Posted by DEAN SKIP RUTHERFORD – Student orientation begins today at the Clinton School. We are welcoming our third and largest class. This year we have 30 new students, who along with the 22 from last year’s class, put our 2007-2008 enrollment at 52. That’s significant because the average graduate program in the state is in the 40 to 45-student range. In just three years we have passed that.
Many of our students had opportunities to visit with Former President Clinton at the inaugural Frank and Kula Kumpuris Distinguished Lecture Series this week. We are grateful to Katherine Ann Kumpuris Trotter, Drew Kumpuris and Dean Kumpuris for establishing the series at the Clinton School in memory of their father the late Frank Kumpuris and in honor of their mother Kula Kumpuris. In addition to many individual donors, the Kumpuris lecture series has received generous support from the AT&T, the AT&T Foundation and the William J. Clinton Foundation.
Imam W. Deen Mohammed, the son of the late of Elijah Mohammed, also visited the school this week and addressed a large crowd as part of fall public programs series. Our unique, “academics for the real world,” curriculum is enriched by numerous guest lecturers, public programs and community conversations. We have more than 40 programs scheduled for the fall and comparable numbers for the spring.
As part of orientation, in addition to in-depth curriculum overviews, our students will be visiting the William H. Bowen School of Law. Students can pursue a joint a JD/MPS degree from the Bowen School and the Clinton School. The students will also tour the UALR campus where they will take some elective courses. Former Senator and Clinton School Founding Dean David Pryor will speak about Arkansas and its history in a session at the offices of City Year, an outstanding public service program in its own right. Stephanie Streett, Lena Moore and others from the Clinton Foundation will provide an overview of the Foundation’s work in Arkansas and throughout the world.
We’ll continue our orientation tradition with a gathering at Gusano’s, one of the River Market’s outstanding (and also smoke free) restaurants. The Dean’s reception will be at The Copper Grill, which recently opened in the 300 Third Tower Building and is one of my very favorites. Students will also have the opportunity to watch the Arkansas Travelers play at Dickey-Stephens Park. One of the highlights will be Thursday when our class 2 students, who have just returned from the international public service projects, will discuss their experiences abroad as part of a panel discussion at the school.
Many thanks to our outstanding faculty and staff, our wonderful volunteers and our donors/supporters who are making the nation’s first school with a master in public service degree a very special place.
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