Scooters coming
to Arkansas Tech
This fall, Arkansas Tech University will be the state's first higher education institution with a fleet of electric scooters on campus.
The Russellville campus is part of scooter provider Bird's pop-up tour of colleges and universities, according to an Arkansas Tech news release. Scooters by Bird and other companies have shown up as a new mode of transportation and entertainment in recent months in cities including Los Angeles, Dallas and Washington, D.C.
The effort to get them on campus was led by the university's Student Government Association and its 2018-19 president, senior Jayson Simmons, who is from Little Rock. Simmons said a summer spent in Washington while interning for Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., inspired him to introduce scooters to ATU.
The scooters are scheduled to arrive at Arkansas Tech this month, the release states.
Leader chosen for
college's institute
Philander Smith College in Little Rock has named Tamika Edwards as executive director of the school's Social Justice Institute, effective Sept. 4.
Edwards, 39, is the director of governmental affairs at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, where she led the development and execution of the organization's legislative strategy.
She holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, a master's degree in professional and technical writing from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a law degree from the W.H. Bowen School of Law at UALR.
The Social Justice Institute was established in 2007 but has since reorganized, broadening its scope with the intent of making a regional and national impact, according to a news release from the school.
SAU names chief
of alumni relations
Megan McCurdy has been named director of alumni relations at Southern Arkansas University.
McCurdy, 26, has served as SAU's assistant director of development since 2015, the school said in a news release.
She holds a bachelor's degree in finance and a master's degree in business administration, both from SAU, the release states. She also served as the university's mascot, the Mulerider, for three years and was involved in various marketing and recruiting initiatives for the school.
In the release, McCurdy said she looks forward to being more involved with current SAU students, visiting with alumni and planning events. Her salary will be $74,460 in her new position.
Professor speaks
at Vietnam event
A University of Central Arkansas professor presented the keynote address at an international conference in Vietnam.
John Murphy, a professor of psychology and counseling in UCA's College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, spoke at the annual International Conference on School Psychology held Aug. 1 to Aug. 3 in Hanoi.
Murphy's keynote address was titled "The One Thing to Becoming a Better School Psychologist." He also presented a workshop titled "Brief Solution-Focused Counseling in Schools: Practical Skills and Strategies" on the conference's second day.
The conference, presented by the Consortium to Advance School Psychology-International, gathers university faculty, school psychology practitioners, policymakers and others to engage in professional development related to school psychology, a UCA news release states.
UALR offers times
in massage chair
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has added a new way for faculty, staff and students to unwind on campus -- a massage chair.
Courtesy of the university's Campus Wellness Program, employees and students can book free 15-minute massage sessions in the chair. The chair offers zero-gravity, heated, full-body massages with eight options featuring shiatsu, Swedish, clap, tap, knead and roll massage techniques.
"The massage chair helps people de-stress and puts a positive note on their day. I've had about 50 employees try the chair so far, and they've all been impressed when they finished the massage," campus wellness coordinator Karl Lenser said.
Ben Bloodworth, who works on the mechanical maintenance team in the Facilities Management department, said the chair boosts productivity by increasing users' health with a positive experience.
Metro on 09/02/2018