UAPB Friday Feature News Digest | October 17, 2025 | | #UAPB | #UAPBDearMother | #1TEAM1ROAR | #UAPB1873 | |
Windgate Foundation Invests $5 Million
to Transform Arts at UAPB
Largest Single Gift Strengthens UAPB’s Role as a Cultural Anchor for Arkansas and Beyond
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Backed by a historic $5 million gift from the Windgate Foundation, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is poised to transform its academic programs for visual artists through bold new learning and creative spaces. Chancellor Anthony Graham recently announced that this gift is the largest single investment in the university’s history.
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UAPB Continues Coursera Partnership
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The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) announces the continuation of its partnership with Coursera, Inc., a global massive open online course provider based in the United States and founded in 2012 by Stanford University computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller.
Through the partnership, UAPB has 300 licenses that provide access to the full catalog, which contains over 13,000 individual courses and guided projects, more than 600 specializations, and over 150 industry professional certificates ranging from beginner to advanced levels. UAPB students have a unique opportunity to enhance their academic journey with the resources provided by Coursera. This partnership, which aligns with UAPB’s focus on career readiness, allows students to earn industry-recognized credentials while pursuing their UAPB degree.
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Local Alumni Chapter Awards Scholarships to UAPB Students and Honors Community Leaders
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Eight University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) students were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County UAPB/AM&N Alumni Chapter. The presentations took place in September during an elegant Scholarship Gala held at the Pine Bluff Convention Center in Pine Bluff, Arkansas..
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| | FAFSA for 2026-27 Now Available! | | |
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2026-27 academic year is now live. Filing the FAFSA is the gateway to the largest source of funding for higher education, including federal grants, loans and work-study. It’s also required for most state and institutional aid, even for families who don’t think they’ll qualify.
All U.S. citizen college students are required to complete the FAFSA each year.
CLICK THIS LINK TO VISIT THE FAFSA WEBSITE
| | | Opportunities for UAPB Students | |
UAPB Homecoming 'After Glow' 2025
Your presence made this year's Homecoming extra special
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Celebrating Alumni Through Throwback Posts
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The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Office of Alumni Affairs featured a series of notable social media posts on UAPB’s Facebook and Instagram pages, titled “Throwback Tuesday” and “Throwback Thursday” (TBT). These posts, which were part of a new initiative this year, aimed to highlight the 15 classes that celebrated their reunions during Homecoming 2025.
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| | | | UAPB COA Awards Scholarships to ROTC Cadets During UAPB Homecoming 2025 | |
Three UAPB ROTC cadets were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the UAPB Commissioned Officers Association during the COA Scholarship Board meeting held at the Dawson-Hicks building this October. Cadet Scholarship recipients for Homecoming 2025 were UAPB Sophomore Jaylon Flowers of Little Rock, AR, a health and kinesiology major; UAPB Freshman Rhyan Cain of Kansas City, MO, a biology major, and UAPB Freshman Clayton Shuanthony Jr, of Little Rock, AR, a nursing and military science major.
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Damascus Missionary Baptist Church Contributes Over $8,000
to UAPB's Foundation Fund, Office of Development
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Damascus Missionary Baptist Church presented a gift of $8,040 to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). The donation was given during the Homecoming 2025 Alumni Assembly at the Kenneth L. Johnson, Sr. HPER Complex. This year’s gift builds on the church’s consistent giving history – $2,000 annually since 2017 – further strengthening its long-standing relationship with the University.
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| | Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel: Winning Raffle and Giving Back | | Atkinson is shown with Monica Reed (top left photo), a member of UAPB's Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South (M4), and Leon Crumblin, a representative of the Arkansas Rollin Lions RV Club, Inc. | | Atkinson is joined by Jaimie D. Wright (top right photo), Corporate and Foundations Relations Officer in UAPB's Office of Institutional Advancement. Atkinson presents his winnings to Shawn Barfield (third bottom right photo), a UAPB student who works in the Department of Athletics. | | Drew Atkinson, CEO of Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel, was SUPER excited that he won the Arkansas Rollin Lions RV Club, Inc.'s 50/50 Raffle. He donated his winnings to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), specifically $1,000 for Band and $1,000 for Baseball. Congratulations, Mr. Atkinson, and thank you for giving back to UAPB! | | The Arts & Science Center (ASC) for Southeast Arkansas hosted a “Homecoming Coloring Activity,” featuring a coloring sheet of the UAPB Mascots, Legend, and Reign. Prizes were awarded to these top three winners. Ten local K-6 elementary schools participated and submitted a total of 888 entries to the ASC for judging. Click to learn more | | Annual Donors Report & Banquet Highlights | | |
We extend a special thank you to our donors during Homecoming Week at the annual Donors Banquet. We hope you enjoy the highlight video, and we look forward to seeing you next year. Click this link to see our Annual Donors Report.
If you are not a donor, we invite you to become a UAPB donor and invest in our legacy and our promise. Become a partner in progress, a champion of education, and a builder of a brighter tomorrow.
For more information, contact the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Office of Development, 1200 North University Drive ● Mail Slot 4981 ● Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601, Office: (870) 575-8701 ● Fax: (870) 575-4605, Email: development@uapb.edu
| | UAPB Athletics Student Athlete Academic Services Hosts Financial Literacy Workshop with FBT Bank | | The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Student-Athlete Academic Services recently hosted a Financial Literacy Workshop. The event was presented by FBT Bank and featured Latasha McNeely Randle (shown in the photo), Vice President and Director of Community Outreach. Randle is a 2024 graduate of UAPB. Aliyah Hill, Student-Athlete Development Coordinator/Academic Counselor at UAPB, extended a thank you to all who helped make the workshop a success. "With your continued support, we will keep creating meaningful and impactful events for our campus community. Thank you again for your dedication and teamwork in helping us create opportunities for student success," Hill said. | | UAPB Chapter Wins First Place in Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated International Campaign | | |
The Beta Beta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated has won First Place in the organization’s international “Finer Women Don’t Haze” Social Media Campaign. Nastassia Merriweather, an Instructor in UAPB's Department of Biology, serves as the chapter's advisor.
Click here to view the video
| | Pond Owners Urged to Take Precautions During Fall Turnover Season | | |
As the weather cools into fall, one of the more dangerous periods of the year for Arkansas ponds begins, according to Scott Jones, small impoundment Extension specialist at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Driven by the dissolution of thermal water layers that developed over summer, the fall turnover season can cause dissolved oxygen problems that in severe cases can cause significant fish kills. Pond owners need to be prepared by knowing the warning signs and take precautions while there is still time.
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| | October is National Chili Month | | |
October serves as a natural culinary gateway to comfort foods, and chili is an example of that. As the weather begins to cool and seasonal ingredients like root vegetables and hearty beans become more prominent, chili fits into fall menus across the country, according to Dr. W. Jinnings Burruss Jr., assistant professor of food service at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). The timing of National Chili Month also aligns with a variety of social and cultural activities–from fall festivals to harvest celebrations.
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| | Here are some useful links to click on to experience more of the PRIDELAND: | | | | |
