George Scholarship Supports Engineering Students in Financial Need

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Lyndell "J.C." George.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Doris George of Heber Springs is honoring her late husband’s legacy as a civil engineer and his passion for helping students by establishing a scholarship in his name at the University of Arkansas. The Lyndell J.C. George Endowed Scholarship will benefit students in the College of Engineering who are majoring in civil engineering.

Lyndell “J.C.” George arrived at the university as a “poor little country kid,” as described by his wife, in the late 1950s and paid for his college education by working part-time jobs to finance his coursework.

That experience turned out to be particularly meaningful for him, and – after graduating in 1960 – George began a successful career and remained engaged as an alumnus.

His involvement with the university was primarily through the Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineers, and his wife notes that he frequently donated to the scholarships supported by the academy. It was this connection that eventually led her to establish a scholarship in his honor after he passed away in 2013.

“He always enjoyed meeting the students who received the Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineers scholarships,” said Doris. “I thought creating this scholarship in his honor would be particularly meaningful to him.”

J.C. George’s career as a civil engineer began with the Arkansas State Health Department. He then spent a year at the University of Michigan where he earned his master’s degree in engineering.  

In 1963, George and his partner, Glen R. Blount, conceptualized the use of lasers for building gravity flow sewer lines and improving the accuracy in establishing grade lines. George and Blount invented the first laser to be used by the construction industry for alignment purposes and founded their company, AGL Corporation, in 1968. During this time, George also worked as the city engineer for Jacksonville from 1965 to 1968.

In 1973, George was named the Outstanding Small Businessman of the year for the central region of the National Council for Small Business Management Development. This prestigious honor brought national attention for the Jacksonville businessman.

Kevin Hall, head of the Department of Civil Engineering, said, “Mr. George was an active and generous supporter of our program and our students. As a long-time contributor to the Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineering Scholarship Program, Mr. George helped numerous students complete their educations. This is a tremendous legacy – enabling the next generation of engineers to follow the paths that he blazed in his career. The Lyndell J.C. George Endowed Scholarship will ensure his legacy continues with future generations. We are so fortunate to have this level of dedication among our alumni and are thrilled to join Mrs. George in honoring Mr. George and his career through this gift.”

The Lyndell J.C. George Endowed Scholarship will be available to undergraduate students majoring in civil engineering who demonstrate financial need.

About the College of Engineering: The University of Arkansas College of Engineering is the only comprehensive Ph.D.-granting engineering program in the state of Arkansas. The college offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in nine engineering fields, as well as incorporating distance learning and interdisciplinary programs. Faculty in the College of Engineering conduct research in many key areas, including electronics, energy, healthcare logistics, nanotechnology, transportation and logistics.

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.