Director of Student Activities Wins Regional Award

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Mary Coonley

Mary Coonley, director of student activities for the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Arkansas, was named the winner of the Markley Award at the National Association for Campus Activities central regional conference held Oct. 28-31. Representatives from more than 50 colleges and universities attended the regional conference which includes Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Louisiana, Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico.

The Markley Award is named for Larry Markley, the acknowledged founder of the former NACA South Central Region, now known as Central Region. This is the highest honor a professional can receive at the NACA regional conference.

"We could not be any more proud that Mary Coonley has been recognized as the winner of the Markley Award for her work in student activities," said Ashley Tull, senior associate dean of students. "Mary continues to serve as a leader among her colleagues in student activities and actively serves as a mentor to many students, past and present, through her work."

Coonley has been with the University of Arkansas since September 2001 when she was hired as the program advisor to University Programs in the student involvement and leadership office. She attended her first NACA conference that year. She became director of student activities in 2007 and currently works with University Programs, Friday Night Live, the Distinguished Lectures Committee and the Headliner Concerts Committee. Coonley is working on her doctorate in higher education administration while working full time. For the last two years she has served as student projects coordinator working with the two students representing the region.

"Receiving the Markley Award has been a great honor." Coonley said. "I love working with the students at the University of Arkansas and planning great programs that hopefully make their college experience more positive."

The National Association for Campus Activities advances campus activities in higher education through a business and learning partnership, creating educational and business opportunities for its school and professional members. Established in 1960 to help increase the buying power of campus programming dollars, NACA now has more than 1,000 college and university members and close to 650 associate members who represent artists, lecturers and performers.