Our Mission:
Engage Arkansas is an Arkansas initiative to inspire and advance civic engagement to help combat social inequities and strengthen local communities. As the primary coordinating entity supporting the Governor’s Commission on National Service and Volunteerism, we are responsible for sustaining civic engagement by supporting local civic services, community education, and the promotion of partner program opportunities.
Our Vision:
Our staff advocates for such solutions and purposefully partners with government agencies, municipalities, education systems, and nonprofit or faith-based sectors to help create impact, benefiting communities and families statewide. The Engage Arkansas office is housed within the Division of Higher Education and is staffed to fulfill the role defined by its governor-appointed commission and the governor.
Why is Engage Arkansas important?
A vast array of state public systems and non-governmental programs offer support services to those in need. EngageAR positions itself as a supporting role to help partner and service programs gain greater impact within the communities through volunteerism and national service.
Our staff and commission partner with multiple sectors across Arkansas. These community-based partnerships are fostered through consultative support and events with our staff and commission continuously communicating and promoting engagement opportunities. In addition, Engage Arkansas is the conduit and manager for internship and national service placement offered by the federal AmeriCorps program.
Opportunities to partner with EngageAR or to support an AmeriCorps program are created to engage, serve, and strengthen local communities:
- ADVOCATE for civic engagement & volunteerism
- FUND AmeriCorps for greater impact in local communities
- CONNECT for supporting relationships & partnerships
How do I get involved?
Engage Arkansas welcomes the opportunity to learn how we can support and promote your services or program. We work in partnership with nonprofit, faith-based, government, and community-based organizations throughout the state to increase the awareness and engagement of local civic needs. Once registered and partnership eligibility is established, Engage Arkansas will support your communication and outreach efforts through its social media platforms and list serves. Learn more about how you can partner and get involved with Engage Arkansas:
What is the history?
The Office of Volunteerism in Arkansas has seen many changes over the years, but much of its legacy can be traced to one individual, former First Lady Betty Bumpers. All social reform movements can point to pioneers who forged paths where none had previously existed, compelled by a vision beyond themselves. Former First Lady Betty Bumpers served the state in an official capacity from 1971-1975. Learn about Betty Bumpers legacy of service and the efforts she made to garner funding and unite volunteerism:
Engage Arkansas Commission
The Governor’s Advisory Commission on National Service and Volunteerism is a bi-partisan commission made up of passionate individuals who believe that volunteers are vital to creating strong, vibrant communities. Each commissioner is governor-appointed. Together, they assist EngageAR with determining community needs, setting policy and program priorities, ensuring effective use of national service funds, supporting national days of service, and promoting national service and volunteering throughout their communities.
The Arkansas Service Commission-Engage Arkansas is the primary coordinating entity supporting the Governor’s Commission on National Service and Volunteerism.
Next Public Commission Meeting
10 a.m. | Virtual
Engage Arkansas Staff
The Engage Arkansas staff advocates for local, people-driven solutions by partnering with government agencies, municipalities, education systems, and the nonprofit or faith-based sectors. Through the AmeriCorps grant program, it secures federal funding to sub-grant to local organizations operating direct service programs. AmeriCorps members provide vital services to assist in key impact areas such as education, economic opportunity, disaster services, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans and military families throughout the state. The Engage Arkansas staff provides professional guidance and technical assistance to its sub-grantees.
Additional efforts are placed on amplifying the missions of nonprofits in Arkansas. Engage Akansas connects citizens to available resources in their communities through its Give Pulse volunteer portal platform and its Civic Challenge social media campaign.
Staff
Civic Engagement Manager | Starr.Crow@adhe.edu
Starr Crow joined Engage Arkansas in September 2021 after finishing an AmeriCorps term of service with Full Circle FarmCorps, where she assisted the North Little Rock Community Garden Program, Heifer International, and the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. She began her role at EngageAR as the Outreach & Events Officer and has since been promoted to Civic Engagement Manager. Starr is a University of Arkansas Little Rock graduate with a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications, and she is currently enrolled in Northeastern University’s master program in global studies and international relations. In her role with Engage Arkansas, Starr supports municipalities, nonprofits, and AmeriCorps programs in mobilizing citizens to make lasting changes in local communities. She develops key media strategies and campaigns to drive action around civic engagement in Arkansas and manages the Engage Arkansas volunteer portal and website. Starr has spent time studying, teaching, and volunteering in Mexico, the Czech Republic, South Korea, and Vietnam and has nearly two decades of experience in the hospitality industry with an extensive understanding of customer service best practices. She is certified in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and is a Certified Volunteer Manager.
Finance & Administrative Officer | Michael.Rau@adhe.edu
Michael Rau joined Engage Arkansas in November 2021 following a 16-year tenure at the University of Arkansas as the Student Support Coordinator in the Graduate School and International Education, where he earned the 2013 Geren-Koski Award for outstanding grad school staff. In this role, he worked closely with internationally sponsored students from Latin America. Since joining EngageAR, Michael has been the Finance and Administrative Officer, overseeing the federal and state grant budget. He is an established artist who has worked as an illustrator at Disney’s Animation Academy and as a freelance artist and character developer for children’s books, as well as for logo and t-shirt designs. Michael often employs his skills as an artist to help with EngageAR’s AmeriCorps product designs.
Program Officer | Katie.Matthews@adhe.edu
Katie Matthews joined the Engage Arkansas team in January 2024 as an AmeriCorps Program Officer. Katie was born and raised in Northwest Arkansas and has been based in Little Rock since 2016. She has previously served two terms of AmeriCorps service through the Full Circle FarmCorps Program. Katie served with organizations like the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and the Central Arkansas Library System to address food insecurity through farming, education, and community outreach. She is a UA Little Rock and Donaghey Scholars Alum with a degree in Ecological Biology. She also holds her Master of Public Service from the University of Arkansas’ Clinton School of Public Service, where she completed graduate research projects with organizations like Best Friends Animal Society, Heifer USA, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Before Engage Arkansas, Katie served with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School Program to support local food initiatives in Arkansas schools.
Program Officer | Zoe.Tollette@adhe.edu
Zoe Tollette joined Engage Arkansas in January 2024 after completing her Master’s in Public Administration at George Washington University. Zoe previously served three terms as an AmeriCorps member with Joseph Pfeifer Kiwanis Camp, where she tutored and mentored elementary school students and led activities related to team building and social-emotional learning. While earning her bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Arkansas, Zoe completed her thesis titled “Cabins, Kid, and Campfires: The Impact of the AmeriCorps Experience at Joseph Pfeifer Kiwanis Camp,” which she presented at the 2021 America’s Service Commission National Service Training Conference. In recent years, Zoe has worked for the Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service in its Civic Changemakers program. In this role, she oversaw 75 AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associates as they provided civic education to middle school students in DC Public Schools. At EngageAR, Zoe oversees half of the AmeriCorps portfolio, providing monitoring, compliance, and technical assistance to its sub-grantees.
Engage Arkansas 