The Enduring Opportunity Scholarship was created to permanently sustain 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 commitment to affordability, supporting initiatives such as the Half-Off Scholarship and the Trojan Guarantee.

The effort was launched following a transformative $7.5 million gift from the Windgate Foundation. As part of that investment, Windgate challenged the university to raise $1.5 million to unlock the final $1.5 million of its commitment. By meeting that challenge, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock will transform the foundation鈥檚 original gift into a $9 million permanent source of scholarship support.

This milestone moves the university closer to ensuring that financial hardship is never the reason a student walks away from a degree.

鈥淭his investment ensures that students 鈥� not just today, but for years to come 鈥� can earn a high-quality degree without overwhelming financial burden,鈥� said Chancellor Christina S. Drale. 鈥淭hat kind of stability strengthens families, communities, and our state.鈥�

The Phase One milestone was made possible through coordinated efforts across Advancement, Enrollment, and Marketing and Communications, who worked together to engage alumni and supporters with targeted outreach and student impact stories.

With Phase One complete, the university now turns its focus to raising the remaining $1 million before the June 30, 2027 deadline, with leaders hopeful the goal can be met even earlier.

Christian O鈥橬eal, Vice Chancellor for Advancement, said the early momentum reflects strong belief in the university鈥檚 direction and mission.

鈥淥ur donors understand that this is about long-term access,鈥� O鈥橬eal said. 鈥淭hey believe in what鈥檚 happening at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, and they鈥檙e stepping forward to be part of it. Raising $500,000 ahead of schedule sends a clear message that we have the support and the resolve to finish this challenge.鈥�

Phase One donors who established Enduring Opportunity Endowed Scholarships include:

• Christina S. Drale
• Mary and Sean Glancy (via J.R. Bizzell)
• The Stevens Family
• Rodney M. Abston Family
• Carol and James Hendren
• The Shuffield Family
• Dr. Eleanor Kennedy and Dr. Lee Able
• Joni and George Lee
• 35+ faculty and staff聽
• Anonymous donors

Their generosity is already impacting students like Erryn Washington, a nursing student who said receiving scholarship support changed her college experience.

鈥淲hen I received my scholarship, it felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders,鈥� Washington said. 鈥淏efore that, I worried constantly about how I was going to pay for school. Now I can focus on finishing my degree and preparing for a career in healthcare.鈥�

Every gift to the Enduring Opportunity Scholarship helps unlock the full Windgate investment and strengthens 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 long-term commitment to keeping education within reach for students across Arkansas.

To learn more or to make a gift, visit /centennial/enduring-opportunity/

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糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock announced the creation of the Enduring Opportunity Scholarship Fund on May 2 during a special event at Ottenheimer Library. The Windgate Foundation鈥檚 gift includes $5 million to establish a permanent endowed scholarship fund, creating a sustainable source of financial support for future students, and $2.5 million in immediate-use funds to support affordability initiatives over the next several years while the endowment grows. 

鈥淭he Windgate Foundation is pleased to support the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in its ongoing efforts to expand educational opportunities for students,鈥� said Pat Forgy, executive director of the Windgate Foundation. 鈥淲hile I regret that I cannot be with you in person today, I want to express our deep appreciation for 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 steadfast commitment to making higher education more accessible for students across Arkansas.鈥�

The Enduring Opportunity Scholarship Program reinforces 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 longstanding commitment to affordability and access in higher education. It builds on earlier initiatives such as the Half-Off Scholarship and Trojan Guarantee, made possible by a $25 million anonymous gift in 2020.

鈥淔or the last five years we鈥檝e made affordability a top priority for our students. We knew that to move the needle on educational attainment, we had to step up our game in the area of need-based student aid,鈥� 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale said. 鈥淲e were fortunate to receive a substantial anonymous gift in 2020 that allowed us to take bold steps in reimagining how we structure our scholarships and to introduce new initiatives. In order to sustain this momentum, our goal has been to create a structure that will help ensure that we can offer these opportunities in perpetuity. This generous gift from the Windgate Foundation does that and represents a powerful investment in the future of Arkansas. We are deeply grateful for their partnership in building a legacy of opportunity and success for our students.”

The Windgate Foundation鈥檚 support not only ensures long-term sustainability for these student success initiatives, but it also propels the university forward in a historic way. This generous contribution also marks a major milestone in 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Centennial Campaign, the largest fundraising effort in university history. With this gift, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has now raised $225.5 million toward its $250 million campaign goal ahead of the university鈥檚 100-year anniversary in 2027.

鈥淎t Windgate, we believe that when students are empowered to pursue their education free from financial barriers, they are better positioned to thrive and reach their full potential,鈥� Forgy said. 鈥淲e are proud to support Chancellor Drale and the entire 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock community for their thoughtful leadership and unwavering dedication to student success.

Forgy emphasized the transformative potential of investing in students. 

鈥淚t is our sincere hope that this gift will help open new doors, create meaningful opportunities, and ensure that more students can access the quality education they deserve鈥攖oday and for generations to come,鈥� she said.

To further strengthen the impact of the Enduring Opportunity Scholarship Fund, the Windgate Foundation has issued a $1.5 million challenge to the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock community to grow the endowed scholarship. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock aims to meet this goal quickly and build on it to ensure long-term impact and sustainability.

Demonstrating her commitment, Chancellor Drale announced a personal gift of $25,000 as the first contribution to the Enduring Opportunity Scholarship Challenge.

“I am personally committed to this important effort and honored to take the first step,” Drale said. “I want to invite all of our supporters to dream big with me and help us grow this endowment many times over. Together, we can ensure that affordable education is forever.”

By breaking down financial barriers, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has reversed an enrollment decline and achieved its strongest enrollment growth in over a decade. As an anchor institution, the university is not only expanding access to higher education, but also driving long-term economic mobility and community success. The Enduring Opportunity Scholarship Fund builds on that momentum, ensuring more Arkansans can choose a high-quality, affordable education that transforms lives for generations to come.

To make a lasting commitment to student opportunity, you can learn more about giving opportunities by visiting the Enduring Opportunity Scholarship Fund website.

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As one of the inaugural members of , a new program of Mid-America Arts Alliance, Slagle will receive a $10,000 grant as well as professional development training designed to meet the needs of working artists. The program is designed to ignite the careers of artists who reside in eligible central Arkansas countries through funding, mentorship, and management.

鈥淚 am really thrilled to be a part of the Catalyze program,鈥� Slagle said. 鈥淚 often write academic grant proposals, and it is great to receive one for my photographic work. The program is unique because it will provide us with professional development, networking, and education opportunities as well as funding to pursue our artistic projects.鈥�

Unlike many other grant programs, these practice-based grants are not specific to one art project, but rather to the artist鈥檚 overall creative practice. Funds can be used for any purpose that supports the continued development of their creative work. From studio rent, to childcare, to equipment, the awards aim to support artists in their processes, with an understanding that artists know what resources they need to let their creative work soar.

鈥淭raditionally artist grants are given for discrete projects to be completed in specific parameters,鈥� said Diane Scott, director of artist services at Mid-America Arts Alliance. 鈥淭hose are great, but often what artists need to really impact their careers is just what traditional businesses need: equipment, capacity-building, or research and development. This gift from the Windgate Foundation will allow these artists to strategically invest in what they need at this moment to take the next steps in their careers. It鈥檚 a real game-changer.鈥�

Through the application process, artists were selected on the basis of their artistry, intended use and impact of the funding in their art practice, and the creation of a balanced peer cohort. Artists demonstrated a desire to participate in a multidisciplinary peer-based learning cohort, attended a professional development retreat June 24鈥�25,, and will receive ongoing small group support and mentorship throughout the following year.

Slagle, a fine-art film photographer, is covering environmental conservation narratives primarily in the Southern and Midwestern areas of the United States. He will use the Catalyze grant to photograph partnerships with nonprofits and governmental entities for documentation of the science of conservation practices.

Slagle is going old school for this photographic project, using a 1940s Speed Graphic camera and Aero Ektar lens that utilizes large-format film. The specialty film must be ordered online, but Slagle said it gives his work a 鈥渢otally unique look.鈥� He develops, prints, and digitally scans all the photographs himself.

鈥淯sing a large-format film camera from the 1940s makes you slow down and be really intentional with every photo,鈥� Slagle said. 鈥淥ne of the photo sessions encompassed a whole day鈥檚 work, and I only took 12 pictures. You really have to think through every shot.鈥�

So far, Slagle has photographed beekeepers, bird conservation groups, ranchers, and a feral hog eradication hunt, but he鈥檚 on the lookout for other opportunities to photograph sustainability and conservation efforts around the state.

Slagle鈥檚 photographs can be viewed at . Eventually, he would like to turn the photography project into a museum and/or gallery exhibition as well as publish his photographs in a book.

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鈥渁rtWAYS is primarily a community-building and a recruiting program for the School of Art and Design, but it is also a chance for highly motivated visual arts students to spend a week with us in the Windgate Center of Art + Design,鈥� said artWAYS Director AnDi Tompkins, a 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock art outreach specialist. She added that students spend time with professional art faculty, making their own artwork in state-of-the-art studios, classrooms, and labs.

“What we hear over and over from artWAYS students is that they love interacting with our professors and working in university art studios,” Tompkins said. “They enjoy living together in the residence hall and making new friends from all over the state.”

The camp is free thanks to a generous grant from the Windgate Foundation that covers registration, art supplies, meals, and on-campus housing. Sessions this year included Jewelry as Self Expression with Lydia Martin, metalsmithing and jewelry professor; Kinetic Sculpture with Peter Scheidt, woodworking professor; Mesoamerican Art with Dr. Lynne Larsen, art history professor; and Screenprint Factory with David Warren, printmaking professor.

During the day, students rotated through three or four emphasis areas while studying with 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock faculty who are also working artists. Students who wanted to continue their instruction participated in Structured Open Studio hours in the evening. They also enjoyed evening activities including a game night, scavenger hunt, water wars, and movie night.

The 44 students from Arkansas who attended the camp are Abby Mullikin, Abigail Martinez, Allyssa Sloan, AnDraya Craig, Aubrey Marsocci, Beryl Baker, Brayden Gallegos, Breanna Smith, Briana Brown, Carma Tart, Caroline Leonard, Conchita Reta, Connor McCallum, Destiny Montgomery, Emily Armstrong, Gabriella Dover, Gray Armstrong, Isabella Freudensprung, Jadon Parks, Jaidyn Givan, Jessalyn Cotten, Kaycee Davis, Kennedy Lucas, Lily Madden, Lindsey Morris, Lola Landreth, Lydia Thomas, Macy Hunt, Maegan/Piper Reeder, Maryn Asbury, Maura Lepes, Meadow McGinnis, Midelys Torres, Natalie Pearson, Natyleigh Jenkins, Nina Peterson, Olivia Tinkle, Olivia George, Olivia Hays, Rhiannon Faulkner, River Higgs, Sam Jaeger, Sam Stoffel, and Zoe Tarbill. Trinity Hart attended from Texas.

The program culminated with a Renaissance Faire and Feast based on this year’s theme, “The Renaissance.”  Students, many elaborately dressed as knights, ladies, and fairies, dined at a long table while a bard played guitar music. Faculty and program staff also wore elaborate period costumes. The faire also featured an exhibition of student art.

鈥淵ou teach them some really basic skills, and they take it and make what they want,鈥� said Professor Martin. 鈥淲hat they make is really a reflection of who they are.鈥�

She said students learned to saw, file, sand, and stamp sheet metal as well as how to change the color of the metal using a torch or liquids. They also got an introduction to creating polymer clay beads, stone setting, and soldering.

Chichita Reta, a Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School senior, said she learned a lot about the versatility of metal when she created an elaborate key.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a time for me to create something that I can treasure and I wanted to make this key because it鈥檚 a complicated design,鈥� she said, adding that she also created a beaded keychain featuring her name and her sister鈥檚 name.

Parks, a senior at Southside High School, said the program gives students a chance to 鈥渟ee new types of art that you really haven鈥檛 seen before. It really is an enriching environment.鈥�

Professor Scheidt gave students the opportunity to explore kinetic sculpture and make artwork that moves. Students worked with wire, collage, and found objects to create a small moving vignette or scene.

In Professor Warren鈥檚 鈥淪creenprint Factory鈥� session, the student artists designed, created, and printed a screenprint. They also learned how to transfer hand-drawn and digital imagery onto a screen.

鈥淪creenprinting was my favorite because you get to take your design and put it on a T-shirt that you can wear any day of the week,鈥� said 鈥淟iv鈥� George, a senior at Heber Springs High School.  鈥淵ou get to present your artwork every day.鈥�

George was among several students who also attended the camp last year. Mongomery, a senior at Parkview Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School, said this year鈥檚 organizers planned more free time and different activities – including the Renaissance event.

鈥淎ll of the classes were interesting and all of the teachers were very supportive,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he environment was super comforting.鈥�

Hart, a junior at Atlanta High School in Texas, said her art teacher told her about the artWAYS camp. 鈥淚鈥檓 really thankful that I had the opportunity to meet fellow artists and find myself,鈥� she said. 鈥淓verybody is so nice – the teachers and the helpers.鈥�

Former campers Sophia Neely and Macey McLaughlin returned as residential counselors this year. Inspired by the camp, they will be returning to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock this fall as freshmen.

鈥淚t actually helped me decide what I wanted to go to college for,鈥� Neely said. 鈥淚 wanted to do art education but I knew that I wanted to do something on the side. So, coming here helped me decide to get a certificate in metalsmithing.鈥�

McLaughlin, who will major in art design, said through the camp, she 鈥渃onnected with other people like me and it showed me that I could be an illustrator.鈥�

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鈥淲e are incredibly grateful to the Windgate Foundation for their generous support of this effort,鈥� said Chancellor Christina S. Drale. 鈥淗igh quality teacher education has never been more important. This funding will help us sustain strong leadership for the program and will make possible further investment in innovative teacher preparation at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.鈥�

The Windgate Director of the School of Education will play a direct role in ensuring the School of Education graduates day-one ready teacher candidates. Primary goals will be strengthening partnerships with K-12 schools and state school districts, increasing enrollment, supporting curricular innovation and meaningful assessment, raising awareness of the program, and raising funds to support teacher preparation efforts.

鈥淲e were impressed with the work of Chancellor Drale and the education leadership team in articulating their vision and plan to transform teacher education,鈥� said Pat Forgy, executive director of Windgate Foundation. 鈥淭hese critical improvements will allow 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock to provide a clear pathway for classroom-ready teachers in Arkansas. It is our honor to support this effort, and we look forward to seeing the impact it will have in the years ahead.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful for the support of the Windgate Foundation,鈥� said Dr. Sarah Beth Estes, dean of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education. 鈥淭hey have long been a friend to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education. Their commitment to improving teacher preparation efforts will not only impact students at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, but it will pay dividends for children in Arkansas for generations to come.鈥�

Since 2021, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has received more than $550,000 from Forward Arkansas to develop an innovative model focused on reimaging teacher education. The generous support from the Windgate Foundation allows the university to strengthen its transformative work by launching a national search for the first Windgate Director of the School of Education.

鈥淥ur faculty have worked incredibly hard to develop an innovative approach to how we approach teacher education and preparation,鈥� said Dean Estes. 鈥淭he new Windgate Director of the School of Education will play a critical role in expanding that work so that by the time our students graduate they will be fully prepared for a rewarding career that will help build positive learning environments for K-12 students throughout Arkansas schools.鈥�

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