In honor of Veterans Day, the University of Arkansas salutes all veterans, including students, faculty, and staff in our college community who have served our country with bravery, commitment, honor, and integrity.

With over 30,000 students on our campus this year and over 5,000 faculty and staff, many veterans and current service members help build this community and are involved in a variety of ways. Over the past three years, more than 800 enrolled students have been either current service members or veterans.

Many veterans also make up our online community such as US News and World Report recently ranked the U of A Global Campus 16th nationally for best online bachelor’s degree programs for veterans.

We honor some of the veterans and service members who are part of our community every day and say thank you to all of the brave men and women who have served and are currently with our country.

HONORING RAZORBACK VETERANS

Kelvin McGee

Kelvin McGee, a senior engineer, served in the US Marine Corps for five years as a sergeant. He says, “My military career was an introduction to a professional work environment. It allowed me to work collaboratively with others of varying backgrounds and talents to achieve a goal. McGee added that he had developed a higher desire to be independent, reliable and to improve the organization.

McGee is studying civil engineering and hopes to become a professional engineer. “I’ve always been told I’m destined for great things, and getting a degree is part of that. I feel like it’s a big step for my future as well as something I’m meant to accomplish.

He credits his military career with improving his time management and prioritization skills, in addition to learning to break down difficult tasks into smaller, easier steps. McGee puts those skills to good use on campus as he prioritizes his schoolwork and classes.

Her favorite part of the University of Arkansas are her friends and the diversity that the U of A allows her to experience. McGee hopes “to become an essential part of the development of the community of which he is a part”, he added.

Bishop Sisemore

Bishop Sisemore is a junior student from Siloam Springs, Ark., and is a public health specialist in the College of Education and Health Professions.

He was a corpsman in the US Navy from 2010 to 2020, then joined the US Army where he is currently a specialist.

Sisemore decided to study at the U of A in hopes of giving back by becoming a community health counselor or health inspector in his hometown.

“There are two reasons why I chose to pursue an education,” Sisemore said. “The first reason is that I have a passion for cleaning, organizing and keeping order, which translates into a degree in public health. The second reason is that I have always wanted to go into the my dream school which is the University of Arkansas. Arkansas is where I have spent much of my life, and I have visited every state outside of Alaska and “Hawaii. It’s important to give back to my community because the people are so welcoming and caring. Also, my community is my home and a part of me as a person.

The U of A is committed to supporting and identifying resources for the military veterans we hire, those re-entering our workforce, and our students transitioning to college life.

Allen Porter

After serving a total of 35 years between active duty and the U.S. Army Reserves, Allen Porter is set to retire from the armed forces. Porter attained the rank of Sergeant First Class and currently his reserve duties are focused on medical supply, although over the years he has served in many different occupation specialties in the military.

Porter is employed at the University of Arkansas Police Department. Corporal Porter is the Community Outreach and Engagement Liaison Officer as well as a part-time non-traditional student. Porter is a junior pursuing his educational goals in finance and administration and the College of Education and Health Professions.

Porter said, “Professionalally, I enjoy working with all faculty, staff, and students on campus safety issues.” Currently, his focus is teaching the campus community about SafeZone, a mobile safety app. “On the lighter side, it’s the atmosphere of friendship and laughter,” he added, it’s his favorite part of the U of A.

Danielle Williams

Danielle Williams is Associate Vice Chancellor and Executive Director for Equal Opportunity, Compliance, and Title IX at the U of A. Part-time, Williams is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Management at the Sam M. Walton College of Business . .

Williams served 20 years in the Air National Guard and retired with the rank of major in June 2018. His last position was Director of Equal Opportunity for the 188th Wing at Fort Smith.

Williams earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics in 1998 and a Masters of Education with a major in Vocational Training and Human Resource Development from the U of A in 2002. In May 2009, she earned a Ph.D. in Development Education workforce at the U of A. She has been a Certified Senior Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Professional since June 2016 and SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) since April 2018. She has over 20 years of experience in Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Human Resources.

Williams serves on several committees that promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and community cohesion in the Northwest Arkansas region; some include NWA Sponsorship and Publicity Chairman Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Council and NWA Juneteenth Celebration Chairman. She also sits on the board of the Historic St. James Missionary Baptist Church, of which she has been a member since 1992.

Williams said, “One of my favorite things about working at the U of A is being able to serve and support the campus community to make sure it’s a great place to work.”

Steven Rosales

Steven Rosales is an associate professor in the history department and has been an active member of the military since 1988. After serving on active duty until 1992, Rosales served as a drill reservist with the U.S. Naval Reserve and was commissioned an ensign in 2010 .

He is currently a Lieutenant Commander and is attached to Naval Personnel Command at Naval Station Mid-South in Millington, Tennessee.

“The professionalism I encountered and the mentorship I received during four years of active duty provided a solid foundation for future growth and success,” Rosales said. “It helped my transformation into a mature adult with career goals and provided me with the motivation and confidence to achieve them.”

Rosales earned her Ph.D. in History from the University of California, Irvine in 2007 and is also an Affiliate Professor in the Latin American and Latin American Studies program.

His first book, Soldados Razos at War: Chicano Politics, Identity, and Masculinity in the United States Army of World War II in Vietnam was published in 2017 with the University of Arizona Press and is a direct intersection of his Mexican-American heritage, military service, and professional work as a historian.

He is currently working on his next book on Latinx communities in the US military from 1975 to the present day.

Garett Kitterman

A major in physics and a minor in math, Garrett Kitterman served in the United States Air Force for four years as a senior airman. He was deployed to Iraq for seven months providing security and also served in Turkey and California as a nuclear security and military law enforcement specialist.

Currently, Kitterman works under Hugh Churchill and assists in the research of exotic quantum phenomena and quantum devices. He is also president of the Razorback Student Veterans and strives to become a research scientist.

“The most valuable lesson I learned while serving in the military was to diversify my experiences and be open-minded. What better way to do that than in college?” he said.

The U of A is committed to supporting and identifying resources for the military veterans we hire, those re-entering our workforce, and our students transitioning to college life.

If you are a veteran and are looking for more information about the resources available on campus, please visit the Equal Opportunity and Compliance Website. If you have questions about admissions, check out the admission website.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas’ flagship institution, the U of A offers an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion for Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and employment development, discovery through research and creative activity while providing training in professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation ranks the U of A among the few American colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. US News and World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. Find out how the U of A is working to build a better world in Arkansas Research News.