Henderson State to honor six outstanding alumni at banquet April 10

Thomasena Craig, John Elkins, Jim Garland, Shannon Schwartz, Vanna Eddington, and Dani Pickens.

Henderson State University will honor six outstanding alumni at the Alumni Association's annual awards banquet April 10.

Distinguished Alumni awards will be presented to Dr. Thomasena Craig ('93), John Elkins ('02), Jim Garland ('82), and Shannon Schwartz ('01). Vanna Eddington ('90) will receive the "H" Award, and the Young Alumni Award will be presented to Dani Pickens ('08).

The event will be held in the Garrison Center Grand Ballroom at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online at alumni.hsu.edu/alumniawards. For additional information, or to reserve a table, please contact the Alumni office at 870-230-5985 or [email protected].

Distinguished Alumni

Thomasena Craig

Dr. Thomasena Craig is a licensed clinical social worker and accomplished executive leader with more than 25 years of experience in mental health and social services.

Craig earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in business from Henderson State University. She later obtained a Master of Social Work (MSW), a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice, and a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology.

Craig currently serves as the assistant regional mental health director with Wellpath, a national healthcare organization providing medical and behavioral health services within correctional and institutional settings.

Craig is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and holds credentials with the Academy of Certified Social Workers. She also volunteers with the American Red Cross Crisis Division in Arkansas, providing mental health support during disaster response efforts.

Craig is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, serving with the Alpha Mu Zeta Chapter in Little Rock.

John Elkins

John T. Elkins is a native of Arkadelphia and a 2002 cum laude graduate of Henderson State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and business administration. He later received his Juris Doctor in 2006 from the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

After law school, Elkins returned to Arkadelphia to begin his legal career with Wright, Berry, Hughes and Moore.

Elkins currently serves as the board-appointed chief executive officer of Today's Power, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc., in North Little Rock. In this role, he brings more than 15 years of leadership experience with electric cooperatives, regulated utilities, and infrastructure organizations.

He enjoys spending time with his family, including his wife Jennifer, a daughter, and two sons.

Jim Garland

Jim Garland is a dedicated leader with a lifelong commitment to public service, community development, and professional excellence. He graduated from Henderson State University in December 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration.

Following graduation, Garland began a 38-year career with Arkansas Power and Light Company, now Entergy Arkansas. Throughout his tenure, he held several key leadership roles, ultimately retiring in 2022 as a regional customer service manager. He continues to serve as a technical sales consultant for Entergy Corporation and EDG, Inc.

Garland's dedication to his alma mater is evident through his 10 years of service on the Henderson State University Foundation Board of Directors, where he currently serves as vice chairman, as well as his two years on the HSU Alumni Board. He also serves on the board of the C. Louis and Mary C. Cabe Foundation in Gurdon.

Garland and his wife, Marty, also a 1982 Henderson graduate, live in Rogers.

Shannon Slatton Schwartz

Shannon Slatton Schwartz is a Regional Emmy Award-winning journalist from Delight, Arkansas, with more than 20 years in television news. She currently serves as executive director of a community television station in the Minneapolis suburbs.

A 2001 graduate of Henderson State University, Slatton Schwartz was an active student leader, recognized as the 2000 SGA Student of the Year and the 2001 Greek Woman of the Year.

After graduating summa cum laude in 2001 with a degree in communication and mass media, Slatton Schwartz earned her M.S. in Broadcast Journalism from Syracuse University in 2002. She began her career as a reporter in Shreveport, Louisiana, and began teaching broadcast journalism at Henderson State.

Slatton Schwartz is also an active volunteer with Scouting America, serving as committee chair for a linked boy and girl troop of more than 60 scouts.

She is married to Dave Schwartz, and they have two children who are both on the path to Eagle Scout.

'H' Award

Vanna Eddington

Vanna McCauley Eddington is a second-generation Reddie whose life has been committed to quiet service to others through her nursing career, support for her family, and an enduring commitment to Henderson State University.

Eddington represents a legacy of family devotion to Henderson that spans decades. Her mother, both of her brothers, three sisters-in-law, two nieces and their husbands, several cousins, and her husband all attended Henderson.

Eddington's connection to Henderson began as a student leader and campus ambassador. She was a three-year cheerleader, including service as captain, and was selected as homecoming maid of honor.

After attending Henderson for four years, Eddington transferred to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and earned a degree in medical technology. After working as a medical technologist, she returned to Henderson to earn a nursing degree.

She now serves as a pre-op nurse at St. Vincent's, where she supports patients and their families during some of their most vulnerable moments.

She and her husband Steve raised three children and have three grandchildren.

Young Alumni Award

Dani Pickens

Dani Pickens is an award-winning global channel executive, entrepreneur, and community leader with more than a decade of experience building and scaling partner ecosystems across the telecommunications and cybersecurity industries.

She currently serves as vice president of Global Channel at AgileBlue, where she leads the company's worldwide partner strategy, enablement, and ecosystem growth.

Pickens is also the co-founder and CEO of The Executive Evolution (TEE), a national leadership community dedicated to supporting women in technology and sales.

She earned her degree at Henderson State University while serving in multiple leadership roles within Alpha Sigma Alpha, and credits Henderson State and the Arkadelphia community for her personal and professional growth, describing it as her "second home."

Pickens lives in Prosper, Texas, with her husband, Dan, and their two sons.