The team鈥檚 proposal focused on The 78 鈥� a 62-acre site along the South Branch of the Chicago River that is planned to become Chicago鈥檚 78th neighborhood. The development includes the future McDonald鈥檚 Park stadium, a major sports and entertainment destination, in partnership with the Chicago Fire FC soccer team, designed to support year-round activities.

Representing UA 糖心视频logo were students Brennan Gasaway, Ashley Lopez, Isabel Hortelano, Kodiak Cannedy, and Ryan Hunt, who competed as BAIKR Development, a team name built from each member鈥檚 initials. The team developed the award-winning proposal with guidance from industry experts Siteng Ma and Andy Ahitow, while Elizabeth Small, an instructor of real estate, served as the academic advisor throughout the competition. 

鈥淒eveloping this pitch taught us patience, discipline, commitment, and teamwork,鈥� the team said. 鈥淎s the project evolved, we all became deeply invested in the vision, and receiving this recognition validated the hard work and passion we put into it.鈥�

The proposal centered on creating a mixed-use district guided by the principle of 鈥減eople first, buildings second,鈥� with an emphasis on building a development that complemented the surrounding neighborhoods while supporting long-term activity beyond stadium events. 

Taking Ma鈥檚 advice to follow the 鈥淟ive, Work, Play鈥� concept, the team focused on creating a development that complemented the existing neighborhoods and future McDonald鈥檚 Park stadium while giving the 78th neighborhood its own identity.

For 鈥淟ive,鈥� the students envisioned a walkable residential community with a mix of affordable and market-rate housing designed for students, families, and working professionals, creating a stable environment year-round.

For 鈥淲ork,鈥� the proposal introduced office, retail, hospitality, and educational spaces anchored by a Culinary and Hospitality Institute designed to support workforce development and generate daily activity within the district.

For 鈥淧lay,鈥� the team incorporated restaurants, entertainment venues, hospitality spaces, and public gathering areas intended to extend activity beyond game days while supporting both residents and visitors. 

As the project developed, the team focused on creating a district that could sustain activity beyond major stadium events. With McDonald鈥檚 Park serving as a major anchor for the district, the team introduced the Culinary and Hospitality Institute as a second anchor tenant designed to support workforce development, hospitality training, and year-round engagement. 

鈥淲e wanted to stay focused on building a community that recognized and included the people already surrounding the space,鈥� Hortelano said. 鈥淎 big part of our approach was making sure the development felt welcoming and connected to the existing neighborhoods rather than creating something that isolated or displaced them.鈥�

Small encouraged the students to look beyond the site itself and understand the surrounding demographics as real people and neighborhoods, a perspective that shaped many of the team鈥檚 design decisions throughout the project. 

鈥淲e could see how much the team genuinely believed in its pitch, and we were impressed with how they created an ecosystem that could grow organically with the surrounding community over time,鈥� one competition judge said.

Throughout the development of their pitch, team members reached out directly to industry professionals and businesses to test ideas and refine the proposal鈥檚 feasibility. 

鈥淲e were all really surprised how open all of the professionals we spoke to were,鈥� said the team, 鈥淲e spent a lot of time on the phone or talking over email about all of our options, and which made the most sense for the development.鈥�

As the team refined the project, members said their collaboration became one of the group鈥檚 greatest strengths.

鈥淏ecoming friends made everything much easier,鈥� Lopez said.

What began as a competition project ultimately became a collaborative learning experience that challenged the students to think beyond the classroom. Through countless conversations, revisions, and real-world outreach, team members said they developed stronger friendships, discovered their individual passions within the project, and gained a deeper understanding of how thoughtful developments can shape communities. Their success at the Eisenberg Competition reflected not only the strength of their proposal, but also the teamwork and shared vision behind it.

The post UA 糖心视频logo Building Chicago鈥檚 78th Neighborhood: UA 糖心视频logo Students Capture National 鈥楤est Pitch鈥� Title UA 糖心视频logo appeared first on News.

UA 糖心视频logo students and Donaghey Scholars Honors Program members Zane Austin and Nistha Neupane are bringing national attention to campus innovation after winning a competitive startup pitch event through America250, an initiative marking the United States鈥� 250th anniversary. Their nanotechnology-based company, NanoLit, earned both national recognition and funding through the event.

The competition, , invited student teams from colleges across the country to pitch early-stage ventures to a panel of prominent entrepreneurs and investors. Out of applicants nationwide, only 30 semifinalist teams were selected to travel to California鈥檚 Bay Area for in-person pitching and evaluation.

NanoLit was designed to address the harsh side effects of chemotherapy by creating a more targeted treatment approach that reduces damage to healthy cells.

鈥淭he hair loss, nail bed damage, and loss of immune function that we see in cancer patients are due, at least in part, to the effect of chemotherapy,鈥� Austin said. 鈥淏y formulating a drug that is highly selective towards tumor cells, we can mitigate these dangers without compromising the efficiency of the drug, and overall improve patient outcomes鈥�

Their goal is to develop a drug that maintains treatment effectiveness while reducing harm to healthy cells, potentially improving patients鈥� quality of life during cancer care.

For Neupane, the research carries personal significance.

鈥淥ncology is a field I have dreamt of being in for so long,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e had the opportunity to get to know the field of oncology from the clinical setting for two years, and from behind the fume hood for four years. On top of that, I went through my own tumor operation that put many things into perspective for me.鈥�

The startup grew out of years of undergraduate research in Dr. Noureen Siraj鈥檚 lab at UA 糖心视频logo, where both students worked on nanotechnology-related projects and developed the foundation for NanoLit.

The competition itself was unlike anything the students had ever experienced before. Throughout the event, participants were filmed as part of the competition experience while pitching and networking with fellow founders and judges.

鈥淔rom day one, we were taken on a full filming set, had our hair and makeup done, and had microphones placed on us,鈥� Neupane said. 鈥淚t was like our own small moment of being on reality TV, undergraduate Shark Tank edition.鈥�

The judging panel included high-profile figures such as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, the CFO of OpenAI, and former U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios along with other prominent entrepreneurs and investors.

Austin and Neupane said the experience felt surreal, as it gave them the opportunity to present their work to entrepreneurs and innovators who have played major roles in shaping technological and financial innovation in the United States over the past several decades.

鈥淚 was entirely starstruck when we had the opportunity to meet individuals like Rosie Rios and Tim Draper,鈥� Neupane said. 鈥淭o have such influential people be so interested in our startup felt like we had stepped into an entirely different world 鈥� the world of entrepreneurs.鈥�

Austin said the experience also reinforced the value of the work the team has been pursuing in the lab for years.

鈥淭his was the pinnacle of my undergraduate career, that鈥檚 for certain,鈥� Austin said. 鈥淭his experience meant seeing that what we鈥檝e been doing in the lab actually matters.鈥�

Competing alongside students from institutions such as Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Pennsylvania initially felt intimidating, the students said, but the experience ultimately reinforced their confidence in the research happening at UA 糖心视频logo. 

鈥淏eing able to put UA 糖心视频logo on the map and have students from universities like Johns Hopkins and Stanford be so impressed by our work puts into perspective how well we have done on our journey so far,鈥� Neupane said. 鈥淚t became so clear to me why Dr. Siraj has pushed us so hard the past few years to prepare us for opportunities like this.鈥�

The team ultimately advanced as one of 10 finalists and received $25,000 in grant funding to continue developing NanoLit.

Part of the awards package was a scholarship to Draper University, an entrepreneurial training program founded by venture capitalist Tim Draper, which Austin plans to attend. 

鈥淚 will be taking this opportunity over the summer to go and learn everything I can about building a business from the ground up,鈥� he said.

Neupane, a graduating senior, said this experience highlighted both the potential of NanoLit and the opportunities still ahead for the company. Meeting entrepreneurs and professionals from a wide range of fields also gave her a new perspective as she prepares to begin medical school at the University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine as part of the Class of 2030.

鈥淭his gave me a different type of passion and respect for the role that business and marketing play in medicine, and it is certainly something I hope to learn more about going into medical school and beyond,鈥� she said. 

Both students said they believe their success came down to a combination of passion and communication.

Neupane said their willingness to openly share their ambition for advancing oncology research helped set them apart, noting that judges described their pitch as 鈥渋nsane鈥� in the best way.

Austin added that a key part of their training in Dr. Siraj鈥檚 lab was learning how to make complex science accessible. He said being able to clearly communicate their ideas to judges without a technical background ultimately played a major role in their success.

鈥淲e weren鈥檛 afraid to show them our big dreams and passion for this field,鈥� Neupane said.

From the research lab to the national stage, Austin and Neupane鈥檚 journey showcases how UA 糖心视频logo students are transforming big ideas into meaningful change.

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Collins brings more than 20 years of professional experience working in 糖心视频logo and will oversee University Television while teaching courses in non-linear video editing and studio production.

Having lived and worked in the 糖心视频logo community for more than two decades, Collins envisions University Television becoming a valued community partner that highlights the people, programs, and stories that define both the city and the UA 糖心视频logo campus.

鈥淚 know there are so many wonderful stories to tell, and UA 糖心视频logo is a big part of that community,鈥� Collins said.

During the spring semester, Collins will assess the current state of University Television and collaborate with campus partners to develop a strategic plan for its future. His goal is to shape the station into a central content hub that tells the stories of UA 糖心视频logo while providing students with hands-on experience that prepares them for careers in the industry.

Collins said he hopes to build students鈥� skills by emphasizing strong storytelling and maintaining a clear point of view, noting that evolving technologies 鈥� from new camera systems to artificial intelligence 鈥� are tools that support, rather than replace, effective storytelling.

鈥淚 hope we can develop student-led projects that give them real-world experience while also building portfolio work they can be proud of,鈥� Collins said. 鈥淗aving worked in 糖心视频logo for more than 20 years, I also hope to use my connections to help students secure internships and jobs.鈥�

Collins will help expand hands-on learning opportunities for students while strengthening University Television.

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Tarpley, a native of Russellville, spent two months working with , where he helped transform raw land surveying data into detailed design files that engineers use to plan infrastructure projects.

鈥淚 was initially hesitant about going, but I realized this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,鈥� Tarpley said. 鈥淚 had never been out of the country before, and I didn鈥檛 want to miss the chance to see the world, learn new skills, and grow both personally and professionally.鈥�

Through World Endeavors, a global internship program, Tarpley secured a position with TST Engineering, where he gained hands-on experience in land surveying and digital modeling. He worked with advanced tools like laser scanning software and ground-penetrating radar technology to map project sites and detect materials within structures. These are technologies he had never encountered in the U.S. before.

鈥淭hey would bring me the data points collected by the survey machines, and I would simulate the points and draw where manholes, fences, and other topographic features were,鈥� he explained. 鈥淭hat way, the engineers could reference the file and design around these obstacles. It really helped me understand how the data collection connects to the design process and bridged the gap between the two.鈥�

The experience also deepened Tarpley鈥檚 understanding of engineering from an international perspective. He collaborated with colleagues from Ireland, France, Turkey, and Brazil, learning how engineering, design, and construction differ across countries.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just working with people who think and act like you,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was a new level of communication. I had to focus on how I explained things and learned how others approached problems differently. That experience will make me a better engineer.鈥�

A Hands-On Approach to Career Readiness

The internship aligned closely with UA 糖心视频logo鈥檚 emphasis on experiential learning. Civil and construction engineering students are required to complete 800 hours of work experience before graduation, a requirement that Tarpley says is critical for career readiness.

鈥淵ou鈥檒l never be able to analyze every situation just by what a textbook says,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been out there and encountered things that aren鈥檛 covered in the classroom. That kind of experience is invaluable for understanding how work happens in the real world.鈥�

Tarpley鈥檚 time in Dublin also reinforced his career goals. When he graduates in May 2027, he plans to continue working with, the professional services firm where he is currently employed as an engineering intern.

While the internship was the centerpiece of his summer abroad, Tarpley also took full advantage of his time in Europe. On weekends, he explored Ireland鈥檚 natural beauty in seaside towns like Howth and Bray, hiked scenic trails, and visited historic cities including Galway.

He also traveled beyond Ireland, exploring Stirling, Edinburg, Brussels, Paris, Rome, Heidelberg, and Lucerne, and even attended the British Open Golf Tournament. One highlight was visiting Heidelberg, Germany, where his mother is originally from.

鈥淭he architecture in Heidelberg was beautiful. It felt like walking through a fairytale,鈥� Tarpley said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 something about Dublin and Galway too. They were just a joy to be in. When everyone around you is having a good time, you are too.鈥�

Looking back, Tarpley says the experience not only taught him valuable professional skills but also changed the way he views the world and his future.

鈥淚t was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven though I was hesitant to go at first, I will never regret it. I learned about different lifestyles, gained new perspectives, and it even made me appreciate what I have here at home. It鈥檚 something I鈥檒l carry with me for the rest of my life.鈥�

At UA 糖心视频logo, Tarpley is a member of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program and vice president of the student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, where he helps students prepare for intense competitions that involve building concrete canoes and steel bridges. These competitions provide students with additional opportunities to apply their classroom knowledge in real-world settings.

Whether designing infrastructure in Arkansas or collaborating on projects abroad, Tarpley is confident that the skills and perspectives he gained in Dublin will shape his career for years to come.

鈥淪tudying and working abroad showed me how engineering is done differently around the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an experience that will stay with me as I continue building my career.鈥�

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Mann鈥檚 research on the 1950 Independence Savings Bond Drive, a massive postwar campaign that sent replica Liberty Bells to each state, the Truman Presidential Library, Annecy, France, and Tokyo, Japan, has resulted in a digital exhibit, and several public lectures. Her biographical entry on William Wilson Campbell, the longtime volunteer state savings bond director, is featured in the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.

Mann’s work will be featured in a forthcoming museum exhibit for the Arkansas State Capitol that will be a part of America 250 celebrations. Her work is helping to illuminate how these bells, forged from the spirit of postwar optimism, continue to shape America鈥檚 sense of identity and symbolism today.

Mann recently shared her findings during an 鈥淓venings with History鈥� lecture titled 鈥淪elling America on Independence: The 1950 Savings Bond Drive and Its Replica Liberty Bells,鈥� held in November in the Ottenheimer Auditorium at the Historic Arkansas Museum.

鈥淚 specifically chose this project knowing that America鈥檚 250th birthday was right around the corner,鈥� Mann said. 鈥淎nniversaries are moments of reflection. They invite us to think about who we are, what we value, and how our symbols have evolved over time.鈥�

A Forgotten National Campaign

In the early 1950s, the U.S. Treasury Department faced a challenge. The war bond drives that had helped finance World War II were ending, and officials needed a new way to encourage Americans to keep buying savings bonds. Their solution was a patriotic marketing campaign centered on a timeless symbol: the Liberty Bell.

The Treasury鈥檚 Savings Bond Division commissioned exact reproductions of the Liberty Bell for every U.S. state and territory. Cast in France, shipped to the U.S., and mounted on trucks by Navy personnel, the bells toured their assigned states between May 15 and July 4, 1950. These celebrations were accompanied by parades, music, and calls to 鈥淪ave for Your Independence.鈥�

鈥淭he Treasury Department wanted people to see saving as not just a personal virtue but an act of citizenship,鈥� Mann explained. 鈥淭hey linked thrift and patriotism in a very deliberate way. They sold the idea that saving for your family鈥檚 future was also saving for America鈥檚 future. This savings bond campaign helped shape the idea of the American Dream.鈥�

Arkansas鈥檚 replica Liberty Bell now stands as part of the Bicentennial Monument on the State Capitol grounds, where Mann first encountered it while teaching a course called History with Objects. That classroom project sparked what has now become a multi-year national research initiative.

Research That Rings Across the Nation

Mann鈥檚 digital exhibit, 鈥�,鈥� hosted through the ArcGIS StoryMaps platform, has already attracted more than 1,000 views from visitors across the U.S. and around the world. It is the first scholarly resource to compile archival documents and photographs from the National Archives, Truman Presidential Library, and other collections into a public, interactive format.

鈥淭his is the first exhibit that makes use of original government records from the National Archives and the Truman Library,鈥� Mann said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to make that material accessible to everyone 鈥� not just academics, but teachers, students, and anyone interested in American history.鈥�

Mann鈥檚 semester-long research leave during the fall 2024 semester allowed her to travel to major archives in Washington, D.C., Texas, and Kansas with support from the Moneyhon Research Fund and the Truman Library Foundation.

鈥淚t was glorious,鈥� Mann said. 鈥淎t a teaching-focused university like UA 糖心视频logo, having time for focused research is invaluable. The university鈥檚 investment in my work allows me to give back by sharing these stories with students and the public.鈥�

Mann鈥檚 work has sparked collaboration well beyond the classroom. She is partnering with the Arkansas Secretary of State鈥檚 Office and the Daughters of the American Revolution to raise $45,000 for the restoration of Arkansas鈥檚 replica Liberty Bell, which has weathered decades outdoors. The goal is to restore the bell in time for it to ring on July 4, 2026, during the America 250 celebrations.

At the same time, Mann is designing a new exhibit called 鈥淎merican Symbols鈥� that will open at the Arkansas State Capitol in summer 2026. The exhibit will explore icons such as the Liberty Bell, the American flag, and the Pledge of Allegiance through interactive displays and digital storytelling, featuring contributions from UA 糖心视频logo students.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been wonderful to involve students in this project,鈥� Mann said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e helped research primary sources, design teaching materials, and even attend planning meetings at the Capitol. It鈥檚 an opportunity for them to learn how history connects to civic life.鈥�

For Mann, the story of the replica Liberty Bells is a reflection of how Americans have used symbols to define themselves through changing times.

鈥淓ach generation sees the Liberty Bell differently,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n 1950, it was a symbol of postwar optimism and civic duty. In 1976, it became part of the Bicentennial celebration. And now, as we approach America鈥檚 250th, it reminds us to think about what independence and unity mean today.鈥�

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The innovative app, developed by James Dempsey, a senior computer science major from White Hall, uses augmented reality (AR) to bring detailed, interactive 3D models of insects to life on a user鈥檚 phone or tablet. Through the app, users can explore how insects move, what they sound like, and even learn key facts about their habitats, diets, and lifespans 鈥� all in the palm of their hand.

鈥淭he app detects image targets and creates a 3D representation of the insect on that target, placing it into real space,鈥� Dempsey explained. 鈥淥nce the insect appears, it鈥檚 animated and makes noise. You can interact with it 鈥� make it fly, show its wings, or crawl 鈥� and you鈥檒l also see facts about the insect, including its scientific and common names. It鈥檚 all available on your handheld device.鈥�

The concept behind Insects AR started years ago as a creative marketing idea for a pest control company, which wanted animated business cards that would display virtual insects. Years after UA 糖心视频logo鈥檚 Emerging Analytics Center (EAC) brought that idea to life, the concept resurfaced in a team meeting, where Dempsey agreed to bring it to life in a new and educational way.

鈥淭he idea didn鈥檛 just get lost to time,鈥� Dempsey said. 鈥淚t got brought into the future.鈥�

Working alongside another student programmer and a creative team led by Jason Zac, lead artist, who designed the app鈥檚 art, animation, and sound, Dempsey spent months building and refining the project. The additional students who worked on the app include William Andrew Nickols, Dalen Villa, Cecily Mobley, and James McMath. The result is an app that blends technology and science education in an engaging, user-friendly way.

鈥淲hen we start a project like this, we begin with brainstorming and storyboarding, then assign tasks across the art and development teams,鈥� said Tom Coffin, operations manager at the EAC. 鈥淧rojects like Insects AR give students experience with industry-standard tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Autodesk 3ds Max, while also introducing them to cutting-edge areas like computer vision, real-time rendering, and even AI integration. These skills are directly applicable to careers in software development, game design, and beyond.鈥�

For Dempsey, Insects AR was more than a portfolio piece. It was a chance to dive deep into emerging technologies and gain valuable experience in mobile development.

鈥淚 learned how to develop mobile applications, how to use Unity, how to work with augmented reality, and how to apply computer vision for spawning digital models,鈥� he said.

Users simply download the app and point their device at special image targets available on the EAC website or on handy cards. The app then projects an animated, life-like insect model into the real world, even when viewed from different angles.

The project also represents Dempsey鈥檚 broader interests in technology and its applications. After graduation, he plans to work in the tech industry in 糖心视频logo for a few years before pursuing a master鈥檚 degree, with a growing interest in social computing and data analysis.

The Insects AR project is part of the EAC鈥檚 expanding portfolio of augmented and virtual reality applications, which include research into AI-driven virtual environments, interactive simulations, and immersive educational tools.

Coffin said projects like Insects AR show how UA 糖心视频logo students are helping shape the future of interactive technology.

鈥淭his project highlights the power of hands-on learning and collaboration,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur students are learning theory while building tools that have real-world applications.鈥�

Insects AR is available now for Android devices on the Google Play Store, and work is underway to bring it to the Apple App Store in the near future. Users can access the required image targets directly from the Emerging Analytics Center website to start exploring the insect world in augmented reality.

鈥淲e鈥檙e proud of James and the work our student team has done,鈥� Coffin said. 鈥淭his app is a perfect example of how UA 糖心视频logo students are using technology to make science more engaging and accessible.鈥�

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Led by UA 糖心视频logo history professors Nathan Marvin and Katrina Yeaw, the program includes visits to Paris and Marseille in France and Rabat, Fes, and Marrakech in Morocco. Students will examine the history and legacies of European colonialism in France and North Africa, as well as the enduring connections between the two regions. The program highlights how historical forces continue to shape contemporary debates over identity, migration, and memory across the Mediterranean.

Students will connect classroom readings to lived experience through museum visits, guided tours, and on-site seminars.  On-site learning in historic neighborhoods, coastal ports, and medinas will help students engage directly with the places where history unfolded.

For those interested in deepening their knowledge before departure, the course Modern Empires in the Mediterranean will be offered, as HIST 48903, during the first seven weeks of the spring semester. Enrollment is encouraged but not required for participation in the study abroad program.

A program fee covers airfare, lodging, ground transportation, guided activities, and group meals. Students are responsible for tuition, passport fees, personal spending money, and some meals. The full program cost is $6,885 per participant, but each participant receives a $3,500 scholarship from Middle East Studies, reducing the student cost to $2,634鈥�$3,384 (plus Summer II tuition).

Dates to Remember

• Jan. 28, 2026, application deadline
• Feb. 11, 2026, first payment due
• April 2026, pre-departure orientation

Learn more about the or contact Nathan Marvin at nemarvin@ualr.edu or Katrina Yeaw at kyeaw@ualr.edu.

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鈥淚 feel excited and honestly not nervous,鈥� Le said. 鈥淯A 糖心视频logo has prepared me for life after college very well. I will miss the community here, but I am excited about the opportunities after graduation.鈥�

Le chose UA 糖心视频logo for the Donaghey Scholars Program, whose generous scholarships allowed her to complete two business degrees debt-free while staying close to her family. Along the way, she built a strong sense of belonging on campus through faculty and staff mentors who encouraged her growth, both personally and professionally.

Le said UA 糖心视频logo helped her build a community of support. Through mentorship from faculty and staff, she learned that while it is important to excel academically, it is just as essential to build meaningful connections and relationships.

During her time at UA 糖心视频logo, Le was a part of many different extracurricular activities using these to help shape her future and what she wanted to do. She was part of the School of Business ambassador, she was part of the student government association and also participated in the Finance and Economics association. These opportunities led her to working full-time at the university her junior and senior year, which better prepared her for future endeavors. 

Le鈥檚 extracurricular activities included Greek life, Student Government Association and School of Business Ambassador (SGA) group. These activities influenced her leadership style and communication with people as well making her a lot more social and confident in herself. She also was able to attend a couple of study abroad programs that helped her. 

The School of Business allowed her the opportunity to go to Argentina, which inspired her to achieve more because she learned how to interact with people of a different culture, and it also allowed her to see how the world operates. It inspired her to look beyond the classroom and workplace.聽

Le鈥檚 favorite part about her career is building meaningful relationships with people. She will be working as the marketing and merchandising manager at a home decor and clothing boutique. 

鈥淢y advice for future students is to have fun,鈥� Le said, 鈥淭ake advantage of all the opportunities UA 糖心视频logo has to offer. Counseling services, group fitness classes, intramural sports, and more. You never know who you will meet or what new things you will learn!鈥� 

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This award was presented by as part of the Open Education Awards for Excellence in the Open Practices Award category for 2025. Open Education is a movement to help provide free, accessible, and adaptable educational materials and practices to teachers and students. 

Pedagogy Opened is a collaboration that promotes equity and innovation to invite students to create and share knowledge with future publics. The recognition came as an exciting surprise for Tijerina, who learned about the award from a previous self-nomination and award in 2022. 

鈥淭hese awards are often self-nominated, and that is the case for this one as well,鈥� Tijerina said, 鈥淏ut it was such a pleasant surprise when I learned the project actually won!鈥� 

Tijerina nominated Pedagogy Opened: Innovative Theory and Practice because it embodies the values of open education, through both content and process. Pedagogy Opened offers seven discussions of research, theory, and practice in and around open pedagogy. 

Tijerina is already putting her passion for open education into action. She鈥檚 working with Ottenheimer Library and other campus partners to build a stronger foundation for open education at UA 糖心视频logo. She hopes her efforts will encourage more faculty to explore these innovative teaching methods in their own classrooms.

Dr. Heidi McCauley, Professor of Rhetoric and Writing and Graduate Coordinator, had the following to say, 

鈥淒r. Tijerina is a fantastic new member of our department,鈥� said Dr. Heidi McCauley, professor of rhetoric and writing and graduate coordinator at UA 糖心视频logo. 鈥淭his award demonstrates our commitment to making writing education accessible.鈥� 

By receiving the award, Tijerina hopes it will encourage others to advocate for recognition of their work, because success is possible at any stage of an academic career.

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The AWG President鈥檚 Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service and support for the organization鈥檚 mission of empowering women in the geosciences. Shroat-Lewis was honored for her six years of service as the South-Central Delegate and her continued commitment to advancing diversity and mentorship in the field. 

Shroat-Lewis has been with UA 糖心视频logo since the fall of 2012 as an instructor and moved into the tenure track in 2015. She is active in community and statewide initiatives, such as serving as the state director for the Arkansas Science Olympiad. She is the first recipient of the Accomplished Alumni Award from University of Tennessee鈥檚 Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences Department. 

The award was presented by her former advisor, Dr. Colin Sumrall. Shroat-Lewis is deeply committed to student research and teaching, both of which she views as essential to inspiring the next generation of scientists. 

鈥淚 was genuinely shocked when my name was announced,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was a meaningful surprise. The Association for Women Geoscientists is very near and dear to my heart, and I am always happy to support its mission of empowering women in the geosciences. Both of these honors remind me how important it is to stay engaged in teaching, mentorship, and service to our scientific community.鈥� 

Shroat-Lewis plans to continue serving in the roles that have allowed her to support students, colleagues, and the broader geoscience community. She has also been invited to run for President of the Association for Women Geoscientists 鈥� a challenge she is excited to pursue within the next few years. She鈥檚 also looking forward to continuing to advocate for mentorship, inclusion, and opportunities that help others succeed in the geosciences. Shroat-Lewis credits her grandparents for instilling in her a strong work ethic and commitment to service.

鈥淢y grandparents raised me to work hard and give back to others,鈥� she said. 鈥淣either of them had more than a high school education, but they made sure I knew the importance of striving for excellence and making a difference whenever possible.鈥�

She thanked UA 糖心视频logo for supporting its faculty and encouraging growth.

鈥淚 am truly grateful to work at an institution that values innovation, service, and student success,鈥� she said.

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