neither of these ladies ever married and neither left the Mountain Home area. Gayla Thompson selected the College Street entrance to campus to honor her aunts because they valued education and attended school on College Street. Both Irene and Eileene Martin are deceased now, but she says that they were thrilled when Arkansas State University came to town. “They knew it would mean that many residents of Mountain Home who might not have an opportunity to go away to college would now be able to pursue an education. They were very proud of ASUMH,” said Thompson.

Mike Thompson’s family has resided in the Twin Lakes Area since the early 1900’s. Mike’s dad, Bill Thompson, was born in Yellville and grew up there as Mike’s grandfather was involved in the building of the railroad. His mother Jo was also from Cotter and lived in a tent by Cotter’s Big Spring as a little girl until her family’s home was built. Of his father, Mike Thompson said “dad felt like he paid for the Ruthevan Bridge to be built. It was a toll bridge and dad paid a toll every time he crossed it to go see my mother, Jo.”

Jo Thompson was a Home Education major at the University of Arkansas and Bill attended college in Colorado. The family returned to Mountain Home after the War and Bill started Thompson Insurance, one of the oldest existing businesses in Mountain Home. Many years later, Thompson Insurance merged with another company to become The Insurance Group.

Both of these families loved the Twin Lakes Area and appreciated progress and seeing Mountain Home grow. “In honoring our families on the College Street gate, the Thompson and Martin families will always be a part of this campus that they were so proud of,” said Gayla and Mike.

A native of Mountain Home, Jim McClure has honored his family’s rich history in the Twin Lakes Area with a gift naming the Wade Street entrance to ASUMH in honor of the McClure’s. Virgie and O.B. McClure, parents of Jim McClure, have a rich history in the Twin Lakes Area. His mother Virgie grew up in Gamaliel and met his father, O.B. McClure, while attending Mountain Home Baptist College. “My dad had a business on the square downtown at the time,” said Jim, “and the two were married in 1918 in a horse and buggy in front of the girl’s dorm on the college campus.”

The McClure dry goods store downtown carried tacks and handles for home-made coffins back then, and as a line of ready-made coffins came on the market, McClure began carrying those too. By correspondence course, he learned the art of embalming and would travel by buggy to homes to embalm and prepare bodies for burial. That service eventually led to the creation of McClure Funeral Homes. According to Carol Gresham, Vice Chancellor for Development, Jim’s family founded McClure Funeral Home in Mountain Home in the 1940’s, sold the business to Roller Funeral Home, bought it back and then sold it to Roller again. The building was eventually bought by ASUMH and was used for classrooms.

“We are thrilled to have Jim McClure and Gayla and Mike Thompson provide these gifts for ASUMH,” Chancellor Ed Coulter said. “These three families had such remarkable lives here in Mountain Home and are well known by many residents. These families will forever be remembered for their dedication to our community and to this campus.”

As described in ASUMH’s vision statement, the university is dedicated to creating opportunities and changing lives. Through major gifts like these, the vision of the university will be realized as the necessary resources are provided to ensure ASU-Mountain Home continues to progressively meet the needs of the community it serves.

Volunteers clean up damaged cemetery in Gassville

Gassville Cleanup on KY3

Video: Gassville Begins to Dig Out

KOLR 10 Video: Gassville Begins to Dig Out

ASUMH Instructor Receives Oracle Certification

Arkansas State University-Mountain Home instructor Kristina Hickman received System Administration Certification from the Cleveland Institute of Technology in Cleveland, Ohio, recently. Hickman attended an Oracle AS 10g System Administration training along with six other universities from across the United States. Hickman teaches computer information systems courses at ASUMH and serves as the ASUMH Webmaster. She holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Arkansas State University.

ASUMH Holds Fall ROTC Awards Day

Two Army ROTC cadets were honored at an Awards Day recently on the campus of Arkansas State University – Mountain Home (ASUMH). Cadet Tyler Hobbs received the Cadet Honor Award for Academic Achievement. Hobbs is a junior at ASUMH working toward a degree in Criminology. He is currently a member of the 224 Maintenance Company stationed at Mountain Home. He has four years of prior active service in the Marine Corps. He is the recipient of a two-year Army ROTC scholarship.

Cadet Anthoney Paxton received the Athletic Achievement Award for a score of 289 out of 300 on the Army’s physical fitness test. Paxton is a sophomore at ASUMH working toward a degree in Criminology. He is a member of the 224 Maintenance Company of the Arkansas Army National Guard. He recently completed four years of active duty with a tour in Afghanistan with the 25th Infantry Division.

The Army ROTC program at ASUMH is led by Captain Marden Hueter, Army ROTC instructor. For information on scholarships that are currently available to high school students who are planning to attend ASUMH, contact Captain Hueter at (870) 508-6264.

Health Science Building Construction

PDK Workshop Led by Students

Several members of Phi Delta Kappa presented a program on mentoring at a national conference of Future Educators of America in Chatanooga, Tennessee. The group of elementary education students are earning their bachelor's degrees from ASU-Jonesboro on the ASU-Mountain Home campus. Pictured are (left to right) Brandy Proctor, Nichole Butler, Rebecca Finnegan and Melanie Campos.

ASUMH Ambassadors to Receive Spring Scholarships

Arkansas State University–Mountain Home’s Student Ambassadors will receive scholarships for the spring semester in honor of their work to assist the administration with promotion of the university. Student Ambassadors represent the student body at special events and assist with the recruiting of students. Serving as ASUMH Ambassadors for the 2007-2008 academic year are (back to front and left to right): Daniel Rice, Ryan Vann, Alyssa King, Cailin Bates, Tyler Wallace, Sarah Eaton, Carrie Krahmer, Melissa King, Lee Nelson, Ashley Walsh, Elizabeth Miller, Jamie Johnston (Ambassador adviser).

Halloween 2007

Monkey and his banana	Corpse Bride
Cat Burglars	The Cat in the Hat

ASUMH Faculty Elected at State Meeting

Pictured are (left to right) David Bendler and Christy Preis.

At a recent meeting of the Arkansas Association of Two Year Colleges, two members of the Arkansas State University-Mountain Home mathematics faculty were elected to serve as officers in the Arkansas Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges (ArkMATYC). Christy Preis was elected President of ArkMATYC and David Bendler was elected Secretary/Treasurer of the group. ArkMATYC is a state chapter of the American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges.

ASUMH Receives $575,000 Donation

Mountain Home, AR– A native of Mountain Home, Arkansas, has donated $575,000 to establish a state-of-the-art convention area in the university’s planned Community Development Center, Ed Coulter, Chancellor of Arkansas State University – Mountain Home, announced today. The endowment is the gift of Jim McClure, whose family has a rich history in the Twin Lakes Area.

“We are thrilled to have Jim McClure provide this endowment for ASUMH’s Community Development Center,” Coulter said. “We believe that the Community Development Center will complement the university’s programs by providing our faculty, staff, students and the entire Mountain Home community with a facility designed to meet the educational, cultural and economic needs of the area.”

Keirn Named Director of Marketing and Public Relations

Mountain Home, AR, September 27, 2007 - Christy Case Keirn has been named Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Arkansas State University – Mountain Home. She was formerly Director of Community/School Relations for McComb School District in McComb, Mississippi. In Mississippi, Keirn served as President of the Mississippi School Public Relations Association and received numerous awards for marketing and public relations from the National School Public Relations Association. Keirn has over twenty years experience in the field working for such groups as the National Association for Senior Living Industries, The University of Mississippi’s Center for the Study of Southern Culture and Children’s Miracle Network of the Upper Midwest. Keirn served as the first Director of the Chamber of Commerce in Canton, Mississippi, and worked in advertising for the state’s largest newspaper, The Clarion Ledger, and Mississippi Magazine, an award-winning lifestyles monthly publication. Keirn is active in the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries, where she currently serves as 2nd Vice President, planning the Annual Education Conference for the 10,000-member organization. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Association of School Administrators, Mississippi Association of Partners in Education, United Way of Southwest Mississippi, and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. Keirn is married to Claud Leake“Bud” Keirn III.

$59,000 Distributed in Scholarships to ASUMH

PHOTO CAPTION: Officials at ASUMH and First Security Bank name twenty-seven Raef Scholarship winners.
Seated: Ed Coulter, Chancellor of ASUMH
Standing (left to right): Larry Nelson, President of First Security Bank, Carol Gresham, Director of Development for ASUMH, Paul Johnson, First Security Bank


September 21, 2007 – First Security Bank recently announced that 27 students were awarded $59,000 in scholarships for the fall 2007 and spring 2008 semesters at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home. The scholarships are provided by the Raef Scholarship Fund.
Recipients of the scholarship are Brandy Proctor, Abraham Kazan, Farrah Byerly, Deborah Carson, Joshua Whitaker, Holly Beth Luker, Laiken N. Cantrell, Melodee McDonough, Vanessa R. Hill, Josiah Marcum, Jennie Reynolds, Jennifer Ann Drewry, Timothy J. Anderson, Zachary A. Bogart, Aubrey A. Suizzo, Emily Christine Jackilyn Wynn, Cailin Bates, Cindy Y. Perrin, Staci Payne, Lisa Bennett, Blanton Nicholas Chapman, Jessica A. Lee, Jennifer Stepp, Dena Nelson, Brett Stephen Reid, Melissa Brooks, and Nicole Wehmeyer.
The Arthur J. and Blanche D. Raef Scholarship Fund was established through the Raef’s estate. Recipients of the scholarship are selected by a scholarship committee that is appointed by the trustee of the Raef’s trust, which is First Security Bank. The scholarships can be renewed if the students meet the requirements for study at ASU-Mountain Home.
Any student taking classes on the ASU-Mountain Home campus at any level and pursuing any degree is eligible to apply. A plaque honoring the Raefs hangs in Roller Hall to commemorate their generous gift.

Rebecca Baird of ASUMH Judges Alltel Wireless National

Dr. Rebecca Baird of Arkansas State University – Mountain Home (ASUMH) served as a judge for the 2007 Alltel “Words of Wisdom: Lessons in Courage” essay contest. The contest, which was held in conjunction with Black History Month, asked students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) across the country to address the following topic, “Fifty years ago, the Little Rock Nine personified courage and spirit. Today, how will you?” The contest honored, in a unique way, the Little Rock Nine for their bravery 50 years ago when they integrated Central High School.
Nine winners were chosen from over 350 essays submitted to the contest. Each winning essayist received a $5,000 scholarship to a participating black college or university. The winners and judges were honored at an awards banquet on Friday, April 6th in Little Rock, Arkansas. Words of Wisdom spokesperson and esteemed poet and author, Dr. Maya Angelou, personally presented each winner with their scholarship prize.
Essay contest judge Dr. Rebecca Baird is a member of the faculty of the Department of English at ASUMH.

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PHOTO CAPTION
Pictured: Seated, Dr. Maya Angelou, Alltel Wireless Words of Wisdom Spokesperson; Standing, Dr. Rebecca Baird, ASUMH