The University of Arkansas is pleased to announce the creation of the William R. (Bill) McKamey and Patsy McKamey Endowed Undergraduate Teaching Support Program, a major milestone for the Department of Industrial Engineering. Funded by alumni Bill and Pat McKamey, the $1 million planned gift will enhance student success by providing critical teaching support for undergraduate courses.

“We are tremendously thankful to Bill and Pat McKamey for their commitment to our students’ success,” said Chancellor Charles Robinson. “Their generosity ensures more engineering students will receive individualized support to stay on course and graduate ready to begin their dream careers. This gift will make a lasting difference for generations of students, communities and industries across Arkansas and beyond.” 

This endowed program represents a transformational investment in student success and will provide the department with resources to hire, retain and train teaching assistants to support undergraduate-level courses.

“We are grateful for Bill and Pat’s commitment to our students,” said Chase Rainwater, department head of Industrial Engineering. “Their generous support will enable us to sustain expanded learning support both inside and outside of our classrooms. This gift is a key contributor to the department's overall student success space enhancement initiative.”

DIFFERENT PATHS, SHARED DESTINATION

Bill and Pat McKamey would ultimately meet at the University of Arkansas, but their paths getting there were different.

Bill, looking to escape the snow of Wyoming, had intended to study mechanical engineering in a southern climate. Once introduced to the field of industrial engineering, he described the focus of working with people and teams as exactly what he was looking for.

Pat, originally from Texarkana, was always interested in the medical field, working summers as a candy striper at a local hospital and eventually choosing pharmacy over medical school. She began taking pre-pharmacy coursework at the University of Arkansas before completing her degree through the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

The couple met on a blind date in spring 1966, arranged by friends in their dormitories. Pat warned her friend "if this doesn't work, this may be the end of our friendship."

During their studies, Bill found himself struggling with Calculus II. As the semester progressed, Bill and a classmate made what he calls "probably the craziest decision we ever made," which was to study the course materials together. The strategy worked, and both earned passing grades.

Proven Impact Model

The McKameys eventually settled in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Bill had the opportunity to become involved with many educational initiatives. He was recruited to join the Arkansas Academy of Industrial Engineers (AAIE), where he served on the Board and later as Chair. One of AAIE's primary missions is providing scholarship funding to students based on need, academic excellence and global studies participation.

 Bill would also serve on the Tulsa Community College Board of Regents. At that time, the college recognized many students were failing to complete their programs. Academic advisers, each responsible for roughly 700 students, had an impossible workload when trying to offer meaningful support.

Recognizing the urgency of this crisis, the college secured a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to hire additional counselors and advisors specifically focused on early intervention when students began struggling academically. Positive results started coming in almost immediately.

"What we learned was, if they start having trouble early, chances are they'll never make it to the finish line," Bill explained. "They get frustrated and finally just drop out. In just three years, thanks to the new student support roles, the college became recognized as one of the best two-year colleges in the U.S. for student success."

Supporting the Next Generation

These experiences served as inspiration for the McKameys’ future giving. The McKamey Endowed Undergraduate Teaching Support Program will provide ongoing support for the industrial engineering department, improving the ability to offer individualized attention to undergraduate students.

“Bill and Pat McKamey’s gift is a remarkable expression of generosity that will directly enhance the undergraduate learning experience,” said Scott Varady, vice chancellor for advancement. “Their investment strengthens the foundation of teaching and learning at the university and we are deeply grateful for their support.”

When asked why they chose to give to the university in this way, Pat was quick to say, "We're true Razorbacks, and we just want to see everybody do well."

The McKameys hope the program will help the Department of Industrial Engineering compete with top programs nationally in student success metrics. The endowment will be administered by the dean of the College of Engineering in consultation with the department head of Industrial Engineering.

The McKameys' gift represents their personal commitment to ensuring future generations of engineers have the support they need as they work toward earning their degrees.

About the College of Engineering: The University of Arkansas College of Engineering is the state's largest engineering school, offering graduate and undergraduate degrees, online studies and interdisciplinary programs. It enrolls more than 4,700 students and employs more than 150 faculty and researchers along with nearly 200 staff members. Its research enterprise generated $47 million in new research awards in Fiscal Year 2025. The college's strategic plan, Vision 2035, seeks to build the premier STEM workforce in accordance with three key objectives: Initiating lifelong student success, generating transformational and relevant knowledge, and becoming the destination of choice among educators, students, staff, industry, alumni and the community. As part of this, the college is increasing graduates and research productivity to expand its footprint as an entrepreneurial engineering platform serving Arkansas and the world. The college embraces its pivotal role in driving economic growth, fueling innovation and educating the next generation of engineers, computer scientists and data scientists to address current and future societal challenges.

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.