Schmieding Foundation Gifts to Support Student Success, Research Excellence

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Gifts from the Schmieding Foundation totaling $600,000 will support the naming of two spaces on campus and enhance resources provided within the Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence (The CORD) and the U of A’s Speech and Hearing Clinic.

“We are excited to expand our partnership with the university to provide resources to advance student success and support students in their academic and career decisions at The CORD,” said Lance Taylor, president of the Schmieding Foundation. “The Schmieding Foundation Sensory Room will not only provide a new space for faculty to conduct research and prepare students for future healthcare careers, but it will also help grow our healthcare workforce and provide much-needed therapeutic services for children and their families in the region.”
These gifts demonstrate the Schmieding Foundation’s long-standing dedication to bridging gaps in both higher education and healthcare in the state of Arkansas. 

“Thanks to the generosity of the Schmieding Foundation, students will have increased access to programs and resources that are integral to success on campus and after graduation,” said Scott Varady, vice chancellor for advancement. “We are immensely grateful for their steadfast support of University of Arkansas students.”

SCHMIEDING FOUNDATION MAJOR AND CAREER STUDIO

The Schmieding Foundation Major and Career Studio in the Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence will provide additional programming opportunities and resources to assist students who are undecided about their major or career options. 

Funding will be used to ensure that students have access to staff advisers and peer mentors who will help students plan for academic and post-graduation success. This investment will diminish achievement gaps and expand educational support for students facing academic, financial and social challenges, and improve student retention outcomes. 

“Bolstering student success and supporting research excellence are two of the three pillars of our 150 Forward strategic planning process, and the Schmieding Foundation’s generous gifts will be a major boon to those efforts,” said Chancellor Charles Robinson. “Helping undeclared students find majors they are passionate about will help them succeed in the classroom and in their careers, and the Schmieding Foundation Sensory Room will allow our healthcare researchers and students to better serve Arkansans.”  

SCHMIEDING FOUNDATION SENSORY ROOM

The Schmieding Foundation Sensory Room will be located in the Speech and Hearing Clinic in the Epley Center for Health Professions. The clinic is a university-affiliated practice that offers comprehensive speech, language and audiology services to the Northwest Arkansas community. 

Funds will be used to renovate the space and purchase new equipment needed to serve children and teens with sensory integration needs, and provide research and training for students and healthcare professionals. 

The Schmieding Foundation previously made additional gifts to the university, including the Schmieding Endowed Internship in the School of Social Work, an Advance Arkansas Scholarship in Nursing, an endowed award for nursing students and the Schmieding Research Fellowships in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education and Health Professions. Lawrence Schmieding was a member of the university’s Campaign for the Twenty-First Century steering committee, Towers of Old Main and a member of the Arkansas Alumni Association.

About University Advancement: University Advancement advances the mission of the University of Arkansas by raising private gift support from alumni, friends, parents, foundations, corporations, and other institutional supporters. Working in philanthropic partnership with academic leaders and volunteers, Advancement team members are determined to advance the people, work, and impact of the greater whole at the University of Arkansas.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.