About Us › Staff
Suzanne McCray, Interim Dean
Post-Graduate FellowshipsSuzanne McCray serves as the Associate Dean of the Honors College and the Director of the Office of Post-Graduate Fellowships. She received a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Arkansas in 1974, graduating with high honors. She was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and now serves as the University of Arkansas’ PBK chapter secretary. In 1985-1986, McCray served as a co-director of the Anglo-American Library at the University of Cluj in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. In 1990 she received a doctorate in English from the University of Tennessee (1990).
McCray’s professional career at the University of Arkansas began in 1990 with the Honors Studies Program in Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. In 2002 with the creation of the Honors College, she became its Associate Dean. Her responsibilities include oversight of the Academic Scholarship Office, the Advanced Placement Summer Institute, and the Office of Post-Graduate Fellowships. She has advised hundreds of students about scholarship and graduate school applications including thirty-three Barry Goldwater Scholars, seven Truman Scholars, three Marshall Scholars, one Rhodes Scholar, five Morris Udall Scholars and numerous James Madison Scholars, National Science Foundation Fellows, NFS summer interns, Rotary Scholars, Fulbright Scholars and others. The advising support for the Rhodes Scholarship given at the University Arkansas and at Harvard was profiled in Mike Winerip’s New York Times article “The Fellowship of the Rhodes,” January 12, 2003. She works actively with honors directors in the various honors programs to coordinated and develop honors activities, and she also teaches H2P and honors colloquia on contemporary Southern literature.
She has been an active member of the National Association of Fellowships Advisors, serving as its president from 2003-2005. She has served on the planning committees for three conferences held in the UK focusing on scholarship and education opportunities (including the Rhodes, Marshall, and Gates Cambridge scholarships) for students in the US, working with foundation and universities across the country and has served on the planning committee for three NAFA conference held in the US as well. She recently published Beyond Winning: National Scholarship Competitions and the Student Experience, University of Arkansas Press, 2005.
Maribeth Lynes, Assistant Dean
Maribeth Lynes has served as Director of Recruitment for the Honors College since 2002 after having worked in the admissions counseling field for over twenty years. She served as president of the Arkansas Association of College Admissions Officers and the Arkansas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. She earned her M.Ed from the University of Arkansas in the field of Higher Education Administration and a bachelor of arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
As Director of Recruitment, Maribeth facilitates collaboration between UA faculty, staff, and current students to help high school students learn about opportunities in the Honors College. She arranges customized personal visits and recruitment events, visits high school classes, and works with teachers and counselors who assist their students in applying for selective programs and scholarships.
Bryan Hembree, Director, Academic Scholarships
Academic ScholarshipsBryan C. Hembree became the Director of Academic Scholarships in May of 2005. He received his B.A. in English Literature from the University of Arkansas in 2002. While at the UofA, Bryan was a Chancellor’s Scholar, SILO/SURF grant recipient, and J. William and Elizabeth Fulbright Scholar. Under Fulbright funding, Bryan spent his junior year abroad at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford University. Bryan is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration.
Hembree’s responsibilities as director include overseeing the operations of the Office of Academic Scholarships, budget officer for Chancellor’s/Distinguished Governor’s Scholars, outreach and recruitment involving scholarship opportunities, and collaboration with various academic units and departments across campus regarding scholarship.
Lance Owen, Assistant Director, Post-Graduate Fellowships
Lance Owen began working as the Assistant Director of Post-Graduate
Fellowships in September 2007. A native of Fort Smith, he attended the
University of Arkansas on a Sturgis Fellowship and completed his Bachelor
of Arts in Music in May 2006. During his junior year, Lance studied abroad at the University of Cambridge, where he
returned last year to complete an MPhil in Musicology on a Gates Cambridge
Scholarship.
Lance Owen assists with nationally competitive and state scholarship advising, with Honors College events, and with recruitment efforts. He also serves as the Assistant Director of the annual College Board Approved Advanced Placement Summer Institute that hosts more than 300 teachers from across the country each year.
Kelly Carter, Honors Fellows Budget Officer
Kelly (Langston) Carter became the full-time Honors College and Bodenhamer Fellow Budget Officer in May 2005. She had served as the Director of the Office of Academic Scholarships from June 1998 until May 2005. Prior to that, she was a financial aid counselor on the University of Arkansas campus. Carter received her Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Geology in summer 1986 and her Master’s of Education in Higher Education in May 1993.
Carter’s responsibilities as fellowship budget officer include monitoring student’s financial matters and fellowship renewals. These duties include paying tuition and housing; monitoring the rate of fellowship spending for each student; releasing funds for enhanced educational experiences such as study abroad, professional conferences, and research; and monitoring academic progress. She also works closely with Dr. Gary Standridge, Special Assistant to the Chancellor, on the Bodenhamer Fellowship program. Part of those duties includes planning a five day trip to Washington, DC, for the incoming freshmen Bodenhamer fellows each year and two faculty chaperones.
Aletha Cook, Media & Information Specialist
Aletha Edmondson became the Media & Information specialist for the Honors College in November 2005. In May 2005, she received a Bachelor of Arts in History and Russian Studies from the University of Arkansas. While at the UofA, Aletha was named a Senior Scholar and 2005 Rhodes district finalist. She received the SILO/SURF grant, Winthrop Rockefeller scholarship, and the Brandon Burlsworth Memorial scholarship.
Edmondson's responsibilities include designing and maintaining the following websites: Honors College, Office of Academic Scholarships, Advanced Placement Summer Institute, and Office of Post-Graduate Fellowships. She also retrieves data for tracking purposes and provides general computer and design support.
Pak Fung, Financial Manager
Garrick Hildebrand, Assistant Director, Academic Scholarships
Garrick Hildebrand manages all private scholarships that are housed in the Office of Academic Scholarships. He is also the primary contact person for the Continuing Student Scholarship application and award process. In addition, he posts departmental scholarships for all units on campus.
Dovie Johnson, Assistant Director, Academic Scholarships
Dovie Johnson has been employed with the University of Arkansas since 1990. She began her job as Program Coordinator in July 2005 in the Office of Academic Scholarships beneath the Honors College. Ms. Johnson is pursuing a degree in B.S.E. in Vocational Education. Before joining the Office of Academic Scholarships in 2001 as Administrative Assistant, she worked in the Office of Financial Aid.
Ms. Johnson’s responsibilities as Program Coordinator in the Office of Academic Scholarship Office are to manage and post freshmen scholarships. Ms. Johnson manages several scholarships—the Chancellor’s, Silas Hunt Distinguished, Honors College Academy, University Scholarships, and the Non-Resident Tuition Award. She is the contact person for posting the Alumni Legacy, Legacy Reduction and for the Tuition Advantage Program and handles scholars’ with special circumstances.
Angela King, Office Manager
Angela studied Business Administration and Elementary Education while on vocal and academic scholarships at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona and Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. She completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Education with a concentration in Human Resource Development here at the University of Arkansas in May of 2007 and is currently working toward a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Workforce Development Education. Angela served as the vice-president of the Nu Epsilon Alpha chapter of the Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honor Society for Adult Learners during her senior year here at the University of Arkansas and plans to remain involved with the organization while completing her M.Ed..
Angela has worked as an Administrative Assistant II with the University of Arkansas since 2003, beginning in the Office of Pre-College Programs. She accepted the position of Office Manager for the Honors College in August of 2006. In this position, she is responsible for the daily workings of the Honors College office, organization of special events and assisting honors students. If she cannot answer your question, she will find the person who can. Angela is the mother of two future honor students ages 7 and 4.
Amy Lee Martindale, Assistant Director, Academic Scholarships
Amy Martindale is the Academic Scholarship Office’s Assistant Director for Scholarship Retention. She earned her master’s degree in counseling psychology from Texas Tech University in 2003. She is currently working on her doctorate in Higher Education Leadership at the University of Arkansas.
Mrs. Martindale’s responsibilities as Assistant Director include coordination of the scholarship retention program, provision of services for Music and Band departmental scholarships, and coordination of the Outside Scholarship program. Her vision is to help students retain their scholarships throughout their undergraduate careers, as well as to connect U of A students with scholarship opportunities from hundreds of agencies outside the university.
Mrs. Martindale’s husband, Dr. Jeff Martindale, is a psychologist for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at U of A’s PatWalker Health Center.
Michael Zachary, Computer Support Specialist
Michael J. Zachary began working for the Honors College in October 2004 as the Technical Advisor/ Support Technician for the Honors College Smart rooms project. Since that time, Mr. Zachary has also taken on the Information Technology (IT) duties for the Honors College and the Scholarship office. He is currently pursuing a Master of Education Degree in Educational Technology at the University of Arkansas.
Mr. Zachary's responsibilities include IT Support for the Honors College and Scholarship Offices, as well as support, periodical maintenance, design assistance and implementation of audio visual solutions in current and future Smart classrooms. Mr. Zachary strives for a unified campus design that would accommodate all colleges campus-wide and embrace the task of future planning, designing, and implementation.
Terry Garrity, Administrative Assistant
Theresa M. (Terry) Garrity joined the University of Arkansas in September 1984 as a secretary in the History Department in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. Over the years, she has worked in several other positions including fifteen years in various departments in the Walton College of Business: Management, International Studies, Minority Affairs, and Information Systems. In August 2004, she joined the Honors College as an Administrative Assistant.
Terry Garrity's duties include processing travel for all faculty, staff and students in the Honors College, handling all accounting transactions for the college, and setting up and maintaining mentor stipend accounts for approximately 160 faculty across campus. She is also the registration coordinator for the Advanced Placement Summer Institute, a summer workshop for approximately 300 middle school and high school AP teachers.
Nina Simmons, Receptionist
Nina Simmons began working for the Fulbright Honors College on October 31, 1995. She retired in August of 2002, but she continued to assist with special events for the Honors College until January of 2005 when she began working 20 hours a week in the Office of Academic Scholarships. In August of 2005 she moved to her present position as the receptionist in the Honors College Office. She graduated from the University of Eastern Michigan in 1959 and began a teaching career that spanned over 25 years in all grade levels. During her time in the Fulbright Honors Office she was named as Employee of the Quarter and during her time in the Honors College Office she was the recipient of honorary member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. The award was given in recognition of her many hours of volunteer work and service within the communities where she has lived.
Nina's responsibilities as receptionist in the Honors College Office include answering the phone, do any required clerical work, assist the students in whatever manner is needed, sort the mail, send emails upon receiving notice of the checks for the fellows, and in general assist the rest of the staff in the Honors College Office. One other important responsibility is to make sure every ones chocolate needs are met.
Ryan Miller, Graduate Assistant
Ryan's responsibilities for Honors College Recruitment include advising the Honors College Ambassadors, traveling to high schools, representing the Honors College at college fairs, managing a database of prospective students, organizing calling campaigns, and coordinating campus visits.