Celebrating 25 Years of the Advanced Placement Summer Institute

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Enrollment Services at the U of A welcomed nearly 200 teachers and consultants to the 25th annual Advanced Placement Summer Institute this week.  

The summer institute offered professional development opportunities to middle and high school teachers from across the state to enhance their teaching skills for 12 different advanced placement courses.

“We are delighted to celebrate 25 years of advanced placement teacher training on our campus. AP is a critical part of the state’s efforts to prepare students for success,” said Suzanne McCray, vice provost for enrollment and dean of admissions. “The University of Arkansas encourages students to engage in AP, IB and concurrent work while still in high school because it gives them an excellent look at the rigors of the college classroom.” 

The training included a robust set of training sessions and activities for teachers, including a reception hosted by the Honors College in Gearhart Hall. Krystal Nail, program director for gifted programs and advanced placement at the Arkansas Department of Education, was also on hand to welcome teachers to the institute.

“ADE has supported our efforts every step of the way. We could not do this without the leadership Krystal Nail and others provide,” said Emily Wright, senior associate director for the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards and co-director of the Advanced Placement Summer Institute. “We also greatly appreciate our partnerships with the Honors College and various departments on campus to make this happen. It is a great experience for the teachers and for all those involved.”

During the week, 12 consultants serve as “super” teachers, sharing best teaching practices for instructing high school students who are taking advanced placement courses. The training includes 30 hours of instruction, and participating teachers receive professional development credit for their work. 

Each consultant is endorsed by College Board. This year’s AP consultants will conduct sessions in the following areas: 

• Maridella Carter (Blue Spring, Missouri), English literature and composition for new teachers
• Eugene Chase (Edmond, Oklahoma), U.S. government and politics
• Kody Engle (Tulsa, Oklahoma), world history
• Max Lu (Manhattan, Kansas), human geography
• T. J. Owen (Dallas, Texas), calculus BC
• Bernie Phelan (Barrington, Illinois), English language and composition for experienced teachers 
• Penny Rosas (Katy, Texas), U.S. history
• Cassidy Schatz (Orlando, Florida), precalculus
• Katie Stueart (Fayetteville) English language and composition for new teachers 
• Jill Taylor (Tulsa, Oklahoma), precalculus
• Marshall Welch (Alpena), biology
• David Wentz (Fayetteville), chemistry 

“We are pleased to offer AP precalculus for the first time this year,” said Matt Hargis, director of recruitment for admissions and co-director of the institute. “The U of A will begin offering college credit for those students who score a 3 or higher beginning next year. This is an important addition as students prepare for careers in STEM or just want to get a head start on their math preparation for college.”

Enrollment Services received a $170,000 grant from the Arkansas Department of Education to support the 2023 Summer Institute. The grant enables the U of A to provide Arkansas public school teachers who teach AP with funding to cover the cost of registration. 

The Department of Education also supports two other summer institutes in the state at Arkansas State University and University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Last year, the U of A awarded more than 34,000 hours of college credit to students with AP scores of 3 or higher.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.