. Director of Upward Bound JcttTina Smeltzer graduated from Harding in 1974 with a degree in social work. With a higher education under her belt she went into the world of social work and af– ter four years she knew that there was something better waiting for her. After having two kids and being a stay- at - home mom, Smeltzer went back to school and received a master ' s degree in education from UCAso she could become a schoolteacher . Her service driven attitude led her to teach for 10 years before realizing that she still had not found her true call ing . "1 had to find something that made Inore of a difference," Smetlzer said. She went job searching at Harding and came across a job opening as the director of the HU Upward Bound program. Her parents lived in Searcy at the time and she assumed that moving closer to her parents and back to the town that was home to her college days could possibly give her the answers she was looking for . Not knowing much about the open posi– tion, she applied and waited. In August of2003 Smeltzer received word that the job was now hers. That was the day that changed her life. The HU Upward Bound was deSigned for students who had no way to receive the college experience that they desired. Scott Adair, MDiv., Asst. Prof. Bible Daniel Adams, M.F.A., Prof. Art David Adams, PhD .. Instr. History Glen Adams, Psy.D .. Assoc. Prof. Psychology Usen Akpanudo, Ed.D.. Asst. Prof. Edu. Jenene Alexander, Ed.lJ.. Assoc. Prof. Ed./Dir. Counsel. 'Tom AI\,xander, Ph.D .. Prof : Bible Katherine Anderson, PharmD .. A1.I.t. Prof. Pharm. Practice David Allen, M.B.A.. Assoc. Prof. Accounting Dan Atchley, Ph.D .. Assoc. Prof. Pharmacy Beverly Austin, M.A .. Asst. Prof. Art Steve Baber, Ph.D .. Prof. Math/Computer Science Tim Baird, PhD.. Prof. Computer Science!Dept. Chair Kim Baker-Abrams, M.S.W.. Assoc. Prof . Social Work David Bangs, Ed.D.. Assoc. Prof. Klay Bartee, M.F.T., Asst. Prof. Pat Bashaw, M.Ed .. Asst. Prof. Edu./Coord. Adu lt Ext. Edu. Clay Beason, Ed.D.. Asst. Prof.!Asst. Football Coach Jeremy Beauchamp, M.S.E.. Dir. Stu .Publications/lnstr. Jim Behel. Ph.D .. Dir. Business Graduate Studies/Prof. Fleming Bell. Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Foreign Language James Benge, M.A.. Instr. English Janice Bingham, M.S.N .. Assoc. Prof. Nursing Nick Boone, PhD.. Asst. Prof. English 146 leadership The program took ig school students from low- income families and trained em academically and SOCially. Up – ward Bound's goal was to reinforce the academic skills and generate the personal motivation necessary to complete a college education. The program received funding through a multi - year grant from the U.S . Department of Education and allowed each participating student a twice - a-month tutoring ser – vice and character building free of charge. "I always knew something was going to work," Smeltzer said. "I wouldn't trade this job for the world and I know this program makes a difference." Smeltzer worked with 55 students each year from all over 'Nhite County and the surrounding areas and has been a mother figur e for each and everyone of them. Most of the kids have gone on to graduate college and every case became the first to do so from their families. Smeltzer searched for something that would make a difference in the lives of others. She finally discovered what she was looking for , but never realized that what she found would change her life as well as the lives she ~anted to help . Joel Blake
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