Snowden Family Scholarships Honor UA President

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Little Rock couple David and Judy Snowden, along with their children and spouses, have provided $160,000 to establish University of Arkansas Honors College scholarships in honor of B. Alan Sugg, president of the University of Arkansas System.

The Snowden Family Honors College Academy Scholarships will be matched by $160,000 from the Matching Gift Program to create four $80,000 scholarship endowments for the benefit of Honors College students who are enrolled in the Sam M. Walton College of Business and the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

As a result of the support she received as a student at Rhodes College, Mrs. Snowden understands the importance of scholarship funding for students in higher education.  As a wish on her 65th birthday, Judy Snowden requested for her family to “give back” to the state of Arkansas by creating scholarships, the Snowdens chose to honor Sugg for what they call his “outstanding and steady leadership” on behalf of the University of Arkansas System, each campus and the state of Arkansas. 

B. Alan Sugg, president of the University of Arkansas System, said: “I am honored that David and Judy Snowden — good friends of Jean’s and mine — along with their family, have made such a generous gift to the University of Arkansas in my honor. Jean and I are both deeply touched by the gesture and know it will have a tremendous impact on our alma mater.”

John A. White, chancellor of the University of Arkansas, said: “The Snowden family’s commitment to the University of Arkansas will go a long way toward ensuring we have the resources available to remain nationally competitive. I applaud the desire of the Snowden family to honor President Sugg for his service to the State of Arkansas and his commitment to providing access to higher education for students across the entire University of Arkansas System.”

G. David Gearhart, vice chancellor for University Advancement, said: “The ability to attract and retain high-caliber students to the University of Arkansas is greatly enhanced thanks to the generosity of people like the Snowden family. Their establishment of Honors College Academy Scholarships will go a long way toward ensuring we have the funds necessary to remain nationally competitive. We appreciate their leadership and philanthropy.”

David and Judy Snowden’s children are David Snowden Jr. and Christy Snowden Kelly, of Little Rock.  Both are graduates of the U of A, and David served on the Walton College Advisory Council.  He is currently Chairman of the Board of Tarco, Inc.

David Snowden Sr. is CEO of Tarco Inc., a manufacturer of residential roofing products headquartered in Little Rock with plants in Arkansas, Texas and Pennsylvania . He was a founding member of the Nature Conservancy of Arkansas Board of Trustees and served on the board for multiples terms. The Nature Conservancy awarded David with its “Dale Bumpers Forever Arkansas Award” in 2001. Judy is a member of the UAMS Foundation Board and is chairman of the Chancellor’s Circle.  She served several years on the Center on Aging Board at UAMS.  Her devotion to UAMS comes as a result of the outstanding care she felt their daughter received there after a car wreck six years ago.

Alan Sugg has been president of the University of Arkansas System since 1990.  During his tenure, the endowment for the system has grown from approximately $20 million to more than $850 million.  Research and sponsored program funding have more than doubled and are greater than $250 million annually.  There has also been a $750 million construction boom system-wide. Sugg has been instrumental in developing the vision and executing the plan to meet the educational needs of all Arkansans. He has put together a network of two- and four-year colleges and universities that work together through distance learning and integrated curriculum to give every Arkansan an opportunity for continued education.

The Matching Gift Program, made possible by the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation’s $300 million gift to the University of Arkansas, provides matching funds for certain student and faculty endowments that show promise for enhancing economic competitiveness in Arkansas. This gift counts toward the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century and the effort to raise an additional $300 million for academic purposes by the Campaign’s end later this year.