Finalists Named for Chancellor Job at UA Hope-Texarkana

LITTLE ROCK (March 31, 2021) – The committee leading a national job search to find the next chancellor at the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana has announced four finalists who are all scheduled to make campus visits in April.

John Hollis, chair of the search committee named by University of Arkansas System President Donald R. Bobbitt last fall, said the effort generated a dynamic and talented group of applicants from 22 states and two countries.

“The search committee is extremely pleased with the number and quality of candidates the chancellor search attracted,” Hollis said. “We are confident that the substantial interest of the candidates reflects the quality of the college.”

The four finalists (listed below) will visit the campus in April for official interviews and to address the community in individual public forums. Each candidate’s address to the community will be streamed live at 3:45 p.m. on the day of their visits on the UAHT Facebook page, YouTube channel and UAHT.edu. Due to social distancing recommendations, limited seating to attend the events live will also become available, and more details will be announced in April.

UPDATE 4.5.21: More info regarding the public forums and opportunities for tickets to view live or stream for free can be found here. 

“Our goal is to make recommendations regarding the candidates to Dr.  Bobbitt on Friday, April 23,” said Hollis. In turn, Bobbitt will then make a recommendation to ultimately be approved by the Board of the Trustees of the University of Arkansas.

For more information about the chancellor search, visit https://www.chancellorsearch-uaht.info/.

The candidates’ bios and official campus visit dates are listed below:

Dr. Timothy Cornelius (Monday, April 12)
Dr. Timothy Cornelius currently serves as the academic vice president of Career & Workforce Education at NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) in Bentonville. Cornelius has previously served as dean and interim associate vice president of the Business and Computer Information Division (NWACC), business faculty (Sam M. Walton Fellow), attorney at law, adjunct professor (Texas A&M University-Texarkana), and as division manager/corporate counsel/vice president/controller (Pyramid Plastics).

Cornelius holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a Master of Business Administration from Texas A&M University-Texarkana, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Texas A&M University-Texarkana.

Mr. Brian Berry (Tuesday, April 13)
Brian Berry currently serves as the vice chancellor for student services at the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana. Berry has previously served as executive vice chancellor for student services and administration (UAHT), vice chancellor for enrollment management and student services (University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville), dean of students (Southern Arkansas University), director of enrollment management (ASU-Beebe), counselor/coordinator of Academic Advising (ASU-Beebe), Regions Bank, director of student life (ASU-Beebe), counselor/coordinator of Residence Life and Student Activities (ASU-Beebe), and assistant director of Residence Life (Arkansas Tech University).

Berry holds a Master of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Loyola University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics and Finance from Arkansas Tech University.

Dr. Jeff Jochems (Monday, April 19)
Dr. Jeff Jochems recently retired and currently serves as a part-time COVID-19 lead case manager at Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) in Springfield, Missouri.  Jochems has previously served as president/vice chancellor (OTC-Richwood Valley Campus), interim president (OTC-Table Rock Campus), adjunct instructor (Lindenwood University), assistant vice president (OTC), dean of student development (OTC), assistant dean of Admissions and Financial Aid (OTC), director of financial aid (OTC), and admissions counselor (Southwestern College).

Jochems holds an Educational Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Master of Science in Higher Education Student Personnel from the University of Kansas, a Bachelor of Business Administration from Washburn University, and an Associate of Science in Business from Pratt Community College.

Dr. Christine Holt (Tuesday, April 20)
Dr. Christine Holt currently serves as chief of staff of the University of Missouri System. Holt has previously served as associate provost (University of Missouri at Columbia), dean of academic administration (Northern Virginia Community College NOVA), interim dean of Learning and Technology Resources (NOVA), interim dean of students (NOVA), interim provost (NOVA), executive director (Catawba Valley Community College), career development coordinator (Cuyahoga Valley Career Center CVCC), human resource development coordinator (Montgomery Community College), site coordinator & workplace literacy instructor (Randolph Community College), workplace literacy instructor (Central Carolina Community College), and attorney-at-law.

In January 2021, at the University of Missouri at St. Louis, Holt successfully defended her dissertation and a Doctorate in Business Administration will be conferred later this spring. She also holds a Juris Doctorate from Cleveland State University, a Master of Arts in Adult Education from East Carolina University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Capital University.