UA Pulaski Tech nursing program awarded $5.73 million DOL grant

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The University of Arkansas–Pulaski Technical College will receive a $5,736,624 award from the U.S. Department of Labor to expand its nursing education program. The grant was secured in cooperation with the Arkansas Community Colleges Association and New Growth, a grant writing company.

The grant will provide funds for additional nursing faculty, student success coaches, grant administrators, and institutional research staff.

“This award recognizes the role community colleges play in addressing the need for skilled medical professionals to work in hospitals, clinics, and home health capacities across the state,” said UA-PTC Chancellor Summer DeProw. “As our nursing program benefits significantly, so will the graduates who will enjoy the financial security these jobs create. And of course, when healthcare in Arkansas improves, we all benefit.”

UA Pulaski Tech nursing program awarded $5.73 million DOL grant

UA Cossatot’s Textbook Rental and OER Program Saved Students Over $3 Million Dollars

UA Cossatot’s textbook rental and Open Educational Resource (OER) program has saved students $3,004,899.01. What began as a chancellor’s vision in 2015 exceeded all expectations in 2022. Nearly 70% of courses at UA Cossatot are taught with OER.

UA Cossatot Chancellor, Dr. Steve Cole recently recognized Relinda Ruth, Director of Educational Resources and OER Specialist, for her efforts in building this program and leading the OER effort in Arkansas. Dr. Cole also commended Ruth for serving as a leader for the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Arkansas State OER Action Team and leading the Arkansas Community Colleges (ACC) consortial membership with the Open Education Network (OEN). “Good visions only become reality if the right persons can see them through. In our case, that person was Relinda Ruth. She not only built this program but just like Johnny Appleseed, she has provided her ideas and leadership community to Arkansas and the United States. This program would not have happened without Relinda!” said Cole.

Ruth was recently invited to Florida to join the SREB Educational Technology Cooperative (ETC) alongside 11 others representing 16 southern states.

UA Cossatot continues to lead Arkansas in OER usage and has become a leader in the OER world. Ruth has traveled to other colleges across the state to help educators move toward OER. Ruth has shared her

experience in building an internal textbook rental and OER program through national interviews, presentations, publications, blogs, and even podcasts. To date, she’s presented at 20 state and national conferences.

“It’s amazing what everyone at UA Cossatot has accomplished with our textbook rental and OER program. Dr. Cole had a vision of making college more affordable to students and the entire UA Cossatot team worked together to make it a reality,” said Ruth.

Ruth will travel to Atlanta in March 2023 to present at the SREB OER and Dual Enrollment Conference. Her focus is expanding the use of OER in developmental education and college readiness in Arkansas Community Colleges.

For more information on UA Cossatot’s textbook rental and OER program, contact Relinda Ruth at 870-584-1181 or rruth@cccua.edu.

Arkansas Community Colleges announce scholarships for 22 academic all-star students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
October 11, 2022 

For questions or more information, please contact: 

Collin Callaway, Senior Policy Director 

Arkansas Community Colleges 

Cell: 501-554-2146 

ccallaway@arkansascc.org 

HOT SPRINGS (October 11, 2022) – Winners of the Academic All-Star Scholarships were announced today in Hot Springs at the Arkansas Community Colleges annual conference (ACC).  

Governor Asa Hutchinson presented the keynote address at a brunch honoring the 22 student scholarship winners. The students were awarded a full-tuition transfer scholarship to any Arkansas public, four-year university to complete their bachelor’s degree. The combined total for the scholarships are estimated to be more than $500,000.  

“These scholarships will enable our highest-achieving students to reach for their dreams at any of Arkansas’s public, four-year universities,” said Andrea Henderson, ACC Executive Director. “Many of these students are not only working hard to maintain excellent grades but are also adding jobs and parenthood to their list of responsibilities, which makes their accomplishments even more impressive. These students deserve our recognition, and these scholarships are a fantastic way to help them achieve their goals.”  

Each of the 22 public two-year colleges names one student as an “Academic All-Star.” These students maintain a cumulative grade point average of no less than 3.25 out of a possible 4.0 and are outstanding campus and community leaders.  

The 22 member institutions of ACC, located throughout the state, serve more than 60,000 Arkansans per year through educational programs, technical training, continuing education, and customized workforce training for today’s businesses and industries.  

Here are the Academic All-Stars and their respective colleges:  

Arkansas Northeastern College 

Maddie Treece 

Arkansas State University  Beebe 

Steven Winchell 

Arkansas State University Mid-South 

Jayden McNair 

Arkansas State University Mountain Home 

Elsie Clark 

Arkansas State University Newport 

Dustin Mars 

Arkansas State University Three Rivers 

Kevin Nard 

Black River Technical College 

Kimberly Stokes 

East Arkansas Community College 

Megan Sullivan 

National Park College 

Tyanna Lindsey 

North Arkansas College 

Marie Kershaw 

Northwest Arkansas Community College 

Lizbeth Cenobio  

Ozarka College  

Sarah Kirby 

Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas 

Ashlynne Jenkins 

South Arkansas Community College 

SaKiya Gill 

Southeast Arkansas College 

Verdia Mays 

Southern Arkansas University Tech  

Brooke Avant  

University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville 

Samantha Wilson 

University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton 

April Brown  

University of Arkansas Cossatot 

McKenzie Simpson 

University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana 

Allison Bonner 

University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College 

Chacall D Charles 

University of Arkansas Rich Mountain 

Mary Kate Duncan 

Governor Hutchinson on Hand for the Kickoff of the Arkansas Trucking Academy

Two educational systems came together Wednesday on the campus of ASU Three Rivers to unveil Arkansas’ first and only public trucking academy. The Arkansas Trucking Academy (ArkTA) is a consortium of ASU Three Rivers, UA Cossatot, UA Rich Mountain, and UA Hope/Texarkana.

Speaking at today’s launch was Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, “This is another pace-setting workforce solution that has grown out of conversations between leaders in industry and education. Arkansas’s businesses had a problem, our educators stepped in to fill it, and we are able to support it with an Arkansas Regional Workforce grant. It’s a model for partnerships between the private sector and government. Because of that, we soon will be putting more trucks on the road with first-rate drivers at the wheel.”

New classes will begin on the campuses located in Nashville, Mena, Malvern, and Hope. Through the use of virtual/simulation instruction, traditional classroom, and practical over-the-road instruction, students will receive 160 contact hours of non-credit training per course. Successful completion of the course will prepare students to test for their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). A total of 20 courses will be offered annually, five courses per college. Slots are limited to four students per course. The maximum cost per student is $1,300, saving students thousands compared to the cost of a private academy.

With the increased demand in the trucking industry, ArkTA co-chair and UA Rich Mountain Chancellor Phillip Wilson said that he is grateful for the partnership across two systems to bring this program into fruition. “Creating opportunities and growing Arkansas’ workforce is always a top priority in Arkansas community colleges,” added Wilson, who also serves as chair of the Arkansas Community Colleges association.

The first course will begin August 2. For more information or to apply, visit: ArkTruckingAcademy.com.