FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Five University of Arkansas administrators and faculty members — Todd Shields, G. David Gearhart, Claretha Hughes, Charlene Johnson-Carter and Stacy Leeds — will be honored with lifetime achievement awards by the Northwest Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus on Saturday, April 22.

The fifth annual Barack Obama Celebrating Diversity in Education event will be held at 7 p.m. at the Fayetteville Country Club, 3335 S. Country Club Dr., Fayetteville, Ark. 72701. The keynote speaker will be Mireya Rieth, chair of the Arkansas Department of Education. The banquet's proceeds will go to minority political science students at the University of Arkansas.

Shields is the dean of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Science. Gearhart is a professor in the College of Education and Health Professions and was the fifth chancellor of the university from 2008 to 2015. Hughes and Johnson-Carter are associate professors in the College of Education and Health Professions. Leeds is a dean and professor of law in the School of Law.

Other honorees include UA alumna Aterra Lowe, fifth-grade teacher at the Bentonville Public Schools, and Erica Holiday, associate professor of computer information systems at NorthWest Arkansas Community College.

The caucus will also recognize UA alumnus Tyler B. Clark, chair of the Washington County Democratic Central Committee, for his commitment to activism within the community. 

The attire is formal/black tie and tickets are $60. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at nwadbc2017.eventbrite.com. Sponsorship is available. Seating is limited and tickets must be purchased by April 20, 2017. Minority educators interested in attending are asked to RSVP April 14. For more information about the event or sponsorship packages, contact D'Andre Jones at nwademocraticblackcaucus@gmail.com for details and/or check out the Northwest Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus Facebook page.