Stakeholders Take a 'DEAB Dive' into the College of Education and Health Professions

The College of Education and Health Professions Dean's Executive Advisory Board (DEAB) took an in-depth look at the college at its fall meeting, engaging with faculty, staff and students in their authentic environments.

Dean Kate Mamiseishvili kicked off the day-long meeting with a surprise performance of Dr. Seuss' book Green Eggs and Ham alongside DEAB chair John L. Colbert, a three-time college alumnus and former superintendent of the Fayetteville Public Schools. Mamiseishvili played Sam-I-Am and eventually convinced Colbert's obstinate book character to try green eggs and ham. He was able to work up the courage after inviting fellow board members and longtime friends Reed Greenwood and Jim Rollins to stand by his side while he took a pretend bite. Colbert also received encouragement from the audience, who shouted out various passages from the book together.

Mamiseishvili explained that the Dr. Seuss show was a nod to her new theme for the academic year, which focuses on finding wisdom in children's books. Colbert hoped to convey the message that the board should be open to learning and trying new things as events unfolded throughout the day.

After lunch and a tour of the recently renovated Mullins Library, where the event was held, board members had a chance to put Colbert's invitation into practice during the next phase of the meeting: "DEAB Dives." They visited various buildings where the college's faculty teach to see them and students in action. Highlights included a demonstration of the college's new Virtual Reality Simulation Lab to "steer the course of nursing education," poster presentations by Department of Curriculum and Instruction doctoral students to learn about the "currents of transformation in teaching and learning" and a visit to the Fred Smith Football Facility to "plunge into the world of exercise and health."

After board members shared insights from their "DEAB Dive" adventures, Mamiseishvili presented updates related to the three priorities that make up the college's WE CARE strategic plan: Impactful Research, Service to Arkansas and Caring Culture.

In impactful research news, the dean shared that during the first two years of the strategic plan, faculty and staff received over $56.5 million in grants, representing a 53% increase from the prior two-year period. Also during that time, faculty received over 50,000 citations for their research.

The service to Arkansas report was also robust, with Mamiseishvili updating the board on this year's WE CARE-A-VAN tours. In 2025, representatives from the college traveled 1,165 miles across the state on two separate WE CARE-A-VAN journeys, visiting Danville, Hot Springs, Conway, Harrison, Mountain View, Jonesboro, Osceola and Cherry Valley. She also shared statistics about the college's multiple hands-on learning opportunities, which allow our students to serve the state while refining their skills. In the spring of 2025, 1,744 students were engaged in internships and clinical experiences in 57% of Arkansas' 75 counties. The college has over 800 unique partnership agreements across the state for experiential learning opportunities.

The Caring Culture update included reports about gift totals - the college raised $5.7 million in 2025 - new opportunities through the Alumni Mentoring Program, the more than 200 WE CARE Rounds of Applause that have been awarded to outstanding faculty and staff members since the fall of 2023 and the over 180 projects that have been funded through WE CARE since the launch of the college's strategic plan.

The college meets with the education and health leaders who serve on the board twice a year. They met for the first time in March 2023. Alumna Ashlie Hilbun, executive vice president and chief strategy and communications officer at Arkansas Children's, served as the inaugural board chair. Judd Semingson, the chief executive officer at Community Clinic, was in the role for 2024. This year, Colbert is serving as chair. When the board reconvenes in March 2026, Susan Patton, professor emerita and former executive director of the college's Eleanor Mann School of Nursing, will assume the role.

About the College of Education and Health Professions: The College of Education and Health Professions prepares students for a wide range of careers in education and health. The college comprises approximately 360 faculty and staff members, serving more than 6,000 students and supporting six departments and over 25 research and service units. Driven by the WE CARE strategic plan, the college strives to advance impactful research, foster a caring culture, and expand service to Arkansas through transformative educational opportunities and meaningful partnerships. The college boasts an extensive research portfolio that is accompanied by multiple large-scale, prestigious grants secured by faculty and staff. Over the past five years, the college has received over $115 million in external funding.