Dr. Po-Lin Pan, professor of strategic communication, has been elected president of the Southwest Education Council for Journalism and Mass Communication (SWECJMC). An affiliate of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, SWECJMC promotes the recognition, welfare and progress of journalism and mass communication education in the Southwest U.S. As president, Pan will help plan the 2023 SWECJMC Symposium to be held at A-State.

Congratulations to Dr. Temma Balducci, professor of art history and department chair, on her appointment to the board of directors of the Arkansas Humanities Council. She will serve a three-year term with the council, which promotes understanding, appreciation and use of the humanities. The council provides funding through a competitive process to nonprofit groups and organizations in Arkansas for planning and conducting projects in the humanities.

An article co-authored by Dr. Selye Lee, assistant professor of criminology, was recently published in the International Criminal Justice Review. As lead author, Lee used group-based trajectory modeling to identify the developmental trajectories of perceptions of police legitimacy among serious adolescent offenders, by gender. The study further identified factors associated with each trajectory group, utilizing the longitudinal study of “Pathways to Desistance.”

Mitch Mathis, instructor in physical education and teacher education, has been elected executive director of SHAPE (Society of Health and Physical Educators) Arkansas. Mathis will serve as the point of contact for SHAPE Arkansas and lead the organization as it hosts educational enrichment opportunities for its members in the state. SHAPE aims to help Arkansas children become better equipped to lead healthy, physically active lives.

Jerry Cooper, computer support specialist, Information and Technology Services, has been appointed to serve on the technical committee of AVIXA. The committee’s primary duty is writing future examination questions for those seeking to become Certified Technology Specialist (CTS), the professional AV specialist credential. Cooper, who holds the CTS, provides services in the Reng Student Union.