The Upward Bound Program at Southern Arkansas University will hold its annual Senior Recognition and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Harton Theater on the university campus.
A total of 38 graduates from seven Southwest Arkansas schools will be recognized. Twenty-seven of our graduates will participate in the Upward Bound Bridge program and enroll in up to 6 hours of college credit at SAU during the first summer session. Seventeen of them will be enrolled at SAU this fall.
The Upward Bound Class of 2025 includes:
- Arkansas High: Brittney Brewer, Makashia Edens, Kaitlin Meadows, and Sidney Watson;
- Camden Fairview High: Alyssa Olivarez; El Dorado High: Rion Jones;
- Hope High: Karah Bowden, Kimberly Contreras, Aria Grigsby, Kimorya Grigsby, Sonyia McDonald, Anayah Thornton, Kania Tucker, Arrington Turner; Lafayette High: McKenzie Conner, Aundrunita Mack, Kenosha Stevens, and Nakiya White;
- Magnolia High: Jaiden Arnold, Corderious Biddle, Ta’Nessiya Biddle, Brayden Chambliss, Camarie Christopher, Alicia Conner, Wil’Zharia Davis, Jerry Dority III, Ma’Kyree Douglas, Masaria Easter, Aundria Gilbert, Earnesteen Gilbert, Za’Naria Gill-Gilmore, Breaunna Mallory, Uriah McPherson, Braden Purifoy, C’Asia Strahan, and Chloe Torrence;
- Prescott High: Padrin Davis and Kyla Joseph.
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Giles Willis, Jr., DDS, MPH. Dr. Willis is a proud Arkansas native who was born and raised in Lewisville, Arkansas. His parents, Giles Willis, Sr. and Tijuana Wilbon, instilled in him the value of education and hard work. While attending Lewisville Public Schools, Giles knew in his early school years that he was interested in serving others and giving back to the community, which ended up being in the form of dentistry. After graduating from Lewisville High School as salutatorian, Giles’ path led him to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. It was there that his career path was carved out in the science halls at UAPB. Dr. Willis graduated with honors from UAPB and was accepted into the prestigious Howard University College of Dentistry in Washington, D.C. He graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from H.U.C.D. and then moved to New York where he completed his residency at Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, Bronx, NY. In anticipation of giving back to his community, he earned a Master of Public Health degree (Dental Emphasis) at A.T. Still University College of Dentistry, Kirksville, MO. He then moved to North Carolina for the next 15 years, owning and operating Willis Family Dentistry.
Throughout his career, Dr. Willis has provided service to marginalized communities with limited access to affordable dental care. He worked in public health in an area of rural North Carolina reminiscent of his hometown. He has treated Hurricane Katrina victims in Louisiana, families living in remote jungle areas of Honduras, homeless people, and those recently out of drug rehab in North Carolina.
In 2019, when Dr. Willis’ mom mentioned that the same dental office he had visited as a child was available for sale, he put in an offer to buy it. As fate would have it, his offer was accepted the same day. In 2021, he returned home to Arkansas. Full circle, he now has a non-profit dental office in his home county, Lafayette County Dental Clinic, where he provides dental treatment twice a month to a community that had not had a dentist in over 20 years. He is a member of the American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, Arkansas State Dental Association, American Orthodontic Society, and Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Dr. Willis enjoys spending time with his wife, Kimberly, and daughter, Eden, as well as playing softball and reading with his book club, and he is a super sports fan. You will find him cheering for the UAPB Golden Lions, Arkansas Razorbacks, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
