University of Central Arkansas

UCA will host An Evening with Marvin Hamlisch and the Conway Symphony Orchestra tonight, Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall.

As a world-renowned composer, Hamlisch boasts a wide range of accomplishments, including three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globe awards. His groundbreaking show, "A Chorus Line", one of the longest-running Broadway shows in history, earned the Pulitzer Prize in 1975.

Hamlisch is also the composer of more than 40 motion picture scores, including his latest for The Informant, starring Matt Damon, in September 2009.

Soledad O’Brien, CNN television anchor and correspondent, will speak at the University of Central Arkansas on Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in Reynolds Performance Hall as part of the university’s Distinguished Lecture Series.

Her lecture will be titled, "The Power of Respect."

The university is delighted to bring an individual of O'Brien's professional background, said UCA President Allen Meadors.

"She brings a unique insight to many national and international events," Meadors said. "Having had Ms. O'Brien at my previous institution as a speaker, I know our UCA family will find her lecture insightful and informative."

The University of Central Arkansas has announced that it raised $36,765,084 for New Vision, New Century: The Centennial Campaign for UCA, the university’s first ever comprehensive fundraising campaign which ended on Dec. 31.

The original goal of $35 million was publicly announced in the fall of 2007, coinciding with the university’s 100-year anniversary.

The University of Central Arkansas, just a few short months away from full NCAA Division I classification, unveiled a new athletics logo on Feb. 5 at a news conference in the board room of Wingo Hall.

The primary athletics trademark and the various secondary marks were produced by The Joe Bosack Graphic Design Company and approved by a steering committee made up of a wide range of campus personnel, as well as members of the Conway business community, the Purple Circle and the UCA Sports Hall of Fame. The UCA Board of Trustees approved the trademarks at its Feb. 5 meeting.

The new logos will be put into use immediately as the primary marks for UCA Athletics. Merchandise featuring the new logos will be available exclusively at Barnes and Noble Bookstore in the UCA Student Center and Ace Hardware in Conway.

The University of Central Arkansas has announced the Dean's List and the Presidential Scholars List for the Fall 2009 semester.

There were 1,411 students who qualified for the Dean's List. Recognition on the Dean's List requires at least a 3.5 grade point average with a minimum course load of 12 credit hours. This past semester, 793 students were named Presidential Scholars. Students must achieve a 4.0 grade point average with a minimum course load of 12 credit hours to receive the recognition.

"We are extremely proud of the academic accomplishments of these students," said UCA President Allen Meadors. "We ask a lot of our students academically and these students have shown what hard-work and commitment to their studies can do."

The University of Central Arkansas's school psychology programs were recently granted full approval by the National Association of School Psychologists.

NASP approval is a vital component of quality assurance and national recognition for UCA's master's and doctoral programs. The NASP approval is good until Dec. 31, 2014.

"Both prospective and current students know that NASP approval means that a program contains the course work and practical experiences necessary to become a competent practitioner," says Joan Simon, program director. "It is this 'stamp of approval' that draws students from both in-state and out-of-state undergraduate institutions into our program."

The first residential college in Arkansas with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics will open on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas in the fall of 2010.

The STEM Residential College will provide opportunities for greater student engagement and serve as a recruiting tool for students seeking a high quality, learning environment in the areas of math, science, computer science, technology and secondary math/science education.

It will also train more math and science teachers and improve science and math education in the state.

University of Central Arkansas student-athletes raised nearly $5,000 for Haiti Relief at Sunday's Pancake Breakfast at Stoby's Restaurant.

The Pancake Breakfast, organized by UCA's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, brought in $4,481.50, which will be donated directly to the American Red Cross to go to Haiti relief.

"Our student-athletes did an outstanding job with the breakfast," said Natalie Shock, UCA assistant athletic director and advisor for the SAAC. "They did all the work leading up to the event, sold the tickets and then worked throughout the morning at Stoby's serving food and bussing tables.

Family and friends of Doretta Bright and her late husband, Coach Raymond Bright, gathered at the University of Central Arkansas on Saturday to celebrate the $25,000 endowment of a scholarship honoring the late coach’s career.

Bright coached football and track for 22 years. In 1949, he began his coaching career. He was the first officially hired junior high coach at Conway Junior High School. From there he became the athletic director, football and track coach at Conway High School. In 1958, he continued his coaching career at Arkansas State Teachers College (now UCA). He left coaching in 1971 and later became director of housing at UCA from which he retired in 1983.

UCA professors, staff and students used their talent to raise money for Haiti during the UCA Helps Haiti Benefit Concert on Jan. 23.

More than $3,056 was donated to the American Red Cross to assist in relief efforts.

In less than an hour, $800 was donated to the cause, with $300 given by Students for the Propagation of Black Culture.

"The support of the community, the students, faculty and staff at UCA was amazing," said Jayme Millsap Stone, director of Learning Communities and one of the event's organizers. "As we went around and asked people to dig deeper, they were generous with their change and their dollars. We were touched by the public’s generosity."