Walton College

For Mike Waldie, joining the University of Arkansas staff was a return to higher education and international education, bringing his career full-circle. He joined the Graduate School of Business staff in 2013 and has recently transitioned to the position of Director in January 2016.

“The Graduate School of Business is committed to providing a professional and supportive environment for student success on all levels,” he says. “We have such a dynamic and engaged office to assist our students who often require fast-paced service. My position involves many different areas and programs, and as such, I have been wearing many different hats.”

“Having worked in student services at the U of A for several years, my greatest strength is advocacy for students within the University and with external stakeholders,” he continues. “I am approachable as well as engaged and committed to helping students define and achieve their academic and career goals.”

Mike joined the University of Arkansas in 2008 and has served as Senior Foreign Student Advisor in the International Students and Scholars Office and as an Academic Advisor in the Walton College of Business Undergraduate Programs Office. He was honored as the Employee of the Year in 2011.

Before coming to the University of Arkansas, Mike was a small business manager in Rogers, AR and taught English as a Foreign Language teacher in Japan.

Mike earned his Master of Arts in History at Vanderbilt University and his Bachelor of Arts in History and Government & International Relations at Augustana College.

Community and cultural involvement is a big part of Mike’s life. He is a co-founder and past board member of Community Creative Center, a resident company of the Walton Arts Center. The Center focuses on instruction and community engagement in visual arts. He is also a professional potter and studio artist.

Teryl Jebaraj joined the Walton College in 2016 as the Assistant Director of Graduate Student Services, and is now the Associate Director of the Graduate School of Business.

Her role focuses on designing and implementing programs to facilitate graduate student success. She oversees new graduate student onboarding by communicating opportunities and requirements of academic programs, planning orientation sessions, and hosting events. She also contributes to student-facing recruitment efforts.

“My ability to communicate clearly and to connect students to resources and opportunities adds value to their education, and sets them up for success in their future endeavors as leaders and professionals.”

Teryl’s eye for detail is an asset when planning events for current and prospective graduate students and she is excited to bring her talents to the Walton College.

“This is one of the strongest and most professional teams I’ve ever seen. When I observed how dedicated each person was to student success, I knew this was where I wanted to be.”

Teryl is a native to northwest Arkansas. After growing up in Fort Smith, she attended the University of Arkansas (U of A) and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies and Art History. She had the amazing experience of traveling twice to Italy to study Pompeian frescoes as part of her honors thesis. She returned to the U of A to complete a Master of Education in Higher Education.

Prior to joining the Walton College, Teryl spent 8 years recruiting, advising, and providing support to U of A undergraduate students. She worked as an Academic Counselor for Upward Bound in the U of A’s Diversity Affairs and as a Coordinator of Academic and Residential Programming for Gifted and Talented Scholars in the Honors College.

“My entire career has been committed to providing high-quality services that increase student satisfaction, retention, and graduation. By providing a supportive environment to students, I enable them to meet their goals.”

When she is not working, Teryl enjoys spending time with her husband Mervin and their darling cat, Theo. She also has an adventurous side and once ate live termites in the Belizean rainforest after being told they were a good source of protein.