One key message was delivered at this year's spring College of Education and Health Professions Dean's Executive Advisory Board meeting: care forward.

Students, faculty, staff and administrators joined board members throughout the day as they examined the future of the WE CARE strategic plan and its transformative impact across Arkansas.

The day's theme, "Caring Forward: A Transformative Vision," showcased what the college had accomplished since the inception of WE CARE and what next steps could be taken to keep caring forward into the future.

"I'm so grateful to our advisory board members for their continued dedication to bettering the college and our state through exceptional service, impactful research and a culture of care," said Dean Kate Mamiseishvili. "We are always here to listen, learn and continue this conversation about how we can make an even bigger and more transformative impact."

Mamiseishvili kicked off the day by updating the group on the recent work being done to advance the WE CARE strategic plan's priorities and key action items.

Six student presenters followed, representing the college's special education, counseling, education policy, communication sciences and disorders, career and technical education, and nursing programs. Each student shared their motivations for pursuing their majors and expressed their visions for their future careers.

Senior nursing student Madison Wells shared with the group her desire to become a nurse from a young age and how she handled two initial rejections to nursing school.

"After years of questioning whether I was worthy of nursing, I made it," Wells said. "That was the moment I knew I didn't just want to be a nurse; I was meant to be a nurse."

Others shared meaningful experiences, such as studying abroad in Sweden, working first-hand with policymakers at the state Capitol and helping TESOL students navigate language and learning challenges.

Faculty panelists took center stage next to share the impact they're making through research and partnerships. 

Groundbreaking interventions being used to treat sports concussions; efforts to improve college success for low-income, first-generation students; and revolutionary early childhood technologies that support children's developmental outcomes were just a few of the projects board members learned about.

To close out the day, the group worked together to envision the college's next steps as it moves towards building a transformative future. Jessica Salmon, an expert in leading companies and communities through the design thinking process, facilitated the discussion.

Salmon guided the group through a three-step breakdown of the WE CARE strategic plan's strengths and areas for growth. The conversation ended with small groups brainstorming big ideas that could change how the college addresses various education and healthcare challenges across Arkansas.

One group began thinking about different ways nursing students could practice with rural hospitals to provide care in much-needed areas, while another developed a "reversed internship" model that would envision students getting hands-on experience earlier in their major so they can be confident in their academic decisions.

The discussion was meant to train attendees to think boldly and envision the different ways WE CARE could be expanded to better benefit Arkansans.

The day concluded with thanks and appreciation for everyone's efforts in working to better the college. The advisory board members — influential education and health leaders — each contribute their time to help inform the college's approach to educating students and ensure coursework is grounded in real-world demands. 

The board welcomed four new members during this spring's meeting. There was also a change in leadership as Ashlie Hilbun, chief strategy officer and senior vice president of strategic marketing at Arkansas Children's Hospital, concluded her term on the board's executive committee, and Susan Patton, professor emerita and former executive director of the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing, assumed the role of chair-elect. 

"Thank you all so much for being here and sharing ideas because this takes all of us," said current board chair John L. Colbert, retired superintendent of Fayetteville Public Schools, in his concluding remarks. 

"This is a great start, and it's powerful," he said. "The work has begun, and we shall accomplish our goal."

---

About the College of Education and Health Professions: The College of Education and Health Professions' six departments prepare students for a wide range of careers in education and health, including teaching, nursing, counseling, educational leadership and policy, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, public health, exercise science, and many more. The college has approximately 360 faculty and staff members, serves more than 6,000 students and supports over 20 research and service units. Guided by the WE CARE strategic plan, the college strives to advance impactful research that improves people's lives, increase transformative learning opportunities for its students, engage in meaningful partnerships across Arkansas and beyond, and embrace a culture of caring that empowers people to thrive in all aspects of life.