For Haley Crafton Fowler ’06, the University of Central Arkansas has never been just a workplace. It has always been home.
Fowler arrived on campus in 2003 as a freshman, following a family legacy that included her parents and grandfather. She never considered going anywhere else. UCA was always part of her story, and over time, it became her career.
After graduating in 2006, Fowler accepted an opportunity to stay at UCA, beginning a professional path that has spanned student life, alumni relations and now annual giving. Along the way, she has built lasting relationships with students and alumni, many of whom share her deep connection to the university.
“What’s kept me here is the people and the purpose,” Fowler said. “UCA makes a real impact, and I’m grateful to be part of that every day.”
Today, Fowler serves in the development office as senior director of annual giving, where she helps alumni and friends support the university’s future. Her work is grounded in personal experience. As both an alumna and longtime staff member, she has seen how donor support directly shapes the student experience.
That perspective has guided her involvement in one of UCA’s most visible traditions, the annual Day of Giving. Fowler has led the initiative since it launched in 2015, helping it grow into a campuswide effort that brings together students, faculty, staff and alumni from all over the world to collectively raise meaningful support.
“It’s not about the size of a gift,” she said. “It’s about participation, pride and collective support.”
For Fowler, the impact of that work is both immediate and lasting. She sees it in the opportunities created for students and in the connections that continue long after graduation.
“UCA is a place that has given so much to my life,” she said. “Being part of that experience for others is what makes this work meaningful.”