University Housing Mourns the Passing of a Long-time Staff Member

Photo Submitted

Carolyn Sohn worked at the U of A for 33 years.

Carolyn Sohn, an assignments staff member for University Housing, passed away Saturday, May 8. 

She worked at the university for 33 years. Her first job was with Residence Dining Services as a student worker at the Holcombe Dining Hall. 

Sohn then became a full-time cook at Pomfret Dining Hall. She moved into a clerk-typist position at Pomfret Hall and then became an accounting tech with Residence Life and Dining Services. 

For the last 20 years, she worked in the assignments area where she worked with campus partners such as athletics and international student offices, assisting them with the student housing contract process. 

Sohn was able to watch the merger of Residence Dining Services with Residence Life as well as Residence Life and Dining Service's transition to University Housing after the university contracted with the Compass Group/Chartwells for dining service operations. She was a great resource for departmental (and campus) knowledge and history.

"Having the opportunity to work with and have Carolyn as a friend was a blessing. Her memory is a treasure to hold onto. She was loved beyond words and will be missed beyond measure," said Flo Johnson, assistant vice chancellor for University Housing. 

Alisha Gilbride, associate director for administrative services, said, "Carolyn was an invaluable resource to the University of Arkansas for three decades. I'm privileged to have the opportunity to work with her for 15 years and to have directly supervised her for eight years. I will forever be in debt to her for the kindness she showed me and all that she taught me."

Sohn interacted with many campus partners and served so many students over the years. Her smile and laugh, as well as her willingness to help a student or co-worker at a moment's notice, will be missed by her University Housing family.

University Housing will host a celebration of Sohn's life at the Futrall Hall front porch at 11 a.m. Friday. The rain location will be the Futrall Hall basement community room. 

Please note that the University Housing office will be closed from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. so University Housing staff can attend the event.