The Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, Inc., has made a $25,000 gift to support the Jones Learning Center at ����vlog����.

The one-time grant will be used for program services in the JLC.   

Established on the U of O campus in 1971, the JLC offers a comprehensive program designed to offer academic support to students who are intellectually capable of obtaining a college degree, but who also need support to accommodate for learning challenges caused by specific learning disabilities, AD/HD, or ASD.

The Taylor Foundation was established by the late Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor of Little Rock, and has a long-standing tradition of supporting education, healthcare, humanitarian efforts, arts, and community resilience. The Taylors believed strongly in supporting students who possess a sincere determination to succeed in their chosen fields.

“We are sincerely grateful to the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation for this generous investment in the Jones Learning Center,” said Dody Pelts, vice president for student success. “This gift directly supports students who benefit from the individualized services of the JLC and reflects the Taylors’ enduring commitment to education and opportunity. We are thankful to the Taylor Foundation for its confidence in Ozarks and its commitment to student success.”

Charles Minor Taylor II was a highly decorated B-17 pilot during World War II and later became a prominent businessman working in real estate and insurance in Little Rock. He met his wife, Joan Richards Taylor, while stationed in England. Joan was a native of Great Britain and was a top model and actress in several British films. Paramount Studios brought her to the United States, but before she could make it to Hollywood, Charles brought her to Arkansas for a visit. The couple married in 1946. 

During their lives, the Taylors took active roles in business and civic affairs in Little Rock and elsewhere. They were loved and respected members of the Little Rock community for many years before their deaths in 1996.   

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Tina McCain has rejoined ����vlog���� as an academic support coordinator in the Jones Learning Center. Her first day was Aug. 12.

McCain previously worked in the JLC as an academic support coordinator from 2019 to 2022 and served as a writing specialist in the JLC from 1997 to 2014.

“I am excited to be back at Ozarks,” McCain said. “It is a special place, and I look forward to the opportunity to make a positive impact on students’ lives.”

McCain has a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in communications, both from Arkansas Tech University.

She also has experience as an online writer and editor as well as a writing coach and AI content creator and editor.

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Adrienne Arbaugh has joined the ����vlog���� as an academic support coordinator in the Jones Learning Center, beginning Aug. 1, 2024.

Arbaugh is a 1995 U of O graduate with a degree in education. She most recently served as a teacher with the Clarksville School District from 2003-2024 and also taught in the Explorers Program, an after-school program that provides additional mentoring and guidance for some students.

“I am super excited for the opportunity to be working at the U of O and joining the JLC team,” Arbaugh said. “I am looking forward to getting to know the students in order to help and guide them through a successful college experience.”

Arbaugh and her husband, Boyd, have been married for 32 years. They have one child, Josie, a 2024 Mercer University graduate and Fulbright Scholar who leaves in September to serve as an English teacher assistant in Laos.

Outside of work, Arbaugh enjoys spending time with family, “going on rides in our side by side, hunting, and working in the garden. I enjoy shopping of all kinds, house plants and puzzles.”

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Vanessa Hollowell (pictured, left) has been named the new director of the Student Success Center (SSC) and Whitleigh Wilhelmi has been promoted to assistant director of the Jones Learning Center (JLC), ����vlog���� officials announced this week. Both promotions became effective on Aug. 1, 2023.  

Hollowell, who has served as the assistant director of the JLC since July of 2021, replaces Connie High, who retired last month as director of the SSC. Hollowell has held a number of positions at Ozarks since being hired in the Business Office in 2002. She has been director of auxiliary services in the JLC as well as an academic services coordinator.  

“I am excited for the opportunity to lead the Student Success Center and continue Ozarks’ commitment to student success,” said Hollowell. “When I started at Ozarks, I told Darrell Williams, the business office manager, I was looking for a career.  He told me he was offering me a job.  What started as a job quickly turned into a passion for working with students.  In my early days at Ozarks, I had brief interactions with students which allowed me to watch them learn, grow, and become adults.  I then moved to the JLC where I was able to work individually with students and provide academic support.  It was in the JLC I saw first-hand Ozarks’ commitment to her mission of preparing all students to live life fully.” 

Hollowell, who completed a master’s degree in student affairs administration in 2021, said her various roles at Ozarks “pushed me to learn the needs of our diverse student population in working toward their goal of earning a degree.”  

“But beyond earning a degree, we also help students develop into adults who think critically, see different viewpoints, and contribute to their communities,” she added. “At Ozarks students can find encouragement, guidance, and support in their education pursuits and the SSC has a vital role in that process.  The SSC has a fantastic team who share my passion for students and are committed to student success.  My goal is to build on our strong foundation and look at ways to enhance the way we support students. I’m proud to transition into this new role and am ready to work with our students, staff, and faculty.”

Hollowell was the recipient of the University’s 2021 Dr. Rick and Sheree Niece President’s Above and Beyond Award.  

In addition to her new title of assistant director of the JLC, Wilhelmi will remain the coordinator of autism spectrum disorder services within the JLC program.   

“Engaging, connecting, and supporting students has always been a passion of mine,” said Wilhelmi. “By being in this additional role, I am able walk alongside even more JLC students in their college journey—which is joyful work. I look forward to sharing our mission to prospective students and families who could benefit from our program, and be a supportive and compassionate resource to my colleagues.”  

Wilhelmi joined Ozarks in 2018 as an academic support coordinator and moved to coordinator of autism spectrum disorder services in 2019.

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MaKenzie Douglas has joined the ����vlog���� as an academic support coordinator in the Jones Learning Center (JLC). Her first day at Ozarks was Monday, Aug. 8.

Douglas most recently served as an academic advisor at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. She also served a graduate school internship at U of O in the JLC, Registrar’s Office, and the athletic department during the summer of 2021.

A native of Clarksville, Douglas earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and criminal justice at Arkansas Tech University, where she was a three-time academic All-American on the women’s golf team.

She completed a master’s degree in student affairs administration from Tech earlier this year and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in educational leadership at Arkansas State University.

Douglas will be getting married on Oct. 1 to Regan McGaha. Her hobbies include golf, painting, drawing and outdoor activities.

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Felecia Atkinson ’03, who has worked at ����vlog���� for most of the past 31 years, has announced her retirement, effective at the end of the Spring 2022 Semester.

Since 2015, Atkinson has worked in the Jones Learning Center as the learning disabilities educational assistant, where she has served primarily as a writing specialist and, in the last two years, taught a section of Ozarks Seminar.

She began her career at Ozarks in 1991, working part-time in the Division of Sciences and Mathematics as division secretary for Dr. Buddy Smith. Over the years she has also served as program coordinator for Academic Center for Excellence (ACE), as an adjunct in English and as the tutor coordinator in Student Support Services.

Though she enjoyed classroom teaching, Atkinson said her greatest job satisfaction came from working individually with students on research writing.

“I enjoy helping students organize their ideas and mine the databases for academic articles to underpin a project,” she said. “I also enjoy helping students understand the fundamentals of writing and grammar. Working with students as they improve their writing skills has been rewarding in immeasurable ways. Since 1991, I have enjoyed being a part of the growth and changes on campus, especially the addition of new buildings. I have been blessed to work with some wonderful people here who have become dear friends.”

Atkinson, who had an associate’s degree when she started working at Ozarks, began taking classes part-time at Ozarks in 1996 and persisted until she earned a bachelor’s degree in English with Magna Cum Laude honors in 2003.

“From 1996 until graduation in 2003, I took one class per semester or one or two classes during summer sessions,” Atkinson said. “Working with students with disabilities in SSS showed me what persistence looked like, so even though it would take me seven years, I was highly motivated to earn my English diploma, with my advisor Elissa’s Heil’s unwavering support.”

She left Ozarks in 2003 to pursue a master’s degree in English at Arkansas Tech University and, with graduate degree in hand, returned to U of O in 2006 to serve as an adjunct professor. In 2010, she transitioned to work full-time as program coordinator for ACE.

Atkinson said some of her favorite memories of her time at Ozarks occurred while she was both working and taking classes at Ozarks.

“I especially enjoyed my literature courses with Elissa Heil, Kendrick Prewitt, David Strain, and Tim Edwards,” she said. “My favorite memory is taking a class field trip to MacLean Hall with Professor Heil to visit a student who was supposed to be with us in our 6 to 9 p.m. British Literature class, only to find her watching Wheel of Fortune in her dorm room. The professor invited the student to turn off the television as we seated ourselves on the floor and included her in our class discussion of Middlemarch. Good times!”

Atkinson’s last day at Ozarks will be May 14. She said her retirement plans include spending more time with her parents and her grandson and travelling.

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Jennifer Schmitt was apprehensive about going to Ireland for her study abroad experience, but not just because it was a country she was unfamiliar with, but because she was going in September 2021, during a very unsure time in the pandemic. Jenny is also one of our JLC students, so navigating the academic requirements of her program was also a huge concern for her.

����vlog���� provides many different options for students to participate in study abroad, with Ireland being a program that is offered through Study USA. For students to be eligible to participate in this specific program, they need at least a 3.2 GPA as well as be in their sophomore year at Ozarks. Nicole England, Ozarks’ Director of Walton Scholars Program and International Program Manager, said that “Studying abroad is an enriching opportunity both personally and academically. Students have the opportunity to learn new languages, appreciate various cultures, different teaching methods, and global issues. The intercultural experiences gained while studying abroad are life-changing to students. ����vlog���� participates in several exchange programs with universities around the world – we have partners in countries in Europe, Asia, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.”

Speaking on her time in Ireland, Jenny said that one of the most difficult things for her to adjust to is that she had no school assignments until the last 5 weeks of school. During her time before her assignments came due, Jenny participated in the culture of Ireland and was able to immerse herself in the beauty of the country. “Ireland is a beautiful country that pulls you in, not only with its rich history, but also its welcoming diversity” she said of her experience.

While she was studying abroad during the pandemic and at times that made things a bit more challenging, Jenny went on to say that she thinks of her experience “as a positive one” and that the study abroad program has “changed [her] life forever.”

The program was so influential and positive for her, that she has even encouraged two of her friends to participate in the program in the future. Madisyn Doddridge, Ozarks health science major, said that Jenny’s experience with the “people, places, and even the campus” made her decide to go. Madisyn went on to say that she hopes she gets to encounter all that Jenny did and more.

Another student who has decided to take advantage of this opportunity is Claudia Garcia, Ozarks elementary education major. Claudia was persuaded that this was the opportunity for her after Jenny mentioned her experience and the connection with the education program. “Talking with Jenny has been extremely helpful in my application process and getting accepted, but I also hope to have the same experience she went through as well as gain all the knowledge and more that she brought back with her from Ireland.”

Tina McCain, Jenny’s JLC Academic Coordinator, was so excited for her to be able to participate in the program. Tina said of Jenny “[she] has always been independent, determined, and self-motivated. Studying abroad allowed her to build on that independence to grow her self-confidence and establish new friendships.”

When it comes to the academic support that Jenny was accustomed to while on Ozarks campus, Tina and Jenny continued to meet a few times each week via Zoom in order to make sure she was on track and not experiencing anything that could potentially set her back during her studies. During these sessions, Tina said that Jenny’s “excitement was contagious. It was so fun to hear her describe her experiences and share about the culture of Northern Ireland.”

Jenny was drawn to Ozarks through the JLC. As a student who has been diagnosed with A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder), it is difficult for her to pass tests and to say on top of assignments. Through the JLC program, she is able to take normal classes with the additional support that she sometimes needs. Jenny said that “the JLC has helped me reach my goals by being an educational support system and I even used the JLC while I was in Ireland. That was helpful because I was able to talk with my coordinator and use the writing assistants.”

One of Jenny’s favorite things about Ozarks is our size. “My favorite part of ����vlog���� is how small it is and how it feels like your second home. When I first saw the chapel in person that was the biggest draw.”

Jenny is from Defiance, Missouri and is a junior. Outside of her studies, she enjoys singing and dancing. Help us celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the JLC during our Homecoming weekend April 8-10! See the weekend schedule and register for events now.

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When Steve McGaw of Dallas, Texas, began looking for a way to honor his wife, Beth, for her 60^th birthday, he found the perfect answer through a program that was close to their family’s hearts: The Jones Learning Center at ����vlog����.

Steve established the Beth McGaw Career Experience Program Endowment at U of O earlier this year in recognition of his wife’s milestone birthday as well as to honor her career in helping students who learn differently. The endowment will support students in a JLC program that helped their son, Brad McGaw (pictured, right), earn a college degree in 2020.

“Beth inspired me,” Steve said. “She has spent much of her adult life helping youth with learning disabilities find their best paths forward. The JLC had a profound impact on our son, Bradley, who attended school at Ozarks, left for another school, and then came back. The JLC showed us how, with the right accommodations, a young man like Bradley could excel.”

A steadfast advocate for students who learn differently, Beth (pictured, left) changed career paths several years ago from industrial engineering to education. Since that time, she has dedicated her time and talents to assist students who learn differently and to help ensure that they have the same opportunities and experiences that other students have.

“After Brad was diagnosed with specific learning disabilities and attention issues, I became an outspoken advocate for him and other children with learning disabilities,” Beth said. “I believe early intervention is the key to success, which has proven true for Brad.”

While the family was living in Atlanta, Beth co-founded Kids Enabled, a resource for parents with learning differences, and served as the publisher and executive director from 2006-2012. After the family moved to Dallas in 2010, she served on the Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) of Texas and LDA of America Board of Directors. She served as LDA president from 2018-2020. She currently sits on the board of LDA of Texas, the Learning Disabilities Foundation of America, and a local nonprofit board, StandUpLD.

Beth also works with high school students and young adults as an independent educational consultant (IEC) through her company, LaunchPad Consulting Group. LaunchPad specializes in helping students with LD/ADHD/ASD in the college planning and career discovery process using a strength-based approach.

“As an IEC, it has been rewarding to guide my students to choose their best-fit college or career path and see them soar,” said Beth, who has a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

The McGaws said they hope their gift to the JLC establishes a new growth vector for students of Ozarks by providing opportunities to receive training and enrichment opportunities to help prepare them to succeed within the business world.

“My own work experience during college helped me build conviction about my chosen degree and fundamentally shaped my career trajectory,” said Steve McGaw. “I’d like to help JLC do the same for students at ����vlog����.” 

“The introduction and placement into the workforce is a whole different challenge when students like Bradley are approaching graduation,” Steve McGaw said. “They also need someone to help them qualify and find the right jobs with the right companies. Frankly, the companies need help knowing how to match young people with relatively minor disabilities with the right positions. So this program that we are sponsoring is a beautiful match between Beth’s passion for helping youth find their best paths forward and JLC’s next great opportunity to support a large community of career-ready students.”

Dody Pelts, vice president for student success and director of the JLC, said the funds from the endowment could be used for such resume-building experiences as student wages, expenses incurred while completing internships, job coaching and additional career preparation training.  

“The McGaws’ gift to the JLC will provide opportunities for our current students to receive important job coaching and career experiences that best fit their interests and learning needs while also continuing on their path to a bachelor’s degree,” Pelts said. “One of the JLC program’s strengths is the ability to customize support to a student’s needs, and the McGaw program will now allow for that individualized support to broaden into a hands-on career preparatory experience. We are very excited to begin the program in the fall.”

The McGaws said that they are proud that their son, Bradley, graduated from Ozarks with a degree in health science and minors in art and physical education. He is working as a physical therapy aide at a Dallas clinic.

“The Jones Learning Center was instrumental to Brad’s success and completion of his degree,” Beth McGaw said. “The individualized attention he received from his coordinator, Debbie Carlton, tutors, and faculty was invaluable to his success in college. Brad is now using what he learned both inside and outside the classroom, and enjoying life with his girlfriend, Lakota, another Ozarks grad, and his dog Maverick.”

The JLC is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year of serving students with documented learning disabilities. The first-of-its-kind comprehensive program in the nation, the JLC offers academic support to students who are intellectually capable of obtaining a college degree, but who also need support to accommodate for learning challenges caused by specific learning disabilities, AD/HD, or ASD.

The McGaw Career Experiences Program is an ongoing commitment to serve students in the JLC. If anyone would like to make a donation to the program, they can contact Lori McBee, vice president for advancement and alumni engagement, at lamcbee@ozarks.edu or 479-979-1354.

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Part of the Ozarks mission statement is to prepare students to live life fully and our students are given the space to discover what that phrase means to them. For Jones Learning Center alumni Torie Parsons, living life fully is a life of giving back to Ozarks. In a testament to that goal, Parsons was recently elected to the alumni board and she attributes Ozarks for many of her accomplishments.

Parsons is a 2^nd grade teacher in the Dallas Independent School District and hopes to one day become a principal. She says that “as a student with learning differences, I was told multiple times that college was not in my future. However, at ����vlog����, it was possible.” She says that the lessons she learned outside of the classroom at Ozarks and through the JLC are all things that help her to be a better teacher. The services that she received “assisted in motivating me to want to be in education. Students with learning differences are often over-looked. In my classroom, I make sure these students receive the support they need to be successful.”

After graduation from ����vlog���� with a degree in marketing, Parsons went on to receive her MBA. She spent time working at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden for a time, but was eventually called into the classroom. Parsons says that “school was very hard for me. I had to work harder than my peers” and she wanted to be able to return to students what Ozarks had provided for her- a sense of acceptance and belonging.

For Parsons, the JLC wasn’t just a place for additional academic support, it also provided her with a place to be herself and seek advice. “Being a part of the Jones Learning Center offered a lot of special and unique benefits. The largest of which was having a built-in family. If I was homesick or was struggling with a big decision, I knew I could talk to not only my coordinator but anyone in the JLC and they would assist me in any way they could” said Parsons.

As mentioned, Parsons is part of the newest class of Alumni Board members. Speaking on that, she mentioned the importance of being able to give back to a University that gave so much to her- and it is a great excuse to visit campus more often.

With the commitment to Ozarks that Parsons continues to show, she has a few words of advice for current students who are in the JLC: “Advocate for [yourself] with professors. The teaching staff at ����vlog���� are an incredibly empathetic group of educators, but if you do not let them know what is going on in your world, they can’t help you.” She goes on to tell students to “use the services offered to them. During my first year, I did not take advantage of what was being offered and I regret it.”

����vlog���� is incredibly proud of our graduates, and the dedication that people like Parsons continues to make to Ozarks after graduation helps us make this the best place for current and future students. The Jones Learning Center is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary this year, and we are honored to be able to highlight the accomplishments of its graduates. Make sure to join us for the 50^th Anniversary Celebration during Homecoming April 8-10^th.

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Robert VanHook, Ozarks senior biology major wasn’t sure what to look for in a University when he first began his search during his junior and senior years of high school in Conway, Ar. His family had been all over the country while he was growing up because of military service. He did know one thing, though, he was looking for a place that would help him succeed and push him more than he had been in the past.

When a family member of VanHook’s suggested ����vlog���� because of the Jones Learning Center, he was intrigued. After visiting our campus and seeing first-hand the community, connection, and ability to prosper, he knew this was the place for him. Because of a learning difference, he knew that Ozarks would offer him a unique service and provide the ability to thrive while getting the consideration that was needed for him to succeed.

Students who come to Ozarks for the JLC are assigned an Academic Support Coordinator. These coordinators are specialist in the specific type of learning difference that a student has and helps them through all aspects of life on a college campus. “Coordinators in the JLC are essentially a team-mate in your college career. They help you stay on top of assignments and advocate for you to professors,” explains VanHook.

One of the biggest pieces of VanHook’s success is that he is able to test separately from the rest of his class. It is important for our most of our JLC students have the space to test that is free of any potential distractions or a specific time limit, which can cause undue anxieties. During his time at Ozarks, VanHook has been able to become more independent and rely less on the services of the JLC, which is the goal for many of our students that are a part of the JLC.

In the last 3 and ½ years, VanHook has come to appreciate many different aspects of the services offered by the JLC and his coordinator, but said that for him “the best part about having a coordinator is the routine it puts you into.” He goes on to say that although he doesn’t have to meet with his coordinator Tina McCain as often, he knows that she is always there to offer assistance.

Like most other institutions, Ozarks has had to make some adjustments because of the ongoing pandemic. Despite these alterations, VanHook says he considers himself lucky because he feels like he made the shift from all face-to-face, to virtual, then back to face-to-face with masks relatively unscathed, even noting that his grades have improved and it has taught him he is able to be more independent in his learning.

Throughout the changes being made in the last few years, VanHook believes that the small community on Ozarks’ campus is what has allowed him to be successful. That tight-knit feel is one of the things that brought him here, beyond the JLC. “The small class size allows professors to interact with students directly. The small school, small classes, and close community combine to make one-of-a-kind environment.”

VanHook also commented that making a decision to come to Ozarks had multiple different factors. “On its own, the JLC program is absolutely worth coming to Ozarks for. The coordinators, services, and accommodations are certainly the best of any college learning disability program there is. The JLC doesn’t just prepare you for the next day of college; it prepares you for the next step of your life as well. The independence, learning techniques, and skills taught and reinforced by the JLC are invaluable assets that you’ll use forever. Paired with the tight community of the University, small classes and caring professors make not just the JLC the best choice, but the rest of the school too.” After graduation, VanHook plans to apply to and attend medical school. Outside of the classroom, he enjoys going on hikes, playing video games, and watching action movies. Additionally, he has been an EMT for 3 years.

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