FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas has announced the appointment of alumna Katy Nelson as director of Development and External Relations, effective January 15, 2006.

Nelson joins the Walton College from the McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin, where she is director of corporate relationship management. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communications from the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

“We believe that Katy’s extensive experience and leadership skills will enable her to help us secure private funding for future programs and foster the development of alumni and friends — so that the Walton College can continue to be nationally competitive,” said Worrell.

In addition to fund-raising responsibilities, Nelson will also serve as head of the Walton College’s office of external relations, which includes constituent relations, communications and special events.

Nelson served as a faculty instructor and graduate teaching assistant in the UA communications department. She also worked as a campaign aide for Don Nelms in his campaign for the U.S. Congress. She joined the University of Texas in 1994 as an academic advisor in the Life Sciences Advising Center. Nelson was coordinator of recruiting for the McCombs School from 1996 to 1998. As director of corporate development in the McCombs School from 1998 to 2004, she was responsible for the school’s corporate development strategy in the university’s $1.6 billion campaign. The area was expanded in 2004 to corporate relationship management, which is responsible for corporate relationships on a school-wide basis. While at the University of Texas, she received the McCombs School Staff Excellence Award.