Tom Gordon, co-founder and CEO of Slim Chickens

The University of Central 淫性视频 (UCA) College of Business has announced Tom Gordon, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Slim Chickens, as this year鈥檚 Davis Lecture Series Speaker. Gordon will present Tuesday, April 7, at 1:40 p.m. in the UCA College of Business Auditorium in Conway, 淫性视频.

Gordon provides personal and tailored support for franchisees in a rapidly growing system, and he is the driving leader behind the brand鈥檚 goal to have a 600-unit footprint by 2028.

鈥淭om and his co-founder began their journey in 2003 with one 淫性视频 store, and because of Tom鈥檚 leadership, Slim Chickens has expanded into a global brand,鈥� Dr. Tim Bisping, dean of the UCA College of Business, said. 鈥淲e are privileged to have the support of the Davis Family to bring an exceptional leader like Tom Gordon to share his entrepreneurial vision and strategic focus with our students, faculty and community partners.鈥�

The UCA campus is invited to attend, and the event is free and open to the public.

The Davis Family Lecture Series was established in 2010 through a gift from Granger and Jan Davis, and Milton and Claudia Davis. The series features prominent business leaders who have made a significant impact in an industry. As pillars of the UCA and Conway community, the Davis Family’s gift to the UCA Centennial Campaign: New Vision, New Century inspired a lecture series open to all students, faculty, staff and business community who wish to attend.

More information about the UCA College of Business and this special event is available at .

Herron Horton Architects principals Jeff Horton, AIA, LEED AP, and Jennifer Herron, AIA.

The University of Central 淫性视频 will host Herron Horton Architects, a Little Rock-based architecture and interior design firm, for a multiday residency April 10 and April 13-17, with events that showcase the intersection of art, architecture and human-centered design.

The residency will feature a public exhibition, panel discussion and keynote-style conversation highlighting Herron Horton Architects鈥� approach to design, craft, and the relationship between people and place. The exhibition 鈥淎rt + Architecture: Sculpture + Scale鈥� will be on view daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Carmen Thompson Gallery at the Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts.

Additional public events include a panel discussion and a Keystone Conversation exploring the firm鈥檚 design process and residency experience. All events are located on the UCA campus and are open to the public and free of charge, with no tickets required for entry.

The full schedule for the Herron Horton Architects residency is as follows:

• Friday, April 10, and Monday-Friday, April 13-17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 鈥� Public Event: 鈥淎rt + Architecture: Sculpture + Scale鈥� exhibition, Carmen Thompson Gallery, Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 2150 Bruce Street, Conway.
• Tuesday, April 15, 6:30-8:30 p.m. 鈥� Public Event: Panel Discussion with Herron Horton Architects, Concert Hall, Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts.
• Wednesday, April 16, 1:40-2:30 p.m. 鈥� Public Event: Keystone Conversation, 鈥淟earning by Design: Inside the Herron Horton Residency Experience,鈥� Keystone Steps, Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts.

Herron Horton Architects is led by principals Jennifer Herron, AIA, and Jeff Horton, AIA, LEED AP, whose complementary passions for people, place, craft and creativity shape the firm鈥檚 human-centered work. Based in Little Rock, 淫性视频, they approach architecture as a practice that is rooted in both artistic expression and functional design.

Jennifer Herron, a Little Rock native, earned her architecture degree from the University of Kansas, where she also studied fine art photography. Her experience in the San Francisco Bay Area and Little Rock led her to co-found Herron Horton Architects from a belief that architecture begins with people. Her background in photography informs her sensitivity to light, environment and the emotional qualities of space.

Jeff Horton, originally from the Kansas City area, earned his architecture degree from the University of Kansas and continued his studies at the University of Dortmund in Germany. His curiosity about how buildings are made informs his detail-driven approach to design and his commitment to evolving materials and technologies. In addition to his architectural work, Horton is also a painter through which he explores space and color.

Additional information about the residency is available by contacting Toni Gocke Wyre at awyre@uca.edu.

Leah Fimple playing Jo March.

The University of Central 淫性视频 Theatre Department has announced its upcoming production of a heartfelt and timeless story of family, ambition and resilience. Based on the beloved novel by Louisa May Alcott, this musical adaptation brings the March sisters to life through soaring music and deeply human storytelling.

Performances are scheduled for April 10, 11, 17 and 18 at 7 each night and April 12 and 19 at 2 p.m. at the James M. Bridges Black Box Theatre in the Windgate Center for the Fine and Performing Arts, 2150 Bruce St., Conway.

Audiences will follow Jo March and her sisters Meg, Beth, and Amy as they navigate the challenges of growing up during the Civil War era, each striving to define their own paths while bound together by love and loyalty. With a sweeping score and poignant narrative, 鈥淟ittle Women: The Broadway Musical鈥� celebrates the enduring power of dreams, creativity and sisterhood.

Directed by Assistant Professor Lauren Carlton, with music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and book by Allan Knee, the production showcases the talent and dedication of UCA鈥檚 student performers, designers and technicians. This moving theatrical experience highlights both the strength of classic literature and the vibrancy of contemporary musical theatre.

UCA students, faculty and staff can receive free tickets at the door or at the Reynolds Performance Hall or Windgate box offices. General admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased online. Tickets may also be purchased at the Reynolds Box Office or Windgate Box Office Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by calling UCA Ticket Central at (501) 450-3265 or (866) 810-0012.

The University of Central 淫性视频 has been awarded a $35,000 IDEAS Program grant through the U.S. Department of State for 鈥淪tepping Stones Abroad: Accessible Arts-Based Approaches for Mental Health and Wellbeing in North America,鈥� which seeks to grow study abroad participation among early career, low-/middle-income students, increase Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) in UCA鈥檚 Living Learning Communities, and develop a robust global learning assessment plan for UCA. UCA received the only grant in 淫性视频 during the 2025 award cycle.

The award will be used to develop two new week-long, lower-cost study abroad programs to Montreal, Canada, and Merida, Mexico, in collaboration with the UCA Center for Global Learning and Engagement.

鈥溾�楽tepping Stones Abroad鈥� was intentionally designed to be interdisciplinary and appeal to students of all majors,鈥� Dr. Leah Horton, associate dean of the Norbert O. Schedler Honors College, said. 鈥淲e know that this generation of students experience increased mental health struggles, and research shows that engaging in creative pursuits has positive benefits for mental health and overall wellness.

鈥淥ne of the primary goals of this program is to encourage students to tap into their creativity and introduce them to skills, tools and activities that they can utilize over the course of their lives to promote their own mental health and wellbeing.鈥�

The first iteration of the Montreal program will be led by Horton and Dr. Crystal Harris of the School of Language and Literature in May 2027. Dr. Adam Frank of the Honors College and Professor Kayla Gowin of the Department of Psychology and Counseling will lead the Merida program in May 2028.

The U.S. Department of State鈥檚 IDEAS Program awarded grants to 31 U.S. colleges and universities across 24 states to develop international programming for U.S. students that contributes to career readiness and supports American competitiveness, national security interests and international engagement.

IDEAS Program grantees implement projects that expand U.S. study abroad opportunities while advancing key foreign policy goals, including strengthening economic growth, innovation and industry, and promoting freedom and democracy through international academic partnerships. These initiatives prepare U.S. students to contribute to their communities and future careers in ways that support national security and long-term economic prosperity. IDEAS grants support programming in 37 destinations across all world regions, including in Ecuador, India, Japan, Kenya, United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan, strategically expanding the destinations where U.S. students study abroad. More information about the 2025 IDEAS grant recipients and resources designed to expand study abroad opportunities are available at .

The IDEAS Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State supported in its implementation by World Learning.

Guests began the evening with a social hour featuring hors d鈥檕euvres, drinks and live music in the Win and Carmen Thompson Atrium before moving into the Concert Hall for the awards program co-hosted by Dr. Spencer and Leslie Gordy. The program recognized this year鈥檚 Distinguished Alumni, Col. Addie Morris and Dr. Jeff Standridge, while also highlighting the impact of private support on scholarships and student success at UCA.

University of Central 淫性视频 President Houston Davis with the 2026 Distinguished Alumni honoree Col. Addie Morris.

University of Central 淫性视频 President Houston Davis with the 2026 Distinguished Alumni honorees Dr. Jeff Standridge.

One of the evening鈥檚 most memorable moments featured UCA Freshman and Foundation Scholarship Recipient Emma Kesterson sharing how scholarship support has shaped her experience and future goals. The program also included remarks from university leadership celebrating recent campus achievements.

Following the program, guests continued the celebration at an after-party in the James Bridges Black Box Theatre, where Tyler Kinchen & The Right Pieces provided live music.

Laurels & Stripes serves as one of the university鈥檚 signature events, celebrating alumni achievement while raising support for students and programs across the university.

Investigative journalist Jerry W. Mitchell

The University of Central 淫性视频 will host investigative journalist Jerry W. Mitchell for a two-day residency Tuesday, March 31, and Wednesday, April 1, with events that highlight investigative reporting, journalism ethics, and the pursuit of truth and accountability.

Mitchell鈥檚 residency will feature a series of student-focused conversations with journalism classes as well as the public presentation 鈥淭ruth on Trial: An Evening With Journalist Jerry Mitchell.鈥� Most events will take place on the UCA campus and are open to the public and free of charge, with no tickets required for entry.

The full schedule for Mitchell鈥檚 residency is as follows:

Tuesday, March 31

• 10:50 a.m.-12:05 p.m., Student Event: Q&A with Beginning Reporting class, Stanley Russ Hall 102.
• 12:15-1:30 p.m., Student Event: Q&A with Media Law and Ethics class, Stanley Russ Hall 109.
• Time and venue TBD, dinner with journalism faculty and students from the Society of Professional Journalists.

Wednesday, April 1

• 11-11:50 a.m., Student Event: Q&A with International Reporting students, Stanley Russ Hall 102.
• Noon-12:50 p.m., Student Event: Q&A with News Editing students, Stanley Russ Hall 102.
• 3-3:50 p.m., Student Event: Q&A with Student Media Outlets (newspaper, yearbook, television station), Stanley Russ Hall 103.
• 7-8 p.m., Public Event: 鈥淭ruth on Trial: An Evening With Journalist Jerry Mitchell,鈥� Stanley Russ Hall 103.

Jerry W. Mitchell is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, MacArthur 鈥淕enius Grant鈥� recipient and author of 鈥淩ace Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era.鈥� During his distinguished career at The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi, Mitchell鈥檚 relentless and meticulous reporting helped lead to the long-overdue convictions of notorious Ku Klux Klansmen responsible for some of the most notorious racially motivated crimes in American history, including the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, the assassination of civil rights leader Medgar Evers and the Mississippi Burning murders.

Mitchell is also the founder of the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and training a new generation of investigative journalists. Guided by a deep commitment to justice, his work combines rigorous reporting with powerful storytelling to uncover truths long buried by silence and indifference.

More information about the residency is available by contacting Dr. Donna Stephens at donnals@uca.edu.

Vice President for University Advancement Mary Lackie, Association of Future Alumni President Julian Martinez, Student Government Association President Kylie McGraw, Senior Director of Annual Giving Haley Fowler and University of Central 淫性视频 President Houston Davis

The University of Central 淫性视频 community came together March 12 for the university鈥檚 12th annual Day of Giving, with a record 3,115 donors participating during the 24-hour campaign.

Those gifts totaled $1,204,379 in support of scholarships, programs and opportunities for UCA students.

鈥淥ne of the most meaningful things about Day of Giving is seeing so many people come together to support UCA,鈥� President Houston Davis said. 鈥淎lumni, students, faculty, staff, parents and friends all step forward because they believe in our students and the work happening across this campus.鈥�

Day of Giving is designed to rally the university community around a shared goal: supporting the people and programs that shape the UCA experience. Donors were able to direct gifts to a variety of areas including scholarships, academic programs and student initiatives.

The results were announced Friday during a campus celebration at Buffalo Alumni Hall. Participation stood out in this year鈥檚 event, with supporters giving from 38 states and 70 countries.

鈥淒ay of Giving works because people choose to be part of it,鈥� Vice President for University Advancement Mary Lackie said. 鈥淲e saw alumni remembering their time at UCA, students giving back while they are still on campus, and friends of the university stepping forward because they want to see UCA continue to thrive.鈥�

Since the event began in 2015, the UCA community has raised $9,382,817 through Day of Giving to support a wide range of needs, including scholarships, state-of-the-art equipment, research and experiential learning opportunities that equip students to be leaders in the local, regional and global economies.

More information about Day of Giving and the funds supported through the campaign is available at .

The 淫性视频 Insurance Hall of Fame was created in 2015 to identify and honor distinguished insurance industry professionals with strong ties to 淫性视频 who exemplify innovation, social responsibility, leadership and professional excellence; have made broad, encompassing and lasting contributions to advance the role of insurance in society; and have significantly impacted the lives of many Arkansans.

The University of Central 淫性视频 (UCA) College of Business partners with the 淫性视频 Insurance Hall of Fame to create and nurture a nationally recognized undergraduate degree program in insurance and risk management. At each annual banquet, several students are recognized as scholarship recipients. In 2023, an endowment fund was established to ensure the future scholarships of insurance students.

The 淫性视频 Insurance Hall of Fame seeks to remind the public of the important role the insurance industry plays in securing the well-being of both individuals and businesses, to inspire the next generation of leadership to reach these high levels of accomplishment, and to encourage young Arkansans to consider careers in the insurance industry.

More information about the 淫性视频 Insurance Hall of Fame is available at .

The contest invites high school students from across the Central 淫性视频 region to test their mathematical skills in a competitive academic setting. Students enrolled in Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Precalculus and Trigonometry, Calculus, and Statistics are eligible to participate.

Top-scoring students from regional contests held across the state will advance to the ACTM Invitational State Mathematics Contest, which will also take place on the UCA campus Saturday, April 25.

Contest activities will begin at 9:30 a.m. with check-in at the Mathematics and Computer Science Building on the UCA campus. The exam will begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at 11 a.m. Following the competition, participants will be guided to the Student Center for lunch before an awards ceremony at 1 p.m. in Doyne Auditorium, located next to the Math Building.

The registration fee for the regional contest is $5 per student. Students and sponsors can register at .

The 淫性视频 Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ACTM) is a professional association that supports and encourages good mathematics teaching. ACTM conducts annual regional and state mathematics contests that provide an opportunity for high school students to compete academically. Following the regional contest, teachers may access the regional tests and use them as teaching tools.

More information about the UCA regional contest is available by contacting Travis Chism at tchism1@uca.edu. More information about statewide contests is available by contacting ACTM State Contest Director Garth Johnson at garthj@uca.edu. More information about ACTM is available at .

鈥淒r. Dailey has guided the College of Education through a period of significant transition, bringing steady leadership to the complex work of educator preparation, state-level policy and accreditation,鈥� UCA Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Michael Hargis said. 鈥淎s dean, she will continue to build on that foundation by championing student success, supporting faculty, strengthening partnerships and advancing the quality and reach of the college.

鈥淗er vision for the college is rooted in people, and in creating the conditions where both educators and students can thrive.鈥�

Over the past 13 years, Dailey has served UCA as a faculty member, chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning, interim associate dean and interim dean. Before entering higher education, she spent 20 years in K-12 classrooms and schools. Those experiences continue to shape her deep commitment to educators and the students they serve.

Dailey earned a Bachelor of Science in Education in Biology and a Master of Science in Education in Biology from 淫性视频 State University, a graduate certificate in Gifted and Talented Education from Harding University, and a Doctor of Education from the University of 淫性视频 at Little Rock.