SELF PORTRAIT

Christy Drale

MONTH/YEAR AND PLACE OF BIRTH: October 1957, Los Angeles County, Calif.

■ FANTASY DINNER GUESTS: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Toni Morrison, Yuval Noah Harari

■ THE BIGGEST FISH I EVER CAUGHT: A 22-inch black bass at Table Rock Lake in Missouri. I’m a total novice, but I enjoy a day on the lake with a fishing pole.

■ THE THING ABOUT ARKANSAS THAT REMINDS ME OF HOME: Lots of opportunities for outdoor recreation.

■ MY GUILTIEST PLEASURE: A slice of coconut cake. I’m on a strict low-sugar diet, so this is a rare treat.

■ ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOMENTS AS CHANCELLOR OF UALR: In one of our student activity events, a student won a door prize that was “coffee with the chancellor.” That coffee date was a lot of fun. I loved it! We ended it with a selfie of us together.

■ HOW I HAVE SUMMED UP THIS YEAR SO FAR: Unprecedented challenges, but tremendous goodwill.

■ BEST ADVICE GIVEN: When I first became an administrator years ago, one of my early mentors told me that as a leader, you don’t have the luxury of indulging your emotions when conflict arises. I’ve always remembered that lesson of self-control.

■ A COMMON BIT OF ADVICE I GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE: Be brave. Get out of your comfort zone and be willing to be changed by your experiences.

■ BEST BOOKS I’VE READ IN THE PAST FEW YEARS: “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” by Yuval Noah Harari, “The Overstory” by Richard Powers and “The Good Lord Bird” by James McBride.

■ BOOKS I’VE READ RECENTLY: “The Round House” by Louise Erdrich, “There There” by Tommy Orange, and “Underland: A Deep Time Journey” by Robert MacFarlane. I read a lot things that are work-related, but at the end of the day, I seek respite in other people’s stories.

■ ONE WORD TO SUM ME UP: Inquisitive