Paving the Way for Others
/Dr. Christine Holt, new UAHT chancellor, looks forward to helping move the community and the college toward economic viability and vitality
by ELLEN ORR
By September 1, Dr. Christine Holt will begin her tenure as chancellor of the University of Arkansas Community College Hope-Texarkana (UAHT). Incredibly, she will be the first Black woman to lead a public higher-educational institution in the state of Arkansas.
“Certainly I’m honored,” Dr. Holt said. “I hope that [this appointment] will pave the way for others—because it’s not about me but about what this is going to do for others, particularly [those from] marginalized communities, underrepresented communities. I hope that [marginalized] students and faculty will be more willing to take on leadership roles, not just at the school but in the wider community. I think that this is going to be a great thing, and I hope that others in the community will see it as a great thing, too. Being a trailblazer is always exciting, but it’s exciting because it’s opening a door. Hopefully, we’ll see a lot of other firsts, and it won’t be such a surprise.”
Dr. Holt’s entire career has been about opening doors. Her interest in public service was kindled when, as a teen in Cleveland, Ohio, she enrolled in a public magnet school, which specialized in teaching students about law and public service. “It was really life-changing and transformative,” she said.
After graduating as valedictorian and Student Government Association President, she attended a small Lutheran college in Columbus, where she majored in business administration. Four years later, as a first-generation college graduate, she started a career in banking in order to fund a master’s degree in adult education. In her final semester of graduate school, she took a capstone course which was centered on the community college. After speaking with the college president, a spark was ignited. “He explained why the community college was so important, and it just clicked with me. My father didn’t finish high school, but he was a whiz when it came to math, and I often imagine what life would have been like for him if there had been a community college system that he could have enrolled in. He would have completed his high school degree or equivalency, taken some college courses, and maybe even transferred on for accountancy or financial planning. But that didn’t happen.”
Dr. Holt’s first position as an adult educator was as a workplace literacy instructor in North Carolina. Employed by a community college, she taught employees on worksites (and was later promoted to coordinator, overseeing workplace literacy education in numerous institutions). Some of her students needed life skills coaching, while others learned to read and write. “It was a phenomenal experience,” she said. “Sometimes taxing, but very gratifying. That position solidified my passion for community colleges.”
Even as she pursued a law degree (something that, “since high school, I’d had in the back of my mind that I wanted to do,” she said), Dr. Holt remained committed to facilitating educational opportunities for underserved students. While studying, she also coordinated a school-to-career initiative in Ohio. Leading a team of 27 employees to serve 23,000 K-12 students across eight districts, she managed day-to-day operations, monitoring nearly $1 million in grants.
After law school, Dr. Holt practiced family law, finding her work as guardian-ad-litem for children and elderly people the most rewarding. After a few years of private practice, however, she found herself drawn back to adult education. From 2006 to the present, she has worked in higher-education administration in North Carolina, Virginia, and Missouri, in various roles. “I became known as the great utility player,” she said, referring to the range of positions she’s occupied: Executive Director, Interim Provost, Dean of Academic Administration, Interim Dean of Learning and Technology, Interim Dean of Students, Associate Provost, Interim Chief Diversity Officer, and Chief of Staff.
Dr. Holt’s résumé is long and impressive, a reflection of the impact she has had in other communities. Now, looking ahead, she appreciates UAHT’s accomplishments and sees innumerable opportunities for the College.
Over the last several years, UAHT has made significant strides in the Texarkana area. In 2022, the Texarkana campus will celebrate its 10th anniversary. The campus began in a small building on the Arkansas High School campus in 2012 and now encompasses 22 acres and two buildings, the Campus Center Building and the Professions Building. In addition, this fall, the college is slated to begin construction on a new building to house the welding program, career center, and the Arkansas High Collegiate Academy, among others. The incoming 10th grade class for the Arkansas High Collegiate Academy is the largest since the program began in 2019 with 24 students at the moment. The first class graduated this year. Eight students received their high school diploma and associate degree simultaneously debt free.
“As always, we celebrate all of the wonderful accomplishments of UAHT and realize there is still much untapped potential,” she said. “I want us to be a national leader in academic excellence and student success, and a paragon of innovative excellence. I know affordability is key. I also want to make sure that we’re reaching underrepresented populations and underserved students. We’ve also got to improve our retention. I want us to be at the forefront of business and industry when they are looking for a partner for corporate training. I want our graduates to be civic-minded and a part of the community. But those are grandiose goals. How to operationalize it—that’s going to take all of us to figure out what that means and what’s best for the communities we serve.”
Equipped with expertise, big goals, and faith in the community, Dr. Holt will spend her first 100 days as chancellor with one primary aim: to listen. “I’ll be out in the community at listening sessions,” she said. “I’ll be at the Rotary Clubs, I’ll be meeting with district superintendents, I’ll be at religious organizations. I’m excited to get out there, familiarize myself with the community, and find out what the needs are and how we can work together to address those needs. There are so many wonderful things that I’m looking forward to being able to do.”
Do not mistake Dr. Holt’s humility for vacuity; she has ideas and know-how. One initiative that she is sure will be key to growing the college? Outreach.
“Based on research as well as what I’ve observed, nationally, prospective students aren’t aware that community college is a viable option for them,” she said. “We need to do a better job of outreach, and particularly in communities of color, where we’ve not traditionally been—and that’s for all higher education institutions. I think we have an obligation to work with all members of our society, so it’s our goal to make sure that the community knows, that parents know, that students know that there is an opportunity for those students who may not see that there is a place for them here, to transform not only their lives, but the lives of future generations. I’m passionate and excited about that.”
Part of outreach will be ensuring that people understand how affordable UAHT is; as of publication, it is the most affordable higher-education institution per-credit-hour in Arkansas. Awareness is only the first step, however. “We need to make [the financial aid process] more seamless for students,” Dr. Holt said, noting that she has led such initiatives at other institutions with much success.
Digging a little deeper into the factors that prevent optimal flourishing, Dr. Holt intends to maintain and expand the various programs at UAHT that address the systemic barriers to higher education for our community members. “It’s always been known, particularly at the community college level: everything is Maslow’s Hierarchy,” she said. “Food insecurity is an issue. Housing is an issue. Childcare is an issue. Mental healthcare is an issue. All of those foundational needs we have to address in order for students to be able to focus on earning a degree or credential. Those are some of the barriers that our students are facing.”
Resources like the Iron Horse Pantry, an on-campus food pantry for enrolled students, are exemplary stopgap measures which address common obstacles. Thanks in large part to philanthropic giving, community partnerships, and COVID-related grants, UAHT is able to address other weak spots, including structural and practical accessibility, which Dr. Holt cites as “a primary need. It’s at the forefront of my mind,” she said.
When Dr. Holt speaks about the future of UAHT, her excitement is palpable. “I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and help solve problems in order to move the entire community toward more economic viability and vitality,” she said. “I believe this is the right time for me to be a part of this institution, to join a team of people who are just as committed as I am to being a part of this great movement.”
