University of Arkansas alumna Kathleen Riggs gave a $25,000 gift to the Land of Opportunity Scholarship Endowment in memory of her parents, alumni Marion McKay “Mac” Riggs and Virginia Breit Riggs. Her contribution will address the critical funding gap that limits students’ access to higher education.

In November 2024, the U of A launched a three-year campaign to establish the Land of Opportunity Scholarship. Designed to expand educational access for students from all 75 counties in Arkansas, the scholarship advances the university’s land-grant mission of education and economic development while strengthening partnerships with businesses throughout the state.

"This gift is a beautiful tribute to Kathleen’s parents and a powerful statement about the value of education," said Chancellor Charles Robinson. "We are deeply grateful for her support, which will change lives and create opportunities for generations of Arkansans."  

As an educator, Riggs witnessed firsthand the impact that educational access can have on students and the state.

“Investing in students is an outstanding way to help provide for our future — Arkansas’ future,” she said. “The students who receive this scholarship will change things. They will have an opportunity to make a better life for themselves and uplift the state at the same time.”

Riggs grew up a Razorback fan and never considered attending school anywhere else. Her parents and two older brothers are all U of A graduates.

Higher education was a proud tradition on Riggs’ maternal side. Her mother, aunt, uncle and both maternal grandparents were college educated, and some earned advanced degrees. Her grandfather was a dedicated educator, serving as a teacher, principal and superintendent before becoming the first director of vocational education at the Arkansas Department of Education. Her uncle Bill served the Harrison community for many years as a physician.

It was different for her father, McKay. He was the first in his family to graduate from college, and his mother was determined to make it happen. McKay’s father built oil derricks and drove a bus to support the family. They moved around southern Arkansas frequently, and McKay attended 13 different schools from age 6 to 16, when he graduated from Little Rock High School. It was a difficult, physically demanding life, and money was always tight.

McKay would go on to earn a degree in electrical engineering and spent over 40 years working for Arkansas Power and Light, including the last five years as executive director of the Southwest Power Pool. Virginia held a degree in mathematics and worked as a public-school teacher in Fayetteville and Hot Springs until their first child was born. She continued to serve as a math substitute when needed. Both McKay and Virginia remained active participants in their children’s education, tutoring them throughout their time in school.

“I once asked my grandmother why she was so insistent that Dad go to college,” Riggs recalled. “She told me she wanted him to have a chance to make a better living. If my dad was starting school today, he would be exactly the kind of student this scholarship is meant to support.”

Riggs’ experience serves as an example of how access to higher education can have a generational impact.

"We are deeply grateful to Kathleen Riggs for honoring her parents in such a purposeful and inspiring way," said Scott Varady, vice chancellor for advancement. "By supporting the Land of Opportunity Scholarship, she is helping students who, like her father, are full of potential and just need the right opportunity and support to thrive. It's a powerful testament to how one family's belief in education can inspire new possibilities for students across Arkansas. This amazing gift also builds on Kathy’s professional legacy devoting her career to helping students as a school counselor. Her generosity will echo through the lives of students who go on to make a difference in their communities and our state."

Riggs holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Education from the College of Education and Health Professions. She is a retired educator who most recently worked as a counselor at Rogers High School.

Riggs has seen firsthand how access to education can impact students. As a Pine Bluff native, Riggs understands the challenges students from outside Northwest Arkansas face when considering college far from home.

“Being a counselor and growing up in Pine Bluff, I knew this scholarship would help students in the Delta who might not even consider the U of A as an option,” Riggs said. “Just getting them up to Northwest Arkansas can be a challenge. Financial need isn’t the only obstacle these students face.”

The Land of Opportunity Scholarship supports each student holistically, ensuring access to ongoing mentoring, academic coaching, financial planning and career readiness support through the CORD Student Success Center and their academic college.

“I worked with students who had means and whose parents had gone to college — they understood the process, knew the expectations and had the tools to succeed,” Riggs said. “Many students don’t grow up with that knowledge. They’re approaching a world that is unfamiliar and intimidating. This scholarship provides the support they need to be successful.”

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 June 30, 2025, the campaign has raised 66% of its goal in 22% of the time through more than $132,739,585 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.