Through its many partnerships, the College of Education and Health Professions engages students in transformative experiential learning opportunities and produces impactful research that improves people’s lives.
At the college’s recent Dean’s Executive Advisory Board meeting, members learned about some of the college’s most impactful partnerships and participated in immersive experiences such as arts integration, adventure therapy, a dyslexia simulation and gait analysis.
The hands-on activities offered a window into how faculty and students collaborate with others in the community, across Arkansas and beyond. During the day-long meeting, board members had two opportunities to participate in the immersive experiences.
Arkansas A+ leadership Alyssa Wilson and Allie Mitchell shared an arts-integrated lesson, inviting board members to imagine themselves as fourth graders learning about science concepts. Each participant created their own wire sculpture and walked away with a better understanding of how A+ views the arts as fundamental to teaching all school subjects. Board members enjoyed tapping into their creativity and making art together.
The weather was perfect for Adventure Therapy Lab Director David Christian to lead his session outside. Adventure therapy prepares mental health professionals to work with at-risk populations. Christian, an associate professor of counselor education, had board members laughing and high-fiving as they played “Walk, Stop” and the “UBUNTU Challenge.” “Walk, Stop” is an icebreaker that helps participants practice listening and learn to acknowledge their mistakes. During this activity, the facilitator calls out a series of directions. As the activity progresses, they’re challenged to do the opposite of what is said. Participants are reminded that it’s ok to make mistakes; they are just asked to raise their hand and take responsibility, then keep playing. The “UBUNTU Challenge” involves racing around to match images on two-sided cards. Christian said, “We often use this activity in adventure therapy to teach the value of letting go and moving on because the person who lost immediately joins the winning team as a cheerleader and super fan.”
Stephanie Hicks, a clinical instructor of communication sciences and disorders, conducted the dyslexia simulation. She led board members through a series of activities designed to increase awareness of the reading, writing and processing challenges experienced by people with dyslexia. After the simulation, group members had robust conversations about how they felt during the activities, myths associated with dyslexia and more.
Abigail Schmitt, an assistant professor of exercise science, set up a gait mat equipped with sensors designed to analyze how participants walk. She recorded data about their gait, including stride length, the number of steps they take per minute and ground contact time. The analysis can help assess someone’s risk of falling, identify injury issues and more.
“There are so many more partnerships we could have highlighted from the college,” Dean Kate Mamiseishvili told the group when they gathered again. “This is something we believe in and we depend on. We wouldn’t be able to engage in meaningful research or prepare our students for workforce without our amazing partners across the state and beyond.”
The 40-member advisory board is made up of health and education leaders who work with the dean to provide a much-needed link between the college and the community and propel the college forward.
The fall meeting was the fourth since the group was originally formed. The board met for the first time in March 2023. Alumna Ashlie Hilbun, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, served as the inaugural board chair. Judd Semingson, the chief executive officer at Community Clinic, is in the role for 2024. When the board reconvenes in March 2025, three-time college alum John L Colbert will serve as chair.
Semingson urged board members to continue connecting the college with new partners so it can accelerate its three priorities: impactful research, service to Arkansas and a caring culture.
In addition to immersive experiences, the board learned about two critical partnerships that are helping shape children’s and patients’ lives and changing the way the college educates its students.
The education partnership panel included Bonnie King, teaching assistant professor of childhood education; Melissa Fink, associate superintendent for Springdale Public Schools; and two students in the Master of Arts in Teaching program. The students, Zoe Morrison and Elizabeth Vega, shared their experiences of working with children at Westwood Elementary in Springdale through a high-impact tutoring program.
“This was a great experience for both the teacher candidates and the students,” Morrison said. “I learned a lot about skills that I’ll need for the future, and my students got to develop their literacy skills, which was amazing.”
King said the program was so successful that within a year, it was expanded to 10 schools in three Northwest Arkansas school districts.
The health partnership panel included Meredith Green, senior vice president and chief nursing officer at Washington Regional Medical System; Kelsey Gilmet, assistant director of the college’s Eleanor Mann School of Nursing; Katey Peterson, adjunct clinical instructor at the nursing school; and Sydney Wingo, a nursing student. The nursing school received a $1.19 million grant through the Arkansas Linking Industry to Grow Nurses (ALIGN) program to boost the nursing pipeline in the state. Washington Regional generously offered additional grant support for the program, which allows working nurses to earn a B.S.N. degree at no cost. Patients benefit greatly from the further education a B.S.N. provides.
Gilmet said Washington Regional has been a great partner over the past few years and is helping the nursing school with several endeavors, including adjusting the curriculum to focus more on population health and being more creative with clinical experiences and learning opportunities.
The last leg of the meeting focused on how to build and sustain partnerships. Sheida Raley, an assistant professor of special education, and Phillip Carlock, assistant superintendent of the Pine Bluff School District, facilitated the discussion. Raley and Carlock are working together on the Seamless Transition for Arkansas (STAR) project, which has the overarching goal of improving the economic self-sufficiency of Arkansas’ 14- to 18-year-old students with disabilities.
Raley shared one of the top takeaways from the day: “Don’t just say partnership, show partnership.”
Semingson wrapped up the meeting by inviting board members to think more deeply about how they can show and show up when it comes to partnership. “What are those connections that we can bring to the college as we continue to build out into our communities pertaining to research, culture and service to Arkansas?” he said. “This is really where the folks in the room can interconnect.”
Each board member was gifted a kaleidoscope to remind them that their ideas are “part of a beautiful mosaic.”
“We cannot achieve success alone. Success is a joint effort, and we are grateful for our Dean’s Executive Advisory Board members for their partnership and continued support,” Dean Mamiseishvili noted.
