糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Foundation gifts total nearly $48 million in record-breaking fundraising year
Bowen Dean Theresa Beiner (center left) presents alum Wylie Cavin III (center right) with a plague naming the Dean's Conference Room in his honor. Also pictured are Christian O'Neal (left), vice chancellor for university advancement, and Wanda Hoover (right), Bowen's assistant dean of external relations. Photo by Tina Medlock. While 2020 has been a year full of challenges, the generosity of supporters of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has resulted in the university鈥檚 highest fundraising year to date with 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock alumni and friends donating a record-breaking $47,941,061.听鈥淣ow more than ever, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is grateful for the support of our donors who continue to invest in the future of our university,鈥 Chancellor Christina Drale said. 鈥淓ven now, as people are coping with a global pandemic, our community has continued to give so that we can provide students with opportunity and a pathway to success.鈥澨Fiscal year 2020 included the largest gift received in 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 93-year history, a transformational gift of $25 million from an anonymous donor to support the university鈥檚 strategic enrollment management plan. The gift includes $10 million for a Student Success Endowment Fund to expand and permanently support the university鈥檚 student retention and success initiatives and $15 million for need-based scholarships for undergraduate students.When the gift was announced in May, the donor said, 鈥淲e have watched the rapid transformation of the institution under Dr. Drale and her team鈥檚 leadership. The purposeful, strategic approach to solidifying 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 unique and crucial role in the Arkansas educational system gives donors like me the confidence to invest.鈥The incredible year of fundraising also included:听
An 8-figure anonymous estate gift to provide scholarships for students.
Increased annual giving toward emergency scholarships to help students with unexpected financial burdens due to COVID-19.
Expanded national fundraising efforts that brought about giving from alumni living outside of Arkansas, including a $250,000 endowed scholarship to the College of Business, Health, and Human Services from Marvin Presnall, of Tacoma, Washington, as well as a $269,160 gift from Wiley D. Cavin III, of Austin, Texas, to create the Wylie D. Cavin Endowed Scholarship for students at the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law.听
The gifts are part of a comprehensive fundraising campaign designed to increase the number of endowed need-based scholarships, grow the student support endowment, raise support for high-quality faculty through endowed chairs, raise endowed maintenance funds for existing buildings, and help renovate existing facilities.More than 6,800 individuals, corporations, and private foundations gave 25,901 gifts between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020. This is the fourth consecutive year of gift growth for 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, with $20 million raised in 2019, $17.7 million in 2018, and $17.5 million in 2017.听Fundraising support on campus has also grown. This year, 52.85 percent of faculty and staff contributed to the annual campus campaign fund drive, a 7 percent increase over the previous year.听鈥淚鈥檓 inspired by the generosity of our donors,鈥 said Christian O鈥橬eal, vice chancellor for university advancement. 鈥淚 hear stories on a daily basis from current and former students who have felt the difference private support makes in their lives and in our community. This keeps the case for giving to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock strong.鈥In the upper right photo, Bowen Dean Theresa Beiner (center left) presents alum Wylie Cavin III (center right) with a plaque naming the Dean’s Conference Room in his honor after a $269,000 donation for student scholarships. Also pictured are Christian O’Neal (left), vice chancellor for university advancement, and Wanda Hoover (right), Bowen’s assistant dean of external relations.听