Honors Students Across Arkansas Train With State, Business Leaders to Navigate Crises

Crisis situations leave little room for mistakes, and clear communication often matters as much as the response itself. This May, the U of A is partnering with Honors Arkansas and state leaders to offer a virtual crisis management course focused on how high-stakes decisions are made in Arkansas. 

Open to honors students from universities statewide, the course moves beyond theory to examine real Arkansas-based scenarios, giving students hands-on experience analyzing how organizations prepare for, respond to and recover from crises that can threaten operations and public confidence. 

Students will learn directly from city and state leaders, industry professionals and business executives who have navigated real emergencies and reputational challenges. Guest speakers will include leaders from the Office of the Governor, the Office of the Attorney General, the Arkansas National Guard, Walmart, Arkansas Children's Inc., a leading public relations agency, and universities and nonprofit organizations across the state. 

The course emphasizes practical skills in communication planning, stakeholder engagement and media strategy during high-pressure situations. By working through realistic case studies, students will develop localized response strategies designed to protect public trust and organizational credibility. 

That statewide, real-world approach reflects the mission of Honors Arkansas, an alliance of honors educators across Arkansas working collectively to enhance the scholarly, professional and social experiences of high-achieving students. 

Open to honors students of all majors, the course reflects a growing recognition that crisis management and clear communication are essential skills across industries in today's interconnected world. 

Visiting speakers include:  

• Andy Albertson, director of research and economic development communications, U of A. 

• Diane Carroll, chief communications officer, Alice L. Walton Foundation. 

• Jarred Crabtree, vice president of international security, Walmart. 

• Sam Dubke, communications director, Office of the Governor, State of Arkansas. 

• Sandy Edwards, senior adviser for University Advancement, U of A, and former senior director, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. 

• Ashlie Hilbun, executive vice president and chief strategy and communication officer, Arkansas Children's Inc. 

• Jason Jackson, vice president of global security operations center, Walmart. 

• Colonel Joel Lynch, public affairs officer, Arkansas National Guard. 

• Jeff LeMaster, communications director, Office of Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin. 

• Kristen Vandaveer Nicholson, accreditation in public relations, vice president of strategic communication, mhp/si. 

• Mark Rushing, associate vice chancellor for University Relations, U of A. 

• Jack Shock, Distinguished Professor of communications, Harding University, former White House director of presidential letters and messages and former disaster public affairs specialist for the Rapid Response Team, American Red Cross. 

• John Thomas, manager of university communications, U of A. 

• Kevin Trainor, chief operations officer and associate executive director, Arkansas Alumni Association, and former senior associate athletic director of public relations, U of A.