Arkansas Alumni Non-Traditional Student Leadership Award

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Regina Hamrick, recipient for 2017

Regina Hamrick will receive the 2017 Arkansas Alumni Association Non-Traditional Student Leadership Award at the Student Involvement Awards Ceremony to be held on April 26 at the University of Arkansas. This award is co-sponsored each year by Off-Campus Student Services and the Arkansas Alumni Association.

A non-traditional student is defined as an undergraduate student with one or more of the following characteristics: 25 years or older, with dependents, married, returning to school after a period of time, G.E.D. instead of high school diploma, works full-time, financially independent, or part-time student.  Along with academic eligibility, this award evaluates and acknowledges challenging personal situations or environment, leadership on and/or off campus (including family, community service, or career development), impactful academic experiences, and promise for the future.

Single mother, full-time student, part-time extended family caregiver, full-time hospital health coach, community volunteer and encourager…  These words describe this year's recipient who returned to college after a series of challenges kept her from fulfilling her educational plans.

A junior majoring in interdisciplinary studies focusing on communication, social work and child advocacy in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Hamrick said, "My college education is a validation of my worth."

She is fulfilling a personal goal and, at the same time, serving as a role model for her children. As a single parent with two active, young children, Hamrick balances motherhood with a full-time job and being a full-time college student. She admits that it is not an easy path.  But she hasn't allowed the difficulties or obstacles to hold her back. Instead, she has chosen to stay positive and determined — knowing that she is on this journey for her children as much as for herself. 

While attending the university, Hamrick remains an involved parent to Matthew, age 10, and Zoe, age 6. She supports their endeavors, such as Odyssey of the Mind, t-ball, and football. She also enjoys helping with community events, attending campus lectures, and participating in University research projects. In addition, Hamrick is also a part-time caregiver to her courageous mother, assisting with the many complex issues involved in fighting a serious illness. Time constraints aside, she has mastered the art of scheduling in order to manage her very busy and full life.

Hamrick credits her children, Matthew and Zoe, her parents, and the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Benton County for their continued encouragement and support. They help her stay focused on her dream of earning a degree from the University of Arkansas and being a true Razorback.

About Office-Campus Student Services: Off-Campus Student Services, a department within the Division of Student Affairs, educates and advocates for off-campus undergraduates and non-traditional students at the University of Arkansas to advance their success at the institution through programming, services, and campus and community resource referrals.