The University of Central Arkansas Public Appearances will present “Ann Wilson the Voice of Heart and Tripsitter” Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. at Reynolds Performance Hall.

Ann Wilson, known the world over as a founder and the lead singer-songwriter of the barrier-breaking band Heart, is here to stay. Widely praised among the greatest singers in the history of rock, Wilson’s extraordinarily powerful voice has helped form the bedrock of modern music for over five decades, earning record sales of more than 35 million, an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. As one of the first women to front a hard rock band at arena scale, Wilson helped redefine the possibilities for female artists in rock, delivering era-defining hits like “Barracuda,” “Magic Man” and “Crazy on You.”

In addition to her work with Heart, Wilson has built a dynamic solo career that highlights both her range and restless creative spirit. Her solo albums, including “Hope & Glory,” “Fierce Bliss” and “Another Door,” blend rock, folk and orchestral influences while pairing her unmistakable voice with bold reinterpretations and original material. Her newest album, “Consecrated Ground,” is to be released in September of this year. The album was created in collaboration with her band Tripsitter. Tripsitter is composed of guitarist Ryan Wariner, bassist Tony Luciod, guitarist/keyboardist Paul Moak and drummer Sean T. Lane.

She further connects with audiences through her podcast “After Dinner Thinks,” where she reflects on music, culture and the artists who have shaped her journey.

In 2026, Wilson unveils her most intimate project to date: “In My Voice,” a documentary directed by Barbara Hall that traces her extraordinary life through rare archival footage, personal journals and candid storytelling, offering an unprecedented look at the artist behind one of rock’s most enduring voices.

Tickets range from $34.50 to $57.50 for adults and $11.50 for children/students. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at the Reynolds box office or Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts box office Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., online at uca.edu/publicappearances, or by calling ������ Ticket Central at (501) 450-3265 or toll free at (866) 810-0012. Student and children’s tickets are only available by contacting the box office.

UCA Public Appearances has continued to grow each year and now offers five unique series: Broadway, POPS, Night Out, An Evening With, and the Windgate Collection. Reynolds Performance Hall has also welcomed over 70,000 pre-K-12th grade students from across the state of Arkansas to experience live performing arts through the Main Stage Education Series. This series educates while entertaining and provides arts accessibility to all students.

(from left): Gennaro Scarfogliero of Valdosta, Georgia; George Moore of Raven, Virginia; Cecil Johnson of Simi Valley, California; Caden Heyen of Edmond, Oklahoma; Wesley Grigartis of Lawndale, North Carolina; Nathan Alden of London, England; Maverick Adams of Simi Valley, California; Axel Acosta of Lancaster, California.

Eight cadets who traveled to the University of Central Arkansas Aviation Academy from all across the nation have completed their intensive summer training program through the U.S. Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC).

UCA was one of only seven universities nationwide selected for the 2026 program and was the only program to achieve a 100% completion rate for cadets. This marks the second consecutive year that ������ has achieved a 100% completion rate for the eight-week program. Cadets were recognized for their accomplishments by the U.S. Air Force, the ������ Aviation Academy and their flight instructors at a ceremony with their families at the Bill Cope Memorial Hangar at Cantrell Field on Thursday, Aug. 6.

Graduating cadets were: Axel Acosta of Lancaster, California; Nathan Alden of London, England; Caden Heyen of Edmond, Oklahoma; George Moore of Raven, Virginia; Maverick Adams of Simi Valley, California; Gennaro Scarfogliero of Valdosta, Georgia; Wesley Grigartis of Lawndale, North Carolina; and Cecil Johnson of Simi Valley, California.

“We are extremely grateful to the Air Force and very proud to have achieved a top Air Force training status in only two years,” ������ Aviation Academy Director Dr. Brad Teague said. “The Air Force Training Program selection process is tremendous, and we have received stellar students for our two years in the program.

“As long as the Air Force will have us, ������ is committed to this great endeavor for years to come.”

The program, established in 2018, is designed to address the growing demand for pilots while increasing accessibility to aviation careers for high school students. Participants were selected through a competitive process and earned their private pilot license as well as college credit. The ������ Aviation Academy utilized four primary flight instructors who helped the cadets be successful in a short amount of time.

“It’s an honor to be a part of a program that is linked to the Air Force and could potentially have an impact on future service members,” ������ Aviation Academy Lead Flight Instructor Matthew Ganis said. “The Air Force has always been a part of my life because of my dad, and I have the utmost respect for those who serve our country.

“This makes this program special to me because I see it as a chance to give back, having not served myself. I am extremely proud of all of our cadets that went through training and believe they all have bright futures ahead of them. Hopefully I can be a part of it in the future, no matter how small that part may be.”

Air Force Junior ROTC is a Title 10 U.S. Code-mandated citizenship training program that is designed to educate and train high school cadets in citizenship, promote community service, and instill personal responsibility, character and self-discipline. The program achieves this through classroom education in air and space fundamentals and hands-on learning opportunities in a number of fun and challenging co-curricular activities.

The ������ Aviation Academy offers new open-enrollment classes every three months. Multiple pilot certifications are available, including Private, Commercial and Instructor licenses, as well as Instrument and Multi-engine ratings.

More information about the ������ Aviation Academy, including how to apply, is available at uca.edu/aviation or by contacting Brad Teague, director of ������ Aviation Academy for ������ Outreach and Community Engagement, at (501) 450-5244 or bteague@uca.edu.

Driven by a record-breaking number of donors and unprecedented planned and campus giving, the University of Central Arkansas closed fiscal year 2026 with $14.4 million raised. This marks a 31% increase over the previous fiscal year and represents the ninth consecutive year that ������ has surpassed its annual fundraising goal and raised more than $10 million.

Marking a major milestone in financial strength, total assets for the ������ Foundation officially surpassed $100 million for the first time in university history, reaching $103.4 million.

A total of 7,548 donors contributed during FY26 – a new university record – topping the previous high of 7,256 donors set in FY25.

“Our donors continue to send a resounding message: they believe in the power of a ������ education and the direction of this university,” Vice President for University Advancement Dr. Mary Bane Lackie said. “Eclipsing $100 million in Foundation net assets while setting a donor record and surpassing our annual fundraising goal by nearly $4 million speaks to the extraordinary momentum building across our entire campus community.”

Private support in FY26 was bolstered by major achievements across key areas:

• Historic Foundation Asset Growth: ������ Foundation total assets reached an all-time high of $103.4 million, while the university’s endowment grew to $77 million.
• Record-Breaking Planned Giving: Legacy giving experienced an extraordinary year, with $6.1 million raised in planned gifts – more than double the university’s $2.6 million goal – bringing total Doyne Legacy Society membership to 144 households.
• Surge in Faculty and Staff Commitment: Support from within the campus community reached unprecedented heights, with ������ faculty and staff donating and pledging $1.1 million across 619 donors – more than double the amount pledged in FY25.
• Unmatched Day of Giving Participation: ������’s annual Day of Giving engaged a record 3,115 donors, generating over $1.2 million in 24 hours to support student resources and academic programs.
• Transformational Leadership Gifts: ������ secured 92 major gifts over $15,000 (up from 75 in FY25), including two gifts exceeding $1 million, with the largest single gift totaling $2.5 million.
• Leadership Support: The President’s Society, ������’s leadership annual giving society, expanded to 792 members.

Gifts to the ������ Foundation directly fund the university’s margin of excellence, providing essential new support for signature initiatives like the ������ Commitment debt-free degree pathway, endowed faculty positions, experiential learning opportunities and campus facility modernizations. The ������ Foundation also awarded $1.5 million across 970 private scholarships, directly benefiting students across all academic disciplines.

“The ongoing generosity of our alumni, faculty, staff and friends empowers us to dream bigger and expand access for our students,” ������ President Houston Davis said. “Seeing the ������ Foundation surpass $100 million in net assets ensures a sustainable, long-term source of private support for our university’s mission.

“This year’s fundraising results reflect deep institutional trust and a shared commitment to elevating academic excellence across Arkansas, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who chose to invest in ������ this year.”

“The Innovation Campus represents the next chapter in ������’s commitment to preparing students for meaningful careers while strengthening Arkansas’s economy,” President Houston Davis said. “By bringing together education, research and industry in one collaborative environment, we are creating opportunities for our students, faculty and partners to solve real-world challenges and drive innovation that benefits our region for years to come.”

UCA College of Science and Engineering Dean Stephen Addison shared the latest developments on the Innovation Campus, including updates on the new electronics laboratory, the robotics and electronics teaching areas, new classroom spaces, and progress on the buildout of the new Fab Lab and spaces to be shared with University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. Addison spoke of the excitement about the expanded learning opportunities and room for growth the campus will provide.

“This is not just a change of space – it’s going to completely change how we teach these classes,” Addison said. “Our effective and forward-thinking teams have designed this campus to enable ������ to be at the forefront of workforce development and the changes that technology will bring to us.”

UCA will offer six courses at the Innovation Campus this fall for returning students, with introductory-level courses to be added in the spring semester. Until now, most laboratory classes have been a three-hour lecture class with a separate three-hour lab.

“In this new facility, we will change that to three, two-hour sessions per week with an integrated lab and mini-lecture environment, which is the modern way of bringing project work and teamwork into the beginning classes,” Addison said. “Every employer I’ve talked to talks about the ability of the student to participate effectively in teams.

“This way we’ll have our students working in teams from the beginning of their education.”

Among the action items approved by the board were revisions to Board Policy No. 410, Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer, reflecting the current intellectual property environment and the university’s approach to innovations, inventions, patents and copyrights. The revised policy encourages the development and disclosure of new innovations while clarifying protections for student-created intellectual property.

Trustees also authorized the administration to proceed with the competitive bid process for replacement of the track surface at the Bill Stephens Track and Soccer Complex. The approximately $1.6 million project will replace the existing surface, allowing ������ Track and Field facilities to continue operating at NCAA competition standards. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2027. Other action included approving a five-year contract extension with Illumia for the university’s integrated cashiering and payment system.

Trustees received notification that the Department of Music will become the School of Music, reflecting the program’s size, scope and national recognition and accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

Other notifications included the following additions:

• Certificate of Proficiency in Child Advocacy, which will address specific child advocacy needs in Arkansas and provide students with applied training by connecting them to local, regional and statewide agencies and interprofessional teams.
• Minor in Film Studies, which will focus on the aesthetic and contextual study of film as a form of art and communication.
• Minor in Japanese Culture and Language, which will include three new courses in Japanese culture and language that will build on the existing curriculum and allow students to complete an 18-credit-hour minor in Japanese.
• Minor in Spanish Proficiency for Health Professionals, which will prepare students pursuing medical or health careers to understand and effectively communicate medical information in Spanish.

The board’s next regularly scheduled meeting will be Friday, Oct. 2, at 10 a.m.

Faulkner recently retired from the U.S. Army, having served more than 24 years. He is an Iraq War Veteran and retired at the rank of Master Sergeant. Faulkner is a 2005 graduate of the University of Central Arkansas. Upon retirement from the Army in 2024, he began working at ������ as the Veterans Benefits Coordinator.

“I believe my calling in life is serving those in need, and the Army was a great fit,” Faulkner said. “After a career in the Army, not just any job would suffice after retirement.

“As a ������ graduate and resident of Conway, a second career assisting service-connected students will be just as fulfilling. Assisting veterans is a passion of mine. It helps me sleep better at night knowing I made the process easier for them.”

The Veterans and Military Resource Center assists student veterans, currently serving military members, and their dependents in better understanding and accessing the education benefits they have earned, as well as with their transition to the civilian world so that they may be more successful. The resource center hosts various outreach activities – including cookouts, presentations, camping trips and other events – throughout the year, designed to bring the student veteran community closer and give them a more enjoyable university experience.

In this role, Faulkner will lead a team of eight individuals who assist all military-connected students.

During Faulkner’s military career, he served as an Army Infantry Non-Commissioned Officer in various positions of increased responsibility. He has a strong background in operations at the company, battalion, brigade and regimental levels. His Military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (4th award), Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (2nd Award), Combat Infantry Badge, and many other awards and decorations.

Faulkner steps into the role previously held by Greg Pelts. Pelts was the original director of the Veterans Center and is entering a well-earned retirement.

The University of Central Arkansas will hold Graduate School commencement Saturday, Aug. 8, at 9 a.m. and noon. All ceremonies will be held at Reynolds Performance Hall and will be livestreamed.

Commencement ceremonies will be held at the following times:

Saturday, Aug. 8, at 9 a.m.

• College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
• College of Business.
• College of Health and Behavioral Sciences – Communications Sciences and Disorders, Occupational Therapy, Psychology & Counseling, Exercise Science, Sport Management, School of Nursing.

Saturday, Aug. 8, at noon.

• College of Education.
• College of Science and Engineering.
• College of Health and Behavioral Sciences – Physical Therapy, Health Science, Nutrition & Family Science.

More information about summer commencement is available at .

As department chair, Schmidt will collaborate with faculty and supervise department activities that support the college’s mission to provide an innovative and relevant curriculum combined with hands-on student experiences in the business community. He will teach courses related to human resources, leadership and organizational behavior. Schmidt will also continue his research in the future of work, virtual leadership, neurodiversity and how leadership differs across contexts.

“Dr. Schmidt brings a vast knowledge of leadership gained during his 20-year career,” Dr. Timothy Bisping, dean of the College of Business, said. “In his books, he skillfully engages his readers to examine management practices through popular culture references.

“I look forward to the creative ways he will help guide our college in the future.”

Before assuming this role of department chair at ������, Schmidt served as the director of the David and Sharon Turrentine School of Management at the University of Louisiana Monroe. His longest tenure was nearly 12 years of leadership and teaching roles at Purdue University Fort Wayne, the largest university in northeast Indiana.

In addition to teaching and administrative roles, as well as authoring books, Schmidt has offered his expertise as an organizational consultant for the last 10 years and is currently serving as a book series editor for Emerald Publishing, a global academic press focusing on scholarly journals, books and teaching case studies.

“I’ve been very impressed by the quality of teaching and research happening here at ������ for a number of years,” Schmidt said. “When I saw an opportunity to join the amazing team here, I jumped at it.

“I’m pleased to be a part of the team here at ������ that helps prepare our students for success both today and in the workplace of the future.”

Schmidt earned his Doctor of Philosophy and his Master of Arts, both focused on Industrial and Organizational Psychology, from Michigan State University. He also completed his Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is the most prestigious award presented to an alumnus or alumna of the university. A Distinguished Alumnus for the University of Central Arkansas is recognized for outstanding contribution to the university, community, state or society; outstanding achievement in a particular field of endeavor; possessing a reputation that enhances the reputation of the university and serves as an example to ������ students; and contributing to the goals or the welfare of the university.

The 2027 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients will be presented at , the university’s annual scholarship fundraising gala, on March 6, 2027.

Nominations may be submitted at .

“Being selected for this work demonstrates the trust the state has placed in the Arkansas Research Center and reflects the University of Central Arkansas’s longstanding commitment to serving Arkansas through high-quality research and evaluation,” Dr. Debbie Dailey, dean of the ������ College of Education, said.

CLASS is Arkansas’s primary tool for assessing the quality of teacher-child interactions in licensed early childhood classrooms. Through this contract, ARC will conduct independent CLASS verification observations in licensed early childhood programs across all 75 Arkansas counties, providing objective, evidence-based verification of classroom quality data to support the state’s early childhood quality improvement efforts.

The project is led by Dr. Sarah Argue, managing director of the Arkansas Research Center, and Amy Pinkston, project director. Together, they will oversee a team of 12 Teachstone-trained Regional CLASS Observers who will conduct verification observations throughout the state.

“This appointment highlights the important role universities play in supporting statewide initiatives through independent research and evaluation,” Dailey said. “We are proud of the ARC team and the meaningful contributions they continue to make to early childhood education in Arkansas.”

The award extends ARC’s 13-year research partnership with ADE-OEC and reflects the department’s confidence in the center’s research expertise, professional integrity and commitment to objective evaluation. ARC’s independence from CLASS coaching and professional development activities is a key requirement of the contract and ensures the credibility of the verification process.

The Arkansas Research Center is one of the research and service units housed within the ������ College of Education. The center partners with state agencies, school districts, and community organizations to conduct research, program evaluation, and technical assistance that informs educational policy and practice across Arkansas.

The University of Central Arkansas Center for Community and Economic Development will celebrate its 40th annual Community Development Institute (CDI) July 27-30. CDI is a national, three-year community and economic development training program with one week of training per year. Community leaders from across Arkansas, the Mid-South and the nation participate in CDI.

The 40th annual Institute will feature keynote speaker Dr. Richard V. Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men. The public is invited to attend Reeves’ keynote address Wednesday, July 29, from 3-5 p.m. at the Windgate Center for Fine & Performing Arts, 2150 Bruce Street. Registration is free but required at .

Reeves is a nationally recognized researcher, author and speaker. He is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and Chair of the UK Institute for Boys and Men. Reeves’ career has encompassed roles in national journalism, think tank leadership, government and public policy, making him a leading voice on the topic of boys’ and men’s well-being.

His presentation “The Silent Crisis: Addressing the Modern Challenges of Boys and Men” will explore the growing challenges facing boys and men in today’s changing economy and society.

From workforce shifts and educational disparities to increasing social isolation and mental health concerns, the presentation examines how these trends affect not only individuals, but also the long-term economic vitality and resilience of communities.

“Our team finds this topic critical to the vitality of our communities,” Director of CDI Shelby Fiegel said. “These challenges boys and men are facing in our society have effects on their quality of life, their families and the economy.

“Understanding the research to create solutions is something we all need to engage in to make our communities better places to live, work and play.”

Registration and more information can be found at .