FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A new faculty fellowship is being created in the College of Education and Health Professions thanks to a $500,000 gift from the A.L. Chilton Foundation in Dallas, Texas.

The foundation, which counts sisters and University of Arkansas alumnae Patti Brown and Bonnie Harding on its distribution committee, is establishing the fellowship in special education for the benefit of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. The purpose of the A.L. Chilton/Patti Bell Brown/Bonnie Bell Harding Endowed Faculty Fellowship in Special Education will be to recruit and retain highly qualified individuals to engage in a variety of research, service and policy opportunities to help reform special education services in the state of Arkansas and the nation.

“This faculty fellowship represents unprecedented support in special education at the University of Arkansas,” said Chris Wyrick, vice chancellor for university advancement. “Thanks to this gift, the Department of Curriculum and Instruction will have the ability to include a faculty member who will bring their department to the next level and further enhance its national reputation. Offering competitive faculty salaries is a key metric for bringing the best educators to our students.

“The continued and increasing support we have received from the A.L. Chilton Foundation is making a direct impact on our ability to do this. Patti and Bonnie have been very engaged alumnae and are eager to make a difference at their alma mater,” he said.

Harding and Brown were inspired to make the gift, in part, thanks to the leadership they have witnessed from College of Education and Health Professions Dean Tom Smith.

“The A.L. Chilton Foundation is so pleased to be able to provide financial support to the University of Arkansas, and – as graduates – we are just thrilled to be able to participate and contribute in this way,” said the sisters.

“We recognize the significant accomplishments of Chancellor G. David Gearhart and Dean Tom Smith and their efforts to position the U of A. Under their leadership, the department has made tremendous strides in placing the University of Arkansas among the top educational ranks of all universities. By investing in the great work going on, the U of A will benefit both the students and the community now and in the future. We are proud to be alumnae of the school and to be a part of this effort.”

Brown and Harding are both graduates of the College of Education and Health Professions and hold bachelor degrees in education. Together with their husbands, they serve as members of the Campaign Arkansas Steering Committee and are all members of the Arkansas Alumni Association.

The A.L. Chilton Foundation is an independent foundation set up in 1945 in Texas by Arthur L. and Leonore Chilton. Mr. Chilton, who owned Sky Broadcasting Service, a chain of radio stations in Texas and Arkansas, died in 1973. The foundation’s primary funding interests are in the areas of health care, religious organizations and education.