The University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service will enroll 39 new students in its two year Master of Public Service (MPS) degree program this fall. Located on the grounds of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park in downtown Little Rock, the Clinton School is the first in the country to offer a Master of Public Service degree and the first to establish a Center on Community Philanthropy.
The new students, some of whom will be pursuing concurrent degrees in business administration, law, and public health, represent the school’s eleventh class. Since the enrollment of its first class in 2005, the Clinton School has grown steadily and has attracted students from all over the country, from more than 40 countries, and over 200 different colleges and universities. The new class of 2017 includes students from 14 states and 9 countries.
“What makes the Clinton School unique is our focus on team-based, international, and individual field service,” said James L. “Skip” Rutherford III, Dean of the Clinton School. “Our dedicated and experienced faculty will help these talented new students make tomorrow’s world better. Given the important national and international issues that will be discussed in the 2016 election cycle, there could not be a better time to be at the Clinton School to study and practice public service.”
This fall, the new Clinton School students will begin 10 team-based public service projects in partnership with organizations throughout Arkansas. In the classroom, the students complete core courses in the areas of social change, decision-making, conflict resolution, ethics and professionalism. Along with elective courses, the field service projects allow students to tailor their Clinton School experiences to their public service interests.
Orientation for the new class begins August 16 and classes begin August 24.
The class of 2017 includes:
Khalid Ahmadzai (Kabul, Afghanistan) – Ahmadzai is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a degree in International Relations and Middle East Studies. He is a former executive government liaison for the International School of Kabul, Afghanistan and founder of Chaila Café, a coffeehouse in Kabul. Ahmadzai’s public service interests include education, sustainability, and assisting refugees.
Kristen Alexander (Little Rock, Ark.) – Alexander is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas with a degree in English Literature and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health degree at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman School of Public Health. She is a former intern at the Arkansas Trauma Rehabilitation Program and has taught English in a summer program for at-risk youth. Alexander’s public service interests include health policy and advocacy.
Ben Barber (Hartsdale, N.Y.) – Barber is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in Philosophy, Neuroscience, and Psychology. He is a former shelter coordinator and AmeriCorps member with the St. Louis Emergency Response Team and case management aide with Keep Austin Housed. Barber’s public service areas of interest include assisting homeless individuals and empowering individuals and communities.
Evan Brown (Memphis, Tenn.) – Brown is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a degree in Finance Management and Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship. He is a former United States Peace Corps volunteer, where he served in Lesotho, Africa working on small business development and entrepreneurship education. Brown’s public service interests include small business development, education, and rural community development.
Nora Bouzihay (Jonesboro, Ark.) – Bouzihay is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a degree in Biology. She is a former volunteer at a school in northern Morocco where she worked with blind youth and has experience with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center of Veterinary Medicine. Bouzihay hopes to help women and youth in the areas of human rights and rural area development.
Daniel Caruth (Morrilton, Ark.) – Caruth is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a degree in Journalism and Anthropology. He worked with the University of Arkansas Full Circle Food Pantry, the University of Arkansas Traveler newspaper as a writer, and served on the Volunteer Action Center board at the University of Arkansas. Caruth’s public service interests include food insecurity and free speech rights for journalists.
Stacy Cox (Little Rock, Ark.) – Cox is a graduate of Centenary College of Louisiana with a degree in Accounting. She is a former United States Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia, president of the Gender and Development Committee in Zambia, and current Heifer International volunteer. Cox hopes to continue to serve the public in areas of youth outreach, education, and gender and development.
Abigail Craig (Little Rock, Ark.) – Craig is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas with a degree in Psychology and Philosophy. She is a former AmeriCorps member, working on an academically based program for at-risk youth called “Boys Hope Girls Hope” and a mentor for the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program since 2009. Craig’s public service interests in public service include the welfare of vulnerable populations, specifically children.
Xochitl Delgado-Solorzano (Springdale, Ark.) – Delgado-Solorzano is a graduate of Hendrix College with a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Literature and a graduate of the University of Kansas with a Master’s degree, also in Spanish Literature. She is a program associate at the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, has experience with Heifer International, and the Mexican Consulate in Little Rock. Delgado-Solorzano hopes to continue to explore areas of public service including education, immigrant integration, and nonprofit development.
Sarah Fowlkes (Ann Arbor, Mich.) – Fowlkes is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in Business Administration and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration at the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business. She is former United States Peace Corps volunteer working as a community economic development advisor in Madagascar. Fowlkes’ public service interests include rural economic development, nutrition, and sustainability.
Cat French (Little Rock, Ark.) – French is a graduate of Hendrix College with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Master’s degree in Reading and Literacy. She is the co-author of the reading series Early Connections for Benchmark Education and the first edition textApprenticeship in Literacy: Transitions across Reading and Writing, and is a Clinton Foundation volunteer. French’s interests include human rights, literacy, and poverty.
Zachary Glembin (Milwaukee, Wis.) – Glembin is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Sociology. He has worked for City Year for the past four years in both Miami, Fla. and Milwaukee, Wis. serving high needs public schools to keep struggling students on track for graduation. Glembin’s public service areas of interests include education, economic development, entrepreneurship, and health care.
Thurman Green III (Pine Bluff, Ark.) – Green is a graduate of Philander Smith College with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Master’s degree in Public Administration. He is a former retention coach at the University of Central Oklahoma and member of the Community Housing Development Organization board in Oklahoma City. Green hopes to continue to serve the public in education, community engagement, and economic development.
Zachary Hale (Huntsville, Ala.) – Hale is a graduate of Hendrix College with a degree in International Relations and is currently pursuing a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. He has served as a diplomatic assistant at the Mission of Montenegro to the European Union in Brussels and as an AmeriCorps member with Our House and Legal Aid of Arkansas. Hale’s public service interests include human rights law and digital rights law.
Mary Henthorn (Little Rock, Ark.) – Henthorn is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a Master’s degree in Computer Science. She has held information technology positions with the National Park Service, United States Department of Agriculture, the State of Arkansas, and is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Henthorn hopes to pursue public service positions in education and environmental sustainability.
Claire Hodgson (Russellville, Ark.) – Hodgson is a graduate of Arkansas Tech University with a degree in Psychology and Sociology. She is a former AmeriCorps member at an after-school outreach program for homeless and near-homeless youth, and has developed public service/volunteerism curriculum for elementary students across Arkansas. Hodgson’s public service interests include mental health care advocacy, poverty alleviation, and providing sustainable food systems in inner cities.
Yohannis Job (Scarborough, Tobago) – Job is a graduate Huston-Tillostson University with a degree in Business Administration, focusing in Marketing. He has experience with the Austin (Texas) Urban League and Child in community outreach and finance. Job hopes to continue to serve in areas that include education, urban economic development, and natural resource exploration and development.
Salil Joshi (Shreveport, La.) – Joshi is a graduate of Emory University with a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and a graduate of Mississippi College with a Master’s degree in Medical Sciences. He has worked as a test preparation tutor, as a clinical researcher, and is the founder of TedxMarkhamSt. in Little Rock, Ark. Joshi’s public service interests include health management and policy, medicine, and education.
Emily Kearns (Little Rock, Ark.) – Kearns is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a degree in Political Science and is currently pursuing a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. She has worked with the Pulaski County Board of Election and is a frequent volunteer on local political campaigns. Kearns hopes to continue to serve the public in areas of election law, economic development, and race and cultural diversity issues.
Miki Kunishige (Rapid City, S.D.) – Kunishige is a graduate of the University of South Dakota with a degree in International Studies and is currently pursuing a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. He is a United States Army veteran, has worked for Advocacy for Child Justice in Zambia, and Four Bands Community Fund in South Dakota. Kunishige’s public service interests include economic development, legal justice, and peace building.
Arjola Limani (Tirana, Albania) – Limani is a graduate of the European University in Tirana with a degree in Law. She has worked for Don Bosko Center for the Youths helping to implement and support youth activities in order to facilitate the social development of citizens. Limani’s public service interests include politics, education reform, and youth entrepreneurship.
Caitlin McAteer (Denver, Colo.) – McAteer is a graduate of Texas Christian University with a degree in Anthropology. As a Fulbright Teaching Assistant, she has worked within the Moroccan University system as an English professor and helped augment refugee acclimation and integration efforts within migrant-aiding organizations in Southern France. McAteer hopes to continue to serve the public in areas of education reform, refugee acclimation, and cross-cultural communication.
Piper Meeks (Nederland, Texas) – Meeks is a graduate of Lamar University with a degree in English and is currently pursuing a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. She serves as a mentor to incoming law students at the Bowen School of Law and assists in a recovery and rehabilitation program to those who suffer from addiction. Meeks’ public service interests include education, mental health services, and gender rights.
Alexandre Meldem (Lausanne, Switzerland) – Meldem is a graduate of the Université de Fribourg – Faculté de Droit with a degree in Law. He is a former Sargent Explorer in the Swiss Army and the founding member of the city of Lausanne’s Youth Parliament. Meldem hopes to continue to serve the public in areas including peace and security, victim assistance, and international educational rights.
Colbert Nelson (Little Rock, Ark.) – Nelson is a graduate of the University of Tulsa with a degree in Exercise Sports Science and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health degree at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman School of Public Health. He is a former mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters and former tutor at the University of Tulsa. Nelson’s public service interests include health care access equality and education on health.
Shem Ngwira (Lilongwe, Malawi) – Ngwira is a graduate of the Catholic University of Malawi with a degree in Social Sciences and Political Leadership with a minor in History. He has served as a program officer for Civil Society Agriculture Network and as executive secretary for Citizen Alliance. Ngwira’s public service interests include urban waste management, youth entrepreneurship, and rural economic development.
Hunter Owen (Conway, Ark.) – Owen is a graduate of Hendrix College with a degree in History. He is a former AmeriCorps member with the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health’s Office of Community Based Public Health. Owen hopes to continue to serve the public in areas of public health, distributive justice, and workforce advocacy.
Beau Papan (Little Rock, Ark.) – Papan is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a degree in Economics and Political Science. He has experience on political campaigns, is a former market analyst intern for the University of Arkansas Division of Agribusiness/Agricultural Economics, and has volunteered for the Little Rock Marathon and Arkansas Food Bank. Papan hopes to explore economic development in the Arkansas Delta.
Elena Perry (Slobozia, Romania) – Perry is a graduate of the University of Bucharest with a degree in Foreign Languages Translation and Interpretation. She has worked with Romanian Children’s Relief in after school and early literacy programs for at-risk children. Perry hopes to continue to serve the public in areas of early childhood education, animal welfare, and poverty mitigation.
Rob Pillow (Jackson, Miss.) – Pillow is a graduate of the University of Mississippi with a degree in Public Policy Leadership. He has worked at Oxford Lafayette Economic Development Foundation where he helped boost local businesses and attract new jobs and on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska providing recreational activities for visitors. Pillow’s public service interests include economic development and environmental sustainability.
Keith Preciados (Miami, Fla.) – Preciados is a graduate of the University of Miami with a degree in Public Relations and Sociology. He is a former AmeriCorps member and has worked as a contracts manager for the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade and Monroe where he managed contracts for over 1,000 schools for two state-funded early childhood initiative programs. Preciados hopes to explore public service areas including community development, education, and public health.
Yvonne Quek (Singapore) – Quek is a graduate of the National University of Singapore with a degree in Law. She has worked as a corporate attorney in Singapore and has experience raising funds for Saigon’s Children Charity in Ho Chi Minh City to help disadvantaged Vietnamese children gain access to education. Quek’s public service interests include corporate responsibility, environmental sustainability, and empowering disadvantaged women and girls.
Heather Rossi (Columbia, S.C.) – Rossi is a graduate of Wofford College with a degree in Biology. She is a former AmeriCorps member with South Carolina Campus Compact at the University of South Carolina-Upstate working on programs to increase financial literacy. Rossi’s public service interests include public policy, community development, and primary health care.
Merrill Jane Schmidt (Little Rock, Ark.) – Schmidt is a graduate of Colorado College with a degree in Southwest Studies. She is a former AmeriCorps member with the Denver Public Schools program, taught English as second language in Chile, and worked at Heifer International. Schmidt’s public service interests include sustainable development, environmental justice, food security, and education.
Marsha Scullark (West Memphis, Ark.) – Scullark is a graduate of Hendrix College with a degree in Biology. She has worked with Our House Family Shelter and Guiding Others in after-school programs for teens, and has volunteered at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Scullark hopes to continue to serve the public by exploring women’s health issues and mentoring teens.
Jeremiah Sniffin (Laramie, Wyo.) – Sniffin is a graduate of the University of Wyoming with a degree in English. He grew up in both the United States and Belize and has worked teaching environmental awareness to children in both countries. Sniffin’s public interests include international relations and environmental education.
Dimo Soliman (Alexandria, Egypt) – Soliman is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has spent time with high school students in the Arkansas Delta, helping to prepare them for college and spent time speaking to civic organizations about Middle East culture. Soliman hopes to continue to serve the public in areas education and cultural development.
Will Van Laningham (Fayetteville, Ark.) – Van Laningham is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a degree in Spanish and Philosophy. He is a former language and culture assistant in Madrid, Spain where he taught English. Van Laningham hopes to continue to serve the public in areas of education reform and English as a second language education.
Mary Wolf (Milwaukee, Wis.) – Wolf is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire with a degree in Social Work. She is a former initial assessment social worker with the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare and intern with Durban Children’s Home in Durban, South Africa. Wolf’s public service interests include youth empowerment, social justice, and mental health.
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