In the Arkansas River Valley where small businesses often rely as much on relationships as they do revenue, networking is less of a strategy and more of a survival skill. For women entrepreneurs, however, finding the right room to build those relationships hasn't always been easy. That’s where groups like River Valley Social are stepping in. Built as a women-focused networking community in the Fort Smith area, River Valley Social is part of a broader shift toward more intent

By: Addison Ketter According to the World Record Academy, the Lavaca Beer Can is recognized as one of the world’s largest Budweiser can sculptures, adding even more historical significance to the landmark. Driving down Highway 22 near Lavaca, Arkansas, there is one thing almost everyone notices right away, a giant Budweiser beer can standing in the middle of a pasture. Rising high above the fields and cattle, the famous “Beer Can” has become one of the most recognizable landm

By: Emma Conley Picture it: the wild west. Tumbleweeds drifting by in the dusty wind. An old saloon. A man with his horse, trotting into the center of town, drawing a gun. Many such stories have been told over time, but there are many voices in literature who have a unique spin on it waiting to be read. Now imagine you could ask all the questions you wanted to, all for free! The Fort Smith Public Library will be hosting a meet-and-greet event with 16 acclaimed crime and west

By: Jacia Hayes In today's society, division has become the norm. Whether it be because of how someone dresses, speaks, or identifies, it's clear to see that separation is addictive, at least in America. And the one person who realizes this more than anyone is Dr. Marian Azab, a Sociology professor at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith who makes it her mission to fight back against social injustices while also educating others on how to do the same. Dr. Azab mentioned that

By: Jacob Childers With graduation coming up, there are a lot of seniors doing their best at the end of the semester trying to make their way to receive their diploma with their cap and gown. Myself being a senior, I wonder if my peers are thinking the same thoughts I have. I was able to ask these questions to a couple of graduating seniors. I asked them to look back, look ahead, and tell me what they’d do differently. What I heard was a story of two different people: the ner

By: Abigail Winton When someone starts talking about their pet guinea, the automatic response is to think of the cute fluffy rodents. Stories are passed around about the extravagant ways their pet happened to die or escape from their enclosure. It is a general consensus that these animals have a very low survival instinct. And surprisingly enough, these are not the only guineas with such strange behaviors. Bald headed, gray feathers, like a turkey and a chicken had a baby. Th

Image Credit to Alexandria Jones By: Riplee Breeden Day of Giving and Numa’s Birthday is a tradition that every lion comes to know. Started on April 28, 2022, to raise money for 6 projects on campus. This year, 2026, will be celebrated April 28 at 8:00 a.m. until April 29 at 4:08 p.m. funding around 16 different projects on campus from RSO’s and department. How did it get to this point? How have we grown this celebration to what it is now? I got the opportunity to sit down wi

The Tower Drive-In Theatre will officially reopen for the summer season on April 3 and 4, welcoming the community back for a weekend of movies, food, and classic outdoor entertainment. The season will begin with a double feature showing of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Wicked , offering a mix of family-friendly adventure and musical storytelling. Gates will open for moviegoers ready to enjoy a night under the stars, a tradition that has become increasingly rare in modern

Dr. Timothy Workman, director of choral activities at UAFS, smiled as the audience cheered for the combined chorus of A Grand Night for Singing. On Tuesday, April 22nd, the choral ensembles of UAFS, Southside, Northside, and Alma High School put on a concert that showcased their works to the audience of the ArcBest Performing Arts Center. It has become a tradition for the UAFS Music & Theatre Department to hold this concert every Spring semester. Along with taking pride in th

The 51st Annex, located at 425 N 51st Street in Fort Smith, has remained empty since the Summer of 2024. The building was the Fort Smith Nursing Center before the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith came into possession of it. When in use by the university, it housed the University Police Department, the Career Clothing Closet run by the Babb Center for Career Services, and served as a storage facility for the Office of Campus and Community Engagement and several Registered S

A Minecraft Movie is certainly what it says on the tin. From a storytelling perspective, the plot is rather basic, but the plot was never really the appeal. Instead, the movie’s success relies heavily on the nostalgia factor of the game it is based on. The initial version of Minecraft was first released in May of 2009, with the full release coming two years later in 2011. Its popularity has only grown in the years since, with the game selling over 300 million copies across p

The UAFS bookstore recently held a grand reopening on Tuesday, April 29th, to present the new graphics displayed in the store. The bookstore underwent a remodel during the summer of 2024, but has since been updated with graphics. This includes images of campus life, as well as Numa, up on the walls in the merchandise section of the store. While also presenting the new areas of the store, they handed out cookies, snacks, and drinks. They also participated in the Day of Gi

As the spring semester ends, the sororities on the UAFS campus start setting their sights towards the fall semester and Formal Sorority Recruitment. This is an exciting time for the organizations, because this is their chance to get to know the new women on campus and grow their own chapters. While going through recruitment, it is important to keep an open mind and heart. You may have your eyes set on one chapter, and then find your fit somewhere else. Greek Life is an amaz

The Spring 2025 semester is wrapping up at UAFS. If you plan to stay in or around the area, there are lots of fun activities and events available. Celebrate the success of another semester complete with some summer fun. Go to the Walmart Amp for a concert. Some artists playing in summer 2025 are Halsey (May 19), Thomas Rhett (June 5), Luke Bryan (June 19), Def Leppard (June 23), Goo Goo Dolls (July 19), and Little Big Town (July 24). Need to cool off? Check out Parrot Island

It’s a quiet Tuesday night, and you’re folding laundry like the semi-functioning adult you promised your mom you’d be. You reach into the dryer, pull out a pile of warm clothes, and begin the tedious task of pairing socks. One pair, two pairs, three... and then it happens. You have a sock. Just one. Its mate, gone. Disappeared into the void like your GPA after midterms. If you’re a college student living in a dorm or apartment with communal laundry machines, this is probably

The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith (UAFS) music and theater department made it known that not only are they musically gifted, but they also know how to have fun while showing off their talents. On April 24th, the UAFS Department of Music & Theater invited students, faculty, friends, and family to their Project Rock: Concert. Being one night only, the turnout of the crowd was filled with tons of supportive friends, family, and staff. This concert allowed not only music st

It is no secret that movie adaptations have become more and more popular. From movies to TV shows, these adaptations have gotten everyone excited. Some examples of these adaptations include Sonic the Hedgehog movie, the Mario Movie, The Last of Us TV show, and the most recent and popular Minecraft Movie. Now, another movie has joined this long list of adaptations. A horror game to a horror movie adaptation of Until Dawn. This adaptation features a group of friends who come to

On Friday, April 25th, the Asian Culture Club hosted their annual Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Festival, which was welcome to both the student body and the public. Joining them were the Hmong Student Association, Vietnamese Student Association, Japan Club, Filipino Club, Desi Culture Club, and K-Pop Appreciation and Dance Club. Along with these clubs, there were also several volunteers to help put this massive festival together. The clubs and volunteers joined t

As a UAFS student, you have free access to the on-campus gym, also known as the RAWC. The Recreational and Wellness Center is where students can go and workout in a multitude of ways. They have the option of using any of the features in the RAWC: machines, free weights, two full-sized courts, the upstairs track, and the rock climbing wall. Another feature of the RAWC, which is completely free to students, is the weekly group workout classes. Core Crunch is offered once a we

On Wednesday, April 16th, juniors and seniors in high school were able to experience life as a lion through the event that is Den Day. The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith (UAFS) welcomed an estimated number of 520 students. This marked the highest total for a Spring Den Day in UAFS history! Den Day allows future lions to speak with current UAFS students, professors, and tour different buildings on campus, including the Lion’s Den, which could possibly be their