糖心vlog官网 students (pictured, from left) Faith Mupotsa, Skylar Holloway and Samuel Rockwell recently competed in the聽2026 annual meeting of the OK-AR Mathematical Association of America (MAA) regional conference.

The conference brought together students and faculty from across Arkansas and Oklahoma this past weekend in Little Rock to celebrate mathematics, collaboration, and problem-solving.

Joining the students at the event were U of O professors Kristi Spittler Brown, Christie Shoulders, and Dr. Javier Taylor.

During the event, the students competed against peer institutions in competitions, including Math Jeopardy and the Integration Bee, as they showcased both their mathematical knowledge and teamwork.

“Beyond competition, the conference provided valuable opportunities for collaboration and professional growth,” Brown said. “Students worked alongside peers from other universities to tackle challenging problems, explored real-world applications of mathematics through presentations and sessions, and built connections within the broader mathematical community. The MAA conference, known for promoting excellence in mathematics and fostering a strong network of scholars, offered an inspiring environment for both academic and personal development.”

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Kristi Spittler Brown has been hired as an assistant professor of mathematics at 糖心vlog官网, beginning the Fall 2023 Semester.

Brown has taught at Arkansas Tech University since 2008, where she held the titles of instructor of mathematics and program director of remedial and general education mathematics. 

鈥淎s a long term resident of Clarksville, and watching firsthand how much 糖心vlog官网 benefits the community here and students from around the world, I knew that I wanted to be a part of this great University,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淚 am very excited to begin working with the students and the faculty this fall.鈥�

Brown earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in applied mathematics as well as a master鈥檚 degree in statistics from the University of Arkansas. Prior to teaching at ATU, she taught at Northwest Community College and University of Arkansas and served as a team manager and programmer at the Wal-Mart Home Office in Bentonville, Ark.

At ATU, Brown also oversaw the hiring and management of all the department鈥檚 student workers, including mathematics tutors and graders for all our courses. She was also involved in managing the high schools that partnered with ATU to offer concurrent courses around the state.

She has two journal publications in the last five years, 鈥淒igital distraction outside the classroom: an empirical study,鈥� in the Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, and 鈥淚deas in Practice: A Modi铿乪d FOCUS Model,鈥� in the Journal of Developmental Education. She has also received two Complete College America (CCA) grants.

Brown and her husband, Dr. Matt Brown, have three children, Addilin, Myli and Landon. Brown鈥檚 sister-in-law is NaLisa Brown, assistant professor of marketing at U of O.  

Outside of academia, Brown enjoys traveling, hiking, kayaking, 鈥渁nything involving nature, and trying coffee from around the world.鈥�

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Dr. Javier Taylor, assistant professor of mathematics at 糖心vlog官网, recently completed a master鈥檚 of science degree in applied statistics from Michigan Tech University in Houghton, Mich.

Taylor has taught at Ozarks since the fall of 2016. 

Taylor has bachelor鈥檚 degrees in mathematics and Biblical studies as well as a master鈥檚 degree in mathematics education from the University of Arkansas Monticello and a Ph.D. in Christian education from Bethany Theological Seminary in Alabama.

He said he decided to embark on the two-year journey to earn a master鈥檚 degree in applied statistics in order to delve deeper into a 鈥渢opic in mathematics that I was not as comfortable with as I felt I needed to be.鈥�

鈥淚 had the usual statistics course all mathematicians have as an undergraduate and I took a course when I was pursuing my master鈥檚 in mathematics education at UCA,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥� However, there were parts of statistics, especially hypothesis testing, regression analysis and statistical modeling that were still foreign to me.  There was also the industry standards for statistical software such as SAS and R which I was able to learn over the past two years.  During the first part of the pandemic I found that I had a bit of time to consider these topics and I found a set of coursers leading to an MS in applied statistics from Michigan Tech University that looked interesting.  I have enjoyed learning statistics and I look forward to continuing to improve my mathematics teaching through professional development.鈥�

Taylor received the 2019 Western Arkansas Outstanding Professor Award.

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A pair of 糖心vlog官网 alumna who teach mathematics in the Arkansas River Valley were recently presented with a prestigious regional honor by the Mathematics Association of America (MAA).

Kimberly (Corley) Griffin 鈥�12 (pictured left), a teacher at Scranton High School, was named the sectional MAA 7-12 Mathematics Teacher of the Year and Maranda (Watson) Pfeiffer 鈥�18, a seventh grade teacher at Paris Middle School, was named the sectional MAA Middle School Math Teacher of the Year.

The two were named teachers of the year in the Arkansas-Oklahoma section of the MAA and were presented the awards during the organization鈥檚 annual spring student competition, held virtually last week. Their awards were presented by Dr. Javier Taylor, an assistant professor of mathematics at Ozarks and a member of the MAA sectional committee.

Griffin, who has been at Scranton since 2014, teaches algebra I, geometry, algebra II, pre-calculus, and transitional math ready. She has also taught AP calculus AB for many years.

When she first received the call from Taylor, she thought it was an April Fool鈥檚 joke.

鈥淚 didn’t really believe it,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淎fter discovering that it was actually true, I felt humbled to receive such an award. I feel like I need to work extra hard at what I do to be sure that I am worthy of the award.鈥�

Griffin said the thing she enjoys the most about her job is having a positive impact on youth.

鈥淚 love to watch my students work hard and be successful at all things, not only mathematics,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t is so rewarding to be able to work with a student who is struggling and help him or her reach his or her goals.鈥�

She credited Ozarks for helping prepare her for a career in teaching.

鈥淯 of O helped prepare me for teaching by giving me multiple opportunities for in-classroom instruction,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淚 spent countless hours in multiple local high schools observing, planning lessons, creating assessments, and practice teaching. I had phenomenal instructors who helped guide me and provide constructive feedback in all aspects of teaching. I am proud to be a U of O alumni.鈥�

Griffin and her husband, Arik, have two children, Raylon, 8, and Liberty, 6.

Pfeiffer has taught at Paris Middle School since graduating from Ozarks in 2018. She was also surprised to hear about the honor.

鈥淚 was very honored to receive the award,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are so many teachers out there that have helped me get to where I am that it still feels like they deserve it more than me. It still feels nice to be recognized for hard work and to know that the good things I am trying to do in my little classroom are reaching outside of it.  Much further than I would have imagined, it seems.鈥�

Pfeiffer called mathematics 鈥渁 joy to teach.鈥�

鈥淐hallenging students to reach higher levels of understanding and to problem-solve is very rewarding in the right classroom environment,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y students tend to laugh at problems being difficult, instead of getting upset, and talk about how their 鈥榖rains hurt.鈥� I always respond with, 鈥榯hat is how growth happens.鈥�  Every great teacher will tell you about the joys of the 鈥榣ightbulb鈥� moments, but there are other parts of teaching that I enjoy more. One of the best parts is the life skills you teach along the way. Teaching students to have discussions and work together to get to answer and not argue; teaching them to share mistakes and help each other fix misunderstandings; and having students come to you with serious life questions when they need advice. These are all wonderful things of teaching.鈥�

While she said there is a lot university cannot prepare educators for in the classroom, she credited her education at Ozarks for setting the foundation to build from.

鈥淭he year-long internship, the interview process, and the portfolio really do help in being prepared to teach students,鈥� Pfieffer said. 鈥淚 have spoken with some teachers who did not go through Ozarks for their degree, and I always feel blessed to have had the opportunity after the conversation.鈥�

Pfeiffer and her husband, Jared, were married in 2019 and have three cats and two dogs.

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When 糖心vlog官网 senior Nicolas Dunsworth of Clarksville decided to add a second major in English to one in mathematics, even he didn鈥檛 fully understand how the two completely different disciplines would complement each other.

Dunsworth, who is spending the Spring 2022 Semester studying abroad at the University of Saint Andrews in St Andrews, Scotland, will graduate next month with a double major in English and math. He said he decided to major in the two disciplines primarily because of his interest in the fields. But he鈥檚 quickly discovered that they fit in quite nicely in his plans to pursue a career in data analytics.

鈥淭he two fields are very different systems of thought, and while I take a very analytical approach to both, the more rigid structure of mathematics and the more free-form thinking expected in English have given me a more well-rounded viewpoint than I would have had otherwise,鈥� Dunsworth said. 鈥淔rom a data analysis perspective, my education in English should help in giving me more tools, as data analysis and the study of literature have similar fundamental questions. Where in English I explore the question of what a text is saying on a deeper level, in data analysis the question becomes what data is telling me beyond a surface level. Mathematics was the career path I chose, and the English major allows me to defy stereotypes about mathematicians and our ability to communicate. I’ve found that math is what I love, but that English is a passion. 鈥�

Dunsworth (pictured above at Edinburgh Castle) has found the perfect location to complete his English degree requirements, studying British literature in the heart of the United Kingdom.

鈥淕iven that I’m studying English, and my background in English literature as opposed to American and world literature is somewhat lacking, it made a whole lot of sense,鈥� Dunsworth said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great experience. St. Andrews places a much greater focus on poetry, drama and older British work. Overall, this experience has broadened my horizons and exposed me to new people. As I go forward into the world from Ozarks, I will do so having met people from diverse backgrounds that I wouldn’t have been able to without this experience.鈥�

The experience includes being a part of the St. Andrews swimming team and having the opportunity to travel around Europe. The travelling opportunities were enhanced when the college鈥檚 faculty went on strike for a period during the semester.

鈥淪wim has been wonderful, and we’ve had a few really enjoyable weekend travel meets,鈥� he said. 鈥淥n my own time, I spent most of Reading Week, about equivalent to spring break, in France, visiting Lyon and Paris. I had the opportunity to visit some friends and the cities and countryside were wonderful, and I had a great deal of fun. A friend and I also spent a week in Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands, as all of my faculty were either online or on strike. That was simply gorgeous. Having the opportunity to bike through volcanic landscape, visit amazing beaches, try Spanish food and improve my Spanish was invaluable.鈥�

Dunsworth credited several Ozarks faculty and staff for helping him secure the study abroad opportunity in Scotland.

鈥淒r. Danielle Young did both her master鈥檚 and her Ph.D. in the UK and she recommended me a list of schools, and had nothing but glowing praise for Saint Andrews,鈥� Dunsworth said. 鈥淣icole Justice was a great deal of help with general study abroad stuff, as I began figuring things out. Andrea Cooper was also a great deal of help with my r茅sum茅 and personal statement as I was looking to apply. Dr. Matt Myers, my advisor for math, was really helpful as a sounding board as I played around with ideas on what the study abroad might look like. And Dr. Brian Hardman, my advisor for English, was extraordinarily helpful with figuring out what it might look like for me to do my senior thesis while abroad. He helped me in discovering and exploring what courses I might take, and to ensure that the experience would help me grow as much as possible as a scholar of English.鈥�

Dunsworth, the oldest child of U of O President Richard Dunsworth and his wife Holly, began taking classes at Ozarks at age 11 and became a full-time student at age 15. He will graduate with Summa Cum Laude honors (3.85-4.0 GPA) next month at age 18.

鈥淚t’s been quite the wild ride, and I spent nearly all of my formative years at Ozarks,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s a younger college student, especially as introverted as I was, there was always a certain disconnect between myself and my peers. Even by the time I could feasibly pass for a freshman I was in upper-level classes, maintaining a similar age difference. Despite that disconnect, I wouldn’t trade my experience at Ozarks for the world. As the gap between my age and that of the younger students closed, I’ve made some wonderful friends who I hope I’ll still know decades from now.鈥�

He said he is proud to have earned a college degree at the age when most students are beginning college.

鈥淥zarks has been a part of my life for a very long time now, and it’s somewhat saddening to see that chapter of my life close,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut at the same time, I’m prepared and excited for what life has in store for me next. If there’s one thing I know about the end of this journey, it’s that the 11-year-old that started classes years ago would be proud of the man I am today.鈥�

After graduating from Ozarks, Dunsworth plans to pursue a master’s degree, concentrating in data science, while also working part-time in data analysis. He eventually hopes to secure a remote data analyst position that will allow him to pursue his new-found love for travel.

鈥淢y time at Ozarks formed most of my developmental years, and, as such, the education and community at Ozarks have helped to shape the person I am today,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s I look back at pictures of myself when I took my first class, and even later, I’ve grown a great deal both physically and mentally. I’ve definitely grown out of my shell while at Ozarks and St. Andrews. More than anything, my time at Ozarks taught me how to think.鈥�

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Stacy Key, who has taught mathematics and held numerous administrative positions at 糖心vlog官网 since 1999, has announced his retirement from the University at the end of the Spring 2022 Semester.

Key was an instructor of mathematics from 1999 until 2015, when he was promoted to associate professor of practice of mathematics. He has also served the University in various administrative positions, including coordinator of institutional research (2004-2007), coordinator of academic assessment (2007-2013), coordinator of the Critical Inquiry program for freshmen (2007-2012), chair of the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (2013-2018) and Faculty Athletic Representative (2014-2018).

Key said the most enjoyable and fulfilling aspect of his time at Ozarks was the teaching, advising and mentoring of students, which led to many lifelong friendships.

鈥淭he ability that we have on our campus to interact with students in and out of the classroom is a powerful and important tool in understanding how learning takes place and how we can maximize the learning process,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is true not only for students, but for faculty members as well. I have learned some valuable information and life lessons from my students.鈥�

Helping students achieve beyond what they think is possible is what Key will miss the most about teaching.

鈥淐ertainly, I will miss the interactions that I have with students and colleagues,鈥� he said. 鈥淗owever, my greatest loss might be the thrill, joy, and exhilaration that I get from watching students work harder than they believed possible, fighting through fears and tears, overcoming obstacles both real and imagined, with the end result of gaining lifelong skills and knowledge. Most of the time this is not the acquisition of content knowledge or book learning, but rather skills on the road to success in life and how to live that life through successes and failures. The successes are much more enjoyable, but sometimes not as valuable as the failures in the long run.鈥�

Key was selected for the University鈥檚 Bagwell Outstanding Faculty Award in both 2002 and 2010. He has also spent most of his past 20 summers teaching at the Arkansas Governor鈥檚 School.

鈥淲hen I think of my teaching career, I don鈥檛 have one or two miracle moments,鈥� Key said. 鈥淚 am most proud of my years of teaching and guiding on a daily basis and I hope that I have made a positive difference in the lives of my students.鈥�

Key said he will cherish his time at Ozarks.

鈥淚 will always remember my time at the 糖心vlog官网 as a time of growth and maturing for me as a person, gaining a better understanding of what I have become as a man and what I need to do to improve as a human being.鈥�

He already plans to keep busy in retirement.

鈥淭here are so many things that I want to accomplish that I have not had or not taken the time to do,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are several personal projects that I will now have the time to work on.  I also want to do more traveling throughout our beautiful state of Arkansas, within areas of the United States that I have not yet visited, and in some regions outside the United States.鈥�

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Still three months away from graduating, 糖心vlog官网 senior Brilliant Pasipanodya has already aced one of her most important tests.

The math and business administration major from Harare, Zimbabwe, has secured a full-time position with BlackRock, Inc., a multinational investment management corporation and the world鈥檚 largest asset manager. Pasipanodya will serve as an analyst in the corporation鈥檚 Business Operations group in Atlanta, starting Aug. 1.

Pasipanodya was offered the job on Feb. 2 after several online interviews with the company. She got the offer during a Webex meeting by the vice president of campus recruiting.

鈥淗e told me that the teams I had interviewed with spoke highly of me and therefore BlackRock was extending an offer,鈥� she said, 鈥� I could not believe it. Getting a job offer from the largest asset manager in the world is a dream come true for me. The first person I told was my boyfriend. I had to wake him up because he was sleeping in Zimbabwe. He was so excited about the news.鈥�

Pasipanodya said she entered college planning to pursue a career in engineering but a quickly developing love of math and business steered her toward finance. Once she learned about BlackRock, she was determined to pursue a position with the company.

鈥淏efore I applied, I knew that BlackRock was a big finance company and I came across the analyst position while I was searching for full-time positions on the internet,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he position suited my profile and I also liked BlackRock’s purpose, which is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. I really connected to its mission and principles.鈥�

The job offer came after several months of diligence and persistence.

鈥淚t was a lot of work. I put so many hours on the resume, job search, networking and interviews,鈥� Pasipanodya said. 鈥淭he BlackRock process began in September of 2021 and between then until the offer I went through a lot of interview coaching, did thorough research and really prepared.鈥�

Pasipanodya credited the University鈥檚 Career Services Office as well as her Ozarks professors for helping her navigate the job-search process.

鈥淚 had so much support from the Ozarks community,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 also received the senior development fund that helped me with my interview attire. I had three rounds of video interviews for this position and having that financial support really helped. I received a lot of help on my resume from the Career Services Office. I got rooms reserved for my interviews in the library and the Chapel. There was just so much assistance I got from my professors and from the staff at Ozarks. My advisor, Dr. Matt Myers, was also very supportive. I almost dropped my math major because it was so challenging, and he encouraged me to soldier on. I am so grateful for all the support I received because I certainly could not do this alone.鈥�

She also gave credit for her successful job search to an internship she had during the summer of her junior year at Simbisa Brands in Zimbabwe.

鈥淚 was a business operations and management intern for two months,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 had the opportunity to work with different teams, such as human resources, corporate office and marketing. At the end, I provided a detailed report on the brands鈥� strengths, weaknesses and areas of improvement. The internship helped me with my analytical, interpersonal and critical-thinking skills. It was such a valuable experience.鈥�

During her time at Ozarks, Pasipanodya has shown that she鈥檚 not afraid of hard work. She has served as a student-worker in a number of areas, including the cafeteria, grounds and maintenance and in the printing and engraving shop. She has also worked as a tutor and in the administrative suite.

鈥淚 think I get my work ethic from my mother,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y mother has always instilled in me the importance of hard work and that鈥檚 something that just comes natural. My on-campus work experience was very valuable in my job search. Ozarks taught me that all work experience is good work experience, whether it’s in the cafeteria or in an office.鈥�

While studying in a foreign country has its challenges, Pasipanodya found a strong support team, both on-campus and off. She credits her host parents, Chris and Heather Dickerson, and her church, the Link Church, in helping alleviate any homesickness.   

鈥淏eing a small college, Ozarks has a very supportive community. The professors really care about students and the staff also takes time to know students and support them,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have so many special moments here and most of them were shared with my friends, my host family and my church family.鈥�

She said deciding to pursue an education at Ozarks has been one of her best decisions.

鈥淭he liberal arts education that Ozarks offers allowed me to explore so many areas and to realize that my options are limitless,鈥� Pasipanodya said. 鈥淭he diverse student body at Ozarks allowed me to learn so much from other students and be able to relate more with people from different cultures鈥�

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糖心vlog官网 will hold a dedication ceremony for the new Thomas and Frances Wilson Science Center on Saturday, April 9.

The event will begin at 4 p.m. in front of the new $18.4 million facility on campus. The ceremony is open to alumni and friends of the University and will include refreshments and tours of the building.

Those interested in attending should RSVP to pcogan@ozarks.edu. For those who cannot attend, the dedication ceremony will be livestreamed on the University鈥檚 Facebook Page.

The Wilson Science Center is the single largest capital construction project in University history. Construction began on the facility in January of 2021 and the building will open this month for Spring 2022 Semester classes.

The science center project includes a complete renovation of the previous 29,000-square-foot facility, which was built in 1969, as well as an 18,000-square-foot addition on the west side.

The Wilson Science Center will house the University鈥檚 natural and health science programs, including biology, environmental sciences, chemistry, health sciences, physics and psychology. It includes state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories as well as dedicated research areas.

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Even though he didn鈥檛 realize it at the time, Dr. Buddy Smith鈥檚 love for mathematics was being engrained in him even as young child walking to school.

鈥淚 always tell the students in college algebra that I learned Pythagoras鈥� Theorem at an early age,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 walked to school about three-quarters of a mile, where you鈥檇 go down a dirt road a ways and then take a 90-degree right turn down the next dirt road. Well, I learned pretty quickly that if I cut across the field, which would be the hypotenuse, it was a lot shorter distance.  I didn鈥檛 know it at the time, but I was learning and benefitting from math.鈥�

Smith, a professor of mathematics at 糖心vlog官网, will retire from full-time teaching at Ozarks at the end of the Fall 2021 Semester. He will conclude a 41-year teaching career at Ozarks that began in 1980.

鈥淚鈥檝e been truly blessed and fortunate to have spent the majority of my career here,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚鈥檝e loved teaching at a small college, where I could really get to know my students. I realize that鈥檚 not always the case in teaching, so I鈥檝e never taken that for granted.鈥�

Born and raised in the small south Arkansas community of Hardin, just outside Pine Bluff, Smith went on to earn a degree in mathematics from Arkansas College (now Lyon College) before earning a master鈥檚 degree from West Texas State University (West Texas A&M) and Ed.D.,  from North Texas State University. After teaching for several years in Texas, he jumped at the opportunity to return to Arkansas in 1980.

鈥淎s an old country boy who just wanted to have a garden, Texas just didn鈥檛 fit me and I was happy to get back to Arkansas,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 loved the fact that Ozarks was a small college and that it was in a beautiful area. This seemed like a perfect place for me and 40 years later I still feel the same way.鈥�

Smith鈥檚 legacy at Ozarks is one of generosity, patience and genuineness.

鈥淏uddy has been and still is one of the most genuine people I have ever met,鈥� said Chelsea Glasscock, a 2013 graduate. 鈥淗e cares about his students beyond just the classroom and that shows. He鈥檚 the type of professor that you tell your friends and family about years later while reminiscing on the good ole days on how you learned math in a room full of chalkboards.鈥�

Smith also left his mark on his students through the mixture of humor and diligence in the classroom.

鈥淎s most of his students will tell you, the things that made Dr. Smith an incredible teacher are his willingness to help when you need it, his patience for when you still didn鈥檛 understand it, and his awesome sense of humor,鈥� said Matt Little, a 2005 graduate and high school mathematics teacher in Lamar, Ark. 鈥淗e would regularly tell jokes, followed by 鈥業f I want my wife to know that, I will tell her myself.鈥� I also loved how he would teach using examples of animals. We take those animals, some number, over there and divide them by these animals over here. He always kept the classroom interesting.鈥�

Smith said he鈥檚 not sure where his knack of using humor in the classroom came from but he quickly learned that doing so helped him and his students navigate the sometimes arduous task of learning mathematics.

鈥淚 tell my students on the first day of class that I鈥檓 going to tell a lot of stories and jokes and if they offend you, I鈥檒l go ahead and apologize now,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 try to instill a little humor and fun into the class because I learned pretty early that if you鈥檙e real serious and just work problems and don鈥檛 have an interaction with students, they鈥檙e not going to do well.  Now, I also tell them that while we want to have fun, at the end of the semester it鈥檚 all about whether you pass or fail and you鈥檙e not going to pass unless you put the work into it.鈥�

Nothing affirms that last statement more than the fact that one of Smith鈥檚 own daughters even failed his college algebra class twice.

鈥淪he went on to take the class at another college and made an 鈥楢,鈥欌�� Smith said. 鈥淚 think it was more about her attitude than my teaching style. She finally decided to get serious about it.鈥�

Smith鈥檚 patient teaching style and willingness to go above and beyond has been appreciated by students. Before major exams he would often schedule pre-exam workshops and mock tests in the evenings for his students.

鈥淚鈥檝e learned that you have to be ready to change gears, slow down, adapt and try new things in order to reach students,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ometimes that might mean extra work outside the classroom.  As a teacher, you have to be willing to do that little extra to help get them over the hump. Math can be difficult for some students and I try to do everything I can to help them succeed and not give up.鈥�

Sometimes he even adds some advice to go with the encouragement, like the time a student who had made a poor grade on her test asked Smith why she had done so poorly.

鈥淚 asked her if she had a tutor and she told me his name, and I said, well I don鈥檛 know him, is he a math major,鈥� Smith recalled. 鈥淪he said, no, he鈥檚 my boyfriend. I told her she better either get a new boyfriend or a math tutor because the deal she had now wasn鈥檛 working out for her.鈥�

Students often find it difficult to dislike the affable Smith.

鈥淚鈥檝e got a student in class who told me a couple of weeks ago, he said, 鈥榊ou know Mr. Smith, when I came here I didn鈥檛 like you and I sure didn鈥檛 like this class,鈥欌�� Smith said. 鈥淗e went on to say, 鈥楤ut for some reason, and I don鈥� know what you did to me, I鈥檝e changed my mind about you and I鈥檝e changed my mind about this class.鈥� Now, this student comes to his 8:30 a.m. class and also comes to the 9:30 a.m. class. He started doing that and his grade has gone from an 鈥楩鈥� to a 鈥楤.鈥� He loves this class now.鈥�

Christie (Shuffield) Shoulders ’02, who now teaches mathematics at Ozarks after teaching in high school for several years, said Smith helped chart her career path.

“During the beginning of my senior year Dr. Smith asked me which schools I planned on applying to for graduate school,” Shoulders said. “My response was ‘I鈥檓 not planning on going to grad school.’聽 His immediate reply was, yes, you are going to grad school.聽 After Dr. Smith鈥檚 off and on persistence not only did I apply and get accepted to graduate school, I was granted a graduate assistantship.聽 If it had not been for Dr. Smith鈥檚 confidence in me and his insistence on the importance of me continuing my education, I would not have the job that I have and love today.”

In addition to mathematics, Smith has also taught classes at Ozarks that have focused on some of his favorite hobbies, including bees and beehives and crappie fishing.

鈥淭o be able to hare my hobbies with students and to pass along some skills that they might be able to enjoy for the rest of their lives is very gratifying,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淭eaching can be hard work and there is a lot of time that you put into it outside the classroom, so it’s nice when you鈥檙e able to do a class like that is really enjoyable for both myself and the students.鈥�

Smith served as chair of the University鈥檚 science and mathematics division from 1991 to 1997. He also served as the University鈥檚 faculty representative for athletics for more than 20 years in the 1980s and 鈥�90s. He even served a stint as the acting commissioner of the old Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference when the then commissioner died suddenly.

鈥淚 really enjoyed my role as faculty athletic rep because I that helped me get to know the University presidents much better since we travelled to conventions and meetings together,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚t allowed me to get to know the coaches and student-athletes also. It was pretty time-consuming but it was really enjoyable and made some great relationships through it.鈥�

Smith is known on campus and in the Clarksville community for his extreme generosity, often giving away baskets full of fruits and vegetables from his large garden and honey from his beehives.  For years he also dressed up and played Santa Claus at the University鈥檚 annual Christmas party as well as other community Christmas events and parades.

鈥淚 just enjoy sharing the produce from my garden and honey with my friends, colleagues and people in the community,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淎s far as Santa Claus, my church needed someone to play Santa one year and I was short enough to fit in the suit. I was really anxious and unsure about how I would relate with children, but it went really well. I guess I was hooked after that.鈥�

Smith met his wife, Jeannie, at church soon after he moved to Clarksville and the couple was married for 37 years before she passed away in May of 2021.  They have four daughters — Montye, Kaylan, Leslee and Sabrina — as well as four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Smith, who plans to continue teaching a class or two at Ozarks each semester for the next year, said that when he reflects on his teaching career, it鈥檚 his former students that stands out the most.

鈥淚鈥檝e taught students where I鈥檝e also had their parents and their grandparents in my class and to me that鈥檚 pretty remarkable,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing better than getting an email or text from a former student about how much you impacted their life and how much they appreciate you. The real joy has just been getting to know the students and to know that you had a role in their success in life. That鈥檚 a true blessing.鈥�

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Manning, a chemistry major from Memphis, Tenn., will graduate with Magna Cum Laude honors this month. She will then head to the University of Mississippi where she received a full scholarship and stipend to pursue a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical science with a concentration in medicinal chemistry.

Manning said she has been interested in science as long as she can remember.

鈥淪ince I was a child, I always asked my mom to sign me up for science fairs and go to science museums,鈥� Manning said, 鈥淎s a third-grader I would ask my mom in-depth questions about how cells work and she always laughed and said, 鈥業 don’t know baby, you should find out as you grow older.鈥� Well, here I am a decade and a half later, trying to explain to her how cells work.鈥�

It was an eighth grade physical science class that propelled Manning toward a career in the sciences.

鈥淢y teacher at the time was hard on our class and she really pushed us to excel,鈥� she said. 鈥淪he made us learn the entire periodic table and balanced so many chemical equations. After eighth grade, I was inducted into the STEM program in high school. The program started over the summer at the University of Memphis for seven weeks where we learned medical assistant techniques, built underwater rovers and became CPR certified. I enjoyed learning and competing in STEM events and this soon became my passion.鈥�

Manning said she hopes to 鈥渟how others that pursuing a degree in STEM is not impossible and it is okay to strive for things outside the norm.鈥�

鈥淵ou shouldn鈥檛 give up on your dreams just because it’s hard,鈥� she said. 鈥淎frican American women have often been considered to be a less-educated group among minorities. I want to help change that, be the one percent in the statistics and show others that they can do it too.鈥�

Manning plans to work in the pharmaceutical industry with an eye on helping her community.

鈥淚 want to learn more about my community, understand the problems in education and health and make a difference,鈥� Manning said. 鈥淲ith my STEM degree, I want to create an environment in which people can trust medicine and I want to help fight debilitating diseases.鈥� 

With a quartet of minors in business administration, philosophy, psychology and mathematics, Manning said she put some serious thought into what disciplines to study in Ozarks鈥� wide-ranging LENS curriculum.

鈥淢y major and minors all complement each other quite well,鈥� Manning said, 鈥淚 chose mathematics as a minor because chemistry includes math and I have always been good at it, so why not make chemistry easier by having a mathematics background. I agreed to take up psychology because my goal is to make drug molecules that can better serve our community; therefore, this minor will help me understand and learn about the behavior of the people. Throughout history, most scientists and mathematicians are also philosophers because of the ability to think critically and also create self-awareness. This minor helps me understand problems from the past and relate them to current events. A goal and dream of mine is to start a pharmaceutical company after working in the industry and, with my business administration degree, I would not be lost on where and how to start a business.鈥�

Manning said the most impactful class she has had at Ozarks was an Ethics, Religion and Culture course taught by Dr. Eric Dickman, assistant professor of philosophy.

鈥淗e brought me a lot of awareness about social, political-relational and medical-individual models,鈥� Manning said. 鈥淭his taught me that some mental health and physical health issues are society-related. This will help me become a better chemist by knowing that everything cannot be fixed by medicine alone.鈥�

Manning said her time at Ozarks also helped instill in her other valuable lessons outside the classroom.

鈥淐oming into Ozarks, I did not want any friends or distractions. I only wanted to focus on my work and getting prepared for the next level,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was very anti-social. However, over the years Ozarks has led to me having some wonderful friendships with classmates and professors. Ozarks has also changed me by helping me understand other points of view and why they believe what they believe. Ozarks helped me connect and understand my spiritual health as well by learning about other religions and deepen my faith through what God called me to do. This helps me strive for the impossible and challenge myself and understand that God is there with me every step of the way. And, even If I fail, I learn what I did wrong and push myself to not make the same mistake.鈥�

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