FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The Office of University Development - a department within the University of Arkansas Division of University Advancement will be honored for what the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education calls its "superior fund-raising program."

The CASE/Wealth ID Award for Educational Fund Raising is a Circle of Excellence award that recognizes overall performance in fund raising. It is based on the judges' analysis of institutional fund-raising data as submitted to the Council for Aid to Education's annual Voluntary Support of Education surveys for the past three years.

Institutions do not submit entries to be considered for this award. Out of the 274 colleges and universities CASE considered, 37 institutions won an award.

G. David Gearhart, vice chancellor for University Advancement, said: "We are delighted to learn that our fund-raising program is among the exceptional group of colleges, universities and independent schools honored with this award. I'm absolutely thrilled that the development office is being recognized again for being an exemplary operation. This is an opportunity for the University of Arkansas to stand out and be a leader by modeling its best practices to other institutions."

Development was honored in February by CASE District III with the Grand Award for Overall Development Programs, the highest honor, for the university's efforts to raise $900 million through the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century and Campaign-related programs such as The $300 Million Challenge and the Matching Gift Program.

CASE, headquartered in Washington, D.C., with an office in London, is the professional organization for advancement professionals at all levels, who work in alumni relations, communications and development. Its membership includes more than 3,000 colleges, universities and independent elementary and secondary schools in the United States, Canada, Mexico and 42 other countries. It is the largest nonprofit education association in terms of institutional membership.

The awards will be presented at CASE's Annual Assembly in San Diego in July.