Arkansas State University-Newport is honored to be represented by such distinguished alumni, faculty, staff, and students. At the most recent Arkansas Community Colleges Fall Conference, four individuals were honored for their success and dedication to ASUN.

Outstanding Alumni: Dexter Payne

Dexter received an Associate of Arts in General Education from ASUN in 2008, followed by a Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts in Criminology from Arkansas State University.  Dexter’s career in law enforcement began in 1990 as a correctional officer.  Subsequent promotions led to posts as Sergeant, Chief of Security, Assistant Warden, and Warden of the Wrightsville Complex where he remained until promoted to his current position as Deputy Director of Prisons in 2015.  Dexter credits ASU-Newport with “providing me the self-confidence and motivation to pursue further degrees and, ultimately, my dreams.”

Academic All-Star: Robin Slinkard

After being homeschooled and completing her GED, Robin joined ASUN in Fall 2017.  She has since completed 29 credit hours and earned a 3.77 GPA.  Not only is Robin smart, but she is also an incredibly hard worker.  Robin is an active member of Campus Ministries and her local church and a volunteer in the nursery at Paragould Celebrate Recovery.  Robin is a black belt in traditional Okinawan Karate and earned her rank in four years.  Robin has a passion for getting young people registered to vote and has volunteered at her local polling station since age 18.

Outstanding Faculty: Shannon Riley
Shannon has a heart for service that shows in everything she does.  Although relatively new to teaching, Shannon has jumped in and made an immediate impact on the lives of her students. Shannon has led her students to board exam pass rates well above the national average and served as a mentor both in and out of the classroom. She is involved in the ASUN community and played an integral role in completing accreditation for ASUN’s Surgical Technology program.  Shannon regularly serves on college committees and in community organizations. She inspires not just her students, but also her coworkers. Riley was not present for the award ceremony.

Outstanding Staff: Chris Doyle
Chris is 100 percent student-focused.  He puts countless hours into ensuring that students are taken care of promptly – often helping students while others are sleeping.  Chris is always thinking about the student experience, looking for ways to be more efficient, and challenging the status quo to ensure the best possible experience for students, faculty, and staff.  Chris’ solutions are always innovative and often groundbreaking. He takes great pride in establishing and maintaining a good rapport with everyone he encounters, both inside and outside the college. Chris is a model for all customer service providers and a model employee.

Please join us in congratulating these four individuals who represent ASUN on a daily basis with pride, dedication and service.