November 18, 2025 • 56 mins
What happens when a public university decides to act like a nimble problem-solver for its region? We sat down with UCA President Houston Davis to unpack how a 10,000-student campus can feel personal, deliver strong outcomes, and show up where Arkansas is growing the fastest. From daybreak planning sessions to late-night grading, Davis explains why he still teaches every term and how that keeps policy grounded in real student needs.
We trace the roots of his leadership—mentors, research on educational and economic trends across thousands of U.S. counties, and a process-driven approach that values clarity, application, and writing. That foundation shapes UCA’s strategy: build a residential experience that truly fits undergraduates, keep students from getting lost, and invest in programs that serve the state’s evolving workforce. Northwest Arkansas takes center stage as we talk alumni strength, employer partnerships, and the goal of becoming a go-to resource for innovation and talent. Think aviation pathways, STEM expansion, and a campus that travels through people, programs, and service.
Cost myths get a hard reset. Davis breaks down the difference between viral debt stories and the reality of regional public universities, then walks through the UCA Commitment—a debt-free pathway for qualifying Arkansas families that pairs financial support with hands-on help navigating FAFSA and scholarships. Coupled with disciplined fiscal stewardship, UCA is widening access without compromising health. The message to alumni and friends is simple: we’re not looking for a slogan in Northwest Arkansas; we’re building a presence that solves problems, lifts students, and strengthens the state.
If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share it with a Bear in your life, and leave a quick review to help others discover the show. Your feedback shapes future episodes and partnerships.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:01):
This is Central to NWA, a UCA podcast.
I'm your host, Paul Gatling, andwe are bringing the University
of Central Arkansas to NorthwestArkansas.
Each episode, we will talk withleaders, alumni, and innovators
driving this region forward.
People who are shapingindustries and defining what is
next for our state.
(00:22):
Let's get started.
All right, we're back.
Welcome to another episode ofCentral to NWA, a UCA podcast.
I'm your host, Paul Gatling, andI am extremely happy to be with
you today, and we appreciate youwatching and listening.
And today I'm glad to have withus um our president of the
university, Dr.
(00:43):
Houston Davis.
Looking forward to having aconversation uh with the person
who made this podcast possibleand made my my job possible uh
through that.
So uh, President Davis, great tosee you.
Always good to see you.
SPEAKER_03 (00:56):
Paul, always a delight to uh join you and thank
you for allowing me toparticipate in the podcast.
I'm excited about this.
I think it's gonna be a greatway to be able to get the
message out and be able to reachmore folks about the good work
of the university.
SPEAKER_00 (01:08):
All right.
I've got a uh a quick note justfor my benefit.
Uh I need to get out of the way.
Uh is it President Davis orHouston on this podcast that I
should call you?
SPEAKER_03 (01:18):
Oh, goodness gracious.
I'd probably probably it'd beeasier to go Houston.
It'll it'll fill more like aconversation if we can go there.
SPEAKER_00 (01:24):
Yeah, I'll probably do both, but uh it's it's hard
for me to address you asanything other than President
President Davis.
But I'll work in some Houstonsuh as we go through.
SPEAKER_03 (01:33):
So I think Houston is a far more interesting person
than President Davis.
So and I can I can promise you Iprefer Houston over President
Davis, but um, but I'm honoredto play that role too.
SPEAKER_00 (01:46):
Good.
Well, again, uh thrilled for thechance to visit with you today.
Um we're gonna talk about UCA,yes, but also we're gonna talk
about leadership and and highereducation and um and in that
scope, what gives you hope aboutit, what keeps you up at night
about higher education, and andalso why do you believe
Northwest Arkansas is uh a bigpart of UCA's future.
(02:09):
So um let's get into that.
But you know, uh just for somebackground for our listeners and
our viewers here, you've beenpresident since 2017.
When somebody asks you, um, ifyou see an old buddy from high
school and he says, What exactlydoes a university president do
all day?
What what's the answer?
What do you what do you tellhim?
SPEAKER_03 (02:27):
Yeah, well, uh first of all, when old buddies from
high school ask that, they knowway too much about you.
So it's it's gonna quickly getinto uh that that conversation's
gonna go sideways.
Um but uh but I you know I doget questioned all the time
about what what in the worlddoes a president do?
And I'll I joke about uh andthis is when I had titled vice
chancellor, this was probablytrue as well.
(02:49):
Uh my my children said, well,well, that goes to me.
So that's what he does for aliving.
I think that sometimes he canfeel that way.
But um, you know, when you whenyou uh when you're president of
university, yes, you areoverseeing creating conditions
for everything that happens inin the classroom, outside the
classroom, and partnerships andthe like, but I always like to
remind Eversighty that that'sjust a part of the job.
(03:11):
The 24-7 is almost like being asmall town mayor.
Um it never ends.
A school like UCA, we're highlyresidential.
Um, it is a 24-765-day a year uhrelationship we have at Wadana
Puff, uh, because it's a littletown.
So uh what one part umeducational policy leader and
one part small town maker wouldbe my day-to-day.
SPEAKER_00 (03:34):
A day-to-day.
So playing off of that, what'ssomething that somebody would be
um uh interested to know aboutyou?
What is your morning routine?
What's the morning routine ofthe the president of the
University of Central Arkansas?
SPEAKER_03 (03:46):
Yeah, it's hard for me to believe that I would
answer this question becauseearlier in my life I was a night
owl and I would I would sleep inevery time that I could, but I
love uh being able to get upearly and get involved
somewhere.
Um I have found that the perfecttime to get things done, uh
Wingo Hall is where uh where myoffice is located.
(04:07):
Um if I can be in here at 6 30or so in the morning and and
have about an hour and a half,two hours running head starting
the day, I can get more done.
Um that I need to get done on mythings to do as um in that
window in any other time of theday.
Um after that the calendar takeshold.
Um I everybody likes to thinkwhen you're uh when you're in
(04:29):
charge of using bookmarks, foreverybody that may just have the
audio of this, um, that you'rein control of your calendar.
Why not?
Um I generally uh when thatphone dings, I I know that it's
dinging with enough time for meto get to wherever I'm supposed
to be.
So lots of times as the day getsgoing.
I mean, the meetings andopportunities to go things with
students, I love.
(04:50):
But student groups ask me, hey,would will you come or will you
participate?
Answer's just about all of yes,because first of all, what an
honor they would want me, I meanI'm an old man this date.
The morning hours are thethey're kind of the almost the
me time uh to be able to focuson what I need to do most for
the university.
SPEAKER_00 (05:07):
Well, I I know I'm excited to have to be on your
schedule today, and I workreally you've got a great team,
and I'll tout them really quick.
I mean, Alicia, your assistant,and Amy, your chief of staff,
are um uh I don't need to tellyou, but invaluable to me, and
I'm sure you feel the same exactsame way.
SPEAKER_03 (05:24):
Yeah, we we we have a we have a high performing um
leadership team and certainly ahigh-performing president's
office, not because of thepresident.
It is because of great peoplelike Amy White, as chief of
staff.
Who is your carboncy, I'm gonnatrade the assistant, um, and and
basically Secretary of PaulBoard of Trust.
They keep trains running on thetime, and they certainly keep me
(05:45):
honest on uh on the checks andbalances that they keep with me.
We're lucky to have the key.
SPEAKER_00 (05:50):
All right, so let's back up um to earlier in your
career.
You're from Tennessee, you'veworked in Oklahoma, you've
worked in Georgia, but beforeArkansas, before UCA, um kind of
what it what it what things inyour career have have shaped
your leadership style?
What would you point to?
What would pop in your head asas a person or a thing that has
really uh taken hold of yourphilosophy of leadership?
SPEAKER_03 (06:12):
Yeah, you know, I I was very lucky that early early
in my career I I knew that Ilikely was going to stay in
higher education.
Um that was sort of one that Iloved.
Uh public policy publicadministration, yeah, that was
my background in terms of uhdiscipline, but I kind of loved
that place where um educationand policy came together.
(06:34):
So I can use that, but but thethe fortunate uh opportunity to
have several men do white DonBarclays, um Student Affairs uh
VP and Paz, Rich Web, uh highereducation executive uh for the
state of TC for their theirsystem of higher ed.
Um baby, exactly, boss orTennessee system.
(06:58):
Those were people that I thinkat the beginning and they hadn't
agreed to thinking I wanted towork in higher education and
develop mentorships that allowme, and I and I and I think even
at that point I need to takeadvantage of the fact that they
were wanting to invest in me, soI leaned into those openers.
I tell everybody, all my mystudents, I teach leadership for
policy biases, one of the mostimportant gifts that they can
(07:21):
give to themselves to getcommitted to mune and
opportunities when mentalshrewdic themselves and a lot of
those folks of Carson Grote, Ileave.
I mean, those are individualsthat shape that.
Um one of the experiences I hadthat absolute has has shaped
just about everything I do aspresident of a of a of a
(07:41):
university in the same time wasI got the opportunity to be a
part of the research project.
It was an educational needsindex project.
And we eventually SouthernGovernors Association funded it
initially, uh actually BellSouth funded initially, Southern
Governor Association picked itup the mayor, Luma Foundation,
funded our group to do thatNASH.
I was able to do a project out.
(08:02):
And it was basically looking togauge educational and economic
gross democracy pressures umthat were going on in all 3,140
counties of the perfect in theUS.
Um and then a big part of whatwe're gonna run is to go out and
understand those whereunderstand those areas where
pressures were were showing upsuch that yes, the educational
(08:25):
structure is gonna be strainedas leaks in the future.
Or there's thingsdemographically that are
changing, they're going tofundamentally change the tactics
and should be the direction thatinstitutions we had.
I I've had a lot of differentjobs in the four states that you
mentioned.
Yeah.
Tennessee, Elton, Georgia, andnow Arkansas.
But I would say that project andthat interest in that research
(08:47):
and that interest in booking upall those communities during
that period of time early in mycareer.
Um it it helped me that when Igot lucky now to have this
opportunity to be able to do CA.
I mean, there was a little bitof, all right, here's an
approach.
I mean, to understand not onlythe immediate um 10, 15 county
carrier, let's understand the 75counties in Arkansas, let's
(09:07):
understand less help us all,let's understand where the
bordering counties, where theleech.
And a lot of that all isgrounded in um, you know, some
of it was research, but a lot ofit was just a bit old there, um,
press the flesh and understandcommunities and eat them where
they are and understand whattheir needs are, what their
desires are, and then how do youtake the gifts and palents that
(09:30):
they can bless you at?
And then how do you findsomebody who gets in your
capital anyways in that region?
So um I can't say that anythingI do at UCA is any much
different than theoreticallythan practically, um, how that
needs a front jet that sort ofshape my Yeah, well there like
you said, there is a practicalapproach that you could take
with you um wherever you happento be based on your experience.
SPEAKER_00 (09:53):
But and I'm sure like you said, you've had a lot
of jobs, you've had a lot ofoptions.
SPEAKER_02 (09:57):
Um I can't hold on to a job.
I didn't need to worry yet.
SPEAKER_00 (10:02):
Well, you've you've had a lot of opportunities to do
what you you could have ledanywhere.
Why UCA?
What was the moment um that madeyou uh realize uh this place is
special, this is the place whereum I want to be.
Just kind of take us through thecircumstances of uh of how you
um got connected with this joband and then when you decided
(10:23):
this is the job that I want, theplace I want to be.
SPEAKER_03 (10:25):
Yeah, no, I I think I became um aware of the
University of Central Arkansaswhile we work in Oklahoma, so
she's administered officer forthe Oklahoma system uh from 2007
to 2012, and then the Decemberrole, the she said from Jordan
University Bay Little Shat Dollsthat um asked me to basically
play that role for Dice State 12through uh well 16 and 17 when I
(10:51):
came here.
Um I think that because we werein Oklahoma, um, I was just as a
as kind of a a neighboringstate, and then emerging subtle
Arkansas was an athleticconference, several of the fall
schools.
It was on my radar, and I knewit to be um a really high-falled
institution.
Um I I I knew it would have hada a great reputation in higher
(11:13):
education.
But then I also knew there wasthis thing, Conway, the city of
Collies, and you had UCA andHendricks and Central Baptist
College, and then really beingso close to their being in that
Little Lock metropolitan areawhere there's several other
higher education institutions.
There was always this in theback of our minds, well, that's
(11:34):
a really neat school.
And it's in an area that wasnaturally has kind of an
entrepreneurial created a uh asort of a research and stretch
yourself sort of mentality justby having all these higher
education institutions.
And that was the theory.
And I think when the job becameavailable, uh, I commented, I
was not in a position to flywhen it first came open, um, but
(11:57):
I commented to search funmovement and energy that, hey,
I've been impressed at 2016.
I said for the last decade or soI've been watching the work
going on there and the kind ofthat environment over in that
kind of conway.
That's a good job.
I didn't know if I could apply,but I asked him, was it open?
If I never really was open tohis name to search.
And I said there may be somefolks that I'd like to search
(12:18):
within that pool, because that'sa great document.
Little did I know that aboutfive months later or so after
that conversation, um, I myselfgot into that pool, and I guess
I should think about that Iencourage people to compete
against me uh for which I uh butas soon as the window opened up,
uh Jimmy and I voted.
We had this already favoredreview of UCA, the sense that
(12:38):
Conway was a good place to belocated.
Um town and down is veryimportant to me.
I knew about most diver pocketsum in the state of Arkansas, so
maybe Arkansas being one ofthose well aware of in Oklahoma.
Um, you know, so all of thatkind of came together, and
again, you probably picked up.
I mean, I believe in educationand economics and in what's
(12:58):
going on with the Dom Happens inhere.
So those things had to befigured to me.
I saw this particular pocket allthe way up to especially in the
Western pocket of Arkansas,which is one of the most bi
regions in the U.S.
So that needs index researchalso been in me that this was a
good place to be able to notonly have you delta did hand in
(13:19):
terms of the foundation, but tobe able to inherit something
that had not yet reached itsattention.
So let's continue to vote.
So that's a lot, that's kind oflong-winded, but but it there
really was a lot of thoughtabout this place long before I
ever thought about of applyingfor it.
And the Navarros of War had animpression and web perfection
UCA had in the general lead.
SPEAKER_00 (13:39):
Yeah, well, and I want to stop real quick too.
You mentioned your wife, Jenny.
I mean, she's on campus as well,too, right?
For for people who may not know,she is a UCA faculty member, and
I'm sure she um like any bigdecision that you've been
involved in, that was a groupdecision, and um she's a a big
part of the campus as well.
SPEAKER_03 (13:58):
Yeah, no, it it was.
I we like to joke that it was onme to determine it was the
University of Central, Arkansaswas a great place.
And again, we were early, Ithought I got the job.
I mean, that was a big decisionto, you know, early, early in a
career, early in universityabout a community, and in a
place where you like for acommunity to stay a place for a
while.
(14:18):
Um, it was on me to be able tolook at is this to like fit
professionally.
And then kind of left it up toJenny to see is Conway in that
region of of Arkansas, and wealready was familiar very much
of Arkansas and mid-south, butwas that a place to really want
to dig out person?
And and we both agreed that thatwas a a great opportunity but to
pursue it.
And then I remember when she andI left from our few days of the
(14:40):
interviews, um, we drove back tothe airport um and our and our
in our host or yeah, first TexasAir Force dropping saw and then
went in to Rural Rock Air Force.
We both said it's like that'llbe a great experience.
I don't know if we're gonna getit, but somebody is gonna be
getting really happy um to knowthat and uh thrill uh just a
(15:02):
couple days later, uh got theword that Bravor cheese up.
SPEAKER_00 (15:06):
Yeah.
You mentioned that wordreputation now.
Um, so I'm I'll ask you nowyou're in your ninth academic
year.
What what do you hope that UCA'sreputation is?
Um, you know, what what do youthink that we do that uh we
don't get enough credit for?
What do what do you think weshould get more credit for?
SPEAKER_03 (15:25):
Yeah, well, I I think the thing that we do well,
we do get a lot of credit for.
Actually, there was a meetingwith other fellow presidents um
from throughout, say, andlooking up for cheer and
statewide versus champs likeCalifornia subset um of that
reaper got together.
And one um one of thepresidents, a two-year
president, um, you know, we weretalking about some things that
(15:47):
UCA is doing.
They said one of the greatestgifts that UCA has is that you
know who you are and you do thatexceeding, and I love to know
who you are and do thatexceeding.
Um I think that I knew this whenI applied for the job, so I want
to I want to boast on theculture that was already here.
It has nothing to do withFusion.
It's everything about ground waslaid before we got here.
(16:09):
This is a place that those umresidential experiences very,
very uh that's still very muchattuned to what is it that an
undergraduate student's wantedto get.
Not only classroom that outsidethe classroom.
Um that that is intentional fromthe freshman year all the
senior.
Um and and that that's somethingthat I think um we're not all
(16:32):
sight of, and as we both haveour our senior faculty as well
as you faculty we're hiring in,um that's something that invides
into.
And that might sound likethrowaway traits, but in
American public higher educationand private higher education,
those are not things thatuniversities are still
attending.
Um when a student comes to us,um I hear all the time, yes, and
(16:53):
they'll say, My son's greatexperience.
And I'll tell them the samething.
I'm not surprised by that.
That's it.
That's what we shoot for, andthat's what we expect.
Um, but then the next thing iswe'll do that.
Um this place is not asatisfied, but we're not to make
certain um that that is ameaningful, seamless, exclusive
student experience that thatthat that that that every young
(17:16):
person is getting.
Um, and we're wanting to makecertain that we're never resting
in the phone, so we're fine withthat.
So so therefore the short answerfunction is I mean, if a student
is working for a place whereit's big enough to do really
meaningful things, and a proudof the fact that we 10,000
students, uh roughly 8,000 under2,000 graduates, we're kind of a
sweet spy to do big things, domeaningful things, invest in
(17:39):
those things if we love enoughcolourities, but not so big that
students get lost and shut.
Um and that's what I think toHolly, when he was talking about
we know who we are and we dothat exceedingly well.
I think that's a compliment ofpeople.
Um and and and again, I'm proud.
Whenever we have a student comehere um to tour this campus, I
mean you know that they're gonnahave a good experience and be
(18:00):
impressed.
Um, then it's just a matter ofis the right fit for them.
And if they come here, we'regonna stick.
Um, we we don't see a lot ofstudents that come here inside
this is not basic than me whenthey transfer it.
Um they're proud of that, proudof the fact that we give me
transfer from university to dosome easy colleges.
That's something that you don'tfind in that gentile education.
And a lot of that is, you know,the students that are like
(18:24):
students are looking for.
Um we deliver by seating takesfor a night.
SPEAKER_00 (18:30):
Yeah, well, I can underscore that with um um, you
know, the Rogers mayor, GregHines.
He's a friend of mine, and we'vetaught and his daughter is a UCA
student, and we've talked abouther and her experience there,
and she went down there.
Um his other daughters went tothe U of A.
He's a U of A grad, but theirdaughter wanted to go to UCA to
be a school teacher.
Well, she determined early onthat she uh wanted to switch and
(18:53):
do something else, but shedidn't leave UCA.
She she loved the campus, lovedthe people.
They've taken great care of herthrough her, you know,
transition through that.
And she's uh I believepre-dental hygiene.
And and uh so yeah, that kind ofunderscores your point.
Whether when students go there,if they may have a a hiccup or a
change of plans, uh there are alot of other things that are um
(19:14):
that are in play to keep themthere other than just their
their academic pursuit.
Like you say, it's a it's asmall community, uh, as you put
it, and you're the mayor.
So well, let's talk about um youknow Northwest Arkansas.
I think you and I both uh aredefinitely in alignment that uh
UCA needs to be a bigger part ofthe story here.
Uh both uh and and what was themoment that you said um okay, we
(19:36):
need to we need to plant a flagup there.
We need to we need to move onnorthwest Arkansas.
Why is it critical that UCA uhraise its brand and its
visibility in this part of thestate?
SPEAKER_03 (19:48):
Yeah, well, I think there were there were a couple
of maybe the light bulb wentoff.
There was uh dimly lit and thena little bit more in the black
with that.
I mean, I knew when I started inJanuary 17 that um again my
background is measured thingsand doing demographic research.
I knew about the growth innorthwest Arkansas.
(20:10):
I knew that UCA already we getwe get students every single
year from all 75 counties and wegraduate alone to go back to all
75 counties.
So I knew that we already had umreach.
Um I knew that we already willcover in the map, I'd either we
already had reputation thatreached in that area.
So that's the dim little bit.
Um but probably a little bitmore to that, but a couple of
(20:32):
years in, um, I I I really didum start seeing that we um we
were a natural complement toopportunities.
Yeah.
Especially the student who wasin position to be able to be
arrested.
So I mean the uh and and a lotof this uh I I'll use the
example just like in Georgia.
I mean you University ofGeorgia, uh Georgia Tech, George
(20:56):
Southern, Kinsall State.
I mean, those are the examplesof schools where they're usually
not going after the samestudent.
They're looking for the rightdays.
And I knew that in NorthwestArkansas, we had very
relationships in Arkansas,whether they're Charles and
Mistine of any uh relationshipsand uh uh but but there's a
space that UCA occupies where wesort of we're comprehend.
(21:19):
We're we're we're a regionalcompetence of the university, we
do different things in those twoinstitutions.
So we should, for any studentthat is is in the conversation
up there, we need to find a wayto know certain that they're
aware of of what UCA has tooffer.
We need to find um the abilityto to be able to connect up with
stories and success thatstudents from that area have had
(21:41):
on our campus and then alums inthat area.
And then the brighter the vaultcame, when I realized that we
got over 3,000 alumni um in thearea and and a lot of them
active with the university.
Um it's it's it's not like wehave to introduce a lot of
people in Northwest Arkansas,the University of Arkansas, they
(22:01):
are excuse me, the NorthwestArkansas, they already know UCA.
I mean, they know it from thework that all these alumni, and
especially bottom of them areour young professionals.
They're a big part of themovement, the excitement, the
energy that's going on there.
For we need to make certain thatpeople know that, hey, this is
the work of folks that weregraduates of our university, and
(22:23):
we need to be able to tell thatstory.
We need to find out how we canbe of service to them.
Um there's Empire Ed, you gotyou got teaching, research, and
service, and that's a free legsand stool, just about everything
that any post-secondaryinstitution does that raw the
falling on those buckets.
Yeah, we need to be thinkingabout how are we um seen as as
(22:43):
being an innovative campus thatthings about if we've got uh you
have assets, we've gotcapabilities, you've got um the
wherewithal to be able to beassistance um in promoting
promoting community of life.
We need to be rendered acceptsand not only those butters, um,
but we want to know those sortof extension surgeries for the
(23:05):
new economy, that's the way Ithink about it.
What can we direct uh to be aservice on that region?
All those vehicles already builtuh for people that believe in
making a thing back, you know.
You see as made in their life,maybe the fact that we should
say once that at sort ofcritical mass came through to
(23:26):
me, um, said yeah, we've we weneed to next certain with the
flag.
Um it it it needs to be aboutawareness for uh attracting more
students, but mainly it needs tobe about making certain folks
know the UCA wakes up everysingle day thinking about how
we're doing a part of the UnionGrand Challenges in the state of
Arkansas, and then particularlyon that serve in that region, um
(23:49):
that we're thinking about, well,if we had an actual uh fit in a
conversation about somechallenge that that region's
trying to meet you, you need tobe where in the place I am and
say, hey, you're gonna do funcourt.
That was how you are the stewardof place.
That's how um you make certainthat you really are making the
greatest impact you can underthe region, under state, and
beyond the state.
(24:10):
Uh and that happens by and thenI'll slugishly, um, I'll put a
plug here.
It also very patient to find thewhite person to be uh our lead
there, find the white person umthat be the ambassador that
opened those doors to uh be theone uh start those conversations
(24:31):
and then know that there's windin their sail of being that any
of those conversations needsthat person all yeah.
Uh we really uh follow youthrough.
We're delighted uh to be able tohave you join us.
And we've already seen, I mean,just in the last year or so, I
mean, that we've we've made moremore more progress on what we're
(24:52):
hoping you do you do.
SPEAKER_04 (24:54):
Kind of just thinking about influence, think
about um awareness.
Um, than in all of those GamboBine goals that I described very
rude.
Thank you about that.
SPEAKER_00 (25:05):
Well, I can tell you it's been um I'm not I'm not uh
under overstating this when Isay it's been a life-changing
move for me to change careersand join the University of
Central Arkansas.
I think I said it uh when thefirst time I'm I met you and we
had a conversation as a as anative Arkansan born and raised
here.
Um I did not go to theUniversity of Central Arkansas,
(25:25):
but I know that UCA is a brandname in Arkansas the same way
that um you know Baptist Healthis a brand name or Nabholt's or
Rvest or Walmart.
I think UCA is a known uhfactor.
However, there was anopportunity to build more
relationships and fosterexisting relationships and just
create more visibility in thispart of the state uh where a lot
(25:49):
of people have moved and nowlived who are not from this part
of the not from Arkansas,period.
So that to me is where there isa great opportunity uh to put
our brand and our offerings andeverything UCA in front of uh
parents or potential supportersor civic leaders who uh did not
(26:09):
grow up here.
Like, you know, I grew up here,so I might take it for granted.
Um but there's it's been a lotof fun.
Um, you know, I started forpeople who may be listening and
aren't aware, started in July2024 after a long career at the
Northwest Arkansas BusinessJournal, and was so pleased to
be um connected with thisopportunity to um uh uh to work
(26:30):
with President Davis and and uhmy my boss, the Vice President
of Advancement, Dr.
Mary Lackey, uh, and everyonethat I work with uh remotely,
but uh when I when I do uhtravel to Conway, just an
incredible team at UCA.
And and I've heard you say morethan once, and I've started
saying it myself, uh we don'twant to be a best kept secret in
(26:52):
any regard about what we'redoing uh as far as our our
academic success and ourrecruiting success and our
fundraising success andenrollment success and and all
that stuff.
So uh I appreciate you sayingthat.
Uh that wasn't part of thewasn't part of the conversation
I was expecting, but I really doappreciate you you saying that.
Um so so let's let's let's takethe best case scenario then um
(27:16):
you know in in maybe three tofive years from now.
You know, what what does whatdoes full alignment uh between
the University of CentralArkansas and Northwest Arkansas
uh you know look like?
Well is it is it more uhstudents, is it philanthropy, is
it uh more partnerships, or Imean, the I'm I'm sure a
combination of all of thosethings.
(27:37):
Yes, yes, and yes.
Uh right.
SPEAKER_03 (27:40):
I mean yeah, I I think that you know there's um
there's obviously, and andyou're you're exactly right
about you've got all these ofyou folks and maybe they've got
their families, they've gottheir their sons and daughters,
your grandsons and theirdaughters that um are going to
be looking for um the right fitfor them.
(28:01):
And and we want to make certainthat you you are right that UCA
has a very, very stronggranular.
We need to make certain we withall these interests into uh uh
being labeled Arkansas, new uhmembers of our state by family,
um that we're uh continuingstuff what's going on here.
SPEAKER_04 (28:22):
Um the common way, but also we uh uh beyond the
reach and that basically inonline education, some of those
things that we uh made may do inthe uh course uh Moody Mets are
ever easy.
But I think the biggest thingthat I've already given you
three or five years uh we aretalking about um in in some of
(28:46):
the syndicate plain boy.
SPEAKER_03 (28:49):
Uh uh we won a bit uh it's not not semantic yet,
but we get three first time isfor UCA to be known as a campus
and a sh and and what you knowthat's not necessarily just
here, uh but because our campuscan extend all sorts of asset
(29:10):
are our greatest asset RP forgrace asset or the perkings that
they recognize, but to be aplace that that our our public
and especially those individualsthat think about economic
network choice and innovation ofcontribution that we're a place
(29:31):
that they know and as I thinkabout which we already have that
reputation in a simple part tosay.
Um we need to make certain newsvideo for three, five years from
now.
We're only sensible out of timewhen people are thinking about
what people can find us whenit's kind of gathered when it's
(29:51):
kind of around pain, but it'stime to think about what are the
assets to say what besides youin the global region on that
might be consistently.
I would hope that um we have alot more people in Salberia that
would immediately have us on theshortlist that you know what ECA
did X with uh Bruce Devocal thatdid Y um what company took me.
(30:17):
I saw what they related thatmakes a difference.
Um we should of course uh if wecan get to that fate, then
you're not the best depthseeker.
Um you're a well-known, trusted.
Um and and I think that to me.
Um I think that um again it itit shouldn't be a secret that we
(30:38):
you know have have students fromall 75 counties and have alone
guide go back to all 75counties.
We should think about uh sort ofthe extension services of what
we do for the state also has theability um focus.
You can't be all things to allpeople, but in a focus sort of
way.
Well then we should all 75counties and it's our working um
sort of theory that it's inNorthwest, Arkansas, that we can
(31:03):
extend what we already leave inthis region uh to be other tests
and white.
And then you go out 1015, yeah.
I would do various thatpresident then.
Um I don't know if you've gotthat much trail in the fire.
Um, but I would hope that thestory would be that yes, I mean,
you UCA would environ myreputation the same day it has
(31:24):
the simple part of the state.
SPEAKER_00 (31:26):
And uh I love that you said uh when you described
UCA as as a can't, you know, aninnovation campus of innovation,
not just here.
Um because I still get thatquestion a lot.
People ask me what my job is andwhat are you doing, and they'll
say, is UCA gonna open asatellite campus up here?
Are you guys opening a campus?
Are you doing this up here?
And um I think my answer has hasevolved into just a shoulder
(31:48):
shrug and say, you never know.
You never know what we're gonnado up here, do you?
SPEAKER_02 (31:52):
Yeah, let's do that.
You like that answer?
Let the rumor mill run.
SPEAKER_03 (31:54):
Let's let's let them imagine.
Uh, you know, I I I can telleverybody that there's the
switching in on this orwatching.
Um, you know, when when Paul andI had the opportunity to sit
down and talk about what we weretrying to do, and like talking
about a little uh sort of a listof of uh what we imagine to be
the dolls, but totally new madinterview.
(32:14):
I said, I hope that once we getto the 36 marks mark of your
work that we'll pull out thatlist.
And I hope that we laugh at howlimited our the works and how
basic we were because we'llrealize that wow, we'll be there
so enough so short, we've madeso much harder on the
conversation.
So you know I still got thatlist.
(32:35):
Um I do have that list,absolutely something piled off
that desk behind me.
Um but um yeah, I'll I'll I'lllook forward to I I think that
you know you you don't knowuntil you're there, you don't
know until you're in the room,and that'll be a bringing
happens.
I mean, you've got to embedyourself, you've got to, and
it's not just you, it's who ofour dean, who of our chairs, who
(32:56):
of our outreach folks, who ofour uh enrollment service, still
your economic development fullof government relations, but
these people need to be there,Justin Khan's sort of work, and
and from those conversations tofrom that work will I put the
company say is that in three orfive years, well that you know
what?
We never would imagine it'sstarting to look what we've got.
SPEAKER_00 (33:19):
I I I have no doubt that we far exceeded uh maybe
I'm yeah, it it is exciting tothink about, and um a lot of
things are exciting to thinkabout up here in the Northwest
Arkansas lens, and I've I'velearned to never discount any
idea or any thought or any rumorthat I hear, so that kind of
(33:40):
plays into that narrative uhwhere we fit in as well.
I I don't discount anything.
So uh I want to go back to whatyou mentioned um a little bit
ago that you teach.
I mean, you're one of the fewuniversity presidents who um
actually teaches a class whilerunning an institution.
Why why is that important toyou?
What do you get out of that?
SPEAKER_03 (34:01):
Well, one thing is it's it's what I got with the
industry to begin with, to do.
I mean, to do my research and myteaching.
I mean, it really is.
SPEAKER_00 (34:09):
Yeah, you don't just give it up when you move into
the into the big office, right?
SPEAKER_03 (34:13):
Yeah, I I think it's it's kind of my happy place
anyway.
Um I I thoroughly enjoy, and andI and it is it is rare.
I mean, that a president,teacher of record, not
co-teaching, not not having abunch of people come in and do
your teaching.
Uh, but yeah, I've I've uh I'vecaught a class every term that
I've been here except for thatvery first semester in the
(34:35):
spring of 17.
Um I I teach at least one classum that's in our PhD and
leadership um program.
That's always in fall, orbecause I always fall.
And then I've always taught aclass that's medications for
policy papers class uh for uhfor students here and now super.
(34:56):
I mean I love being able to dothat.
There's in both of those cases.
A lot of those rooms are won'tget continued higher education,
and or there are individualsthat may be in healthcare and
maybe in nonprofit and get someof their second education.
They're all the attributes arenow the standard how they uh
(35:19):
their views, they're in forstill like influencing quality
of life to use and basic.
So it's really it's it's it's anhonor to get to work with, and
and yeah, I I probably teach itsomething, but they keep you
know teaching.
Uh it really is.
Uh it's and that's why I beingconscious.
Um I think the other thing is,and I do encourage all of my
(35:41):
holidays to get presents.
And it's and it's not toco-teach, it's not to do it to
somebody, it's teach.
I mean, take a class on becausethat to me, um my dad used to
pop out and say, boy, every oncein a while you need to do your
own doctor.
Um, I think everybody um that ispresident of the university
(36:03):
should, you know, be you know,they need to teach on that
learning management system.
They need to be reminded.
Um, that putting together aclass from scratch, they need to
be reminded that, I mean,although it's a different kind
of work, I mean, grading papersand keeping track of, I can
promise you I've got a bunch ofpapers from Wednesday of this
week that I've got to get turnedaround to my students uh before
(36:24):
I get Sunday night.
And it doesn't matter that it'shomecoming week.
I've got to get that done.
Um so they've got them beforethey wake up on Monday.
Um, I think that's good for theinstitutions.
And they want to be at EverettSmith for that's just my
personal prevalence.
But I think it's very important.
But that is, it's it's thegreatest way that I get reminded
about um default of varieties.
(36:46):
It's almost like I've got afocus group on you all times.
I mean, I know how are ourstudents fearing the things that
will come down from theadministration or things that
come up from their college ortheir part.
Um they're not shy.
They certainly think they couldcare less on probably data.
They just know the Houston notesspeech in the crowd.
Um and I think them having thatkind of access to me is an
(37:07):
interesting thing to uh for themto be able to almost feel like
they can get decent feedback,and then hopefully I think that
in my unique role.
SPEAKER_00 (37:19):
Yeah, it is it is unique, at least uh in my
experience with highereducation.
I thought it was very uniquewhen I first heard that.
Would you would your studentssay that Dr.
Davis grades on a curve?
SPEAKER_03 (37:30):
You know, I think well, here's what they would
report.
I am a stickler for Boon Light.
Uh it doesn't matter whetherit's an undergraduate class or a
graduate class.
I think that uh that they would,if there's, I don't think it
would be a complaint.
I would, I think they would say,okay, um conceptually, whatever
the framework is for the the thetheory, the principle, whatever
(37:53):
we're talking about, if youdon't write it up well, he's
gonna get you.
So I I th I think that's ifthere be any complaint, but um
above all else, one thing aboutI I'm a process lawyer person.
I mean, I understand.
I mean, I bel I believe inprocess, and I I mean that's
true in a lot of facets of mylife.
Uh when I am teaching andteaching concepts, me process,
(38:14):
it's it's trying us and going asyou're about toolbox.
How are you utilizing this toolto be taken?
But if you learn it, I apply it.
Um so as long as students areable to supply that knowledge or
father's that conceptual toolkitthey're giving.
I generally prove fair on what'sgreat, but I want them to go
through that process and don'tjust call out and claw and state
(38:37):
your head, state your plane.
What's going to be the solution?
Come on.
Um they're doing that, they'regonna be fine.
As long as they're writing itwell.
I think that's my uh my mom wasan English teacher, Jenny is a
English teacher.
Uh I think I couldn't get be faraway from all of my writing as
they corrected, pretty much mywhole life.
SPEAKER_00 (38:58):
Right.
Our mothers are are in common.
My mother was uh is an Englishteacher as well, retired school
teacher and a proud graduate ofuh University of Central
Arkansas in 1968, whatever itwas called.
Then state college.
Yeah, she did it right.
Yeah, she was.
So well that you you said thethe university classroom is your
happy place, and you've beenyou've been in this um higher
(39:20):
education realm for a long timeand you like process.
Well, well, right now there's alot, there's a lot of processes
in the higher education worldthat are um you know uh noisy,
let's say.
There's a lot of noise aroundhigher education, you know, the
uh the cost of of attendance, isis uh is going to college worth
it?
Is that somewhere I need to be?
(39:40):
All of those things from whereyou sit, you know, what what is
what's overblown about all ofthose narratives and and what is
uh maybe uh has some truth tothose narratives, separate the
fact from the fiction?
SPEAKER_03 (39:52):
Yeah, well, um I think that one of the biggest
barriers, and I think this wouldbe true any president in any IV
situation might be interviewing,is the the the myths and
misconceptions about the cost umof of post-secondary education
(40:12):
are f far overblinding comparedto where it actually is.
Um I think that it's very easy,and then YouTube high WD's you
know, stories of people thathave hundreds of thousands of
dollars of debt totally storiesare usually heavily influenced
by an elite private school thatyes does have a you know$100,000
(40:36):
a year um all in cost ofattendance.
Um and if then somebody chose toborrow um with that, yeah,
they're probably already brandup a little bit.
Yeah, but that's not.
I mean, I I think about sendingmy health with Arkansas and
actually my colleagues in thesecampuses.
Anybody in the region, if ifthey if they attend an NY, if
(40:57):
UCA or they attend uh Universityof Arkansas, it is a very
important task to a highquality.
Um in that paper you can buy.
Um I think that you know we loveto be at the look at the
measurements um of of of wheredeath is.
You know, somebody grab quickfrom the university of Central
(41:20):
Arkansas.
Um we're thrilled that we'realmost$14,000 evolution average
for a stool of our type, whichis considerably less uh than
than any of those horrorstories, the Germanese,
rumscamely buys and notch.
Um and the reality is that bysound that's fun money.
And it is if you're full of$1,000 and selling London.
(41:41):
Um so when we get to thatsecond, though, how we'll try to
change the nerve around that.
But I think that a lot of folkshear those multiple hundred
thousand dollar stories thatscene.
Um I would output that thousandthere, a lot of people with you.
And that person may unblock acar on a car like you give away.
(42:01):
And most people will be like,yeah, that's just what you do.
Well, that's a declining assettime to work.
We know that if someone gets adegree on the Sunday Arkansas,
their return on invested goespositive by the sixth year in
form.
Every year seven, they're great.
That's what accumulates amillion dollars.
(42:21):
Um that means that's uh notinvest investment making
yourself.
So that we know to mean allthose facts.
When we go back to what wedidn't call it for a family that
might still say, okay, fine,UCA, that's what the average
debt for somebody after you did.
What are you doing?
Um we started our UCA for thattriple purpose.
(42:42):
Um two cycles.
We're already there.
Her key turned on household inthe first two years of that.
But they leave say not to thelead.
Any Parkinson High Schoolgraduate last two years.
SPEAKER_04 (42:58):
If their family makes$100,000 below, they come
to UCA on the debt-free app,then what we'd do is we'll work
in the next or we are part ofthe reason choose to work on
NetMex program is you weremaking a commitment as well that
we were going to help them to beat Clainwolves RD.
SPEAKER_03 (43:18):
We were amazed at how many students that phone
people see in a go to a bunch ofother higher tissue
institutions.
It was very confusing trying toget access to just filling up
the FAFSA, getting a screen viewof that process, and no wonder
they get that.
Um and if they werefirst-generation college
students and household everynutmag, they probably didn't
(43:40):
even click a button beyond that.
These couldn't choose.
Same sort of thing with theArkansas chat window.
A lot of support from the stateof Arkansas through um the Lotus
Doctor program.
The students here and in otherKansas weren't going to brew and
understand the process we dothat.
So our commitment, some of thesignal didn't do hard music
(44:01):
program.
We helped them to make certainthat they're able to, and
whatever that and that be wehave to have done that, we're
gonna bridge that gap.
We've got credit cards likethose needs for she fees for we
feel like and it's a part ofwhat we do in this call, even
our broader kind of quality brewcard here, dark eaters.
(44:27):
We see that as like startpulling at Abby's yeah, of
future Ragid Xbox and I I lookup what that was like foundation
now.
I look forgot and say, you knowwhat, he pulled that back up if
he said he finds you squidy.
SPEAKER_05 (44:44):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (44:45):
That's that's the bill.
Uh yeah, somewhat academically,and we don't admit everybody.
I mean, last couple years,you've had two balances students
and above, both in my last yearin the fresh classes.
That's been significant.
Um, but we also have recordnumbers too.
(45:06):
So we're not um you know, we'renot going to walk away from
Fallity.
Um academic, somebody see UCA isto like fit for their academic
notice and their restoration anddo the findings or get
diversion.
So uh UCA commitment has notchanged, but narrative um
perceptions are I can't affordthis, well, I can find anything
(45:31):
on that.
What was that like you do saycoming?
Yeah, over 1,300 households havedone a thing out in the first
two years.
That's gonna be really exciting.
So we five years, how manyfamilies we live just in that
first half decade?
SPEAKER_00 (45:51):
Yeah, there's there is so many good things to talk
about at UCA, and from myperspective up here, I talk
about three things a lot.
And one is our aviation academy.
Uh, two, as you mentioned, ourour freshman enrollment year
after year is the second largestamong universities in Arkansas.
And then the UCA commitment.
It's a life-changing program.
(46:11):
And when we announced it, it wasbefore I joined UCA.
But when we announced it, um Ithink there are several uh
debt-free pathway programs inArkansas now, but I don't think
there were any uh two years agowhen this was announced.
I mean, this was UCA.
This was this was our program,this was our program that we
developed uh as anindustry-leading program.
(46:32):
And so very, very proud of that.
And then also when we, you know,recently we formed our Northwest
Arkansas Advisory Council, andyou you came up for that
inaugural meeting, and and allof those members um were aware
of the UCA commitment programand proud of it, and proud when
their friends asked them aboutyou went to UCA, right?
Did you see this UCA commitmentprogram?
(46:53):
And um it's a it's a big pointof pride.
I mean, it's uh obviouslylife-changing for those
families, uh, but it's a bigpoint of pride for people who
work at UCA and for people whohave a degree from UCA, I think.
SPEAKER_03 (47:07):
Yeah, yeah, and and I always start my my grandmother
always say this good pride andbad pride, son.
It's good pride, what we're andand I um in particular, and um,
I mean, a lot of friends havepresents in change work, but a
lot of them, you know, theythey'll they'll appear to do
them now out of just someresources and they'll be fun
backs like our actualscholarships that we'll all
(47:29):
learn the last year, many yearsago.
So we're just utilizing yourknowledge and find a way and to
to basically tell them inprocess that we've do that work
over seven or eight years.
Most of my friends that arepresent at the chancer are
saying, yeah, but I can do that,that's too much work.
I I'm I'm proud of the fact thatwe built them to A's getting the
parking to meeting the E'sfamilies, but I'm also really
(47:52):
proud of the fact that hehaven't made it a meeting who
buys a lot of e-digit whiskey,and she's familiar with the
major needs.
Moody's has now, uh, for thelast three years of the rain
mattress and UCA kept a stableuh positive outlet.
(48:12):
A lot of that uh they pointed toum they pointed to our
stewardship work.
They've also talked about thingslike UCA can make a programs in
the march that they've stillallowed in the next future media
instead of allowing it to theresources program by the
aviation capture and some we'redoing college of science and
(48:37):
engineering.
Um I think movies see it wouldmean really we'll get stewards
of what we've been given to theend of the best that and have
multiple effect on that.
As opposed to the back my dadused to say, don't eat your seed
porn.
Um, you know, we we certainlydon't need to do anything
speeding themselves in thedeath.
(49:03):
So proud of the fact grandmaprize give fine.
Um you see a commitment maybe ahuge difference, but we've
really put hard positionuniversity audience on just an
outline audience off.
Among regional comprehensiveuniversities in the southeastern
part of the U.S., um, we knowthe work position.
SPEAKER_04 (49:20):
You know that for the big agencies.
SPEAKER_03 (49:22):
In a very, very, very complex transaction.
It's usually and again, it'staking a lot of work to get
there, and I think a lot of workto stay there.
SPEAKER_00 (49:30):
All right.
Um we've talked about UCA, we'vetalked about Northwest Arkansas,
we've talked about highereducation, and we're going to
talk about Houston Davis for oneminute here.
I've got I've got my questionshere that I think people are
dying to know.
SPEAKER_02 (49:42):
Right there.
Right there.
You just you just lost all ofyour viewers in there.
SPEAKER_00 (49:48):
We'll see.
We'll let the analytics, we'lllet the analytics decide what
people uh tune into or tune out.
All right, coffee or sweet tea?
SPEAKER_03 (49:56):
Oh goodness.
Uh you know, sweet tea.
I, you know, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (50:03):
You're a music guy.
What's the best concert you'veever been to?
SPEAKER_03 (50:07):
Oh, wow.
Best concert I've ever been to?
Uh well, all right.
Prob probably best, and it wasone of my earliest.
Um Guns N' Roses Pyramid inMemphis, but that wasn't the
kicker.
Uh although, I mean, theycovered a great show.
It quite about two and a halfhours, and that was near a time
where Axel was even stage earlylife.
He collected the foot on theshow.
(50:28):
But Soundgarden Open for Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (50:30):
I was gonna ask you if this is with Metallica or
not, but so no Metallica.
SPEAKER_03 (50:34):
Soundgarden Open, um, G and R outer.
It was first of all revelationin the Christian Soundgarden
that I wasn't I'll be notfamiliar with them um that
night.
They were amazing when you'reused to that show.
So many things, Bonaroo, and thecell and that.
(50:54):
Yeah, we we we love when we usethe customers just anything
that's anything that's odd musicis flight for to be uh us to
lead there and say, that's thebest we've ever seen.
And I don't know how you everbet for that.
You're always still in themoment, but probably my favorite
memorable convert.
SPEAKER_00 (51:11):
Most underrated Arkansas town.
SPEAKER_03 (51:14):
Oh wow.
Boy, I could offend a lot.
Let me tell you one year we saw,and it rolled over a revelation.
Um, Jenny and I had anopportunity to go over and just
hike and bring you in beer.
Meetup, this answer.
We were really impressed.
That that town's really cool.
That's strong, it's uh kind of acool vibe.
We rub, uh we love hiking andtrekking.
(51:35):
That's that's that's anotherways that we spend a lot of our
time.
Um distance hikes, you're readyto uh Lushita Trail um to
Humboldtman, all the way out upon the Mean Bat, uh big Poscot
River uh trail.
Um with the Mina, we were kindof that was our our hug, but
that trib on Mina reallyinterested us.
So that was probably first cometo mind because that was just
(51:58):
curious and uh really enjoyedit.
Can't wait to get back there.
SPEAKER_00 (52:01):
That was that was the first time I didn't mean if
you were to give a TED talktomorrow, what is something you
could do a presentation on withzero preparation?
SPEAKER_03 (52:12):
Wow.
Um probably um higher educationand the economy.
It might not be the mostexciting topic, but to uh
especially to talk about to beable to talk about the need for
any degree beyond a high schooldiploma and how that gives you
utilities and possibilities.
(52:33):
Um I as a university president,I don't ever tell um a high
school graduate that they haveto come to the university.
What I tells them is you've gotthese something beyond a high
school diploma.
Um of them that's gonna bevocational, some of them from
that from university, some ofthat's gonna be the military
path where they're gonna pick upa lot of great creatures and
(52:53):
certification skills.
Either way, every something uhbeyond that high school
polygamy, because what that doesis it just opens up
possibilities.
Um you don't just have to go tothe flow, you can start to get
that floor.
So probably if someone said,Hey, Houston, you need to give X
number of minutes of TED talk inthe few minutes, I would kick
that and I would think about oneof my three best points in my
(53:14):
book.
SPEAKER_00 (53:16):
Perfect.
All right, well, listen, umPresident Davis, I've I've been
looking forward to this uhconversation with you for a
while.
So um really appreciate yourtime.
I want to end with this uhbecause we do have a lot of
alumni who are listening and alot of alumni from Northwest
Arkansas who are listening.
You've got a direct um a directuh voice to those those people
(53:37):
right now.
What do you want them to knowabout their alma mater, the
University of Central Arkansas?
SPEAKER_03 (53:42):
Yeah, well, well, first of all, I I want to be
very proud of the universe.
Um I think that that theyalready know that our university
of reputation, they know thatour university has made a
difference in their life.
I guarantee you that as they'rehearing talk about this, it's
not it wasn't a transactionalrelationship that they'll
describe, it's not just thatthey got a degree from UCA, it's
that they developed greatfriendships and great um
(54:03):
relationships that continued,and it's probably influenced who
they are as a young professionalthat they're through seed and
professionally.
I hope that they would beencouraged to know.
They already know that uh UCA ispretty special.
I hope they would be encouragedto know that we're not just uh I
just put on a reception uh up inNorthwest Arkansas and then all
(54:26):
back home, that we're reallythinking about what is it that
we're gonna do across the weirdyear in five days and um how can
we be of service to them?
I think that our NorthwestArkansas Council, right, that
was not just asking about whatthe university needs to do
there, but but how could we helpthem and what they were steering
at them in that for a influence?
How how could we start somedialogue about is there any way
(54:48):
a university we need assist?
It's not just that you you youwere educated by us because you
aren't due to know that we'regonna be uh committed to again
via and the service can have umof what's gonna be in the
ecosystem.
Yeah, yeah.
So think big thoughts about howwe might get them up.
So I again pride, I hope thatthey would they would feel that,
(55:09):
they know that.
Um I think that uh a agratefulness uh that we're
thinking about how we can extendthat repeat, send that message,
um, and then know that this thisdespite the thing that we're
like certain that we are movedto where that earlier question
about three to five years fromnow.
Yeah, a lot of people out therethink of UCA as an asset.
(55:29):
Um that yeah, we can fall home.
They deliver, they are good atwhat they do, Steve.
Um I mean it's a it's afall-free, it's safe.
Uh and that to me is for peace.
SPEAKER_00 (55:41):
Fantastic.
All right, great place to end itagain.
President Davis, uh uh theUniversity of Central Arkansas.
Always enjoy visiting with you.
Really appreciate your time.
Uh hope you have a great rest ofthe day.
Appreciate you, sir.
Go bears.
All right, great.
All right, well, all right.
That's been the latest editionof Central to NWA, a UCA
podcast.
I'm Paul Gatling.
Until next time, Bill Bears.
(56:03):
That's it for this episode ofCentral to NWA, a UCA podcast.
I'm Paul Gatling, SeniorDirector of Northwest Arkansas
Engagement for the University ofCentral Arkansas.
Be sure to subscribe to the showand follow UCA on all the
appropriate social media.
I'll see you next time onCentral to NWA.
This is Central to NWA, a UCA podcast.
I'm your host, Paul Gatling, andwe are bringing the University
of Central Arkansas to NorthwestArkansas.
Each episode, we will talk withleaders, alumni, and innovators
driving this region forward.
People who are shapingindustries and defining what is
next for our state.
(00:22):
Let's get started.
All right, we're back.
Welcome to another episode ofCentral to NWA, a UCA podcast.
I'm your host, Paul Gatling, andI am extremely happy to be with
you today, and we appreciate youwatching and listening.
And today I'm glad to have withus um our president of the
university, Dr.
(00:43):
Houston Davis.
Looking forward to having aconversation uh with the person
who made this podcast possibleand made my my job possible uh
through that.
So uh, President Davis, great tosee you.
Always good to see you.
SPEAKER_03 (00:56):
Paul, always a delight to uh join you and thank
you for allowing me toparticipate in the podcast.
I'm excited about this.
I think it's gonna be a greatway to be able to get the
message out and be able to reachmore folks about the good work
of the university.
SPEAKER_00 (01:08):
All right.
I've got a uh a quick note justfor my benefit.
Uh I need to get out of the way.
Uh is it President Davis orHouston on this podcast that I
should call you?
SPEAKER_03 (01:18):
Oh, goodness gracious.
I'd probably probably it'd beeasier to go Houston.
It'll it'll fill more like aconversation if we can go there.
SPEAKER_00 (01:24):
Yeah, I'll probably do both, but uh it's it's hard
for me to address you asanything other than President
President Davis.
But I'll work in some Houstonsuh as we go through.
SPEAKER_03 (01:33):
So I think Houston is a far more interesting person
than President Davis.
So and I can I can promise you Iprefer Houston over President
Davis, but um, but I'm honoredto play that role too.
SPEAKER_00 (01:46):
Good.
Well, again, uh thrilled for thechance to visit with you today.
Um we're gonna talk about UCA,yes, but also we're gonna talk
about leadership and and highereducation and um and in that
scope, what gives you hope aboutit, what keeps you up at night
about higher education, and andalso why do you believe
Northwest Arkansas is uh a bigpart of UCA's future.
(02:09):
So um let's get into that.
But you know, uh just for somebackground for our listeners and
our viewers here, you've beenpresident since 2017.
When somebody asks you, um, ifyou see an old buddy from high
school and he says, What exactlydoes a university president do
all day?
What what's the answer?
What do you what do you tellhim?
SPEAKER_03 (02:27):
Yeah, well, uh first of all, when old buddies from
high school ask that, they knowway too much about you.
So it's it's gonna quickly getinto uh that that conversation's
gonna go sideways.
Um but uh but I you know I doget questioned all the time
about what what in the worlddoes a president do?
And I'll I joke about uh andthis is when I had titled vice
chancellor, this was probablytrue as well.
(02:49):
Uh my my children said, well,well, that goes to me.
So that's what he does for aliving.
I think that sometimes he canfeel that way.
But um, you know, when you whenyou uh when you're president of
university, yes, you areoverseeing creating conditions
for everything that happens inin the classroom, outside the
classroom, and partnerships andthe like, but I always like to
remind Eversighty that that'sjust a part of the job.
(03:11):
The 24-7 is almost like being asmall town mayor.
Um it never ends.
A school like UCA, we're highlyresidential.
Um, it is a 24-765-day a year uhrelationship we have at Wadana
Puff, uh, because it's a littletown.
So uh what one part umeducational policy leader and
one part small town maker wouldbe my day-to-day.
SPEAKER_00 (03:34):
A day-to-day.
So playing off of that, what'ssomething that somebody would be
um uh interested to know aboutyou?
What is your morning routine?
What's the morning routine ofthe the president of the
University of Central Arkansas?
SPEAKER_03 (03:46):
Yeah, it's hard for me to believe that I would
answer this question becauseearlier in my life I was a night
owl and I would I would sleep inevery time that I could, but I
love uh being able to get upearly and get involved
somewhere.
Um I have found that the perfecttime to get things done, uh
Wingo Hall is where uh where myoffice is located.
(04:07):
Um if I can be in here at 6 30or so in the morning and and
have about an hour and a half,two hours running head starting
the day, I can get more done.
Um that I need to get done on mythings to do as um in that
window in any other time of theday.
Um after that the calendar takeshold.
Um I everybody likes to thinkwhen you're uh when you're in
(04:29):
charge of using bookmarks, foreverybody that may just have the
audio of this, um, that you'rein control of your calendar.
Why not?
Um I generally uh when thatphone dings, I I know that it's
dinging with enough time for meto get to wherever I'm supposed
to be.
So lots of times as the day getsgoing.
I mean, the meetings andopportunities to go things with
students, I love.
(04:50):
But student groups ask me, hey,would will you come or will you
participate?
Answer's just about all of yes,because first of all, what an
honor they would want me, I meanI'm an old man this date.
The morning hours are thethey're kind of the almost the
me time uh to be able to focuson what I need to do most for
the university.
SPEAKER_00 (05:07):
Well, I I know I'm excited to have to be on your
schedule today, and I workreally you've got a great team,
and I'll tout them really quick.
I mean, Alicia, your assistant,and Amy, your chief of staff,
are um uh I don't need to tellyou, but invaluable to me, and
I'm sure you feel the same exactsame way.
SPEAKER_03 (05:24):
Yeah, we we we have a we have a high performing um
leadership team and certainly ahigh-performing president's
office, not because of thepresident.
It is because of great peoplelike Amy White, as chief of
staff.
Who is your carboncy, I'm gonnatrade the assistant, um, and and
basically Secretary of PaulBoard of Trust.
They keep trains running on thetime, and they certainly keep me
(05:45):
honest on uh on the checks andbalances that they keep with me.
We're lucky to have the key.
SPEAKER_00 (05:50):
All right, so let's back up um to earlier in your
career.
You're from Tennessee, you'veworked in Oklahoma, you've
worked in Georgia, but beforeArkansas, before UCA, um kind of
what it what it what things inyour career have have shaped
your leadership style?
What would you point to?
What would pop in your head asas a person or a thing that has
really uh taken hold of yourphilosophy of leadership?
SPEAKER_03 (06:12):
Yeah, you know, I I was very lucky that early early
in my career I I knew that Ilikely was going to stay in
higher education.
Um that was sort of one that Iloved.
Uh public policy publicadministration, yeah, that was
my background in terms of uhdiscipline, but I kind of loved
that place where um educationand policy came together.
(06:34):
So I can use that, but but thethe fortunate uh opportunity to
have several men do white DonBarclays, um Student Affairs uh
VP and Paz, Rich Web, uh highereducation executive uh for the
state of TC for their theirsystem of higher ed.
Um baby, exactly, boss orTennessee system.
(06:58):
Those were people that I thinkat the beginning and they hadn't
agreed to thinking I wanted towork in higher education and
develop mentorships that allowme, and I and I and I think even
at that point I need to takeadvantage of the fact that they
were wanting to invest in me, soI leaned into those openers.
I tell everybody, all my mystudents, I teach leadership for
policy biases, one of the mostimportant gifts that they can
(07:21):
give to themselves to getcommitted to mune and
opportunities when mentalshrewdic themselves and a lot of
those folks of Carson Grote, Ileave.
I mean, those are individualsthat shape that.
Um one of the experiences I hadthat absolute has has shaped
just about everything I do aspresident of a of a of a
(07:41):
university in the same time wasI got the opportunity to be a
part of the research project.
It was an educational needsindex project.
And we eventually SouthernGovernors Association funded it
initially, uh actually BellSouth funded initially, Southern
Governor Association picked itup the mayor, Luma Foundation,
funded our group to do thatNASH.
I was able to do a project out.
(08:02):
And it was basically looking togauge educational and economic
gross democracy pressures umthat were going on in all 3,140
counties of the perfect in theUS.
Um and then a big part of whatwe're gonna run is to go out and
understand those whereunderstand those areas where
pressures were were showing upsuch that yes, the educational
(08:25):
structure is gonna be strainedas leaks in the future.
Or there's thingsdemographically that are
changing, they're going tofundamentally change the tactics
and should be the direction thatinstitutions we had.
I I've had a lot of differentjobs in the four states that you
mentioned.
Yeah.
Tennessee, Elton, Georgia, andnow Arkansas.
But I would say that project andthat interest in that research
(08:47):
and that interest in booking upall those communities during
that period of time early in mycareer.
Um it it helped me that when Igot lucky now to have this
opportunity to be able to do CA.
I mean, there was a little bitof, all right, here's an
approach.
I mean, to understand not onlythe immediate um 10, 15 county
carrier, let's understand the 75counties in Arkansas, let's
(09:07):
understand less help us all,let's understand where the
bordering counties, where theleech.
And a lot of that all isgrounded in um, you know, some
of it was research, but a lot ofit was just a bit old there, um,
press the flesh and understandcommunities and eat them where
they are and understand whattheir needs are, what their
desires are, and then how do youtake the gifts and palents that
(09:30):
they can bless you at?
And then how do you findsomebody who gets in your
capital anyways in that region?
So um I can't say that anythingI do at UCA is any much
different than theoreticallythan practically, um, how that
needs a front jet that sort ofshape my Yeah, well there like
you said, there is a practicalapproach that you could take
with you um wherever you happento be based on your experience.
SPEAKER_00 (09:53):
But and I'm sure like you said, you've had a lot
of jobs, you've had a lot ofoptions.
SPEAKER_02 (09:57):
Um I can't hold on to a job.
I didn't need to worry yet.
SPEAKER_00 (10:02):
Well, you've you've had a lot of opportunities to do
what you you could have ledanywhere.
Why UCA?
What was the moment um that madeyou uh realize uh this place is
special, this is the place whereum I want to be.
Just kind of take us through thecircumstances of uh of how you
um got connected with this joband and then when you decided
(10:23):
this is the job that I want, theplace I want to be.
SPEAKER_03 (10:25):
Yeah, no, I I think I became um aware of the
University of Central Arkansaswhile we work in Oklahoma, so
she's administered officer forthe Oklahoma system uh from 2007
to 2012, and then the Decemberrole, the she said from Jordan
University Bay Little Shat Dollsthat um asked me to basically
play that role for Dice State 12through uh well 16 and 17 when I
(10:51):
came here.
Um I think that because we werein Oklahoma, um, I was just as a
as kind of a a neighboringstate, and then emerging subtle
Arkansas was an athleticconference, several of the fall
schools.
It was on my radar, and I knewit to be um a really high-falled
institution.
Um I I I knew it would have hada a great reputation in higher
(11:13):
education.
But then I also knew there wasthis thing, Conway, the city of
Collies, and you had UCA andHendricks and Central Baptist
College, and then really beingso close to their being in that
Little Lock metropolitan areawhere there's several other
higher education institutions.
There was always this in theback of our minds, well, that's
(11:34):
a really neat school.
And it's in an area that wasnaturally has kind of an
entrepreneurial created a uh asort of a research and stretch
yourself sort of mentality justby having all these higher
education institutions.
And that was the theory.
And I think when the job becameavailable, uh, I commented, I
was not in a position to flywhen it first came open, um, but
(11:57):
I commented to search funmovement and energy that, hey,
I've been impressed at 2016.
I said for the last decade or soI've been watching the work
going on there and the kind ofthat environment over in that
kind of conway.
That's a good job.
I didn't know if I could apply,but I asked him, was it open?
If I never really was open tohis name to search.
And I said there may be somefolks that I'd like to search
(12:18):
within that pool, because that'sa great document.
Little did I know that aboutfive months later or so after
that conversation, um, I myselfgot into that pool, and I guess
I should think about that Iencourage people to compete
against me uh for which I uh butas soon as the window opened up,
uh Jimmy and I voted.
We had this already favoredreview of UCA, the sense that
(12:38):
Conway was a good place to belocated.
Um town and down is veryimportant to me.
I knew about most diver pocketsum in the state of Arkansas, so
maybe Arkansas being one ofthose well aware of in Oklahoma.
Um, you know, so all of thatkind of came together, and
again, you probably picked up.
I mean, I believe in educationand economics and in what's
(12:58):
going on with the Dom Happens inhere.
So those things had to befigured to me.
I saw this particular pocket allthe way up to especially in the
Western pocket of Arkansas,which is one of the most bi
regions in the U.S.
So that needs index researchalso been in me that this was a
good place to be able to notonly have you delta did hand in
(13:19):
terms of the foundation, but tobe able to inherit something
that had not yet reached itsattention.
So let's continue to vote.
So that's a lot, that's kind oflong-winded, but but it there
really was a lot of thoughtabout this place long before I
ever thought about of applyingfor it.
And the Navarros of War had animpression and web perfection
UCA had in the general lead.
SPEAKER_00 (13:39):
Yeah, well, and I want to stop real quick too.
You mentioned your wife, Jenny.
I mean, she's on campus as well,too, right?
For for people who may not know,she is a UCA faculty member, and
I'm sure she um like any bigdecision that you've been
involved in, that was a groupdecision, and um she's a a big
part of the campus as well.
SPEAKER_03 (13:58):
Yeah, no, it it was.
I we like to joke that it was onme to determine it was the
University of Central, Arkansaswas a great place.
And again, we were early, Ithought I got the job.
I mean, that was a big decisionto, you know, early, early in a
career, early in universityabout a community, and in a
place where you like for acommunity to stay a place for a
while.
(14:18):
Um, it was on me to be able tolook at is this to like fit
professionally.
And then kind of left it up toJenny to see is Conway in that
region of of Arkansas, and wealready was familiar very much
of Arkansas and mid-south, butwas that a place to really want
to dig out person?
And and we both agreed that thatwas a a great opportunity but to
pursue it.
And then I remember when she andI left from our few days of the
(14:40):
interviews, um, we drove back tothe airport um and our and our
in our host or yeah, first TexasAir Force dropping saw and then
went in to Rural Rock Air Force.
We both said it's like that'llbe a great experience.
I don't know if we're gonna getit, but somebody is gonna be
getting really happy um to knowthat and uh thrill uh just a
(15:02):
couple days later, uh got theword that Bravor cheese up.
SPEAKER_00 (15:06):
Yeah.
You mentioned that wordreputation now.
Um, so I'm I'll ask you nowyou're in your ninth academic
year.
What what do you hope that UCA'sreputation is?
Um, you know, what what do youthink that we do that uh we
don't get enough credit for?
What do what do you think weshould get more credit for?
SPEAKER_03 (15:25):
Yeah, well, I I think the thing that we do well,
we do get a lot of credit for.
Actually, there was a meetingwith other fellow presidents um
from throughout, say, andlooking up for cheer and
statewide versus champs likeCalifornia subset um of that
reaper got together.
And one um one of thepresidents, a two-year
president, um, you know, we weretalking about some things that
(15:47):
UCA is doing.
They said one of the greatestgifts that UCA has is that you
know who you are and you do thatexceeding, and I love to know
who you are and do thatexceeding.
Um I think that I knew this whenI applied for the job, so I want
to I want to boast on theculture that was already here.
It has nothing to do withFusion.
It's everything about ground waslaid before we got here.
(16:09):
This is a place that those umresidential experiences very,
very uh that's still very muchattuned to what is it that an
undergraduate student's wantedto get.
Not only classroom that outsidethe classroom.
Um that that is intentional fromthe freshman year all the
senior.
Um and and that that's somethingthat I think um we're not all
(16:32):
sight of, and as we both haveour our senior faculty as well
as you faculty we're hiring in,um that's something that invides
into.
And that might sound likethrowaway traits, but in
American public higher educationand private higher education,
those are not things thatuniversities are still
attending.
Um when a student comes to us,um I hear all the time, yes, and
(16:53):
they'll say, My son's greatexperience.
And I'll tell them the samething.
I'm not surprised by that.
That's it.
That's what we shoot for, andthat's what we expect.
Um, but then the next thing iswe'll do that.
Um this place is not asatisfied, but we're not to make
certain um that that is ameaningful, seamless, exclusive
student experience that thatthat that that that every young
(17:16):
person is getting.
Um, and we're wanting to makecertain that we're never resting
in the phone, so we're fine withthat.
So so therefore the short answerfunction is I mean, if a student
is working for a place whereit's big enough to do really
meaningful things, and a proudof the fact that we 10,000
students, uh roughly 8,000 under2,000 graduates, we're kind of a
sweet spy to do big things, domeaningful things, invest in
(17:39):
those things if we love enoughcolourities, but not so big that
students get lost and shut.
Um and that's what I think toHolly, when he was talking about
we know who we are and we dothat exceedingly well.
I think that's a compliment ofpeople.
Um and and and again, I'm proud.
Whenever we have a student comehere um to tour this campus, I
mean you know that they're gonnahave a good experience and be
(18:00):
impressed.
Um, then it's just a matter ofis the right fit for them.
And if they come here, we'regonna stick.
Um, we we don't see a lot ofstudents that come here inside
this is not basic than me whenthey transfer it.
Um they're proud of that, proudof the fact that we give me
transfer from university to dosome easy colleges.
That's something that you don'tfind in that gentile education.
And a lot of that is, you know,the students that are like
(18:24):
students are looking for.
Um we deliver by seating takesfor a night.
SPEAKER_00 (18:30):
Yeah, well, I can underscore that with um um, you
know, the Rogers mayor, GregHines.
He's a friend of mine, and we'vetaught and his daughter is a UCA
student, and we've talked abouther and her experience there,
and she went down there.
Um his other daughters went tothe U of A.
He's a U of A grad, but theirdaughter wanted to go to UCA to
be a school teacher.
Well, she determined early onthat she uh wanted to switch and
(18:53):
do something else, but shedidn't leave UCA.
She she loved the campus, lovedthe people.
They've taken great care of herthrough her, you know,
transition through that.
And she's uh I believepre-dental hygiene.
And and uh so yeah, that kind ofunderscores your point.
Whether when students go there,if they may have a a hiccup or a
change of plans, uh there are alot of other things that are um
(19:14):
that are in play to keep themthere other than just their
their academic pursuit.
Like you say, it's a it's asmall community, uh, as you put
it, and you're the mayor.
So well, let's talk about um youknow Northwest Arkansas.
I think you and I both uh aredefinitely in alignment that uh
UCA needs to be a bigger part ofthe story here.
Uh both uh and and what was themoment that you said um okay, we
(19:36):
need to we need to plant a flagup there.
We need to we need to move onnorthwest Arkansas.
Why is it critical that UCA uhraise its brand and its
visibility in this part of thestate?
SPEAKER_03 (19:48):
Yeah, well, I think there were there were a couple
of maybe the light bulb wentoff.
There was uh dimly lit and thena little bit more in the black
with that.
I mean, I knew when I started inJanuary 17 that um again my
background is measured thingsand doing demographic research.
I knew about the growth innorthwest Arkansas.
(20:10):
I knew that UCA already we getwe get students every single
year from all 75 counties and wegraduate alone to go back to all
75 counties.
So I knew that we already had umreach.
Um I knew that we already willcover in the map, I'd either we
already had reputation thatreached in that area.
So that's the dim little bit.
Um but probably a little bitmore to that, but a couple of
(20:32):
years in, um, I I I really didum start seeing that we um we
were a natural complement toopportunities.
Yeah.
Especially the student who wasin position to be able to be
arrested.
So I mean the uh and and a lotof this uh I I'll use the
example just like in Georgia.
I mean you University ofGeorgia, uh Georgia Tech, George
(20:56):
Southern, Kinsall State.
I mean, those are the examplesof schools where they're usually
not going after the samestudent.
They're looking for the rightdays.
And I knew that in NorthwestArkansas, we had very
relationships in Arkansas,whether they're Charles and
Mistine of any uh relationshipsand uh uh but but there's a
space that UCA occupies where wesort of we're comprehend.
(21:19):
We're we're we're a regionalcompetence of the university, we
do different things in those twoinstitutions.
So we should, for any studentthat is is in the conversation
up there, we need to find a wayto know certain that they're
aware of of what UCA has tooffer.
We need to find um the abilityto to be able to connect up with
stories and success thatstudents from that area have had
(21:41):
on our campus and then alums inthat area.
And then the brighter the vaultcame, when I realized that we
got over 3,000 alumni um in thearea and and a lot of them
active with the university.
Um it's it's it's not like wehave to introduce a lot of
people in Northwest Arkansas,the University of Arkansas, they
(22:01):
are excuse me, the NorthwestArkansas, they already know UCA.
I mean, they know it from thework that all these alumni, and
especially bottom of them areour young professionals.
They're a big part of themovement, the excitement, the
energy that's going on there.
For we need to make certain thatpeople know that, hey, this is
the work of folks that weregraduates of our university, and
(22:23):
we need to be able to tell thatstory.
We need to find out how we canbe of service to them.
Um there's Empire Ed, you gotyou got teaching, research, and
service, and that's a free legsand stool, just about everything
that any post-secondaryinstitution does that raw the
falling on those buckets.
Yeah, we need to be thinkingabout how are we um seen as as
(22:43):
being an innovative campus thatthings about if we've got uh you
have assets, we've gotcapabilities, you've got um the
wherewithal to be able to beassistance um in promoting
promoting community of life.
We need to be rendered acceptsand not only those butters, um,
but we want to know those sortof extension surgeries for the
(23:05):
new economy, that's the way Ithink about it.
What can we direct uh to be aservice on that region?
All those vehicles already builtuh for people that believe in
making a thing back, you know.
You see as made in their life,maybe the fact that we should
say once that at sort ofcritical mass came through to
(23:26):
me, um, said yeah, we've we weneed to next certain with the
flag.
Um it it it needs to be aboutawareness for uh attracting more
students, but mainly it needs tobe about making certain folks
know the UCA wakes up everysingle day thinking about how
we're doing a part of the UnionGrand Challenges in the state of
Arkansas, and then particularlyon that serve in that region, um
(23:49):
that we're thinking about, well,if we had an actual uh fit in a
conversation about somechallenge that that region's
trying to meet you, you need tobe where in the place I am and
say, hey, you're gonna do funcourt.
That was how you are the stewardof place.
That's how um you make certainthat you really are making the
greatest impact you can underthe region, under state, and
beyond the state.
(24:10):
Uh and that happens by and thenI'll slugishly, um, I'll put a
plug here.
It also very patient to find thewhite person to be uh our lead
there, find the white person umthat be the ambassador that
opened those doors to uh be theone uh start those conversations
(24:31):
and then know that there's windin their sail of being that any
of those conversations needsthat person all yeah.
Uh we really uh follow youthrough.
We're delighted uh to be able tohave you join us.
And we've already seen, I mean,just in the last year or so, I
mean, that we've we've made moremore more progress on what we're
(24:52):
hoping you do you do.
SPEAKER_04 (24:54):
Kind of just thinking about influence, think
about um awareness.
Um, than in all of those GamboBine goals that I described very
rude.
Thank you about that.
SPEAKER_00 (25:05):
Well, I can tell you it's been um I'm not I'm not uh
under overstating this when Isay it's been a life-changing
move for me to change careersand join the University of
Central Arkansas.
I think I said it uh when thefirst time I'm I met you and we
had a conversation as a as anative Arkansan born and raised
here.
Um I did not go to theUniversity of Central Arkansas,
(25:25):
but I know that UCA is a brandname in Arkansas the same way
that um you know Baptist Healthis a brand name or Nabholt's or
Rvest or Walmart.
I think UCA is a known uhfactor.
However, there was anopportunity to build more
relationships and fosterexisting relationships and just
create more visibility in thispart of the state uh where a lot
(25:49):
of people have moved and nowlived who are not from this part
of the not from Arkansas,period.
So that to me is where there isa great opportunity uh to put
our brand and our offerings andeverything UCA in front of uh
parents or potential supportersor civic leaders who uh did not
(26:09):
grow up here.
Like, you know, I grew up here,so I might take it for granted.
Um but there's it's been a lotof fun.
Um, you know, I started forpeople who may be listening and
aren't aware, started in July2024 after a long career at the
Northwest Arkansas BusinessJournal, and was so pleased to
be um connected with thisopportunity to um uh uh to work
(26:30):
with President Davis and and uhmy my boss, the Vice President
of Advancement, Dr.
Mary Lackey, uh, and everyonethat I work with uh remotely,
but uh when I when I do uhtravel to Conway, just an
incredible team at UCA.
And and I've heard you say morethan once, and I've started
saying it myself, uh we don'twant to be a best kept secret in
(26:52):
any regard about what we'redoing uh as far as our our
academic success and ourrecruiting success and our
fundraising success andenrollment success and and all
that stuff.
So uh I appreciate you sayingthat.
Uh that wasn't part of thewasn't part of the conversation
I was expecting, but I really doappreciate you you saying that.
Um so so let's let's let's takethe best case scenario then um
(27:16):
you know in in maybe three tofive years from now.
You know, what what does whatdoes full alignment uh between
the University of CentralArkansas and Northwest Arkansas
uh you know look like?
Well is it is it more uhstudents, is it philanthropy, is
it uh more partnerships, or Imean, the I'm I'm sure a
combination of all of thosethings.
(27:37):
Yes, yes, and yes.
Uh right.
SPEAKER_03 (27:40):
I mean yeah, I I think that you know there's um
there's obviously, and andyou're you're exactly right
about you've got all these ofyou folks and maybe they've got
their families, they've gottheir their sons and daughters,
your grandsons and theirdaughters that um are going to
be looking for um the right fitfor them.
(28:01):
And and we want to make certainthat you you are right that UCA
has a very, very stronggranular.
We need to make certain we withall these interests into uh uh
being labeled Arkansas, new uhmembers of our state by family,
um that we're uh continuingstuff what's going on here.
SPEAKER_04 (28:22):
Um the common way, but also we uh uh beyond the
reach and that basically inonline education, some of those
things that we uh made may do inthe uh course uh Moody Mets are
ever easy.
But I think the biggest thingthat I've already given you
three or five years uh we aretalking about um in in some of
(28:46):
the syndicate plain boy.
SPEAKER_03 (28:49):
Uh uh we won a bit uh it's not not semantic yet,
but we get three first time isfor UCA to be known as a campus
and a sh and and what you knowthat's not necessarily just
here, uh but because our campuscan extend all sorts of asset
(29:10):
are our greatest asset RP forgrace asset or the perkings that
they recognize, but to be aplace that that our our public
and especially those individualsthat think about economic
network choice and innovation ofcontribution that we're a place
(29:31):
that they know and as I thinkabout which we already have that
reputation in a simple part tosay.
Um we need to make certain newsvideo for three, five years from
now.
We're only sensible out of timewhen people are thinking about
what people can find us whenit's kind of gathered when it's
(29:51):
kind of around pain, but it'stime to think about what are the
assets to say what besides youin the global region on that
might be consistently.
I would hope that um we have alot more people in Salberia that
would immediately have us on theshortlist that you know what ECA
did X with uh Bruce Devocal thatdid Y um what company took me.
(30:17):
I saw what they related thatmakes a difference.
Um we should of course uh if wecan get to that fate, then
you're not the best depthseeker.
Um you're a well-known, trusted.
Um and and I think that to me.
Um I think that um again it itit shouldn't be a secret that we
(30:38):
you know have have students fromall 75 counties and have alone
guide go back to all 75counties.
We should think about uh sort ofthe extension services of what
we do for the state also has theability um focus.
You can't be all things to allpeople, but in a focus sort of
way.
Well then we should all 75counties and it's our working um
sort of theory that it's inNorthwest, Arkansas, that we can
(31:03):
extend what we already leave inthis region uh to be other tests
and white.
And then you go out 1015, yeah.
I would do various thatpresident then.
Um I don't know if you've gotthat much trail in the fire.
Um, but I would hope that thestory would be that yes, I mean,
you UCA would environ myreputation the same day it has
(31:24):
the simple part of the state.
SPEAKER_00 (31:26):
And uh I love that you said uh when you described
UCA as as a can't, you know, aninnovation campus of innovation,
not just here.
Um because I still get thatquestion a lot.
People ask me what my job is andwhat are you doing, and they'll
say, is UCA gonna open asatellite campus up here?
Are you guys opening a campus?
Are you doing this up here?
And um I think my answer has hasevolved into just a shoulder
(31:48):
shrug and say, you never know.
You never know what we're gonnado up here, do you?
SPEAKER_02 (31:52):
Yeah, let's do that.
You like that answer?
Let the rumor mill run.
SPEAKER_03 (31:54):
Let's let's let them imagine.
Uh, you know, I I I can telleverybody that there's the
switching in on this orwatching.
Um, you know, when when Paul andI had the opportunity to sit
down and talk about what we weretrying to do, and like talking
about a little uh sort of a listof of uh what we imagine to be
the dolls, but totally new madinterview.
(32:14):
I said, I hope that once we getto the 36 marks mark of your
work that we'll pull out thatlist.
And I hope that we laugh at howlimited our the works and how
basic we were because we'llrealize that wow, we'll be there
so enough so short, we've madeso much harder on the
conversation.
So you know I still got thatlist.
(32:35):
Um I do have that list,absolutely something piled off
that desk behind me.
Um but um yeah, I'll I'll I'lllook forward to I I think that
you know you you don't knowuntil you're there, you don't
know until you're in the room,and that'll be a bringing
happens.
I mean, you've got to embedyourself, you've got to, and
it's not just you, it's who ofour dean, who of our chairs, who
(32:56):
of our outreach folks, who ofour uh enrollment service, still
your economic development fullof government relations, but
these people need to be there,Justin Khan's sort of work, and
and from those conversations tofrom that work will I put the
company say is that in three orfive years, well that you know
what?
We never would imagine it'sstarting to look what we've got.
SPEAKER_00 (33:19):
I I I have no doubt that we far exceeded uh maybe
I'm yeah, it it is exciting tothink about, and um a lot of
things are exciting to thinkabout up here in the Northwest
Arkansas lens, and I've I'velearned to never discount any
idea or any thought or any rumorthat I hear, so that kind of
(33:40):
plays into that narrative uhwhere we fit in as well.
I I don't discount anything.
So uh I want to go back to whatyou mentioned um a little bit
ago that you teach.
I mean, you're one of the fewuniversity presidents who um
actually teaches a class whilerunning an institution.
Why why is that important toyou?
What do you get out of that?
SPEAKER_03 (34:01):
Well, one thing is it's it's what I got with the
industry to begin with, to do.
I mean, to do my research and myteaching.
I mean, it really is.
SPEAKER_00 (34:09):
Yeah, you don't just give it up when you move into
the into the big office, right?
SPEAKER_03 (34:13):
Yeah, I I think it's it's kind of my happy place
anyway.
Um I I thoroughly enjoy, and andI and it is it is rare.
I mean, that a president,teacher of record, not
co-teaching, not not having abunch of people come in and do
your teaching.
Uh, but yeah, I've I've uh I'vecaught a class every term that
I've been here except for thatvery first semester in the
(34:35):
spring of 17.
Um I I teach at least one classum that's in our PhD and
leadership um program.
That's always in fall, orbecause I always fall.
And then I've always taught aclass that's medications for
policy papers class uh for uhfor students here and now super.
(34:56):
I mean I love being able to dothat.
There's in both of those cases.
A lot of those rooms are won'tget continued higher education,
and or there are individualsthat may be in healthcare and
maybe in nonprofit and get someof their second education.
They're all the attributes arenow the standard how they uh
(35:19):
their views, they're in forstill like influencing quality
of life to use and basic.
So it's really it's it's it's anhonor to get to work with, and
and yeah, I I probably teach itsomething, but they keep you
know teaching.
Uh it really is.
Uh it's and that's why I beingconscious.
Um I think the other thing is,and I do encourage all of my
(35:41):
holidays to get presents.
And it's and it's not toco-teach, it's not to do it to
somebody, it's teach.
I mean, take a class on becausethat to me, um my dad used to
pop out and say, boy, every oncein a while you need to do your
own doctor.
Um, I think everybody um that ispresident of the university
(36:03):
should, you know, be you know,they need to teach on that
learning management system.
They need to be reminded.
Um, that putting together aclass from scratch, they need to
be reminded that, I mean,although it's a different kind
of work, I mean, grading papersand keeping track of, I can
promise you I've got a bunch ofpapers from Wednesday of this
week that I've got to get turnedaround to my students uh before
(36:24):
I get Sunday night.
And it doesn't matter that it'shomecoming week.
I've got to get that done.
Um so they've got them beforethey wake up on Monday.
Um, I think that's good for theinstitutions.
And they want to be at EverettSmith for that's just my
personal prevalence.
But I think it's very important.
But that is, it's it's thegreatest way that I get reminded
about um default of varieties.
(36:46):
It's almost like I've got afocus group on you all times.
I mean, I know how are ourstudents fearing the things that
will come down from theadministration or things that
come up from their college ortheir part.
Um they're not shy.
They certainly think they couldcare less on probably data.
They just know the Houston notesspeech in the crowd.
Um and I think them having thatkind of access to me is an
(37:07):
interesting thing to uh for themto be able to almost feel like
they can get decent feedback,and then hopefully I think that
in my unique role.
SPEAKER_00 (37:19):
Yeah, it is it is unique, at least uh in my
experience with highereducation.
I thought it was very uniquewhen I first heard that.
Would you would your studentssay that Dr.
Davis grades on a curve?
SPEAKER_03 (37:30):
You know, I think well, here's what they would
report.
I am a stickler for Boon Light.
Uh it doesn't matter whetherit's an undergraduate class or a
graduate class.
I think that uh that they would,if there's, I don't think it
would be a complaint.
I would, I think they would say,okay, um conceptually, whatever
the framework is for the the thetheory, the principle, whatever
(37:53):
we're talking about, if youdon't write it up well, he's
gonna get you.
So I I th I think that's ifthere be any complaint, but um
above all else, one thing aboutI I'm a process lawyer person.
I mean, I understand.
I mean, I bel I believe inprocess, and I I mean that's
true in a lot of facets of mylife.
Uh when I am teaching andteaching concepts, me process,
(38:14):
it's it's trying us and going asyou're about toolbox.
How are you utilizing this toolto be taken?
But if you learn it, I apply it.
Um so as long as students areable to supply that knowledge or
father's that conceptual toolkitthey're giving.
I generally prove fair on what'sgreat, but I want them to go
through that process and don'tjust call out and claw and state
(38:37):
your head, state your plane.
What's going to be the solution?
Come on.
Um they're doing that, they'regonna be fine.
As long as they're writing itwell.
I think that's my uh my mom wasan English teacher, Jenny is a
English teacher.
Uh I think I couldn't get be faraway from all of my writing as
they corrected, pretty much mywhole life.
SPEAKER_00 (38:58):
Right.
Our mothers are are in common.
My mother was uh is an Englishteacher as well, retired school
teacher and a proud graduate ofuh University of Central
Arkansas in 1968, whatever itwas called.
Then state college.
Yeah, she did it right.
Yeah, she was.
So well that you you said thethe university classroom is your
happy place, and you've beenyou've been in this um higher
(39:20):
education realm for a long timeand you like process.
Well, well, right now there's alot, there's a lot of processes
in the higher education worldthat are um you know uh noisy,
let's say.
There's a lot of noise aroundhigher education, you know, the
uh the cost of of attendance, isis uh is going to college worth
it?
Is that somewhere I need to be?
(39:40):
All of those things from whereyou sit, you know, what what is
what's overblown about all ofthose narratives and and what is
uh maybe uh has some truth tothose narratives, separate the
fact from the fiction?
SPEAKER_03 (39:52):
Yeah, well, um I think that one of the biggest
barriers, and I think this wouldbe true any president in any IV
situation might be interviewing,is the the the myths and
misconceptions about the cost umof of post-secondary education
(40:12):
are f far overblinding comparedto where it actually is.
Um I think that it's very easy,and then YouTube high WD's you
know, stories of people thathave hundreds of thousands of
dollars of debt totally storiesare usually heavily influenced
by an elite private school thatyes does have a you know$100,000
(40:36):
a year um all in cost ofattendance.
Um and if then somebody chose toborrow um with that, yeah,
they're probably already brandup a little bit.
Yeah, but that's not.
I mean, I I think about sendingmy health with Arkansas and
actually my colleagues in thesecampuses.
Anybody in the region, if ifthey if they attend an NY, if
(40:57):
UCA or they attend uh Universityof Arkansas, it is a very
important task to a highquality.
Um in that paper you can buy.
Um I think that you know we loveto be at the look at the
measurements um of of of wheredeath is.
You know, somebody grab quickfrom the university of Central
(41:20):
Arkansas.
Um we're thrilled that we'realmost$14,000 evolution average
for a stool of our type, whichis considerably less uh than
than any of those horrorstories, the Germanese,
rumscamely buys and notch.
Um and the reality is that bysound that's fun money.
And it is if you're full of$1,000 and selling London.
(41:41):
Um so when we get to thatsecond, though, how we'll try to
change the nerve around that.
But I think that a lot of folkshear those multiple hundred
thousand dollar stories thatscene.
Um I would output that thousandthere, a lot of people with you.
And that person may unblock acar on a car like you give away.
(42:01):
And most people will be like,yeah, that's just what you do.
Well, that's a declining assettime to work.
We know that if someone gets adegree on the Sunday Arkansas,
their return on invested goespositive by the sixth year in
form.
Every year seven, they're great.
That's what accumulates amillion dollars.
(42:21):
Um that means that's uh notinvest investment making
yourself.
So that we know to mean allthose facts.
When we go back to what wedidn't call it for a family that
might still say, okay, fine,UCA, that's what the average
debt for somebody after you did.
What are you doing?
Um we started our UCA for thattriple purpose.
(42:42):
Um two cycles.
We're already there.
Her key turned on household inthe first two years of that.
But they leave say not to thelead.
Any Parkinson High Schoolgraduate last two years.
SPEAKER_04 (42:58):
If their family makes$100,000 below, they come
to UCA on the debt-free app,then what we'd do is we'll work
in the next or we are part ofthe reason choose to work on
NetMex program is you weremaking a commitment as well that
we were going to help them to beat Clainwolves RD.
SPEAKER_03 (43:18):
We were amazed at how many students that phone
people see in a go to a bunch ofother higher tissue
institutions.
It was very confusing trying toget access to just filling up
the FAFSA, getting a screen viewof that process, and no wonder
they get that.
Um and if they werefirst-generation college
students and household everynutmag, they probably didn't
(43:40):
even click a button beyond that.
These couldn't choose.
Same sort of thing with theArkansas chat window.
A lot of support from the stateof Arkansas through um the Lotus
Doctor program.
The students here and in otherKansas weren't going to brew and
understand the process we dothat.
So our commitment, some of thesignal didn't do hard music
(44:01):
program.
We helped them to make certainthat they're able to, and
whatever that and that be wehave to have done that, we're
gonna bridge that gap.
We've got credit cards likethose needs for she fees for we
feel like and it's a part ofwhat we do in this call, even
our broader kind of quality brewcard here, dark eaters.
(44:27):
We see that as like startpulling at Abby's yeah, of
future Ragid Xbox and I I lookup what that was like foundation
now.
I look forgot and say, you knowwhat, he pulled that back up if
he said he finds you squidy.
SPEAKER_05 (44:44):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (44:45):
That's that's the bill.
Uh yeah, somewhat academically,and we don't admit everybody.
I mean, last couple years,you've had two balances students
and above, both in my last yearin the fresh classes.
That's been significant.
Um, but we also have recordnumbers too.
(45:06):
So we're not um you know, we'renot going to walk away from
Fallity.
Um academic, somebody see UCA isto like fit for their academic
notice and their restoration anddo the findings or get
diversion.
So uh UCA commitment has notchanged, but narrative um
perceptions are I can't affordthis, well, I can find anything
(45:31):
on that.
What was that like you do saycoming?
Yeah, over 1,300 households havedone a thing out in the first
two years.
That's gonna be really exciting.
So we five years, how manyfamilies we live just in that
first half decade?
SPEAKER_00 (45:51):
Yeah, there's there is so many good things to talk
about at UCA, and from myperspective up here, I talk
about three things a lot.
And one is our aviation academy.
Uh, two, as you mentioned, ourour freshman enrollment year
after year is the second largestamong universities in Arkansas.
And then the UCA commitment.
It's a life-changing program.
(46:11):
And when we announced it, it wasbefore I joined UCA.
But when we announced it, um Ithink there are several uh
debt-free pathway programs inArkansas now, but I don't think
there were any uh two years agowhen this was announced.
I mean, this was UCA.
This was this was our program,this was our program that we
developed uh as anindustry-leading program.
(46:32):
And so very, very proud of that.
And then also when we, you know,recently we formed our Northwest
Arkansas Advisory Council, andyou you came up for that
inaugural meeting, and and allof those members um were aware
of the UCA commitment programand proud of it, and proud when
their friends asked them aboutyou went to UCA, right?
Did you see this UCA commitmentprogram?
(46:53):
And um it's a it's a big pointof pride.
I mean, it's uh obviouslylife-changing for those
families, uh, but it's a bigpoint of pride for people who
work at UCA and for people whohave a degree from UCA, I think.
SPEAKER_03 (47:07):
Yeah, yeah, and and I always start my my grandmother
always say this good pride andbad pride, son.
It's good pride, what we're andand I um in particular, and um,
I mean, a lot of friends havepresents in change work, but a
lot of them, you know, theythey'll they'll appear to do
them now out of just someresources and they'll be fun
backs like our actualscholarships that we'll all
(47:29):
learn the last year, many yearsago.
So we're just utilizing yourknowledge and find a way and to
to basically tell them inprocess that we've do that work
over seven or eight years.
Most of my friends that arepresent at the chancer are
saying, yeah, but I can do that,that's too much work.
I I'm I'm proud of the fact thatwe built them to A's getting the
parking to meeting the E'sfamilies, but I'm also really
(47:52):
proud of the fact that hehaven't made it a meeting who
buys a lot of e-digit whiskey,and she's familiar with the
major needs.
Moody's has now, uh, for thelast three years of the rain
mattress and UCA kept a stableuh positive outlet.
(48:12):
A lot of that uh they pointed toum they pointed to our
stewardship work.
They've also talked about thingslike UCA can make a programs in
the march that they've stillallowed in the next future media
instead of allowing it to theresources program by the
aviation capture and some we'redoing college of science and
(48:37):
engineering.
Um I think movies see it wouldmean really we'll get stewards
of what we've been given to theend of the best that and have
multiple effect on that.
As opposed to the back my dadused to say, don't eat your seed
porn.
Um, you know, we we certainlydon't need to do anything
speeding themselves in thedeath.
(49:03):
So proud of the fact grandmaprize give fine.
Um you see a commitment maybe ahuge difference, but we've
really put hard positionuniversity audience on just an
outline audience off.
Among regional comprehensiveuniversities in the southeastern
part of the U.S., um, we knowthe work position.
SPEAKER_04 (49:20):
You know that for the big agencies.
SPEAKER_03 (49:22):
In a very, very, very complex transaction.
It's usually and again, it'staking a lot of work to get
there, and I think a lot of workto stay there.
SPEAKER_00 (49:30):
All right.
Um we've talked about UCA, we'vetalked about Northwest Arkansas,
we've talked about highereducation, and we're going to
talk about Houston Davis for oneminute here.
I've got I've got my questionshere that I think people are
dying to know.
SPEAKER_02 (49:42):
Right there.
Right there.
You just you just lost all ofyour viewers in there.
SPEAKER_00 (49:48):
We'll see.
We'll let the analytics, we'lllet the analytics decide what
people uh tune into or tune out.
All right, coffee or sweet tea?
SPEAKER_03 (49:56):
Oh goodness.
Uh you know, sweet tea.
I, you know, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (50:03):
You're a music guy.
What's the best concert you'veever been to?
SPEAKER_03 (50:07):
Oh, wow.
Best concert I've ever been to?
Uh well, all right.
Prob probably best, and it wasone of my earliest.
Um Guns N' Roses Pyramid inMemphis, but that wasn't the
kicker.
Uh although, I mean, theycovered a great show.
It quite about two and a halfhours, and that was near a time
where Axel was even stage earlylife.
He collected the foot on theshow.
(50:28):
But Soundgarden Open for Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (50:30):
I was gonna ask you if this is with Metallica or
not, but so no Metallica.
SPEAKER_03 (50:34):
Soundgarden Open, um, G and R outer.
It was first of all revelationin the Christian Soundgarden
that I wasn't I'll be notfamiliar with them um that
night.
They were amazing when you'reused to that show.
So many things, Bonaroo, and thecell and that.
(50:54):
Yeah, we we we love when we usethe customers just anything
that's anything that's odd musicis flight for to be uh us to
lead there and say, that's thebest we've ever seen.
And I don't know how you everbet for that.
You're always still in themoment, but probably my favorite
memorable convert.
SPEAKER_00 (51:11):
Most underrated Arkansas town.
SPEAKER_03 (51:14):
Oh wow.
Boy, I could offend a lot.
Let me tell you one year we saw,and it rolled over a revelation.
Um, Jenny and I had anopportunity to go over and just
hike and bring you in beer.
Meetup, this answer.
We were really impressed.
That that town's really cool.
That's strong, it's uh kind of acool vibe.
We rub, uh we love hiking andtrekking.
(51:35):
That's that's that's anotherways that we spend a lot of our
time.
Um distance hikes, you're readyto uh Lushita Trail um to
Humboldtman, all the way out upon the Mean Bat, uh big Poscot
River uh trail.
Um with the Mina, we were kindof that was our our hug, but
that trib on Mina reallyinterested us.
So that was probably first cometo mind because that was just
(51:58):
curious and uh really enjoyedit.
Can't wait to get back there.
SPEAKER_00 (52:01):
That was that was the first time I didn't mean if
you were to give a TED talktomorrow, what is something you
could do a presentation on withzero preparation?
SPEAKER_03 (52:12):
Wow.
Um probably um higher educationand the economy.
It might not be the mostexciting topic, but to uh
especially to talk about to beable to talk about the need for
any degree beyond a high schooldiploma and how that gives you
utilities and possibilities.
(52:33):
Um I as a university president,I don't ever tell um a high
school graduate that they haveto come to the university.
What I tells them is you've gotthese something beyond a high
school diploma.
Um of them that's gonna bevocational, some of them from
that from university, some ofthat's gonna be the military
path where they're gonna pick upa lot of great creatures and
(52:53):
certification skills.
Either way, every something uhbeyond that high school
polygamy, because what that doesis it just opens up
possibilities.
Um you don't just have to go tothe flow, you can start to get
that floor.
So probably if someone said,Hey, Houston, you need to give X
number of minutes of TED talk inthe few minutes, I would kick
that and I would think about oneof my three best points in my
(53:14):
book.
SPEAKER_00 (53:16):
Perfect.
All right, well, listen, umPresident Davis, I've I've been
looking forward to this uhconversation with you for a
while.
So um really appreciate yourtime.
I want to end with this uhbecause we do have a lot of
alumni who are listening and alot of alumni from Northwest
Arkansas who are listening.
You've got a direct um a directuh voice to those those people
(53:37):
right now.
What do you want them to knowabout their alma mater, the
University of Central Arkansas?
SPEAKER_03 (53:42):
Yeah, well, well, first of all, I I want to be
very proud of the universe.
Um I think that that theyalready know that our university
of reputation, they know thatour university has made a
difference in their life.
I guarantee you that as they'rehearing talk about this, it's
not it wasn't a transactionalrelationship that they'll
describe, it's not just thatthey got a degree from UCA, it's
that they developed greatfriendships and great um
(54:03):
relationships that continued,and it's probably influenced who
they are as a young professionalthat they're through seed and
professionally.
I hope that they would beencouraged to know.
They already know that uh UCA ispretty special.
I hope they would be encouragedto know that we're not just uh I
just put on a reception uh up inNorthwest Arkansas and then all
(54:26):
back home, that we're reallythinking about what is it that
we're gonna do across the weirdyear in five days and um how can
we be of service to them?
I think that our NorthwestArkansas Council, right, that
was not just asking about whatthe university needs to do
there, but but how could we helpthem and what they were steering
at them in that for a influence?
How how could we start somedialogue about is there any way
(54:48):
a university we need assist?
It's not just that you you youwere educated by us because you
aren't due to know that we'regonna be uh committed to again
via and the service can have umof what's gonna be in the
ecosystem.
Yeah, yeah.
So think big thoughts about howwe might get them up.
So I again pride, I hope thatthey would they would feel that,
(55:09):
they know that.
Um I think that uh a agratefulness uh that we're
thinking about how we can extendthat repeat, send that message,
um, and then know that this thisdespite the thing that we're
like certain that we are movedto where that earlier question
about three to five years fromnow.
Yeah, a lot of people out therethink of UCA as an asset.
(55:29):
Um that yeah, we can fall home.
They deliver, they are good atwhat they do, Steve.
Um I mean it's a it's afall-free, it's safe.
Uh and that to me is for peace.
SPEAKER_00 (55:41):
Fantastic.
All right, great place to end itagain.
President Davis, uh uh theUniversity of Central Arkansas.
Always enjoy visiting with you.
Really appreciate your time.
Uh hope you have a great rest ofthe day.
Appreciate you, sir.
Go bears.
All right, great.
All right, well, all right.
That's been the latest editionof Central to NWA, a UCA
podcast.
I'm Paul Gatling.
Until next time, Bill Bears.
(56:03):
That's it for this episode ofCentral to NWA, a UCA podcast.
I'm Paul Gatling, SeniorDirector of Northwest Arkansas
Engagement for the University ofCentral Arkansas.
Be sure to subscribe to the showand follow UCA on all the
appropriate social media.
I'll see you next time onCentral to NWA.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.