Walton College Staff Member Selected for National Position

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The American Council on Education has selected Barbara Lofton, director of the Office of Minority Affairs of the Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, as its Arkansas state coordinator. The appointment came from the council’s Office of Women in Higher Education.

In a letter announcing Lofton’s appointment, the council said, “Your selection arises from your experience in an upper-level administrative position in higher education; your demonstrated leadership in and commitment to the advancement of women in higher education; and your qualification by training, experience, and potential for greater opportunities for leadership in the academy.”

“We congratulate Dr. Lofton on this recognition of her leadership accomplishments and abilities in the Walton College, the university, and now at the state level,” said Dean Doyle Z. Williams.

Lofton joined the Walton College when the Office of Minority Affairs was established in 1996. She holds a Bachelor of Science in health and physical education from Jackson State University, a Master of Arts in therapeutic recreation and a doctorate in higher education administration from Grambling State University.

In addition to her work in the Office of Minority Affairs, Lofton has been instrumental in leading the Walton College’s three summer residency programs for minority high school students, the Accounting Careers Awareness Program, Technology Awareness Program and Girls Money Management Enrichment Program. She was invited to make a presentation on the programs at the American Accounting Association meeting last August.

She previously co-chaired the “Summit on Blacks in Higher Education III: Pipeline/Lifeline for African Americans; 50 Years after Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and One Year After Grutter v. Bollinger and the University of Michigan.” The summit was sponsored by the American Association for Higher Education Black Caucus, along with North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, and the American Council on Education - Office of Minorities in Higher Education.

Lofton recently received an award from the Alpha Fraternity as the Most Outstanding University Faculty/Staff during their week of “Celebrating Women of Color.” She also received the Northwest Arkansas Community Service Award from the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Upsilon Chapter.