National Poetry Month - Speakers
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April 10, 2019 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Dean B. Ellis Library |
Lecture: Dr. Rick Lott, Professor of English at Arkansas State University An Arkansas published poet, will give a brief talk about poetry and his personal contributions to the genre! He will also read a few of his poems. Rick Lott was born in Alabama and raised there and in Florida. He was educated at Livingston University and Florida State University. His poems have appeared widely in magazines, including Poetry, The Kenyon Review, The Southern Review, North American Review, Crazyhorse and Poetry Australia. The Apple Pickers’ Children, a collection of poems, won the Texas Review Press’ Breakthrough Award. His latest publication is The Patience of Horses, an award-winning chapbook. He has taught in the English Department of Arkansas State University since 1987. |
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April 16, 2019 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Dean B. Ellis Library |
Book Talk/Signing: Ms. Yoshara S. Barber Yoshara Barber, Arkansas State University MPA, is a dedicated mom of two and health and public sector professional who focuses on grant writing, community development, and care coordination for vulnerable populations. Barber is a celebrated keynote speaker, the founder of Everyday Faith, and author of the inspirational poetry collection “Her Silence Broken” in her quest to empower women all over North America to embrace change and discover their inner strengths. Her story is proof that success is not about where your life starts or the outside factors that interrupt your journey or challenge your faith. It’s about being resourceful, creative, and the conviction you need to charge ahead in spite of the challenges and critics. Barber’s message is simple: “In a society that allows you to be anything, I’m choosing to become a better ME. Imagine HER.” |
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April 23, 2019 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Dean B. Ellis Library |
Lecture: Dr. Khem Aryal, Assistant Professor of English at Arkansas State Universtiy Dr. Aryal is the author of two poetry books and numerous fictional works that have appeared in such journals as Isthmus, Hawai’i Pacific Review, Poydras Review, Northeast Review, Warscapes, Qwerty Magazine,Of Nepalese Clay, and Grey Sparrow Journal. He teaches creative writing at Arkansas State University and also serves as Creative Materials Editor of Arkansas Review. |
National Poetry Month - Speakers
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April 15, 2019 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Dean B. Ellis Library
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National Poetry Month Proclamation: City of Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin Entering his 11th year in office, Mayor Harold Perrin has proven to be one of the most effective and visionary leaders in the City of Jonesboro’s history. A banker by vocation, Perrin took over a city in dire financial circumstances in 2009 and led it to prosperity in the midst of a national recession. Under Perrin, Jonesboro’s population has grown by almost 20 percent to upward of 78,000, and the mayor now manages a City government with upward of 600 employees and a $64 million budget. But Perrin, 72 (*Feb. 14, 2019), has worked to ensure growth comes with stability. Jonesboro’s unemployment rate consistently ranks at or near the lowest in the region, while quality of life, safety and transportation have remained the city’s highest priorities. Successes include new fire stations that have helped Jonesboro attain a Class 1 fire rating, ensuring residents the best protection and lowest home insurance rates possible. Recreational activities have improved with the creation of The Miracle League, the nation’s largest rubberized entertainment park for children with disabilities, and a 3.2-mile pedestrian and bicycle trail around Craighead Forest Park, one of the state’s largest city-owned parks. Acclaimed as a financial whiz with a presidential Rolodex, Perrin has fostered a business growth that led Jonesboro to be mentioned among premier places to live, work, retire and raise a family in rankings not only regionally but statewide and beyond. The Jonesboro economy was ranked No. 1 in the South and Southwest, ahead of mega-cities such as Dallas and Phoenix, in 2018 by Area Development magazine because of the city’s gross metro product, employment statistics and population growth. It’s an acknowledgement of the growth and change that has transpired in what has become the region’s business, education and medical mecca during Perrin’s tenure. Not only is he in the midst of his third term as mayor, Perrin is First Vice President of the Arkansas Municipal League, of which he will become president in 2020, and was appointed to a 2019 term on the National League of Cities Board of Directors. Prior to becoming mayor, Perrin served 15 years on the Jonesboro City Council and was a Trustee at his alma mater, Arkansas State University. Well before he entered politics, Perrin was a leader in the community. He’s been president of two major banks and principal of his own management consulting firm. He has also given freely of his time to many area organizations, serving on numerous boards and commissions, including: Arkansas State University Board of Trustees
and many more. Perrin has been married to his wife Susan for 50 years, they have two adult children, Mark and Melissa, and four grandchildren.
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