U of A alumna Dorothy Ann Stevenson of Mena has made a pledge to support the renewal of of the David W. Mullins Library, the main branch of the University Libraries.

In recognition of her gift, the third floor quiet study area of Mullins Library will be known as the Dorothy Ann and Ed Stevenson Corridor, in honor of her and her late husband, who was also an alumnus of the U of A.

Both grew up in Arkansas, Dorothy Ann in DeWitt and Ed as a native of Cove, meeting while students at the university. Dorothy Ann earned a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1961 from the College of Education and Health Professions, and Ed graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1960 from the Sam M. Walton College of Business.

After graduation, Dorothy Ann enjoyed a career as a teacher in both elementary and adult education. She also attended graduate school at the U of A and held a role in student support services for Rich Mountain Community College (now the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain). Ed was the long-serving chair of Union Bankshares in Mena prior to his death in 2017 and had previously owned KENA radio station and Hatton Lumber Company. He also served as president of the U of A Alumni Association from 1980 to 1981.

Throughout her life, Dorothy Ann maintained an appreciation for libraries and said she always benefited from them.

“The library is such a critical part of the university's student community,” she said. “Throughout my life in Mena, I was involved with our library as a volunteer and board member and always put value in its important role. Having the opportunity to contribute to Mullins Corridor so that students have access to information and materials in a beautiful, state-of-the-art environment is something I am very proud to be a part of." 

Thanks to Stevenson’s gift, Mullins Library will be able to advance to the forefront of offering an exceptional experience for its students, while also adapting to meet their changing needs.

"Gifts like Mrs. Stevenson’s don't come along every day," said Lynda Coon, interim dean of the University Libraries. "We are overcome by her generosity and couldn't be happier about this much-needed commitment to the Mullins renewal project. The Dorothy Ann and Ed Stevenson Corridor will be an important and special area where students can relax and focus."

The first phase of the Mullins Library renewal project began at the end of the fall 2019 semester and focuses on the third and fourth floors of the central research library of the university. It is expected to be finished in time for the start of the fall 2021 semester. The planning for Phase II, which will renovate the first and second floors, has recently begun. The multi-year project will enhance the environment for students by providing requisite additional seating for group and individual study, increased access to technology and power outlets, individual restrooms and abundant natural light.

“I’m really happy to be a part of the growth of the U of A, and I know Ed would feel the same way,” Dorothy Ann said. “My parents did not have the opportunity to go to college, and it was important to them that I go. Now, we have a long family history at the university, and it’s special to me that we all share that connection.”

Dorothy Ann said that, in addition to her late husband graduating from the U of A, her father-in-law and mother-in-law are also alumni, as are two of her three children, two grandchildren, two daughters-in-law and a son-in-law.

“I’ve always loved Fayetteville and even from my first time visiting, I felt like the University of Arkansas had a great spirit about it,” she said.

Dorothy Ann is a lifetime member of the Arkansas Alumni Association and is included in the Towers of Old Main, a giving society for the university’s most generous benefactors.

About the University Libraries: Located in the heart of campus, the David W. Mullins Library is the university's main research library. Branch libraries include the Chemistry and Biochemistry Library, the Fine Arts Library, the Physics Library, and the Robert A. and Vivian Young Law Library. The Libraries provide access to more than 3.1 million volumes and more than 180,000 journals, and offer research assistance, study spaces, computer labs with printing and scanning, interlibrary loan and delivery services, and cultural exhibits and events. The Libraries' Special Collections division acquires, preserves, and provides access to materials on Arkansas and the region, its customs and people, and its cultural, physical, and political climate. Visit the Libraries' website at libraries.uark.edu to learn more about services and collections.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the top 3% of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.