Arkansas State appoints graduate school dean
by January 28, 2025 8:30 am 273 views
From left: Dr. Steven Beaupre, dean of the Arkansas State University Graduate School; Dr. Mark Anderson, associate dean of Academic Affairs for the Lyon College School of Dental Medicine; Laquietta Stewart, dean of students at Williams Baptist University
Dr. Steven Beaupre has been appointed dean of the Arkansas State University Graduate School by Dr. Calvin White Jr., executive vice chancellor and provost. Beaupre has almost three decades of academic experience in Arkansas, including six years as associate dean of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, the University of Arkansas’ largest academic unit. His tenure will begin March 1.
The selection concludes a national search process that included a campus committee that helped guide the process.
Dr. Lonnie Williams, retired vice chancellor and adjunct faculty member, and Lane Schmidt, chief of staff, chaired the committee that also included Dr. Travis Marsico, vice provost for research, innovation and discovery; Dr. Katherine Baker, chair, Department of Art + Design; Dr. Annette Hux, interim dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Science; and Dr. Abhijit Bhattacharyya, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
The candidates met with individuals representing key campus constituencies, including senior administration, deans and chairs.
Beaupre completed his bachelor’s degree in zoology and his master’s in biophysical ecology, from the University of Wisconsin, and earned his doctoral degree in ecology and evolution from the University of Pennsylvania. He joined the University of Arkansas faculty in 1995 after completing a post-doctoral appointment at Arizona State.
Progressing through the academic ranks, Beaupre achieved promotion to full professor in 2006. He led his department as vice chair, 2008-2012, then as chair from 2012 until 2016 when he was appointed associate dean of the Fulbright College. Over the next six years he broadened his understanding of research and teaching in the social sciences and STEM disciplines with which he had administrative responsibilities. He also was director of the UA Stable Isotope Laboratory for 20 years.
His professional service activities include seven years as an ex-officio member of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and the presidency and member of the Board of Governors of the American Society of Ichthyologists.
LYON COLLEGE APPOINTMENTS
Dr. Mark Anderson has been appointed associate dean of Academic Affairs for the Lyon College School of Dental Medicine, the college announced. Anderson brings decades of experience in dental education, clinical practice and administration to his new role, where he will oversee academic programs and curricula for the dental school, set to open in June 2025 pending accreditation by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
Anderson graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in 1989 and entered private practice in central Arkansas. He later pursued residency training in oral and maxillofacial pathology at The Ohio State University. Following his residency, Anderson returned to the University of Tennessee as faculty, where he was division director, department chair and interim associate dean for Academic Affairs. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology.
John Teed has been hired as an assistant professor. Teed joins the faculty after a career in clinical practice and public health, bringing experience to the school’s educational programs. Teed earned his doctor of dental surgery degree from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in 2020, and bachelor’s degree in business finances from Ouachita Baptist University in 2013. He holds licenses to practice in Arkansas and Tennessee. Since 2020, Teed has served as a regional dentist for the Tennessee Department of Health. His background also includes work in teledentistry and community service, including volunteer efforts with American Dental Association’s “Give Kids a Smile” program.
Dr. Meagan Inclan, a board-certified pediatric dentist, has also been hired as an assistant professor. Inclan has a background in pediatric dentistry and dental education. She earned a doctor of dental surgery from the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry. She then completed a master’s degree in dental education and a post-doctoral certificate in pediatric dentistry at Saint Louis University.
She is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists, the College of Diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentists, and the American Association for Women Dentistry. An Albert Schweitzer Fellow, she developed and implemented programs to improve access to dental care for individuals with special healthcare needs. She has also served as an advocate for pediatric oral health on state and national platforms, representing the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Inclan’s awards include the UNC Pediatric Dentistry Research Award and the SSMile Award for exceptional care in emergency settings. Her research on dental education and pediatric dentistry has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national conferences.
WILLIAMS BAPTIST DEAN
Laquietta Stewart, a former basketball player at Williams Baptist University, has returned to WBU as dean of students.
Stewart spent 27 years in the public schools, working mostly as a counselor in the Marion, Paragould and Jonesboro school districts. She retired from Jonesboro High School in December and began her role at Williams with the new year.
She is a native of Lake City and a graduate of Riverside High School. She graduated from Williams in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in education. She still holds the record for career rebounds with WBU’s Lady Eagles. Stewart also has a master’s degree in education from Arkansas State University.
STADIUM NAMING RIGHTS
Bad Boy Mowers and Atlas Asphalt/White River Materials, have made key contributions to support the construction of a new football stadium at Lyon College.
The stadium, which is set to open in time for the Scots’ first home game of the 2025 season, will initially include a regulation-size playing field, a press box, seating for 600, a digital scoreboard, concessions and restroom facilities.
Batesville-based Bad Boy Mowers secured the naming rights for the stadium. Atlas Asphalt/White River Materials has committed to naming the playing field.
The facility is designed to be a hub of activity on campus, incorporating modern amenities and sustainable construction practices. Local firm FARCO will oversee the project. Fundraising efforts for the stadium are ongoing, with $1.5 million raised toward the $2.5 million goal. Future plans include expanded home seating, visitor stands, a visiting team locker room and a grand entry plaza.
ART MUSEUM EXHIBITION
This is the 29th year for the Delta National Small Print Exhibition (DNSPE) hosted by Bradbury Art Museum (BAM) at Arkansas State University. Two solo exhibitions will also be presented including “SunSoilSkin&Bone” from artist Jillian Marie Browning, and “Informing the Present,” an installation by M. Robyn Wall.
The exhibition continues through Feb. 26, at BAM. Admission is free.
DNSPE was founded in 1996 by emeritus professor of art Evan Lindquist, who taught at A-State from 1963 until 2003. This year the event is dedicated to Lindquist, a master engraver, who died in December of 2023.
Each year, printmakers from all over the country apply to be part of the exhibition and their works are chosen by a juror, creating a fascinating cross-section of the print world as it exists in a given year.
The prints in the 2025 DNSPE were selected by juror Pedro Barbeito, associate professor at Lafayette College and director of the Experimental Printmaking Institute. Barbeito was tasked with selecting approximately 1/10th of the total submissions, which were greater in number this year than any year in DNSPE’s history.
On view alongside DNSPE will be two related exhibitions of print media. “SunSoilSkin&Bone” by Jillian Marie Browning features cyanotypes on fabric, an alternative photographic printing process.
“Informing the Present” will showcase the installation work, printmaking, and papermaking by M. Robyn Wall, an A-State assistant professor of printmaking.