UCA Outreach & Community Engagement

08/25/2026

Today, Arkansas Imagination Library joins people around the world in mourning the loss of Dolly Parton, an extraordinary woman whose vision changed childhood for millions.

Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Dolly placed books into the hands and homes of children around the world and inspired a love of reading from the very beginning.

Here in Arkansas, Dolly’s vision has reached every county in our state. More than 82,000 Arkansas children currently receive an Imagination Library book in the mail each month, and more than 7 million books have been delivered to Arkansas children since the program began in our state in 2005.

Thank you, Dolly, for believing so deeply in the power of books and the potential of every child. Your legacy will live on for generations. We will always love you. ❤️

You can enroll a child into the program at ArkansasImaginationLibrary.org/enroll/

Arkansans wishing to honor Dolly by helping provide books to children here at home may donate directly to Arkansas Imagination Library at ArkansasImaginationLibrary.org/give.

08/25/2026

Registration is now open for CubsREAD, sessions start September 21st!

CubsREAD is for Kindergarteners, 1st graders and 2nd graders who are needing some additional support in their reading development. Give your child the opportunity to strengthen their literary foundation - register now!

https://uca.edu/outreach/cubsread/

08/21/2026

A big thank you to for sponsoring one month of Faulkner County Imagination Library books! We are so grateful for your support of this program, which sends a book a month to enrolled kids in our county and is entirely funded by community contributions like yours.

The entire Outreach team also loved spending time in First Community Bank's Community Room for some back-to-school teambuilding, visioning, and goal setting for the year!

08/20/2026

UCA's First Year Experience office hosts Conway Daze each year to welcome students to campus and the Conway community! Over 200 local businesses, campus departments, and registered student organizations were on campus today to help UCA students get involved and connected.

08/18/2026

We loved reading this story about the Arkansas and the World summer camp hosted by the UCA Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies, one of the incredible summer learning and engagement opportunities offered on our campus!

THE WORLD STARTS HERE! 🌎

The August Education Issue of 501 LIFE is hitting stands this week, and we’re celebrating the students, teachers, programs and experiences that prove learning can take us anywhere.
Our cover story goes inside UCA’s Arkansas and the World: International Affairs Summer Camp, where high school students step into the roles of diplomats, negotiators and global problem-solvers. For one remarkable week, the world gets a little smaller—and Arkansas students discover just how big their possibilities can be.

There’s plenty more inside this bright, youthful issue, from inspiring educators and incredible students to food, fun and unforgettable stories from across the 501.
Read the entire August issue now:
501lifemag.com/issues

08/14/2026

Members of our Community Learning and Workforce Services (CLAWS) team represented UCA Outreach to wish all Conway teachers a warm welcome back to school at the Conway Teacher Breakfast!

Congrats to Kara Branscum our giveaway winner!

08/12/2026

Congratulations to the graduates of the UCA Aviation Academy's summer Air Force JROTC cohort! Eight cadets traveled from all over the country to earn their private pilot license in this intensive program.

UCA was one of only seven host sites for this program nationwide in 2026, and the only site with a 100% success rate. Way to go, cadets!

08/10/2026

We were so thrilled to welcome the members of the Conway Area Youth Leadership Institute-CAYLI class of 2026-2027 to campus last week for their kickoff retreat! We're looking forward to an amazing year with these young leaders!

08/10/2026

UCA associate professor of history Vaughn Scribner is bringing his expertise to the History Channel series "History’s Greatest Mysteries." After previously appearing in “The Plot to Kill Lincoln,” Scribner returns to the series tonight in a new episode, “The Shot Heard Round the World.”

Tune in at 7 p.m., and find out where to watch at this link: uca.edu/go/historysgreatesmysteries

08/06/2026

We are so proud of former Outreach leader Dr. Shaneil Ealy, who was recently recognized with the Bill Miller Award at the 40th annual Community Development Institute. Thank you for your instrumental work to make CDI a success over the years!