FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Women’s Giving Circle at the University of Arkansas awarded $100,000 in grants to 11 projects at their annual voting event, which took place virtually on Jan. 14.

The event marked the group’s 18th year of funding innovative projects, programs and research. This year’s funding brought the circle’s total to more than $1.5 million awarded since 2002.

In 2020, the circle and its membership awarded a $10,000 emergency grant to the Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry to support the critical shortages in food and funding the pantry faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WGC members made additional gifts bringing the total to $17,770. The emergency grant was part of the 2020 grant funding cycle, bringing the total awards for 12 projects to $110,000.

Caroline Rochelle, the outgoing president of the Women’s Giving Circle, said she was proud of the membership and the grant proposal participants for meeting the challenges of their new online format head-on. 

“I think our actions over the last several months just show what an adaptable and enterprising group we have,” Rochelle said. “We look forward to our in-person voting event every year and all of the energy that comes with it, but our group brought that enthusiasm to the online event and showed up ready to make a difference. The format may have changed this year, but the incredible results were the same, and we all left feeling a little more hope for the future, thanks to these proposals. More than anything, this annual event reminds us that there is a lot of good out there, and I love that we — as a group — can collectively support and nurture these bold and innovative ideas to make our world a better place.”

The Women’s Giving Circle is made up of U of A alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the university and was created to encourage women as philanthropic leaders. Members of the circle make yearly contributions to generate funds for the annual awards, and these contributions are pooled together and awarded annually to selected recipients who complete the grant proposal process. 

This year, members adapted to the challenges of in-person gatherings by reviewing 16 grant proposal videos online and holding a Zoom call to discuss the top 11 finalists, ultimately voting on the allocation of their funding. The final awardees were narrowed down from a starting pool of 44 proposals, and the amounts of the 11 grants awarded during the voting event ranged from $5,000 to $16,502.

THE TOP 11 FINALISTS

Enhancing Imaging of Breast Tumor Margins Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy, a research project to develop new imaging technology that can assess the margins of excised breast tumors in breast conserving surgery. The outcome of this research, which received $16,502 in funding, may aid in the effectiveness of accurately determining margins in breast tumors treated with chemotherapy. The project was presented by Magda El-Shenawee, a professor in the department of electrical engineering in the College of Engineering.

Removing Access Barriers Through Assistive Technology, a proposal from the Center for Educational Access to replace outdated equipment to meet the growing demand for accessible computerized testing. The center is a federally mandated program that ensures accessibility for nearly 2,800 students with disabilities and is subsidized by the university. Since 2014, overall usage has increased 61% and computer usage has increased 158%. Their $16,000 grant was presented by Chinwendu Okoronkwo Burns, associate director for student access with the Division of Student Affairs.

A New, Mobile Planetarium, which will help educate the Northwest Arkansas community by sharing knowledge about astronomy, planetary science and the universe with K-12 schools, Girl Scout troops and home school groups. Space Hogs, in conjunction with the Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences, has a tradition of conducting public outreach, and their $15,000 grant will allow them to purchase a modern mobile planetarium to replace their outdated model. The planetarium will see approximately 2,000 visitors each year and support university-level astronomy and Earth science courses. The project was presented by Ellen Czaplinski, a doctoral student in the Graduate School and International Education, with assistance from Julia Kennefick, associate professor of physics.

Providing Essential Technology for Student Interns at CAPS, a proposal to provide the needed technology for student interns despite campus closures while also growing the existing training program. Thanks to the $10,000 grant, interns will be provided with the technology that is necessary to train remotely, and CAPS interns will be able to provide telemental health, attend clinical trainings, receive supervision and continue their internships as mental health students. The project was represented by Elizabeth Stout, mental health clinician at the Pat Walker Health Center, with the Division of Student Affairs.

Investigating the Role of Pancreatic Cancer-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Perineural Invasion, a research project to investigate molecular mechanisms behind pancreatic cancer perineural invasion. Thanks to a $10,000 grant, researchers will create three-dimensional mimics of cancer-nerve intersection using tissue engineering strategies and a platform that replicates a native-like environment and allows cell behavior assessment in a physiologically relevant manner. Outcomes of this study will help identify new targets to curb metastatic pancreatic cancer progression. The project is led by Young Hye Song, assistant professor in the department of biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering.

Theatre Outside of the Theater, a program designed to create a team of students who will be responsible for documenting theatrical processes and creating digital outreach to be accessed by those who are unable to visit the theatre due to social distancing limitations and other accessibility challenges. The content will include archival videos of theatrical productions, as well as documentation of the unique research and scholarship that goes on behind the scenes to create live theatre. The project was awarded $5,700 and was represented by Morgan Hicks, clinical assistant professor in the department of theatre in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

Youth Jazz Education Initiative, which builds on the Community Music School’s existing jazz activities and is a natural follow-up to the Music75 project funded by the circle in 2018. Their project will create 100 new instructional videos to further spread the traditional method of learning jazz music by ear and improvisation, allowing Arkansas youth of all backgrounds and circumstances to express themselves through music. Thanks to the $5,592.10 grant, students will experience live group and video instruction by professional teaching artists from around the globe in various workshops, and scholarships will supplement existing resources, allowing additional low-income students to participate. Chris Teal, adjunct lecturer in the department of music in the Fulbright College, presented the proposal.

RefleXions Music Series: A Podcast, an ancillary outlet to RefleXions music series programming that will use the radio as a bridge and tool to connect and represent. The main goal of the RefleXions music series is to embrace diverse repertoires and musics from Latin America and promote them by providing opportunities at the university and in the community to learn, grow, disseminate, change and teach through concerts, master classes, community presence and educational outlets. The $5,500 in funding from the circle will be used to add a podcast to their project and was presented by Lia Uribe, associate professor of bassoon in the Fulbright College department of music. 

U of A SOARS, which will establish the U of A Southern Ozarks Avian Research Station to create opportunities to connect students with the natural world. With the $5,380 in funding received, the project will create a bird banding station at Lake Fayetteville to track the arrival time and abundance of migrating species, small-scale habitat use of resident species and information about individual birds, such as how long they live and how far they’ve traveled. Through outreach events with Arkansas public schools, SOARS will provide unique opportunities for students to see birds up-close, learn about their biology and actively participate in scientific research. Jennifer Mortensen, assistant professor in biological sciences for the Fulbright College, presented the proposal.

Arkansas Labor Trafficking Awareness Project, which will increase awareness of labor trafficking among the Arkansas professionals most likely to come into contact with it and equip them to respond. Thanks to the $5,325 grant, three distinct versions of Arkansas-specific quick reference guides will be designed and translated into Spanish and Marshallese to educate law enforcement, first responders and service providers on how to identify and respond to labor trafficking. Online on-demand training videos will also be created and promoted with assessment and evaluation mechanisms. The project was spearheaded by Annie Smith, associate professor of law and director of the public service and pro bonoprogram in the School of Law.

Patent Bootcamp for Women and Minorities, a one-day bootcamp for women and minorities on the basics of patent law and the patent application process. Presented by Uche Ewelukwa Ofodile, E.J. Ball Professor of Law with the School of Law, the program will provide training about the U.S. and international patent system; the challenges that women, minorities and indigenous communities face with protecting their innovation; and key strategies for enhancing and protecting innovation and avoiding exploitation and costly litigation. 

The $5,000 grant the project received will build upon the first patent bootcamp offered in 2019, also funded by the circle, which brought together more than 20 legal experts and innovators and educated more than 100 participants on the dynamics of patent law.

The Women’s Giving Circle was established in 2002, and its founding members included Sylvia Boyer (B.S.E. ’63), Pat Cooper, Johnelle Hunt, Mary Trimble Maier (B.A. ’49), Julia Peck Mobley (B.S.E. ’65), Harriett Phillips (B.A. ’72), Debbie Walker, Lynne Walton (B.A. ’70), Margaret Whillock (B.S.E. ’57), Mary Lib White and Donna Axum Whitworth (B.A. ’66, M.A. ’69). 

Lifetime members of the circle include Carol S. Adams, Nancy Bittle, Kelly Chaney, Charlotte Downs, Sandra K. Edwards, Margie Pomfret Farber, Denise Garner, Martha Cornwell Haguewood, Melissa McIlroy Hawkins, Denise Henderson, Trish Brown Joyner, Kellie Knight, Lee Lane, Marybeth Mayfield, Judy McDonald, Julia Peck Mobley, Connie Pate, Harriett Phillips, Karen Pope, Cindy Pugh, Catherine Ross, Susan Scott Ross, Jane Shipley, Sandy Steinmetz, Debbie S. Walker, Dina Wood and Ann Marie Ziegler. 

Learn more about the Women’s Giving Circle, including how to join. 

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 fewer than 3% of colleges and universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A 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.