The U of A United Way Campaign from this past fall raised a total of $96,494 for local programs.

The 87th U of A United Way Campaign was co-chaired by Deacue Fields, dean of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences; Brian Primack, dean of the College of Education and Health Professions; and Rick Thorpe, deputy athletics director of external engagement with Razorback Athletics.

The chairs created two challenges: the Dean's Challenge Award, which goes to the college with the highest percentage of employees making contributions, and the Department Challenge Award, which goes to the department with the highest percentage of employees who give.

The U of A Global Campus claimed the Dean's Challenge Award, and the U of A Police Department won the Department Challenge Award.

The Challenge Award was presented by Fields and United Way of NWA Vice President of Corporate and Community Relations Christina Hinds to Shelly Pryor, financial affairs specialist, on behalf of the Global Campus. Pryor gave special thanks to Suzanne Kenner, online program coordinator; Carrie Sparks, office manager of credit studies; Caroline Chandler, web and graphic designer; and Ann Gallaher, assistant to the vice provost for distance education; plus Bob Hinton, instructional designer, for a hair challenge.

The Department Award was presented by Fields and Hinds to Capt. Gary Crain, public information officer, and Cpl. Allen Porter, community outreach and involvement officer, with UAPD.

United Way of Northwest Arkansas has served the region since 1931 with the purpose of harnessing the collective power and generosity of the community to empower everyone in the region to thrive in a new era of health and well-being for all.

All donations go to the United Way of Northwest Arkansas with 98 percent going directly to local programs which help children, families and individuals in areas of education, housing, healthy food access, childhood development, and physical and mental well-being. To learn more about the work of United Way of NWA in our community, visit unitedwaynwa.org.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

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.