Jazz men honored
James Greeson, University of Arkansas music professor, and UA graduate Joe Cripps were inductedinto the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame Dec. 17 at The Afterthought in Little Rock. Greeson is a nationally respected jazz composer and guitarist, while Cripps is a music teacher, band director and well-known sideman who plays bass and tuba.
Greeson teaches musical composition and theory at the university, directs the UA Jazz Ensemble and teaches guitar and bass lessons. Born and raised in St.
Louis, he joined the UA faculty in 1980.
Greeson has scored more than 15 documentaries. Four of his soundtracks have been nominated for Emmy Awards, and his 2009 score for “The Buffalo Flows” received a Mid-America Regional Emmy Award.
Cripps has played classical, rock and bluegrass music during his 40-year professional career, but his first love is jazz. A Springdale High School graduate, he has played with Arkansas bands including the Art Porter Trio and the Ted Ludwig Trio.
Cripps earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the UA in 1984 and a bachelor’s degree in music the following year. He served as orchestra director at Booker Arts Magnet Elementary School in Little Rock for 17 years before retiring last year.
Gerke receives engineering prize
Joseph Gerke, a senior studying civil engineering at the University of Arkansas, has received the JoeM. Steele and Hardy W. Croxton Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship, funded by members of the Beaver Water District Board and other groups, is named for two past water district board members.
The scholarship is intended for students studying in the UA College of Engineering.
Garner, Saegert among Who’s Who
Ryan Gardner of Rogers and Anthony Saegert of Siloam Springs were nominated by faculty as 2012-2013 Who’s Who finalists at Harding University in Searcy.
Gardner is a senior criminal justice major. Saegert, also a senior, is majoring in French education.
Each year, university faculty members at the school select upperclassmen to represent the university in the Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges honors program. Students are selected based on gradepoint average; participation and leadership in school organizations;
community involvement; and future leadership potential.
Finalists are eligible for scholarship awards ranging from $2,000 to $5,000.
Farm Bureau honors women
The Washington County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee was recognized with the District ThreeOutstanding Women’s Committee Award at the 78th Arkansas Farm Bureau Convention in Little Rock Nov. 29.
Carole Lichti, a member of the state Women’s Committee, presented the award to Cassie Davis, chairwoman for Washington County. Davis also took home the Outstanding Commodity Promotion Award.
Send information about birthdays, honors and reunions to [email protected], [email protected] or Northwest Arkansas Achievers, P.O. Box 7, Springdale, AR 72765.
Style, Pages 25 on 01/03/2013