PLAYING "r I T II T II E n I 111' />, s; Ito In July 2015, Liz Howell was appointed as the vice president of alumni and parent relations. She was the first woman in Harding's history to receive a vice presidential position. As vice president of alumni and parent relations, Howell filled an important role for the university. Her jobs included staying connected with students, parents and alumni, raising money for the First Ladies' Garden, planning Homecoming activities and traveling with President Bruce McLarty. Howell attended Harding in 1974, but she and her husband, Charlie Howell, left in 1975 after marrying. After the couple returned in 1989, Liz finished her studies and obtained a master's degree. Liz worked in marketing and community relations for White County Medical Center, in Searcy, Arkansas, helping to found the White County Medical Center Foundation, the charitable arm of the hospital. In 1999, she again returned to Harding working in the advancement office. After spending the majority of her career working in maledominated environments, Liz said she felt at ease and prepared for her new position. "Women see things differently than men ... and I provide a different perspective on the cabinet," Liz said. "I have a strong background in business: (I) built houses and worked on special projects. I have worked with men my whole life, and I am not intimidated by it. Everyone on the council wants to do what is best for Harding." As vice president of alumni and parent relations, Liz worked with people from all walks of life. Whether they were alumni, students or parents, Liz considered it her job to keep them connected with the happenings on campus. "I enjoy working with people ... and I believe everyone has something to offer," Liz said. "I get to see the hearts of students and almnni every day ... I am f01tunate enough to work with them." McLarty believed that Liz's position communicated the value and importance of maintaining the larger Harding community - one that extended beyond the campus. "Liz's promotion to the cabinet sends two very clear messages," McLarty said, "First, it says how much we respect Liz and the work she has done for all these years. Second, it communicates the high value that Harding University places on our relationships with our alumni. Aschool with rich alumni relations is so much more than an institution; it is a genuine inter-generational community." Liz's influence extended beyond her official job description. Her passion for gardening contributed to the building of the First Ladies' Garden in 2015. "Gardening was something all the first ladies (of Harding) had in common," Liz said. "When I presented the project to (Chancellor) Dr. David Burks, he loved the idea to honor the first ladies. In every family, there is a woman who sacrificed for someone to come to school here, which resonated with people." According to Zach Neal, dean of student life, Liz's work on the garden exemplified the kind of work she did on a daily basis. "The most powerful part of any person being named to a vice president position is the fact that they earned that opportunity," Neal said. "(Liz) provides a lens that no one else on the cabinet has. The reason she has that position is because of the respect that she has via the alumni office, the relationships she has built and the way she reaches out to students." In uddillon to her l.l ork li ith pt11·e11t und a/11 111r11 l'clat; JT1-;, J, ·z li<J1L'ell S( l'l't'd £13 thl < \U lllll'< d1r< c tnr /c,/ I , /11<'/l at flurdiny unrl u·a~ u m, miH'1' 1,/ ti .. St a,Tt/ l<e(JiPnul ( l,llmlJc1 o( Co111111e1'L'C' Phdto 1>11 O!L'l''l B1· >u n
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