The Division of Military Science at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff was scheduled to commission four officers, including twins, during the 2025 Fall Commencement Ceremony on Dec. 13.
The cadets include twin sisters Kaelyn Kimble and Kaiél Kimble of Houston, Texas; Zaria Moore of Little Rock; and Jakhyris Williams of Cleveland, Miss.
“The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program provides the Army with quality, competent, agile, and adaptive leaders as commissioned officers. Students who participate in the program enhance their understanding of leadership and have a greater appreciation for excellence,” according to a news release.
KAELYN KIMBLE
Kaelyn Kimble will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. After being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, she will pursue a degree in pharmacy.
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While a member of UAPB’s Golden Lion Battalion Army ROTC Program, she served as company commander, was a member of the Color Guard, and earned multiple scholarships.
Beyond ROTC, Kaelyn Kimble was a member of the university’s track and field team. She also participates in the UAPB STEM Academy and is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
“I am grateful for the growth and lessons I have gained both in and out of the classroom at UAPB, and I look forward to carrying these experiences into my future career. I am excited about the opportunities ahead, and I hope to make a meaningful impact,” she said.
KAIEL KIMBLE
Kaiél Kimble will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in health and kinesiology. She is a graduate of Atascocita High School, where her passion for athletics and leadership first took shape. She began her ROTC journey at Bethune-Cookman University before transferring to UAPB, where she became a member of the Golden Lion Battalion.
A former cross-country and track-and-field athlete at UAPB, Kaiél Kimble said she brings the same discipline, mental toughness, and competitiveness from the track to her military training and leadership roles. She has served as a Color Guard member and Miss ROTC. Beyond ROTC, she also held the title of Miss Zeta Phi Beta.
Kaiél Kimble shared that she is confident in her ability to excel in her Army career and that her adaptability, drive, and commitment to excellence position her to thrive in any role she undertakes.
Outside of her future military service, she aspires to become a collegiate track and field coach, merging her background as a student-athlete with her passion for human performance and mentorship.
ZARIA MOORE
Zaria Moore will be commissioned as a second lieutenant military intelligence officer with the U.S. Army Reserve. She joined the Golden Lion Battalion ROTC Program in January 2022. During her tenure, she served as cadet first sergeant and a member of the color guard.
She graduated with honors from UAPB in May 2024, earning a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in marketing and a minor in military science.
UAPB’s Emerging Scholars Leadership Institute, a mentor and leadership program, “is the brainchild” of Moore, according to a Feb. 22, 2023, article titled “Finding Inspiration in the Past, a New Generation of Delta Leaders Rise” that appears on the Walton Family Foundation’s website.
While at UAPB, she was also initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Alpha Rho Chapter, and served as junior and senior class president.
She is one of the youngest leaders to receive the 2023 Mosaic Templars Trailblazer award.
JAKHYRIS WILLIAMS
Jakhyris Williams will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army medical service corps. He said that he looks forward to combining his academic background with his commitment to readiness, health, and soldier care.
“My goal is to build a career that offers stability, growth, and a meaningful impact — one that reflects my background and the values that have shaped me,” Williams said.
He previously obtained both his undergraduate and master’s degrees from UAPB. He earned a Bachelor of Science in health, leisure, recreation, and wellness on Dec. 9, 2022, and a Master of Science in secondary education/physical education on May 10, 2025.
Williams said he was raised primarily by his great-grandmother while his mother and father pursued their college degrees at UAPB, where his father played football.
“Growing up in that environment taught me discipline, resilience, and the value of hard work long before I ever stepped into a classroom or an ROTC formation. Throughout my life, I’ve been surrounded by football, fitness, and hands-on mechanical work,” he said.
This sparked his interest early on, leading him to pursue higher education and opportunities to advance in life.
“My academic path deepened my interest in physical performance, recovery, and overall well-being, areas that naturally aligned with my lifestyle and the people I’ve always been around. Everything I’ve done over the past several years has been about shaping a stable and purposeful future. Through ROTC, I’ve grown as a leader, a teammate, and a professional. My time in the program taught me how to manage responsibility, work under pressure, and guide others with confidence,” Williams said.