UA notebook

UA writer named Guggenheim fellow

Davis McCombs, director of the creative writing program at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship.

McCombs, 47, is the only Arkansan among 173 scholars, artists and scientists from the United States and Canada to be honored this year by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.

The author of three books of poetry, McCombs' proposal to the foundation was for writing "a long poem set in the Ozarks," he said in an email.

"I have wanted to try my hand at writing an extended, perhaps book-length, poem for many years," McCombs said. "Almost all of the poems I have written to date fit on one page so it's going to be a challenge to expand the form and to think beyond the boundaries of what I normally write."

His one-year fellowship is for 2018, he said. Award amounts are not disclosed by the foundation.

"I'm really thrilled and humbled by this amazing recognition, and I'm grateful to the university for all of the support and encouragement they have shown me over the past 15 years," McCombs said.

Judge, CEO to get honorary degrees

L. Clifford Davis, a retired judge and civil-rights attorney, and William Dillard II, chief executive officer of Dillard's Inc., will receive University of Arkansas, Fayetteville honorary degrees.

At a time when no black students attended the UA School of Law, Davis applied but was denied admission. He enrolled at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and then applied to transfer to UA.

The university, in announcing the honorary degrees, described his persistence "and the threat of lawsuits" as reasons why the law school began allowing black students, though Davis declined to attend once admitted.

As an attorney, Davis worked to desegregate public schools. He later became a judge in Texas.

Dillard in 1967 joined the family business, Dillard's department stores, which became a publicly traded company in 1969 and now consists of about 300 stores in 29 states, according to the Little Rock-based company's website.

He earned a bachelor's degree from UA and is a member of the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame.

Davis will receive an honorary Doctor of Law degree and Dillard will receive an honorary Doctor of Business degree at UA's May 13 commencement in Bud Walton Arena.

Director hired for Empower program

A director has been hired for a new nondegree program at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville for students with intellectual disabilities.

Ashley Bradley begins May 15 as director of the Educate, Motivate, Prepare, Opportunity, Workplace Readiness, Employment, Responsibility program, known as Empower.

"Students will have an inclusive educational experience and be ready for employment after completing the program," Bradley said in a statement.

She has worked since 2010 for the Arkansas Support Network in Springdale, which provides services for adults and children with disabilities. She has a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling and a bachelor's degree in communication disorders.

Bradley will earn a salary of $75,000, UA spokesman Steve Voorhies said. The program begins this fall.

Metro on 04/23/2017

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