CBC Announces Several New Hires

CBC is pleased to announce the addition of three new employees:

Elizabeth Riley is joining the Admissions Office as a personal admissions counselor. She previously served as a student-faculty secretary at CBC. Riley will graduate from CBC in May with her Bachelor of Science in Communaications.

Riley’s main duties will be recruiting students and working with them through the Admissions process. Riley is a member of Faith Bible Fellowship in Sherwood. 

Dr. Mary Catherine Harvison has joined the Admissions Office and will be serving as director of admissions. Dr. Harvison earned her Bachelor of Science in Radio/TV and her Master of Science in College Student Personnel Services from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. She also earned her Ph.D. in Education Leadership Studies from Louisiana State University Shreveport.

Dr. Harvison formerly served as the campus experience coordinator at ASU Jonesboro, the regional director of enrollment services for Lyon College and the director of admissions at LSU Shreveport where she was a professor in the Department of Leadership Studies.

As director of admissions, she will oversee the Admissions Team and the development of the PACE Preferred Business Partnerships. Harvison and her husband, Josh recently relocated back to Central Arkansas. They plan to live in the Faulkner County area.

Dr. Deandriea Bass-Carrigan has joined CBC as the Behavioral Science Department chair and professor. She received a Bachelor of Science in Health Education from the University of Central Arkansas, a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and a Ph.D. in Human Services with a specialization in Counseling Studies from Capella University.

Dr.  Bass-Carrigan has served as the deputy chief of Field Services and a rehab area manager for Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, is the owner/therapist for Driven by Concepts Therapy, LLC and has served as an adjunct instructor at CBC and SNHU. She is a licensed professional counselor, a certified rehabilitation counselor and a national certified counselor. She is a member of Second Baptist Church of Little Rock. She and her husband, Jarvis have two children, Bryson and Emma.

Homecoming 2022 Awards Announced

This year, the Alumni Association has several events planned during the Jan. 28-29 weekend. One of the highlights during homecoming is honoring several of our past alumni. The annual Alumni Luncheon will be held on Saturday, Jan. 29, beginning at 11:30 a.m. in the Dining Hall of the Mabee Student Services Complex. During the luncheon, the recipients of the Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Young Alumnus Award, Mustang Community Impact Award and the Mustang Ambassador of the Year will be honored.

Tickets for this event are $25 for adults, $15 for kids 7-12 and children ages 6 and under are free. Visit cbc.edu/events to purchase tickets and to see a full schedule of events. You may also contact Jessica Faulkner at (501) 205-8800 or jfaulkner@cbc.edu. Proceeds raised from the alumni luncheon will benefit the Kenneth Brown Scholarship Fund. 

The Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented to an individual who has served their community for more than 20 years. This individual demonstrates a legacy of service and continues to serve in a multitude of ways that demonstrate an interest in CBC. This year’s Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient is Jo Ann Ratliff.
She graduated from CBC in 1964 with her A.A in General Education. She later obtained her BSE from UCA, and her MEd from UALR. Mrs. Ratliff has over 25 years of teaching experience. She taught for 9 years in North Little Rock Public Schools, and 19 years in Conway Public Schools. Two of her fondest memories while attending CBC were meeting her husband Tommy Ratliff and finding out about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy while studying for one of Mr. Brown’s tests. Mrs. Ratliff attends Antioch Baptist Church and is a Women’s Bible Study leader.

The Outstanding Young Alumni is awarded to those who have been instrumental in the advancement of their chosen profession, primarily within the last few years. This recipient demonstrates the love of service within the community and continues to show interest in CBC. This year’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award recipients are Dr. Marvin and Deborah Cuevas.

Dr. Marvin Cuevas graduated from CBC in 2014 with a BS in Biology. He is pursuing his D.O. from Liberty University in Virginia. He is a resident at Lake Cumberland Regional Medical Center in Kentucky and will graduate from Liberty in July 2022. Mrs. Deborah Cuevas graduated from CBC in 2011 with a BS in Social Services and a minor in Missions.

God has given them a passion for foster children. After fostering for eight years, and adopting a set of three siblings, they have recently closed their home. While in Virginia, Deborah helped start a resource center for foster families. This center helps with foster, kinship and adoptive families by helping provide for the basic needs of the children entering their homes. Most children who come into foster care, come with only the clothes on their backs. This center is a great resource for these families.

Deborah says, “I have so many great memories of CBC. I was overly involved in all the activities and clubs, but I think what I loved most was the way the staff went above and beyond to show that they cared for the students beyond academics. They cared about our souls!”

The Mustang Community Impact Award is given to an individual who goes above and beyond to serve their community. They are Mustangs through and through and carry the values of CBC into the community. This year’s Mustang Community Impact Award recipient is Jimmy Elrod. 

Jimmy Elrod attended CBC from 1974-75. He then went to UALR and received his BSE and received his MSE in Education Administration from the University of Arkansas. He was a school administrator for five years, a church business administrator/family life director at Temple Baptist for 20 years, and the owner, manager and partner of Mt. Carmel Community Senior Living for 15 years. He is the past president of the Arkansas Assisted Living Association. His fondest memory of CBC has been his time on the Board of Trustees at CBC. He and his wife, Kathy, are members of Collective Church in Bryant.

The Mustang Ambassador of the Year is given to an individual who is a member of the Mustang Ambassador Program, a volunteer recruitment program that assists the Enrollment Management Division at CBC. This year’s Mustang Ambassador of the Year is Dan Carson.

Dan Carson graduated from CBC in 1995 with his BA in Bible (Pastoral Studies Emphasis). After graduation, he received his Master of Arts in Religion from BMA Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, Texas. He is currently pursuing his Doctoral degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo. He is still very much involved with CBC, where he has been a Mustang Ambassador since 2020. He is the director of the BMA of Arkansas Youth Department and the host of the Student Ministry Matters Podcast. He and his wife, Temple are members of Calvary Baptist Church in Fayetteville where he is the family pastor.