Chancellor Robinson, Provost Chaubey and Admissions Team Visit River Valley Schools

Chancellor Charles Robinson, Provost Indrajeet Chaubey and members of the Office of Admissions team visited high schools in the River Valley this week to encourage students to think boldly about their futures and share how the U of A can help them achieve their goals. 

The two-day recruiting trip included stops at Greenwood High School, Ozark High School, Paris High School, Pottsville High School and Russellville High School. Robinson, Chaubey and the Admissions team spoke with students at each school about the importance of higher education, the opportunities available at the U of A and the support systems in place to help them thrive once they arrive on campus.  

"One of the most important messages we can share with students across Arkansas is that the U of A is their university," said Chancellor Robinson. "We met ambitious, talented students throughout the River Valley, and we want each of them to know there's a place for them in Fayetteville and a supportive campus community ready to help them succeed." 

The university has already admitted 174 incoming freshmen from the five schools for fall 2026 and awarded them $1.46 million in scholarship support. Three of the scholarship offers are to students who would join the first cohort of Land of Opportunity Scholars, an initiative intended to boost retention and graduation rates among students with high financial need by providing funding as well as mentorship, financial guidance and career coaching.  

"It was a pleasure to visit with so many outstanding students and hear about their goals for the future," said Provost Chaubey. "We look forward to offering them a life-transformative education and helping them make a meaningful difference for communities across the River Valley and beyond."  

"We appreciate the warm welcome we received from teachers, counselors, administrators and staff throughout the River Valley," said Suzanne McCray, vice provost for enrollment and dean of admissions. "They're doing tremendously important work to prepare their students for success, and we are grateful for their partnership in helping students see that the lifelong benefits of higher education are both attainable and worthwhile." 
 
The U of A team also made a special stop at Dover Elementary School to deliver books and read with students as part of Arkansas Reads, a university initiative that strengthens elementary school library collections and helps foster a love of reading among young Arkansans. In addition to 7,000 books, the school received ten Amazon Kindle e-readers and a personalized bookmark for each student made by members of the university's Freshman Leadership Forum.  

State Representative James Eaton and State Representative Elect Tonya Fletcher accompanied the U of A contingent at Ozark High School and Paris High School, respectively.  Significant volunteer efforts by Razorbook Reach and a large book donation by the Panhellenic Council helped make the Dover Elementary visit a success, and the STARS (Small Town and Rural Student) College Network helped support both the Arkansas Reads initiative and the recruitment efforts in the River Valley.