A new educator at UALR is the first Hispanic professor in to work in her department. (Anarella Cellitti, UALR Dept. of Education) “I always go where there is a big concentration of Latino students. That's my goal.”

And that's part of why Anarella Cellitti is now an Associate Professor of Early Childhood at UALR.

Cellitti, who is part Italian, came to the U.S. from Venezuela.

She says she is proud to be the first Hispanic professor in the UALR education department--but that it also brings a great responsibility.

(Cellitti) “On one hand you feel like ‘Wow.’ And the other hand you feel this weight like. ‘I hope they don't judge everyone like me.’ And it is good because I really want to be a service. I know that having a faculty that speaks your language and understands you makes a big difference.”

Cellitti says she is impressed with the Hispanic community in Arkansas, and that it appears to be more organized and cohesive than in other states. And she's pleased by the large number of Latino professionals and leaders.

(Cellitti) “People here are very friendly, very nice. They are really looking at the fact that they want to do a lot of recruitment of Latinos in the community…Open the door to UALR to the community that is growing so fast.”

There are a handful of other Hispanic professors at UALR. Cellitti hopes to one day head up a group or association for all Hispanic professors.