Nontraditional students have nontraditional costs. Your donation will help ADCP students pay for things like prior learning portfolio credits and CLEP exams as well as tuition and fees. About our Project The Adult Degree Completion Program serves adults over the age of 25 who work full time and have at least 30 college credits. Students can receive course credit for their professional experience, military training, and volunteer work through a portfolio process. Students in this program receive individualized attention including assistance with advising, navigating financial aid, and meeting graduation requirements. Eight-week, fully online course options have made the ADCP an effective way for working adults to complete their bachelor’s degree while saving time and money. Since ADCP students are working adults, often with families to support, managing the cost of college can be difficult. Portfolio credits cost $120. CLEP exams cost close to $100. Books can easily top $100 for just one course. These costs can become insurmountable when also faced with housing costs, kid’s school supplies, and grocery bills. Many adult students fall through the cracks for scholarships. They are either too old, have too many credits, or their GPA from their first attempt at college is not high enough. This ADCP Scholarship Fund will directly assist our adult learners by relieving the financial burden of college. Did you know? 67% of college students work; 40% of them work full time 54 % of college students are not first time students 37% of college students are 25 or older With a donation to the ADCP Scholarship Fund, you are helping working adults achieve their dreams of obtaining a college degree to better themselves and better our community. Funds will be used for ADCP students paying for portfolio credits, CLEP/DSST exams, tuition, fees, and books. For more information about our program, please visit: https://uafs.edu/adcp/index.php

Gifts to Areas of Greatest Need empower UAFS to address its most critical priorities – providing university leadership with resources to face unprecedented circumstances. These vital funds offer the university the flexibility to prioritize our students' needs, take advantage of rising opportunities across campus, and react quickly to unanticipated challenges. The past few years have been great examples of how quickly situations can change and how important the means to respond to sudden change can be.

Help us make the Professional Clothing Closet an amazing experience for our students in need of business attire. About our Clothing Closet The UAFS Career Services office is excited to renovate and reimagine the Career Clothing Closet on our campus. The Closet has professional clothing items of many styles and sizes available for UAFS Students to utilize for an interview, job, internship, or any event requiring business attire. Local community professionals have donated their clean, gently used professional clothing items such as dress shirts, suits, skirts, pants, ties, belts, dresses, shoes, and more. All of these items are offered to students at no charge, and they can keep those items. We are utilizing space in the 51 Street Annex building – we have one room for men’s clothing and another room for women’s clothing, adjoined by a changing room/restroom. Each room has a vanity with two closets, but we desperately need additional clothing racks, shoe racks, and storage for ties, belts, and donations. We also need signage in the building and in front of the building, so students know where we are located. With costs rising all over the country, it can easily cost over $350 for a full suit, including a shirt, coordinating pants/skirt, jacket, and shoes. We know that many of our students must carefully budget to pay bills, buy groceries, and pay tuition. UAFS prides itself on our career-driven education, and the Clothing Closet is another way we can provide students with the tools and confidence they need walking into an interview or new job. Our Career Services staff can make sure they have 2-3 pieces of clothing to put together several professional outfits. We hope to purchase popular clothing pieces (like black pants and dress socks) in multiple sizes to have more contemporary, new options available for students. We are in the early stages of developing a “Regalia Rental” option for students to borrow a cap and gown for graduation if they cannot purchase one. "This Clothing Closet is one of my favorites, yet one of our most under-utilized resources on campus. This space has so much potential! We are excited to make it more of a shopping experience with a boutique feel so that students feel comfortable picking out clothing items just as if they were in a retail store. When a student has an interview or new job opportunity, we want to give them all the tools they need to succeed. This is just another way we can make our Lions career-ready without worrying about the cost of a new suit or professional outfit.” -Susan Krafft, Executive Director of Career Services “I am an Education Major living on a smaller income. While in the School of Education, we are required to dress and act professionally. Every day I am out in the local schools observing and being observed. I have never had a professional wardrobe before the program. I found out about the Clothing Closet at the Annex. I made my way over in hopes of finding something that fit and would help me feel more professional among my peers. I found not only that but helpful and kind service. I am a plus-sized woman, and the closet had plenty to choose from, including shoes! I left the Clothing Closet with an armful of professional dressed clothing and a smile on my face. This is an amazing and FREE service that is provided and should be taken advantage of!” -Amber Williams, Middle Childhood Education Major Follow UAFS Career Services on Social!

The College of Business and Industry scholarship targets high-performing students (3.8 to 4.0 GPA) that may yet need tuition assistance. These funds will be used to assist qualifying students based on performance and tuition needs. About our Scholarship The College of Business and Industry graduates more than 300 students each academic year. These students fill technical and professional positions in our region that are identified as being knowledge-intense positions. These particular positions are extremely difficult for our industry partners to fill. Therefore, assisting these students with their tuition and academic rigor directly assists our region in being strategically competitive. The purpose of this project is to create an outright scholarship fund for the College of Business and Industry to utilize for assisting high-performing students. These funds will be used to specifically assist sophomore, junior, and senior-level students that have established outstanding academic performance records and still require financial assistance covering their tuition expenses. Majors within CBI Accounting Animation Technology Applied Science Automotive Technology Business Administration Computer Graphic Technology Diesel Technology Electrical Engineering Technology Electronics Technology Finance General Technology Industrial Electronics and Electrical Maintenance International Business Logistics Operations Marketing Office Management Technology Organizational Leadership Unmanned Aerial Systems Welding Workforce Leadership

UAFS Men and Women’s XC is seeking funds to purchase new uniforms for our growing roaster. We have a goal of $2,000 which will be used to outfit a total of 28 athletes. About our Project Our team has doubled over the past four years, and we do not have enough uniforms to cover this increase in team size. In 2018 we had six men and eight women on the Cross-Country team fast forward to 2021 we have fourteen men and twelve women. Looking forward to the 2022 fall season we will potentially have an even larger roaster of fourteen men and thirteen women. With this growth we will need new uniforms for both of our teams. Our athletes represent UAFS against thousands of other college runners. During our season we compete not only against NCAA D2 schools from the Lone Star Conference, but we also compete against NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and Junior College teams from across the nation. For us to stand out and represent Fort Smith we will purchase uniforms designed with Fort Smith right on the front along with LIONS going down the back of the uniforms. "We have an excellent group of athletes spanning all major degree fields at UAFS. They work just as hard in the classroom as they do on the XC course. Our kids get up early at 6 a.m. every morning running countless miles to prepare for our season." - Coach Mason Rhodes Meet our Team We currently have students pursuing degrees in: Nursing, Business, Education, & Pre-Medical Alumni degree field: Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Radiography, Education, & Business. Where are UAFS Athletes from: Arkansas, Oklahoma, & Texas Current Team Size Growth: Men 2018 (6) - 2022 (14) Women 2018 (8) – 2022 (13) Fall Race Schedule: "Playing sports in college was a childhood dream of mine. I am so thankful Coach Rhodes and UAFS Cross Country made my dream come true. UAFS XC was not only rewarding athletically, but also brought me some of my closest friends." - Katie Eichelmann Follow UAFS Cross Country on Social!

We are creating a financial need-based scholarship program to help first-year students cover the cost of Cub Camp, our student-led extended orientation program. We know that students who attend Cub Camp are retained at a higher rate and have higher GPAs. We want every student to have the opportunity to participate in Cub Camp. About Cub Camp The inaugural Cub Camp took place before the start of the fall term in 2004, and upperclassmen have worked together to plan and execute a Cub Camp program for the incoming freshman class every year since. The cost to attend Cub Camp is $55 per student. For their money, students receive meals, a camp t-shirt, entertainment, and memories that will last a lifetime. We host Cub Camp for two reasons. First, the transition from high school to college can be difficult. Cub Camp helps to ease that transition. Our upperclassmen spend time in discussion groups talking about their college experience and sharing tips and tricks for thriving in college. They also talk about the pitfalls and mistakes to avoid. Second, we want students to feel connected to their peers, upperclassmen, the faculty, and staff. We want students who attend Cub Camp to feel more like sophomores than freshmen on the first day of class. We hope that they’ll make friendships and connections that will enrich their UAFS experience, but we also hope that they’ll feel comfortable coming to our faculty and staff with issues they encounter along the way. We know that students who face financial barriers have a lot to overcome to succeed in college. Cub Camp could be the beginning of a support network that will help them succeed. A Message from the Dean of Students I attended my first Cub Camp in the fall of 2012, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had always heard good things about Cub Camp. The students who attended the program seemed to love it, but when Cub Camp was explained to me in detail, I had my doubts. Cub Camp, after all, takes newly minted high school graduates and asks them to pour out their cool cup, meet a bunch of new people all at once, be vulnerable about their questions and concerns about the college experience, and learn and perform a dance in front of the entire camp. When that first Cub Camp was over, I was hooked. Everything they said would happen did, and the students who attended camp became leaders on campus. They also came back to become counselors, chairs, c-staff (crew) members, and directors. Over the years, I have known students who, through Cub Camp, have made life-long friends, found mentors, and a few have even met their future spouses. For others, Cub Camp has inspired them to go on to work in higher education or event planning. My point is that Cub Camp has the power to change lives. We know that students who attend Cub Camp tend to be retained at a higher rate and have higher GPAs than those who do not attend. Cub Camp is the best way for a UAFS Lion to begin their college career, and I want every student to have this opportunity. -Dave Stevens, Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs and Dean of Students Follow UAFS Cub Camp on Social!

Help support UAFS's new eSports program! The UAFS Digital Lions eSports Program is a budding initiative in student retention, built around the promising development of esports teams across colleges and universities. Funding this project not only aids student retention and recruitment, but it helps to support a program that benefits students involved in a multitude of ways: fostering teamwork, building interpersonal and group communication, time management, organization, and problem-solving skills, as well as physical and mental benefits such as enhancing hand-eye coordination, attention spans, and visual processing. About our Program We are an inclusive organization that strives to offer a fun community for gamers who range from casual to competitive. We focus on games available for competitive eSports based on the demands and requests from students such as League of Legends, Valorant, Smash Bros, and Pokemon. We are always looking for new and interested students to show their skills and express their interest. Thus, if we don’t play a game you may be competitive in let us know and get involved so we can look into adding you and your team to the program! The UAFS Digital Lions eSports Program is a budding initiative in student retention, built around the promising development of esports teams across colleges and universities. Funding this project not only aids student retention and recruitment, but it helps to support a program that benefits students involved in a multitude of ways: fostering teamwork, building interpersonal and group communication, time management, organization, and problem-solving skills, as well as physical and mental benefits such as enhancing hand-eye coordination, attention spans, and visual processing. Funds will be used in several ways, first and foremost to purchase personalized uniforms for students who make one of the four planned eSports teams within the program. Beyond that, we will use funds to supplement equipment needs, pay for tournament registration and travel, and supplies for our eSports lab. eSports are a billion-dollar competitive video gaming industry, with tournaments/matches that take place on the local, national, and global scale. Public and private universities across the country have recognized the potential of this new collegiate sport and UAFS intends to be the first in our area. Additional funding will help us grow and support the program so that we are able to offer better scholarships and support for the students on our teams. We also have additional recruiting and retention power with the program, as we have already piqued the interest of local college-bound high school students involved with their respective school eSports teams. Stay Connected eSports! For more information, email UAFSeSports@uafs.edu

The General Scholarship Fund provides broad-based support to University of Arkansas - Fort Smith students from all backgrounds. It can be used to support need or merit, any major or GPA, and traditional or non-traditional students. This flexible scholarship fund provides UAFS the ability to adapt the support to its dynamic student body's changing needs and ensure that UAFS remains the most affordable university in Arkansas.

Your gift will provide matching scholarships to our Jumpstart national service members who dedicate their time to serving those most in need in our community, our children! About our Project Jumpstart Arkansas is our AmeriCorps national service program on campus. Our members are college students who serve under-resourced children in local preschools. Members commit to serve 300 hours during a school year to help the children they serve increase their language, literacy, and social-emotional skills while forming trusting relationships with caring adults. Jumpstart is working toward the day when every child enters kindergarten ready to succeed! Our members are a diverse group of college students from a variety of majors who are dedicated to bettering our community through early childhood education. Members serve an average of 10-15 hours per week during the school year without receiving an hourly wage. In addition to their service, several members work multiple jobs while taking a full-time course load. Most also plan to pursue careers in service sectors. Upon completion of 300 hours of service, members receive a $1,342 scholarship from AmeriCorps. We would like to match that amount on our campus for as many members as possible. Let's demonstrate that service is valued on our campus and in our community by assisting these individuals with finishing college with less of a financial burden. Not only will the project assist this group of students, but the matching scholarships will allow UAFS to become recognized nationally as an AmeriCorps School of National Service, potentially bringing more service-minded students to our campus. "Through the AmeriCorps Jumpstart Grant, students who complete 300 hours of service are eligible for a $1,342 Segal Educational Award. We are proud of this opportunity that can be provided to students. However, the chance to increase this award for members who struggle financially yet still choose to serve their community through working with our youngest learners thrills me. Students serving their communities while attending the university deserve the highest assistance we can provide. This project would allow students to be retained at the university and complete a bachelor’s degree without a heavy financial burden upon graduation. Join us in making college more affordable for our national service members!” -Dr. Monica Riley, Executive Director of the School of Education and Jumpstart Campus Champion Did you know? Awarded over $33,000 in Segal Educational Awards from AmeriCorps since 2020 25 members have successfully completed their full 300 hour term of service since 2020 Our members major in education, dental hygiene, nursing, criminal justice, social work, and international business. For more information about our program, please visit our website! Follow UAFS Jumpstart on Social!

Help us send our pre-medical students to the Student National Medical Association Conferences. This project will enable driven and intelligent students the opportunity to learn from leaders in medicine. About our Project This project was created to send minority students to the regional and national Student National Medical Association (SNMA) conferences. These conferences are the perfect place to be for any pre-medical student. There will be breakout sessions, networking events, and over 200 exhibitors. There will be current medical students and physicians to learn from. The conferences also allow us to present any research projects we’ve completed. Funds will be used for conference admission, travel, and hotel. There will be many workshops to better equip students to be leaders of our pre-medical and STEM community at UAFS. We seek to provide a vibrant community of pre-medical-focused young adults to UAFS who will give back more than they are given. These two conferences will provide the opportunities and environment to influence our representatives at these events to be the best they can be. This will aid in creating a culture of excellence back on campus that will impact both current and future students at UAFS. "MAPS has given me opportunities in college I never would have experienced had I not decided to join this organization. Sharing common interests with fellow peers has given me a sense of community and has made the road to medical school so much easier!" - Emma Booker, MAPS Vice President "The goal of MAPS is to provide underrepresented pre-medical students with knowledge and experiences that they may not otherwise be able to achieve. This will strengthen and diversify the medical workforce and allow for cultural competence in the next generations of medical professionals. Attending the regional and national conferences hosted by the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), the partner organization of MAPS, will allow UAFS students to network with students and professionals in medical fields and provide a wealth of experiences that would not otherwise be available. It is a critical opportunity for our students to grow as pre-medical students and contribute locally, regionally, and nationally in their areas of interest." - Dr. Jordan Mader, MAPS Advisor Meet our Students! Alisha Khan Amaica Howard Berenice Garcia Camille Lear Charis Shure Claudia Macall Cris Rodriguez Daniela hernandez Danielle Randolph Emily Blitz Emily Cruz Emma Booker Erin Burney Ethan moore Ethan Fielding Kairy Galvez Karen Garduza Karla Donas Martinez Kaylee Kendall Kenia Mendez Kenzie Tallakson Khurera Iqbal Mackenzie O'Kelley Maddie Holland Maria Salas Nathaniel Gonzales Nelly Ortiz Nick Lewis Olivia Chankheo Paula Najera-Diaz Rodney Mosley Sierra Wilson Skye Calvillo Sydney Du Tran Nguyen Vanessa Gonzalez William Romero Follow UAFS MAPS on Instagram!

Read This is a community-wide literacy program that aims to select thoughtful books and provide programming about diverse communities around us and bring to light important social issues that foster discussion and mutual understanding. About our Project The Read This program is a multidisciplinary literacy program, which originated in the English Department and has extended throughout UAFS and the community. We provide programming relevant to the selected book. Read This is a great way to bring our students together with the community while also covering important social issues to help us all be more culturally aware. Such lessons and interactions can help make our university and community better citizens and human beings. Funds will be used to invite off-campus guest speakers or towards the expenses associated with author visits; prizes for writing/art contests or other projects or activities; printing and advertising costs, and many more possibilities. Our Books & Authors Testimonials "Bringing a community together to discuss a book/topic creates opportunities for new and different ideas and perspectives to be discovered and discussed." ― Rene Wilson Myers, Scott-Sebastian Regional Library "What draws me most to the Read This Program is the tremendous respect I have for all the research that goes into creating a book like Killers of the Flower Moon. Not only do we gain knowledge from reading the book, but we also get to participate in many fun and interesting events. I have learned many fascinating facts about my hometown Fort Smith through the book launch. Book club is a great place to not just learn about the book but for fellowship and friendship. I highly recommend getting involved in Read This!" ― Joshua Hawk Hays, Computer Graphic Technology-Architectural Follow us on Social!

The Student Emergency Assistance Program provides direct financial assistance to students facing emergencies. This program covers everything from car repairs and housing damage to essential utilities and medical care—financial burdens that have the potential to delay or derail students' progress towards a degree. This program helps keep their dreams alive, and it's made possible by contributions from donors like you. Thank you! For more information, email StudentEmergencyAssistanceProgram@uafs.edu

Studying abroad is a life-changing experience for our students, personally and academically. Help them get there by contributing to this merit-based scholarship. About our Scholarship These funds will cover a full merit scholarship for a UAFS undergraduate to study abroad in Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP), Mexico. Recognized by M.I.T. as a member of EdNET and affiliated with the Harvard School of Business, this university is a center for innovation and the study of language and culture. UPAEP is located in the beautiful and temperate city of Puebla, in central Mexico, rich in history and culture. The Battle of Puebla, for example, celebrated in the United States as the fiesta of “Cinco de Mayo,” took place here May 5, 1862. In addition to a rigorous academic program of Spanish and Latin American history, this study-abroad opportunity gives students 24-hour immersion in Mexican culture and language, as they are housed with carefully selected Mexican families. Students acquire cultural competency as well as Spanish fluency as they explore the ruins of Teotihuacán and Monte Albán, travel to Oaxaca and Mexico City with their cohort, and discover pre-Columbian traditions still practiced in the town of Cuetzalan. The $5,000 scholarship covers the following: roundtrip airfare, tuition, room and board, and professionally guided field trips including hotel and fees. “UAFS prepares students to succeed in an ever-changing global world. This scholarship opens doors for students who would otherwise be unable to take advantage of an opportunity to explore the rich and wonderful world outside of US borders.” -Dr. Mary A Sobhani, head of the World Langauges Department Student Testimonials “I was impressed by the coexistence of so many cultures and ethnicities. My time in the university inspired me to expand my knowledge of the world and helped me understand the depth of how entwined we are as a society on a global scale.” –Jordan Pomeroy, 2018 Study Abroad Graduate "It didn’t last long enough. It really was hard to go home (I cried the whole plane ride home.) You should start a program where the students ‘accidentally’ disappear for a year or two." —Rachel Smith Jordan, 2007 Study Abroad Graduate "I felt safe the entire time I was in Mexico. Safety was the primary concern for my family when I first considered going on this trip. After being there a month, I have to say that safety was not an issue for me whatsoever. As long as you are smart, such as, not going downtown at 3 a.m., just as you would not do here in Fort Smith, etc., there is nothing to worry about." –Stephanie Waack (Longley) 2010 Study Abroad Participant "The excursions were grand. The best ones to “Las Estacas” (a natural park) and the Folkloric Ballet of Mexico. The others were also impressive, like the one to Teotihuacan and the Frida Kahlo Museum." –Isaac Navarro, 2010 Study Abroad Participant. Connect with Study Abroad on Facebook!

The library offers textbooks for general education courses. Help us buy more to serve our students! About our Project Boreham Library is here to make our students’ lives easier in every way we can. One of our projects to help reduce students’ education costs is our Textbook Share Program. For several years, through this initiative, we’ve provided copies of textbooks required by general education courses. Our Textbook Share Program has been in high demand: in the past fiscal year, the total circulation of our reserve items, including textbooks, has collectively saved UAFS students over $5,000! Textbook prices have seen dramatic increases in recent years, with the cost of an average textbook ranging from $80-$150 or more. We’ve heard from students and faculty that students often can’t buy all their textbooks because of juggling escalating textbook costs and providing for other needs. Having access to textbooks helps students keep up and succeed in their courses. Through this project, we want to expand our Textbook Share Program beyond the general education courses we’re currently buying textbooks, promoting student success at every level. This mission can be made possible through gifts to UAFS from generous friends and donors. How will funds be used? All funds will be used to enhance our existing Textbook Share Program for the 2022-2023 academic year. To maximize the effectiveness of raised funds, library faculty will analyze text costs and enrollment trends to identify high need areas that would most benefit from an expansion in the Textbook Share Program. Once purchased, the books will be processed per normal library procedure and made available for students to check out. Why should people feel good about this? By contributing to Boreham Library’s Textbook Share Program, donors are helping UAFS students access textbooks for their courses and relieve a source of financial stress. Students who are waiting on their books to be delivered, forgot their books but need them right away, or want to catch up on readings and assignments between classes will also benefit. Connect with the Boreham Library on Social!

Help UAFS Volleyball team get to Alaska! About our Project UAFS Volleyball has the opportunity to play in a preseason tournament in Alaska next September. We are using this trip as a team bonding experience to create team cohesion so every player and staff will attend. Players and staff will spend two days playing in the tournament and one day exploring the surrounding areas together. The funds raised will be used to help with the cost of flights and hotels for the volleyball team and staff. We have 25 players and staff that will travel. The cost of this trip is approximately $35,000 so any funds raised would greatly help our efforts for planning this trip. Funding this project would allow our players a once in a lifetime opportunity to play the sport they love and discover the unique culture, landscape, and wildlife that Alaska has to offer. Preseason trips are important in that they create team bonds that set the tone for the season and for the girls to be successful together. Long after their volleyball careers are over at UAFS, the players will remember the wonderful memories they share together from experiences like these. Perspective "My name is Maddie Stojanovic (Gilliam), a Fort Smith native, and my college career began in the Fall of 2014 as a UA Fort Smith Lady Lion Volleyball Player. I believe the UAFS volleyball program, Coach Sargent, and my experiences as a colligate athlete continue to play an instrumental role in my preparedness for life and my identity outside of being a retired volleyball player. Transitioning out of a collegiate athletic career isn’t an easy feat, especially since many athletes spend most of their lives devoting their focus and heart into a sport that inevitably comes to an end. If you would have asked me what’s most important while on the team, I most likely would have responded with answers along the lines of my hitting percentages, my quality of passes, actually “holding” my platform while on serve receive... But looking back, I know my most valuable take aways from my time as a UAFS volleyball player are the memories and relationships that I’ve shared along the way. I have been blessed to travel extensively both professionally and personally in the last several years (5 continents, 15 countries) and have found that each time I return home, having interacted with the world around me and humans in it, I have deepened my understanding of how alike people truly are, regardless of the language they speak or the dinner on their table at night (If they have any that is). Perspective cannot be taught, given, or bought, but I strongly believe that this world would be a better place if we all had ceased an opportunity to gain it. Please let this serve as my outstanding “Thank you” to all those donors of the UAFS volleyball team before me and as I had called it home. Because of you and your confidence in the program, lives have been enriched and opportunities have been given. If you find yourself with the flexibility to financially contribute to the upcoming season of the UA Fort Smith Lady Lions, without reservation, I ask that you consider doing so as it had both literally and figuratively opened my world. F. Scott Fitzgerald said it best, “It’s a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes, everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realize what’s changed is you.'" -Maddie Stojanovic, Class of 2018, former UAFS Volleyball Player Follow UAFS Volleyball on Instagram!