Honors College Hosts 'First-Generation Fireside Chat' With Chancellor Steinmetz

Photo by Whit Pruitt, University Relations

Chancellor Joe Steinmetz, who was first in his family to attend a four-year college, led a "fireside chat" with first-generation honors students.

University of Arkansas Chancellor Joseph Steinmetz met for a "fireside chat" with 26 first-generation Honors College students last Tuesday, sharing sandwiches and cookies in the relaxed warmth of the Honors Student Lounge in Gearhart Hall.

"I have a special place for first-generation students – the fundamental reason is because I was one myself," Chancellor Steinmetz said.

"Advancing student success" tops the list of the chancellor's recently unveiled guiding priorities for the University of Arkansas. The planning document places a particular emphasis on providing support for first-generation college-going Arkansans, in part because Steinmetz knows from personal experience the challenges these students face when they arrive on a college campus.

One of six children raised in an exurb of Detroit, Steinmetz got a good education in Catholic schools but said he received "zilch" in the way of advising or career preparation. He didn't even consider pursuing a major in his first love, music.

"I played piano and keyboard. At age 18, I wanted to be a performer but didn't want to be a band director – I had no idea I could be a musician and professor at a university, because I had no idea what college was like," he shared.

Steinmetz moved through six different majors as an undergraduate — "If you've had that many, there's hope for you!" he quipped — before finding work in a laboratory conducting research on memory.

"That's when the lightbulb went off, when I realized that this is my future, combining research on behavior, cognition and biology in the field of neuroscience. The critical thing was getting into a laboratory and discovering that this is a lot of fun," he recalled.

After sharing his career trajectory, Steinmetz opened the floor to questions.  The honors students came prepared, many with tough questions.

Dara Gaines, a senior political science and African and African American studies major from Ogden, Arkansas, noted that there were no minorities included on the homecoming court and referenced the tensions that erupted when several players on the women's basketball team chose to kneel during the playing of the national anthem.

"How do you let people know, this is a safe place for a minority?" she asked. Steinmetz responded that "we have to communicate that we live in a world that's far from perfect. I really believe in education and dialog, and the fact is, different groups, such as our campus veterans, feel differently about the flag." Steinmetz said that he plans to launch a discussion series to explore this issue.

Other topics ranged from time management to growing pains such as parking at the university.  "Let's see, how far did we get into this before parking was mentioned?" he joked. 

When asked what he missed in his new job as chancellor, Steinmetz was quick to reply that he missed daily contact with students, both in the lab and in the classroom.

"I'm trying to correct that," he mentioned, noting that he will be teaching an Honors College Forum, Flagship U!, next semester.

Steinmetz stretched a tight schedule to take more questions from the students, and posed for a group shot in front of the fireplace before heading off to his next appointment.

The honors students appreciated the opportunity to have the chancellor's ear.

Nezly Silva, a social work and Latin American and Latino studies double major from Springdale, said she was hesitant to ask about how he might help undocumented students.

"Honestly, it was very encouraging to hear that he had fought this fight at Ohio State," she said. "He was very candid and accepting of his own identity as a first-generation student, and that's encouraging to all of us."