College of Science

Stephens, Long helping College serve students better

The College of Science welcomed two new members to its administrative staff this month, with the goal of better serving the needs of its students.

On June 1, following the retirement of Assistant Dean Ed Morton, Kent Long assumed the position of Health Professions advisor and director of the College's Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP). Long previously served as Morton's assistant for two and a half years. Kathleen Stephens joined the College on June 7 as Coordinator for Student Affairs, coming over from UT Arlington's University College, where she was an academic advisor.

"We're very pleased to have Kathleen Stephens and Kent Long join our staff," Dean of Science Pamela Jansma said. "They both have a long history of working with students and bring considerable knowledge to their positions, which will help us enhance the student experience in the College of Science, particularly in pre-professional advising, transitioning from University College to the College of Science, scholarships, and any other academic issues students may encounter. Together with Minerva Cordero serving as associate dean for academic affairs, they form an outstanding team dedicated to ensuring success for all our students."

Long will coordinate all activities related to pre-professional programs. He will advise all pre-professional students (medical, dental, pharmacy, optometry, veterinary, physical therapy and physician's assistant), chair the UT Arlington Health Professions Advisory Committee, coordinate activities for the College's annual Health Professions Day, assist with Health Professions Freshmen Interest Groups, and coordinate all aspects of student admission files to medical, dental, pharmacy, optometry, and veterinary schools. Long will also coordinate the scholarship process for all of the health professions scholarships administered through the College of Science and sponsor all of the pre-professional clubs.

Long earned a B.A. in Organizational Communication from UT Arlington in 2011 and an M.Ed. in Education Leadership and Policy Studies from UT Arlington in 2012. He was heavily involved in student affairs while an undergraduate, serving as UT Arlington student body president and as UT System Student Advisory Council vice chair, among other roles.

"I'm looking forward to working with our students in new and innovative ways," he said. "In the past we have underutilized the resources available to us and that is something I want to change."


Stephens	Long

Stephens will oversee all issues relating to grade appeals and degree plans, and will be responsible for ensuring compliance with academic standards for the College. She will represent the College to current and prospective undergraduate students across the campus at Preview Days, Welcome Days, and special events with other College of Science staff. She will also serve as liaison to University College and the Honors College in matters of advising and academic policies. She will coordinate activities with the Science Advising Center and with the Office of Student Affairs on admissions and new student orientation programs.

"I really enjoy helping students," Stephens said. "It is very rewarding to encourage and support them through the challenges of the undergraduate experience, and the College of Science is a great place for students to develop the skills and knowledge that will allow them to be leaders and innovators in their chosen fields."

A major component of Stephens' duties will be related to scholarships. She will research scholarship opportunities for students, manage the review process for awarding scholarships, and assist with the administration of student scholarship applications. She will also coordinate service learning opportunities for undergraduates in the College of Science.

From 2002-07, Stephens was a lecturer and advisor in the College of Liberal Arts English Department. In 2005 she was named the UT Arlington Outstanding Undergraduate Faculty Advisor, and in 2006 the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) named her their Outstanding New Faculty Advisor. She earned a B.A. in English from Baylor University in 1992, an M.A. in English from Baylor in 1994 and a Ph.D. in English from Arizona State University in 1999.

A member of the Sport Literature Association and the Society for American Baseball Research, Stephens is the author of Women Characters in Baseball Literature: A Critical Study (2005). She is also the co-author of Our White Boy, which was published in 2010 by Texas Tech University Press, and Pitching for the Stars: My Seasons across the Color Line (2013), the middle reader version of Our White Boy, for children ages 9 to 11. The books are about co-author Jerry Craft's experiences as the only white player on an all-black semipro baseball team in the late 1950s.

Posted June 27, 2013

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