The University of Central Arkansas announced Tuesday that it has received a $5 million anonymous gift to support the interior design program in the school’s Department of Art and Design.
“This very generous gift will be transformative for a growing program with a national reputation for high-quality and accomplished graduates,” said UCA President Houston Davis in a press release. “These funds will ensure the retention and recruitment of outstanding faculty and make certain that our students are placed in challenging and meaningful experiential learning opportunities.”
The gift establishes two categories of endowed funds to support the interior design program. The majority of the gift, $4 million, will be used to endow faculty positions allowing at least four named professorships. The remaining $1 million will be designated to support internship and experiential learning opportunities for students.
“Our students already participate in a number of professional development opportunities, such as national conferences, community-based projects, and certification exams. This gift will allow us to expand access to these kinds of real-world learning environments, which are invaluable to students as they prepare to begin their careers in interior design,” said Patricia Poulter, UCA provost and executive vice president. “We are grateful for this gift and what it will allow us to accomplish on behalf of the students.”
All students must complete an internship before they graduate. Nearly 60 businesses across Arkansas currently serve as internship partners with the interior design program, which has seen a 41 percent increase in enrollment since 2016-17. On average, matriculation for students in the program occurs in a little more than four years.
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