The University of Central Arkansas announced on Tuesday two gifts totaling $225,000, with most being designated to the College of Business.
During a special reception at the president?s home, alumni Scott and Laura Roussel of Searcy along with Steve and Lana Russell of Little Rock were recognized for their generosity. UCA President Lu Hardin unveiled two plaques honoring their gifts as the university’s newest endowments.
The Roussels designated $100,000 of their gift to the College of Business? Department of Economics, Finance, Insurance and Risk Management (EFIRM) to set up an endowment. The Scott and Laura Roussel EFIRM Excellence Fund will provide support to supplement faculty travel to attend conferences, journal submission fees, student scholarships and other departmental needs.
The couple gave an additional $25,000 for the Foundation?s Margin of Excellence Fund to be used for private fund-raising efforts.
The Roussels are graduates of the university, both earned bachelor?s of business administration degrees in 1978. The Roussels are regional owners of EXIT Realty Arkansas and Oklahoma, and Scott is a member of the UCA Board of Trustees.
?Love is a powerful emotion and because we love this institution, we wanted to give this gift,? Scott said. ?We hope this isn?t the end, but rather the beginning of our giving.?
Laura said, ?UCA has given our entire family a lot. A college degree is today what a high school degree was five or 10 years ago. It?s really the starting point in life for individuals now, and we recognize how important that is.?
Steve Russell, a 1976 graduate, is president of First Arkansas Insurance, an independent agency in Little Rock. His $100,000 gift was designated to the Insurance and Risk Management program within the College of Business. The Steve Russell Excellence in Insurance Endowed Fun will provide funds to supplement student scholarships, faculty travel, faculty certification fees, library needs, student field trips and the national insurance society, Gamma Iota Sigma.
?The professors in the insurance program at UCA put on their marketing caps and sold me on the importance of their program, so I was happy to establish an endowment to support it. My fellow classmates, Rush Harding, Hal Crafton and Scott Roussel, also inspired me with their generosity to this university, and I hope this gift will inspire many others,? Russell said.
Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Development Kelley Erstine expressed appreciation for the gifts. ?These two couples are representing a wonderful contribution to this university and to the UCA Foundation. They made these gifts not because they seek the limelight but because their hearts are with this university. Their generosity is helping to build momentum for future fundraising efforts.?
The Roussels and Russells are also serving in leadership positions in an upcoming major fundraising effort by the university.
?These gifts are significant because they are generous and they are helping students and faculty directly,? President Hardin said. ?We are especially proud of the extensive curriculum offered through the UCA College of Business in the areas of economics, finance, insurance and risk management.?
