The University of Central Arkansas has announced that it raised $36,765,084 for New Vision, New Century: The Centennial Campaign for UCA, the university’s first ever comprehensive fundraising campaign which ended on Dec. 31.
The original goal of $35 million was publicly announced in the fall of 2007, coinciding with the university’s 100-year anniversary.
During the course of the five-year fundraising period, 7,617 individuals and organizations contributed to the campaign.
In addition to surpassing the goal of the university’s first major fundraising effort, several other milestones were achieved:
•More than $7.5 million in planned gifts matured during the campaign.
•More than 223 new funds were created, 101 of which were for student scholarships.
•New scholarships were established for students studying in each of the six academic colleges.
•A goal of establishing at least two new scholarship funds for African American students studying in each of the academic colleges was achieved.
•52 faculty members received faculty grants of up to $3,000 for various programs and research projects.
•36 individuals or organizations contributed $100,000 or more to the campaign.
•Faculty and staff giving more than doubled to just over 50 percent.
“I truly thank our faculty, staff and students who gave to this fundraising campaign,” UCA President Allen Meadors said. “You are the heart of this campus and your generosity is a real testament of your loyalty and dedication to UCA and its future. We could not have done this without you. Thank you.”
The largest single gift was a $5.3 million contribution from the Walton Family Foundation, Inc. to establish the Arkansas Public School Resource Center in 2008. The center was established to provide comprehensive services to advance and support school choice initiative and the implementation of high-quality open enrollment public charter schools in Arkansas, as well as providing a variety of support services critical to the fiscal and academic success of rural public schools in the state.
The foundation also accepted more than $7.5 million in planned gifts which matured over the course of the campaign. The estate of Jake and Mary Ellen White Crow directed a bequest of more than $4.2 million to the university to be used for scholarships for descendants of the family, as well as students from Phillips and Faulkner counties.
Since the fundraising efforts began in 2004, the amount of scholarship funds annually awarded to students through the foundation has nearly doubled to more than $474,000. The number of students receiving private scholarships has also continued to climb. This academic year, the university awarded private scholarships to 321 UCA students, 42 percent more students than in 2004-05.
“I am very excited that we were able to complete this campaign by not only meeting, but also by surpassing our campaign goal,” said campaign co-chair Rush Harding. “Completing a successful campaign is also a credit to my co-chairs, the late Dr. Jeff Farris and his wife Patsy. I am confident that Dr. Farris would be proud that UCA was able to achieve this kind of success. I think we owe a lot of credit to Shelley Mehl and her staff for closing this out especially with the challenges we have faced over the several months. UCA will always be at the top of the list of my family’s giving and I look forward to the success of future UCA Foundation efforts. Private fundraising is something the university will have to continue to do and I am confident we will continue to be successful with it.”
“We are so thankful all of our alumni and friends and members of the community who stepped up over the last five years and made a commitment to the University of Central Arkansas,” said Shelley Mehl, interim vice president for advancement. “Many areas of the campus were positively impacted by the generous giving and we look forward to building on the success of this campaign and generating even more support for students and faculty especially in the areas of scholarships and faculty programs and projects.”
– Jennifer Boyett
