FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas alumna Dorothy Dortch Kapnic of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is creating an endowed award to benefit the Department of Mathematical Sciences in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. Her $25,000 gift is motivated by her own experiences at the University of Arkansas and her commitment to continue the legacy of support she once received herself.

Kapnic grew up outside of Little Rock and attended North Little Rock High School, where she had two significant female mentors in geometry and physics. Thanks to their influence, she chose math as her major when she went to college and continued the U of A legacy shared by her father and older sister.

After graduating with her bachelor’s degree, her career then took her back to the same school where she taught alongside her high school mentors. At their urging, she applied for and received a National Science Foundation Fellowship and went on to earn her master of arts in mathematics. 

After a few more years of teaching, she joined AT&T in Kansas City, where she became involved in the computer field as a programmer analyst. Next, she went on to work for Sunoco in computer-related fields in both Tulsa and in Philadelphia. Later, she worked in computer areas for Blue Cross Blue Shield before retiring in 2009.

Throughout her academic and professional career, Kapnic found herself in a primarily male-dominated industry.

“I realized during my career that I had a responsibility to my gender as well as my position in the company,” she said. “And I realized that, in the long run, women need to help other women.”

Because of this, Kapnic felt moved to establish an award at the University of Arkansas to benefit other students who will contribute to a diverse educational environment, and she did so after receiving a call from one of the university’s “Hog Callers,” students who call alumni and donors as part of the annual giving program.

The Dorothy Dortch Kapnic Endowed Award in Mathematical Sciences will be given to undergraduate or graduate students who have at least a 3.0 grade point average and can describe how they contribute to such an environment.

“The education I received in mathematics helped me approach things more logically and analyze processes more efficiently,” said Kapnic. “I feel compelled to help those who come after me, which is why I created this award. You don’t have to have millions to make a difference in an area you care about.”

About the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: Fulbright College is the largest and most academically diverse unit on campus with 19 departments and more than 30 academic programs and research centers. The college provides the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students and is named for J. William Fulbright, former university president and longtime U.S. senator.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.