UAFS Confers Spring Grads

Written By: Ian Silvester

Countless hours of classroom instruction, hands-on training, and homework came to a celebratory conclusion Saturday, May 16, for nearly 650 University of Arkansas – Fort Smith graduates. 

In front of families and friends, each college, starting with the College of Health, Education, and Human Sciences, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Business and Industry, welcomed more than 200 students to walk across the stage at the Stubblefield Center to accept their degrees.  

Nursing graduate Zachary Ryan said his degree is a long time coming. After serving as a combat medic in the Army, he wanted to continue to help others.   

“I’ve been working toward this date for the last four years, so it’s hard to think about all that will be missed,” he said. 

Commencement was filled with smiles, cheers, and a few tears. It was a celebration for all the work each student has committed to improving their present and their future. 

Zachary will apply his Army skills and experience, along with what he has learned from the UAFS nursing program, to work as an ICU nurse at Mercy Fort Smith. 

For others, including Layne Kirkendoll, a psychology graduate, UAFS was the first step in their collegiate journey. 

“I’m going to FAMU (Florida A&M University) Law School in Orlando, Florida,” Layne said, proudly.  

She will apply her bachelor’s in psychology and minor in criminal justice from UAFS towards a law degree in order to “help people, better the world, and let people who don’t have a voice, have a voice.” 

While this is the first step for what lies ahead for graduates, it’s also a time for students to reflect on their time at UAFS. Whether it was two years, four years, or more, UAFS has meant something to each student that is uniquely their own, while allowing them to be part of something greater. 

Maci Hodges, a graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, came to UAFS from a small town in Northwest Arkansas. UAFS, she said, became home and a place where she could jump in with both feet and be involved. It’s the people she met, the connections she made, and the words of encouragement she received along the way she will miss most about her four years at UAFS. 

“I’ll miss the community, my friends, every single time walking the halls or around campus, or the CACE (Campus and Community Engagement) Office where I worked, I’m always seeing somebody I know, and just knowing that we’re all here for one purpose and one mission,” she said. 

As a student-athlete at UAFS for the women’s basketball team, Layne said her experience at UAFS has helped her manage her time and stay grounded—skills she believes will serve her well at FAMU and in life.  

Maci will return home in hopes of landing a corporate job. She said, through UAFS, she feels more than prepared to take on whatever lies ahead. 

“This place has given me a lot of leadership opportunities and opportunities to not only grow, but to also realize that I have a purpose and I am here for a reason,” Maci said. 

• Tags:
• College of Arts and Sciences
• UAFS Commencement
• College of Business and Industry
• College of Health Education and Human Sciences