One of the Natural State’s most prestigious academic programs for high school students will return to Arkansas Tech University when the 44th Arkansas Governor’s School convenes in Russellville.
The program will begin on Wednesday, July 5, and continue through Tuesday, Aug. 1. This marks the fifth consecutive year that AGS has been conducted at Arkansas Tech. Dr. Peter Dykema and Dr. Jacob Grosskopf are co-directors of AGS at Arkansas Tech.
The four-week learning experience for rising high school seniors who are residents of Arkansas will serve 382 students in 2023. Their daily class schedule at AGS is based, in part, upon their demonstrated aptitude in one of nine areas of specialization: visual arts, choral music, instrumental music, drama, English/language arts, mathematics, natural science, social science or development engineering.
Those nine disciplines constitute what is defined as AGS Area I. AGS Area II is a study of the nature of knowledge, while AGS Area III is focused on the personal and social development of students.
The three aspects of the AGS curriculum will be imparted to the students by a faculty that includes individuals who teach at Arkansas Tech University, the University of Central Arkansas, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Arkansas State University, Henderson State University, the University of the Ozarks, North Arkansas College, the University of Memphis, Gwynedd Mercy University and these school districts: Russellville, Springdale, Eureka Springs, Conway, Riverview, Sheridan and Arkansas School for Math, Science and the Arts.
The members of the 2023 Arkansas Governor’s School faculty are:
- John L. Anglin (mathematics)
- James “Kane” Bradley (choral music)
- Melinda Bunyard (area III instructor and mentor)
- Erin E. Cameron (instrumental music)
- Nathaniel Chapman (social science)
- Suparna Chatterjee (area I and area II)
- Rebekah DiGiacomo (natural science)
- Ray Richard ‘Rick’ Dimond (instrumental music)
- Chance Duncan (natural science)
- Peter Dykema (co-director, Area II coordinator)
- Mark A. Elrod (social science)
- David Eshelman (drama)
- Jasmine Greer (visual arts)
- Rene Griep (area III)
- John P. Gripka (area II)
- Jacob Grosskopf (co-director)
- Patrick Hagge (social science)
- Stacy Hammons (visual arts)
- Carl B. ‘Burt’ Hollandsworth (natural science)
- Stacy H. Key (mathematics)
- John Kirk (area II)
- Claire Kortyna (area II)
- Hwaju Lee (piano accompanist)
- Olivia Lewis (area III)
- Andrea Lively (area II)
- Kathy Manus (English\language arts)
- Monica McCullough (area III)
- Mark H. Meredith (natural science)
- Greg Michna (area II)
- William K. Morelan (area III)
- Justin Moss (social science)
- Ryan Parson (area II)
- William “Todd” Rouse (area III)
- Mary V. “Tori” Sharpe (English\language arts)
- Philip Spivey (area II)
- Robert Stevens (area III instructor and mentor)
- Brendan Toner (area III)
- Kelsey Utne (area II)
- Sara Meghan Walter (area III)
- Matthew Young (development engineering)
Founded in 1979 by Gov. Bill Clinton, Arkansas Governor’s School serves selected students from around the state during the summer before their senior year in high school. The Arkansas Department of Education Gifted and Talented Programs administrator supervises Arkansas Governor’s School with assistance from an advisory council appointed by the governor.
Learn more about Arkansas Governor’s School at www.atu.edu/ags.
