UAPB Friday Feature News Digest | January 9, 2025 | | #UAPB | #UAPBDearMother | #1TEAM1ROAR | #UAPB1873 | | |
WELCOME BACK, Golden Lions!
We are excited to welcome you to the Spring semester. We hope you had a restful holiday break and are excited about Spring 2026.
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First Day of Instruction: January 12, 2026
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Here's a link to other Academic Dates
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UAPB Track & Field Student-Athletes Among Top UAPB Chancellor's Medallion Recipients at Fall 2025 Commencement
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) honored five graduates with the Chancellor’s Medallion at the Fall 2025 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, December 13, 2025. The Chancellor’s Medallion is UAPB’s highest academic honor, awarded to the top graduate from each school based on cumulative GPA. The ceremony is available on UAPB TV. Click to learn more
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Twin Sisters Among Four UAPB Cadets Commissioned at Fall 2025 Commencement
The Division of Military Science at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) commissioned four officers, including a set of twins, during the 2025 Fall Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, December 13, 2025. The cadets included twin sisters Kaelyn and Kaiél Kimble of Houston, Texas; Zaria Moore of Little Rock, Arkansas; and Jakhyris Williams of Cleveland, Mississippi. The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program provides the Army with quality, competent, agile, and adaptive leaders as commissioned officers. Students who participate in the program enhance their understanding of leadership and have a greater appreciation for excellence.
Click to learn more
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UAPB Fall 2025 Grad Finds Gold in Pine Bluff Higher Education
Before arriving at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), Jordan Lowe received advice he did not initially understand.
“Pine Bluff is what you make it. It’s easy to see all of the bad things that are wrong with Pine Bluff, but it’s harder to find the good. But when you find the good, it’s gold. I have found the good, and it definitely is gold,” Lowe said.
The Memphis, Tennessee native received his Bachelor of Science in Administration and Finance during UAPB’s 172nd commencement ceremony on Saturday, December 13, 2025. He now plans to pursue a Master of Science Degree in Finance at the University of Arkansas. His future career path also includes corporate finance, investment analysis, and certification with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
Click to learn more
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UAPB December 2025 Grads Celebrate Career Success with Job Offers
Graduating seniors from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) are stepping confidently into the workforce after receiving full-time job offers through the support of UAPB’s Office of Career Services.
Each student highlighted also participated in the university’s Fall 2025 Commencement in December, marking a milestone achievement in both academic and professional success.
Click to learn more
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UAPB Executive Cabinet Updates
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has recently announced executive cabinet appointments that will strengthen institutional leadership and advance the university’s strategic priorities. Click the following link to view Our Leadership on UAPB.EDU.
| | Register Now for UAPB High School Day February 7, 2026 | | | | |
Get ready for an unforgettable experience at High School Day at UAPB! Join hundreds of students from across the region for a day packed with live performances, campus tours, academic showcases, giveaways, and a front-row seat to the electrifying UAPB spirit! Meet future classmates, connect with faculty, and feel the roar of the Pride as you explore what it means to be a Golden Lion. This isn’t just a visit—it’s a vibe. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
| | UAPB/AM&N Alumni Announcements | | UAPB/AM&N National Alumni Association Announces Outgoing and Incoming Board of Directors | | |
The UAPB/AM&N National Alumni Association has announced its outgoing and incoming Board of Directors. The outgoing board members are as follows:
- Dr. Fernando Branch
- Janice L. Roberts
- Jennifer R. Smith
- Jennifer L. Trice
- Jimmy Fox
- LaDonna Hendrix
- Phillip Williams
- Dr. Raynando Banks
- Dr. Ruth Jones
The incoming board members and regions they will represent are as follows:
- Carmita Collins - Member-at-Large
- Dr. Leslie Davis - DFW Alumni Chapter | Western Region (California, Nevada and Texas)
- Joyce Bracy Vaughan - Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Alumni Chapter | Southern Region (Arkansas and Tennessee)
- Yvonne Morton - Memphis Alumni Chapter | Southern Region (Arkansas and Tennessee)
| | Join a UAPB Alumni Chapter! | |
UAPB graduates are encouraged to join an alumni chapter! Recent UAPB graduates receive a complimentary one year membership to the UAPB/AM&N National Alumni Association.
The organization serves as a catalyst for building goodwill among the administration, faculty, staff, students, and alumni, while encouraging the moral and financial support needed to strengthen UAPB.
CLICK THIS LINK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ACTIVE CHAPTERS
| | | Opportunities for UAPB Students | | 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
| | | UAPB Alumni Endowment Scholarship Available | | |
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) announces that its Alumni Endowment Scholarship is available. Applicants must be current UAPB students who have completed at least 30 credit hours by the end of the current semester, possess a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.3, and are first-time degree seeking students. Students must be enrolled in 12 or more credit hours during the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters to qualify for the scholarship. The scholarship amount is divided between the fall and spring semesters and will only be awarded to students who are enrolled in both semesters.
Deadline: February 13, 2026
CLICK THIS LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION
| | First-time freshman or two-year transfer student, here is the path to graduating in four years with a bachelor's degree. | | | Join UAPB in Celebrating 250 Years of Music! | | |
Celebrate 250 years of U.S. history with the UAPB Vesper Choir! 🎶✨ Help us raise $162K for our 2026 United Kingdom tour by donating $100+ today! Your support creates lasting memories and bridges cultures through music.
Give today. Give anytime, and every amount helps. Use the following ways to give: Text UAPB19 to 41444, or use our Online giving.
| | UAPB Students Shine at the 2025 BE SMART Hackathon | | |
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) participated in the 2025 BE SMART Hackathon, held in Charlotte, North Carolina. This annual technology innovation challenge brings together some of the nation’s brightest college students to design, prototype, and present creative technological solutions to pressing real-world issues.
Over an intense 24-hour period, students collaborated in a high-energy environment to develop and pitch their innovative concepts. Participants explored challenges in areas such as:
- Smart Cities
- Public Safety
- Environmental Sustainability
- Community Impact
- Artificial Intelligence and Data Solutions
Click to learn more
| | UAPB and Little Rock School District Announced Innovative Hydroponic Plant Systems Career Pathway | | |
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) and the Little Rock School District (LRSD) announced a new partnership in mid-December 2025, establishing the Hydroponic Plant Systems Career Pathway at Little Rock Southwest High School (LRSWHS). The initiative marks a significant step forward in expanding access to high-skill, high-demand career preparation in agriculture, STEM, and emerging Agri-Technology fields for Arkansas students.
Click to learn more
| | Social House Vodka Partners with UAPB to Power the Gold Standard Campaign Benefiting Student-Athletes | | |
Social House Vodka today announced a new partnership with The Gold Standard, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and official charitable partner of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), to launch 1873 Gold Standard, a purpose-driven annual campaign designed to support UAPB student-athletes while engaging alumni, fans, and the broader HBCU and sports community. Named for UAPB’s founding year, 1873 Gold Standard connects the university’s legacy with charitable support for student-athletes, including funding for scholarships, wellness resources, travel, and career development opportunities. The campaign is built around Raise the Roar, an annual initiative intended to create lasting impact through collective community participation.
Click to learn more
| | UAPB TV Documentary Selected for Texas Film Festival Screening | | |
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is proud to announce that The Shine King, a 2025 UAPB TV documentary, has been officially selected for screening at the Denton Black Film Festival (DBFF). The film will screen on Friday, January 30, 2026, at 1:05 p.m. at the historic Campus Theatre in Denton, Texas.
Directed by UAPB Fall 2025 graduate Mari’Neisha Hardrick, The Shine King marks her directorial debut and highlights a powerful slice of the Pine Bluff community.
Click to learn more
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Join an exciting community event every Thursday from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. in downtown Pine Bluff! Sponsored by the City of Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff Downtown Development, and Explore Pine Bluff, Trolley Hop Thursdays is dedicated to revitalizing the vibrant downtown area of Pine Bluff. FREE trolley rides!
Click this link for more information.
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Applications are now available for the 42nd Annual Pine Bluff Interested Citizens for Voter Registration Original KingFest™ MLK Marade/Parade. This event honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through community service and interracial cooperation. The marade/parade will take place in downtown Pine Bluff, AR on the King Holiday, which is Monday, January 19, 2026. The line up begins at 1:00 p.m. at 3rd Avenue and Walnut Street. The marade/parade begins at 2:00 p.m.
Click this link to download an application
| | Here are some useful links to click on to experience more of the PRIDELAND: | | | | |
