Tag Archives: events

Carole Farmer Appointed to ASU System Board of Trustees

Posted on by
Carole Farmer, ASU System Board of Trustees. Image courtesy of the ASU System.

LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has appointed Carole Farmer of Fayetteville to a seven-year term on the Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees.


Farmer succeeds immediate past board chair Christy Clark of Little Rock, who served seven years after being appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson in 2018 and reappointed by Gov. Sanders in 2023.

ASU System President Brendan Kelly said he welcomes Farmer to the board.


“Carole Farmer will be an outstanding addition to our Board of Trustees,” Kelly said. “Her experiences in health care, management and finance will be welcome on the board and in the ASU System. We look forward to working with her in the years ahead.”


“I’m also grateful to Christy Clark for her service during the past seven years,” Kelly added. “She has been part of many significant achievements in the ASU System, and I worked closely with her as board chair during the last six months as I came on board as president. She’s been a tremendous resource and asset to the ASU System.”

Farmer is a Certified Medical Practice Executive (CMPE) and owns Arkansas Medical Management Consulting, LLC, a medical consulting firm that provides support for physician-owned practices. She worked 17 years for the largest multi-specialty physician medical clinic in northeast Arkansas. Her last seven years, she served as the clinic’s administrator and managed more than 120 employees.

She served for five years on the Board of Directors for Arkansas Medical Group Managers Association, her last year as chair of the organization.  Prior to her medical management career, she worked in the banking industry focusing on internal auditing and regulatory compliance. She is a member of the board of directors of Farmer Enterprises Inc.

“First, I want to thank Governor Sanders for her confidence in me,” Farmer said. “I look forward to working with President Kelly and the other trustees to improve educational and workforce opportunities for our students and all Arkansans.” 

Farmer is a graduate of Arkansas State University with both her bachelor’s degree in accounting (2005) and master’s in business administration (2008). She also served as an adjunct professor of accounting at A-State for two years, primarily focused on managerial accounting. 

A native of Palestine, she is married to Alec Farmer, a 1986 Arkansas State University graduate.  They are 1924 Sustaining Life Members of the A-State Alumni Association and endowed the Dalton A. Farmer Family Scholarship in 2015.

Together they have four adult daughters. Emily, their youngest daughter, is an A-State graduate. The ASU System, based in Little Rock, serves 35,000 students annually through on-site and online options. Member institutions include Arkansas State University in Jonesboro with an additional campus in Queretaro, Mexico; ASU-Beebe, with additional campuses in Heber Springs and Searcy and an instructional site at the Little Rock Air Force Base; ASU-Mountain Home; ASU-Newport, with additional campuses in Jonesboro and Marked Tree; ASU Mid-South in West Memphis; ASU Three Rivers in Malvern; and Henderson State University in Arkadelphia. For more information about the ASU System, visit ASUSystem.edu or follow on X @ASUSystem.

Living Legends Awards to Honor Seven Individuals

Posted on by

JONESBORO — The seventh annual Living Legends Awards will be held at Arkansas State University to honor five new recipients as well as honor two individuals posthumously.  
 
The ceremony honors those who have enriched the community, excelled at their fields, and inspired younger generations.  
 
This year, honorees include the following:

Dr. Jenifer Rice-Mason retired from A-State in 2020 after serving more than 40 years where she led the department of Access and Accommodation Services. 

Dr. Wilbert Gaines, an emeritus professor of physical education, was one of the first Black professors on campus. During his tenure he taught countless numbers of students and helped guide them to success through his work in the classroom and with campus organizations.  

Shamal C. Carter, has spent his career working in the non-profit sector, volunteering in the community, and serving on various boards to benefit Jonesboro residents. 

Dr. Nikesha Nesbitt is dean of the University College at A-State. She is part of several committees on campus and in the community. 

Jervonne Newsome is an A-State graduate who remains the highest-ranked moot court competitor in university history. She works as a partner at a law firm in Dallas. 
 
Legacy Awards will be presented to the families of two late members of the community: 

Rennell Woods was an A-State graduate and a longtime member of the Jonesboro community. He was a licensed minister and received numerous accolades due to his giving nature. 

Tierre Hamilton, a 2005 A-State graduate, was part of Kappa Alpha Psi where he provided metorship and support for others. He was known for volunteering and being an active member of the community.  

“Selections are made by a committee and are based not on the quantity of nominations but the quality of the submitted nominations. We deliberate on both the A-State influence and the impact the nominee has made on the community,” said Ian Buchanan, Living Legends committee chairman.  
 
“This event shines light on those who may not get it elsewhere. It also shows students that the impact they make can be legendary in the future. We believe this honor and distinction help recognize the work and footprints that are sometimes not noticed or given their proper due,” Buchanan added.  

This event is held in conjunction with events at A-State for Black History Month. The Multicultural Center oversees the month of activities with the assistance of campus employees and student organizations. 

$3.5 Million in Federal Funding for Jonesboro Advances in U.S. Senate

Posted on by

Courtesy of the City of Jonesboro/Johnathan Reaves, Delta Digital News Service

Copenhaver said the funding would provide additional resources to prevent and fight crime in the city and keep Jonesboro on the leading edge of incorporating technology into its policing efforts.  “When we talk about improving Jonesboro, public safety is a top priority,” he said. “This is reinforcement that we are on the right track, and I thank Senator Boozman for his efforts and for the hours he and his staff have dedicated to meeting with our Jonesboro team to discuss the wins and benefits of the system. He believes in it, and it shows.”

Jonesboro’s innovative Real-Time Crime and Intelligence Center now boasts more than 700 cameras strategically positioned around the area and has been referenced more than 600 times in cases this year alone. Data collected and retained also provides a valuable resource in building evidence to close cases, helping resolve accident disputes and identifying needed traffic and safety improvements, according to Jonesboro Police Chief Rick Elliott, “Our system provides officers and detectives with critical information that saves lives, immediately alerts us when a vehicle of interest enters the region and provides helpful information on the scene of an active incident or operation. The technology investment in policing is making a difference, and it shows.”

Craighead County Sheriff Marty Boyd talked about the importance of information sharing between agencies, “We work closely with the City of Jonesboro and share 911 facilities. Quickly transferring data, license plate alerts and video information is a huge benefit toward the safety of our area.”

######

NEA celebrates local diversity with cultural expo

Posted on by

The NEA Cultural Expo, arranged by Research Solutions, hosts inaugural event

Delta Digital News Service

Thursday, May 23, 2024

By Avery Jones | Editor

JONESBORO, Ark. — On Saturday, May 18, the local nonprofit organization Research Solutions hosted their first NEA Cultural Expo. The event lasted from 10 AM to 7 PM at the Centennial Plaza in downtown Jonesboro and was free to attend.

The event featured crafts, food, and other goods from various local vendors and small businesses as well as live music. According to the executive director of Research Solutions, the purpose of the event was to display the variety of different cultures thriving in Northeast Arkansas.

“We have so many people from around the country and around the world who live in this area, and we all bring something that contributes to the community but we don’t interact a lot,” stated Lisa Perry. “I’d like to see something that celebrates all that everyone brings to the area.”

Although this was only the first time this event has happened, they’re hoping that they’ll be able to arrange it next year as well and are already making plans to do so. Perry used to live in another city–Columbus, Indiana–that hosted a cultural expo every year, which is how she came up with the idea.

When Perry moved here to Jonesboro, she noticed that this area has just as much diversity as Columbus, but there was no similar event. In her last city, the cultural expo was a great way to connect people of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions.

“We really don’t have anything that kind of tries to bridge that gap, and having the other city as an example of something that was working, I thought, why not try it here?” Perry said.

Their hope is that although the expo was instigated by Research Solutions and they plan to remain involved, it will eventually become a community-led event. However, even though this first event was mainly run by Research Solutions, there were many people in the community who did help, such as sponsorship from local businesses.

Research Solutions, established in 2022, does research on social sciences and public services. They work primarily on substance abuse and overdose prevention. They’re the fiscal agent for the Arkansas HOPE Coalition, a group of organizations that supports programs for underprivileged youth.

Some of the cultures that were to be represented at the Cultural Expo included Southern, Hawaiian, African-American, Muslim, Mexican, Filipino, and others. There were at least thirty vendors slated to be there.

One of the many culturally diverse vendors at the event was NowaraCo, a scarf and hijab company owned by Dr. Nora Bouzihay. It’s the first hijab company in Arkansas and was established in 2018.

Dr. Bouzihay, who has a doctorate in education, currently works at Southeast Missouri State University. Her grandmother used to call her “Nowara,” which means flower in Arabic. This is how her company got its name.

All of the scarves are handmade, and the fabric is imported from Morocco. For every three scarves sold, NowaraCo donates a scarf to a refugee in the Middle East. NowaraCo also sells no-snag magnets as a substitute for safety pins.

Bouzihay started wearing a hijab herself in 2016. She says that she never felt “beautiful” until she started wearing it. Additionally, after her grandmother passed away, she wanted a way to keep her legacy alive.

“Because I felt so beautiful with scarves, I thought what better way to bring all women and young girls together and feel beauty through scarves in all forms?” Bouzihay said. 

Although the scarves are frequently bought as hijabs, they can be used for any purpose, says Bouzihay. Women who are suffering from hair loss also enjoy these scarves, and of course, they can be used as neck scarves as well.

Bouzihay is originally from Morocco but grew up in Jonesboro. During college, she studied abroad in Dubai and Morocco, which is what inspired her to assist women in the Middle East.

Another vendor at the expo was KO Treats: Taste of the Valley, an independent candy company ran by duo Kiara Riojas and Oliver Quiroz. It was first established in 2022. 

KO Treats sells chamoy-covered candy. Chamoy is a type of sauce often used in Mexican cuisine, made from pickled fruit and blended with chili peppers, lime, and spices. 

When she moved to Jonesboro from South Texas, Riojas found herself missing all of the authentic Mexican snacks that could easily be found in any convenience store down there. Riojas decided to remedy this problem herself and sell her own Mexican snacks, bringing the unique flavor of the Rio Grande Valley to Jonesboro.

Riojas and Quiroz currently sell the candy from home in Lake City, but they provide delivery for Jonesboro and surrounding areas. They also frequently sell at events in Jonesboro similar to the expo.

Graceful Threads, an inspirational apparel business owned by Ninmah Wallace, was also at the expo. The shop sells clothing featuring Christian and inspirational quotes.

Wallace is originally from Chicago. She has a bachelor’s degree in business management. 

Wallace started her business in 2020; she loved designing faith-based apparel for herself, so this business was the natural next step for her. Additionally, she’s a Christian, so she prays and feels inspired about what to design.

“It was something I knew that I wanted to do because I love to create and design different apparel,” Wallace said. “It’s just something that I was inspired to do…just to be able to support and provide something for families to wear.”

She has another similar business called SheMadeYaLook, of which Graceful Threads is an extension. SheMadeYaLook is a personal styling service that helps people to find pieces that suit them, match their personal taste, and look good together. Wallace puts together a “StyleBox” and delivers it to the client.

Graceful Threads sells online and ships the purchases. New designs are released every season. 

There were several other small businesses featured at the Cultural Expo, including the food truck Filipino Chow, Wise Women Crafts, Vaughn’s Pit Stop BBQ, the bakery Delightful Bites, and much more.

-30-

Avery Jones 

Avery Jones is a senior in The Department of English and Philosophy at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. She can be reached at avery.jones@smail.astate.edu