Stone聽Faulkenberry has joined the 糖心vlog官网 faculty as an assistant professor of physical education, beginning the Fall 2025 Semester.

A native of Bentonville, Ark., Faulkenberry has a master’s degree in education and a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and general science, both from the University of Central Arkansas.

Faulkenberry has nearly 30 years of experience in teaching, coaching and administration in public schools and has taught students on all levels, from kindergarten to 12th grade.聽

He taught and coached in the Ozark (Ark.) School District from 2013-2024. He has also been a classroom teacher, a high school football and track coach, a principal, and an alternative education director.

“I am excited about bringing 28 years of public school teaching and joining up with the Ozarks team,” Faulkenberry said.

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The four students — McKenzie Becerra, Jacob Friemel, Rebekah Guess and T.J. Saniseng — are serving internships this summer with the City of Clarksville鈥檚 Parks and Recreation Department. With the assistance of Darrell Shaw, director of the University’s Ozarks Outdoors program, the students organized and led the inaugural Camp Take-A-Hike, three separate week-long summer camps for youth ages 7 through 11.

The camps were held during the weeks of June 13, June 27 and July 11. They were held in the morning hours throughout the week with the U of O students leading the way in such sports and activities as kickball, capture the flag, archery, biking, kayaking, swimming, disc golf and arts and crafts.

鈥淥ur goal is to just keep the kids moving and active,鈥� said Shaw. 鈥淭he first camp we had 15 sign up and the last two we had the maximum of 25 with others on a waiting list. The internship is designed to support programming for the community and give students experience for their future careers and we鈥檝e been pleased with how the first year has gone.鈥�

The U of O students are receiving one academic credit hour for the experience and are getting paid for their work.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a very enjoyable experience,鈥� said Friemel, a junior from Subiaco, Ark. 鈥淚鈥檝e been a little shocked with how energetic the kids are. Just trying to run around with them and keep up with them wears me out by the end of the day.鈥�

The four U of O students are all a part of the Ozarks Outdoors program and all of them are pursuing careers in coaching or teaching. They believe the internship is preparing them for their career paths.

鈥淚 know this is the type of thing I want to do for a career and this experience just reaffirms that,鈥� said Guess, a junior from Clarksville. 鈥淭hings like getting and keeping their attention and getting them to be engaged is great experience for my future.鈥�

Clarksville Mayor David Rieder said he has been impressed with the energy and enthusiasm of the interns in developing and leading new opportunities for area children as well as the interns in other departments within the city.

鈥淚 have asked my staff to challenge their interns with the day-to-day affairs of city operation,鈥� Rieder said. 鈥淲e have witnessed Ozarks interns leading new programs such as a thriving community garden, youth camps, concerts, and new marketing campaigns. Three interns worked directly with our economic development office to provide support to local existing and expanding businesses. The diverse cultural backgrounds of these students have aided our efforts to be a more inclusive community. Every Ozarks intern has left a positive and lasting impact in our city. I hope we continue to impressed a love for public service among each of them.鈥�

Saniseng, a senior from Van Buren, Ark., said the U of O students are also appreciative of the opportunity to put their own stamp on the summer camp.

鈥淗aving the chance to create and develop what the camp looks like has been a great experience,鈥� Saniseng said. 鈥淚鈥檝e worked with kids a lot, but I鈥檝e never had the freedom to really create what a camp might look like. To work with the children and to introduce new activities and games and to see them learn and grow is really great. When you see them find something that they really like or that they鈥檙e good at, it鈥檚 very gratifying.鈥�

Becerra, a junior from Heber Springs, Ark., said she has heard positive feedback from the children as well as their parents.

鈥淚 work at Walmart and I see a lot of the kids and their parents outside camp and I hear about how much they are enjoying the camp and how much the parents appreciate this opportunity for their kids,鈥� Becerra said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 even one kid who came to all three camps. I think parents like that their kids are getting outside and being active for at least a few hours a day.鈥�

Guess, who grew up in Clarksville, said she wished she would have had an opportunity to take part in a local summer camp like Take-A-Hike while growing up.

鈥淚鈥檓 a little jealous because I wished we had something like this,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great thing for the community and I鈥檓 just happy to be a part of it.鈥�

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Dr. Sergio L. Molina has been hired as an assistant professor of physical education at 糖心vlog官网, beginning in the Fall 2021 Semester.

Molina has most recently taught as an adjunct professor at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph and Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville. He has also been an assistant professor in the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at Missouri Western State.

鈥淚’m excited for the opportunity to work at 糖心vlog官网 teaching in the physical education department,鈥� Molina said. 鈥淚t’s a great chance to continue my passion of working with and preparing future educators.”

A native of Wichita, Kan., Molina earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in exercise science from Wichita State University in Kansas before earning a master鈥檚 degree in physical education from Pittsburg State University in Kansas. In 2015, he earned his Ph.D. in physical education pedagogy from University of South Carolina.

Molina鈥檚 research interests focus on 鈥渋mpulse-variability theory and the speed-accuracy trade-off as they apply to multi-joint ballistic motor skill performance.鈥� Molina said results of this work have the potential to significantly influence instructional strategies. His other research interests include statistical design and analyses.

Molina said his teaching philosophy revolves around four objectives: Utilizing effective teaching skills; holding students accountable through assessment; creating a positive learning environment; and fostering continuous inquiry.

鈥淎s an educator, my goal is to prepare students for their next step in life,鈥� Molina said. 鈥淭his includes providing them with the tools that they will need to be knowledgeable, adaptable, confident and effective in their work.  As students move on to their careers, I feel that it is important that I have also created a relationship with them and that I can always be considered a resource that they can access.鈥�

Molina also has nearly a decade of high school and college coaching experience in football and track and field, including a stint as a defensive coordinator at Southwestern College in Kansas where he also served as an adjunct instructor.

He is a member of the National Academic Advising Association, the Society of Health and Physical Education in America and the Missouri Society of Health and Physical Education.

Outside of academics, Molina enjoys fishing, golf and racquetball.

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Powers, from North Little Rock, Ark., completed his student-teaching with the Clarksville School District.

“I was in the junior high for half of my internship and in the primary (elementary) for the other half,” said Powers, who graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors. “It was a great learning experience for me to get to see everything that is involved with every-day teaching.”

Brill, from Siloam Springs, Ark., earned a minor in health sciences in addition to his physical education major. He also has plans to earn a coaching endorsement. He spent his year student-teaching in Russellville Middle School.

Physical Education majors and December 2013 graduates Mitchell Powers and Nick Brill credited the year-long student-teaching internships for preparing them for a career in teaching and coaching.

“I started in the spring semester and was able to observe 60 hours and teach a few lessons to help prepare myself for the entire semester of student-teaching,” Brill explained. “This fall, I was able to student-teach every single day for 16 weeks. I also helped out with the 7th grade football team and the high school football team.”

Powers and Brill, who were both all-conference baseball players during their time at Ozarks,  said spending so much time in the classroom re-affirmed their decisions to pursue a career in teaching and coaching.

“I enjoyed being in the classroom and helping students pursue a healthier lifestyle,” Brill said. “I realized that the hard work and long hours that I put in outside the classroom and away from the field were made worth it in the classroom and on the field.”

Powers agreed.  “I loved getting to work with the other teachers and coaches during the semester, and they gave me some great advice along the way,” he said.

Both graduates credited the relationships with their Ozarks professors for being well-prepared to enter their respective classrooms.

“I think that the personal relationships I built with the professors in the education program have been most beneficial to me,” Power said. “The professors at Ozarks taught me so much about what to expect in the classroom, but they also are just great individuals who made such a positive impact on me. I will carry that into my own classroom.”

According to Brill, he felt better prepared than interns from other institutions who were working alongside him.

“Since I was at Russellville Middle School, there were a few interns from another institution and I could easily see that I was more prepared than they were,” he said. “I could handle classroom management and discipline situations more successfully. I also felt like my lesson plans and lessons were more beneficial for the students. All this was made possible by the great education I received in Ozarks’ education program.”

As recent graduates, Brill and Powers highly recommend Ozarks’ teacher education program and the invaluable professors who made such an impact in their lives.

“Any student interested in education should consider the education program at Ozarks, because there are no better professors you could choose,” Powers said. “The one-on-one relationships and education you receive are indescribable and have ultimately shaped me into the person I am today,” Powers said.

Brill also credited faculty members for helping him navigate through a college career that included a change of majors.

“The advisors that I had were more than willing to help me from my freshman year all the way to my senior year,” he said. “I began my Ozarks career as a biology major, and my advisor helped me transition into the education as a freshman. As a senior, that same advisor helped me through job searching and is still doing everything he possibly can for me.”

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