Fulbright College 2003-2004 Distinguished Alumni Named

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Dean Donald Bobbitt has selected four graduates of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas as distinguished alumni for 2003-2004, in recognition of outstanding achievements in fields ranging from international diplomacy and law to psychology and geophysics.

"These alumni reflect the exceptional and diverse contributions our graduates make to their communities every day, through their creative efforts, leadership and service. Their accomplishments in turn inspire our current students, who look to such role models as they prepare to embark on their careers," said Dean Bobbitt.

This year’s distinguished alumni are Sabra Hassel, David Newbern, Carolyn Scruggs and John Williams. They will return to campus April 23 - 24 to meet with students and faculty and attend a special dinner the College will host in their honor.

A native of Tennessee, Sabra Hassel graduated cum laude from Brown University in Providence, RI, in 1965. After earning her M.A. from the University of Arkansas in 1970 and her Ph.D. in 1975, she went on to become the first full-time clinical psychologist in private practice in the Fayetteville area. Prior to opening her practice, she completed an internship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. Dr. Hassel has been a member of the Arkansas Psychological Association since 1975, serving as president-elect in 2000 and as president in 2001. She has been a member of the American Psychological Association since 1977. Hassel organized the Psychologists of Northwest Arkansas in 1995, later serving as its president and treasurer. A member since its 1984 founding of the Society of the Masterson Institute in New York City, Hassel has worked with individuals of all ages, couples, families and groups in her practice. She has also served as a consultant to the Head Start Program, the New School in Fayetteville, the Boston Mountain Schools Cooperative, numerous health care providers and other small businesses in northwest Arkansas. From 1980 to 1989, she was a board member of the Fayetteville Civil Service Commission, and in 2004, was appointed by Governor Mike Huckabee to a five-year term on the Arkansas Psychology Board. Her visit is being sponsored by the department of psychology.

After earning his B.A. from the university in 1959, David Newbern went on to receive his law degree in 1961 from the UA School of Law and a Master of Laws from George Washington University in 1963. He attended the Hague Academy of International Law in 1965, earning a Master of Arts degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in 1967. Prior to joining the UA Law School faculty as assistant professor in 1970, Newbern was a U.S. Army judge advocate officer. He took a leave of absence from the law school in 1973, to become the administrator of the Ozark Folk Center at Mountain View during its opening season. He once more took leave from the law faculty in 1979 to serve as an appointed judge on the original Arkansas Court of Appeals. He returned to the law faculty in 1981 as a professor of law, until he was elected in 1984 as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas. He was reelected in 1992, serving on the Supreme Court until retiring from the bench in 1999. A founding member of the Little Rock Wind Symphony and a former member of the Hot Springs Musical Festival board, he is an accomplished tuba player and folk musician. His visit is being sponsored by the department of music.

After earning her B.A. in history from the U of A in 1951, Carolyn Scruggs earned an M.A. from the University of Denver in Colorado in 1963. She was elected to Phi Alpha Theta and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. A Little Rock native and career diplomat, Scruggs served on several assignments in Germany and France with the U.S. Army Special Services Division in Europe. From 1964 to 1986, she was assistant cultural affairs officer/library director with the U.S. Information Agency, carrying out assignments in both Washington and overseas, from reference librarian to book reviewer and exchange coordinator for the Fulbright Scholarship Program administered through the U.S. Department of State. As a training division officer for American Field Services, she organized and directed cultural seminars for returning U.S.I.S. officers. Her diplomatic duties led to overseas assignments from 1966 to 1986 in several countries, from Peru, Chile, and Venezuela to Kenya, Iran and Indonesia. In 1986 she retired in Little Rock, where she is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church and volunteers with the Arkansas Arts Center, the humane society and community members working to restore the Ouachita Girl Scout Camp. Her visit is being hosted by the Fulbright Institute of International Relations.

John Williams has more than 29 years of experience in global oil and gas exploration, production and technology. Since 1975, he has served in various technical and managerial roles with Exxon and Conoco, and, currently, with ConocoPhillips. After receiving a B.S. and M.S. in geology from the U of A in 1972 and 1975, respectively, Williams went on to complete the Management Program for Executives at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Business in 1985. In 2001, he completed the Trailblazer Leadership Program, a collaboration of the London Business School, JMW Consultants, The Center for Creative Leadership and Conoco. The program is designed to retain the top Conoco employees for executive management roles. At ConocoPhillips, he is currently manager of exploration—geoscience, responsible for the company’s global exploration portfolio and budget. He is a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and the Society of Exploration Geophysicists. He is certified by the AAPG as a professional geologist and is licensed by the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists as a geophysicist. He has worked on a number of industry initiatives such as the Finder Well Concept, a low-cost method of drilling exploration wells. Williams is a former Chairman of the Board of the International School of Aberdeen in Scotland, where he was instrumental in obtaining funds for the construction of a new library. His visit is being sponsored by the department of geosciences.