Sole Graduate Program in Addiction Studies in Arkansas Awards Degrees to Two at Saturday Commencement

Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander poses for photo with Teryn Moreland (center), one of two to earn a Master of Science in Addiction Studies at the Spring Commencement Exercises on May 6.

On Saturday, May 6, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) saw graduates who earned their Master’s degree in Arkansas’s only graduate-level Addiction Studies program. The graduate program is offered to students online and is funded by the Master Tobacco Settlement Agreement. The Addiction Studies program prepares students for leadership roles in prevention, treatment and research of alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and gambling. Candice Henderson and Teryn Moreland both earned a Master of Science in Addiction Studies. 

“Our one-of-a-kind Addiction Studies program teaches our students not only about varied forms of addiction, but also how to manage addiction treatment facilities and develop the unique skills necessary to serve their clients’ specific needs and circumstances,” said Dr. Cynthia Troutman, interim program director.

“Being in the addiction field was an eye opener for me. I learned that having an addiction and being a working, functioning member of society are not mutually exclusive,” said Henderson. “Addiction struggles also tend to go hand in hand with mental health issues. I not only wanted to further my education by attending UAPB, but to also help others in my community, including those close to me struggling with substance abuse and addiction.” 

Candice Henderson, center, poses with Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander after being hooded Saturday.

Henderson, a certified alcohol and drug counselor who already earned a Bachelor of Science in Addiction Studies from the University of Central Arkansas, is currently Chief Operations Officer for Lake Point Recovery & Wellness in Russellville. She also serves on the Arkansas Substance Abuse Certification Board and the Arkansas Association of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselors.

“The program’s instructors are excellent and provided guidance with clarity and practicality,” said Moreland. “I encourage anyone who works in a substance abuse capacity and wants to continue their studies to seriously consider UAPB’s Addiction Studies program.”

Before attending UAPB’s Addiction Studies program, Moreland, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from UAPB in 2009, previously worked as a substance abuse counselor for both the Arkansas Department of Corrections and the Arkansas Department of Community Corrections, counseling male and female inmates, as well as working as a family service worker for the Arkansas Department of Human Services. Moreland currently works as a detox director for special care hospitals.

For more information on the Addiction Studies program, call 870.575.8716 or email Interim Program Director Dr. Cynthia Troutman at troutmanc@uapb.edu.