Campaign Arkansas Strengthens the Honors College
By John Treat
Photos courtesy of Russell Cothren
The books closed on the U of A’s Campaign Arkansas on July 24, logging an unprecedented period of growth in giving to the Honors College. We wanted to share the success — and our thanks — for what the college has accomplished since the campaign began in 2013.
First, the big numbers: We raised over $2.65 million, almost all of it in endowment support for scholarships. Due to our enrollment growth over the last decade, only about one-fourth of honors students receive scholarship support from the Honors College. Thanks to Campaign Arkansas, we continue work to close the gap.
Leading support from Campaign Arkansas was the Bodenhamer family, which contributed $1.3 million in a series of gifts across the life of the campaign to support endowment and current expenses for the Bodenhamer Fellowship program, the college’s most prestigious award, and to endow a new scholarship to support the Path Program, which recruits and retains students from underrepresented groups. A highlight of the campaign was the Bodie Bash, which marked the 20th anniversary of the Bodenhamer Fellowship, chaired by Dr. Rachel Fiori, ’04. This three-day celebration gathered 76 Bodenhamer alumni and family members to celebrate Dr. Lee Bodenhamer’s philanthropic legacy. In February, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education recognized the Bodie Bash with a Silver Award of Excellence in the alumni relations category.
More than one-third of the alumni fellows traveled from across the U.S. and abroad to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Bodenhamer Fellowship
The amount we raised was further augmented by support from Chancellor Steinmetz’s Advance Arkansas initiative, which matches endowment income support for programs with a preference for first-generation college students from Arkansas. In all, $710,000 in Campaign Arkansas gifts to the Honors College will receive an Advance Arkansas match, producing an approximate $28,000 per year in additional support for Honors College students.
Our most impressive total may not be the biggest number. Instead, it is the growth in the number of donors to the college. We began the campaign with minimal fundraising infrastructure. Over the life of the campaign, we have added an annual giving program, a parents’ committee and program, expanded outreach to our alumni, and established a Dean’s Advisory Board, which continues to support the work of the college since the campaign’s end. All of these contributed to 350 donors making 510 gifts to the Honors College during the life of the campaign, up from 10 gifts from seven donors in the campaign’s first year.
Finally, another most impressive total falls outside of the campaign figures. Recognizing the high levels of reserves that our stewardship of fellowship and other endowment funds had produced, the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation allowed the Honors College to move $5.6 million into two new endowments to support the Path Program in 2018. During the same period, the National Science Foundation made a grant of nearly $1 million to support Path’s work with STEM students. We are proud to announce that the program will receive a second $1 million grant focusing on promoting entrepreneurship and innovation. In all, Path endowed and major gift support grew by more than $7.5 million during Campaign Arkansas.
(l-r) Bob, Beverly, Jim and Lee Bodenhamer and Ann Rosso.
Nick and Carolyn Cole
Campaign Arkansas Committee Members
2012-2020
Ann Rosso, chair
Kathy Alexander, Law ’78
Rick, ’83, and Valerie, ’88, Angel
Ellen Brune, ’09
Nick and Carolyn, ’94, Cole
Dr. Rachel Fiori, ’04
Susan Hall, ’64
Dianne Lamberth, ’71
Mike, ’73, and Cathy Mayton
Bob and Linda McMath
Elizabeth Payne
Terry and Harriet, ’78, Pollock
Charles Scharlau, Law ’51
Jay Staley, ’07
Honors College Campaign Arkansas Honor Roll
$1,000,000+
The Bodenhamer Family, for support of the Bodenhamer Fellowships and the Path Program
$500,000+
Nick and Carolyn Cole for support of Path Program scholarships
$250,000+
Curtis and Jackye Finch for study-abroad scholarships.
Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation for Honors College internships
$100,000+
Bob and Linda McMath for support of Path Program Scholarships
$50,000+
Dave and Jane Gearhart for a new sculpture as a centerpiece for the Gearhart Hall Courtyard
$25,000+
Rick and Valerie Angel for the Angel Family Reception Area in Gearhart Hall
Lynda Coon for support of Path Program Scholarships
Michael Pierce and Tricia Starks for support of Path Program Scholarships
Dennis and Evelyn Shaw for support of study abroad and the Path Program