Higher education notebook

Pulaski Tech fills new VP position

Pulaski Technical College has named a vice president of advancement, a newly created position to prepare the school for a pending merger with the University of Arkansas System.

Shannon Boshears, who was working as the college's chief development officer and executive director of the Pulaski Technical College Foundation, will step into the new role at an annual salary of $100,000, the college said. In her previous role, she oversaw fundraising and donations, did marketing and strategic planning for the foundation, and managed special events.

Her new role will include oversight of the college's public relations and marketing team, along with the Center for Humanities and Arts Theater and Windgate Art Gallery, the college said.

The position is part of a reorganization of the college to align it with other UA System schools. The college's board and the UA System's board have agreed to the merger and are now waiting for legislative approval. Lawmakers need to give the OK because previous laws allowed community colleges -- not "technical colleges" -- to enter into a system.

ASU center to aid business owners

An Arkansas State University center will host a one-day seminar to help entrepreneurs start a business.

The Jonesboro university's Small Business and Technology Development Center will hold the "boot camp-style seminar" at the Delta Center for Economic Development, 319 University Loop Circle, on Jan. 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Anyone interested must register beforehand by calling (870) 972-3517 or visiting asbtdc.org/training/jonesboro-events, and paying a $35 fee.

The seminar will help first-time small-business owners learn about startup steps, legal structures, licensing requirements and insurance options. Registrants will also be able to ask questions or seek advice from local experts, according to a news release.

Military students get center at UALR

Military students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock now have a one-stop resource shop on campus.

The university opened the Military Student Success Center in the speech communication building in mid-December, according to a news release. The 1,634-square-foot center has a team from the offices of admissions, records and registration, transfer student services, financial aid and veterans' benefits, academic advising, student health, mental health counseling, career advising, the disabilities resource center, and the university's military student support group, Students Affected by the Military.

The center -- which was about three or four years in the making -- also has a computer area, a lounge area and a break room, UALR said. The university used a $9,963 grant from Student Veterans of America and The Home Depot Foundation to build the center, according to a news release.

Metro on 01/13/2017

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