Celebrating Online Graduates in Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is passionate about our land-grant mission to serve our home state and its people. In May 2022, more than 440 U of A students graduated from online degree programs. Some walked in commencement in Fayetteville; some did not. In a symbolic gesture, the U of A Global Campus launched the Razorbug Diploma Tour in the summer of 2022 and delivered framed diplomas to 16 graduates living and working in rural Arkansas. This tour celebrated the diversity of the great state of Arkansas and the U of A's commitment to serving students across the state, including those who cannot come to Fayetteville because of job or family obligations.
Featured in the Spring 2023 issue of Arkansas, the Arkansas Alumni Association's magazine.
"I enjoy online learning as well as teaching online,” said Patterson, who teaches both face-to-face and online courses for U of A Hope-Texarkana. “This is why the online M.Ed. program suited me.
"This is a cool experience, I didn't get a chance to walk at graduation, so to still be presented my diploma is cool."
"Not only am I a University of Arkansas graduate now, I'm a diehard Razorback fan."
"I was encouraged by my current manager to return to school and complete my bachelor's degree so that I may have many more opportunities in the future."
"It's important to find a program that you'll be comfortable with, where there is a lot of support from the faculty."
"I felt driven to do it. I was so close when I left. When I was young, I let other things take priority, but I know it's never too late."
"My professors were fantastic, especially Christy Smith (teaching assistant professor). They were encouraging and accommodating."
"I learned something in each class that I could use the next day in my job."
"It meant a lot to me (to earn the degree online) because I've always wanted to continue my education."
"I was able, with my family's help, to focus in the evenings and weekends on the work I needed to do."
"A lot of programs in person I wouldn't be able to do. This program I could do after work and on weekends."
"I wanted my children to be able to see me with a book in my hand, but not necessarily a laptop so I made sure I did most of my coursework in the evenings when they were asleep and balanced the sleep schedule in accordance to the workload that goes on."
"For me, I'm addicted to being better and doing better and wanting more. I want promotions at jobs and being able to be in these different places and know what's going on in these different roles."
"Doing the master's program was a way to meet other educators, to get more ideas, more ways to do things that make more sense."
"Having that master's program in kinesiology and physical education, I felt like benefited me the most in the long run."
"I believe in furthering my education to continue to have that knowledge of what's going on because medicine continues to change."
43
Counties Visited
1,997
Miles Traveled
14
Days of Presenting
About the Razorbug
What is it?
The Razorbug is a conversion car, starting with a red Volkswagen Beetle and adding
a Razorback's snout, tail and razor-edged spine to the original body.
When: Created in 2005
Owner: Office of Admissions
Purpose: Recruiting students and celebrating events
What’s it like to drive the Razorbug?
Fun! It is like traveling with a celebrity. People love to have their photos taken
with this red-hot, four-wheeled mascot.
Presenters
|
Sarah Bemis |
El Dorado |
|
Ed Bengtson |
Fort Smith |
|
Jan Emory |
Fort Smith |
|
Michael Hevel |
Brookland |
|
Ginger Holloway |
Pocahontas |
|
Jack Kern |
DeWitt |
|
Roy McCann |
Booneville |
|
Patty Milner |
McGehee |
|
Mandel Samuels |
El Dorado |
|
Renee Speight |
Trumann |
|
Megan Whobrey |
Fort Smith |
|
Matt Willingham |
Fort Smith |
Collaborators
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Academic Colleges: |
Presented the diplomas |
|
Office of Admissions: |
Loaned us the Razorbug for three weeks |
|
Office of the Registrar: |
Printed diplomas |
|
U of A Bookstore: |
Ordered the diploma frames |
|
Photos: |
Mandy Marcum, Penny Chanler, Meredith Mashburn and Global Campus staff |
|
University Relations: |
Helped promote the tour |
|
Video: |
Amy Sandefur Productions and Luke Gramlich from Global Campus |
|
Global Campus: |
Multiple Teams: Graduation data, travel arrangements, media production, information technology |
12
Academic Presenters
16
Diplomas Delivered
14
Regional Newspapers
108
Heat Index
