After a weekend surge of positive cases of COVID-19 in Arkansas, faculty and administrators at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith banded together to help frontline medical teams and hospital staff stay prepared and protected. Monday morning, a small team gathered at the UAFS campus to collect, box, label, and load more than 100,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) for colleagues actively fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thanks to partnerships and giving hearts across the region, more than 150 University of Arkansas - Fort Smith students departed for spring break with grocery sacks in hand, helping calm anxieties of food insecurity during an uncertain and challenging time. Staff and faculty members packed sacks for students throughout the week, stocked to meet the needs of not only the students who requested groceries but their families as well. A generous donation from Tyson Foods Thursday will allow UAFS to offer students in need frozen meat as well – a first for the Lion Pride Pantry.

UAFS has made additional announcements in response to Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Department of Education Secretary Key's announcement that all K-12 public schools in the State of Arkansas will be closed Tuesday, March 17-Sunday, March 29.

Tuesday morning University of Arkansas - Fort Smith chancellor Dr. Terisa Riley released a statement to students, faculty, and staff regarding preparedness and prevention efforts related to COVID-19 (the novel coronavirus 2019.) Her full statement is included below.