The College of Education and Health Professions set out on its second WE CARE-A-VAN tour in mid-March, touring alongside the verdant countryside to the southwest nook of Arkansas.

Twenty-two college, employees and directors joined Dean Kate Mamiseishvili on the two-day spring 2024 tour with stops in Hope, Texarkana, De Queen and Mena.

On Thursday morning, March 14, the caravan of automobiles adopted a scenic path to the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope-Texarkana (UAHT). The UAHT management crew, together with Chancellor Christine Holt, supplied a heat welcome. Over lunch, Holt shared about UAHT’s historical past and development. The faculty has 1,300 college students throughout three campuses in Hempstead County. She additionally shared about a number of new initiatives, together with UAHT’s Collegiate Academy, which permits highschool college students to earn a two-year diploma, in order that they have two diplomas on commencement day.

In flip, Mamiseishvili supplied particulars concerning the faculty’s WE CARE-A-VAN excursions, which permit the faculty to serve Arkansas higher. The excursions had been amongst numerous key actions that got here from the faculty’s WE CARE strategic plan.

“We believe that access to quality education and healthcare is a fundamental right and the foundation for each person’s success and every community’s well-being,” Mamiseishvili informed the group, noting that the excursions assist construct new partnerships, strengthen relationships and take care of communities throughout the state. “Care is the identity we embrace in the college.”

After lunch, the 2 groups broke into small teams to debate collaborative well being, training and growth alternatives and greatest practices.

A contingent additionally traveled to Hope Public Schools’ district workplace to go to with Superintendent Jonathan Crossley and different college leaders, together with Marilyn Marks, principal of Hope Academy of Public Service; Ashlea Stewart, principal of William Jefferson Clinton Primary; and Laura Gray, the district’s English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) coordinator. Gray is an alumna of the College of Education and Health Professions’ IMPACT Arkansas Principal Fellowship, an modern program that trains future leaders for high-poverty colleges all through Arkansas.

That night, the caravanners could not resist a fast go to to “photographer’s island” on their method to a reception with space metropolis officers, college leaders, alumni and employees from numerous outreach packages for a reception. One of Texarkana’s distinctive options is having the one U.S. Post Office sitting in two separate states. The crew snapped pictures exterior the working publish workplace and federal courthouse whereas formally standing in Arkansas and Texas.

The reception was only a few blocks away at Verona restaurant, situated in Texarkana’s historic downtown, which has seen sturdy revitalization previously a number of years. The occasion was properly attended, and visitors included the Arkansas mayor, metropolis supervisor, Chamber of Commerce representatives, college officers and directors, medical professionals, alumni and extra.

“It’s just a pleasure to have you here. Come on back,” Texarkana, Arkansas, Mayor Allen Brown mentioned in remarks through the reception. “We just keep growing and growing.”

Mamiseishvili informed the gang that she could not wait to return house and add push pins to the WE CARE-A-VAN-focused map of Arkansas in her workplace. She assured visitors that she did not simply need to tour the state for the sake of it. “Serving Arkansas is the centerpiece of our strategic plan,” she mentioned.

The reception buzzed with significant conversations, together with plans for future collaborations and reminiscing.

On Friday, the gang traveled to De Queen to tour the Sevier County Medical Center, which opened its doorways a month after COVID-19 shut-downs began. CEO Lori House, an alumna from the College of Education and Health Professions’ Human Resource Development program, and hospital board member Steve Cole gave a tour of the spectacular facility. They shared concerning the hospital’s numerous providers, that are very important to De Queen residents and people in surrounding areas. In its first yr, the power noticed greater than 13,000 sufferers. In addition to emergency providers, the medical middle homes imaging/radiology providers, numerous remedy providers, speech remedy, superior wound care, a coronary heart clinic and extra. The facility additionally has two helipads subsequent to a wooded space that includes a strolling path for hospital employees, sufferers and the general public.

Following the hospital tour, the WE CARE-A-VAN cruised roughly eight minutes to the University of Arkansas Cossatot Community College. Cole, additionally the longtime chancellor of UA Cossatot, welcomed the crew and introduced particulars concerning the historical past, mission and college students on the neighborhood faculty. The crew visited with numerous college and employees who work in well being and education schemes at Cossatot, brainstorming about future connections and collaborations.

After the Cossatot go to, most members of the Fayetteville crew traveled again to the Hill. Mamiseishvili and several other others made their method to Mena to go to the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain. Chancellor Phillip Wilson was a scholar in one of many first programs Mamiseishvili taught as the next training college member on the U of A. Vice Chancellor for Academics Krystal Thrailkill can be a graduate of the upper training doctoral program on the U of A.

Mamiseishvili mentioned the complete two-day journey was phenomenal.

“We had such a wonderful visit,” she mentioned. “The company was great, and we had so many wonderful conversations. I’m excited about all the new connections and plans that directly resulted from visiting these various Arkansas cities. I’m thrilled to see our WE CARE-A-VAN map populating with more push pins.”

The first WE CARE-A-VAN tour was within the fall of 2023. The faculty plans to go to colleges, clinics, alumni and different stakeholders throughout the state within the spring and fall going ahead.

About the College of Education and Health Professions: The College of Education and Health Professions’ six departments put together college students for a variety of careers in training and well being. In addition to its longstanding position of making ready educators and academic leaders, the faculty trains nurses, speech-language pathologists, public well being specialists, recreation and sports activities professionals, counselors, occupational therapists, athletic trainers, and train scientists.