Henderson State

Henderson State University Theatre will present five performances of Kid Purple by Donald Wollner at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21, 22, 23, 25, and 2:30 p.m. on February 24 in the Arkansas Hall Studio Theatre.  A reception will follow the opening performance.

The comedy examines some of the popular prejudices of our times. Kid Purple is the story of Benjamin Schwartz, who was born with a “slight pigmentational abnormality.” He is purple from the neck up. His is the universal story of the offbeat kid who does not fit the family or community mold and goes out to make a world for himself, searching for happiness in a non-purple world.

The cast of the Kid Purple includes: Baleigh Almond of Hot Springs; Riley Brule of Dekalb, Texas; Aaron Burnside of Hot Springs; Brandon Curtis of West Memphis; Hannah Mims of Fouke; and Cecil Nicholson of Clinton.

The play is under the direction of Douglas Gilpin, professor of theatre arts, with costume and makeup design by William Henshaw, professor of theatre arts, and sound design by Claudia Beach, professor of theatre arts. Joe Kalinowski of Searcy serves as scenic and lighting designer, and Aaron Burnside of Hot Springs is fight choreographer. Stage manager is Wyatt Gunter of Sheridan.

The Feb. 22 performance has been designated Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night. All Henderson faculty and staff and one guest are invited to attend the performance free of charge. Advance reservations are recommended.

The HSU Theatre Box Office in Arkansas Hall will be open for advance ticket sales from 1-4 p.m. beginning Monday, Feb. 18. All seats are reserved. Admission is $10, or free with an HSU student ID, courtesy of the Student Activities Board.

For more information or reservations, call 870-230-5291, or e-mail theatre@hsu.edu.

Henderson State University will celebrate the installation of its new high definition planetarium projector with special grand re-opening showings at the planetarium Feb. 16-17.

The Society of Physics students and the HSU Flute Choir invite the public to explore the night sky while listening to the sounds of the flute choir.

“The new projector provides a full 180 degree view of the sky,” said Dr. Shannon Clardy, associate professor of engineering and physics. “It makes a huge difference in the viewing experience.”

The shows are Saturday, Feb. 16, at 5:30 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 17 at 2:30 p.m. The planetarium is located in the Reynolds Science Center.

While the event is free, a donation of $5 is suggested. The proceeds will help the flute choir purchase its contrabass flute and will help Society of Physics students attend the country’s largest undergraduate physics conference later this year.

The planetarium can seat 40 visitors for each show, therefore, seating will be first come, first served. The shows last about 30 minutes.

For more information, contact Clardy at clardys@hsu.edu.

Megan Skartvedt, a sophomore marketing, entrepreneurship, and accounting major from Russellville, was crowned Miss HSU 2019 Feb. 10. Skartvedt also won awards for talent and overall academic.

Peyton Davis of Cabot was first runner-up; Haven Hughes of Bryant, second runner-up; Lexie Jeffords of Sheridan, third runner-up; and Aiyanna Bartley, fourth runner-up.

Phoebe Grace Johnson of Little Rock was crowned Miss Henderson State University Outstanding Teen 2019. Charlee Lewellyn of Jonesboro was first runner-up; Mallory Sharp of Jonesboro, second runner-up; Blaise Batson of Arkadelphia, third runner-up; Maurin Richey of Benton, fourth runner-up.

Other Miss HSU award winners were:

Peyton Davis – Spirit of Miss HSU

Lexie Jeffords – Community Service

Dawn Coffman – People’s Choice

Dawn Coffman – Miss Congeniality

Peyton Davis – Swimsuit

Other Outstanding Teen winners were:

Maurin Richey – Community Service

Blaise Batson – People’s Choice

Blaise Batson – Miss Congeniality

Charlee Lewellyn – Activewear

Phoebe Grace Johnson – Talent

Henderson State University’s nursing program has been ranked as one of the best in Arkansas by Registered Nursing.org.

With 26 nursing programs in the state, Henderson’s was ranked second best.

Nursing programs were assessed on several factors which represent how well a program supports students towards licensure and beyond. 

“Henderson is home to an acclaimed BSN program with a flexible fit for new, transfer, and returning nurses,” according to Registered Nursing.org’s breakdown of the state’s programs. “Mentorships and rigorous clinical training greatly assist nursing graduates in their new profession.”

For more information about Henderson’s nursing program, go hsu.edu/nursing.

Twelve Henderson State University students will vie for the title of Miss HSU 2019 at 6 p.m. February 10 in Arkansas Hall.  The pageant will feature lifestyle and fitness, evening gown, and talent competitions, and is a preliminary event for the Miss Arkansas Pageant.

The evening will also include the inaugural Miss HSU Outstanding Teen Pageant with eight contestants.

Competing for Miss HSU are:

• Anaya Nicole Hunter, a junior Spanish major from Arkadelphia

• Misty Morris, a sophomore marketing major from Texarkana, Texas

• Robin Campbell, a senior elementary educational studies major from Pine Bluff

• Cinnamon Maxwell, a senior social sciences major from Pine Bluff

• Gabriella Clayton, a freshman pre-law major from Little Rock

• Lexie Jeffords, a freshman pre-dental major from Sheridan

• Ashley Trieschmann, a senior integrated studies major from Bismarck

• Megan Skartvedt, a sophomore marketing, entrepreneurship, accounting major from Russellville

• Peyton Davis, a Freshman hospitality tourism and event planning major from Cabot

• Aiyanna Bartley, a sophomore biology, pre-med major from Atlanta, Ga.

• Dawn Coffman, a graduate mental health and school counseling major from Ashdown

• Haven Hughes, a freshman nursing major from Bryant

Outstanding teen contestants are: Blaise Batson, Arkadelphia; Charlee Lewellyn, Jonesboro; Phoebe Grace Johnson, Little Rock; Brooklyn Buford, Arkadelphia; Bailey Gibson, Hot Springs; Mollie Tiner, Stuttgart; Lexie Weatherford, Little Rock; and Mallory Sharp, Jonesboro.

Admission is $5 at the door, or free with valid HSU ID.

Entertainment will be provided by Miss HSU 2018 Jeana Lovett, Miss HSU 2017 Olivia Moore, Miss Arkansas Claudia Raffo, Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen Camille Cathey, Kaneil Purifoy, William Tedford, and Jennifer Wright.

Ricki Rebollar, spirit coordinator for Henderson athletics and alumni relations, will serve as pageant host.

Henderson State University’s nursing department received a $140,447 grant to establish a health education simulation center on campus. The center will include new simulation equipment and professional development.

The grant was awarded to the Henderson State University Foundation by the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas. In all, the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas gave $2.7 million in grants for 2019 to improve health in Arkansas.

Henderson hopes to increase enrollment for its nursing programs by replacing 25-50 percent of clinical hours with simulation, which would help relieve the limitations from available clinical space.

“The increased enrollment will help alleviate the nursing shortage in our region and help us reach the goal of 80 percent BSN nurses available by 2020 as recommended by the Institute of Medicine,” said Dr. Shelley Austin, nursing department chair and assistant professor.

In spring 2018, Henderson received 57 nursing applicants for the traditional BSN program. But only 24 could be admitted.

“We had to turn away 33 qualified applicants due to lack of clinical space and lack of qualified faculty,” Austin said. “The center will enable us to increase our qualified, pre-licensure nursing students to 32 each year.”

The simulation center will be available to all health professional students at Henderson, including those seeking health-related degrees other than nursing. It will provide “real-life” experiences with guided learning scenarios in a safe, innovative environment.

“Nursing will be designated as the primary user of the HESC, but we will encourage students in our other health professional degrees to utilize it,” Austin said.

Henderson’s other health professional degrees include:

• Associate of Health Science
• Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance
• Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology
• Bachelor of Science in Radiography
• Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine
• Associate of Radiography

Henderson just opened two new online MSN degrees: Family Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Administrator with a Nurse Educator Certificate. Students in the Family Nurse Practitioner program can utilize the center for demonstration of check-offs on physical assessment at the advanced practice level.

The majority of the grant funds will be used to acquire simulation equipment and professional development necessary to supply and sustain the center, Austin said.

“These funds will help Henderson develop a comprehensive and collaborative simulation center for regional partners and college health programs,” she said.

The center will include a Nursing Anne simulator, which is a skills proficiency full-body female mannequin built specifically for nursing education, and SimBaby Pediatric Simulator.

A grand opening is planned in May 2019, and simulation experiences will start in spring 2019.

“The nursing department at Henderson is truly grateful to the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas for giving us this grant to develop the simulation center,” Austin said. “The center will impact not only nursing students at Henderson, but it will impact other health professionals seeking degrees at the university, and the community by providing simulation learning to the health care workers of our region.”

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield established the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas in 2001 as a charitable foundation to promote better health in the state. The foundation awards grants annually to non-profit or governmental organizations and programs that positively affect the health of Arkansas.

In its 17 years of operation, the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas has awarded $33 million to 1,566 health improvements in Arkansas.