The top news stories published by the University of Arkansas during 2017 range from transformative gifts creating the School of Art to a new parking permit system to the discovery of a natural motion in 2D graphene. The U of A news site averages about 3,500 readers each day, but some stories catch everyone's attention.

Here they are ranked by how many pageviews they received this year.

1. VISIONARY GIFT CREATES SCHOOL OF ART

An unprecedented gift of $120 million from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation to establish the School of Art was announced Aug. 23. It is the largest gift ever made to a U.S. university to support or establish a school of art. This gift will propel art education and research in the state forward while also providing unparalleled access and opportunity to students. A second gift of $40 million from the Windgate Charitable Foundation to the School of Art announced this week added to the high readership. 10,991 views.

2. MOTION IN 2D MATERIALS COULD CREATE CLEAN ENERGY

Research by Paul Thibado, professor of physics, provides strong evidence that the motion of two-dimensional materials could be used as a source of clean, limitless energy. Thibado and his students studied the movements of graphene, which is composed of a single layer of carbon. Thibado has taken the first steps toward creating a device that can turn this movement into electricity. 9,633 views

3. BID DAY IS BROADCAST LIVE BY UATV

More than 1,700 women, a record number, participated in sorority recruitment, which culminated in the Bid Day Ceremony. UATV broadcast the ceremony live and the production company AVAD3 simulcast the event into Hillside Auditorium. The live stream gave alumni and friends from across the world a chance to view this campus tradition as it happened. 7,386 views

4. THREE STUDENTS RUN $1 MILLION BUSINESS

Three U of A students — Tucker Partridge, Ryan Richardson and Nick Beyer — began interning at Hayseed Ventures in Fayetteville this pst year, and the owner entrusted to run a $1 million business called Scrubshopper.com. They oversee the day-to-day operations of the business, direct customer service, search engine optimization, and digital marketing. 7,001 views

5. LEADERSHIP CHANGES IN ATHLETICS

The university hired Hunter Yurachek as the new vice chancellor and director of athletics. Yuracheck comes to the university from a similar position at the University of Houston. Soon after Yurachek's hiring, the university also announced the new head coach for football would be Chad Morris. 6,993 views

6. NEW PARKING PERMIT PROCESS STARTS

It wasn't the sexiest article of 2017, but changes in the parking permit process and the proposal for adoption of a new license-plate recognition system to monitor parking violations affects the vast majority of faculty, staff and students on campus, drawing readers who wanted to know how the new system would work. 6,814 views

7. 2017 CLASS OF RAZORBACK CLASSICS

The Arkansas Alumni Association announced the 22 students recognized as Razorback Classics at the Cardinal & White Banquet on May 4 in Boyer Hall of the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House. The 22 students — the top 11 female and male students — were selected from 71 Seniors of Significance announced earlier in the semester. 6,732 views

8. NEW PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

The university began taking applications for a new, non-degree, four-year college experience program for students who have intellectual disabilities. The program began in the fall and the courses have focused on preparing these students to make the transition to independent living and employment. 6,212 views

9. TOP 20 HOMECOMING CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED

The Associated Student Government announced that the nominees for Homecoming Court had been narrowed to 20 male and 20 female finalists, and those finalists were then narrowed to the court, which was announced at the Chancellor's Ball just before Homecoming. 6,134 views

10. CLEANUP OF FORMER NUCLEAR REACTOR BEGINS

The University of Arkansas and its contractor, Energy Solutions, held an open house for community members who want to tour the inside of the decommissioned nuclear test reactor known as SEFOR, and learn more about the plans to clean up and dismantle the facility. 5,909 views 

Other Top Headlines of the Year

11. Biologist Develops Method to Calculate Populations of Elusive Species

12. Chancellor Steinmetz Issues Statement Regarding DACA Program

13. Deacue Fields Named Next Dean of Bumpers College

14. Twin Astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly Speak at University

15. University Posts Record Enrollment Growth But Pace Slows