- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock /news-archive/tag/giving-day/ ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Tue, 26 Apr 2022 13:54:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Meyer Donates $50,000 Geared Toward Student Success for Construction Management Students /news-archive/2022/04/26/meyer-donation/ Tue, 26 Apr 2022 13:54:26 +0000 /news/?p=81426 ...]]> Chris Meyer, president and CEO of , made the donation March 29 to sponsor the Soils Laboratory in the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “This gift will support learning experiences for students in the department’s majors in understanding the role that soils and soil testing are integral to contractors and engineers,” said Dr. Hank Bray, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering. “It will support upgrades in equipment and instruction to maintain our leadership role in this area.” Meyer leads James A. Rogers Excavating, a family business with 37 employees where Meyer has worked since he was 18. “I was working and attending Pulaski Tech,” Meyer said. “At 20, I quit going to school and started working full time. My grandfather came to me to say that wasn’t going to work for him. He told me to go to school for construction management. From 2008 to 2015, I was going to night classes at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock plus working full time to get us where we are today. I went to school, got an education, and got on-the-job training. In 2016, my grandfather determined he was ready to retire, and that is when I purchased the company from him.” Meyer said that James A. Rogers Excavating has a history of giving back to the community and sponsors organizations like Special Olympics. His donation to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is an investment in the next generation of construction management students. “We are trying to give back to the community that has given so much to us and trying to create an atmosphere for the next generation,” Meyer said. “Being able to sponsor the Soils Lab is not just a construction project. Everything in life starts with a foundation. Soil is the foundation that everything begins with, and I thought it was a good effort. There are so many people who want to go to college and further their education. Ninety percent of the project managers in this area have graduated in construction management from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. I hope there is a return on investment, and they want to give James A. Rogers Excavating a call when they graduate.” Meyer also works with his parents, Ken and Sheri Meyer, who both said that Chris is always helping others, but rarely takes credit for his good work. “At James A Rogers Excavating, we don’t consider ourselves a team,” said Ken Meyer, senior accounts manager. “We consider ourselves a family, and there’s 37 members in that family. Chris is very generous and humble. He often helps out employees who need vehicle repairs and need financial help. He pays for them and then allows the employees to pay the company back. He would prefer to sit back in the shadows and let everyone else get the credit and praise. That’s just the way he’s been his entire life.” “Chris is very determined whenever he sets a goal,” Sheri Meyer agreed. “He puts everybody else before himself and makes sure his employees are taken care of.”]]> Trojan Community Raises Nearly $168k during ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Giving Day 2021 /news-archive/2021/03/31/trojan-community-raises-nearly-168k-during-ua-little-rock-giving-day-2021/ Wed, 31 Mar 2021 18:48:29 +0000 /news/?p=78670 ...]]> Friends and supporters of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock came together for the university’s that raised almost $168,000 for scholarships, student-athletes, diversity and inclusion initiatives, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio, emergency support for students affected by COVID-19, and more.�� The March 18 event represents the university’s most successful Giving Day to date. The first Giving Day in 2018 had 131 donors, while more than 330 people donated to this year’s event. The 2021 total also represents an increase of nearly $138,000 over last year’s event, which raised approximately $30,000. �� “I am blown away by the generosity of our donors on Giving Day,” said Samantha Wiley, director of annual giving. “It was exciting to see all of the engagement from more than 300 alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and students as they made contributions to enhance the student experience at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.”�� The 2021 Giving Day campaign pillars focused on scholarship and student support, program excellence, and learning environment. Donors shared personalized messages about what ��Vlog��ý Little Rock means to them and why giving is important. “As lifetime members of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association, we were very happy to contribute to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Giving Day by donating to the Alumni Board Endowed Scholarship,” said Jeremy and Katrina Owoh, who are lifetime members of the Alumni Association. “We know that education is the one thing that can never be taken away from a person, and it is also one of the most precious gifts a person can give to someone. Just as we were fortunate to obtain a quality education from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, we wanted to make sure that others had the same opportunity as they pursue their goals and dreams.” Giving Day was also made successful through a variety of generous dollar-to-dollar matches as well as the addition of alumni, board members, faculty, staff, and students who served as social media ambassadors to increase engagement on different social networks. Julie Brown, a 1998 graduate of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, made a match of up to $15,000, while the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Foundation Fund Board provided a match of up to $16,000. An anonymous donor matched up to $1,000 for the Allan Ward Scholarship, which benefits students majoring in speech communication.�� The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock funds that received the most donations include:�� Vlog��ý Little Rock Foundation Fund Board Endowed Scholarship – $29,550 Greg and Marilyn Brown Academic Success Center for Athletics – $18,825 Annual Fund for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock which supports the area of greatest need – $14,010 Alumni Association Board of Directors Endowed Scholarship – $6,065 “Giving Day would not have been successful without the support from members of our Alumni Board of Directors and Foundation Fund Board,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. “Not only did they serve as social ambassadors, but they also contributed themselves financially. Under the leadership of Cheryl Shuffield, chair of the Foundation Fund Board and member of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Campaign Cabinet, the Foundation Fund Board Endowed Scholarship was the top fund of the day. The generous matching gift from Julie Brown generated much excitement leading up to the day.” Jessie Burchfield, associate dean for the information and technology services and director of the Law Library at William H. Bowen School of Law, also provided a $1,000 match for any donation on Giving Day. As a graduate of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program and a first-generation college student, Burchfield knows how important scholarships can be for students to succeed. She was empowered to get her law degree through Bowen’s part-time program and is now an associate professor of law as well. “I deeply believe in the mission of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and the Bowen School of Law,” Burchfield said. “As a scholarship recipient, I’ve benefited greatly from the generosity of donors, and I know personally the transformative power of higher education.” Whitney Burgess, the 2020 recipient of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Business Dean’s Award of Excellence and vice president of marketing and strategy at MHP/Team SI, said she gives back to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock because she believes in the success of graduates from the School of Business.�� “I participated in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Giving Day because supporting the university is important in fostering a thriving economy in Little Rock,” Burgess said. “When I was a student, I gained the confidence to develop my skills in marketing and the tools to succeed in the workplace. I have always appreciated that the faculty had real-life experience with big marketing and advertising campaigns and corporations because they were able to translate methodology into execution, bringing the material to life. As an alumnus, I’m very proud of having graduated from the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Business and want to continue to do my part to ensure future scholars have the opportunity to learn, grow, and be confident leaders in Central Arkansas.”]]> Show Your Support for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on March 18 /news-archive/2021/03/09/giving-day/ Tue, 09 Mar 2021 22:45:17 +0000 /news/?p=78528 ...]]> The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will hold on Thursday, March 18, to encourage friends of the university, employees, alumni, and students to come together to make a difference at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.�� “Giving Days have become increasingly popular for many colleges and universities,” said Samantha Wiley, director of annual giving. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Giving Day is special because our students are unlike students from any surrounding schools. We know that 72 percent of our students work, and Giving Day provides us an opportunity to produce additional financial assistance to help them acquire their degree. I look forward to seeing our alumni and friends’ generosity as we strive to enhance student success.” Giving Day 2021 will provide an opportunity for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock community to donate to a wide variety of causes ranging from providing emergency scholarships for students to new equipment for Ottenheimer Library and campus laboratories to supporting programs like the Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence, which provides excellent training opportunities for faculty members. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock has a goal of acquiring 100 new, first-time donors during Giving Day,” Wiley said. “We hope that this Giving Day will inspire alumni and friends from all over to come together to support our students and some of the university’s most critical needs in student scholarships, program excellence, and learning environment.” Your donations will go even further through a variety of dollar-for-dollar matches. An anonymous donor will match up to $1,000 for the Allen Ward Scholarship, which benefits students majoring in speech communication. Julie Brown, a 1998 graduate of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, will also match any gift dollar-for-dollar up to $15,000. “Every student deserves the chance to go to college and graduate without the burden of a large student loan,” Brown said. “I’m matching donations up to $15,000 in the hope that other Arkansans will help students earn an affordable college degree at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Foundation Fund Board members have pledged to donate $16,000 to student scholarships once 50 donors meet the board’s challenge to donate to the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Annual Fund. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, many ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students are facing new and overwhelming challenges. Please visit the to step up in an extraordinary way. “After I graduate, I plan to teach. I want to be one of the best teachers by building relationships with my students and their parents,” said ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student Rikae Gill. “Support from donors means a great deal to me, and I am hopeful for the opportunity to help students achieve their goals just as you have helped me.”]]> ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Giving Day 2020 Brings Community Together /news-archive/2020/04/02/giving-day-2020/ Thu, 02 Apr 2020 17:07:17 +0000 /news/?p=76496 ...]]> During the 24-hour fundraising event, more than 140 individuals from 11 states showed their support for a variety of initiatives to raise a total of $18,497. ”��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s mission to provide a quality, affordable education to our students is made possible by the generous support received from our donors,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. “Thank you for making Giving Day 2020 a success!” Donors took to social media to share personalized messages about what ��Vlog��ý Little Rock means to them and why giving is important. “I realize the value that my ��Vlog��ý Little Rock education has had on my career and life and wanted to support students in their pursuit of a quality ��Vlog��ý Little Rock education,” said Charles O. Steward, the 1987 recipient of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Presidents Award. All funds raised will support many areas at the university and have a huge impact on the students and the community. “Giving Day is an important avenue to make sure that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is able to continue providing meaningful, innovative education and opportunities to our students,” said Dr. Angela Hunter, interim associate vice chancellor and associate professor in the Department of English. “That’s why I chose to give to the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Annual Fund to help implement micro-grants for students, the Trojan Food Pantry, and the Mobile Summer Institute on Scientific Teaching, a great program that helps faculty increase student success through techniques like active learning.” University members offered their support to a wide variety of causes. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Bands, which includes the Trojan Pep Band and Department of Music ensembles, received the highest amount of donations during Giving Day with $3,336 raised from 28 donors. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock family also took it upon themselves to support students during the COVID-19 pandemic. An anonymous donor pledged to match $5,000 to support the greatest needs of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students through micro-grants to help students dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 26 donors took up the call and donated $1,865, the second highest amount raised for the day. “I am truly in awe at the level of support received from alumni, faculty, staff, friends, and students on Giving Day,” said Samantha Wiley, assistant director of development. “In the midst of a pandemic, the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock family has seized the opportunity to show their support for students and their continued success.”]]> ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Giving Day Set for March 19 /news-archive/2020/03/18/giving-day-march-19/ Wed, 18 Mar 2020 21:52:13 +0000 /news/?p=76430 ...]]> The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will launch its second ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Giving Day on Thursday, March 19.�� The 24-hour fundraising event will bring together ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumni and friends to help celebrate what they love about the university. Donations can be made by visiting , calling 501-683-7208, or texting GivingDay2020 to 41444. “At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, the education, health, and well-being of our students and community is our top priority,” said Samantha Wiley, assistant director of development. “While the university has transitioned to holding classes online, our commitment to offer world-class education to our students remains the same.” An anonymous donor has pledged to match $5,000 to support the greatest needs of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students through micro grants to help students dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.�� Since college athletics have been canceled for the spring semester due to Covid-19, Trojan fans who want to show their support for student-athletes can donate toward a specially identified project for each sport meant to help move the program forward. The Greg and Marilyn Brown Academic Success Center will also be featured to help our student-athletes compete for championships in the classroom as well as on the field of play. The projects include:

Greg & Marilyn Brown Academic Success Center – New PC computers and laptops for the Academic Center
Baseball – Sports Attack pitching machine for batting practice
Men’s Basketball – Honor the Sun Belt Champions
Men’s Golf – TourGauge Digital Irons Machine
Soccer – GPS Vests to track movements on the pitch during training and games
Swimming and Diving – Dry land equipment for training
Track & Field/Cross Country – New Pole Vault Mats
Volleyball – New team uniforms
Women’s Basketball – 800 Club to honor Coach Foley’s 800 Career Wins
Women’s Golf – New Rain Suits for Team
Wrestling – Nutrition and Fueling Station in Greg Hatcher Wrestling Facility

]]> ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to celebrate Home Sweet Homecoming Nov. 26-Dec. 1 /news-archive/2018/11/19/home-sweet-homecoming/ Mon, 19 Nov 2018 14:25:35 +0000 /news/?p=72706 ...]]> The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will soon celebrate its highly anticipated Home Sweet Homecoming activities Nov. 26 to Dec. 1.�� The and Little Rock Trojan Athletics are leading ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Homecoming events with an aim to unite the Trojan family for friendly competitions, tailgating, and athletic events. Homecoming Week begins with Maroon Monday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 26 at the Donaghey Student Center Mall Area. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will kick off the festivities with a chance to meet Trojan student-athletes, Maximus the mascot, and the Homecoming Court. The campus community is encouraged to celebrate the joy of giving during ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Giving Day on Tuesday, Nov. 27. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., stop by the Donaghey Student Center mall area to write thank-you notes to alumni and donors, share stories on social media, and/or make a gift to show support for the university. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty and staff will face off against the students in the fan favorite Faculty/Staff v. Students Basketball Game at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 28, in the Donaghey Student Center Fitness Center. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will hold a pep rally at Trojan Lane at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 28. Then, cheer on the Trojan women’s basketball team as they take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs at 6:30 p.m. in the Jack Stephens Center. Discover who has the talent on campus with Karaoke Takeover from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 29, in Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter Hall. On Friday, Nov. 30, the Cardboard Boat Regatta will begin at 1 p.m. in the Donaghey Student Aquatic Center. This event will consist of students sailing in their handmade cardboard boats, hoping to stay afloat for the duration of the competition. Homecoming Day starts at noon Saturday, Dec. 1, with the Trojan Tailgate in the Jack Stephens Center parking lot. The party will feature food trucks, tailgate tents, games, inflatables, and live radio broadcasts. The men’s basketball team will battle Sam Houston State at 3 p.m. in the Jack Stephens Center, followed by the women’s basketball team playing Western Kentucky at 5:30 p.m. Homecoming Royalty, individual competition winners, and Champions Cup winner will be announced at halftime. For more information, check out the Homecoming Week schedule of events. In the upper right photo, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students tailgate during the 2017 Homecoming celebration in the Jack Stephens Center parking lot. Photo by Lonnie Timmons III/��Vlog��ý Little Rock Communications.]]>