A University of the Ozarks theatre production about trauma and survival didn’t just leave a lasting impression on Lacye Day — it helped shape her life’s work.
In the spring of 2020, during her senior year at Ozarks, Day took the stage as Marjorie in the University Theatre production of Extremities by William Mastrosimone, a gripping drama centered on sexual violence, trauma, and power. What began as a challenging acting role soon became something much more meaningful. Through the production, the theatre cast and crew partnered with the Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ACASA) for advocacy support and guidance, introducing Day to professionals whose work would ultimately inspire her career path.
Six years later, Day is helping lead statewide prevention efforts as the prevention program director for ACASA in Little Rock — a role that blends advocacy, education, creativity, and community impact in ways she never anticipated as a theatre major.
“Looking back, that production opened a door for me,” Day said.
Today, Day works with organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Arkansas Department of Health, and the Arkansas Commission on Rape, Child Abuse, and Domestic Violence (ACCARDV) to develop and monitor prevention initiatives across Arkansas.
Her work includes identifying areas of need, compiling data, writing grant applications, developing curricula, evaluating programs, and reporting to funding agencies.
Day, who earned a master’s degree in community health and prevention science from the University of Cincinnati in 2024, said her passion for advocacy is rooted in a desire to create safer and healthier communities.
“The bottom line is: I want to help make our world safer for everyone,” she said. “Advocacy isn’t just about supporting one person in crisis; it’s also about addressing the root factors that place people in crisis. Additionally, advocacy isn’t an undertaking for one person; it’s a job for a collective. This work is vital not only because survivors are in distress but also because it impacts us all. It’s our shared responsibility to address these issues and establish better support systems for our children and the adults who were overlooked.”
Day’s creative background has become an important part of that mission.
A theatre major with minors in art, psychology, and business administration, Day has used the communication, collaboration, and creative problem-solving skills she developed at Ozarks to help design innovative prevention and education programs.
One of the initiatives she helps lead is the Butterfly Effect Program, a child abuse prevention initiative that uses music, art, and play to teach children skills that help prevent abusive relationships.
“Since its inception in 2021, the Butterfly Effect Program has grown into a full curriculum with resources for anyone to use with their children,” Day said. “My background in art and theatre proved valuable in the development of the activities for the program, ensuring that we were delivering the information appropriately and engagingly. For example, we wrote a ‘Boundary Bubble Song’ and a ‘Safe Adults Song’ for children to use when navigating relationships. The songs and sing-along videos are available on our YouTube channel: The Butterfly Effect Program.”
Day has also worked with The G.E.M.S. Program (Girls Empowered through Mentoring Sisterhood), which supports girls ages 11-17 who are at risk of incarceration.
“Girls in the program learn life skills like cooking and financial literacy,” she said. “ACASA provides education on unhealthy relationships, safe conflict resolution, and resources for healing from sexual violence.”
Her artistic talents have extended beyond prevention programming as well. Day recently illustrated the book I Remember You by Christine Lin and Elizabeth Waldrum, a resource created to support children experiencing grief after loss.
“Christine and Elizabeth work with children who have experienced trauma from loss, whether that’s from death, incarceration, deportation, or distance,” Day said. “I could recognize moments in my own childhood where I wish I could have had a resource like this. So, when Christine and Elizabeth approached me to illustrate, I immediately agreed. This project blended two of my biggest passions: artistic expression and making the world safer.”
Day, whose partner is 2019 Ozarks alumnus Rhett Sells, hopes to pursue a doctorate degree in the near future. She said the adaptability and people-centered skills she developed in the Ozarks theatre program continue to influence her work every day.
“My theatre and art background at Ozarks provided a substantial foundation for working at ACASA,” Day said. “The acting theory and performance classes under the theatre program gave me the necessary skills to effectively share information with a range of audiences. These, in addition to the technical classes and workshop hours, supplied me with a marketable and diverse skill set. I believe that the U of O Theatre Program gave me the adaptability and collaborative skills necessary to succeed in my current career.”
Topics: Alumni Stories