Frank Scott Jr, a University of Memphis alumnus, will serve as the first popularly voted black mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas. Scott graduated from the UofM in 2005 with a bachelor’s in business administration.
Frank Scott Jr, a University of Memphis alumnus, became the first African-American person to be popularly voted in as the mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas, on Jan. 1.
As a college student, Scott aspired to use his education to serve his hometown. Scott graduated from the UofM in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He said he credits the UofM for helping mold him into the leader he is today.
“I learned leadership while at the University of Memphis,†Scott said. “It laid the foundation and gave me the ability to do what I am doing today.â€
Scott was a first-generation student at the UofM and said his background contributed to his preparation for his newly elected position.
“Anyone’s background will prepare them for the future,†Scott said. “We must always acknowledge our past, but to never let our past determine our future. I am grateful for being a first-generation college graduate in my family and all that it took to get there, which ultimately prepared me to become the next mayor of Little Rock.â€
Prior to the election, Scott had various jobs that also contributed to his role as a leader. He worked as a distribution manager for Target before serving as the director of intergovernmental affairs and the deputy director of public policy for former Arkansas attorney general Mike Beebe and the vice president of First Security Bank. Aside from his multiple positions, Scott remained invested in politics and ran for mayor for the first time in 2012.
In 2018, Scott ran for mayor again, defeating Baker Kurrus in a nonpartisan runoff election.
“I hope to unify our city by moving it from disconnected to connected,†Scott said. “I want job growth, secured communities and engaged youth so we don’t lose them to the streets, and they can realize their full potential.â€
Scott said although he understands there will be negative attention targeted at him as a public official, he is prepared for the victories and possible downfalls he will encounter.
“As a leader, you always have pressures, known and unknown, that will be thrust upon you,†Scott said. “You must always practice the ability to sustain one another, as we have, to push through life’s circumstances.â€
With the election now out of the way, Scott said his goal is to bring prosperity and public safety to the city of Little Rock during his term as mayor, step by step.
“You have to always prepare for the day,†Scott said. “Push through life’s trials and pay it forward. I try to live my career and life by preparing for each day and pushing through daily instances, whether they are good, bad or ugly, and always keeping others in mind while doing so.â€
Even as an Arkansas resident, Scott said he is still proud to be a Memphis Tiger and described his interview as a “homecoming moment.â€
“I bleed blue and gray,†Scott said. “It’s an honor and a pleasure and a humbling experience to be a University of Memphis Tiger and to have the opportunity to represent the University of Memphis in Little Rock and the nation.â€
