U of A alumni Marty D. and Mary Virginia Casteel and their family have contributed $100,000 to the Land of Opportunity Scholarship campaign. The gift created the Land of Opportunity Scholarship Endowment by Marty D., Mary Virginia and Mary Robin Casteel with preference given to qualifying students from Sevier County and Little River County.

The Land of Opportunity Scholarship campaign was established to improve educational access for students from all 75 counties in Arkansas, create a partnership between the university and businesses throughout the state, and fulfill the institution’s land-grant mission to uplift Arkansas.

“We are thankful to the Casteel family for helping make higher education accessible to more Arkansans,” said Chancellor Charles Robinson. “Their generosity will have a profound and lasting impact on students, their families and the communities they call home.”

“This kind of opportunity can be life-changing,” Marty said. “I think the experience and the education that you get in college sets you on a path for success that you might not otherwise experience. It opens doors that you just can’t imagine.”

As a first-generation college student, Marty understands the life-changing impact that higher education can have. During his senior year of high school, Marty visited the U of A for the first time while touring campus with friends. He and several other young men from Horatio were introduced to the U of A through their agriculture teacher, George Davis, who had connections within the College of Agriculture. Without Mr. Davis’ influence, Marty may have never made his way to Fayetteville. He returned that summer to work on the agricultural farm before his freshman year.

“I know six to 10 boys that probably wouldn’t have gone to Fayetteville had it not been for Mr. Davis encouraging and arranging work that helped them afford to go to school here,” Marty said. “That’s kind of how I ended up at the U of A, and Ginger and I wanted to do something that would help provide similar educational opportunities for other students.”

“We are deeply grateful to the Casteel family for their support of the Land of Opportunity Scholarship initiative,” said Scott Varady, vice chancellor for university advancement. “As Arkansas natives and U of A alumni, they have chosen to invest in Arkansas students and our state, both of which will benefit significantly from their generosity.”

Ginger grew up in De Queen. Both of her parents were educators and had attended Ouachita Baptist University and Henderson State University. Ginger’s father did his post-graduate study at the U of A. Spending time in Fayetteville during the summers laid the foundation for Ginger attending the U of A. She said the U of A is where she always wanted to go to school.

“In helping with the Arkansas Alumni Association scholarships each spring, I have seen the successes that students benefiting from those scholarships can have,” Ginger said. “Land of Opportunity will provide even more opportunities that students with higher economic needs can take advantage of.”

After graduation, Marty served for four years as an officer in the U.S. Army. He then went into banking, spending most of his career with Simmons Bank. Marty held various leadership roles with Simmons Bank, including serving as chairman, president and chief executive officer from 2013 until he retired in 2020. Following in her parents’ footsteps, Ginger worked as an educator, teaching both elementary and middle school.

Marty currently serves on the board of directors for Simmons Bank, the Arkansas Research Alliance, the Jefferson Regional Medical Center, the Simmons Foundation and the Arkansas Champions Trust. Ginger serves as grant chairwoman on the Arkansas Community Foundation board for Pine Bluff and Southeast Arkansas and volunteers annually in the review process for the Arkansas Alumni Association scholarship program. She previously served as vice president and grant chairperson for Synergy Forum, Inc. in Pine Bluff.

The Casteel family has deep roots in Arkansas and close ties to the U of A. Marty holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Sam M. Walton College of Business, and Ginger holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the College of Education and Health Professions. Their daughter, Mary Robin Casteel, holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and a law degree from the William H Bowen School of Law in Little Rock. Marty, Ginger and Mary Robin are all life members of the Arkansas Alumni Association.

About the Land of Opportunity Scholarship: The Land of Opportunity Scholarship campaign is a three-year initiative to further educational access opportunities for students from all 75 counties in Arkansas, improve graduation rates, create two-way engagement between the university and businesses throughout the state, and fulfill the institution’s land-grant mission to uplift Arkansas. As of Jan. 1, 2025, the campaign has raised 61% of its goal in 8% of the time through more than $123,322,500 in pledges and commitments.  

About University Advancement: University Advancement advances the mission of the University of Arkansas by raising private gift support from alumni, friends, parents, foundations, corporations, and other institutional supporters. Working in philanthropic partnership with academic leaders and volunteers, Advancement team members are determined to advance the people, work, and impact of the greater whole at the University of Arkansas.

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 $3 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 few 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 and Economic Development News.