FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — University of Arkansas Board of Trustees member William E. Clark and his wife Margaret, of Little Rock, have made a $100,000 gift commitment to establish graduate fellowships in the electrical engineering department in the UA College of Engineering.

The William E. Clark Graduate Fellowship in Electrical Engineering will be used to encourage promising graduate students to pursue a post-graduate degree in electrical engineering at the University of Arkansas.

UA Chancellor John A. White said, "We are most fortunate to count among our most supportive alumni and friends, the family of Bill and Margaret Clark. They are committed to helping the University of Arkansas realize its vision. Their most recent gift is another example of them 'stepping up’ for the U of A. Given the priority we have attached to strengthening our graduate research program, we are most grateful for their gift to establish graduate fellowships in electrical engineering. Bill Clark has been wonderfully committed to the University of Arkansas in many ways over the years. His service as trustee and as a member of the Steering Committee for the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century has been invaluable to our progress at the University."

Mr. Clark, who received the bachelor of science in electrical engineering from the U of A in 1966, is a member of the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century Steering Committee and has served on the Board of Trustees since 1994. He is the chairman and chief executive officer for CDI Contractors, LLC in Little Rock, which was chosen by former President Bill Clinton to construct the presidential library. Mr. Clark joined the Simmons First National Corp. board of directors in September 2001 and he is a former chairman for the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce. He was named Business Executive of the Year at the annual Arkansas Business of the Year Awards in 2000. He is active in his church and with the Arkansas Arts Center.

Mrs. Clark is a 1968 elementary education graduate of Little Rock University. She is active with the Arkansas Symphony Board of Directors and has served as the chair of the Symphony Ball. She is also a member of the Arkansas Arts Center Tabriz Committees.

The Clarks have two children, both of whom are UA alumni.

Otto Loewer, dean of the College of Engineering said, "We are grateful to the Clarks for their generous gift to the College. Post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities create the margin of excellence necessary for us to compete for the best graduate students. The benefits of this gift will be seen throughout the electrical engineering department. In fact, it will enable us to provide support for qualified students as early as next fall."

The Campaign for the Twenty-First Century is a six-year effort to raise significant gifts from private sources for the University of Arkansas. Campaign funds are being used to help the University achieve its vision of emerging as a nationally competitive, student-centered research university serving Arkansas and the world. Campaign funds are being raised for six critical areas of need: endowed faculty positions, scholarship funds, academic programs, University Libraries, construction of new academic facilities and annual giving.

Between July 1, 1998, and Jan. 31, 2002, the College of Engineering has received $24 million in gifts and pledges toward its $54.8 million Campaign goal.

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