A-Week Mentors
A-Week Mentors work to facilitate the small-group discussions and activities throughout A- Week. They are all upper-class students who have all successfully navigated through their first year of college and are able to provide insight, tips, and information to help our new students transition successfully to the University of Arkansas!
Students will connect with their A-Week Mentor during their A-Team meetings throughout the week, and are encouraged to continue to utilize their team leaders as a resources and mentor during their first year of college (and beyond)!
Meet the Past 2020 A-Week Mentor Team
Dane Arbuckle
Hometown: Rogers, AR
Major: Political Science & History (Double Major)
Instagram: danearbuckle
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk!
Advice for new students: Be sure to get plugged in early!
Claire Cammack
Hometown: Longview, Tx
Major: Communication Disorders
Instagram:
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior walk!
Advice for new students: Be ready for unexpected things to happen during your freshman year. A lot of things will change and you will gain a lot of new experiences.
Zoe Dean
Hometown: Little Rock
Major: Biology Pre-Med
Instagram: zoechamad
Favorite U of A tradition: Cardinal Nights
Advice for new students: Take advantage of all the resources!
Maggie Green
Hometown: Maumelle, AR
Major: nursing
Instagram: maggie_0017
Favorite U of A tradition: senior walk
Advice for new students: Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. You’ll make friends so much faster.
Summer Johnson
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Major: Finance
Instagram: thesummerjohnson
Favorite U of A tradition: Calling the Hogs
Advice for new students: Be open to meet your professors. They can eventually turn into your best friend!
Tionna Martin
Hometown: Marianna, Arkansas
Major: Accounting and Finance
Instagram: Tionna827
Advice for new students: Be yourself!
Danielle Poquette
Hometown: Bartlesville, OK
Major: Marketing
Instagram: daniellepoquette
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk
Advice for new students: Always make time to take care of yourself, whatever that means to you.
Avneet (Abby) Sandhu
Hometown: Springdale, Arkansas
Major: Accounting
Favorite U of A tradition: Homecoming
Advice for new students: Go to your professor’s office hours and get to know them. This will help you stand out and make valuable connections that will be useful throughout college.
Brian Tarno
Hometown: Tuckerman, AR
Major: political Science, Criminology
Instagram: brian_tarno
Favorite U of A tradition: Calling the Hogs
Advice for new students: Just relax, it’s going to be a stressful time, but it’s going to be fun and exciting at the same time!
Belinda Watson
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Major: English Literature/Spanish
Instagram: belinda.rose.watson
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk, I’m obviously not a graduated student, but I love the idea of there always being a piece of you at school (the place where many of us will discover who we are and what we want to do)
Advice for new students: Don’t be afraid to talk to people, form study groups, ask questions, introduce yourself. You will meet some really amazing people if you’re willing to be a little spontaneous and step out of your comfort zone!
Mitchelle Antungulu
Hometown: Fayetteville, Ar
Major: Marketing
Instagram: msimply_blessed
Favorite U of A tradition: Meeting Tusk
Advice for new students: Take all the feelings in, even the ones that make you uncomfortable. It’s part of the transition. It may look different because of the Coronavirus but you can still make this year a fun school year.
Tess Carroll
Hometown: Dallas
Major: Nursing
Instagram: tess_carroll_
Favorite U of A tradition: Singing Hey Jude at the end of the chants at football games
Advice for new students: Talk to people in class even if it’s online! Everyone is nervous and wants new friends! Plus you never know if you’ll need notes if you miss!!
Sandra Decaigny
Hometown: Keller
Major: Communications
Instagram: sandradecaigny
Favorite U of A tradition: Calling the Hogs
Advice for new students: Be okay with things not going according to plan. Usually the the path you end up taking is better then what you planned
Allison "Fredi" Hayes
Hometown: Arlington Texas
Major: Political Science & Communication
Instagram: @ohfredi
Favorite U of A tradition: Running through the A at home football games, and calling the hogs at basketball games!
Advice for new students: Go to your classes, you can blow off anything else but GO TO YOUR CLASSES! You can’t recover from a bad attendance grade but you can a bad test grade. Since things will be online do yourself a favor and set up a place that is not your bed to go and sit and be at class at for live classes. Get out of your dorm room even if it means sitting in the Greek theatre doing homework or meeting with friend, even sitting outside on the grass somewhere. Loneliness is something very common in the dorms so not isolating yourself (unless you have to) is key to giving yourself a fighting chance. Also kiss up to your professors and go to their office hours, they really like that.
Breanna Kilgore
Hometown: El Dorado
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Instagram: im_breannak
Favorite U of A tradition: Basketball games and A-Week events
Advice for new students: Remember that college is about making new memories and meeting new people. College is filled with new experience, so try things outside of the box
Tyler Merreighn
Hometown: Greenwood, AR
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Instagram: @tylermerreighn
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk!
Advice for new students: Get involved! Being involved your freshman year is one of the best ways to set yourself up for success throughout your time at the U of A! Check out HogSync for involvement opportunities. Also, don’t be afraid to go to office hours – your professors want you to succeed!
Cade Pylant
Hometown: Benbrook, TX
Major: Public Health
Favorite U of A tradition: Football games
Advice for new students: Get involved with something early on
Paiton Scrivner
Hometown: Hot Springs Village
Major: Biology
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk
Advice for new students: Step out of your comfort zone and allow yourself to grow!
ReNirya Terry
Hometown: Eudora, Ar
Major: Social Work
Instagram: nyy_terry
Favorite U of A tradition: Calling the Hogs
Advice for new students: I recommend getting to know a higher power, whether that be Jesus or the universe. Believe in something because during hard times just a smidget of faith will help get you through the tough times. Your college experience is what you make it. Take it one day at a time and enjoy it to the fullest!
Nyasha Bgoni
Hometown: Fayetteville, Ar
Major: Criminology. AAST and Political Science Minor
Instagram: nyasha.mb3
Favorite U of A tradition: Fight Songs
Advice for new students: Be kind to yourself. No matter what happens or even doesn’t happen its okay. Be kind to yourself and others and you’ll be fine.
Noelle Chesser
Hometown: Katy, Texas
Major: Advertising and Public Relations
Instagram: @noellechesser
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk
Advice for new students: Put yourself out there! It’s so rewarding to be yourself!
Gerson Fajardo
Hometown: Bentonville, AR
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Instagram: @gffajardo
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk
Advice for new students: Focus primarily on your academics, make your GPA shine! Get involved on campus, there are many ways to do what you love and meet like minded people. Be yourself and make friends with people who will appreciate you for who you are.
Madeleine Hilburn
Hometown: Prosper, Texas
Major: Political Science
Instagram: maddiehilburn
Favorite U of A tradition: UARK Cardinal Nights
Advice for new students: You can never be too cool to go to campus events!!
Beatrice Lacy
Hometown: Kansas City
Major: Interdisciplinary Studies with Concentrations in African and African American Studies, Gender Studies, and Sociology with a Minor in Communications
Instagram: bealacy
Favorite U of A tradition: Tusk our mascot:)
Advice for new students: Be open to trying new things, you never know until you try!
Muhammad Ali Muhammad
Hometown: International
Major: Poultry Science and Agriculture Business
Favorite U of A tradition: Freshmen Rally
Advice for new students: Be The Real You!
William Reid
Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI
Major: Sociology & Crimonolgy
Instagram: @will.reid2000
Favorite U of A tradition: Calling the hogs
Advice for new students: Self accountability is very important. If you don’t hold yourself accountable and set a standard for yourself you’re gonna have a bad time.
Lukas Vaughan
Hometown: Brinkley, AR
Major: Computer Science
Favorite U of A tradition: Calling the Hogs gets me amped every time!
Advice for new students: Use Google Calendar to plan out your classes and exams, and do NOT procrastinate doing homework (looking at you, fellow engineers!). Be genuinely interested in what you are studying; if you aren’t, switch majors!
Breanna Williams
Hometown: Alma, AR
Major: Biology
Instagram: bre_williams00
Favorite U of A tradition: Calling the Hogs! Woo pig!
Advice for new students: Its very easy to get overwhelmed so remember to take a step back, breathe, have breaks, and know you got this!
Kyndal Williams
Hometown: Frisco, Texas
Major: Pre Nursing
Instagram: @kyndal_williams
Favorite U of A tradition: Calling the Hogs
Advice for new students: Get involved! It’s the easiest and best way to make friendships and connections
Emma Brinkmeyer
Hometown: Rowlett
Major: Human Development
Instagram: Emma.car0line
Favorite U of A tradition: senior walk
Advice for new students: try new things
Lance Cordes
Hometown: Cypress (Houston) TX
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Instagram: Lance_cordes
Favorite U of A tradition: Chants at basketball games
Advice for new students: Have fun with this experience, and don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone
Devon Feimster
Hometown: Fort Smith
Major: Pre-Nursing
Instagram: NA
Favorite U of A tradition: NA
Advice for new students: Try to put yourself out there. You’re starting a fresh page and now is the time for you to write your own story.
Vanessa Hunt
Hometown: Godley, TX
Major: Public Health
Instagram: vanessa___hunt
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk
Advice for new students: To not be afraid to get out and explore everything the campus and community has to offer
Kelan Lawson
Hometown: Frisco, Texas
Major: Sports Management
Instagram:
Favorite U of A tradition: Call of the Hogs
Advice for new students: Embrace College Life
Michelle Palacios
Hometown: Saipan, CNMI
Major: International Business
Favorite U of A tradition: love them all
Advice for new students: Get involved as soon as you can!
Isabel Rincon
Hometown: West Helena, Arkansas
Major: Art Education
Instagram: izzie_21
Favorite U of A tradition: Freshmen Peprally
Advice for new students: Get involved, make friends and lots of new memories!
Katie Stanford
Hometown: Wolfforth, TX
Major: Pre-nursing
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk
Advice for new students: Get involved, be yourself, and do your best in school!
Alec Vaughn
Hometown: Siloam Springs, AR
Major: Business Information Systems
Instagram: alecvaughn21
Favorite U of A tradition: Calling the Hogs
Advice for new students: Get outside of your comfort zone and attend events!
Caleb Brown
Hometown: Round Rock, TX (Austin metropolitan area)
Major: Communications, business minor
Instagram: calebb.brown
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk
Advice for new students: Don’t compare your college experience to others and put yourself out there, meet people and get involved! (Also, don’t recommend dating apps.)
Layla David
Hometown: Conway, Arkansas
Major: Business Management
Instagram:
Favorite U of A tradition: Homecoming
Advice for new students: During class enrollment, please use Ratemyprofessor.com before you submit your schedule! It will be your lifeline for the remainder of your college career.
Shea Fitzgerald
Hometown: Holden, Missouri/ Kansas City, Missouri
Major: Agribusiness & Agriculture Communications
Instagram: Shea.Fitzgerald
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk/ Hog Call
Advice for new students: College is a time to find yourself and your best friends, so have the time of your life! Class is just as important as anything, so show up and go talk to your professors!
Madison Hurley
Hometown: Farmington, Arkansas
Major: Hospitality Management
Instagram: madison_hurley17
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk
Advice for new students: Go to class! It helps in the long run!
Jayla Lee
Hometown: Little Rock Arkansas
Major: Apparel Merchandising and Product Development
Instagram: @4me.jaylalee
Favorite U of A tradition: Cardinal Nights
Advice for new students: Stay involved in your best way possible
Zoe Patrick
Hometown: Memphis,TN
Major: Political Science and Marketing
Instagram: @zoepatrickk
Favorite U of A tradition: My favorite U of A tradition would have to be calling the hogs! It seems like a basic answer but it is so unifying when you hear all of the students and fans chanting together at a football game. It reminds me that while we are all extremely different, we are united through our love of the hogs!
Advice for new students: My best advice for a new student would be to dive in! Go to every ice cream social, information session, or wacky event at the Union possible. You will never know what clubs or groups are available until you get out and get involved. The more involved you are on campus, the more fun you have (and it looks great on your resume).
Tania Salgueiro Ponca de Leon
Hometown: Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Major: Architecture
Instagram: camilasalgueiroo
Favorite U of A tradition: Senior Walk
Advice for new students: Do not be afraid to make mistakes or ask questions, try to walk wherever you go you will always find something new not many people know about
Lauren Stephens
Hometown: Edmond, Oklahoma
Major: Art History
Instagram: laurenemiily
Favorite U of A tradition: Basketball games
Advice for new students: Get involved!
Nick Waltke
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Major: Management
Instagram: @nick.waltke @nicks_classic_bikess
Favorite U of A tradition: Calling the Hogs
Advice for new students: Find something you like to do, and stick to it. College is about finding yourself and what you want to become in life. Do what makes you happy and it will all work out.
Tamia White
Hometown: Wynne
Major: Business Management and Political Science
Instagram: flawless_miamia
Favorite U of A tradition: Calling the Hogs
Advice for new students: If you’re going out, please make sure your work is done first. You will not do it later.