University of Arkansas alumnus Bruce Woody and his wife, Rebecca, gave $1 million to the Land of Opportunity Scholarship endowment at the U of A. Their gift will address the critical funding gap limiting students’ access to education.

“Bruce and Rebecca understand both the obstacles that can stand in the way of a degree and the lasting rewards higher education provides to the graduate and those around them,” said Chancellor Charles Robinson. “We are deeply grateful they are using the success they have experienced as college graduates to extend opportunity to generations of Arkansas students. Their enduring legacy of vision and generosity will enrich countless lives across the state.”

The Land of Opportunity Scholarship was established to improve educational access for students from all 75 Arkansas counties, create a partnership between the university and businesses throughout the state and fulfill the institution’s land-grant mission to serve Arkansas through education and economic development. The three-year campaign began in November 2024.

With their gift, Bruce and Rebecca Woody joined the Leaders of Arkansas Founders’ Circle. The Founders’ Circle consists of a group of university alumni and friends who support the Land of Opportunity Scholarship campaign with a gift of at least $1 million.

“Bruce and Rebecca Woody have lived lives of service and generosity through leadership in their community, professional endeavors and now through their remarkable commitment to the Land of Opportunity Scholarship,” said Scott Varady, vice chancellor for advancement. “Their gift reflects the same care for helping others that has defined their journey together and will create opportunities for students across Arkansas for generations to come. Having faced challenges themselves as students, they understand the economic obstacles many students may encounter today, and we are grateful for the example they set as philanthropists and servant leaders.”

For Bruce and Rebecca Woody, the scholarship is both a response to the challenges Arkansas students face and a way to leave a lasting impact on the state.

“Arkansas, specifically Northwest Arkansas, has seen a lot of growth recently,” Bruce noted. “Many areas of the state, particularly lower-income areas, are starting to fall behind in education, and this has caused an adverse impact on the economy of those areas. Chancellor Robinson is doing an incredible job addressing the financial needs of all students across the state. The Land of Opportunity Scholarship is one way to help close that gap.”

Rebecca Woody, who grew up in rural Oklahoma as the daughter of a minister, worked three jobs to attend the University of Oklahoma. Her experience helped shape the couple’s desire to give.

“I grew up in that world,” Rebecca said. “If I had not worked, I would not have been able to go to college. We wanted to give back in a way that would impact someone coming from the same background.”

Bruce Woody was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in Louisiana, but he has family roots in the Fort Smith area and has always considered himself a Razorback. When his family relocated to Dallas after high school, Bruce came to Fayetteville to attend the U of A.

In 1985, Bruce began a two-year internship in Dallas, where he met and married Rebecca, the love of his life. In the fall of 1987, they returned to Fayetteville for him to finish the last two years of his bachelor’s degree in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. During this time, Rebecca worked multiple side jobs to help make ends meet, along with her primary job as the office payroll coordinator at J.B. Hunt.

In 1989, Bruce began his career in Dallas and traveled on weekends to Northwest Arkansas where Rebecca remained working until she could take maternity leave and move as well. They have three beautiful daughters, three wonderful sons-in-law and several grandchildren. The couple has since lived in Texas but maintains strong personal and professional ties to the U of A and the Fay Jones School.

Bruce and Rebecca have always maintained an affection for the Hunt family and took notice when their Land of Opportunity gift was announced.

“We’re very grateful to the Hunt family,” Rebecca said. “They gave me a job that helped us considerably as we started our life together. So, their gift of employment was certainly part of what inspired us to ‘pay it forward’ and take part in this campaign.”

Bruce earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Fay Jones School in 1989. Beginning in his third year of school, Bruce began working under the guidance of longtime U of A architecture professor Jim Lambeth, who served to further inspire him to follow through with his dream of obtaining a bachelor’s degree in architecture. Today, Bruce serves as president and CEO of HH Architects in Richardson, Texas, where he has worked since 1990.

In addition to leading the firm, Bruce remains active in the field and community. He is a member of the Fay Jones School Dean’s Circle and serves on the board of directors and financial council for Sunny Glen Children’s Home. He is also a member of the Texas Society of Architects, the American Institute of Architects Dallas Chapter and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

While raising their girls, Rebecca managed and eventually sold two successful home-based businesses. When the girls were out of the house, she began working as the financial officer for a Dallas-based therapy company. She now works for HH Architects with Bruce, taking care of the firm’s contracts and licensing. 

“Hopefully others will be inspired to support the Land of Opportunity Scholarship, too,” Bruce added. “Sometimes people don’t think they can contribute enough to make a difference, but any gift of any size can help things move forward.”

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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 Sept. 30, 2025, the campaign has raised 68% of its goal in 31% of the time through more than $135,489,585 in pledges and commitments. 

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.