The iconic Razorbug – a converted Volkswagen Beetle – hit the road for the fourth year in a row in 2025 to visit the hometowns of Arkansas graduates who studied online. The Razorbug Diploma Tour celebrated graduates' achievements and collected their stories. The tour honors the University of Arkansas’ commitment to its land-grant mission of serving our home state and its people.
More than 1,240 people nationwide earned U of A degrees and certificates after studying online during the 2024-2025 academic year. Over the last 10 years, more than 9,730 people earned U of A degrees and certificates online.
Each online graduate has a unique story. This tour captures some of them.
Mandy Armstrong - Genoa, AR
"I want to advocate for children maybe like my foster daughter who didn't have a family to go home to. Teenagers are my passion. It was like finding a niche, almost like an 'aha' moment. All my life, this was it."
Susan Tyler - Mena, AR
"When I wanted to go back to school, I didn't know what was available. Online was a godsend for me. I don't think a lot of people know about online. I couldn't have done it any other way."
- Mandy Armstrong - Genoa, AR
- April Rummel - Cabot, AR
- Bryce Bennett - Conway, AR
- Halle Harp - De Queen, AR
- Devon Stubblefield - Maumelle, AR
- Susan Tyler - Mena, AR
- Brooklyn Jackson - Morrilton, AR
"The M.S.O.M. skills are ingrained into every part of it. I was looking for a master's that would lead me from the chemistry side to operational management. On some projects I was being required to do, I wasn't exactly understanding how it was all working together. This was a way for me to understand what I was being asked and how all these functions work together."
"Every class involved some aspect of group work. There were people from all over Arkansas and other parts of the country. I have friends on LinkedIn I keep in touch with. At first I thought it was going to be scary, but it's not as scary as it sounds enrolling in a master's program. They make it really easy to be able to get your work done and also balance a full-time job and a family. I really enjoyed the program and meeting people."
"I can be a voice for these students, helping them to achieve in the classroom. I will continue to add more hands-on experience with the students and meet their needs. With the education I received, I will be able to help those students more."
"When starting something new, it can be hard to adapt your schedule to what you already had going, but it's very rewarding. You will be able to do things you do on a day-to-day basis and do something a little bit extra and get your degree. It will give you a sense of pride and make you happy that you were able to juggle many tasks and still get everything done."
"I looked into several programs. U of A was the most affordable, and it looked like it would work out well. I could keep my full-time job, and it was a bonus to be a Razorback. I would definitely recommend seeking someone out who's going through the same process and having someone to lean on, complain, vent, discuss this or that."
"By offering targeted training programs in partnership with businesses and industry, these institutions ensure a skilled workforce that meets market needs. This support helps local businesses expand and can attract new industries to the area, creating broader economic benefits."
Presenters
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Suzanne Kucharczyk |
Mena |
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Tim Killian |
Texarkana |
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Molly Jensen |
De Queen |
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Margaret Butcher |
Morrilton |
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Marilou Shreve |
Maumelle |
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Kara Lasater |
Conway |
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Rhett Hutchins |
Cabot |
Collaborators
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Academic Colleges |
Presented the diplomas |
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Office of Admissions |
Loaned us the Razorbug |
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Office of the Registrar |
Printed diplomas |
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U of A Bookstore |
Ordered the diploma frames |
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University Relations |
Helped promote the tour |
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Video |
Kris Katrosh |
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Global Campus |
Multiple Teams: Graduation data, travel arrangements, media production, information technology, photography |