Brad Holloway, assistant professor of disaster preparedness and emergency management, spent two weeks in South Carolina counseling victims of the historic floods. He was part of a team of mental health professionals assembled by the American Red Cross. Holloway, a licensed certified social worker, spent the majority of his time working directly with victims who had lost their homes after several dams were breached.

Dr. David Saarnio, professor of psychology and director of the Center for Community Engagement, is collaborating with the Arkansas Department of Education, which has received a $5 million State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG).  Saarnio and A-State colleagues will provide resources and develop modules for web-based and face-to-face training in the area of positive behavior interventions and support. The full grant proposal is on the DOE website.

Congratulations to Jayne Ryan, instructor in agriculture, who with her horse Viva ISF qualified for the U. S. Dressage Federation Region 3 Championships at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers.  They competed in two Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) classes, the Prix St. Georges and Intermediate 1. FEI is the worldwide governing body for the sport of competitive dressage. Ryan teaches English equitation courses in the animal science curriculum.

Philip Jackson, who has been on staff since 1985, has been promoted to president of the Arkansas State University System Foundation, Inc. Jackson, who became controller for the foundation in 1994, has been serving as interim president and CEO since July 1. The foundation works with all the ASU System campuses in support of the advancement process with special emphasis on fiduciary responsibilities for finance, investments and donor stewardship.

An article by Dr. Michael Bowman, "Completing an Incomplete History: The African American Narrative in Civil War Helena," has been published in Race, Gender & Class Journal. Bowman, assistant professor of creative media production, explained how public exhibits like Freedom Park not only educate the visitor about history, but also become a catalyst for public discussion of social justice, economic opportunities and connecting our past with current experiences.