Arkansas and area high school seniors and transfer students will meet four new admissions personnel as recruitment efforts for the entering class of 2009 begin in late August. Sonia Williford-Gill, Jeffery Adam Kearney, Michelle Ryel and Brooke Flemister were recently appointed admissions counselors and join seven other recruitment professionals. Annually, these admissions counselors meet with more than 4,000 students on campus, place 12,000 phone calls to prospective transfer students and freshmen, and staff hundreds of college fairs and visits to schools.

Sonia Williford-Gill is a native of Arlington, Texas, and an alumna of the University of Alabama. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and criminal justice as well as a Master of Arts in anthropology. She answers incoming e-mail traffic, communicates electronically with applicants, maintains the office’s presence on social networking sites, and supervises the office’s phone recruiting staff.

Jeffery Adam Kearney is a recent graduate of the University of Arkansas, having earned both a Bachelor of Arts in political science and public administration as well as a Master of Arts in political science from the institution. Originally from Pine Bluff, Kearney will work with students in central Arkansas and travel extensively throughout the state and region this fall.

Michelle Ryel, too, is an alumna of the University of Arkansas. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in accounting from the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Although she is originally from Claremore, Okla., Ryel will be part of a two-person team recruiting in Texas this year.

Brooke Flemister, a native of Monticello, graduated from the University of Arkansas-Monticello this spring with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Flemister brings experience in recruitment with her having worked as a student ambassador for her alma mater. She will travel throughout northeast Arkansas this fall.

“We’re excited to welcome Sonia, Jeffery, Michelle, and Brooke to the admissions team” said interim director of admissions Karen Hodges. “Each brings an extraordinary amount of energy to the office, and each has already begun to develop strategies to recruit more students to the university.”

To learn more about the office’s recruitment team, visit http://admissions.uark.edu/map/.