Former Grocery Store President Helps Establish Scholarship For International Students Attending The University Of Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. International undergraduate and graduate students looking to attend the University of Arkansas will soon have access to more scholarship money thanks to a generous $150,000 gift from Gerald L. and Vicki Harp. Established in conjunction with The Rotary Foundation District 6110, the gift/award will be known as the Dr. Ben Saltzman and Mr. Jim Rountree Endowed Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship.

Dr. Saltzman and Mr. Rountree are both past directors of Rotary International and district governors of Rotary District 6110. Mr. and Mrs. Harp have chosen to honor these two Rotarians and their lifelong commitment to international understanding by endowing a scholarship through the Rotary Foundation that will benefit an international student attending the University of Arkansas.

"This is a wonderful opportunity the Harps have created for international students wishing to learn more about American education and culture through study at the University of Arkansas," Chancellor John A. White said. "All of our students benefit from the diversity that a multicultural population brings to Fayetteville. There's much to be learned from other cultures through exchange programs and study abroad experiences. Thanks to the generosity of people like Gerald and Vicki Harp, these experiences contribute to the University of Arkansas' emergence as a nationally competitive, student-centered research university serving Arkansas and the world."

The Rotary Foundation's Ambassadorial Scholarships program is the world's largest privately funded international scholarship program and provides opportunities for more than 1,000 students worldwide to study abroad each year. The Saltzman and Rountree Scholarship will be designated as an Academic-Year Scholarship and will support a student for one academic year of study at the University.

"The Harp family has maintained a long history of significant contributions to education throughout Northwest Arkansas, and along with the Rotary Foundation, we are grateful for their wonderful gift to assist the University in attracting international students," Vice Chancellor for University Advancement G. David Gearhart said.

This competitive scholarship will assist in building a bridge between Rotary District 6110, which includes parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas and Rotary District 7020, which includes Anguilla, Bahamas (excluding the Great Bahama Island), British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, French West Indies, Haiti, Jamaica, part of Netherlands Antilles, Turks and Cacao Island and Virgin Islands.

The scholarship will be administered by the Rotary Foundation, with the understanding that the recipient will attend the University of Arkansas.