Fayetteville Instructors
Lynn Berkowitz
Lynn Berkowitz, the Director of Education at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, is working with colleagues and regional partners to envision and position exceptional learning experiences within the community, at the Museum’s temporary site - Crystal Bridges at the Massey – in preparation for when the Museum opens to the public in 2010. Plans are underway to develop an array of programming for lifelong learners of all ages. Lynn has worked in museums since 1989 and has taught studio art, art history and art educations courses at colleges in addition to the practice of museum education.
Jim Brewer
Jim Brewer is director of media services at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. A Rogers native, Brewer holds a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and a master’s degree in journalism from UA-Little Rock. Jim and his wife, Susan, have two children – Doug, a fifth-year senior in the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the UA, and Lauren, an incoming freshman in the UA’s Lemke School of Journalism.
Ellen Compton
Ellen Compton received her M.A. in history from the University of Arkansas and was an instructor in the History Department at the U of A from 1963-1976. From 1980 to the present, she has worked as an archivist with the Special Collections Department of the University of Arkansas Libraries. Her primary responsibility is with the papers of architect Fay Jones as well as manuscript processor, reading room supervisor, field archivist, and development officer. Ellen is currently the President of the Oversight Board of the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, the archival chair for Ozark Society, and a member of the Board of Arkansas Women’s History Institute. She has written in several publications and entries for the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. She has also given many presentations from 1980-2007 on Arkansas’s history and literature at numerous meetings for school groups and clubs.
Wendy Florick
Wendy Florick has lived in Fayetteville for 7 years. She is a speech/language pathologist at the Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative where she specializes in working with preschoolers with autism and other speech/language disorders. She currently leads a book group that she has been with for 5 years. She has participated in book groups in several states since 1992. She is married and has a teenage daughter.
Larry Foley
Professor, broadcast journalism. His productions have earned national and international awards, including an Emmy, first place awards from the Broadcast Education Association, WorldFest Houston, the Aurora Film Festival, and the International Film and Video Festival. His PBS credits include Saving the Eagles, The Lost Squadron and WhenLightningStruck. Foley returned to his alma mater in 1993 to teach, produce documentaries, and build and direct a center for teaching television reporting and production. In 1996, he founded the campus television station, UATV, for which he serves as faculty adviser. In October 2003, he was inducted into the Lemke Department of Journalism's Hall of Honor, the highest award bestowed upon UA journalism graduates. In 1998, he received a Master Researcher award from the J.W. Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. Before coming to the U of A, Foley spent nine years at the Arkansas Educational Television Network as a producer, programmer, and associate director of the network. He is a former reporter, morning news anchor, assignment editor and producer for KATV Channel 7, Little Rock.
Greg Harton
Executive editor at Northwest Arkansas Times before and formerly a reporter and then assistant city editor at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Enjoys spending time with his two sons.
Jean Jacobsen
Jean began her career at the University of South Dakota as an Instructor and Coach, and she was very involved with AIAW and NCAA regional and national tournament direction. She has a B.S. degree from the University of South Dakota and an M.P.E. from the University of Nebraska. After successful 15-year tenure in college teaching and coaching, she ventured into athletic club management and group travel: thus Jacobsen Tours evolved. In Fayetteville, Jean is the current President of the Newcomers’ Club, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, a member of OLLI and is also active in quilting, gardening and church organizations.
Tom Jacobsen
Tom was a public school math and science teacher for 35 years. He was a coach for basketball, volleyball, and softball. Tom was also a softball umpire, basketball referee, and volleyball official for many years. In retirement, he helps his wife Jean with tours and is a substitute teacher for both Fayetteville and Springdale schools. He enjoys gardening, and both Tom and Jean play in several bridge groups. The Jacobsen’s have traveled extensively with group and personal travel throughout North America and specialize in motor coach tours in the United States and Canada. The creation of wonderful memories through great travel tours is their goal, and they treat each tour as if it were a once in a lifetime experience.
Patti Kimbrough
The Fort Smith native is responsible for supervising event service and operation activities in the premium seating areas of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. She attended Oklahoma State University, Westark Community College / University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, majoring in marketing. She was also an honors graduate of Northside High School in Fort Smith. Patti has been active in the community, volunteering time to functions benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association, the United Way, Cancer Support House, Arthritis Foundation, March of Dimes and the Girl Scouts of America, among others. She has served as a volunteer with Girls Inc., American Red Cross, St. Edward’s Hospital Advisory Board member, Sparks Senior Health Care advisory board member and the Fort Smith Public School System volunteer mentor.
Dr. Dan Luecking
A professor of Mathematics at the University of Arkansas doesn’t stop Dr Luecking from kicking up his heels. He and his wife, Jan, are very involved with their folk dance group, Anoush. Also, Dan is president of the Fayetteville Traditional Dance Society and member of the Country Dance & Song Society of America. Both are members of the Fayetteville International Folk Dancers.
Jan Luecking
Jan Luecking moved to Northwest Arkansas quite some time ago after having lived mostly in the Midwest all her life. Until recently she worked at the Walton Arts Center; she is now employed at Arts Live Theater where she had previously worked for nearly 10 years. Folk dancing has been her passion for 40 years, and passing those dances to others –to assure she will always have someone to dance with – has been her goal. Jan has a degree in French and has had a lifelong interest in other cultures. Folk dancing has brought her into contact with people from around the world, through instructors who teach their folk dances to people who have visited Arkansas and joined in and shared the dances of their country.
Ed Morrison
Ed Morrison was born in Fayetteville in 1941, and he lived in the area through college. He got his degree from the University of Arkansas in Chemical Engineering, and he met his wife Pat during college. He began working for the Dupont Company in 1963 where he worked for 39 years. He and his wife have lived in Nashville, TN; Chattanooga, TN; Wilmington, DE; Houston, TX; and Unionville, PA; but they moved back home to Fayetteville in 2001. He has two sons and five granddaughters. His interests include reading, fishing, hunting, travel, history, and Arkansas.
Dick O’Connell
Richard J. O’Connell, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas, is receiving the Community Leadership Award in the government category. Marshal O’Connell received his appointment by President George W. Bush in 2003 and serves as the district’s chief law enforcement officer for the federal government. He worked for the FBI for 30 years, serving as a Special Agent from 1966 until his retirement in 1992. Through his dedicated work, Marshal O’Connell has helped obtain the River Valley /Sex Offender and Violent Crimes Task Force Grant by coordinating the federal side of the grant, has obtained thousands of dollars of supplies for the Sheriff’s Departments, and played a pivotal role in the selection of Fort Smith as the site for the United States Marshal Service National Museum.
J. O’Connell
Richard J. O’Connell, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas, is receiving the Community Leadership Award in the government category. Marshal O’Connell received his appointment by President George W. Bush in 2003 and serves as the district’s chief law enforcement officer for the federal government. He worked for the FBI for 30 years, serving as a Special Agent from 1966 until his retirement in 1992. Through his dedicated work, Marshal O’Connell has helped obtain the River Valley /Sex Offender and Violent Crimes Task Force Grant by coordinating the federal side of the grant, has obtained thousands of dollars of supplies for the Sheriff’s Departments, and played a pivotal role in the selection of Fort Smith as the site for the United States Marshal Service National Museum.
Melba R. Payne
Obtained a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Texas Christian University. She taught school in Alabama, New Mexico & Nebraska before retiring to NWA. Currently sits on the OLLI curriculum committee meetings as Co-Chair. Enjoys Photography and scrapbooking in her free time.
Brian Petty
Fifth generation Arkansan W. Brian Petty has a Bachelors in Geology and a Masters of Arts Journalism (Documentary). Petty has research credits on the documentaries Light Seeking Shade: The Architecture of Fay Jones, Silas Hunt: A Documentary and Spooked! and has experience with the volcanic rocks of Arkansas. Petty presently has the privilege of working with one of the few true HD camera setups in Arkansas at the Global Campus. Married to disability rights pioneer Julie Petty, Brian has two young boys to help him explore his passion of documenting Bigfoot in Arkansas.
Dr. Hoyt Purvis
Professor, journalism. Director of Fulbright Institute of International Relations. B.A. and M.J., University of Texas. Worked as reporter for the Houston Chronicle, author and editor of a number of books and articles. Press secretary and special assistant to Senator J. William Fulbright, foreign and defense policy adviser to Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd. Research interests: international media, media and government/politics, cable and media technology. Joined the University of Arkansas in 1982.
Chalon Ragsdale
Chalon Ragsdale was appointed to the University of Arkansas Music faculty in 1975 as Percussion Instructor and Assistant Band Director. He currently serves as Director of Percussion Studies. From 1990-1998, he was Chair of the UA Department of Music, and from 1998-2007 he was Director of the UA Summer Music Camps.
Chal also served as Director of the “Razorback” Marching Band from 1981-82 and 85-87; as Director of the UA Concert Band from 1975-1989; and from 1989 to 1992 served as Conductor of the UA Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble.
The Percussion Ensemble under his direction has performed for audiences at state, regional and national conventions. His private students have won performing honors at the state, regional and national levels of MTNA. He performs as percussionist frequently, and holds the position of solo timpanist with the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
Chal earned an undergraduate degree in Music Education from Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, in 1973 and the Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, in 1975 and served as Director of Instrumental Music in the Tallapoosa County, Alabama school district from 1973-74. He has studied percussion with Harold A. Jones, Johnnie Vinson, and Larry Mathis. He has taught a previous OLLI class on Johnny Cash.
Thomas F. “Tim” Schatzman
Has a lifelong love affair with American history, and United States culture and development. He has lived and traveled throughout the U.S. and overseas. He enjoys being able to place our nation’s history and development in context and explain ideas clearly. He received his Doctoral degree in Education from the University of New Mexico in 1992 with a minor in Management. He has an extensive and varied background in teaching and in the professional world.
Rick Stockdell
Joined the University of Arkansas in 1980 as an associate professor of Broadcast Journalism and is also the general manager of the public radio station KUAF. Earning a B.A. in speech from Northwest Missouri State; M.A. in radio and television, Kansas State University, he has worked as radio announcer, manager and executive in Arizona, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, Kansas.
Mike Sypult, MCSE, MCSA, MCT
Mike Sypult began work at the University of Arkansas School of Continuing Education and Academic Outreach in November 2000. Mr. Sypult is the Coordinator of Computer Training Services (2003-present). Mr. Sypult’s primary responsibility is to plan, develop, customize, coordinate, and implement computer training programs for the Department of Conferences and Professional Development.
With 15 years experience as a Computer Training Specialist, Mr. Sypult has developed customized computer application training programs for both private and public organizations across the State of Arkansas and in South America. Mr. Sypult frequently conducts technology presentations at professional conferences and on radio programs. Mr. Sypult is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) and Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) in Windows Server 2003 and a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). Sypult holds a BA in Education from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and a MA in Education from Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas. Additionally, Mr. Sypult is a certified teacher in Adult Education for the State of Arkansas.
Formerly a community college faculty member at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Rogers (1993-2000), Sypult designed and implemented the Computer Literacy Program for the Adult Education Program. Sypult also served as a board member for the Beaver Lake Literacy Council.
Sypult and his wife, Pam, have five children and live in Rogers.
Ann Wiggans Sugg
Ann Sugg was born in Fayetteville and is a 6th generation Arkansan. She is a lifelong Fayetteville resident except for one and half years in Missouri and one year in upstate New York, plus two years in Siloam Springs. She is now living in Springdale next door to her granddaughter who graduated from Fayetteville High School and the University of Arkansas with a Home Economics degree. Ann taught two years in high school and has been married to Dr. John Sugg, an optometrist, since 1952. They have four children, seven grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. She does many volunteer activities, such as Friends of Lake Wedington and Washington County Historical Society from 1988 to the present, and she was a real estate broker from 1977-1994.
Dr. Elliot West
Elliott West received his B.A. from the University of Texas (1967) and his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado (1971). He joined the U of A faculty in 1979. Two of his books, Growing Up With the Country: Childhood on the Far-Western Frontier (1989) and The Way to the West: Essays on the Central Plains (1995) received the Western Heritage Award. The Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers, and the Rush to Colorado (1998) received five awards including the Francis Parkman Prize and PEN Center Award. In 1995 West was awarded the U of A Teacher of the Year and the Carnegie Foundation’s Arkansas Professor of the Year. In 2001 he received the Baum Faculty Teaching Award.
Tom Yazwinski
Tom was born and raised in Northwest Arkansas and is glad to be back. After reporting here for a year, Tom and his wife, Sydney, left the area and began working for our sister station, KARK 4 News in Little Rock. During his two years there working in both news and sports, Tom won the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for Reporting. When offered a position back in NWA he jumped at the chance. Now he helps waking folks up in the area with his co-anchors Kelly George and Jason Dollard. During baseball season, you can find Tom on the diamond for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals baseball team as the on-field master of ceremonies. Tom's other hobbies include cheering for the Razorbacks, enjoying the great outdoors on the golf course, hunting in the woods and spending time with his wife Sydney and his daughter Stella.