For someone who has loved politics and the law since he was in middle school, Logan Harderson’s recent internship in the nation’s Capitol was the ideal way to spend the summer.

The ����vlog���� senior political science major from Oark, Ark., spent this past summer living in Washington, D.C., where he took classes and worked at the Law and Economics Center (LEC) at George Mason University in nearby Arlington, Va.. The internship was through the non-profit program, The Fund for American Studies (TFAS).

Harderson said he enjoyed his time working at the LEC, which serves as a “nexus for academic research and education that focuses on the timely and relevant economic analysis of legal and public policy issues confronting policymakers nationwide.”

“The LEC helps to educate lawmakers and judges, as well as the general public, on these issues regarding how law and economics connect,” he said. “While there, I assisted with symposiums held for federal judges and helped organize archives from previous events. Along with these projects, I also helped with the LECs annual reports and did research on federal and state judges to assist with outreach. Along with the internship, I also took a class through George Mason University, learning about economic policies and some of the problems posed in our national economy today. I was also able to attend numerous  seminars and meet with various authors and professionals in the way of economics, politics and law.”

Harderson said he first learned about the internship at LEC through his political science professor, Dr. Stewart Dippel, and then learned that the University’s Student Enrichment Fund could help pay for the experience.  His initial internship was scheduled for the summer of 2020 but he deferred until 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the internship, Harderson lived in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, right behind the Supreme Court. He walked between it and the Capitol every day to get on the metro to go to Arlington.

“The people at the Law and Economics Center were extremely nice and always there for me any time I needed them,” Harderson said. “I worked with a diverse group of people from different parts of the world, from California to the United Kingdom, learning about the world beyond us.

Depending on the day, I attended classes and weekly seminars hosted by the TFAS program. Here, I was given great advice from professionals and learned more about careers in lobbying, economics and law. I also got to meet these people one-on-one at workshops and learned more about different professions and how to plan for a future career.”

Harderson, who serves as secretary for the University’s Young Republicans, said the summer experience strengthened his decision to pursue a career in politics or the law. He plans to apply to several law schools in the upcoming months.

“I have had a deep love for politics and law since I was in the seventh grade and this experience just reaffirmed my career path,” Harderson said. “Growing up, I loved to talk political issues with members of my family, such as my grandpa, at a fairly young age. To me, it was exciting. So, coming into Ozarks, I felt I needed to take this love for the subject further and major in political science. While I have been looking towards the legal field to work in for a while, I never truly experienced it first-hand until this summer. I had the opportunity to work next to lawyers, as well as economists daily, learning more about what they do. The experience just showed me that there are many options in the legal field and plenty of room for new ideas.”

He hopes to practice law, perhaps in criminal law.

“In some capacity, I want to help others on a personal level,” he said. “I want to go into this field to learn more about our legal system while helping others figure it out themselves as their advocate.”

Harderson said his political science classes at Ozarks have allowed him to delve deeper into the law and helped hone his critical thinking skills.

“Ozarks has helped me get to know myself more, which I feel is greatly important no matter what career you plan to go into,” he said. “The professors have pushed me to push myself. They have purposefully called me out in class to make me argue my point, pushing me to look deeper into the content. Along with this, they have pushed me to make more concise arguments by critiquing my writing. I feel both of these have helped me develop critical thinking skills that are greatly important for anyone going into a legal career.”

Harderson’s older twin sisters, Laryn and Laykn, graduated from Ozarks in 2014 and both are teachers in the Johnson County Westside School District.

“Because of my sisters, I have been acquainted with the campus since I was fairly young,” Harderson said. “The LENS Program really tipped the scales on me coming to Ozarks. Learning more about the curriculum and how it could make me a more well-rounded individual made me love, and ultimately choose, the Ozarks. I believe it was one of the best decisions I have made.”

Harderson, who is minoring in psychology and American studies, said he has grown in various ways since enrolling at Ozarks.

“Through my time here, I grew spiritually by attending Chapel, and learned more about the importance of Sabbath and taking time to grow your relationship with God,” he said. “I have been forced to look deeper in my faith from various angles, gaining a deeper understanding of the Bible and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Along with growing spiritually, I have also grown personally, being forced to do things outside my comfort zone. From being called on to answer in class to going to Washington D.C., I have been pushed to do things that I never thought about doing.”

“Luckily, however, I have had wonderful professors who have helped make those experiences possible, as well as supported me through the way. This has instilled in me a sense of confidence, and a putting aside of timidity. In this way, I feel that Ozarks not only fostered growth, but has encouraged me to keep growing.”

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����vlog���� officials have announced that Dr. David Daily (right) and Joel Rossmaier have been named academic deans in their respective divisions, effective July 1.

Daily, professor of religion, will serve as the dean of the Humanities & Fine Arts Division, while Rossmaier, associate professor of practice of business and accounting, will be the dean of the University’s Division of Social Sciences.

The appointments coincide with the July 1 reorganization of the academic divisions.

Daily has taught at Ozarks since 2000 and received the University’s Bagwell Outstanding Faculty Award in both 2004 and 2009.  He will replace Dr. Steve Oatis, professor of history, who has served as dean since 2015.

“It will be an honor to serve as dean of the Division of Humanities & Fine Arts,” Daily said. “Through his years in that role, Steve Oatis has put the division on a strong footing, and I look forward to building on his work.”

Rossmaier, joined Ozarks in 2002 as an adjunct instructor and became a full-time professor in 2003. He served as interim dean of the Division of Business at Ozarks for the 2018-19 academic year.

“I am honored to be named as the dean of the Division of Social Sciences,” Rossmaier said. “The University is going through some exciting changes right now, and I look forward to being able to contribute to the growth of the programs within the division.”

University Provost Dr. Alyson Gill commended the two new deans, who have a combined 36 years of Ozarks teaching experience.

“Dr. Daily is a deeply respected member of the Ozarks community, and I am thrilled that he has agreed to take on this new role,” said Gill. “Since I have known him, I have found his to be a voice of gentle reason, and he brings with him not only a love for the Ozarks community, but a commitment to leading in a time of unprecedented growth with pedagogical richness. As the new dean of Humanities & Fine Arts, I believe that he will play a critical role in providing strong, consistent and communicative leadership for the division.”

“Last year, I asked Professor Rossmaier to serve as interim Dean of Business. I have seen him step more fully into that role, and have grown to rely on his sound advice and ability to view things from multiple perspectives. He is a skilled navigator of complex spreadsheets, and comes into this role as a respected and thoughtful leader.”

Oatis will return to full-time teaching and will continue to chair the provost advisory group and serve as the division representative on the HLC strategic assessment team.

“As a new provost, I appreciate Dr. Oatis’ tireless efforts in leading the division over the years,” Gill said. “This cannot be overstated, and I am deeply grateful for his service to the University—a place that he loves and is deeply invested in.”

In a related note, beginning July 1 the four current academic divisions will be aligned to reflect the LENS curriculum and will be known as Humanities & Fine Arts, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences & Mathematics divisions. With this re-organization, the communication and sociology disciplines will move to Social Sciences.

The reorganized divisions:

Humanities & Fine Arts (Dr. David Daily, Dean)

MAJORS: Art, English, History, Music, Philosophy, Religion, Spanish, Theatre

MINORS:  American Studies, Art, Creative Writing & Thought, English, History, Interfaith Studies, Music, Philosophy, Religion, Spanish, Theatre

Social Sciences (Joel Rossmaier, Dean)

MAJORS: Accounting, Business Administration, Communication Studies, Elementary Education, Environmental Studies, Physical Education K-12, Political Science, Sociology

MINORS: Accounting, Athletic Coaching, Business Administration, Communication Studies, Criminal Justice, Economics, Education, Film Studies, Management, Marketing, Media Production, Military Science, Physical Education, Political Science, Sociology, Strategic Communication

Natural Sciences & Mathematics (Dr. Sean Coleman, Dean)

MAJORS:  Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Health Science, Mathematics, Psychology

MINORS: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Health Science, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology, Sustainable Agriculture

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Larry Graham, a 26-year law enforcement veteran, has been named the director of public safety at ����vlog����. He began his duties on June 11.

Graham retired in February after 22 years with the Portland (Ore.) Police Bureau, starting as a utility officer and leaving as a captain in the city’s central precinct, where he supervised more than 150 officers and support team members.

“I feel extremely blessed to be invited into the ����vlog���� family,” Graham said. “Student and faculty safety will always be my main focus, but I am hopeful our department can become so much more. I want our officers to be mentors, role models, and a safe harbor for our students. Please don’t hesitate to call or stop in and say hello. I want to know how we can best serve the University and ensure student success.”

As part of his role with the Portland Police Bureau, Graham served as crowd management incident commander, where he led efforts in managing and controlling large events. He also initiated outreach and relationship development programs in diverse neighborhoods in the city.

His law enforcement experience also includes working with and mentoring youth in his community through scholarship and summer camp programs.

“Larry was an exemplary officer known for building relationships within his community and for his service to the community,” said Jeff Scaccia, vice president for finance and administration. “His extensive background in law enforcement, his organizational and management skills and his experience working with students and youth will make him a valuable member of the Ozarks staff. I believe he will serve our students and greater community well.”

Background

Graham earned a bachelor’s degree in management and communication from Concordia University in Portland and a master’s degree in criminal justice from the American Military University in Charleston, West Virginia. He also graduated from the FBI National Leadership Academy in Quantico, Va.

He served in the United States Navy as well as the U.S. Navy Reserves.

Graham and his wife, Cara, have a 9-year-old daughter, Hope.

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Arkansas circuit judge and pastor Wendell L. Griffen will speak at ����vlog���� at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 27, in the Rogers Conference Center. The event was originally scheduled for February but was postponed because of illness.

Griffen’s talk is titled, “Prophetic Hope, Religious Nationalism, and the Fate of Democracy in the 21st Century,” and is made possible by the Cecil and Ruth Boddie Farmer Guest Speaker Endowment. There is no charge for admission and the public is invited to attend.

His lecture will be based in part on his 2017 book, “The Fierce Urgency of Prophetic Hope.” He will have books available for sale and to sign following the event.

“My remarks will address the tensions within the U.S. and other societies presented by religious-based nationalism,” Griffen said. “Before the November 2016 U.S. presidential election, many observers viewed religious nationalism to challenge democratic values in societies such as Iran, Iraq, Israel, and Turkey. I will ponder aloud the implications for and challenges to democracy in the U.S. and abroad from the fact that white religious nationalism is a dominant factor in U.S. domestic and global policy, with special attention on the influence of white religious nationalism on social justice in the U.S. and abroad.”

Background

A circuit judge for the 5th Division in the Sixth Judicial District of Arkansas, Griffen also serves as pastor of New Millennium Church in Little Rock and CEO of Griffen Strategic Consulting, a consulting practice focused on cultural competency and inclusion.

Griffen is a native of Delight, Ark., and a graduate of the University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas School of Law. He is also a U.S. Army veteran, a 1975 graduate of the Defense Race Relations Institute, and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service in work concerning race relations and equal opportunity.

Since 1979, Griffen has actively devoted himself to law, public policy, and ministry. He was the first person of color to become an associate and later a partner in a major Arkansas law firm, Wright, Lindsey, and Jennings in Little Rock. For almost two years, he was Chairman of the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission by appointment of Gov. Bill Clinton. He pursued seminary extension studies through Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and was ordained in May 1988 after being called to his first pastorate.

From January 1996 to December 2008, he served as a judge on the Arkansas Court of Appeals. Then Griffen taught administrative law, constitutional law, criminal procedure, and a seminar he developed on law and cultural competency as a visiting professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law before being elected circuit judge.

‎His writings about faith, social justice, public policy, cultural competency and inclusion can be found on his blogs: “Wendell Griffen on Cultural Competency” and “Justice Is a Verb!”

Griffen is married to Dr. Patricia Griffen, a clinical psychologist in private practice, and they are parents of two adult sons.

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