Steve Womack

Your browser does not support the audio element.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Doing one's best benefits more than the individual -- it's an act of patriotism, U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark. told graduates Friday.

"Now, more than ever, your country needs you, not just the average you, (but) the very best you," the Rogers congressman said.

The "divisions in the country" today are "ripping us apart," so graduates must "use your skills to build healthy relationships -- even with those whom you might disagree -- build consensus, and pay it forward," said Womack, who has represented the Third District of Arkansas in Congress since his election in 2010. There's "lots of need out there -- our country cries out for civil discourse -- (so) give something back."

Womack spoke during university commencement, for graduate students, at Bud Walton Arena. Other graduations Friday included the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food & Life Sciences, while Saturday's scheduled commencements are the Sam M. Walton College of Business, College of Engineering, Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, College of Education and Health Professions, and School of Law. More than 6,500 students are scheduled to graduate this weekend.

For Vanessa Perez, graduating with her master's in clinical mental health counseling brings up "lots of emotions."

"I feel really happy," but also reflective on her "younger self, (who was) insecure and didn't think I could do anything, but now I've met so many people and learned so much," said Perez, who is from Green Forest. "I have so much perspective on the value of human connection."

Achieving a master's degree can be difficult, especially for those who do not come from a wealthy background, like Perez, and "this is a very demanding program, so it means a lot that I made it through," she said Friday. And while Perez believes her career prospects were already strong with her undergraduate degree in education from Arkansas Tech University, a master's should "open even more doors."

She was already teaching when she began her graduate work and will now return to high school education while handling "like seven or eight mental health cases on the side," she said. Eventually, she'll likely devote herself completely to mental health work, preferably with adults.

Jenna Allemand opted for UA to get her master's in French language and literature, in large part, because she also received bachelor's degrees in French and Arabic from the university, she said. "I felt very comfortable here -- I liked the professors and how they taught."

Looking forward, she would "love to get into literary translation, or other types of translation," she said. "I love bridging the gap (between languages) -- it makes me feel happy and accomplished."

Lauren Kuykendall also earned her bachelor's degree from UA and remained for her master's -- in Modern Languages -- because it was the "best way to solidify my fluency in French language and culture while also immersing myself in the literature, which I'd never really fully done before," she said. "I'm so glad I did."

Graduating with her master's Friday, "I feel really accomplished -- there's no better word for it -- it's definitely harder than undergrad, but it also has me thinking about maybe going for my Ph.D. down the line," said Kuykendall, from Batesville. "I'm interested in teaching and government work" as a career.

"There's a real feeling of community at commencement," said Allemand, from Hot Springs. "We did it together and made it out the other side."

These degrees are a testament to the character, work ethic, and personal sacrifice of the graduates, said Womack, a graduate of Arkansas Tech University who retired from the Arkansas Army National Guard in 2009 at the rank of colonel with more than 30 years of service. They also demonstrate graduates are passionate about bettering themselves, and a society of citizens intent on improving themselves "makes America stronger."

Womack, former mayor of Rogers, is a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, where he serves as the chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development subcommittee, and he also sits on the Defense and Financial Services and General Government subcommittees, according to UA Chancellor Charles Robinson. He's also "helped secure more than $100 million for (the university) for research in the last six years."

The university had the best four- and six-year graduation rates among public, four-year state universities -- 58.3% for the fall 2021 cohort and nearly 71% for the fall 2019 cohort -- according to the Arkansas Division of Higher Education, but Provost Indrajeet Chaubey believes the six-year rate for students graduating this year will be at least 72%, when final numbers are calculated.

The commencement held Friday and Saturday "are the two most exciting days of the year for me -- moments like that make it all worthwhile" -- and graduation is particularly poignant for first-generation college students, roughly 20% of UA's enrollment, and their families, Chaubey said. "I know how much it means to all of them."

The university has set new records for graduation rates three consecutive years, the "result of a lot of hard work by our outstanding students, faculty and staff," Robinson said. "We're committed to continuing to raise that bar in the future as we work together to ensure the success of our students from the first day of classes, to graduation and beyond."