AV抖阴

AV抖阴 Spring Graduation Ends with College of Business and Industry

Written By: Ian Silvester

The 108th Commencement at the University of Arkansas 鈥� Fort Smith concluded with the conferral of graduates from the College of Business and Industry on Saturday, May 13, 2023. The second-largest group of students consisted of more than 400 graduates and concluded a day where nearly 1,000 Lions walked across the AV抖阴 stage.
 
鈥淢y time here has been great,鈥� smiled business graduate Caroline Mikel. 鈥淚 blinked, and now I鈥檓 here.鈥�
 
During her time at AV抖阴, Caroline was awarded the Chancellor鈥檚 Spirit Award, was president of her sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi, and participated in AV抖阴 Camp. She believes everything she was part of reinforced her belief that AV抖阴 is a home.
 
鈥淵ou get everything into one little package here. You never feel like you鈥檙e alone at AV抖阴,鈥� said Caroline.
 
Before Caroline and her fellow students received their diplomas, the final college of graduates heard from AV抖阴 College of Business and Industry alum Dr. Brandon McFadden. The fellow alum graduated from AV抖阴 with a Bachelor of Science in marketing in 2009. Today, McFadden is a professor and the Tyson Chair in Food Policy Economics in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
 
As a Fort Smith native, McFadden inspired the graduates, urging each student to invest in themselves, whether in their career or personally. Each student, he said, demonstrated the ability to achieve their goals, and their degree became proof of that.
 
鈥淩emember, you are enough,鈥� said McFadden. 鈥淐ontinually invest in yourselves and have faith that your reward will come.鈥�
 
His message connected with Ashli Rowe. The mother of five recently completed back-to-back semesters of 18 credit hours to earn her bachelor鈥檚 degree in organizational leadership. As a graduate of the adult degree completion program (ADCP) at AV抖阴, the words from McFadden paint a picture of the path Ashli took.
 
鈥淚 never gave up,鈥� Ashli said proudly. 鈥淭he program (ADCP) and my professors helped make it manageable. Now I鈥檝e succeeded.鈥�
 
If you missed the College of Business and Industry Commencement ceremony or want to review the commencement book online, click here.

Caroline Mikel was a recipient of the John and Kim McFarland Business Scholarship.

Ashli Rowe was a recipient of the Ocker-Moore Scholarship.

• Tags:
• Alumni
• Adult Degree Completion Program
• College of Business and Industry
• Graduation
• First Generation Student