NEA Business Notes: A-State Research 2 status reaffirmed

Arkansas State University’s status as a Research 2: High Spending and Doctorate Production institution, as designated by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, has been reaffirmed.

A-State was recognized in the latest classification listings for averaging almost $8 million in research expenditures annually during academic years 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23. The new 2025 research designations were announced by the Carnegie Foundation and American Council on Education. A-State was first elevated to R2 status during Carnegie’s 2018 evaluation and classification cycle.

Additionally, research expenditures increased 50% in the most recent National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development report that A-State just submitted in January, compared with the previous fiscal year.

The school is among 139 universities in the R2 category, which also includes Sun Belt Conference peers Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, James Madison, and Texas State, as well as the Air Force Academy, Brigham Young University, Howard University, and the University of Toledo.

A-State is one of four research universities listed for the state of Arkansas, along with University of Arkansas (R1) and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (R2), and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (R2).

The three years of data on which the classifications are determined were submitted by the institutions to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). 

 

Lyon College Breaks Ground On Bad Boy Stadium

Lyon College has broken ground on Bad Boy Stadium, the future home of Scots football, set to open in time for the team’s first home game of the 2025 season on Sept. 13.

The stadium’s first phase will include a regulation-size playing field, a press box, seating for 600 fans, a digital scoreboard, concessions and restroom facilities. Designed to be a hub for campus and community events, the facility will incorporate modern amenities and sustainable construction practices.

The project is funded through significant community and corporate partnerships. Bad Boy Mowers has secured naming rights for the stadium, while Atlas Asphalt/White River Materials will name the playing field.

Additional major contributions have come from The Bank of Cave City, First Community Bank, and Merchants and Planters Bank. Local firm FARCO will oversee construction.

The $2.5 million project has raised $1.5 million to date, with fundraising ongoing. Future plans include expanded seating, visitor stands, a dedicated locker room for visiting teams, and a grand entry plaza for game-day and community events.

 

BRTC Director of Community Education Patti Blaxton Retires

Black River Technical College (BRTC) recently hosted a retirement reception to honor Director of Community Education Patti Blaxton for 25 years of service.

Blaxton began her career at BRTC in 2000 as director of community education and kept her position until her retirement. During her reception, Blaxton was presented with a plaque to thank her for her time and dedication to BRTC.

 

First Community Bank Promotes Brandon Goforth

First Community Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Brandon Goforth to vice president, information technology manager. Goforth has been with First Community Bank since January 2016 and has 21 years of experience in banking technology.

“First Community Bank is a great place to grow in your career, and I am honored to receive this promotion,” said Goforth. “I look forward to helping lead our IT department and supporting the success of our bank.”

Goforth joined First Community Bank as vice president, systems administrator in 2016 and has since worked as vice president, information technology help desk manager from 2022 to 2023 and vice president, systems administrator again from 2023 to 2024. He holds an associate of applied science in computer information systems with a focus on networking.

 

Lakeport Plantation Museum to Host Reading Retreat

The Lakeport Plantation Museum, an Arkansas State University Heritage Site, will host a reading retreat focusing on the Mississippi River on April 5.

The retreat will focus on two books. The first, “Wicked River: The Mississippi When it Last Ran Wild,” written by Lee Sandlin, was published in 2010. This book describes the landscape and tribulations of the Mississippi River from the early 1800s through the siege of Vicksburg in 1863 when the Mississippi River Valley was the western edge of the United States.

The second book, “The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi,” by Boyce Upholt, was published in 2024. This book traces the history of the Mississippi, from its geographical formation, to its use by indigenous peoples, to levee building in the modern era.

Lakeport Plantation, constructed in 1859, is one of the premier historic structures in the state and retains many of its original finishes and architectural details. At the heritage site, visitors can learn about the people and cultures that shaped plantation life in the Mississippi Delta, focusing on the antebellum, Civil War and reconstruction periods.

Arkansas Heritage Sites are historic properties of regional and national significance in the Arkansas Delta.

 

Arvest Foundation Donates $5,000 to Charitable Foundation

The Arvest Foundation recently announced a $5,000 grant to the NEA Baptist Charitable Foundation’s Medicine Assistance Program, which helps patients receive life-saving prescription medication at no cost.

In 2023, the program provided $4.76 million in prescription medication to residents who could not otherwise afford them.

Arvest Bank has also supported the organization’s Duck Classic fundraiser for many years with monetary donations, along with associates volunteering to help with and participating in the hunt. Last year, the event raised $860,000.

 

Hardin Named Lyon College School of Dental Medicine Chair of Clinical Sciences

The Lyon College School of Dental Medicine has named Dr. Sarah Hardin as chair of clinical sciences and associate professor.

A native of Magnolia, Hardin earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from Hendrix College, and a doctor of dental surgery from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. She advanced her clinical training through a general practice residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

She began her career at the Arkansas Children’s Dental Clinic before returning to UAMS as faculty and assistant program director of the General Practice Residency program, a role she has held since 2020. There, she played a role in curriculum development, clinical instruction and ensuring compliance with Commission on Dental Accreditation standards for accreditation.