Gina and Brett Pharis Support Enduring Opportunity to Help Students Succeed
For Gina and Brett Pharis, supporting 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s Enduring Opportunity Scholarship program is an investment in the students who will shape the future of Central Arkansas.
“When I learned about Enduring Opportunity, I looked it up and realized it was right in line with my desire to support scholarships,鈥� Gina Pharis said.聽
Longtime supporters of both 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and Little Rock Public Radio, they have remained actively engaged with the university for years. Their latest gift of $25,000 to create the Gina and Brett Pharis Enduring Opportunity Scholarship expands that commitment while helping more students pursue a college degree.
“The university helped shape who I became,” Pharis said.
As a theatre student, she overcame her fear of speaking in front of an audience and discovered new opportunities through coursework in radio, television, and film.
“I learned about radio, television, and film and went on to work at my one and only radio job at KARN in 1985,” she said.
The lessons she learned extended beyond the classroom. The relationships she built with faculty and fellow students left a lasting impact.
“I was even invited to one of my professor’s retirement parties,” Pharis said. “The connections I made through all those impactful college days bring me back to the school.”
Years later, serving on the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumni Board gave her a deeper understanding of the role philanthropy plays in supporting students and advancing the university’s mission.
“Honestly, serving on the Alumni Board enlightened me to give in a philanthropic way,” she said.
Through their support of Enduring Opportunity, Gina and Brett Pharis hope to help more students earn a degree while reducing the financial burdens that can stand in the way of graduation.
“The impact will be substantial,” Pharis said. “It will be measured in the number of graduates over the coming years and the success of each student receiving that diploma with little to zero tuition debt. The smile on students’ faces will be worth every penny.”
The couple also sees the scholarship as an investment in the future of Little Rock and Arkansas.
“This program is designed to help each student have less stress and recognize how 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is helping them succeed, creating loyalty,” Pharis said. “The business community is working closely with departments all over campus scouting local talent. We are keeping students in Central Arkansas. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is a gold mine for the businesses of Little Rock.”
As longtime supporters of the university, Gina and Brett hope others will find ways to stay connected and support future generations of students.
“I would ask every graduate to stay in touch,” Pharis said. “Join the Alumni Association, stay connected, and find ways to be involved. I would also encourage business owners who have a connection to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock to get involved on a deeper level. Find their passion and support it.”
For Gina and Brett Pharis, supporting Enduring Opportunity is both a way to give back to a university that made a lasting impact on their lives and an investment in the students who will help shape Arkansas’s future.