Dr. Jennifer Freer -Dr. J. Freer was born in Muncie, Indiana. Her primary years were spent in Michigan and she moved to Arkansas in the second grade. Dr. Freer attended Central High School, graduated from Batesville High School, graduated from Lyon College with a Liberal Arts bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) with a master’s degree in social work (MSW), and recently from the University of Arkansas Fayetteville with a Ph.D. in Public Policy, Education Specialization. After graduating from Lyon in 1993, Dr. Freer moved to Washington, DC where she worked as a nanny and then a classroom teacher. She returned to Arkansas in 1998 and taught the 6^th grade. While teaching, Dr. Freer became interested in discipline policies, school climate, and at-risk youth in the school setting. She chose to get an MSW degree because of the skills and values that are taught, and with the understanding that an MSW provides many options for employment. While working on her MSW, Dr. Freer was active as an MSW representative at faculty meetings at UALR. She was a Lobbying Intern with the Mental Health Council of Arkansas and spent the summer of 2000 as a Graduate Intern in a Congressional office in Washington, DC. While in DC, Dr. Freer was elected to the MSW Representative position with the National Association of Social Workers National Board of Directors, in Washington — a two year position that allowed her to work with Social Work professors and professionals from around the country four times a year for two years. While working as a doctoral student Dr. Freer was a member of the Graduate Dean’s Student Advisory Board as a Representative for Interdisciplinary Programs, which also allowed her to work on the Graduate Council for the University of Arkansas, comprised primarily of faculty members and administrators. Dr. Freer has had empowering mentors who have opened doors that she never knew existed. These experiences taught Dr. Freer that many opportunities exist for students who want to be active and she hopes to help create similar opportunities for the students here at UAM.

Dr. Clinton Young: Dr. Clinton Young was raised in Philomath, Oregon.  In 1998 he graduated from the University of Rochester with a B.A. in History and Spanish.  He did his doctoral studies at the University of California, San Diego and received his Ph.D. in 2006.  During 2001-2002, he served as a Fulbright Scholar to Spain; while there, he began his current research on the ways that musical theatre was used to develop and disseminate nationalism in Spain between the 1870s and the 1930s.  He is a member of the Association for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies.  Before coming to UAM, he spent three years as a Visiting Professor at Western Carolina University.  In his free time, he enjoys listening to classical and jazz music, reading detective fiction, and watching old movies.