The Honors College held its once-again annual pool party last night. Some had to decline at the last minute but those who were there had a good time.
Thanks to SAU's Elizabeth Ray for hosting us and thanks to Gigi at ARAMARK for handling the food
SAU held it's annual steak dinner tonight. Some honors students were spotted there:
Here some photos of David over the years:
Graduation photo, 1979
David in Streetcar Named Desire group photo in 1981 SAU yearbook
David Wingfield
SAU Modern Languages and Honors College
2001 to 2022
On Friday, September 9, at 4:00 pm in the Alumni Center on the SAU campus, the public and the SAU community are invited to attend a celebration of the life of David Wingfield, 1979 graduate of SAU and staff member at SAU since 2001. David passed away suddenly on August 25, 2022, in Magnolia Regional Medical Center.
David Wingfield’s quiet, genial personality made him universally loved, and his exceptional competence made him invaluable. He represented the best of the SAU spirit in his devotion to helping students and colleagues, as well as his ability to bring joy and love to this earth and this campus.
A graduate of Magnolia High School, David received a B.A. in theatre and journalism from SAU in 1979. During his student days, he was coeditor of the Bray, a photographer for both the yearbook and the Bray, and a member of Alpha Psi Omega, a national honorary dramatic society. Some of his favorite pictures to share were of his participation in SAU theatrical productions. For example, he returned to SAU in February of 1981 to play Ali Hakim, the Persian salesman in Oklahoma! He had a variety of employers after graduation--from Promise Land Films to Magnolia Specialized Services and All Seasons Travel.
In February of 2001, David was hired as assistant to the Department of Modern Languages. David quickly became essential—not only helping with the university-wide accreditation self-study for the Higher Learning Commission then being coordinated by the chair, Dr. Elizabeth Davis, but effortlessly managing other administrative tasks. He figured out how all the electronic equipment worked, organized potluck lunches, coordinated events like the Youth Writing Festival, and made the whole day better for everyone when he showed up in the morning. He made the prospect of learning languages and studying abroad less forbidding with his office full of postcards and pictures of student activities. A particular labor of love was his wall of pictures of departmental pets—including his precious Basset hounds, some mules and horses, and quite a few cats. Because of his administrative abilities and his capacity to build a community of teachers and students, David became the heart of the entire department, continuing in that role when Dr. James Ulmer became chair. David deservedly received a Staff Excellence Award in 2011.
David also made a vital contribution to the Russian exchange program with Moscow State Pedagogical University, a joint project between Modern Languages and the Department of History, Political Science, and Geography. The program brought one Russian professor to SAU each year and two Russian students each semester (top-notch students with better-than-native English language skills). While David was never officially responsible for the program, he became a key asset. He made the visiting professors and students feel at home, befriending them in every way, from the time they were making plans to travel to the U.S. to the day they caught their flights home. His own trip to Russia was one of the best experiences of his life. As a result, he made many lifelong Russian friends, some of whom live in the U.S. now and hope to be at the gathering on September 9 and others who will be watching by Zoom at midnight in Russia.
From 2003-2016, David had a joint appointment between the Department of Modern Languages and the Honors College. At the founding of the Honors College in 2003, he helped the first director, Dr. Lynne Belcher, raise the profile of the Honors College and increase the student population. During those early years, David facilitated the transition to a larger mission by developing an easy enrollment process for a wide breadth of majors.
In 2009, David joined Dr. Ed Kardas, the new director, in fostering even greater growth of the Honors College. When the Honors College moved to its current suite in Nelson Hall, David’s office, as always, was a welcoming place—particularly to international students--with his display of many travel souvenirs. These were not all from his own travels, but also were gifts from friends—mugs and magnets from places like Martinique, Greece, England, France, and, of course, Russia. His office was also an eye-opening view of the wider world for Honors College students from south Arkansas.
Shortly after the move, the Honors College funded the earliest Apple iPads as learning tools, and David’s computer skills were a significant asset to that project. Later, David played a key role as the Honors College signed memoranda of agreement with nearby two-year colleges, so their students, too, could take honors classes on their campuses and later transfer those hours to SAU.
In 2016, David was given a full-time position in the Honors College, and his exceptional contributions led to his recognition in 2018 as the first Assistant Director of the College. He cherished that position and worked even harder to make the College thrive and prosper. He was one of ten finalists for the National Collegiate Honors Council award for Administrative Excellence in 2015. The citation read (in part):
It would be difficult to run the Honors College without him and impossible to replace him. Students call him "Dr. David" and he is always quick to respond to their requests and problems. He especially has a soft spot in his heart for international students whether they are in honors or not. On his own time, he has driven them to the airport, opened his home to them, and learned and prepared some of their own cuisine. We are only a two-person shop, but he carries well more than his share. He is more than my right-hand man; he is the soul of our program.
David was, indeed, irreplaceable, and his service to SAU was extraordinary—from his time as a student in the 1970s to his position as Assistant Director of the Honors College.
A bench will be placed on campus, near Nelson Hall, honoring David’s memory. Memorial gifts may be made to the SAU Foundation for the David Wingfield Student Support Fund to benefit either the Honors College or the Department of Modern Languages.
