He takes time to smile and say, 鈥淕ood morning,鈥� to students who are scurrying across campus headed to grab coffee or take care of a last minute task before an 8 a.m. class. He stops to pick up a piece of paper from the sidewalk that a student likely dropped just moments before.

While Davis modestly approaches his days, his presence has electrified the campus.

Since Davis’ arrival as the 11th president of the University of Central Arkansas on Jan. 23, 2017, 每日大赛网站 social media channels have been abuzz as the community, alumni and students shared their Davis sightings.

Mylon Boston posted to Twitter, 鈥淲hen sits right beside you at the Student Center.鈥�

Conway Pastor Joey B. Cook also took to Twitter with a , 鈥淕reat to meet you today,鈥� after seeing Davis at the Bill and Hillary Clinton Airport in Little Rock.

Members of the Theta Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Instagrammed a with Davis welcoming 鈥淧resident Davis to the 每日大赛网站 community.鈥�

That same excitement was felt when the announcement of his selection was made.

A crowd of about 100 had gathered in the Board of Trustees meeting room. Many peered toward the back of the room and then left and right, waiting in excited anticipation.

The group stood to applaud Davis鈥� arrival, and the clapping swelled to a thunderous ovation as Davis entered the room. With a wide infectious smile, Davis graciously shook hands, waved and hugged members of his new Bear family–faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members–as he as he made his way to the podium to make his first remarks as 每日大赛网站鈥檚 new president.

鈥淚 expect to see that we are all going to roll up our sleeves, put on our thinking caps and make sure that we continue to advance 每日大赛网站,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to get here and go to work.鈥�

Davis spared little time between that Nov. 2, 2016 announcement and coming to 每日大赛网站 less than three months later.

His first months were spent on a 鈥渓istening tour鈥� meeting with faculty, students, alumni, community members and staff. During this time, Davis had dozens of meetings and events he attended each week, many of which were student-centric.

On his first day, he worked with the Student Government Association on a community service project to pack 10,000 meals for the 每日大赛网站 Bear Essentials Food Pantry. In following weeks, Davis met with the President鈥檚 Leadership Fellows, a group of 35 student leaders. He attended Bear Facts Day with the Student Ambassador team.

鈥淚 actually saw him running across campus trying to meet the students as they marched with their banners,鈥� said Te鈥橝nna Jenkins, president of the Students for the Propagation of Black Culture. The organization hosted a banner display and silent MLK March in January.

Jenkins said students were surprised to see Davis, but they are coming to know him as their president.

鈥淗e鈥檚 all about us. He鈥檚 about the University, but he鈥檚 about us most importantly,鈥� she said.

The legacy of being a student-focused leader is one of several goals Davis has for his tenure as 每日大赛网站鈥檚 president.

鈥淏eing student-centered is making certain that we are making decisions focused on opportunities to serve students,鈥� Davis said.

He adds that he will work to ensure that leadership asks the important questions, such as “How do these decisions advance our abilities to serve a student in the classroom?” and “How does this enable us to better support that student as they’re pursuing their education or research goals?”

His strong dedication to the student came, in part, due to his own experiences as an undergrad student at Memphis State, now the University of Memphis.

鈥淚 had some faculty and administrators that were very giving with their time to me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檇 say they probably shaped my higher education goals and aspirations as much as anybody.鈥�

Davis was a very active student, working in various leadership and student activity roles and as a student worker in several departments. It was during these times, he began to develop a sense of career purpose.

鈥淚 had the opportunity to work in the president鈥檚 office as a student worker,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚 also worked in the school鈥檚 alumni affairs office and a couple of other offices on campus and got to know several administrators.

鈥淚 began to explore how those individuals got to where they were in their careers.鈥�

Davis earned his Bachelor of Science in political science at the University of Memphis. He earned his Master of Education in educational administration at Tennessee State University, and Davis received his Doctor of Philosophy in education and human development at Vanderbilt University.

In addition to defining a career path, Davis also found his life partner while earning his bachelor鈥檚.

Davis and his wife, Jenny, spent their childhood years near opposite ends of the Natchez Trace.

Houston grew up in Clarksville, Tennessee, the fifth largest city in the state, nicknamed the Gateway to the South.

Jenny spent her formative years in Port Gibson, Mississippi, a city Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant called 鈥渢oo beautiful to burn鈥� during his Civil War Seige of Vicksburg.

The two met in college at a Junior Panhellenic fashion show for freshmen Greeks.

Jenny, an Alpha Gamma Delta, was helping decorate the stage when Houston, a Kappa Sigma, asked whether he could assist her.

A friendship grew from that encounter, and like many other great love stories, the two were just friends at first.

鈥淗e would call about every three months and ask me out, and every three months, I said, 鈥楴o,鈥� for about two years,鈥� Jenny said. 鈥淎nd then I鈥� finally said yes and on the first date I knew this was the guy I was going to marry.鈥�

The two will celebrate 22 years of marriage in July. They have three children: Polly, 20, a junior at Georgia Tech; Whitney, 17; and Joshua, 14.

The Davis family is finishing up the school year in Georgia and will join Houston in June.

Davis might first have been introduced to 每日大赛网站 and Conway about 25 years ago through a fraternity brother in college, Conway native Trey McClurkin.

鈥淗e wouldn鈥檛 stop talking about Conway,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚f I ever heard about the city of Conway, about 每日大赛网站, it would probably have been from Trey talking about his great home town.鈥�

McClurkin graduated from Conway High School and attended 每日大赛网站, but he transferred to Memphis State to pursue a program that was not offered at 每日大赛网站. Davis said McClurkin talked about Conway and 每日大赛网站 often, very often.

鈥淚 remember talking to him several times about how much I love Conway and how much I loved 每日大赛网站,鈥� said McClurkin, who moved back to Conway in 2007. 鈥淚 feel like there was a season of preparation whether that seed was planted then, which I guess it was.鈥�

Having known Davis for nearly half of both their lives, McClurkin has no doubt that Davis is the right choice for 每日大赛网站鈥檚 future.

鈥淭here鈥檚 just no question in my mind that he鈥檚 qualified and is going to do an amazing job,鈥� McClurkin said. 鈥淚 think that he鈥檚 going to bring some new ideas and some vision that can even take it to another level that will be even better.鈥�

Davis joined 每日大赛网站 from Kennesaw State University in Georgia where he had served as interim president. He served as the executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer at the University System of Georgia, vice chancellor for academic affairs at Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, project director and principal investigator for the National Educational Needs Project, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs at the Tennessee Board of Regents and associate vice president for academic affairs and assistant professor at Austin Peay State University.

With these and other leadership roles, he defines himself as a servant leader.

鈥淚 like a leadership and structural organization where people feel very empowered to do their work,鈥� he said. 鈥淐reating conditions for empowered team members is the goal with a strong accountability structure being important.鈥�

And as Davis continues to visit with individuals and groups in the 每日大赛网站 community, he closes with the same words that he used as he ended his first address to campus, 鈥淚鈥檒l leave you with a Go Bears!鈥�

When most people think about speech-language pathology, the first thing that comes to mind is usually a speech therapist working with a child who struggles with a stutter or helping a child who has trouble articulating certain sounds. However, at the University of Central Arkansas Speech-Language Hearing Center, the services extend far beyond that.

The 每日大赛网站 Speech-Language Hearing Center has been serving the community and surrounding areas for more than 40 years. Individuals of all ages with a variety of communication needs can receive a comprehensive speech and language evaluation as well as therapy services.

鈥淥ur clients consist of 每日大赛网站 students, faculty, staff and members of the Conway community,鈥� said Kathy McDaniel, director of the clinic. 鈥淥ur graduate students provide the therapy and are supervised by faculty. Our undergraduate students watch and learn, and it鈥檚 wonderful to see everybody connect.鈥�

But the connection doesn鈥檛 stop within the walls of the clinic. Most faculty members host community clinics as well, focusing on an area in which they specialize. 每日大赛网站 clinical instructor Candice Robinson teaches a brain fitness class to senior citizens at the College Square Retirement Community with the help of the Silver Sneakers program through the 每日大赛网站 HPER Center.

鈥淲e bring the class to them. We have grad students who go to outside locations and we teach brain health, like how to improve brain memory and cognition as they age,鈥� said Robinson. 鈥淚 teach them what they can do in their life to improve, and possibly ward off signs of dementia. What I love about 每日大赛网站鈥檚 speech path clinic is the community aspect. I love that part of my job.鈥�

Dr. Brent Gregg, a professor of communication sciences and disorders, hosts a community clinic every summer focusing on children who stutter, but he assures that it鈥檚 much more than that.

鈥淭he kids come in for eight weeks in the summer and do therapy twice a week, for two-hour sessions in a group-based setting. We focus on team work and attitude building, which is way beyond just speech therapy,鈥� Gregg said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what is lost when people think about speech therapy. It鈥檚 more than articulation. It鈥檚 cognition, bouncing back from bullying and learning resilience. This fantastic cohort of kids is also part of our community.鈥�

每日大赛网站 students in the speech-language pathology community are able to work in close contact with their clients, which allows them to get real world experience while being supervised by faculty. They receive support and guidance while learning how to make real connections when they are on the job.

鈥淭he best part of working with the speech path clinic for me is just working with the client,鈥� said first-year grad student Holly Burns 鈥�16. 鈥淕etting to see them have fun while seeing my skills develop is an amazing experience. I feel like I鈥檓 prepared by what I鈥檝e experienced here at 每日大赛网站.鈥�

鈥淭he supervisors are really supportive. They鈥檝e guided us to where we have needed to be,鈥� said Amy Chieu, first-year grad student. 鈥淗aving smaller classes of 30 classmates means we always have support, and each faculty member has their own specialty, meaning they鈥檙e all really knowledgeable, which makes each class more interesting because they are more passionate about their topics.鈥�

Some surprising connections come out of the clinic as well. When the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre begins its summer festival in Conway, the members of the company come to the clinic to ensure that their voices are stage-ready all season long.

鈥淲e have individuals after rehearsals who need someone to talk to about voice remediation or rest, or who go through voice issues, especially if they have no understudy and the show must go on!鈥� said Gregg. 鈥淲e are the ones they come to. We have a partnership with them as well, so our community keeps growing larger.鈥�

鈥淭here are so many stories of clients who come through here and have success,鈥� said McDaniel. 鈥淚鈥檝e been here many years, and just to see how many people whose lives have been changed and now they are able to communicate, able to use strategies that they have learned here. It鈥檚 rewarding. The students get to see that too. It鈥檚 a rewarding place to be.鈥�

The origin of the challenge coin in the military is a mystery, with the earliest stories dating back to the Roman Empire rewarding soldiers with small coins or medallions to recognize their wartime achievements and enhance morale. Their origin may be unknown, but their underlying significance to the University of Central Arkansas is no mystery.

鈥淐hallenge coins represent the commitment that 每日大赛网站 is making to its veterans and to the community,鈥� said Kim Klotz 鈥�06, 鈥�13, designer of the 每日大赛网站 challenge coins. 鈥淭hey are a symbol of our understanding and respect for veterans and all of the hard work that they鈥檝e put in over their years here at 每日大赛网站, not only working toward their education but for their service to their country.鈥�

每日大赛网站 is home to approximately 700 student veterans, and David Williams 鈥�12, Veteran Service coordinator and chair of the Veterans Day Committee, is dedicated to making sure that each of those students is taken care of during their time on campus.

鈥淢y job is to make sure that everybody who walks through
my office door knows everything there is to know about all the possible educational benefits that they can get as a student veteran,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淚 love my job and I love what I do. I love being able to take care of veteran students and their dependents.鈥�

每日大赛网站 student veterans receive a challenge coin at graduation, and the coins are also given out to veterans at 每日大赛网站鈥檚 annual Veterans Day Celebration, which is in conjunction with the city of Conway. Klotz, who has been involved with the 每日大赛网站 Veterans Day Celebration since 2009, said some of the veterans who attend are 每日大赛网站 alumni, but a lot are not.

鈥淭his is one way 每日大赛网站 recognizes the dedication and service of the veterans in our community, as well as on our campus,鈥� said Klotz. 鈥淒avid and his team have been really instrumental in giving out these challenge coins because he feels like the veterans deserve something to recognize their dedication and service, in everything they give and all they do for our community through their service.鈥�

Service can take a toll on a student veteran, and that鈥檚 where the Student Veteran Resource Center (SVRC) can help. Located on the second floor of Old Main, the SVRC strives to create a sense of community by providing spaces where veterans can be themselves and share their common experiences both regarding their service and their transition.

Dr. Chris Craun, supervisor of the SVRC, helps student service members with questions regarding health benefits, transcripts, disability or housing and finance issues.

鈥淲e provide a veterans鈥� lounge area, a computer area and some small offices that are often utilized for veteran services,鈥� said Dr. Craun. 鈥淭here are several veteran work-study students available almost every weekday to help answer veteran questions concerning community resources, paperwork or 每日大赛网站 policies, as well as make people feel welcome.鈥�

The Student Veterans of America (SVA) is a student organization that is part of the SVRC. 每日大赛网站 student Joe Franks is the president of the SVA chapter on campus, and he plans service projects and social activities aimed specifically at student veterans.

鈥淲e want to help veterans in our community, and also have a place where veterans can hang out,鈥� said Franks. 鈥淲e can help in finding veterans other benefits that can be used. For those in the guard and the reserves, if they have to deploy, we have a support system here.鈥�

Life on campus is different for someone trying to fit back into society, said Williams. He and director of Professional Development and Training Charlotte Strickland hold a training class called 鈥淯nderstanding 鈥楳ilitary鈥� in an Educational Setting鈥� to help faculty and staff understand the different needs of students who are or were service members and how to assist them.

鈥淥ne of the things we talk about is staying focused while in a classroom setting and how that differs from a military setting,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淪tudent service members may become triggered and may walk out of a classroom. They have to learn how to cope once they are no longer in the military. All of the resources here at 每日大赛网站 are here to help guide them back into civilian life.鈥�

鈥淲e have experiences and issues that others would not be empathetic to. Others would not understand,鈥� said Franks. 鈥淲e are an organization where we can tell stories of our past and others understand. Not just the bad stories, but the good ones too.鈥�

Other student resources available to student veterans include the Counseling Center, which provides mental health counseling and screenings, and the Tutoring Center, which provides tutoring services, study areas, treadmill desks and computer labs and printers in the Torreyson Library.

鈥淒avid is one of our biggest resources on campus,鈥� Klotz said. 鈥淗e goes above and beyond; it鈥檚 beyond a job for him. He鈥檚 here early mornings, late nights and on holidays. This is his calling. This is his passion. But there are people all across campus and in our community, in all kinds of stations, who have served our country. The challenge coin is just a physical representation of gratitude for what these veterans have given.鈥�

Dr. Jayme Millsap Stone 鈥�93 spends one afternoon a week preparing pitchers of Southern sweet tea, made-from-scratch desserts and carafes of coffee for the students she and her dogs welcome at their campus apartment in Bear Hall.

鈥淭hey come. They sit in my living room for an hour,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e talk about what they are doing in class. We get to talk about things that matter outside the classroom. That鈥檚 what you do with community.鈥�

Zachary Hull, a freshman from Rogers, is one student who has attended the afternoon gatherings.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just a close-knit community,鈥� Hull said. 鈥淗aving this learning experience and just knowing that if you ever need anything, you can go to [Dr. Stone] is so important.鈥�

This community is the Residential College program. In this setting, students with similar majors live and learn in their residence hall, where at least some of their classes are held. At least one faculty member, known as the resident master, also lives in the residence hall.

Stone serves as director of Learning Communities for the Residential College program. She said residential colleges are academically focused environments that allow students to find their niche or tribe as freshmen.

The Residential College program at the University of Central Arkansas consists of five living and learning communities with each having a unique theme and character: Health Promotion and Wellness (HPaw) in Baridon Hall; Educating for Diversity and Global Engagement (EDGE) in Hughes Hall; The Stars in Short/Denney Hall; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Arkansas Hall; and Business Residential College (Biz) in Bear Hall.

The program also includes the Minton Commuter College, a learning community for commuter students located in Old Main.

Jordan Rainwater joined STEM at Arkansas Hall for her freshman year in the Residential College. 鈥淏eing in an environment where everyone around me is interested in the same things, major-wise, and having such a huge population of study buddies is a major advantage,鈥� Rainwater said. 鈥淚t kept me motivated and on my game.鈥�

Pushing students to be successful is the goal of the Residential College, as indicated by their motto: 鈥淔inis Origine Pendit鈥� or 鈥淭he end depends upon the beginning.鈥�

鈥淭hese communities stress the well-rounded student. Getting them connected and also engaged,鈥� Stone said. 鈥淭he structure is important because everything is brought in or in their living space.鈥�

The Residential College program currently has approximately 1,000 students enrolled, and an untold number have come through the Residential College program and gone on to graduate.

每日大赛网站 was the first and remains the only institution in Arkansas with a Residential College program, starting with Hughes Hall in fall 1997.

The charter class of 鈥淗ughes-ies鈥� are forming a committee to plan a reunion commemorating the 20-year anniversary of Residential Colleges on campus.

鈥淭hey helped each other get through that first year of college,鈥� Stone said. 鈥淭hese students built relationships. Some of them married each other.鈥�

Trey 鈥�03 and Lauren Geier 鈥�01, 鈥�03 are two such examples.

The pair met as Residential College students in 1997 and married in 2002. While they both were heavily involved in campus activities as students, they both found the Residential College experience helpful in encouraging them to build lifelong relationships.

鈥淭wenty years removed, I can list probably eight of the same people that I talk to on a semi-regular basis who are all from Hughes,鈥� Trey said. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l meet lifelong friends that you wouldn鈥檛 necessarily have as strong a contact with outside the Residential College.鈥�

Lauren said, 鈥淭he fact that [professors] came in, that eased the transition and made me realize they were people. They were approachable, so I quickly found myself seeking out professors, even those who weren鈥檛 part of the Residential College.鈥�

Lauren鈥檚 experiences propelled her into becoming a Residential College mentor and later, a resident assistant (RA).

鈥淚 am a therapist. I work with people. I feel like those experiences on campus and wanting to be a part of what was going on and wanting to mentor and then wanting to be an RA,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat shaped my career probably in ways that my classes and internship didn鈥檛.鈥�

Trey and Lauren agreed to work on the reunion committee because of the experiences they each had, Trey admitting to one rather unique experience.

鈥淚 did wear my pajamas to class several times. It was kind of frowned upon but I did,鈥� Trey said, adding that the professor who lived in Hughes at the time, would sometimes knock on his door to wake him for class.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the kind of personal contact that I had with the professors that you wouldn鈥檛 have had in a regular class that you just attended three times a week,鈥� he said.

The 20-year reunion will give the Geiers and countless other Residential College alums the opportunity to reconnect and renew their friendships. They also hope those in attendance will donate at least $20 for the 20 years of Residential Colleges.

鈥淚 feel as if the Residential Colleges are institutionalized. They鈥檙e part of the DNA of 每日大赛网站. They鈥檙e part of who we are and what we do,鈥� Stone said. 鈥淚n doing that, we鈥檝e got a great responsibility, to meet the needs of today鈥檚 student.鈥�

When Tab Townsell 鈥�84 graduated from the University of Central Arkansas, he had several lofty ideas for his life.

Having served as president of the Student Government Association and in several leadership roles on campus, he knew he wanted to run for public office.

So, he thought he would one day be in Congress and grow a beard.

Townsell never made a run for Congress, saying that he 鈥済ot away from that鈥� but not from the idea of public office.

Indeed, his life and service in the public office made him a Conway institution for nearly two decades starting in 1998 when he was first elected mayor of Conway.

He recognized a key component for moving the needle on growth and progress for Conway.

鈥淏uild a good place to live, the rest will fall in succession,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you make it a good place to live, population growth will drive commercial growth. They鈥檒l come here to sell to the rooftops and serve food to the rooftops.鈥�

Townsell lived in the Fort Worth, Texas area while attending graduate school at Texas Christian University. After earning his master鈥檚 he moved to Germantown, outside Memphis, Tennessee, to work with his father in his construction business.

Both areas were booming with growth. Townsell took notice of the architecture and the growth planning of both areas.

He returned to Conway and became a member of the Conway Planning Commission because he wanted to employ some of the ideas he鈥檇 seen and then apply them to Conway.

鈥淲e have a canvas in front of us, and it鈥檚 called the future,鈥� Townsell said. 鈥淲e can choose to paint on that canvas anything we want to from anything, any experiences we鈥檝e had anywhere we want to and we can bring it here and paint it on our canvas.鈥�

Conway鈥檚 population in 2000 was a little more than 43,600. The 2010 population was 58,908. Population projections for the 2020 census are close to 64,000.

Townsell points to improving 鈥渜uality of place鈥� as a driving force behind Conway鈥檚 growth.

鈥淧arks has been a key component of proving that quality of place,鈥� he said.

After becoming Conway mayor, Townsell set out to improve the parks and recreation system, as well as creating a revenue stream to sustain the improvements. The community began to see improvements and construction of sports complexes, bike trails, the downtown landscape, pedestrian trails and other changes. Townsell credits Conway Corporation, the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, Conway Downtown Partnership, the City of Conway, and many other entities and individuals that made investments in the community for that growth.

鈥淚t made an impression the first time Hewlett Packard rolled into town,鈥� Townsell said. 鈥淭hey remarked how vital and vibrant our downtown was,鈥� he said.

He said the local delegation knew this visit to be an economic development prospect called Project Sigma. They toured the residential neighborhoods, downtown and areas around the city鈥檚 colleges. The first tour was in April, as the trees were a 鈥渂rilliant bright green of spring and the azaleas were in bloom.鈥�

Townsell said representatives remarked how beautiful the city was and that it reminded them of Corvallis, Oregon, which they later learned is the location of Oregon State University and a corporate office of Hewlett Packard.

Project Sigma came back a second time and later a third time to announce that Hewlett Packard was coming to Conway.

Known for his resplendent speeches on and off the 每日大赛网站 campus, Townsell admits to not being a writer. He is, however, a voracious reader.

鈥淚 decided in my last year of college,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to graduate with the political science degree and it鈥檚 1984. I need to read the book, 鈥�1984.鈥�

鈥淪o I did鈥ell in love with climbing in bed with the light on and reading a little bit at night, just doing it everyday.鈥�

Through his extensive collection of books, Townsell said he became a lover of language often finding a memorable 鈥渢urn of phrase鈥� to enhance his messages.

鈥滻 deliberately try to look for the unique, and if I can step out and see something from a slightly different perspective, then I can communicate that back in a way that makes it real to people.鈥�

He uses this skill to showcase ideas as a technique to better relate with audiences.

Townsell ended his mayoral career in December 2016. He said he likely will not run for Congress, but he is continuing his work in the public sector as executive director of Metroplan, an association of local governments with a major focus on regional transportation.

As for that beard he planned to have many years ago, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 grow a beard to this day.鈥�

鈥淪he broke her ankle in a cemetery. We were just courting, and she was climbing over a tombstone,鈥� said University of Central Arkansas alumnus Jim Dickerson, about his wife, Grace 鈥�78. 鈥淪he had to go to the hospital and was there for six weeks. While she was there, I asked her to marry me.鈥�

Forty-five years later, Jim and Grace Dickerson are still happily married and living in Washington, D.C., where they have lived since 1971.

鈥� 每日大赛网站 was a big part of my life growing up because I lived just a few blocks from the Arkansas State Teachers College. That鈥檚 what we called it back then,鈥� Jim said. 鈥淚 played basketball and tennis there, went to school dances there, and so it was just natural for me to go to college there.”

鈥淗owever, I moved to D.C. because I felt a calling,鈥� Jim said.

Jim moved to the nation鈥檚 capital to learn more about a unique church there with the intention of returning to Arkansas to start a similar church in North Little Rock. Instead, he met Grace in D.C., who was volunteering with the Mennonite Church, and he began laying down roots for his church there.

鈥淗e had a vision of helping families purchase homes at lower-income, affordable rates in order for them to move into affordable housing,鈥� said Grace. 鈥淗e felt a calling toward an inner-city church as well. He felt very deeply about that. He wanted to start a church that would serve a poor neighborhood, and not only serve the people on Sunday mornings, but throughout the week, and serve the community with whatever needs they may have.鈥�

鈥淲hen we started, it was with very few families. We met where we worked in this low-income area in D.C., and we worshiped in a conference room in an office space we rented,鈥� Jim said. 鈥淲e were looking for a building we could use for the long-term.鈥�

Then, on Christmas day in 1984, Jim got a phone call that changed his life.

鈥淚 have a building on the 600 block of South Street, North West,鈥� said the voice on the other line. Jim knew exactly where that was: in the Shaw neighborhood in inner-city Washington, D.C.

The property was in great disrepair and had many outstanding liens and fines against it. The city was threatening to tear it down, and the neighborhood was famous for drug activity, crime and poverty. It had been burned out from the riots of 1968 following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

鈥淚 went and looked at it, like Nehemiah going around the walls of Jericho. It was a drug hole at the epicenter of the drug trade,鈥� Jim said. 鈥淚 asked the Lord, 鈥楢re you sure this is the right place?鈥� And it was.鈥�
The church members took a leap of faith, and with only $2,000 in the bank and fewer than a dozen people, New Community Church was born. With the help of volunteers, they began to renovate. Jim began making friends with the local drug dealers because he knew they used this building.

鈥淚 had to have their support if I was going to make a difference in that area,鈥� said Jim. 鈥淭hey helped us renovate the building. They sent their children to church there. In that church, I buried them, and I married them. They knew I opposed their actions, but we made contact and connected as human beings, and it made a difference. We made a difference.鈥�

The full renovation took three years to complete, and many amazing things blossomed since then. Grace鈥檚 brainchild, the After School and Advocacy Program was born, which offers a safe environment for children in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade to participate in college readiness-oriented STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) academic enrichment and recreational activities.

鈥淧eople ask me why I do what I do, and I say it鈥檚 because success is addicting,鈥� said Grace. 鈥淚n my work, we emphasize education so much, and what we are seeing from these lower-income kids is that they aren鈥檛 just graduating high school, they鈥檙e graduating college. We provide the support to help them get to the end, and it鈥檚 so exciting to see kids finish their degrees, get careers and break that poverty cycle that has been in their families for generations. That鈥檚 what keeps me going.鈥�

MANNA, Inc., Jim鈥檚 ministry in which he buys rundown properties in order to renovate and resell to lower-income buyers, was then incorporated into the church office building. Then came Hope and a Home, a transitional housing program for homeless families. Hope and a Home has provided more than 1,500 homes throughout the last 35 years, and they鈥檙e still going strong, with a less than 2 percent foreclosure rate.

鈥淲e make sure that they are successful. It鈥檚 not a quick fix. It鈥檚 not a giveaway program or temporary assistance,鈥� said Jim. 鈥淭his is a permanent change. It鈥檚 helping people change their lives and to have something for their families. It鈥檚 breaking patterns. It鈥檚 changing lives. It鈥檚 giving hope.鈥�

Bicycling is a simple exercise that can benefit your body, your mind and your overall well-being. When combined with service and giving, it can benefit a community.

Bicycles are the most popular product checked out from Campus Outdoor Pursuits and Activities (COPA) in the Health Physical Education Recreation Center, according to Anthony Fillippino, assistant director of COPA at the University of Central Arkansas, and each bicycle has a unique back story.

鈥淭he cruiser bikes you see in our COPA fleet were originally abandoned on campus,鈥� Fillippino said. 鈥淭he 每日大赛网站 Police Department and the Physical Plant worked together to pick them up, then we service them. We take some into our fleet, and others we donate to the Conway Advocates for Bicycling (CAB) Share and Repair program.鈥�

CAB鈥檚 Share and Repair program in turn donates those bicycles to the Boys and Girls Club of Faulkner County, Bethlehem House, City of Hope Outreach, Soul Food Cafe Mission and other nonprofit organizations in order to give those in need a means of transportation.

Erik Leamon 鈥�98, founder and owner of Conway bike shop, The Ride, does most of the repairing at Share and Repair, with the help of volunteers from the 每日大赛网站 student community.

鈥淚 love that 每日大赛网站 has worked together with the community to give back like this,鈥� Leamon said. 鈥淟ots of different places in Conway and many people in our community benefit from this program.鈥�

Conway was named a Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) during the 2011 Fall BFC awards in September 2011. Peter Mehl, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts, played a large part in making that happen, along with former Conway Mayor Tab Townsell鈥檚 鈥�84 task force, which consisted of the Bicycle Advisory Board, the Safe Routes to School committee, The Ride, CAB and three institutions of higher learning, including 每日大赛网站. Mehl is now working to get a similar designation for 每日大赛网站.

鈥淚t certainly brings something to a community in terms of quality of life,鈥� said Mehl. 鈥淭he bicycling movement began in the community, and now it is benefiting the University.鈥�

Trek Bicycle Store Conway, a bicycle shop with roots in Little Rock, opened a location in Donaghey Hall to serve as a place where community members, bike enthusiasts and 每日大赛网站 students can share their passion for cycling.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter who you are. We all ride together,鈥� Leamon said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a thread that binds people together. Sometimes I refer to it as bike-church. It makes you want to be a better person, and that鈥檚 what I like about it. It鈥檚 good in the best sense of good. Those are the things that matter in a community.鈥�

Each reference represents a different era in the University鈥檚 history. Now, a new era has begun, as that same intersection is now and forever will be home to Donaghey Hall.

鈥淔or those of us who grew up in the neighborhood, Short鈥檚 Corner has never looked better,鈥� said Elizabeth Farris 鈥�77, chair of the 每日大赛网站 Board of Trustees, while making remarks at the grand opening of Donaghey Hall during Homecoming 2016.

The 67,500-sqare-foot, four-story building opened for usage in August 2016, mixing residential and commercial space.

TJ Johnston 鈥�03, director of Special Projects and Corporate Relations, said the idea for a mixed-use space came from former 每日大赛网站 President Tom Courtway.

Johnston took a primary role in the approximate three-year process of taking Donaghey Hall from idea to edifice.

鈥淚 am very proud of Donaghey Hall. It鈥檚 a beautiful building,鈥� said Johnston. 鈥淚鈥檓 most proud of, from the mixed-use standpoint, these businesses that have invested in it.鈥�

Five commercial businesses maintain the lower floor: , /, , Trek Bicycle Store Conway and Mosaique Bistro and Grill.

Uncle T鈥檚 Deli-Market is a family-owned staple in Little Rock known for its legendary sandwiches.

鈥淲e slice our meats to order,鈥� said Ron Woods, owner of Uncle T鈥檚. 鈥淲e have a real good reputation for having some of the best sandwiches in Little Rock. No, central Arkansas.

鈥淭he sandwiches kind of made our brand.鈥�

Woods said his family had been looking to add a second location for about three years as customers continually asked about additional locations.

After seriously considering a site in west Little Rock, the Woods family settled on adding the second location in Donaghey Hall.

In addition to the sandwiches, Uncle T鈥檚 has fresh meats and produce, dairy, snacks and other necessities. They also offer a hot menu.

鈥淸Donaghey Hall] kind of envelops a microcosm of a small-scale society just because you do have the students living upstairs and here, we represent your neighborhood market,鈥� said Ben茅 Woods, owner and general manager of Uncle T鈥檚 at Donaghey Hall. 鈥淵ou have a coffee shop. You have a restaurant, all the kind of basic necessities anybody in any neighborhood would want.鈥�

Chad Rockett and his wife, Stephanie 鈥�89, own the Marble Slab Creamery/Great American Cookies in Donaghey Hall. The business opened in October just before 每日大赛网站’s Homecoming.

The co-branded store offers homemade ice cream that鈥檚 scooped onto a marble slab, then customers can customize with mix-in flavorings like cookies, candy or nuts. Sorbet, yogurt, shakes and smoothies are also menu options.

With the two stores in one, customers can also have those all-time favorite cookies like chocolate chip or sugar, but they can also go big with a made-to-order Cookie Cake.

The Donaghey location is their second co-branded store in Conway, with the first being off Salem Road. Rockett said they see this second location as a way to 鈥渂uild on the synergy鈥� of their first store and strengthen the connection with 每日大赛网站 students and community residents in the area.

At this location, Rockett has welcomed customers like students and campus visitors who take tours or attend meetings and conferences who otherwise might not have known about his business.

鈥淭he Salem store is more of a neighborhood, community store, and we were missing a lot of 每日大赛网站 students,鈥� he said. 鈥淗aving [Marble Slab Creamery/Great American Cookies] on campus increases visibility on campus.鈥�

Rockett said he had always admired the beauty of the 每日大赛网站 campus when he would visit his wife while they dated. He said Donaghey Hall adds to the overall beauty of campus.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great addition to campus. They did make [Donaghey Hall] unique, but they made it fit in with the rest of campus. It鈥檚 a beautiful building.

鈥淚t鈥檚 like a penthouse for college students,鈥� Rockett said.

Like any other stylish, upscale living and retail space, Donaghey Hall comes with a modern art feature: Otis the Bear.

Bryan Massey, Department of Art professor, was commissioned to create the approximately one-ton, 15-foot-long, eight-foot-wide stainless steel bear that he describes as a 鈥渨onderful, bright shiny bear climbing up the side of the building.鈥� Massey named the bear after his favorite character, Otis, on the 鈥�60s sitcom, 鈥淭he Andy Griffith Show.鈥�

With the businesses on the first floor and Otis hanging on the side, upperclassmen reside on the top three floors of Donaghey Hall.

鈥淎s students request more and better housing accommodations, and as we want them to have more amenities on campus, this project meets both of those needs,鈥� Farris said.

For many of the students occupying the 165 beds in the building, the greatest amenity is the sense of community and proximity to commercial businesses.

鈥淵ou can hardly ever walk or drive by Donaghey Hall and not see groups of people gathered in the hall lobbies interacting with one another,鈥� Aaron Gaul, sophomore student, said. 鈥淗aving the restaurants below is greatly convenient on many levels. It provides a space to meet with friends or to study, not to mention grab a cup of coffee or some ice cream.鈥�

Ali Abdulrahim, a sophomore, third-floor resident assistant, echoed that same sentiment about living in Donaghey Hall.

鈥淚t鈥檚 gotten to where we spend time with each other every single night,鈥� Abdulrahim said. 鈥淲hether it be baking, cooking, movies, games or just hanging out. There鈥檚 always someone that wants to hang out, so it makes it easy to always have something to do.鈥�

Junior Canaan Craig said residents living in Donaghey Hall have created a strong bond.

鈥淎lmost every night, there are people hanging out in the lobby, doing homework or watching TV. It鈥檚 also common for residents to go eat together or go to campus events together,鈥� Craig said. 鈥淢any of the residents have developed a strong sense of community here in Donaghey.鈥�