University of Arkansas alumni Stephanie and Kevin Wilcox have made a $250,000 gift to the Land of Opportunity Scholarship Endowment.
The Land of Opportunity Scholarship — a three-year campaign that launched Nov. 12 — aims 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 serve Arkansas.
As of March 1, the campaign had raised 64% of its goal in 11% of the time through more than $127.26 million in pledges and commitments.
“Chancellor [Charles] Robinson and vice chancellor [Scott] Varady made it clear that this is about more than just writing students a check,” Kevin Wilcox said in a press release. “Improving support mechanisms for students and encouraging communities and businesses to get involved will result in much better outcomes for our students.”
The Wilcox family has made significant contributions to the university in the past. In 2018, they contributed to the Advance Arkansas scholarship initiative, supporting students in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design and Walton College. The Wilcoxes also contribute to the Jerry and J.C. Wilcox Endowed Scholarship, named in honor of Kevin’s father, Jerry. Other gifts to the Fay Jones School include recent support for the Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Materials Innovation and the Dean’s Endowed Chair in Design Leadership.
“This is an opportunity to try to level the playing field for students that are up there academically, that want to do well but just have more demands on their time than many of their peers,” Kevin Wilcox continued in the release. “Stephanie worked many different jobs during college. She is very empathetic to students who must work and borrow money to help balance their academic and financial responsibilities. This scholarship addresses those challenges specifically.”
Kevin Wilcox is a Little Rock native and holds a bachelor’s degree from the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Stephanie Wilcox is from Pine Bluff and holds a bachelor’s degree from the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. The Wilcoxes are members of the Chancellor’s Society and are counted as Thoroughreds for their consecutive years of giving to the university. They are also life members of the Arkansas Alumni Association.
“We are grateful for Kevin and Stephanie’s generous support of the Land of Opportunity Scholarship initiative,” Varady, vice chancellor for advancement, said in the release. “Time and again, they are key champions of the university’s efforts to ensure student success, and we can’t thank them enough for their steadfast commitment to and investment in Arkansas students, the university and our state.”
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