Associate Professor
(501) 683-5215
Email Nichola
Dr. Nichola Driver is the Assistant Dean of Impact, Executive Director of the Office of Field Service, and an Associate Professor at the Clinton School of Public Service. She oversees two of the Clinton School’s signature field experiences – the Practicum and the International Public Service Project (IPSP) – and teaches Field Research Methods.
Her research focuses on health disparities and the social determinants of health, with a particular emphasis on maternal and reproductive well-being. Her recent projects have investigated the impact of social support for new mothers, factors associated with food insecurity among Latino families, and the effects of group prenatal care on birth outcomes. As a native Arkansan, her scholarship is deeply committed to driving positive social change within her home state.
Dr. Driver is a highly experienced and trained evaluator. She has provided expert consultation on monitoring and evaluation, indicator development, and logic model construction for numerous local and statewide organizations, including the Arkansas Department of Health, Entergy, the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, and the UAMS Women’s Center. She is also an active member of the American Evaluation Association (AEA) and serves as a reviewer for several scholarly journals.
Driver is also a trained and experienced evaluator, having consulted for several local and statewide organizations on monitoring and evaluation, including the Arkansas Department of Health, Entergy, Arkansas Human Development Corporation, UAMS Women’s Center, Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, and Northwest Arkansas Community College, among others. She frequently serves as an invited speaker for external institutions on the topics of monitoring and evaluation, developing indicators that matter, and the importance of logic models in program planning and evaluation.
Professionally, she is active in the American Evaluation Association, the Population Association of America, and the Southwestern Social Science Association. She also serves as a reviewer for journals such as International Journal of Public Health and Journal of Child & Family Studies.
Dr. Driver holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of North Texas and a Master of Public Administration from UA Little Rock. She formerly served as the Director of Nonprofit Leadership Studies at UA Little Rock.
- Ph.D., Sociology, University of North Texas
- M.P.A., Public Administration, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
- B.A., Sociology, University of Central Arkansas
- Research Areas
- Experiential and community-engaged learning
- Maternal, reproductive, and immigrant health
- Program evaluation and applied sociology
- Social determinants of health
- Book
- Cheun, J., & Driver, N. (Eds.) (2018). Sociology of Health and Illness: An Applied Approach. Cognella, University Readers, Inc.
- Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Driver, N., Bona, B.*, Jacob, T. (2025). International community-engaged research in a virtual environment: Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. In T. Azar (Ed.) Community Engagement and the Covid-19 Pandemic. Wilmington, DE: Vernon Press.
- Park, C. H., Driver, N., Richards, R. C., Jr., & Ward, P. (2025). The Effects of CenteringPregnancy: A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation. Healthcare, 13(9), 1052.
- Park, C., Driver, N., Richards, R., & Ward, P. (2023). The Effects of CenteringPregnancy on Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes: A Moderation Analysis. Journal of Public Health. 45(4), e746-e754.
- Driver, N., Tebbe, M.*, Burke, M.*, & Shafeek Amin, N. (2023). Factors Associated with Food Insecurity Among Latinos/Hispanics in the U.S.: Evidence from the Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Study. Ethnicity & Health, 28(6): 942-955.
- Marshall, S.A., Driver, N., & Allison, M.K. (2021). Attitudes Towards Contraception: Focus Groups with Arkansas Parents and Teens. Sex Education, 21(2): 161-175.
- Shafeek-Amin, N. & Driver, N. (2020). Health Care Utilization among Middle Eastern, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian Immigrants in the United States: An Application of Andersen’s Behavioral Model. Ethnicity & Health, 27(4): 858-876.
- Driver, N., & Shafeek-Amin, N. (2019). Acculturation, Social Support, and Maternal Parenting Stress among U.S. Hispanic mothers. Journal of Child & Family Studies.28(5): 1359-1367.
- Shafeek-Amin, N. & Driver, N. (2019). Sex Differences, Duration of Stay in the U.S., and Serious Psychological Distress: The Case of Middle Eastern Immigrants in the United States. Family & Community Health. 42(2): 90-103.
- Driver, N., & Cready, C.M. (2018). Nativity/language, neighborhoods, and teen pregnancy norms among U.S. Hispanics. Women & Health. 59(5): 49-509.
- Cai, T., Nino, M.D., & Driver, N. (2018). The School Contextual Effect of Sexual Debut on Sexual Risk-Taking: A Joint Parameter Approach. Journal of School Health. 88(3): 200-207.
- Moore, A. R., Driver, N., Owusu, A., & Amey, F. (2017). Sexual identity and risk behavior among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Accra, Ghana and Lomẻ, Togo. Cogent Medicine. 4(1).
- Solakoglu, O., Driver, N., & Belshaw, S. H. (2016). The effect of sexual abuse on deviant behaviors among Turkish adolescents: the mediating role of emotions. International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology. 62(1): 24-49.
- Moore, A.R., & Driver, N. (2014). Knowledge of Cervical Cancer among Educated Women in Lomé, Togo: Half-truths and Misconceptions. Sage Open. 4(4).
- Ingman, S. R., Wolfe, L., Amini, R., Driver, N., Ewing, C., & Huang, J. (2014). Societal Benefits and Challenges of Sustainable Buildings and their Ecosystems for Aging Populations. In Analytics for Building-Scale Sustainable Ecosystems edited by Yong X. Tao. New York: Begell House.
- Research Areas
- Program Evaluation
- Program Evaluation Planning and Training
- Applied Research
- List of Applied Research Projects and Reports
- Driver, N. George, K., Bray, R., & Ojeda, E. (2025). External Evaluation for the AR Civics Initiative: Year 1. Contracted work for the Clinton Foundation for their grant from the Carnegie Foundation.
- Driver, N., George, K., Park, C, & Ojeda, E. (2025). External Evaluation for North Little Rock Thriving Families Initiative: Year 2. Contracted work for The Contingent Arkansas for their federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau.
- Driver, N., George, K., Enriquez, E.*, & Harris, T.* (2025). Assessment of Challenges and Facilitators to Recruitment and Retention for Diabetes Programs in Arkansas. Contracted work for the Arkansas Department of Health. Little Rock: University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.
- Driver, N., George, K., & Enriquez, E.* (2025). External Evaluation Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy (TSOP) exhibit. Contracted work for the Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative. Little Rock: University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.
- Slagle, D., Amos, J., Driver, N., McElwee, T., George, K. (2025). 2024 Arkansas Child & Maternal Health Assessment: Findings from Surveys, Focus Groups, & Interviews.
- Driver, N., George, K., Park, C. (2024). Evaluation Plan for North Little Rock Thriving Families Initiative. Contracted work for The Contingent Arkansas for their federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau.Little Rock: University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.
- Driver, N., George, K. (2024). External Evaluation of Entergy’s Kids to College Child Savings Account Program (2 year pilot).
- Driver, N., Park, C., Burgess, L.*, Bona, B.* (2023). External Evaluation of the Delta Plus Youth Opportunity Network. Contracted work for the Arkansas Human Development Corporation. Little Rock: University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.
- Driver, N., Burgess, L.*, Bona, B.* (2023). Perceptions of Medicare Wellness Visits among older Arkansans.
- Driver, N., Standerfer, C., Bloom, E.*, & Denton, C.* (2022). Statewide assessment for Arkansas Alzheimer’s & Related Dementias Plan. Contracted work for the Arkansas Department of Health. Little Rock: University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.
- Capstone Proposal
- Capstone Project
- Field Research in Public Service
- International Public Service Project
- Practicum Project