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Dental Hygiene graduates from the UAFS College of Health, Education, and Human Sciences pose together at the May 16, 2026 commencement ceremony.
Arts and SciencesBusiness and IndustryFeaturedFirst GenerationHealth Education and Human SciencesNews

UAFS Confers Spring Grads

The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith celebrated the spring commencement of nearly 650 graduates on Saturday, May 16.

May 16, 2026
lady handing a bag to a group of other ladies
CommunityHealth Education and Human Sciences

UAFS Local Leads Deliver “Baby Brain Bags” to Mercy Labor & Delivery

University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Early Childhood Education Local Leads team delivered 1,300 “Baby Brain Bags” to the labor and delivery department at Mercy-Fort Smith to support newborns’ brain development.

May 07, 2026
Rachel and Hailey Malik in one of their classrooms.
AthleticsBell TowerHealth Education and Human Sciences

Twins Race Towards Careers

Senior cross-country runners and twin sisters, Rachel and Hailey Malik, have used their time at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith to streak down trails and engage the minds of dozens of elementary-aged students.

May 01, 2026
Callea Stewart sits on an imaging exam table in the Pendergraft Health Sciences Building.
FeaturedHealth Education and Human SciencesLion Voices

'Eyes of Healthcare' Grad Plans to Take Skills to the Night Shift

Callea Stewart will graduate from the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith with her associate's degree in imaging sciences and radiography on May 16. She has accepted a job at Mercy Fort Smith as an X-ray technician, where she is excited...

April 30, 2026
Overhead view of the UAFS Campus Green.
Arts and SciencesBusiness and IndustryFeaturedHealth Education and Human Sciences

Academic Excellence Award Winners Announced

The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith honored top students from more than 40 academic programs for their exceptional dedication in the classroom during the Academic Excellence Awards.

April 28, 2026
a physician speaks to a child
Arts and SciencesFeaturedHealth Education and Human Sciences

UAFS, UAMS Create Clear Paths to Medical Professions

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (UAFS) have entered into a formal Memorandum of Agreement designed to create clear, accelerated pathways for UAFS graduates pursuing careers in health...

April 20, 2026
Two students talk about their research project at the 19th Annual Student Research Symposium
Arts and SciencesBusiness and IndustryFeaturedHealth Education and Human Sciences

11 Research Presentations Receive Awards

Student teams from the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith win awards for their research following the 19th Annual Student Research Symposium.

April 17, 2026
Eden Paul (left) and her mom, Sasha Hemmings, smile with Numa at the 2026 Spring Den Day. Eden and her mom are from Nassau, Bahamas, and Eden is planning to study imaging sciences.
AdmissionsArt and DesignArts and SciencesBusiness and IndustryFeaturedHealth Education and Human SciencesStudents

Rain Couldn't Dampen Den Day Excitement at UAFS

The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith hosted its Spring 2026 Den Day on Wednesday, April 15. Despite heavy rain in the forecast, more than 500 students and guests attended to see what life is like as a Lion.

April 15, 2026
Beck Pair, administrative assistant
Health Education and Human SciencesLion Voices

An Appreciative Return to the Fort

Beck Pair, an administrative assistant for the Department of Human Sciences, grew up in Fort Smith but left to attend college. After a job opened at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, they returned home with a new appreciation for their hometown...

March 26, 2026
An autumn scene from the UAFS Campus Green with the Bell Tower in the background surrounded by red and orange leafed trees with leaves on the ground.
Arts and SciencesBusiness and IndustryFeaturedHealth Education and Human SciencesStudents

Fall 2025 Chancellor's and Dean's List Announced

The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith releases the Fall 2025 Chancellor's List and Dean's List. Students are recognized for their academic achievements.

March 16, 2026
Students meet with members of ArcBest at All-Majors Career Fair
Arts and SciencesBusiness and IndustryEventsFeaturedHealth Education and Human SciencesStudents

UAFS Career Fair Slated for March 5

The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith prepares to host national and regional employers for students interested in internships or part-time and full-time work, as well as options to continue their education at graduate schools.

March 03, 2026
an artists rendering of the new uafs center for health innovation building
Bell TowerFeaturedHealth Education and Human Sciences

$15M Federal Appropriation to Fund Center for Maternal and Infant Healthcare

UAFS is set to receive $15 million in federal funding to construct and equip a state-of-the-art Center for Mother and Infant Healthcare, following congressional approval of key FY2026 appropriations bills.

February 04, 2026
Dr. Cheryl Holden, executive director of the UAFS Master of Healthcare Administration program, stands on the second floor of the Pendergraft Health Sciences Building overlooking the lobby.
Bell TowerHealth Education and Human SciencesLion Voices

Lifetime in Healthcare Spurs Education

The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith's Master of Healthcare Administration program is led by Dr. Cheryl Holden, the executive director, who joined UAFS after more than four decades of healthcare experience.

February 04, 2026
UAFS students smile as they walk through the stubblefield center at graduation
Arts and SciencesBusiness and IndustryHealth Education and Human Sciences

357 Grads to Cross the Stage Saturday

UAFS will confer degrees and credentials to more than 350 students during its Fall 2025 commencement ceremonies, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 13, in the Stubblefield Center.

December 08, 2025
Aerial photo of a snow-covered UAFS Campus Green with the Bell Tower, Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center, Math Science Building, and Breedlove Building in the background.
AlumniArts and SciencesBusiness and IndustryCenter for Economic DevelopmentFeaturedHealth Education and Human SciencesIntrepid Ambition

2025: An 'Ambitious' Year for UAFS

View some of the top stories and events at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith from 2025.

December 08, 2025
Image of the Boreham Library at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith
Arts and SciencesBusiness and IndustryEventsHealth Education and Human SciencesStudents

Don’t Procrastinate; Go Roaring into Finals Prepared

The semi-annual finals night of preparation returns to the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith on Thursday, Dec. 5, from 4-9 p.m. at the Boreham Library. This semester's theme for the Long Night Against Procrastination is the Roaring Twenties.

December 02, 2025
Portrait of Hannah Seal from the UAFS Campus Green
Business and IndustryFirst GenerationHealth Education and Human SciencesLion Voices

First-Generation Student Spotlight: Hannah Seal

Hannah Seal, a dental hygiene student, overcame the death of her mom while in elementary school to become the first member of her family to attend college right after high school. By attending the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, she can stay...

December 02, 2025
HOlly Needham, UAFS Nursing Student, poses with her family after her White Coat Ceremony
Health Education and Human SciencesIntrepid Ambition

Holly Needham: From Mom Life to the L&D Suite

Before she was a nursing student, Holly Needham was a stay-at-home mom. Her days were full of activities and pickups, laundry and bedtime routines, but amidst the commotion, she felt a calling to serve others.

November 26, 2025
Amanda McMillin Serves as an Army Medic
Bell TowerFeaturedHealth Education and Human SciencesIntrepid Ambition

Amanda McMillin: Serving Her Country and Her Community

By day Amanda McMillin is an Emergency Room technician at Baptist Health in Fort Smith. On drill weekends, she’s a medic in the Arkansas Army National Guard. And in the hours in between—weeknights and weekends—she’s working toward her Bachelor...

November 26, 2025
Dr. Paula Julian and Dr. Patti Conard hug as Conard accepts the Nurse of the Year in Education award Nov. 20, 2025
Health Education and Human SciencesNews

Conard Named Nurse Educator of the Year

Dr. Patti Conard, Jim L. Hannah Endowed Professor in the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith’s School of Nursing, has been named the 2025 Arkansas Nurse of the Year in Education.

November 24, 2025

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The UAFS Office of Communications fields all media inquiries for the university. Email Rachel.Putman@uafs.edu for more information.

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Rachel Rodemann Putman

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