Have you ever read Harold and the Purple Crayon? Like Harold, our college doesn’t wait for a path to appear; we draw it ourselves. Whether we’re building something new or adding a creative stroke to make it even better, we always have our purple crayons on hand. I am in awe of the work happening here. It’s truly a magical place.
This is my fourth year as the dean, and I am as excited and energized as ever. The college is bustling with creativity, high energy, pride in who we are, and the belief that our work matters. It changes lives and lifts people and communities. To quote another children’s book, we are off to great places! We are moving mountains, and there is no slowing us down.
If you’re wondering why I’m quoting children’s books, it’s because they are my leadership inspiration this academic year. Last year, I sought wisdom from legendary coaches, including some who currently lead Razorback teams. For 2025-26, I chose beloved children’s books, which provide fuel for creativity, imagination, exploration, superpowers, and agency. Like Harold, who only needs a simple crayon to draw his own world and find solutions, all of us in the college have the power to shape our own story. It’s the superpower of our college to engage in the work that, at its core, is meant to help people and communities thrive and reach their full physical, cognitive, emotional, or academic potential.
Education and health are at the heart of every meaningful and long-term solution to persistent and complex challenges facing people and communities. We, educators and healthcare professionals, have the magic to empower, uplift, heal, counsel, and even train for physical fitness. I have challenged everyone in the college to activate their magic and use that purple crayon like never before.
As we settle into September, I am so excited about the path we’re on and all we have planned for the year ahead. We welcomed more than 1,300 first-year students and 19 new faculty members to our caring college on the first day of classes. This fall marks the beginning of the third full year of the WE CARE strategic plan, and we have made significant progress. In the last two years since the launch of the plan, faculty and staff have received over $56.5 million in grants, a 53% increase from the prior two years. We have also continued to offer meaningful and transformative experiential learning opportunities that immerse our students in real-world environments as part of their studies. In spring 2025, 1,744 students from the college engaged in internships and clinical experiences in 43 — or 57% — of 75 counties across Arkansas. The college actively works with over 800 unique partners in the state.
You can find other significant milestones on our WE CARE success stories page, and there is more to come from the college. You can bet we have stocked up on purple crayons around here!
With care and a purple crayon,
Dean Kate Mamiseishvili
