FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas alumni Ken and Liz Allen of Fayetteville have made a $50,000 gift to Campaign Arkansas to support the Ken and Liz Allen Scholarship Fund. Their gift is counted as part of the Advance Arkansas scholarship initiative, which creates campus-wide undergraduate scholarship endowments to support new, returning and transfer students from Arkansas who exhibit some financial need, record of academic success and civil engagement or community leadership.

“Ken and Liz Allen continue to be key supporters of the university with this generous gift to help Arkansas students who are interested in being a part of the future of business in our state,” said Matt Waller, dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business and holder of the Sam Walton Leadership Chair. “Many more deserving Arkansas students will be set up for success in college and in life through this scholarship fund.”

The Allens have been supporting scholarships at the university since 2006 and wanted to embrace the opportunity to participate in Advance Arkansas. Their participation in the initiative will unlock a matching contribution from the university to benefit their future recipients.

“Being a part of Advance Arkansas is a great way to expand the outreach of our scholarship,” Liz Allen said. “When I attended college, it was a financial sacrifice for my family. It’s important to Ken and me to help others.”

The Allens have met several of their scholarship recipients over the years. “We’ve been impressed with every student we’ve met. Many are working while they’re going to college and doing well,” Ken Allen said.

The Ken and Liz Allen Scholarship Fund will attract and retain freshmen who are residents of Arkansas and who demonstrate financial need and the academic potential for success in the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Preference will be given to dependents of current active duty military personnel. Once granted, the scholarships will follow the recipients throughout their undergraduate studies, regardless of academic major, as long as they maintain good academic standing.

The Allens met on the Fayetteville campus and graduated together in 1980. Ken Allen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and a master’s degree from Northwestern University. Liz Allen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the Fulbright College as well.

“We love the university,” Liz Allen said. “Most of the good things in our lives started at the university.”

The Allens are life members of the Arkansas Alumni Association and the Chancellor’s Society and are counted as Thoroughreds for their 11 years of consecutive giving to the U of A. They are also included in the Towers of Old Main, the giving society for the university’s most generous benefactors. 

About Campaign Arkansas: Campaign Arkansas is the ongoing capital campaign for the University of Arkansas to raise private gift support for the university’s academic mission and other key priorities. The campaign’s goal is to raise $1 billion to support academic and need-based scholarships, technology enhancements, new and renovated facilities, undergraduate, graduate and faculty research, study abroad opportunities and other innovative programs. The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in a wide spectrum of disciplines as it works to fulfill its public land-grant mission to serve Arkansas and beyond as a partner, resource and catalyst.

About the Sam M. Walton College of Business: The Sam M. Walton College of Business is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in business education and research. Since its founding at the University of Arkansas in 1926, the Walton College has grown to become the state's premier college of business – as well as a nationally competitive business school. The Walton College is ranked 26th among public business colleges by U.S. News & World Report, which ranks the supply chain management/logistics specialty 14th among public business colleges.

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.