Category: Winter 2013

72 championship team pic

Sonny Whittington: Life lessons with a stick

Dr. James Willis Contributing The championship Mulerider football team of 1972 learned a lifetime of lessons from Coach James “Sonny” Whittington – lessons that made a difference on the gridiron and in life. His enduring influence in their lives sparked a group of alumni teammates to start an endowment in

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All in the family

Family is a strong bond for the Odom family of El Dorado – so is their individual desire to achieve dreams. Four of the Odom siblings entrusted their dream building to Southern Arkansas University. That noble desire would land Michael, Jeanette Rodriguez, Nathan, and Mary Katherine Endel on the SAU

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Home away from home

Representing 30 countries around the globe, Southern Arkansas University’s 100-plus international students find support and friendship in the southern Arkansas community and campus programs. Leaving their families to travel around the world in pursuit of a quality education takes courage and perseverance and requires adapting. According to Director of International

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George and Julie in line for the Eiffel Tower

The Art of Love

George Butler was interested in Southern Arkansas University the minute he saw the President’s Ambassadors on the Mulerider Express on YouTube. Making friends on Facebook with some of those same President’s Ambassadors, he was impressed by how friendly they were and how much they seemed to love the University. He

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photo of Muleriders in Magnolia

Muleriders in Magnolia

Southern Arkansas University has a long-standing tradition of community involvement. For the past five years, the Magnolia campus has been nationally recognized on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll and in 2012 received the additional honor “with distinction.” The only university in Arkansas to receive the unique honor,

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photo of Klaire Blasco Vine in Hawaii

Sisters connect teams across the Pacific

In her relatively short life, Klaire Blasco Vine has learned a lot about the value of family, a good education and diversity. Raised by her mother, Klaire and her sister moved from place to place. They left California for Mexico when she was about five years old and she has

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Mulerider Quarterback Tyler Sykora under the football field lights

Tyler Sykora A leader on and off the field

For Mulerider quarterback Tyler Sykora, football was never a priority growing up in Hot Springs Village. It was something he loved playing in the backyard with his brother, but not on an organized team. “I always loved sports, but I didn’t play football until my sophomore year in high school.

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