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Graduate School News Archive

University of Arkansas Doctoral Student's Research Paper Named Best at Conference
-- Posted by tfisher on Thursday, March 12 2009

A doctoral student in curriculum and instruction at the University of Arkansas won the award for best graduate paper at this year’s national conference of the Society for Cross-Cultural Research.

Waleed B. Al Abiky presented a paper titled “Foreign cultures representation in Saudi Arabian higher education: Attitude, Identity and Pedagogy” last month at the conference in Las Vegas. His adviser, Felicia Lincoln, associate professor of curriculum and instruction in the College of Education and Health Professions, described him as highly motivated and hard working.

The paper presents the quantitative findings from Al Abiky’s dissertation research. His doctoral program emphasizes curriculum development in the teaching of foreign language.

“People attending the session told me I was on the right track and that the research was interesting,” Al Abiky said. “The feedback was welcome and appreciated.”

Al Abiky, who came from Saudi Arabia to the United States in 2003 to study, explained that his research looks at Saudi students studying foreign languages at the College of Language and Translation at King Saud University in Riyadh. He’s examining the students’ attitudes toward other cultures and how these attitudes affect the students’ identities.

The quantitative findings came from Al Abiky’s analysis of a survey filled out by Saudi students enrolled in the 10 foreign language programs offered at King Saud University. For the qualitative aspect of the research, Al Abiky interviewed six faculty members of the university.

He hopes to determine how instruction affects students by putting the pieces together.

“I am interested in this topic because the world is facing challenges of transition,” Al Abiky said. “I’m looking at how people interact with each other and how economic customs of one country affect the whole world. We have to prepare students to have a dialogue with people from other cultures.”

Al Abiky plans to teach at King Saud University after earning his doctorate.

“It really feels good to be recognized,” he said about the conference award. “I wish my dissertation committee were with me at the award banquet. My work would not be possible without their encouragement and insights. I greatly appreciate their hard work behind the scenes.”

State Board Gives Continued Approval to Nursing School's Degree Program
-- Posted by tfisher on Thursday, March 12 2009

The Arkansas State Board of Nursing voted in January to grant continued full approval to the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas for its Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program until 2013.

The nursing school’s BSN program has complied with all requirements of the state board and will be reviewed again in 2013.

The program graduated 95 nurses last year.

The nursing school is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education until 2017 for the baccalaureate nursing program and until 2012 for the Master of Science in Nursing.

Counseling Doctoral Student Wins New Professional Award
-- Posted by tfisher on Thursday, March 5 2009

Monica Holland, a doctoral student in counselor education at the University of Arkansas, received the 2008 NASPA IV-West Outstanding New Professional Award.

NASPA, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, is the foremost professional association for student affairs administrators, faculty, and graduate and undergraduate students. The IV-West region covers Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming and Manitoba and Saskatchewan in Canada.

Holland accepted the award in November at the regional conference and will travel to the national conference in Seattle later this month to be recognized.

Holland, who works full time as director of the university’s Office of Community Standards and Student Ethics, is in the third year of her doctoral program in the College of Education and Health Professions. She has worked in the field of student affairs for 4 1⁄2 years.

“Monica is an excellent student and university employee who manages multiple roles in a competent manner,” said Roy Farley, professor of counselor education.

The Outstanding New Professional Award is presented to an individual who has been in the profession for fewer than five years, is a NASPA member and has made significant contributions to campus, the regional organization and the profession. This is the second year in a row a University of Arkansas employee has won with Sandy Vasquez, assistant director of the Office of Community Standards and Student Ethics, receiving the award for 2007.

Holland earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Arkansas Tech University and a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Arkansas.

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