In a continuing effort to advance economic development in the Fort Smith region, the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith recently hired Ken Warden, Ph.D., as its associate vice chancellor for workforce development.

Warden, who joined the university July 1, will work with regional business and industry leaders to find ways to strengthen

or introduce workforce development into the university’s curriculum and develop programs to meet the needs of business and industry.

He came to UAFS after 17 years at the Ozark campus of Arkansas Tech University, where he served as chief business and community outreach officer since 2009. He began his career at the university in a key workforce development area, automotive service, and taught for nine years.

In his new role, Warden will help UAFS continue to respond to the needs of the local economy – as when the university created a robotics certification program to be introduced this fall. UAFS is the first university in Arkansas to offer robotics certification.

The university also offers green energy courses, including an energy audit course to address the growing need for energy auditors.

Warden noted a “great history of collaboration” between UAFS and the region.

“I’m committed to continuing this collaborative spirit and to strengthening the university’s ties to our community, our workforce and a flourishing economy,” he said.

Warden earned a bachelor’s degree in vocational education and a doctorate in workforce development education from the University of Arkansas. He earned his master’s degree in educational leadership from Arkansas Tech.

UAFS Chancellor Paul B. Beran, Ph.D., said Warden’s hiring reflects the university’s commitment to the postgraduate success of its students by maximizing academic opportunity in areas that lead directly to employment.

Education WorksA LINK BETWEEN AREA BUSINESSES AND THE UNIVERSITY

uafs.edu/careerservices

Page 2CBPD: Commitment to Business and Industry

Page 2New Majors at UAFS

Page 4UAFS Experiential Learning Participation

FALL 2014

Dave Robertson has been named director of the Center for Business and Professional Development at UAFS. He replaces former director Pat Eller, who retired.

The center provides business consulting as well as customized development and training programs in areas including finance, human resources and management. Robertson will supervise six instructors, two staff members and numerous adjunct faculty members.

Describing the center as a “fabulous resource,” Robertson said he sees many opportunities for collaboration between the CBPD and the Family Enterprise Center, which he continues to direct. UAFS Chancellor Paul B. Beran, Ph.D., said Robertson is widely

respected and a “perfect fit” for CBPD director.

Robertson earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma and a master’s in business administration from Webster University. He has worked more than 25 years with local business and industry leaders.

Robertson Named CBPD Director

Warden Takes Helm in Workforce Development

2

Recognized as a statewide business development and training leader, the Center for Business and Professional Development at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith maintains a long-standing commitment to business and industry within the community. By partnering with companies to increase their productivity and competitive stance by developing the skills of their employees, the CBPD acts as a critical component to any management team.

“Our center does whatever we can do to increase the economic viability of the region,” said Kimberley Gordon, associate professor with the center since 2006.

The well-trained staff with over 80 years of combined private-industry experience provides a full range of services and training that can be customized on-site for noncredit development or for credit toward a degree. Training areas include corporate communications, leadership, technology, lean systems, industrial maintenance, strategic planning, interpersonal development and more.

Last year the center worked with more than 140 companies to provide training and other services. The partner list of nearly 300 is continually growing.

Dave Robertson, center director, said: “The faculty and staff of the CBPD are able to work with all levels of a company’s employees, from the top executives to the people on the front lines, to improve skills and effectiveness. They have a proven track record with a variety of local businesses and industries, and they are willing to adapt and adjust to meet a need with effective, efficient and economical real-world training.”

The CBPD has a 32-year history of service to local business and industry and is a vital player in the UAFS mission to advance economic development. If you are interested in becoming a partner or taking advantage of the training opportunities with the Center for Business and Professional Development, contact Karen Harmon at 479-788-7742 or karen.harmon@uafs.edu.

CBPD: Commitment to Business and Industry

Students attending the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith this fall will have new opportunities to learn and prepare for the workforce as the university introduces several new areas of study. The new programs will include majors in international business and finance as well as certificate programs in professional sales and robotics technology.

According to Georgia Hale, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, each new program meets a need at the university as well as the workforce demands of the community and the global economy.

The College of Business will introduce three of the new programs: the Bachelor of Business Administration in international business, the Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and the Certificate of Proficiency in professional sales.

The international business program was designed to prepare students to engage in businesses that cross national boundaries and to function in the global business environment. International business majors may ultimately choose to specialize in a

particular region, such as Asia and the Pacific, Eastern Europe, Central America or South America. Students in this program will gain a managerial and professional foundation preparing them to successfully navigate the sphere of national and international business, government and not-for-profit organizations.

The finance program was designed to prepare students for careers in financial management and analysis. Finance majors will develop a range of skills relevant to analysis and evaluation of financial information and gain an understanding of the financial services sector of the economy. Students will be prepared to enter positions in financial institutions and corporate entities requiring financial-management skills. The purpose of the program is to broaden the range of majors offered in the College of Business and to supply area employers with qualified employees.

The Certificate of Proficiency in professional sales was designed to develop students’ professional selling skills and competencies. According to research published by the Sales Education Foundation, over 50 percent of U.S. college

New Majors Available at UAFS

continued on page 3

Lauren Dunn | English TLVan Buren School DistrictMy internship at Butterfield Trail Middle School has given me the opportunity to expand my teaching skills and apply my knowledge learned in the courses that I have taken at UAFS. During my internship, I feel that I have grown as an individual and as an English teacher. It has made a positive impact on my

life knowing that I have impacted students’ lives. I have experienced learning opportunities with students, education and other teachers that have prepared me for the teaching career. Not only have I learned and grown during this experience, but I have also received exposure to possible future employers.

Emma Shockley | Rhetoric and WritingWe Care FoundationMy internship with the We Care Foundation this semester has benefited me in numerous ways. I have had many opportunities and have acquired many practical skills, including learning how to write and submit grant applications; communicating with families, doctors’ offices and DHS via email, phone

calls and fax; editing documents; and translating documents, fliers and brochures into Spanish. I feel that this internship has helped me to take what I have learned in the classroom and apply it to a real-world situation, giving me valuable experience that will aid me as I move into the job field after graduation.

Donald Duvall | Applied ScienceSLW Automotive I was able to experience an automobile tier-two supplier environment where quality and production are taken to the next level. Prior to my internship, I had always worked for companies that were on a smaller scale where quality and production were more relaxed. Seeing how strenuous automotive

specifications are gave me a new insight into the level of complexity of these companies, compared to other industries.

Breanna Harris | Psychology Perspectives Behavioral Health My internship at Perspectives has given me the opportunity to apply the concepts and knowledge I have learned in class to real-life scenarios. It has been an eye-opening experience to work in the mental health field and see how mental illness impacts the lives of those I serve. It has been a truly rewarding and

enlightening experience to work at Perspectives and to be engrossed in work that correlates with my field of study.

Joshua Briggs | ChemistryNestle Quality Assurance Intern My internship with Nestlé was a fantastic experience which allowed me to practice the skills that I had learned through my classes and also develop new skills that aren’t necessarily taught in classrooms. I feel the exposure to real-world analysis and an industrial laboratory setting has furthered my understanding

of what work in my field will really be like and allowed me to be more comfortable and confident working in laboratories. Furthermore, upon graduation and the completion of my internship, the company decided to hire me as a full-time chemistry technician, marking the official beginning of my career!

3

How have you benefited from your internship?

Holly Ricketts | Dental HygieneUAFS Clinical

My clinical experience at UAFS completely prepared me for my professional career as a dental hygienist. My instructors went above and beyond to prepare my classmates and me for our clinical and national boards, encouraging us along the way. I know that

I got the best of the best when it came to my education and multiple hours per week of hands-on clinical training!

graduates entering the workforce, regardless of major, enter sales as their first career. The Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics also reported sales as the second highest in job opportunities. UAFS and the College of Business recognize the value of this certificate and the skills students will be bringing to the workforce.

Margaret Tanner, interim dean of the College of Business, said of the new business offerings: “I am very excited about the prospect of offering these programs in the fall of 2014. The new majors and the certificate program will add to the range of our quality programs and will allow us to better meet the needs of the business community and the students who we serve.”

The College of Applied Science and Technology will also introduce a new certificate program this fall, in the field of robotics technology. Students in robotics technology will develop hands-on skills in installing, commissioning and maintaining a robot system as well as design and implement robot programming projects. The program is also designed to provide robotics training to the surrounding community.

“At least 21 companies use some type of robotics at their facility, and we will be producing people who are ready to be trainees in this area,” Hale said.

Robotics is becoming a desired enhancement to existing and new production processes that afford businesses an opportunity to compete in the global marketplace.

The robotics program was developed with funding, equipment and other support from Gov. Mike Beebe and Baldor Electric Co. in recognition of the need for trained robotics technicians in local industry as well as across the region and nation. The new certificate puts UAFS in line to provide those much-needed personnel.

If you are interested in learning more about the new degrees and the job opportunities or internship programs available, contact the Career Services Office at 479-788-7017 or careerservices@uafs.edu.

continued from page 2

Career Fair and Grad School ExpoThursday, Oct. 16, 2014Smith-Pendergraft Campus CenterReynolds Room 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Psychology Symposium Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center Reynolds Room8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Education Career FairWednesday, Feb. 25, 2015Smith-Pendergraft Campus CenterReynolds Room 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Spring Career FairThursday, March 12, 2015 Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center Reynolds Room11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Criminal Justice SymposiumThursday, March 19, 2015 Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center Reynolds Room8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

4

2014-15 Calendar of Events

UAFS Experiential Learning Participationtaken from Career Services Outcome Survey

Follow Usfacebook.com/uafscareerservices • twitter.com/UAFSCareerServLinkedin.com • University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Alumni

The Doug and Kathy Babb Student

Professional Development Center

Ron OrickDirector

Career Services Staff

Monique ForehandCoordinator

Julie MosleyDirector of

Career Services

Jan MartinezAdministrative

Specialist

610

2012-13

488

2011-12 2010-11

430

52.2% (430 out of 824) of graduates participated in an internship or experiential learning opportunity.

57% (610 out of 1,070) of graduates participated in an internship or experiential learning opportunity.

69 percent survey participation rate

79 percent survey participation rate68 percent survey participation rate

50.8% (488 out of 960) of graduates participated in an internship or experiential learning opportunity.