UAPB to host Regional AIDS Summit

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) will host the Campaign To End AIDS (C2EA) Southwest Regional Summit June 8-9 in the John M. Ross theatre of the Hathaway-Howard Fine Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public.

The two-day summit will focus on: Developing active, dynamic grassroots advocacy networks organized and led by primarily by people living with HIV & AIDS, their allies, and loved ones; Prioritizing HIV & AIDS advocacy and policy issues and developing plans that influence decision makers to implement effective strategies that lead to improving health outcomes, decreasing new HIV infections, and protecting the civil/social rights of people living with HIV & AIDS; Joining the ‘We Can End AIDS‘ mobilization at the 2012 International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC and creating local events that focus on front-burner HIV & AIDS issues; and Utilizing AIDSVote in Arkansas and the Southeast United States.

The Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA) is a diverse, exciting coalition of people living with HIV & AIDS, their advocates and their loved ones. The mission of the Campaign To End AIDS is to bring issues of those living with HIV/AIDS to the attention of those in power and demand that they exert the political will to help resolve them, and eventually work to stop the epidemic once and for all.

For more information about the summit or inquire about booth rentals, contact Letsie Bass at (870)575-7105 or bassl@uapb.edu.

June 1 deadline for 2012 LIONS program applications

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Incoming freshmen have the chance to acclimate to college life and earn credits at the same time in the 2012 Learning Institute and Opportunities for New Students (LIONS) program at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). June 1 is the deadline to submit applications for entrance into the program.

The five week program (July 5 – August 10) assists students admitted to UAPB for the fall semester who have ACT scores below 19 in English and/or math and are required to take remedial courses in these areas. Participants will receive academic tutoring and attend college orientation, workshops, and personal and social success seminars for making a successful transition to college life.

Sponsored by University College, there are spaces for 100 incoming freshmen according to Dr. Janice Coleman, program coordinator. Applications to the LIONS program should be accompanied by admission to UAPB, campus housing and a completed FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for the Summer (2011-2012) and Fall (2012-2013) semesters.

For more information, call (870) 575-8335.

COMPASS test prep offered

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – The Division of Continuing Education and Graduate Studies at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is offering a preparation class for the reading portion of the COMPASS test. Open to all incoming students, the free classes will be offered May 29-June 29 in room 153 of the Kountz-Kyle building on the following days and times: Tuesdays from 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. and Thursdays 11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon.

The COMPASS® computer-adaptive college placement test helps educators quickly evaluate incoming students’ skill levels in Reading, Writing Skills, Writing Essay, Math, and English as a Second Language; place students in appropriate courses and connect them to the resources they need to achieve academic success.

For more information, contact Ketra Ross at 870-575-8349 or Continuing Education at 870-575-8317.

Dr. Johnson to be welcomed with Convocation, Reception

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and University of Arkansas System will welcome Interim Chancellor Dr. Calvin Johnson with a Convocation and reception Tuesday, May 29 at 10:30 a.m. in the John M. Ross Theatre of the Hathaway-Howard Fine Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public, however, requires an RSVP at (870)575-8503/8266 by Friday, May 25.

Johnson is former dean of the School of Education at UAPB and former chair of the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. His career in education as a teacher and faculty member spans more than 30 years. He served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1998 to 2004 and is a current member of the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, a position he will resign before becoming interim chancellor.

“After consulting with campus and community leaders, I’m pleased that Dr. Calvin Johnson has agreed to serve as interim chancellor of UAPB,” Bobbitt said. “Calvin has vast experience in higher education and is a strong leader in the Pine Bluff community. I believe he has the right combination of experience and knowledge of the university to serve in this capacity, and I look forward to working with him.”

Johnson earned his bachelor’s degree in agriculture education at UAPB and a master’s degree in counselor education from the University of Central Arkansas. He completed his Ph.D. degree in adult education and public school administration at Kansas State University.

Featured speakers during the convocation include: Dr. Donald Bobbitt, President of the University of Arkansas System; Mr. Shane Broadway, Interim Director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and representatives from the City of Pine Bluff. The reception will take place in the lobby of the Fine Arts Center.

For more information about this event, call (870)575-8503/8266.

Small Business/Micro-Enterprise Training Offered

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Realizing the dream of small business ownership is within reach through Small Business/Micro-Enterprise training offered by the Economic Research and Development Center (ERDC) at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). Whether you want to jump start an idea or give your current business a boost, the Operation JumpStart: First Step program can meet both objectives.

Offered Tuesday and Thursday evenings beginning June 5, the six-week course is a nationally-recognized, highly successful training model delivered to individuals considering starting or expanding a small business. The Operation JumpStart: First Step curriculum teaches participants essential small business planning and preparation skills with practical hands-on training. For information on Operation JumpStart, please visit www.operationjumpstart.biz.

All classes will be held at UAPB Business Support Incubator and Office Complex located 615 Main Street in Pine Bluff. Due to limited seating, applications are required and can be obtained from uapberdc.org or by calling (870) 575-8030. Operation JumpStart: First Step is provided at no charge to participants and is open to the public.

For more information, contact Ms. Wanda Jeter at 615 Main Street, Suite 232 no later than May 25th. Ms. Jeter can be reached at (870) 575-8030.

Beginning Estate Planning Workshop May 24 at UAPB

Carol Sanders | School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – A beginning estate planning workshop aimed at small and socially disadvantaged farmers and rural homeowners is scheduled for 6 p.m., Thursday, May 24, in the 1890 Extension Complex Auditorium at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

Presenters include Rusty Rumley, staff attorney, The National Agricultural Law Center, Fayetteville; Freeman McKindra, McKindra Land Company, LLC; Everlyn Bryant, JN Bryant Farms partnership; and a representative from Laura J’s-Edwards, Inc. Topics include estate planning verses succession planning, federal and state taxes, estate planning tools and family solutions to heir property issues. Also, Marisa Harris, area specialist, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Agency, will answer questions about the agency’s housing programs.

Succession planning is important to farmers because 90 percent of farming operations do not survive the transition from one generation to the next, says Dr. Henry English, head of the Small Farm Program at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Succession planning can also protect assets from unforeseen events such as lawsuits and divorce.

Estate planning is for anyone who owns property or valuable assets. Using estate planning tools correctly allows homeowners to structure estate planning so that heirs can obtain loans to run and keep the family home and farm intact and in the family when there are multiple heirs, says Dr. English.

The 1890 Extension Complex is located on the corner of L.A. “Prexy” Davis Drive and Oliver Road. The workshop is funded by the Southern Risk Management Education Center’s 2010 Extension Risk Management Education Grants Program. For more information, contact Kellye Luckett, (870) 575-7226 or Rita Conley, (870) 575-8540.

Owasoyo chosen to serve on study abroad panel

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Mrs. Philomena Owasoyo, International/Graduate Admissions Officer in the Office of Admissions was chosen to serve as a national selection panelist to review summer applications for the Gilman Scholarship Study Abroad Program.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program offers grants to undergraduate students who are U.S. citizens with limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. Such international study is intended to better prepare U.S. students for significant roles in an increasingly global and interdependent world. Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process and use the award to cover study abroad costs.