About Us
Mission
The Fulbright College Honors Program promotes discovery for honors students in the College of Arts and Sciences, the opportunity to gain a deeper knowledge of their field through rigorous coursework, thesis research with a faculty advisor, and funding for study abroad and other opportunities. We also seek to continually encourage diversity and inclusion among our honors students through equitable access to advising, peer mentoring opportunities, research guidance, and other support services.
Values
- A Culture of Inclusion and Respect
- Academic Freedom
- All Individuals and Diverse Perspectives
- Discovery, Research, Creativity and Innovation
- Diversity, Civility and Cultural Competence
- Education, Access and Equity
- Educational and Lived Experiences
- Highest Standards in Teaching and a Service-Oriented Approach
- Interdisciplinarity and Global Approaches
Fulbright College Honors Program Staff
Executive Director of Undergraduate Excellence and Global Engagement
Phone: (479) 575-5890
Email: lhare@uark.edu
J Laurence Hare
Hare joined the U of A faculty in 2010 as an assistant professor of history before being appointed to associate professor in 2015. Prior to his appointment as department chair in 2021, Hare also served Fulbright College as the director of European Studies and the director of International and Global Studies. During Hare's leadership of International and Global Studies and the Department of History, he helped develop B.A. programs that integrated mentorship opportunities across the curriculum and incorporated a "branched capstone" model, in which students apply their learning through multiple experiential opportunities, including internships, research, service learning and study abroad.
He is also the co-founder of Arkansas Global Changemakers, which is an educational and applied research initiative that strengthens local approaches to global solutions by training students to connect organizations in Arkansas communities with counterparts around the world.
In addition, Hare received the Faculty Gold Medal from the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards in 2014 and the Distinguished Research and Teaching Faculty Award from the Honors College in 2017. Beyond the U of A, Hare is also a program mentor and grant reviewer for the U.S. Department of State's IDEAS Program, which advocates for inclusive excellence and national issues engagement in study abroad.
Hare holds a B.A. in history and a B.A. in anthropology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and an M.A. and Ph.D. in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Director of Honors and Experiential LearningJill Geisler Wheeler
Jill, a native of Brinkley Arkansas, moved to Northwest Arkansas in 1999 and never left. She earned all three of her degrees from the UofA with a B.S.B.A. in marketing, an M.Ed. in higher education, and finally an M.S. in counseling. She worked off-campus after finishing her undergraduate degree but returned in February of 2005.
Before her current appointment, Jill served for nearly 20 years beginning as a recruiter in the Office of Admission and later becoming an academic advisor in the Fulbright College Advising Center. Jill started her work with the honors program in January 2012 as the assistant director before being promoted to associate director in 2015. During this time, she has served as the Vice President of Membership and President of Arkansas Academic Advising Network (ArkAAN), both in appointed and elected positions for the Global Association of Academic Advising (NACADA), presented and published on first-year experience, veteran student experiences and challenges related to success and belonging for high-achieving students as well as a regular instructor in University Perspectives for first year students.
In 2021 Jill was recognized by the UofA’s Academic Advising Council (AAC) and awarded the Sage Advisor award where she was described as a “cherished colleague” who “stands out as someone whose experience, insight, and knowledge are integral in the advising relationships others cultivate with their students.” Jill was also selected as the Employee of the 2nd Quarter. Her nominator said this about Jill: “Her person-centered advising approach supports nearly 350 first-year honors students, providing them with holistic guidance that extends beyond academic planning."
Associate Director of Global EngagementKatie Sabo
Katie earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in French language and literature from the University of Arkansas and studied abroad in France. She was a graduate teaching assistant and an instructor of French in the Department of World Languages, Literatures & Cultures before joining the Office of Study Abroad in 2016. She held several roles including Senior Study Abroad Coordinator where she served as the study abroad advisor for students in Fulbright College, managed Fulbright College and Honors College faculty-led programs, led the office’s strategic plan to increase access to study abroad, and managed the office’s program management and application software. She joined Fulbright College’s new Office of Undergraduate Excellence and Global Engagement in 2024 and now leads the management and promotion of the study abroad portfolio in Fulbright College, supporting students interested in studying abroad and working with academic departments to identify and develop opportunities for their students overseas.
Katie has presented at the state, regional and national level through the international education organizations NAFSA: Association of International Educators and Diversity Abroad. She is a program advisor ambassador for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, often serves as a reviewer for the U.S. State Department’s Critical Language Scholarship and is a member of the Board of Advisors for AIFS: American Institute of Foreign Study. She is also dedicated to campus service including active participation in the first-generation college student support network. She loves helping students incorporate study abroad into their academic plan.
Watching University of Arkansas students build mutual understanding and meaningful relationships with their host communities and extend their discovery outside the United States is the most powerful and treasured part of her work.
Outside of work, you’ll find Katie biking on the Razorback Greenway, hiking in a state park, or enjoying a rock concert.
To explore study abroad opportunities and schedule an advising appointment, visit studyabroad.uark.edu.
Matt Jones
Matt has lived in Northwest Arkansas since 1997 and is a graduate of the University of Arkansas. He was a physics instructor at his alma mater, Springdale High School, for seventeen years before bringing his talents to Fayetteville as an Academic Advisor. He is passionate about building relationships with students and helping them achieve their professional and educational goals.
You might catch Matt playing drums around town on weekends or riding bikes on the Razorback Greenway. He's also interested in comic books and kayaking and loves spending time with his wife and two sons.
Fall 2024 Academic Advising
To schedule an academic advising appointment, Schedule an Appointment on my UASuccess Calendar. When scheduling, you can select one of the following locations depending on your preferred method of advising:
- Old Main 525: Select this option for in-person advising in my office in Old Main 525. Face masks covering the nose and mouth are recommended for all in-person appointments.
- Microsoft Teams: Select this option for synchronous video advising through Microsoft Teams. To download Microsoft Teams, visit the Get Started with Microsoft Teams page of the IT Services website.
- Phone Call: Select this option to be advised over the phone. Be sure to include a working phone number with your reason for meeting.
I'm also available to answer quick advising questions via email. I look forward to talking with you soon!
Sammi Mason
Samantha (preferred name Sammi) has worked at the University of Arkansas full-time since 2019, when she began as an Administrative Specialist for the Fulbright College Honors Program. Sammi went on to join the College of Arts and Sciences Advising team in 2022. As an advisor on the Honors Team, Sammi works with College and Departmental Honors students of all levels in the College of Arts and Sciences. Sammi earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and News/Editorial Journalism from the University of Arkansas in 2016 and her Master of Arts in English Literary and Cultural Studies from the University of Oklahoma in 2019.
When she is not working, Sammi is an avid reader and a close follower of pop culture, movies, and TV. As a lapsed cellist, she also has a love of all things music and the performing arts.
Sammi grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, and she has called Fayetteville her home off and on since she began her undergraduate degree in 2012. She now lives in West Fayetteville with her husband James.
Fall 2024 Academic Advising
To schedule an academic advising appointment, Schedule an Appointment on my UASuccess Calendar. When scheduling, you can select one of the following locations depending on your preferred method of advising:
- Old Main 525: Select this option for in-person advising in my office in Old Main 525. Face masks covering the nose and mouth are recommended for all in-person appointments.
- Microsoft Teams: Select this option for synchronous video advising through Microsoft Teams. To download Microsoft Teams, visit the Get Started with Microsoft Teams page of the IT Services website.
- Phone Call: Select this option to be advised over the phone. Be sure to include a working phone number with your reason for meeting.
In addition to scheduled appointments, I am also available to answer quick advising questions via email at samason@uark.edu. I look forward to talking with you soon!
Academic AdvisorRashauna Hintz
Rashauna is a Texas native who found her home in northwest Arkansas over two decades ago. With a B.A. in Anthropology and an M.A. in Geography from the University of Arkansas, she's a storyteller of cultures and a cartographer of curiosity.
Rashauna’s experience in higher education spans over a decade as a former instructor in the Department of Geosciences, where her passion for teaching and nurturing student success began. Beyond academia, she brings valuable experience in curriculum training, productivity coaching, and supply chain management. Today, she's dedicated to ensuring students feel supported and empowered on their academic journey.
A lover of words and languages, Rashauna finds joy in reading, writing fiction, and studying foreign languages. When she’s not lost in a book, she’s spending time with her partner and three amazing daughters.
Fall 2024 Academic Advising
To schedule an academic advising appointment, Schedule an Appointment on my UASuccess Calendar. When scheduling, you can select one of the following locations depending on your preferred method of advising:
- Old Main 525: Select this option for in-person advising in my office in Old Main 525. Face masks covering the nose and mouth are recommended for all in-person appointments.
- Microsoft Teams: Select this option for synchronous video advising through Microsoft Teams. To download Microsoft Teams, visit the Get Started with Microsoft Teams page of the IT Services website.
- Phone Call: Select this option to be advised over the phone. Be sure to include a working phone number with your reason for meeting.
In addition to scheduled appointments, I am also available to answer quick advising questions via email at rmicken@uark.edu. I look forward to talking with you soon!
Administrative Specialist IIIAllie Primm Blackford
Allie earned her undergraduate degree in Rhetoric and Writing with a focus in creative writing from the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. While earning her B.A., she participated in many student activities, including campus event planning, the Honors International Studies Program, editing the literary journal Applause, and serving as chair and counselor for Cub Camp. All of this instilled a deep love for higher education, and while she still adores writing and experimenting in various creative mediums, she hopes to continue her journey in the realm of academia. She is currently on her own educational journey as a master's student in English at the University of Arkansas.
Allie grew up in Greenwood, Arkansas and lived in the same little ranch-style white house her whole life. She's excited to start a new chapter of her story in Fayetteville, especially as part of the Fulbright College Honors Program team. Being a former honors student herself, she looks forward to seeing the bright futures of the program's students unfold.