Square dedicated
in honor of King
The city of Conway on Thursday cut the ribbon and dedicated Markham Square as the Martin Luther King Jr. Square in honor of King's legacy and local African American heroes.
The square is the city's newest site for a sustainable low-impact development park that provides community green space on a reclaimed brownfield site. Existing pipes and concrete were replaced with living biological system.
MLK Square also highlights the historic contributions of the African American community in Conway. Large granite pavers are woven into the park walkway, telling the stories of people who made an impact on the local, state and national level.
New ROTC officer
takes over at ATU
Arkansas Tech University in Russellville recently named Capt. Larry Boggs as the new officer in charge for the university's U.S. Army ROTC program.
Boggs plans to prioritize practical experience and knowledge for the cadets under his command, he said in a news release.
"I want to show them what it's actually like to be a lieutenant your first two years in the Army," Boggs, who holds the academic rank of assistant professor of military science, said. "ROTC gives you a broad scope of everything the Army is. As a lieutenant, you need to know how to take your troops out to the field, how to train your troops and how to do basic tactics. That's what their NCOs (non-commissioned officers) are going to look for in them as a young lieutenant ... how tactically sound are you, and can you move your troops from assembly area to ambush site? We want to make sure that when they get to a unit they know how to take care of soldiers and how to move tactically."
Boggs previously served at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. As his time there was drawing to a close, he was provided with a list of 30 to 40 potential assignments for the next step in his Army career. He chose to pursue and ultimately attained the opportunity at ATU.
A veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, Boggs' military decorations and badges include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
He completed his bachelor's degree in criminal justice through Ashford University and earned a Master of Arts degree in business and organization security management from Webster University.
UCA police given
reaccreditation
The University of Central Arkansas Police Department recently completed reaccreditation with the Arkansas Law Enforcement Accreditation Program.
The UCA Police Department was the first higher education institution to hold accreditation from ALEAP when it was awarded in 2017.
"The process of reaccreditation really began as soon as we completed our initial assessment," Michael Hopper, public information officer for the UCA Police Department, said in a news release. "We had to be sure that we were always meeting or exceeding those standards established by ALEAP, as well as implementing new policy and training to comply with any changes or additions to those standards."
The ALEAP accreditation is given to agencies that have exhibited a high level of excellence and professionalism by meeting ALEAP standards -- which include annual department training, handling of finances and collection and processing of evidence.
The UCA Police Department has 25 full-time sworn police officers, 10 full-time support staff and several part-time staff. The department provides around-the-clock law enforcement, public safety, emergency management and 911 services to the UCA community.
Hendrix names
museum director
Christian Cutler was named recently as the new director of the Windgate Museum of Art at Hendrix College in Conway.
Cutler brings more than 23 years of combined private art gallery, museum and university gallery experience from behind-the-scenes preparations for show openings, juried exhibitions, visiting artists and fundraising, to managing overall operations of gallery exhibition programming, education and design.
"We are thrilled to have Christian Cutler join the Hendrix community and lead the Windgate Museum of Art," Hendrix College Provost Terri Bonebright said in a news release from the college. "He has built a reputation for creating thought-provoking, thematic exhibitions that bring diverse and culturally relevant contemporary art, historical artwork, and design to audiences. We look forward to his leadership and engagement with the Hendrix community."
The Windgate Museum of Art is housed in the Miller Creative Quad, which opened in the fall of 2019. The museum serves as a pedagogical resource for Hendrix College and is free and open to the public.
Cutler most recently served as gallery director for the University of Central Missouri, and previously for Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, where he managed multiple exhibition spaces, producing more than 20 annual exhibitions, and overseeing dozens of events.
He has also worked as the assistant to the director of the Sir Elton John Collection and as the registrar's assistant at the Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
"Hendrix College is an institution I have long admired, and I am honored to be the next director of the Windgate Museum," Cutler said. "After more than 13 years of working in higher education, my commitment to student development and community outreach is unwavering. Curating dynamic exhibitions, mentoring students from diverse backgrounds, and fostering collaborative relationships both on and off campus are immensely rewarding experiences that I look forward to bringing to Hendrix College."
Conway workers
get drone licenses
Conway Corp. Production Coordinators Ashtyn Brown and Javan Massey successfully completed the training and examination required to earn their Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) license from the Federal Aviation Administration.
"I'm proud of the time Ashtyn and Javan put in to prepare for the UAG exam," Jeff Matthews, video production and local programming manager, said. "Adding them as licensed drone pilots increases our ability to capture video from the unique perspectives that only drones can provide."
Brown joined Conway Corp. in 2019 and Massey joined the company in 2021.