Please join us to say farewell to Rickey Booker Jr., and celebrate his 18 years of service to the U of A. The U of A campus community is invited to celebrate Dr. Booker's achievements and to wish him well during a drop-in reception from 1-3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21, at the International Students and Services classroom in Holcombe Hall, 550 Garland Ave.

Booker started his career in 2005 as an academic counselor of Upward Bound in the Pre-College Programs department. He also worked in the Offices of Career Connections (formerly known as the University Career Development Center) under the leadership of Angela Williams.

"It is bittersweet for me to bid farewell to Dr. Booker," Williams said. "He journeyed from strength to strength, leaving an indelible mark on our team. He showcased his exceptional ability by coordinating, expanding and assessing the effectiveness of multiple career fairs and programs, helping the Career Center to exceed employer and student expectations and goals. His colleagues nominated him for Employee of the Quarter after noticing how often he went above and beyond to assist everyone with their tasks and the way he effectively and efficiently coordinated numerous fairs and events. In 2015, the University of Arkansas' Staff Senate selected him as Employee of the Year. Dr. Booker will certainly be missed on our campus; however, I'm sure the seeds of success he's sown here will continue to flourish. I wish him the best on his continued journey."

In 2019, Booker was hired as one of the three inaugural IDEALS Institute trainers under the leadership of Elecia Smith in the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

"Dr. Booker made incredible contributions toward our success, and we are grateful for the imprint he has made on the campus and the Northwest Arkansas community," Smith said. "I have no doubt he will continue to accomplish even more in the next chapter of his career. His departure is a great loss to the University of Arkansas, and he will be missed."

In addition to advancing within several departments at the U of A, Booker earned his master's and doctoral degrees as a first-generation college graduate while working full time on campus.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has assisted me on my journey while at the University of Arkansas. My overall experience at the university comes with gratitude, humbleness and a continued commitment to impact lives. My name will forever be etched in stone at the U of A. Twice. I will forever be a Razorback," Booker said.

Booker's last day at the U of A will be Aug. 21, 2023.