University of Arkansas at Little Rock

University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Motto	Cultus, Veritas, Scientia
Established	1927
Type	Public university space-grant state university
Chancellor	Joel E. Anderson
Students	13,000+
Location	Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
Campus	Metropolitan
Colors	Maroon and Silver
Nickname	UALR Trojans [1]
Website	ualr.edu

University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) is a national public research university located in Little Rock, Arkansas. Established as Little Rock Junior College by the Little Rock School District in 1927, the institution became a private four-year university under the name Little Rock University in 1957. It returned to public status in 1969 when it merged and co-created the University of Arkansas System under its present name.

Located on 200 acres (0.81 km2), the UALR campus encompasses more than 40 buildings, including Ottenheimer library which contains more than 500,000 volumes, 700,000 microform items, 8,300 audiovisual forms and CDs, and subscribes to 2,625 periodicals. Additionally, UALR houses special learning facilities that include a learning resource center, art galleries, radio station, television station, cyber café, speech and hearing clinic, and a campus-wide wireless network.

Additionally, a new center that features data visualization systems that are among the first of their kind in the world, the UALR George W. Donaghey Emerging Analytics Center™ (EAC), was opened in 2013. Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe said the center will be a game changer for economic and higher education.

In 2012, the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Services was opened, a state-of-the-art, user-oriented facility focused on research, education, and economic development. The nanotechnology center is concerned with advancing the science of nanotechnology through research and outreach, along with accelerating technological innovations into applications for society.

Because of the university's location in the state capital, UALR students benefit from close contact with leaders in government, business, industry, medicine (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences), and information technology. As the state's only metropolitan university and as a member of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, UALR provides a strategic focus on the needs of the community by creating active links between the campus, community, and commerce.

Research is encouraged among students where many collaborate with award-winning faculty and go on to land coveted internships. UALR is devoted to preparing its students for the job market. Academic scholarships and financial aid are available for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Academics

The university features more than 100 degrees with academic options including both traditional and online courses. Among its degrees available are more than 60 graduate programs. Students can pursue programs like nursing, criminal justice, accounting, engineering, education, and psychology.

Students attend classes in one of the university's seven colleges:

• College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
• College of Business
• College of Education
• George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology
• College of Professional Studies
• College of Science
• William H. Bowen School of Law

Campus life

The student life at UALR is typical of many larger, public universities in the United States. It is characterized by student run organizations and affiliation groups that support social, academic, athletic and religious activities and interests. Some of the services offered by the UALR Office of Campus Life are intramural sports and fitness programs, diversity programs, leadership development, peer tutoring, student government association, student support programs including groups for non-traditional and first generation students, a student-run newspaper, and fraternity and sorority life.

Greek life

• Kappa Sigma
• Pi Kappa Alpha
• Alpha Phi Alpha
• Iota Phi Theta
• Kappa Alpha Psi
• Omega Psi Phi
• Phi Beta Sigma
• Alpha Kappa Alpha
• Delta Sigma Theta
• Sigma Gamma Rho
• Zeta Phi Beta
• Chi Omega
• Kappa Delta

Campus housing

With the construction of East Hall in the 1990's, UALR transformed from a commuter-campus (non-residential) to a hybrid-campus (residential and commuter) and currently provides a variety of housing options for students ranging from traditional resident rooms to multiple bedroom apartments (see UALR Office of Student Housing). The university has four residence halls and the University Village apartment complex.

Athletics

Main article: Arkansas–Little Rock Trojans

UALR athletic teams are known as the Trojans. The Trojans are a non-football member of the Sun Belt Conference. UALR Athletics is located in the Jack Stephens Center, a state-of-the-art facility with 5,600 seats. Sanctioned sports include:

• Baseball
• Men's and Women's Basketball
• Men's and Women's Golf
• Volleyball
• Women's Soccer
• Swimming/Diving
• Cross Country/Track and Field

Library

Ottenheimer library contains more than 500,000 volumes, 700,000 microform items, 8,300 audiovisual forms and CDs, and subscribes to 2,625 periodicals. The Sequoyah Research Center of the American Native Press Archives is housed within the campus' library. The collection includes the research materials of Louis F. Burns, a leading historian and expert on the Osage Nation.

Notable alumni

University rankings
National
Forbes	265
U.S. News & World Report	205–270
Washington Monthly	252
Global

Government

• Vic Snyder (1988) – U.S. House of Representatives, 1997 – 2011
• Mike Ross (1987) – U.S. House of Representatives, 2001 - 2013
• James Richard Cheek (1957) – Former US Ambassador to Ethiopia, Sudan, Argentina
• Brenda Donald (1993) – District of Columbia, Director-Child & Family Services Agency

Entertainment

• Julie Adams (1946) – Actress (film & television)

Athletics

• Derek Fisher – NBA Player with the Oklahoma City Thunder

External links

• University of Arkansas at Little Rock
• University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law
• University of Arkansas at Little Rock Trojans Athletics