UARK Leaders Program Graduates Second Cohort

Russell Cothren

Front row from left: Burak Eksioglu, Lia Uribe, Andrew McKenzie, Jeff Hood, Lindsey Steiger-Muck and Adriana Gonzales; Row two: Kristen Knight, Carol Rowser, Patty Gamboa, Crandall Edwards, Gabriel Diaz Montemayor, Stephen Tycer and Lisa Milam; Top row: Jeffrey Wolchok, Susan Slinkard and Rick Coffman; Not pictured: Xochitl Delgado Solorzano, Synetra Hughes, Shauna Morimoto, K. Jill Rucker and Laura James.

Congratulations to the faculty and staff members who completed the 2021-22 UARK Leaders Program, which concluded in July. A diverse cohort of 21 faculty and staff leaders from across campus participated in the program. Participants were selected from nominations received from their supervisors in Fall 2021. The first session of the 2021-22 UARK Leaders took place on Nov. 9. 

The UARK Leaders Program is designed to develop leadership competencies in strategic thinking, leading a team and balancing advocacy. The competencies are threaded throughout the content and activities of the UARK Leaders Program. Cohort members participated in four day-long workshop sessions, a self-assessment, three one-on-one coaching sessions with a professional coach and a team-based action learning project focused on real-time university issues.  

"We are delighted with the success of this year's UARK Leaders Program," explained Debbie McLoud, associate vice chancellor of human resources. "Our goals for the 2021-22 cohort were to improve the collective leadership competence of the university, deeply connect participants to the vision and strategy of the organization, and include activities that allow participants to naturally network together. From all reports, those goals were met." 

The UARK Leaders Program began in 2020, and despite the challenges of the pandemic, 20 faculty and staff campus leaders participated virtually in the 2020-21 cohort, working toward the same goals. 

"We've learned a lot over the course of two years of UARK leaders," said Ashley Ingram, director U of A Talent Development. "Judith Tavano, UARK Leaders Program coordinator, and I have been working with program feedback, campus leadership, our own areas of expertise and subject matter experts to calibrate and continuously improve the program with the overall goal of supporting the leadership needs of our ever-growing campus." 

Cohort three of the 2022-23 UARK Leaders Program will begin on Oct. 7. Nominations have closed for this year, and cohort three participants will be announced in September. Nominations for cohort four will open in the summer of 2023. For more information about UARK Leaders, see UARK Leaders Program Overview or contact Judith Tavano.