Master's Student Duncan Runner-up in NCFR Issues in Aging Competition

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James Duncan, a two-time Bumpers College graduate in human development and family sciences, is being nationally recognized by the National Council on Family Relations.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – James Duncan, a two-time graduate of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Science's human development and family sciences program, was named runner-up in competition sponsored by the National Council on Family Relations.

Duncan was runner-up for the Issues in Aging Focus Group Award for his paper "Leisure, Relatedness, and Ill-being Among Older Adults in Long-Term Care." His research was based on data collected at long-term care facilities in Northwest Arkansas.

Duncan, who is from Sacramento, California, was advised by Timothy Killian, associate professor and assistant director of the human development and family sciences program in the School of Human Environmental Sciences. Duncan also worked with Lucier-Greer, his major professor at Florida State University where he is currently pursuing his doctorate.

"I would like to say as a new professional with NCFR, I am honored to be chosen as a runner-up for this award and am happy to have leisure and social support recognized as an important issue for aging adults," said Duncan. "The findings for the paper highlight that the combination of leisure engagement and supportive social networks are key to successful aging as older adults transition to long-term care. I am proud to have conducted data collection for this paper on aging populations in Arkansas, and of the support I received from Dr. Killian and Dr. (Mallory) Lucier-Greer. Their help and guidance on this paper contributed in making my nomination possible."

Duncan is a U.S. Air Force veteran who was stationed in Little Rock. After leaving the service in 2009, he earned bachelor's (2012) and master's degrees (2014) in human development and family sciences from the U of A. The Bumpers College program offers concentrations in birth-kindergarten, child development and lifespan.

He will be recognized on Nov. 3 at the National Council on Family Relations conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

NCFR is the professional association for the multidisciplinary understanding of families. Members focus on topics and efforts aimed at understanding and strengthening families.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.