The University of Arkansas announced that Chris and Jamie Fowler of Jonesboro have contributed $5 million to the school’s Land of Opportunity Scholarship endowment.
The endowment was established to improve educational access for students from across Arkansas, create a partnership between the university and businesses throughout the state, and fulfill the institution’s land-grant mission to uplift Arkansas, the university said in a news release.
The three-year campaign launched in November. At the end of February, the campaign had raised 64% of its goal through more than $127.3 million in pledges and commitments.
“The Fowler family’s generosity has shaped our campus in countless ways,” Chancellor Charles Robinson said in a statement. “With their support of the Land of Opportunity Scholarship, Chris and Jamie are continuing that incredible legacy — providing deserving students with the resources they need to succeed and making a lasting impact on our institution and our state.”
Chris Fowler is the former president of Fowler Foods, which operated more than 90 KFC/Taco Bell stores in eight states at its peak. He retired in 2021 but recently returned to the restaurant franchising business with the acquisition of Dempsey Bakery of Little Rock.
Fowler Foods was founded by Chris Fowler’s parents, Wallace and Jama, for whom the UA chancellor’s residence is named. The adjacent Fowler House Garden and Conservatory is also named in recognition of the family’s contributions to the university.
Among the family’s recent gifts is a $500,000 donation from Chris and Jamie Fowler to the David W. Mullins Library renovation, which will include a new café named Fowler’s Nook. The renovation is scheduled for completion this month.
The Fowlers have also supported Razorback athletics programs and the Razorback Foundation. Gifts have supported the Fowler Family Baseball and Track Training Center, the Christy Rankin Tennis Lobby, and the renovation and expansion of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
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