Arkansas achievers

Jennie Finch of North Little Rock has been awarded the 2019-2020 Guerdon D. Nichols Scholarship. Finch, a senior in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences honors college at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, is studying biology.

Neha Shrestha, a junior psychology major and international student at Southern Arkansas University, has been elected undergraduate representative for the Southwestern Psychological Association. She is the first SAU student to have earned this distinction. Shrestha is from Nepal.

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, entomology graduate student Hillary Fischer has received the $15,000 Scholar Award from the Philanthropic Education Organization, which presents merit-based awards for women of the United States and Canada who are pursuing doctoral-level degrees at accredited colleges or universities. Fischer is a Ph.D. candidate and one of 150 award winners selected from more than 900 nominees nationally.

The U.S. Department of Justice awarded Arkansas teacher Laura Abbott the Volunteer for Victims Award, which is presented to individuals for extraordinary and selfless efforts resulting in positive and lasting changes in the lives of crime victims. She helped draft legislation that includes provisions for victimless prosecution, a statewide lethality assessment and mandated education in public schools on teen dating violence and healthy relationships; led efforts to create “Laura’s Card,” an information card for victims of violent crime that outlines their rights and provides helpful resources; and speaks to groups across the state about victims’ rights. Abbott is working to promote passage of a state victims-rights constitutional amendment.

Jennifer Song and Katherine “Kate” Woziwodzki, seniors at Little Rock Central High School, have been awarded Lewis Starling Memorial Scholarships by the Little Rock Civitan Club. Song, who serves as president of the 230-member Central High School Junior Civitan service club, received a $2,000 scholarship. Woziwodzki, the vice president, received a $1,000 scholarship. Song will be attending Austin (Texas) Community College in the fall. Woziwodzki is enrolled at Loyola University in Chicago. Nancy Reese, a professor and chair of the University of Central Arkansas Department of Physical Therapy, has been named a 2019 recipient of the Catherine Worthingham Fellow Award by the American Physical Therapy Association.

Kim Lane, chief executive officer of the Conductor, a public-private partnership with the University of Central Arkansas and Startup Junkie Consulting, was a U.S. delegate and speaker at the 2019 Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Manama, Bahrain last week. The Global Entrepreneurship Congress is a gathering of startup leaders from more than 170 countries.

Jia Liu has received a $1.86 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue research into the poxvirus at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. The grant is from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and will support Liu’s work for five years. Liu is an assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the UAMS College of Medicine.

Brian Freeman-Rhodes, who is majoring in aquaculture/fisheries at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Catfish Farmers of Arkansas, an association of catfish producers, suppliers and research/extension personnel involved in promoting, producing and marketing Arkansas farm-raised catfish. Freeman-Rhodes, a senior, is from Houston.

Chef Jordan Davis from the Chenal Country Club won the title “Diamond Chef Arkansas Champion” in the Diamond Chef Arkansas competition. Davis worked with sous chefs Patrick Carter and Chris Taylor in the competition. Davis and Carter are both graduates of the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College culinary institute. Taylor is a UA-Pulaski Tech culinary institute student.

Ten Arkansas State University students have been inducted into the Kappa Tau Alpha honor society, which recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication. The students are Tristan Bennett of Carlisle; William Bodron of Higdon; Jennifer Jones of Atlanta; William Henderson of Central, S.C.; James Hicks of Simpsonville, S.C.; Shawna Martin of Gassville; Nancy Meador of Cabot; Jodi Moore of Bay; Steven Rice of Little Rock; and Jade Sneed of Sulphur Rock. Bennett was named the top undergraduate scholar and Hicks the top graduate scholar for the 2019 class.

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., is receiving the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, which is granted to Eagle Scouts who, after 25 years, have distinguished themselves in their life work and who have shared their talents with their communities on a voluntary basis. Hill earned the Eagle Award on March 29, 1972, in Troop 27 of Little Rock, chartered to Holy Souls Catholic Church. He remains active today in scouting, serving on the executive board of the Quapaw Area Council.

Karrie Arbuckle, a principal at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School in Bentonville, achieved the status of Master School Principal. To achieve this designation from the Arkansas Leadership Academy’s Master Principal Program, Arbuckle completed three years of rigorous professional development plus an additional year of performance evaluations. Master Principals receive a $9,000 bonus each year for five years upon earning the designation and are eligible for an additional $25,000 per year for five years if selected to serve at a low-performing school.

Hot Springs City Manager Bill Burrough has received the Hot Springs Economic Development Leadership Award from the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce. The award is presented to an individual who has shown strong leadership in economic development efforts. Burrough received the award for his 13 years of work to secure the community’s future water supply. Throughout leadership changes at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and in Hot Springs, Burrough led the city to eventual agreements for water supply from both Ouachita and DeGray lakes.

Students in agricultural programs at Arkansas State University, Arkansas Tech University, Southern Arkansas University and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville have received scholarships from the Arkansas Agriculture Department’s Plant Board. They are Brenna Cannon, Jonesboro, agronomy and agriculture business major, ASU; Aubrey Hargett, Hampton, horticulture, ASU; Jessica Krob, Leachville, plant science, ASU; Kory Callaway, Magnolia, agriculture business, SAU; Strand Barricklow, Lebanon, Ind., agriculture business, SAU; Tina Padgett, Damascus, agriculture business, SAU; Laney Huskey, Batesville, agriculture education, Arkansas Tech; Matthew Owens, Green Forest, agriculture business, Arkansas Tech; and Thomas McKeown, Monticello, horticulture, landscape, and turf sciences, UA. Arkansas Achievers is an opportunity to give recognition to Arkansans for their achievements. Civilian and military achievements are accepted. Please follow these guidelines. Achiever(s):

1) Must be an Arkansan or have graduated from a school in Arkansas.

2) Received an award, scholarship, medal or promotion. Pageants, deans’ lists, graduations or military enlistments are not accepted.

No photographs please. To submit an item, email news@arkansasonline.com with the words “Arkansas Achievers”in the subject line.