UAMS Graduate School

Graduate Student Information Guide

Welcome to UAMS! The Graduate Student Information Guide has been created to provide you information regarding UAMS and Little Rock. We hope that you find this information helpful as you begin your Graduate School career. Little Rock is the site of a number of festivals and events throughout the year including Riverfest held each Memorial Day weekend. The Greek Food Festival is held each May and is another popular event. If you enjoy baseball, the Arkansas Travelers minor league baseball team plays at Dickey-Stephens Park. Little Rock is the first capital that President Bill Clinton called home, and the Clinton Presidential Library is located in downtown Little Rock. One of my favorite places to visit is the River Market in downtown Little Rock on Saturday morning for the Farmers’ Market. There are also farmers’ markets throughout the city where you can purchase fresh produce and other locally sourced items. I also love running and cycling on the Arkansas River Trail. I hope that you enjoy your time here. If you need any assistance, please contact our office. We are here to help you! Sincerely,

Kristen Sterba, Ph.D. Associate Dean

UAMS Map

UAMS Graduate School Administration West—2nd floor P. 501.686.5454

UAMS Campus Dining Options UAMS has various dining options across campus that are easy to access. UAMS Cafeteria—Central Building The cafeteria is located in the Central Building and is open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. They offer the following hot entrees, breakfast, Tex Mex, Gourmet Pizza, Fried Chicken, Grilled Burgers and Sandwiches and have an extensive salad bar.

Lobby Café—Main Hospital The Lobby Café is open 24 hours, 7 days a week and is located in the lobby of the Hospital. They serve hot breakfast, sandwiches, salads, and pizza. They also serve coffee.

Doc Java—Ward Tower Doc Java is located on the first floor of Ward Tower near the chapel. They are open Monday-Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. They have a specialty coffee bar and serve Seattle’s Best coffee. They also serve burritos, sandwiches, salads, and soups.

The Gathering Place—The Cancer Institute Located on the 1st floor of the Cancer Institute, the Gathering Place is open from 7:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday—Friday. They offer a full selection of Starbucks beverages along with a wide selection of breakfast and lunch items.

Code Moo/Metro Deli Hungry for something yummy? This shop features live and active cultured yogurt from Honey Hills Farms in Russellville, AR. They offer four flavors weekly with a variety of toppings. Metro Deli offers a variety of sandwiches, along with homemade potato chips and a pickle spear. They are open from 11:00a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday—Friday.

MD2 MD2 is located on the 1st floor of the College of Public Health (COPH). Service hours are 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. MD2 serves hot breakfast, pastries from the bakery, and coffee from Seattle’s Best. Lunch includes salads , sandwiches, or hot soups.

Transportation in Little Rock Little Rock does not have a subway or rail system. We do, however, have a bus system that is fairly dependable when you live in the city, especially on or around campus. Central Arkansas Transit (CAT) runs buses throughout the city, with it’s main hub being with in walking distance to Downtown and the River Market area. Bus routes, hours of operation, and fees can be found here: http://www.cat.org/ .

Downtown, North Little Rock, and the River Market areas are the home of the River Rail Trolley. Replicas of vintage trolleys run down through this area with various points of destination. Attractions serviced include Verizon Arena, the Statehouse Convention Center, the River Market, hotels, restaurants, the Historic Arkansas and Discovery Museums, Robinson Center Music Hall and Riverfront Park and Amphitheater. It costs $1.00 per ride, with a day pass for $2.00 that includes unlimited rides for one calendar day. Information on this service can be found here: http://www.cat.org/river-rail.

Uber is also now servicing the Little Rock area for transportation needs. This is a peer to peer company that is like a taxi shuttle service. They offer reasonable pricing and are easy to set up rides through. For more information about Uber click here.

Restaurants & Shopping Restaurants & Dining Little Rock has an array of food varieties, from Japanese, Vietnamese, Southern cooking, to well known Steakhouses and Seafood restaurants. There are over 550 choices of restaurants and drinks that you can find in this city. The Little Rock Dining and Entertainment Guide features all restaurants in Little Rock, and includes information on menus, price ranges, and locations. You can download this guide here.

Shopping Little Rock also has various areas of shopping. We have one Mall, called Park Plaza Mall, that is located close to UAMS. Midtowne Shopping Center as well as Park Avenue Shopping Center are close as well. You can find eateries, shopping, retailers, and office spaces in these areas.

Venues and Restaurants in Little Rock Music Venues Verizon Arena White Water Rev Room Stickyz Chicken Shack West End Tavern and Bar Bars Town Pump White Water Flying Saucer Midtown Billiards The Fountain Stickyz Grumpy’s Too Afterthought Bar and Bistro Cashé 109 & Co By the Glass Dugan’s Pub Local Breweries and Distilleries Stone’s Throw Diamond Bear Lost 40 Blue Canoe Vino’s Brewpub Rocktown Distillery Coffee Shops Guillermos Gourmet Grounds River City Coffee Mylo Coffee Co

Local Restaurants ($-$$$$) Hillcrest and Midtown Big Orange ($$) Pantry Crest ($$) The Fold ($$) Maddie’s Place ($$$) Loca Luna ($$$) Faded Rose Restaurant ($$$) Whole Hog ($) Damgoode Pies ($$) The Afterthought ($$$) (great Sunday brunch) Ciao Baci ($$$) Kemuri ($$) Downtown South on Main ($$$) Dizzy’s Gypsy Bistro ($$$) The Root Café ($)(Vegan options) Flying Fish ($$) Vino’s Brewpub ($$) Bruno’s Little Italy ($$) Three Fold Noodles and Dumpling Co. ($) The Heights Heights Taco and Tamale Co. ($$) Zaza Fine Salas & Wood-Oven Pizza Co. ($$) Sushi Café ($$$) Cheers in the Heights ($$) West Little Rock Lazy Pete’s ($$) Star of India Restaurant and Bar ($$) Pho Thanh My ($) Local Lime ($$) Ya Ya’s Euro Bistro ($$$) (all you can eat Sunday brunch) Layla’s Gyros & Pizzaria ($) Taj Mahal Indian and Mediterranean Cuisine Istanbul Mediterranean ($$) (lunch buffet) Santo Coyote ($$) * $-$$$$ denotes pricing information for each restaurant.

River Market Area Attractions The River Market area, located in Downtown Little Rock, home to various shops, restaurants, museums, used book stores, and holds many events throughout the year. It is the home to the Market Hall, a well known place for lunch for those who work in the River Market area. The Farmer’s Market is also housed here and is held beginning May 2, 2015—October 31, 2015 from 7am—3pm every Saturday.

This area is also home to the First Security Amphitheater, the biggest outdoor concert venue in the Little Rock area. It hosts various events throughout the year. It is located in Riverfront Park, which provides 33 acres of parkland for outdoor events, outside activities, and a glimpse of the state’s history.

Recreation Arkansas is called the Natural State for a reason; we have beautiful trails and countless things to do outdoors. One of the best features that we have in the Central Arkansas area is the Arkansas River Trail. This 88-mile long trail includes, Little Rock, North Little Rock, Maumelle, and Conway.

Activities that can be found on the trail include: biking trails, walking trails, running and jogging trails, dog parks and dog walking, horseback riding, nature and wildlife viewing, and bird watching.

From exploring the 450 acres of Two Rivers Park, to watching the sunset on the Big Dam Bridge, there are countless activities to get involved in.

The Arkansas River Trail website gives information about things to see, things to do, and events that are held around this area throughout the year. Trail News keeps visitors updated on all events close and on the trail.

Looking for things to do outside of Little Rock? Arkansas has other great areas for hiking, swimming, and exploring. You can find information about those here!

Arkansas History Most people know Little Rock for Bill Clinton. But what many people don’t realize is that Little Rock was where one of the most famous civil rights struggle was held. Arkansas has a lot of history that is unknown.

Those interested in Bill Clinton can visit the Clinton Presidential Library, located in downtown Little Rock in the River Market. Next to the library is the Clinton School of Public Service, which is part of the University of Arkansas system. This school began in 2004 and is the only school in the Nation that offers the Masters in Public Service degree.

The William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum opened in 2004 as well. It is home to many different presidential exhibits, including a replica of the Oval Office, the presidential limousine, and ever changing exhibits. Admission is $7.00 for adults, and children under 6 are free. Hours of operation are Monday—Saturday 9:00am –5:00pm, and Sunday 1:00pm—5:00pm.

Little Rock Central High School was the site of the 1957 desegregation crisis that occurred in Little Rock and is known about throughout history. The school is still functioning, but has a Museum and Visitor’s Center that tells the story of the events during that time.

Events Around Town Graduate Student Association Events Fall 2016 Semester Welcome Week Meet Up at Grumpy’s Too August 11, 7 p.m. Game Night August 12, 7 p.m. (location TBA) Pancake Breakfast August 15, 8 a.m. Biomed I Atrium GSA Fundraising Event August 20 GSA Fundraising Event at Blaze Pizza August 31 GSA Fundraising Event at BJ’s Brewhouse September 28 Razorback Tailgate October 1 GSA Sponsored Research Symposium October 28 Thanksgiving Potluck November 19 GSA Bake Sale Early December

Festivals & Events Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus at Verizon Arena., September 3 2016 Collaboration of the Arts in the Rivermarket Towne Plaza, September 10 Running of the Bulls at Clinton Presidential Center, September 17 Main Street Food Truck Festival in the River Market/Downtown Little Rock, September 24 2016 Chamber of Commerce, A Taste for Business at Verizon Arena, September 29 Arkansas Razorbacks Game at War Memorial Stadium, October 1 Arkansas Cornbread Festival at Bernice Garden, October 29 World Cheese Dip Championship at MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, October 22 JOLT! Hackathon at the Venture Center, October 22-23 Central Arkansas Asian Festival, November 5

Ongoing Events Local Live 7:30pm Wednesdays at South on Main Free live music from regional artists Farmers Market River Market: Saturdays 7am-3pm Hillcrest: Saturdays 7am-12pm Hillcrest Shop and Sip 1st Thursday of every month All the local shops, restaurants, and venues are open after hours until 9pm with discounted prices, promotions, appetizers and drinks. Have fun strolling the sidewalks, listening to local bands, window shopping, browsing the stores or relaxing on the promenade. Science After Dark Last Thursday of the month Adult night at the Museum of Discovery. Enjoy learning about a new science topic each month. $5 Science Café 4th Tuesday of every month 7-9pm at the Afterthought Bistro and Bar. Each month we discuss a new science topic with a panel of experts. Playtime Pizza Afterhours 3rd Friday each month 10pm-2am, $20 for unlimited pizza, select games and attractions (laser tag, mini golf, bumper cars, and go karts). The Rep Founded in 1976, the Arkansas Repertory Theatre is the state’s largest non-profit professional theatre company. Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Attend the Pops, Masterworks, or Chamber series Travelers Games Enjoy minor league baseball at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock Looney Bin Enjoy dinner and a comedy show