Institutional Scholarships

Students who wish to be considered for an institutional scholarship must submit the College of Medicine Scholarship Application to the Office of Medical Student Admissions by May 15. Freshmen must complete and submit the Entering Freshman Scholarship Application (PDF download) and rising Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors must complete and submit the Continuing Medical Students Scholarship Application (PDF download).  Below is a listing of College of Medicine institutional scholarships awarded by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee.

George Link Ackerman Scholarship

An anonymous donor established a scholarship in 1997 to honor Dr. George Ackerman. Dr. Richard P. Wheeler, Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Medicine, shared the following comments about his mentor and friend: “Dr. George Link Ackerman is a 1954 graduate of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. He did his internship at the Philadelphia General Hospital and completed his residency in medicine and took further training in Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases at UAMS. He joined the faculty in 1961 and quickly rose through the academic ranks, caring for patients, teaching and publishing. He has received the ‘Golden Apple Award’ from students as the outstanding clinical teacher. He has also received the Distinguished Faculty Award from the Medical Alumni Association, the Outstanding Faculty Award from the Medicine Interns and Residents, and the Abernathy Award for Excellence in Internal Medicine from the Arkansas Chapter of the American College of Physicians. He has even had the UAMS yearbook, the Caduceus, dedicated to him. His ability to teach and inspire young physicians is legendary. His secret is his passion for life and learning.” Upon learning that a scholarship had been anonymously given to honor Dr. Ackerman, he requested that the name of the scholarship be the Dr. George Link Ackerman Scholarship. According to Ackerman, “George S. Link was a successful small businessman in West Texas in the first half of the century. He married my father’s cousin who had been reared in my grandparent’s home and was more a foster sister to my father than a cousin. My father and Mr. Link became close friends and I was named for him. Their son, George S. Link, Jr., was a handsome, charming fellow, a Naval Aviator in World War II during my teenage years, and a boyhood idol of mine. He financed my medical education so it pleases me to include the Link name in the formal description of this scholarship.” When reflecting on the criteria for the scholarship recipient, Dr. Ackerman stated, “I have always been an avid reader and literature is perhaps my chief avocation.” Therefore, he would prefer the recipient be a student who has demonstrated a keen interest in literature and/or scholarly approach to his or her studies. The inaugural award was presented in 1997.

Archer, Chacko and Uwaydat Scholarship

Through the generosity of UAMS supporters, an endowed scholarship has been created honoring three UAMS doctors: Robert L. “Lee” Archer, M.D., Joseph G. Chacko, M.D., and Sami H. Uwaydat, M.D. This philanthropic investment will fund the Drs. Lee Archer, Joseph Chacko, and Sami Uwaydat Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship is to be awarded to one or more third- and fourth-year College of Medicine students with a demonstrated financial need.

The donors, who choose to provide this support anonymously, were inspired to create the scholarship fund to advance the critical need of health care in Arkansas and expressed hope their gift would inspire others to make similar gifts in support of education. They offered to match dollar for dollar the first $5,000 contributed by additional donors to this scholarship in 2020.

“Our mission to generate the very best physicians for Arkansas starts with recruiting top Arkansas students to UAMS,” said Executive Vice Chancellor and College of Medicine Dean Christopher T. Westfall, M.D. “Scholarships are a crucial tool in this effort, so we are always grateful for those who initiate and contribute to scholarships.”

“The donors of this new scholarship have shown that they aren’t just generous, but also forward-thinking,” Westfall said. “By encouraging others to contribute, the endowment will grow more quickly and potentially be able to support more promising and deserving medical students.”

“This scholarship is also special in honoring three truly world-class faculty physicians,” he added. “I am not at all surprised that the donors were inspired by Dr. Archer, Dr. Chacko and Dr. Uwaydat.”

Archer is chairman of the College of Medicine Department of Neurology. For more than 30 years at UAMS, Archer has provided world-class care for Arkansans with Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, stroke and movement disorders while teaching and mentoring future neurologists. He is a neurologist and professor in the College of Medicine and holds the Major and Ruth Nodini Chair in Neurology. He is past president of the Arkansas Medical Society, the largest professional society for physicians in the state. College of Medicine seniors have awarded Archer three Gold Sash and numerous Red Sash awards for his teaching, and he has received numerous awards from the college.

Chacko has been the director of neuro-ophthalmology at the Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute since 2005. He has 25 years of experience in performing cataract surgery. Chacko is a professor for the Departments of Ophthalmology, Neurology and Neurosurgery in the UAMS College of Medicine. He is the medical student clerkship director in ophthalmology. In addition, he has served the underprivileged in Ghana and Guatemala through yearly surgical mission trips for over 20 years.

Uwaydat is an ophthalmologist with the UAMS Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute and an associate professor and former interim chair in the Department of Ophthalmology in the College of Medicine. Uwaydat is director of vitreoretinal service, medical director of the Leland and Betty Tollett Retinal and Ocular Genetics Clinic, and director of the Ocular Electrophysiology Lab. His research focuses on age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and treatment of traumatic eye injuries.

Betsy Ledbetter Askew Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 2008 with a very generous bequest from Dr. Askew, who graduated from the College of Medicine in 1950. After practicing anesthesiology in Shreveport, Louisiana for many years, she retired to her hometown of Jonesboro, Arkansas where both of her brothers practiced medicine. It was her fervent wish to help medical students and she requested that preference be given to a female student or students at the direction of the Scholarship Committee. The inaugural awards were presented in 2010.

Atiq Family Scholarship

In 2020, it was the expressed desire of Dr. and Mrs. Omar Atiq to pledge a gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation for the benefit of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to establish the Atiq Family Scholarship. The scholarship shall be awarded each year to a UAMS student who is enrolled in the College of Medicine, is from Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, or the southeast region of Arkansas, in that order of preference.  However, if a student from Pine Bluff, Jefferson County or the southeast region of Arkansas cannot be identified, the scholarship will be awarded to another qualified student. Selection of the recipient shall be made by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The scholarship is for one academic year. Prior recipients may be considered for this scholarship during subsequent years. Should a recipient become ineligible, a new recipient may be named using the same criteria. The inaugural Atiq Family Scholarship was awarded in 2021.   

David Littleton Baker, Sr., Scholarship

The establishment of the David Littleton Baker, Sr. Scholarship for students in the College of Medicine fund is to provide a scholarship to a deserving student in the College of Medicine in loving memory of David Littleton Baker, Sr. by his family David and Nina Baker (donors), John and Karen Baker, James and Hollie Baker, and Mark and Julie Ferguson. The funds have come from philanthropic motivations of the family. The student who receives this scholarship will be enrolled in good standing in the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The student is selected by the Scholarship Committee within the College of Medicine. The inaugural award was presented in 2012-13.

Eddie Ball Memorial Scholarship

The friends and family of E.B. Ball of Eudora, Arkansas, founded a scholarship in memory of Eddie Ball, who was killed in an automobile accident in 1984 during his sophomore year of medical school. The scholarship is awarded annually to a member of the sophomore class who excelled academically during his or her freshman year of medical school and who demonstrates a willingness to serve others. The student must exemplify “diligence in the pursuit of becoming a humane and compassionate physician” in keeping with the wishes of the Ball family. The inaugural award was presented in 1985.

Barton Foundation Scholarship

The income from an endowment given to the College of Medicine in 1964 by Mrs. T.H. Barton of El Dorado is used to recognize students based on their previous year’s academic performance. Barton Scholarships are given each year to rising sophomores, juniors and seniors who completed the prior year of medical school ranked at the top of their class. The Barton Foundation Scholarships are among the oldest and most prestigious awards offered by the College of Medicine. Since its creation in 1964, more than 1,300 students have received a total of 2.5 million dollars in Barton Foundation Scholarships.

Colonel Thomas H. Barton, a pioneer oilman and philanthropist, launched his small Lion Oil Company that included exploration, production, marketing, distribution, refining, and research programs. Barton was born in Marlin, Texas, on September 20, 1881. His father, Thomas Killebrew Barton, was a merchant and farmer in Falls County. At age sixteen, he entered Texas A&M College, but limited funds forced him to leave school early in his second year. He entered the U.S. Army in 1901 and was discharged in 1904 with the rank of corporal.  From 1905 to 1917, he worked in a variety of occupations that included banking and lumber in Dallas County. In 1906, he was commissioned with the temporary rank of captain in the Arkansas National Guard. With the advent of World War I, he was transferred to the 141^st Infantry, Thirty-sixth Division, as a captain in the regular army. Although his unit was shipped to France, he was sent to Camp Stanley, Texas, to assist in organizing and training cavalry regiments. He was discharged in 1919 with the rank of major. Barton remained in the Army Reserve from 1920 until discharged as a colonel in 1936.

Barton arrived in El Dorado in January 1921, only days after oil was discovered. He quickly organized the El Dorado Natural Gas Company and expanded into the Natural Gas and Fuel Corporation in 1924. He served as its president until 1929, when he sold it to the Cities Service Company. During this time, he became the principal stockholder in the struggling Lion Oil Refining Company.  On July 13, 1925, Barton married Madeline Mary Latimer; their plans to travel were curtailed in 1929, when he agreed to serve as Lion Oil’s president. Within three months, Lion had purchased producing leases in the Smackover (Union County) oil field that was literally overflowing with a colossal output of petroleum. The company continued to expand and, in 1935, discovered the third major producing geological zone in the Smackover field. 

Barton’s interest in livestock began as a youngster on the family farm. He worked closely with the Arkansas Livestock Show Association, established the Arkansas State Fair and, through his financial support, the T. H. Barton Coliseum in Little Rock was dedicated on September 29, 1952. Lion merged with Monsanto Chemical Corporation in 1955, and Barton served on Monsanto’s Board of Directors until his retirement in 1959.

As a humanitarian, Barton contributed considerable time and financial resources that include a medical and research wing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Warner-Brown Hospital in El Dorado, Union County’s Barton Library, Union County Memorial Stadium, support for 4-H Clubs and the Boys Clubs statewide, and numerous student scholarships including the Barton Foundation Scholarships for outstanding medical students attending the University of Arkansas College of Medicine.

Blackwell-Barnes Scholarship

In 1984, Dr. Banks Blackwell, an orthopaedic surgeon from Pine Bluff, established a scholarship for deserving students based on academic promise and in hopes scholarship recipients will remain in Arkansas to practice medicine. Dr. Lowry Barnes, the Chair of the UAMS Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, was the inaugural recipient of the Banks Blackwell, M.D., Scholarship in 1984 and 1985. Dr. Barnes has graciously decided to continue to honor the legacy of Dr. Blackwell by providing funds to the Blackwell-Barnes Scholarship fund. Preference is given to students from southeast Arkansas who hopefully will return to southeast Arkansas to practice medicine. In addition, although not binding, it is hoped students will pursue the specialty of orthopaedic surgery.  

Robert and Dorothy Bowling Scholarship

Robert E. Bowling, Ph.D., established a scholarship fund in 1991 to honor the memory of his wife, Dorothy, and to celebrate his retirement after 34 years as a member of the faculty of the College of Medicine, which included 17 years as Associate Dean for Admissions. Dr. Bowling passed away in 2000. The Bowling Scholarship is awarded annually to a rising sophomore who demonstrates academic promise, a desire to serve others, and has financial need. The inaugural award was presented in 1992.

Harold Braswell Challenge Scholarship

Dr. Harold Braswell graduated from the College of Medicine in 1955. He attended his 35-year reunion in 1990 and enjoyed his alumni weekend so much that he designated the Arkansas Caduceus Club, the College of Medicine alumni organization, as beneficiary of a new insurance policy. Upon his death in 1992, part of his gift was used to endow a scholarship for medical students. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student on the basis of academics, character and financial need. The inaugural scholarship was presented in 1995.

Hettye Sue and Mike Bridger, M.D., Distinguished Endowed Scholarship

W. Mike Bridger, M.D., Class of 1967, received a Barton Scholarship during his time at the UAMS College of Medicine and established this scholarship in appreciation of the financial assistance he received. Dr. Bridger believed he received an excellent education at UAMS which enabled him to go anywhere to practice medicine. The award is made at the discretion of the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The inaugural award was presented in 2011.

Aristo Brizzolara, Sr., Scholarship Fund

In August 1980, Charles M. Brizzolara, M.D., sent a letter to then Associate Dean for Finance, Mr. George Warner, wishing to establish a scholarship fund in memory of his uncle Aristo Brizzolara, Sr. It was the desire of Dr. Brizzolara, Class of 1936, who attended medical school during the Great Depression, to provide financial aid to medical students who were in need of assistance. Dr. Brizzolara lived with his uncle during medical school. Aristo Brizzolara was born in Milan, Italy. He immigrated to the United States and became a respected businessman in Little Rock, dealing primarily in real estate. He is the progenitor of the distinguished Little Rock family, which includes a nephew, grandson and great-grandson who became physicians. Over the years, hundreds of medical students have been assisted by the Brizzolara Fund. Initially, the intent was to establish a scholarship fund and monies received were awarded as scholarships on an annual basis until 1990. However, the trust agreement document subsequently received referred to the fund as a “loan” rather than a “scholarship.” Brizzolara funds were disbursed to medical students as loans until 2005. In 2005, Mr. John Coffin, Director of UAMS Institutional Development, conversed with A.J. Brizzolara, M.D., who approved converting the fund back to a scholarship. As loans have been repaid and sufficient interest has accrued, the College of Medicine resumed awarding scholarships to medical students beginning with the 2014 academic year.

The Brooks Brothers, M.D., Scholarship

In consideration of his abiding interest in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Robert A. Brooks, M.D., pledged a gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation in 2020 to establish an endowed scholarship for students of the UAMS College of Medicine.  The scholarship was given in loving memory of his brother, Walter Allen Brooks, M.D., a 1946 graduate of the UAMS College of Medicine.  

Walter was born on March 29, 1924 in Russellville, Arkansas, Pope County.  The son of a farmer, his family prized education.  He graduated from Russellville High as valedictorian at age 17. World War II was on, but Walter was deferred to attend college at Arkansas Tech. Through a specialized Army training program, he did his medical training in three years, graduating in 1946 from the University of Arkansas medical school. The following year another important event occurred with his marriage to Marilyn Rose Gulley of Quanah, Texas on July 12, 1947. Walter then served in the Army and was stationed in Arabia. After returning to civilian life, Walter did a residency in surgery and then opened a practice in Marilyn’s hometown of Quanah in 1955. Walter was very active in both the medical and civic communities and was a well-known presence in both Quanah and the Texas Medical Association. Walter Allen Brooks died peacefully on April 20, 1997 in Quanah. He is buried there with his wife, Marilyn, who passed in 2011.

The scholarship is named The Brooks Brothers, M.D., Scholarship. The UAMS College of Medicine Scholarship Committee will have complete discretion of selecting a deserving medical student to honor the Brooks brothers and family. The inaugural award was presented in 2024.

Dr. King David Brown Scholarship

Dr. King David Brown left a substantial part of his estate to be used to provide scholarships for college students at three of the schools he attended: Meharry Medical College, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and the College of Medicine at UAMS. Dr. Brown, whose own background necessitated financial assistance to medical school, established this scholarship for a student, preferably from his hometown of Magnolia, with a demonstrated need for financial assistance. The inaugural award was presented in 1998.

Rita and Robert Homer Bryant Memorial Scholarship

Mrs. Frances Bryant Edens of Corsicana, Texas, established a memorial fund in memory of her parents, Rita and Robert Homer Bryant. Robert, a 1915 College of Medicine graduate, joined the Army during World War I and was stationed in France. His surgical team operated much like a MASH unit. Dr. Bryant was impressed by the successful treatment of physical wounds but distressed by the lack of understanding of mental illness. Thereafter, Dr. Bryant and his wife made psychiatry their life work. Dr. Bryant retired from the Little Rock Medical Division of the Veterans Affairs Regional Office in 1958. The scholarship is awarded annually to an entering first-year student on the basis of remarkable achievement both inside and outside the classroom. The inaugural award was presented in 1988 at the first scholarship banquet hosted by the College of Medicine.

Buchanan Key Scholarship

The Buchanan Key is among the oldest and most prestigious awards presented by the College of Medicine. According to Anna Buchanan, the late Dr. A. S. Buchanan (known in the family as Dr. Al), Class of 1905, established the Buchanan Keys in 1939 in memory of his brother, Dr. Gilbert Buchanan. One student is selected annually from each class, based on the vote of his/her classmates. After Dr. Buchanan’s death in 1953, the award was continued by his daughters, Mrs. Carl Dalrymple and Miss Katherine Buchanan, in honor of their father who practiced nearly 50 years in Prescott, Arkansas. The award consists of an engraved Buchanan Key. Beginning in 1999, the College of Medicine Founders Society voted to provide a $1,000.00 scholarship for each Buchanan Key recipient. In recent years, the Key was replaced with a commemorative plaque. The College of Medicine regards the award as a significant accomplishment because the winners are chosen not only on the basis of superior academic achievement but also by the vote of their classmates.

Fred T. Caldwell, Jr., M.D., Scholarship

Fred T. Caldwell, Jr., M.D., passed away on April 26, 2004. Born in Hot Springs on May 12, 1925 and raised primarily in Ashdown as the middle of three children, Fred was the son of Fred T. Caldwell, Sr. and Margaret Rodgers Caldwell. Most of his elementary and all his secondary education were received in Ashdown. In 1943 he enrolled at Ouachita Baptist University then transferred to Baylor University, where he received a B.S. In 1946 Fred entered Washington University School of Medicine, graduating in 1950 with an M.D. degree and membership in Alpha Omega Alpha. After interning in Pathology at the prestigious Barnes Hospital of St. Louis, he entered the Department of Surgery training program. After two years of training, he was inducted into the service. He spent two years in the army, most of that time in Korea. After his release from the army, Dr. Caldwell resumed his surgery training, completing his residency in 1958 under the leadership of Dr. Carl Moyer., adding one extra year of laboratory work to his training. His first professional position was at the Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York. After a decade in Syracuse, the Caldwell family (now including twins, Paul and Elizabeth) moved to Arkansas, where Fred spent the remainder of his professional life as Professor of Surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. There he conducted research on the healing of burn wounds and served as Director of the Burn Center at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. His many publications and verbal presentations made a major contribution to understanding the role of evaporative heat loss in the healing of burn wounds, and he was honored by election to the presidency of the American Burn Association. He also served for several years on the National Advisory Board for the Shriners’ Hospitals. Although Dr. Caldwell performed all varieties of general surgery, his main specialties were renal transplants, as part of the Transplant Team with Dr. William J. (Pat) Flanigan and the treatment of burns. The greatest delight in his professional work came from the training he provided the residents in General Surgery at UAMS. Under the leadership of the Chair of the Department, Dr. Gilbert S. Campbell, Fred’s colleague and friend, outstanding young people had been recruited for the Arkansas Department of Surgery training program. Fred Caldwell was a vital part of that training for 32 years, and his skill as surgeon and teacher will be long remembered and appreciated by scores of talented physicians and other health care personnel now working in Arkansas. In terms of recreation, Fred was a one-sport man–fly fishing. Over the years he fished in most of the world’s exciting waters, releasing most of the fish he caught. His favorite locale was Alaska, and he went fishing there almost every year for 20 years. His last recreational trip was to Costa Rica, where he caught a 120-pound tarpon. Although it is not actually a sport, birding meant almost as much to Fred. He spent many hours happily feeding birds and conducting a futile war against the squirrels that got most of the feed he put out for them. Fred Caldwell’s life cannot be summarized without reference to his enduring marriage to his wife, Bettye, and their family life together. Teenage sweethearts, they made it through all the trials of a two-career marriage and became ever closer over the years. During the last five or so years, Fred and Bettye traveled extensively to many exciting parts of the world. They were ready to embark on a long trip up the Amazon River when congestive heart failure with pulmonary complications forced him to put away his suitcase.

Dr. Caldwell’s wife, Bettye, established an endowed scholarship in loving memory of her husband, Fred T. Caldwell, Jr., M.D., who served a long and distinguished career at UAMS as a Professor of Surgery and as Director of the Burn Center at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Fred Caldwell’s skill as a surgeon and teacher contributed greatly to care and healing of patients and to the recruitment and training of outstanding residents for the UAMS Department of Surgery. UAMS is very grateful for this Gift and for the many outstanding professional contributions of Dr. Caldwell. The inaugural Caldwell Scholarship was awarded in 2017.

Dr. J. Brad Carter Family Scholarship

It is the expressed desire of Dr. J. Brad Carter and Mrs. Melanie Carter to pledge a gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation, Inc. for the benefit of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Dr. Carter is from a small, rural area of Arkansas and faced significant challenges when pursuing his degree in medicine. Understanding these unique circumstances, Dr. Carter has established a scholarship that will help current and future students from small and rural areas in Arkansas pursue their education with the UAMS College of Medicine. This scholarship shall be awarded each year to a UAMS student who is a first-year student enrolled in College of Medicine and preferably is from a town with a population of 10,000 or less. Selection of the recipient shall be made by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee, designee of the Dean and/or Provost. Each scholarship is for one academic year. Prior recipients may not be considered for this scholarship during subsequent years. The inaugural award was presented in the 2022-23 academic year.

Calvin R. Cassady, M.D., and Margaret S. Cassady Scholarship in Medicine

It was the expressed desire of Joe R. Robbins, M.D. and Nancy Cassady Robbins, husband and wife, of Texarkana, Texas to give a charitable donation to the University of Arkansas Foundation for the purpose of establishing an endowed scholarship to be named the Calvin R. Cassady, M.D. and Margaret S. Cassady Scholarship in Medicine. Joe R. Robbins, M.D. was a 1984 UAMS College of Medicine graduate and former resident and fellow at UAMS. The scholarship is to benefit medical students in financial need enrolled in the College of Medicine. Preference is to be given to students who were born in, raised in, or who otherwise are from any of the following counties in Arkansas (in order of preference) Pike, Howard, Sebastian, Crawford or any other Arkansas county. The scholarship criteria reflects the donors’ intention to honor the lives of Calvin R. Cassady, M.D. and Margaret S. Cassady, parents of Nancy Cassady Robbins and in-laws of Joe R. Robbins. Dr. Cassady was born in Nashville, Arkansas and raised in nearby Murfreesboro where he met his childhood sweetheart, Margaret Shirley Terrell. Margaret graduated from Henderson State Teacher’s College in Arkadelphia Arkansas where she majored in home economics. Together they focused on Dr. Cassady’s new life as a medical student and resident at UAMS. They later became devoted parents, raising their children in Van Buren, Arkansas, where Dr. Cassady practiced as a successful and highly respected radiologist.

Florence Char Medical Student Distinguished Scholarship

Dr. James Graham, M.D., Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine recalls the following: “Dr. Char was on faculty when I was a student and resident. She was a brilliant person who initially trained in pediatric cardiology, but then did training in genetics. For many years, she was the only trained clinical geneticist in the state. She established the first clinical genetics clinic in Arkansas and the first cytogenetics laboratory. She was quite amazing; a kind and exceptional individual!” Archived records show that Dr. Char served on the College of Medicine Admissions Committee in 1980, 1981 and 1982.

In January 1999 the College of Medicine received a check for benefits payable on the life of Dr. Florence Char for $100,000.00 plus $556 of interest.  I. Dodd Wilson, Dean of the College of Medicine at that time, directed the funds be placed in the UAMS Foundation to establish The Florence Char Medical Student Education Fund. Dr. Wilson instructed that Dr. Char be included as a member of the Founders Society. 

The Florence Char Medical Student Distinguished Scholarship is awarded to deserving medical students at the discretion of the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The inaugural awards were presented in 2024.

Class of 1937 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1937, a product of the Great Depression, remembered the adversity of its medical-school years and recognized a continuing need to assist students with the costs of a medical education. Fourteen of the original 62 members of the Class of 1937 attended their 50-year Alumni Reunion in 1987 and decided to fund the first scholarship ever presented by an alumni class to the College of Medicine. Dr. J.A. Henry, who was instrumental in establishing the annual scholarship stated: “The chief reason for establishing the scholarship was in recognition of the School of Medicine which has provided for us the opportunity to become doctors. The remembrance of the austerity which characterized and tempered our medical school days no doubt influenced this scholarship. We only hope that any future recipient of this scholarship will feel gratitude and pride in his/her medical school alma mater which has prompted the creation of the Class of 1937 Scholarship.” The scholarship is awarded to an entering first-year student on the basis of outstanding academic achievement and need. This scholarship, along with the Class of 1981 Alumni Scholarship, is recognized as the genesis of the successful alumni scholarship effort spearheaded by Mrs. Janet Honeycutt, past Executive Director of the Arkansas Caduceus Club, and Dr. I. Dodd Wilson, former Dean of the College of Medicine and UAMS Chancellor. The inaugural award was presented in 1989.

Class of 1942 Alumni Scholarship

Members of the Class of 1942 returned to Little Rock in 1992 to celebrate the golden anniversary of their graduation from medical school. During this time, they also decided to fund an endowed scholarship for the College of Medicine, and they accomplished their goal in only two years. The inaugural award was presented in 1994 to Chris Gibert. The Class of 1942 Scholarship is given annually to an upperclassman who has demonstrated superior academic achievement throughout medical school.

Class of 1945 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1945 determined at its 45-year reunion in 1990 to establish a scholarship by the time of its 50-year reunion. Class agents campaigned for contributions from their classmates. The class presented its endowment to the College of Medicine during its golden anniversary celebration in 1999. The scholarship is awarded each year to a medical student on the basis of financial need and academic excellence. The inaugural award was presented in 1995.

Class of 1946 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1946 decided in 1991 to fund a scholarship and, like the Class of 1945, present it to the College of Medicine on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of their graduation. The class presented the scholarship to the College of Medicine in June 1996. The scholarship is awarded to a student on the basis of outstanding academic achievement. The Class of 1946 reserved the right to amend the selection criteria in the future. The inaugural was presented in 1996.

Class of 1947 Alumni Scholarship

In the midst of World War II, the accelerated class matriculated about 60 students in 1944 (Class of 1947) – the smallest medical school class since the depths of the Depression. Many of the members of the class were actually in the military (Army Specialized Training Program or Navy V-12 Program) while medical students, and school was held year-round so they graduated in a little over three years. Most were discharged after the end of the war while they were still in medical school, and were not called to active duty during World War II. However, many members of the Class of 1947 served during the Korean conflict. When they returned for the golden anniversary of their graduation at Alumni Weekend in 1997, the class decided to fund an endowed scholarship for the College of Medicine. In 2002, the Class of 1947 presented an endowed scholarship to Dean I. Dodd Wilson on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of their graduation. The inaugural award was presented in 2002.

Class of 1949 Alumni Scholarship

The scholarship of the Class of 1949 is awarded annually to an upperclassman on the basis of superior academic achievement, both inside and outside of the classroom. Class agents, Dr. Bernard Thompson, retired professor of surgery, and his wife, Dr. Dola Thompson, retired professor and Chair of Anesthesiology, were influential in establishing this fund. The inaugural award of the Class of 1949 Alumni Scholarship was presented in 1994.

Class of 1950 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1950 was the first post-war class. Most were veterans and most were living on VA Military Educational Benefits. They were an older group. Many were married before they started medical school, and almost all were married by the time they graduated. Class President Tom Ed Townsend recalls that some of the students were older than the faculty and were accused of having a cavalier attitude toward school and life. For instance, June Cross and Hal Black charged Frank Cantrell a quarter to ride the elevator up to the top floor for Gross Anatomy. Tom Ed rode free. When Cantrell protested, they explained that he wasn’t a vet. Sixty-two graduated in Fayetteville – the last class to do so. The inaugural award was presented in 2000.

Class of 1952 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1952 made plans during its 1992 reunion to endow a scholarship in recognition of the high cost of medical education and the indebtedness of many medical students. Dr. Rex Moore, Class Agent, presented the College of Medicine with a generous scholarship endowment during the 1997 Alumni Weekend to provide encouragement and financial aid to their younger colleagues. The Scholarship Committee selects a worthy student each year to receive the award. The inaugural award was presented in 1997.

Class of 1953 Alumni Scholarship

Members of the Class of 1953 established an endowed scholarship fund for the College of Medicine during its 40th-anniversary celebration of their graduation from medical school. Dr. Purcell Smith, Class Agent, presented this generous endowment to the College during Alumni Weekend in 1998. The inaugural award was presented in 1998.

Class of 1954 Alumni Scholarship

Dr. Harold Hyder initiated a drive among his classmates to fund a medical student scholarship in 1989. After the untimely death of Dr. Hyder, Dr. Joe Bennett, Dr. George Ackerman and other members of the Class of 1954 spearheaded efforts to continue. Today, it is the largest scholarship endowment ever presented to the College by an alumni class. A remarkable 81% of class members supported the scholarship fund. The inaugural presentation of the scholarship was made in 1994. The award is presented annually to a freshman or sophomore.

Class of 1955 Alumni Scholarship

Dr. Robert L. Chester’s love of the outdoors was equaled only by his affection for the University of Arkansas and his love of medicine. As an anesthesiologist in the class of 1955, he was exemplary in his care for patients. Their well being always came first. The respect he had for his profession also found expression in the fondness he felt for his medical school class. He was, therefore, pleased that through his estate he could make arrangements to add significantly to the funds available for scholarships awarded on behalf of his class. The scholarship is awarded annually at the discretion of the College of Medicine scholarship committee The inaugural scholarship was awarded in 2008.

Class of 1956 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1956 established its College of Medicine endowment in 1991. The class elected to fund a scholarship initially but reserved the right to designate the income for other specific purposes as institutional needs change. The scholarship is awarded on the basis of scholastic achievement. The inaugural award was presented in 1996.

Class of 1957 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1957 always has an excellent turnout at its Alumni Weekends. The class presented an endowed scholarship to the College of Medicine during its 45-year reunion. They designated the scholarship to be awarded annually at the discretion of the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The inaugural award was presented in 2002.

Class of 1958 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1958 decided to fund an endowment for the College of Medicine during its 1998 Alumni Weekend. Dr. James Basinger guided those early efforts. The class decided during the 2003 reunion to fund a medical student scholarship from its endowment. The inaugural award was presented in 2003 by Dr. R H Nunnally, Camden, and his wife Anne.

Class of 1961 Alumni Scholarship

At the 1991 Alumni Weekend, the Class of 1981 announced the culmination of their ten-year effort to endow a scholarship. Sitting at the front table was Dr. Asa Crow, Class Agent for the Class of 1961, who asked for a chance at the microphone. Dr. Crow declared his class wasn’t going to “let those young whippersnappers outdo us” and announced without consultation with his classmates that five years hence, the Class of 1961 would present an endowed scholarship to the College of Medicine…and they did! The inaugural award was presented in 1996. The Class asked the Scholarship Committee to consider three things: Need, Record of volunteerism and Leadership, and personal commitment to make contributions to a UAMS College of Medicine endowed fund when he/she is able to do so in the future. The inaugural award was presented in 1996.

Class of 1962 Medical Alumni Scholarship

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Class of 1962 established the Class of 1962 Medical Alumni Scholarship in 2006.  Interest has accumulated over the years and the inaugural scholarship was awarded in 2023. The College of Medicine Scholarship Committee has complete discretion in selecting a student based on performance both inside and outside the classroom. Multiple factors may be considered in the selection process including academic performance, volunteerism, leadership, and financial need.  It is hoped that students receiving the Class of 1962 Medical Alumni Scholarship will become competent and compassionate physicians who will greatly contribute to a better state of health in Arkansas.

Class of 1963 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1963 decided to endow a scholarship for the College during the 30th anniversary of their graduation from medical school in 1993. Dr. J. Malcolm Moore, Class Agent, presented an endowment to the College of Medicine in June 1998. The class determined that the recipient must be a sophomore who is an Arkansas resident, who has financial need and whose grades fall in the mid-range of the class. The recipient is eligible for renewal of the scholarship until graduation if the financial need continues. Michael E. Barnett, M.D., a leader in establishing this scholarship, was selected by his class to make the inaugural presentation in 1998.

Class of 1964 Alumni Scholarship

Class Agent, Rex Easter, M.D., and his fellow classmates presented a scholarship to the College of Medicine during the 1999 Alumni Weekend, marking the 35-year anniversary of their graduation from medical school. The scholarship recipient must be an Arkansas resident with financial need who is in the mid-range of his/her class. The scholarship is awarded to a sophomore and will be renewed until graduation provided the recipient continues to meet the criteria. The inaugural award was presented in 1999.

Class of 1965 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1965 established a scholarship fund in 1995 and class members continue to make contributions to this fund. Upperclassmen who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement are given priority consideration. The Class of 1965 reserves the right to modify scholarship selection criteria. The inaugural award was presented in 1995.

Class of 1968/A.J. Thompson, M.D., Memorial Scholarship

The Class of 1968 was deeply saddened by the 1988 death of its admired classmate, Dr. A. J. Thompson, who once had been selected as Outstanding Intern and then Outstanding Resident at UAMS. Later, he became the personal physician to the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. Dr. Thompson founded the Little Rock Cardiology Clinic and is credited with bringing state-of-the-art cardiology to central Arkansas. He also helped organize several missions through his church to benefit those less privileged in other countries. Dr. Thompson was named the College of Medicine Distinguished Alumnus, one of the most prestigious honors bestowed by the College of Medicine, only one year before his valiant struggle with cancer ended his life. Dr. Jack Blackshear and Dr. Frederick E Joyce led the effort to establish a scholarship fund in his memory. The inaugural award based on outstanding academic achievement was presented in 1993.

Class of 1969 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1969 began contributing to its scholarship fund in 1994. They accomplished their goal after five years. Class Agent Dr. Jerry Kendall presented the College of Medicine with the Class of 1969 Alumni Scholarship at its 30-year reunion during Alumni Weekend in 1999. The inaugural award was given in 1999.

Class of 1971 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1971 voted unanimously to establish an endowed scholarship during their 25th reunion in 1996. Rallied by class agents Dr. John C. Jones and Dr. Hugh Burnett, classmates contributed generously to the endowment fund over the next several years to build a lasting gift for future medical students. Class members were pleased to present the inaugural scholarship in 2006, marking their 35th reunion year.

Class of 1973 / Hank Jordan Memorial Scholarship

Following the death of Dr. Harry J. Jordan of Jonesboro, his medical school classmates and many other northeast Arkansas physicians contributed to a scholarship fund in his memory. Members of the Class of 1973 note that they were blessed to have had the late Harry J. Jordan as a classmate: “In studying with him, we learned to admire him; in working with him, we learned to respect him; in knowing him, we loved him.” This scholarship gives preference to a freshman student from Jonesboro or northeast Arkansas who, like Dr. Jordan, demonstrates integrity, character and compassion. The inaugural award of the Class of 1973 Hank Jordan Memorial Scholarship was presented in 1994.

Class of 1974 Alumni Scholarship

A year after the Class of 1974 celebrated its 35th anniversary of their graduation, class members agreed that it was important to establish a scholarship fund as a permanent means to assist in recruiting and retaining top medical students for the College of Medicine. Carroll Chappell, M.D., and Ron Hardin, M.D., led the appeal with initial pledges and the campaign was launched. The recipients of this scholarship are selected at the discretion of the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee.

Class of 1975 Alumni Scholarship

The College of Medicine Class of 1975 created a scholarship to assist medical students attending the UAMS College of Medicine. The selection criteria has not been designated at this time and will remain at the sole discretion of the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The inaugural award was presented in 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Class of 1976 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1976 began efforts to endow a scholarship at its twentieth reunion. The Class officially presented its scholarship to Dean I. Dodd Wilson in 2001, in celebration of the Silver Anniversary of their graduation from medical school. However, the class members accumulated sufficient funds by 1999 and did not want to delay another two years when students had need now. Therefore, the inaugural presentation was made in 1999, two years prior to their Silver Anniversary celebration, at the College of Medicine Scholarship Banquet held in the Grand Ballroom of the Excelsior Hotel in Little Rock on September 17, 1999. Members of the Class of 1976 were on hand to make the inaugural presentation including Dr. Richard P. Wheeler, Dr. William Henry, and Dr. LeRoy LeNarz. The inaugural award was presented in 1999.

Class of 1977 Alumni Scholarship

The class consisted of students from a wide range of ages and experiences, including many Vietnam veterans, a record number of women and a variety of personalities. The Class of 1977 donated its scholarship simply to help reduce the debt of their colleagues in medicine. The College of Medicine Scholarship Committee selects the recipient. The inaugural scholarship was presented in 2002.

Class of 1978 Alumni Scholarship

At the 35th anniversary of their graduation, the class made the decision to award their scholarship fund as a permanent means for the class to help medical students today and into the future. Under the leadership of class agent Sharron Leslie, M.D., the criteria for their scholarship was developed to benefit students with financial need. Recipients are selected at the discretion of the Scholarship Committee. The inaugural award was presented in 2014.

Class of 1979 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1979 Alumni Scholarship fund was established in 1994 to provide an annual scholarship based on demonstrated academic achievement and character. The class also established a fund in memory of classmate Susan Campbell Rector to award a scholarship to an outstanding senior woman who chooses a career in Obstetrics and Gynecology. The inaugural award was presented in 1994.

Class of 1980 Alumni Scholarship

It was the expressed desire of Susan R. Runge, M.D., and Marschall S. Runge, M.D., Ph.D., to pledge a generous gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation for the benefit of medical students attending the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. The gift is to be added to and used for the Class of 1980 Medical Alumni Scholarship. Dr. Susan R. Runge, Class of 1980, is a dermatologist currently practicing in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Marschall S. Runge is the Dean and Executive Vice President for the University of Michigan School of Medicine. The College of Medicine Scholarship Committee has complete discretion in selecting a deserving medical student for this generous scholarship. The inaugural Class of 1980 Medical Alumni Scholarship award was presented in 2023.

Class of 1981 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1981 voted to establish a scholarship fund as a graduation gift to the College of Medicine. Contributions and accrued interest were significant enough to begin awarding scholarships in 1992. The class goal is to earn sufficient interest on the principal in order to present a full-tuition scholarship annually. The recipient should be a rising senior. Members of the senior class vote for a classmate who is seen as a promising young physician and one who has never received a scholarship or grant during medical school. The student with the majority vote receives the award. This scholarship, along with the Class of 1937 Alumni Scholarship, is recognized as the genesis of the successful alumni class effort to endow scholarships for the College of Medicine. The inaugural award was presented in 1991.

Class of 1982 / Dr. Morris Hughes Memorial Scholarship

The Class of 1982 created a scholarship in memory of classmate, Dr. Morris Hughes, who was killed in an airplane crash in 1988. Dr. Hughes had experience in many fields before coming to medical school, including electrical engineering, construction, ambulance services and volunteer fire services. Dr. Hughes’ classmates often joked that he would be able to operate on his patient, repair the patient’s car, and then go to the patient’s home, rewire it, repair the plumbing and add a room. To memorialize his spirit of selflessness and excellence in diverse fields, this scholarship fund was established to be awarded to the Junior Medical Student who, in the eyes of his or her classmates, best exhibits the qualities of selflessness, creativity and energy in solving problems of his or her classmates. The junior class selects the recipient of this scholarship each year through a class vote during registration. The inaugural award was presented in 1992 by Dr. Lee Archer on behalf of his classmates. The inaugural award was presented in 1992.

Class of 1983 Alumni Scholarship

The College of Medicine Class of 1983 awards a yearly scholarship to a medical student who exhibits leadership, shows compassion and has good academic standing. The scholarship is awarded at the discretion of the College of Medicine scholarship committee. The inaugural award was awarded in 2009.

Class of 1984 Alumni Scholarship

The College of Medicine Class of 1984 determined during its first Alumni Weekend in 1994 to fund a scholarship in five years to be presented to the College of Medicine at its next reunion. The goal was met and the inaugural scholarship was presented by Dr. Kris Shewmake on behalf of his classmates in 1999.

Class of 1985 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1985 decided on the 25th anniversary of their graduation to establish a scholarship fund as a permanent means for the class to help medical students today and into the future. The cost of tuition in 1985 was $3,500 compared to $17,980 in 2010. Under the leadership of James Graham, M.D., Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, a campaign was launched with his generous contribution. The recipients of the scholarship will be selected at the discretion of the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee.

Class of 1987 / Dana A. Martin Memorial Scholarship

The Class of 1987 established a memorial scholarship in honor of its classmate, Dana Austin Martin, who died in 1986 in an automobile accident during his sophomore year of medical school. Donations from his classmates and the Martin family created the scholarship. Two scholarships are awarded annually to entering first-year medical students with the hope the recipients will someday realize Dana’s dream of becoming a caring and compassionate physician. The inaugural awards were presented in 1989.

Class of 1993 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1993 established a scholarship for medical students attending the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. The class gave discretion to the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee to award the scholarship to a deserving student but reserved the right to modify the selection criteria in the future. The inaugural Class of 1993 Alumni Scholarship was awarded in 2020.

Class of 1994 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1994 established a scholarship for students attending the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. The Class gave discretion to the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee to award the scholarship to a deserving student. The Class reserved the right to modify the selection criteria in the future. The inaugural Class of 1994 Alumni Scholarship was awarded in 2017. The scholarship is awarded to a deserving student based on academics, character, and financial need.

Class of 1995 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1995 established a scholarship to be awarded to a senior medical student. The student should be active in school life and demonstrate a spirit of volunteerism. Preference is to be given to a senior who has not received any prior scholarship. The Class requested that the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee identify appropriate students based on the above criteria and submit the names of classmates to the class for a vote to determine the scholarship recipient. The inaugural award was presented in 2017.

Class of 1996 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1996 established a scholarship to be awarded to a deserving medical student. The selection criteria are at the complete discretion of the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. More specific selection criteria may be established at a later date by the Class of 1996. At present, the award is based on academic achievement, volunteerism, community service, and financial need. The inaugural award was presented in 2017.

Class of 1997 Alumni Scholarship

The College of Medicine Class of 1997 created a scholarship to assist medical students attending the UAMS College of Medicine. The selection criteria remains at the sole discretion of the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The inaugural Class of 1997 Alumni Scholarship was awarded in 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Class of 1998 Alumni Scholarship

The inaugural Class of 1998 Alumni Scholarship was awarded in 2016. The Class of 1998 did not establish any specific criteria for awarding the scholarship. At present, the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee selects a student each year based on a combination of academic achievement and financial need.

Class of 1999 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 1999 initiated a scholarship for a deserving medical student. The selection of the scholarship recipient was left to the complete discretion of the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The inaugural Class of 1999 Alumni Scholarship was awarded in 2016.

Class of 2000 Alumni Scholarship

When the Class of 2000 graduated, they voted to donate the balance of their class treasury to the College of Medicine as an endowed scholarship for a future student. At their first class reunion, under the leadership of Todd Clements, M.D., they launched a campaign to increase their scholarship endowment in order to have a positive and lasting impact on the increasing need for larger scholarships. The selection criteria will be made at the discretion of the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The inaugural award will be presented when sufficient funds derived from interest become available.

Class of 2001 Alumni Scholarship

The scholarship fund was established to provide scholarship support of medical students attending the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. The Scholarship Committee selects a student recipient based on academics, character, and financial need. The inaugural Class of 2001 Alumni Scholarship was awarded in 2017.

Class of 2002 Alumni Scholarship

When the Class of 2002 graduated, they graciously voted to donate the balance of their treasury to the College of Medicine as an endowed scholarship for future medical students. The award is made at the discretion of the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The inaugural award was presented in 2010.

Class of 2004 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 2004 established a scholarship for deserving students attending the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. The Class gave discretion to the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee to award the scholarship but reserved the right to modify the selection criteria at a later date. The inaugural Class of 2004 Alumni Scholarship was awarded in 2017. The scholarship is awarded on the basis of academics, character, and financial need.

Class of 2005 Alumni Scholarship

The Class of 2005 established a scholarship for deserving students attending the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. The Class gave discretion to the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee to award the scholarship but reserved the right to modify the selection criteria at a later date. The inaugural Class of 2005 Alumni Scholarship was awarded in 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marianna Clift Memorial Scholarship

Dr. Steven A Clift, Class of 1977, along with family and friends, established this scholarship in memory of his mother, Marianna Campbell Clift, who instilled in her children the importance of education although she herself could not afford to attend college. She was unselfishly dedicated to helping others. The Clift family hopes the annual recipient will be encouraged to give unselfishly to those less fortunate and to honor the legacy of ideals, values, and goals that mothers continue to pass down to their children from generation to generation. The annual award, first presented in 1995, is made to a student who ranks in the upper one-half of his/her class and has demonstrated financial need.

Cooper Family Memorial Scholarship

The Cooper Scholarship is presented in memory of Dr. Burpee Cooper, Class of 1912, and in honor of his grandson, Dr. Curt A Cooper, Class of 1973. The scholarship was endowed by Dr. Burpee Cooper’s son, Mr. Arnold Cooper (the father of Dr. Curt A. Cooper) and by Burpee Cooper’s daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Weichselfelder. The Cooper Scholarship was established to acknowledge their debt of gratitude to their father and to benefit outstanding medical students. Preference is given to Boone County/Harrison area students who have demonstrated superior academic achievement, good citizenship and whose families work in order to assist them. The inaugural award was presented in 1993.

Dean’s Full-Tuition, Four-Year Scholarship

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine has a compelling interest to achieve a diverse student body.  To help address the healthcare disparities and inequities that exist in Arkansas, the new Dean’s Full-Tuition, Four-Year Scholarship will provide a limited number of Arkansans with a four-year, full-tuition scholarship. Students are selected for the Dean’s Scholarship after considering a wide array of factors to include, but not limited to, students demonstrating academic promise who are at a high risk of leaving Arkansas to pursue their undergraduate medical education, students who come from rural and/or medically underserved backgrounds, first generation college graduates, students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Students will be selected from a large pool of well qualified applicants based on an objective and non-discriminatory review.  The scholarship is renewable each year, for up to a maximum of four years, provided the recipient maintains satisfactory academic progress and successfully completes the prior year of medical school. The inaugural awards were presented in 2022.    

Dean’s Office / College of Medicine Scholarships

In response to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ “Invest in Life” Capital Gifts Campaign to raise $5,000,000 in scholarship funds for students, the Dean’s Office/College of Medicine staff employees established a scholarship fund designed to recognize and reward humanitarian public service. Three scholarships were awarded beginning in 1992, one each to a rising sophomore, junior and senior medical student. Students are nominated by their classmates and must demonstrate a superior awareness of and accomplishment in community and civic activities. A scholarship committee in the Dean’s office makes the final selection.

Dr. Rhonda & Ken Dick Endowed Scholarship

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences announced Thursday it received a $2 million commitment from  Rhonda M. Dick, M.D., and Joseph Kennedy “Ken” Dick, MBA.

The purpose of this commitment is to establish the Dr. Rhonda and Ken Dick Endowed Scholarship and this was made through their revocable trust.

At the time the scholarship was presented to the College of Medicine in 2022, Susan S. Smyth, M.D., Ph.D., former UAMS executive vice chancellor and College of Medicine dean said “We are profoundly grateful to Dr. Rhonda and Ken Dick for their generosity and dedication to young Arkansans, especially those from rural areas, who aspire to become physicians and continue their legacy of service in our state.  Scholarships are a powerful tool for recruiting promising students to UAMS and to careers in rural medicine, and this endowment will have a tremendous impact for generations to come.”

This scholarship will be awarded to a student enrolled at the College of Medicine who is an Arkansas resident who demonstrates financial need.

The Dicks have created the scholarship to honor the memory of Dr. Herd Stone to show appreciation for his mentorship and care for the individuals of Monroe County.

“After working for Dr. Stone for about six months, he called me into his office to discuss my career plans. He encouraged me to go to medical school. It was something I had never considered,” said Rhonda. “I had not been exposed to many potential career opportunities in our small, isolated rural community and there weren’t many women practicing medicine at that time. So it had never occurred to me as a possibility.”

While she attended Hendrix College and later UAMS, Stone continued his mentorship with her.

“Dr. Stone taught me some valuable lessons that I carried with me through medical school later in my medical practice,” said Dick. “He often took me on house calls in the evenings to some of the most rural parts of Monroe County to provide medical care to disadvantaged people who were unable to make the trip to his clinic. Although I didn’t realize this until many years later, he did this for a reason. He wanted me to understand the challenges that many of my future patients might be facing. Those lessons served me well throughout my career.”

The couple hopes this scholarship will inspire and allow a student to consider a primary care career.

“Considering the expense of medical school, it is understandable that many doctors feel that they need to become specialists in a field of medicine,” said Rhonda. “We wouldn’t mind that this scholarship would allow a student to pursue a career in primary care, and we would love it if it was in a rural community in Arkansas.”

The couple also said the scholarship honors their parents.

“Rhonda and I have been blessed with great lives and much of that is because of our respective parents,” said Ken. “Growing up, we both received great support and love from our families, and it set us up to both have fulfilling careers.”

Rhonda retired as the medical director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in 2019.

Ken retired as an assistant director of fiscal services for the Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Branch in 2006.

Dr. Edward Forrest Ellis Scholarship

In 1989, Dr. Ruth Ellis Lesh of Fayetteville established the Dr. Edward Forrest Ellis Scholarship as a loving memorial to her father who practiced medicine until his death in 1957 at the age of 93. Dr. Ellis was the first physician to perform major surgery in northwest Arkansas. He was born August 19, 1863, and moved to northwest Arkansas in 1866. In 1885, he graduated from Missouri Medical College in St Louis, which later became Washington University Medical School. In 1885, he became a member of the Washington County (Arkansas) Medical Society and the Arkansas Medical Society (President 1918-19). Dr. Ellis practiced in Hindsville for ten years, Springdale until 1904 and Fayetteville until his death in 1957. Dr. Lesh, a respected member of the Arkansas medical community, established the scholarship to assist medical students who demonstrate superior academic achievement and who possess character qualities to become outstanding physicians. Preference may be given to a female student who desires to pursue a career in Surgery. The inaugural award was presented in 1990.

Ruth Elizabeth Ellis, M.D., Scholarship

Mary Carolyn Ellis, the granddaughter of Dr. Edward Forrest Ellis and sister of Dr. Ruth Elizabeth Ellis, left a bequest for “scholarships for needy and deserving medical students at the University of Arkansas College of Medicine, such scholarships to be awarded regardless of race, color, sex, age or national origin.” The Ellis physicians were widely known and respected in the Arkansas medical community. Dr. Ruth Elizabeth Ellis was a member of the Class of 1948 University of Arkansas College of Medicine. The inaugural award was presented in 2012.

Dr. E. T. Ellison Scholarship

This scholarship was established in memory of Dr. E.T. Ellison of Texarkana by his children, Dr. E.T. Ellison, Jr, Class of 1973, and Mrs. Mary Ellison Becker. Dr. Ellison was chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UAMS (1947-1948) when he left to help found the Collum-Carney Clinic in Texarkana. He continued to maintain his academic interests while pursuing his career as an excellent clinician. He loved both the intellectual mastery of the medical sciences and the application of that mastery to the relief of human suffering. In addition to publishing numerous articles in his field, Dr. Ellison had a well-developed grasp of all aspects of medicine. He was an extremely gifted technical surgeon and attributed his skill in that area to his emphasis on economy of motion. He was always very energetic, open to new ideas, and attentive to the complaints of patients and suggestions of colleagues. Above and beyond his love of medicine and patient care, he had a wide range of interests. He was an accomplished artist, civic supporter, and an avid golfer—one of the few people ever to score a hole-in-one playing left-handed and later to score one playing right-handed. The Ellison family desire that this scholarship be provided to medical students who share his passions and ideals. Preference is given to an entering first-year student from the Texarkana area who demonstrates academic excellence and financial need. The inaugural award was presented in 1994.

Deborah Flowers Fawcett, M.D., Memorial Scholarship

Deborah Lee Flowers Fawcett was born on May 2, 1952, in Hope, Arkansas, to Hollis Vernon Flowers and Myrtle Aline Crosby Flowers. She grew up in Batesville, Arkansas, where her family attended the First Baptist Church and Debbie graduated with honors from Batesville High School in 1970. She attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and was elected president of Chi Omega sorority before her early acceptance into the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1973.

Debbie had a passion for serving others and earned her medical degree in 1977. She completed her residency in pediatrics in 1980, serving as Chief Resident at Arkansas Children’s Hospital from 1979-1980. She worked in private practice as a general pediatrician for many years before accepting a position as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1992, and she served as Medical Director of the Asthma Care Center at Arkansas Children’s Hospital from 1994-1997. In 1997, Debbie was invited to complete a fellowship in Allergy/Immunology at the University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. From 1999-2014, she was a partner in the practice of pediatric and adult allergy/immunology at Texas Regional Allergy & Asthma Center in Southlake, TX.

Debbie received numerous awards in her profession, including being recognized as one of Dallas’s “Best Doctors for Your Kids” by D Magazine in 2002. In 2003, she received the Outstanding Teacher Award-Division of Allergy/Immunology at the University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center. She was also chosen as a “Super Doctor” by Texas Monthly Magazine for the years 2006-2012, and named as a “Best Doctor” in 2011 and 2012 by Best Doctors, Inc. She had a special place in her heart for the many patients that she cared for during her 35-year career.

Strengthened by her faith, determination, and the support of her patients, friends, and family, Debbie battled her cancer diagnosis courageously and was able to continue practicing medicine full-time until December of 2014. She was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ and especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren during her lifetime.

A scholarship was established to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Fawcett. The scholarship is to be “awarded each academic year to one student who is in his/her second, third or fourth year in the College of Medicine (M2, M3, or M4 student), with financial need sufficiently demonstrated to the scholarship review committee in accordance with its standard procedures. Female recipients are preferred but are not required. The inaugural award was presented in 2020.

Dr. Thomas Formby Scholarship

Dr. Thomas Formby, Class of 1950, served in World War II and was a member of the first post-war class to enter the College of Medicine. He established a family practice in Searcy, Arkansas, and was especially instrumental in establishing a community-based hospital, the White County Medical Center, at a time when other community hospitals were closing. He recognized the need for specialists in small towns and the benefits of group practice. He helped start the first and now one of the largest multi-specialty groups in the state. He encouraged a heart of service among his colleagues through his guidance in their professional, personal and spiritual development. Dr. Formby established this scholarship in 2000, the same year he received the College of Medicine’s most prestigious honor, the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Dr. Formby died in August 2006. The inaugural award was presented in 2000.

Butler Fuller, M.D., Endowed Scholarship

In consideration of an abiding interest in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Butler Fuller, III M.D., and Beth G. Fuller, husband and wife, gave a gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation in 2017 to establish an endowed scholarship for students at the UAMS College of Medicine who have financial need as determined by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The endowed scholarship will bear the name of the Butler Fuller, M.D. Endowed Scholarship. The inaugural award was presented in 2020.

Samuel L. Gaston, M.D., Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established upon Dr. Gaston’s death in 1994 to commemorate his dedication to academic excellence, medicine and family. Dr. Gaston attended Arkansas Tech on a football scholarship and, afterward, coached high school sports for nine years in Harrison, his hometown. He entered medical school in 1960 despite the responsibilities associated with raising three small children. Dr. Gaston graduated from medical school with high honors and was selected by his classmates to receive the Buchanan Key Award his senior year. The Gaston family prefers the recipient to be a student who was married and had a family before entering medical school. The inaugural award was presented in 1995.

Jean C. Gladden, M.D., and William King Gladden Memorial Scholarship

Dr. Jean Gladden, Class of 1944, was the first board-certified surgeon to practice in north-central Arkansas. He often joined his father, who was also a physician, as he made rounds delivering babies and caring for the sick in rural areas surrounding Harrison. Dr. Gladden served as president of the Arkansas Caduceus Club and chaired its Medical Student Loan and Scholarship Committee. He was concerned about medical student debt and wanted to assure no qualified medical school applicant would be prevented from becoming a doctor due to a lack of funds. Family and friends chose to establish a scholarship in his memory upon his death. The inaugural award of this scholarship was presented in 1995. Dr. Gladden’s son’s name was added to the scholarship title in 2005 when he passed away at the age of 50. William King Gladden had been involved in the banking industry for over 23 years and was the founding Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Community First Bank. The recipient must be a student with financial need and who has an aptitude for working with people as demonstrated through volunteerism and community service. The inaugural award was presented in 1995.

Dr. and Mrs. Edwin F. Gray Scholarship

Dr. and Mrs. Edwin F. Gray established a scholarship fund to assist medical students in 1986. Dr. Gray, Class of 1935, was the first residency-trained radiologist in Arkansas. He worked in private practice in Little Rock for thirty years while also serving as an Associate Clinical Professor of Radiology at UAMS. Dr. Gray was named Honorary Professor of Radiology in 1983. Dr. and Mrs. Gray were actively involved in many medical, civic, church, and volunteer organizations. The Grays were committed to assisting deserving medical students with scholarship support. Dr. and Mrs. Gray, along with their daughter and son-in-law, were killed in an airplane crash in 1991. The College of Medicine continued to recognize their special contributions to mankind by honoring them at the annual Scholarship Banquet. This scholarship is awarded to an outstanding freshman who demonstrates a caring and compassionate spirit and enjoys serving others – those qualities that reflect a lifetime of devotion and commitment by Dr. and Mrs. Ed Gray. The inaugural award was presented in 1987.

Dr. E. M. Gray Memorial Scholarship

Dr. E. M. Gray, of Mountain Home, died July 27, 1973, leaving a will that bequeathed 85 acres of land in Mississippi County to the College of Medicine. Money from the sale of this land established both scholarship and cancer research funds for the school. It was Dr. Gray’s desire to help young people become better citizens and to help students complete college. He was a Scout leader and received the Silver Beaver award in 1956, the highest award for an adult in scouting. He worked in scouting until age 85. The Gray’s had no children but adopted a son who had lost both parents at an early age, Mr. Lyndell Norton of Batesville. Students selected should demonstrate leadership, community service, and financial need. The inaugural scholarship was presented in 1976.

Urmil and Surinder Gupta, M.D. Scholarship

In consideration of an abiding interest in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Mrs. Urmil Gupta of Hot Springs created a scholarship to honor her late husband, Surinder Gupta, M.D. Preference is to be given to a medical student who plans to specialize in NeuroSurgery.  The inaugural award was presented in 2021.

Ralph B. Hamilton, M.D., Endowed Scholarship

The Ralph B. Hamilton, M.D., Endowed Scholarship was presented in 2013 by and through the authorized representatives of the Ralph B. Hamilton, M.D., Scholarship Board, Steve Schoettle, M.D., President of the Board, Ann N. Goss, Secretary of the Board and Robert L. Goss, Treasurer. The scholarship was given to the UAMS College of Medicine to honor the life and career of Ralph B. Hamilton, a 1934 graduate of the UAMS College of Medicine, who was appointed as the first Chief of Staff at the Crittenden Memorial Hospital and who served the Crittenden County area with great distinction as a physician for 57 years. The purpose of the scholarship will be to support students enrolled in the UAMS College of Medicine who meet the following criteria: the student is a native of Crittenden County, Arkansas by virtue of being born in, or is otherwise from or once resided in, Crittenden County, Arkansas; and as long as the student is enrolled in the UAMS College of Medicine, the student will be granted a scholarship award, subject to the policies of UAMS and the UAMS College of Medicine; and in the event there are more qualified applicants than funds sufficient to grant awards in the number and amount desired by the College of Medicine, the College of Medicine may use the additional criteria of financial need to determine the final scholarship recipients in any given year. The selection of the scholarship recipients shall be made by the UAMS College of Medicine scholarship selection committee, consistent with applicable policies and guidelines of UAMS and the UAMS College of Medicine. If in the judgment of the scholarship selection committee, there are no qualified applicants to receive a scholarship in any given year, scholarship awards will not be distributed and may be returned to the endowment, or awarded together with the monies available for expenditure in subsequent years. The scholarship then may be awarded when a qualified student applies and is eligible for the scholarship award. The inaugural award was presented in 2014.

Marvin and Evelyn Hayenga Scholarship

It was the expressed desire of Marvin Hayenga, Ph.D., and Evelyn Hayenga to give a gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation, Inc. to establish a non-endowed scholarship. In consideration of the donor’s interest in the advancement of education and medicine, the stated purpose of the generous gift was to provide scholarships to help students from low-income families to attend and graduate from the College of Medicine with lessened student debt and to encourage those students to become practicing physicians in areas serving low-income families. The donors also wish to recognize students who have an interest in or previous history of performing humanitarian or pro bono work. Recipients selected by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee must meet the following criteria: the students must be enrolled in the College of Medicine at UAMS; the students must have high academic accomplishments and show an economic hardship or significant financial need; and preference is to be given to those who state interest in locating and practicing in rural areas of the state, or to those who state interest in or have a previous history of providing health-related services in a humanitarian or pro bono capacity. Two inaugural scholarships for $15,000.00 each were awarded in 2017.

Dr. Paul Heerwagen, Jr., Scholarship

The purpose of the fund is set forth in the Board of Trustees Resolution, as agreed upon by the donor and approved by the Board at its meeting of December 13, 1975. The funds have to be used for a scholarship. Specifically, the endowment and the endowment distributions can be used only for the following:

1. A scholarship;
2. For a student with financial needs;
3. Who is enrolled at “the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Campus” and who “shall otherwise meet the requirements for receiving scholarship assistance from the University;”
4. With the scholarship award to be given as the “Dr. Paul Heerwagen, Jr. Scholarship” in memory of Dr. Heerwagen (COM Class of 1952); and
5. The student recipient is to be selected by the Vice-Chancellor of UAMS.
6. The scholarship does not have to be awarded annually.
7. The endowment earnings can be re‐invested in the endowment.

Paul Heerwagen was an author and well-known storyteller in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He passed away in 1991. The inaugural award was presented in 2018.

Dr. Fred W. Henker Memorial Scholarship

Dr. Fred Henker graduated from the College of Medicine in 1945, and served as a member of the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry, specializing in patient interview, psychosomatic illness, death and dying, and treating patients dually diagnosed with mental and physical illnesses. He served on the College of Medicine Admissions Committee and on a number of medical boards. Dr. Henker and his wife established a scholarship for medical students in 2003. He passed away in March of 2005 following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. The inaugural scholarship was presented in 2005.

Ethel Brickey Hicks Endowed Scholarship

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences received a $1 million gift from the Ethel Brickey Hicks Charitable Corporation to create a scholarship in the College of Medicine.  

“Scholarships are crucial in our efforts to attract the very best students to UAMS and, ultimately, produce outstanding physicians for Arkansas communities where they are needed most,” said Susan Smyth, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice chancellor of UAMS and dean of the College of Medicine. “We are grateful to the Ethel Brickey Hicks Charitable Corporation and the late Mrs. Hicks for this new gift and their generous, longstanding support for medical students who aspire to practice in rural Arkansas.”

The late Ethel Brickey Hicks of Knox County, Tennessee, established a trust fund in 1994 to provide tuition loans to junior and senior medical students who wish to practice medicine in rural Arkansas. The trustees of the fund then formed the Ethel Brickey Hicks Charitable Corporation to grant and administer the loans. This became the Hicks Rural Scholarship program. For each year of qualifying rural practice, the graduate’s loan, up to $19,000 a year, was deemed a scholarship. Over the years, the program was highly successful, with approximately 95% of students practicing in qualifying rural Arkansas communities.

In addition to this program, beginning in 1999 the corporation’s trustees awarded $10,000 each year for the Ethel Brickey Hicks Merit Scholarship. This was awarded to a senior UAMS medical student, voted on by their classmates as to whom they would most want to represent their profession to the public.  Through these two scholarships, the Ethel Brickey Hicks trust has awarded more than $1.7 million to UAMS medical students over the past 27 years.

The corporation’s $1 million gift represents the transfer of trust funds to UAMS to continue Hicks’ wishes to aid medical students for as long as possible. Now, the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee will determine the number of scholarships and amounts awarded each year, with preference given to medical students who pledge to practice in medically underserved communities. The new scholarship will be called the Ethel Brickey Hicks Endowed Scholarship.

The corporation credited Tom South, assistant dean for medical student admissions in the College of Medicine, with ensuring the success of the Hicks scholarships over the years. South, who has been with UAMS and the College of Medicine since 1984, is an ex-officio member on the college’s Scholarship Committee and has administered and shepherded countless medical student scholarships for more than 35 years.

“To me, Tom South is a very important person to the Ethel Brickey Hicks Corporation’s giving to UAMS,” said trustee Janet Moore. “We often thought of making gifts to students outside Arkansas but did not because Tom made it so much easier for us to continue with our program at UAMS. He always adapted to whatever scenarios we wanted to propose. As far as I am concerned, Tom was responsible for bringing about the $10,000 merit award that was given to students for many, many years, and he was responsible for the funds staying solely within the College of Medicine.”

As an expression of appreciation to the Ethel Brickey Hicks Trustees, James S. Tipton of Nashville, Tennessee and Janet K. Moore of Hot Springs, Arkansas, Dean Smyth shared “Thank you so much for serving as trustees and facilitating this $1 million gift from the Ethel Brickey Hicks Charitable Corporation. Providing scholarships for students who want to practice in rural areas is a great step to reducing health disparities in Arkansas. This is a major priority for our college and a personal priority for me as Dean. This gift will help move these priorities forward.” 

Paige Partridge Hix Distinguished Scholarship

It is the expressed desire of Robert S. Hix, M.D., on behalf of Parkhill, the Clinic for Women, to pledge a gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation for the benefit of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.  

Paige Partridge Hix, 53, of Fayetteville passed away on November 1st, 2023 after battling brain cancer. She was born on April 20, 1970 in Montgomery, Alabama to Cody and Trish Partridge. At 10 years old, she made the decision to move to Arkansas since her parents were relocating. Her little brother Clay, age five at the time, tagged along as well. They made their new home in North Little Rock where she ultimately attended Northeast High School, graduating in 1988. She attended Hendrix College from 1988-92 and with a bow in her hair and wealth of new knowledge applied and was accepted to UAMS College of Medicine. Her next four years consisted of clinical rotations and many hours in the UAMS Library. Her fourth and final year she was convinced to pursue the field of obstetrics and gynecology. After four years of residency and many sleepless nights she began the interview process to determine where she would practice her newly acquired skills. Fortunately for the women of Northwest Arkansas, the partners of Parkhill Clinic recognized a rising star and lured her to the city of Fayetteville.

In 2001, Paige married Robert Hix who brought two sons, Justin and Austin, along with the deal. Not long after their vows were made, Paige and Robert added two more children to the mix, Adam and Jennings. Paige finally had another girl in the home. For the next several years Paige invested her time and energy to her family, her children’s schools, and their church. Being the ultimate multitasker, she performed all those duties while developing an incredible career serving the women of Northwest Arkansas.

Her favorite hobby was always developing relationships and intimate friendships with the people she met along the way. She was the best of the best. Her friends and family established this scholarship in her honor and memory.  

The scholarship shall be administered in accordance with the following guidelines: This scholarship shall be awarded each year to a fourth-year student who is enrolled in the UAMS College of Medicine and who is planning to pursue a career in obstetrics and gynecology. Applicants will be required to submit an essay that addresses the following: why they chose OB/GYN as their specialty and how they anticipate being able to improve healthcare for women in the future. Selection of the recipient shall be made by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee, designee of the Dean and/or Provost. 

Award Amount:  $8,000.00

John R. and Wilkie Dolby Hogan Endowed Scholarship

John Rean Hogan and Wilkie Frost Dolby Hogan were married in January 1992 in North Little Rock. Mr. Hogan died on March 7, 1999, at the age of 96, and Mrs. Hogan died on November 27, 2009, at the age of 94. “Wilkie” was born February 17, 1915, in Huttig, Arkansas, the daughter of Amos Virgil and Wilkie Matilda Frost. She was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church, where she was a member of the Tele-Bible Class. Previously, she had been a member of Central Baptist Church and Pike Avenue Baptist Church, both in North Little Rock. She was preceded in death by her first husband, A. J. Dolby, after 56 years of marriage; her second husband, John R. Hogan, after seven years of marriage; and her firstborn son, John F. Dolby at age 39, as well as three brothers and four sisters. Mrs. Hogan established an annuity and expressed her desire to “support the work of the College of Medicine of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and in particular scholarships for students enrolled in the College of Medicine.” Upon termination of the annuity, the principal was distributed to establish the John R. and Wilkie Dolby Hogan Endowed Scholarship Fund. Her daughter, Annette Dolby Hester of Little Rock, stated it was her mother’s desire that scholarships be awarded to medical students on the basis of need and merit. The inaugural scholarship was awarded in 2012.

Dr. W. Mage and Janet Honeycutt Memorial Scholarship

Dr. Wesley Mage Honeycutt, a native of Nashville, Arkansas, graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine in 1956, interned at the University of Arkansas Hospital, served in the United States Navy, then completed a residency in Dermatology at the University of Michigan and returned to Arkansas to enter the private practice of dermatology in Little Rock. He served as Professor of Dermatology in the College of Medicine where he made valuable contributions to his profession, particularly in the field of mycology. He earned the affection and appreciation of his patients. In his teaching career at the College of Medicine, he was demanding of and devoted to his students and residents, who called him “Attila the Honey.” Dr. Honeycutt was honored with the College of Medicine Distinguished Service Award after his untimely death at age 48. His friends and family, led by a former student, Paul S. Greenberg, M.D., chose to honor him by presenting a scholarship in his name, to be awarded annually to a medical student of character, compassion, collegiality and scholastic achievement.

Mrs. Janet Honeycutt served as the Executive Director of the Arkansas Caduceus Club for 20 years She graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville where she met and subsequently married Dr. Honeycutt while he was in medical school. Janet was also awarded the College of Medicine Distinguished Service Award in 2004, making Dr. and Mrs. Honeycutt the only husband and wife team to win this award. Mrs. Honeycutt‘s poise and determination have been instrumental in earning the Arkansas Caduceus Club the reputation as one of the most exceptional alumni associations in the nation. Janet’s grace, endearing charm, her infectious character, boundless energy, and her enthusiasm for life were the foundation of her many accomplishments. Janet passed away after a brief illness in 2004. She will be greatly missed by all whose lives she has touched. Dr. and Mrs. Honeycutt’s children chose to honor both their father and mother with this scholarship. The inaugural Honeycutt award was presented in 1997 to William McDonnell of Hot Springs. The inaugural scholarship to honor both Dr. W. Mage and Janet Honeycutt was awarded in 2004.

Linda Yaeger Hough Endowed Scholarship

Linda Yaeger Hough, a North Little Rock native, graduated from Ouachita Baptist University with a major in music. She married Dr. Aubrey Hough in 1968, and when Dr. Hough came to UAMS in 1980, Linda became extremely active in the UAMS Auxiliary. In addition to many other duties, she served for many years as the Vice President for the University Hospital Gift Shop whose profits go into projects to benefit students and staff. She endowed a scholarship in 2004 for a deserving student with preference given to women pursuing a career in medicine. The inaugural scholarship was presented in 2005.

Don G. Howard, M.D., Scholarship

In 2017, Lisa Howard Todd, daughter of Don G. Howard, M.D., Class of 1960, bequeathed $100,000 to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The purpose of the bequest was to establish an endowed scholarship for medical students attending his alma mater, the University of Arkansas College of Medicine. The scholarship will be used to assist students demonstrating financial need. The bequest by his daughter served as a wonderful way to honor her father and recognize his legacy of philanthropy and service as a beloved physician in Fordyce, Arkansas. Dr. Howard’s daughter shared that her father came from humble beginnings, receiving a student loan from a local farm family to pay for his medical school education—which he fully repaid. Among his many accomplishments, he retired at the senior rank of Brigadier General in the Arkansas National Guard. The inaugural Don G. Howard, M.D., Scholarship was awarded in 2020.

Dr. Michael and Paula Jennings Distinguished Scholarship

Michael L. Jennings, Ph.D., and Paula M. Jennings, M.A., pledged $1 million to in additional support for the Dr. Michael and Paula Jennings Distinguished Scholarship in the College of Medicine.

“For close to 30 years, Michael and Paula Jennings have been committed to all three of UAMS’ mission areas — health care, education and research,” said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. “I was humbled to hear that the Jennings have chosen to continue serving UAMS in a philanthropic role. UAMS is certainly grateful for their service, leadership and generosity.”

Created in 2018, the Dr. Michael and Paula Jennings Distinguished Scholarship will be renamed the Dr. Michael Jennings and Paula Jennings Chancellor’s Scholarship when the pledged gift raises the endowed level to $1 million. It is awarded to a medical student entering their third year in the College of Medicine. The recipient is chosen each academic year based on financial need and experience or an interest in medical or health-related research, as determined by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee.

“I would not have been able to attend college without scholarship help, so we are very aware of the importance of financial aid, and I am grateful for the help I received,” said Paula Jennings. “Medical school is very expensive, and it is common for students to take on debt. Providing financial assistance eases the burden for students and may give them more flexibility in choosing their area of medicine without being driven by salary needs.”

Michael Jennings, who was raised in northeastern Ohio, graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in physics in 1970. He received a doctorate in biophysics from Harvard University in 1976. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt, Germany. He worked as an assistant professor and then associate professor at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. In 1987, he accepted a position as professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

In 1995, Jennings joined UAMS as the chair of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics and held the position for 25 years, during which he directed an NIH-funded research program in cell membrane physiology. He continues to be active as a teacher of medical and graduate students. He received the College of Medicine Master Teacher award in 2018. In addition to his role as a professor, he served as interim dean of the Graduate School, executive associate dean for Basic Sciences in the College of Medicine and held the Chair in Sciences Basic to Medicine from 2012 to 2017.

“Being the chair of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics was my dream job. I always wanted a position where I could recruit new professors, help them develop, and I believe I’ve improved how we teach medical students,” said Jennings. “Because of all the great experiences we’ve had at UAMS, we wanted to show our gratitude by giving back to the university.”

Paula Jennings, who was raised in Swampscott, Massachusetts, received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Simmons College in Boston and a master’s degree in educational counseling from Boston College. She worked in various administrative roles at Harvard Medical School, where she and Michael Jennings met, the Max Planck Institute and the University of Iowa. At the University of Texas Medical Branch, she coordinated an intramural faculty research grant program.

Paula Jennings is a member of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Auxiliary and has served on its board for more than 25 years as its magazine editor and secretary. She has served on the Cancer Institute Auxiliary’s Cooks Tour and Partners Card fundraising committee and currently serves on its grant awards committee. In 2000, she was named the Cancer Institute Volunteer of the Year. She was also a member of the UAMS Auxiliary, serving on its board, and she has volunteered in the UAMS Hospital Gift Shop.

“It has been a pleasure knowing and working with Mike and Paula through the years, and I am grateful for their longtime support of our college,” said G. Richard Smith, M.D., a distinguished professor of psychiatry and the interim dean of the College of Medicine and UAMS executive vice chancellor. “The legacy they are building through their scholarship, the endowed chair they are establishing, and other initiatives is impactful. We are grateful for their help in generating the next generation of world-class physicians and scientists.”

Edith Irby Jones, M.D., Scholarship

In 1948, nine years before the Little Rock Nine integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, Edith Irby Jones became the first black student to attend racially mixed classes in the South, and the first black student to attend and to graduate from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine (now UAMS). Dr. Edith Irby Jones went on to become a trailblazer in medicine with a distinguished career.

In consideration of an abiding interest in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Major General Elder Granger, M.D., and his wife, Brenda W. Granger, presented a gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation to establish the Edith Irby Jones, M.D., Scholarship for medical students who have financial need as determined by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee.

The scholarship, initially endowed by the Granger family, has since been supported by other alumni, UAMS faculty and friends. The inaugural scholarship was awarded in 2018 to celebrate the 70^th anniversary of Dr. Edith Irby Jones’ matriculation to UAMS and the role of UAMS in American history.

The Dr. John W. Joyce Distinguished Memorial Scholarship

John Wayne Joyce was a loving husband, a proud father to five daughters and an adoring grandfather to ten. He was a pilot with 2500 hours of flight time, and the once-in-a-lifetime experience of flying in a B-58 and breaking the sound barrier. He was a student of World War II history, an unwavering Razorback fan, a traveler of Arkansas back roads and French countryside, a lover of the desert Southwest, and a jogger/walker who ran a marathon and logged enough miles to circle the earth.

John attended the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, graduating from the class of 1960. After serving as a Captain and Flight Surgeon in the US Air Force, he pursued a radiology residency at UAMS and went into private practice with Radiology Consultants where he worked for 30 years. After retirement, he was an Associate Clinical Professor of Radiology at UAMS. John was a Fellow in the American College of Radiology, a member of the Society of Cardiovascular & Interventional Radiology and was a pioneer in the development of arteriography at Arkansas Baptist Hospital. He enjoyed being the Radiology representative for many years at the hospital’s weekly pulmonary conference.

In memory of John and the life he led as a physician and mentor to other young doctors, his wife, Lou Bradley Joyce is establishing the Dr. John W. Joyce Distinguished Memorial Scholarship. Through this generous gift, it is hoped that many students will be trained in the medical specialty he loved and will have a positive impact on the future of healthcare.  

The scholarship shall be awarded each year to a UAMS student who is enrolled in the UAMS College of Medicine as a fourth-year student with preference given to a student seeking a career in the specialty of radiology. This criterion may be waived if a student meeting this preference cannot be identified. Selection of the recipient shall be made by the UAMS College of Medicine Scholarship Committee, designee of the Dean and/or Provost. The donor requests that an annual award of $10,000.00 be made to recipients. The inaugural scholarship will begin in the 2024-25 academic year.    

LeNarz / Ingram Endowed Scholarship

LeRoy LeNarz, a 1976 graduate of the College of Medicine, was concerned that he would be prevented from attending medical school because of a lack of funding. However, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ingram of Pine Bluff offered interest-free loans through their private foundation, as well as their friendship, during his years in medical school. Dr. LeNarz repaid the loans by the time he finished his residency and became a respected cardiovascular surgeon. Later he served as a research advisor for Eli Lilly and Company. Dr. LeNarz determined to endow a major medical school scholarship through the Arkansas Caduceus Club for which he served as a trustee in order to honor Mr. and Mrs. Ingram in the most appropriate way. The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas formally acknowledged Dr. LeNarz’s gift and the generous matching gift from the Lilly Foundation and established the LeNarz/Ingram Endowed Scholarship for the College of Medicine. The inaugural award was presented in 1999.

Dr. and Mrs. Frank Maguire, Sr., Memorial Scholarship

The Maguire Scholarship is one of the earliest scholarships established for College of Medicine students. Dr. Frank Maguire, Sr, and his son, Dr. Frank Maguire, Jr, provided over 100 years of service to Woodruff County and northeast Arkansas. Dr. Frank Maguire died September 30, 1997, just a couple of weeks before his 88th birthday. According to his obituary, “Frank Carroll Maguire, Jr, M.D., was born November 14, 1909, in Johns, Alabama, and was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Frank Carroll Maguire and Lucie Ferguson Carrel Maguire. He attended the University of Arkansas where he was a member of the Rifle Team, Scabbard and Blade, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. From 1936 until 1941 he held various positions, including physician for the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) at Jasper, Public Health Director at Clarendon and Blytheville, and private practice with his father at Augusta. Affectionately known as “Dr. Frank” to his many friends and patients, he returned to private practice in Augusta following WWII where he retired in 1991. Anonymous donors established this scholarship in 1966 to honor Dr. Maguire and his wife who also served the Augusta area through many civic activities The inaugural scholarship was awarded to Johnathan G Sarlin in 1970 Interestingly, the student’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Sarlin, out of their gratitude for Johnathan’s experience at the University of Arkansas College of Medicine, established the Dr. George S. Wise Scholarship in 1974. The annual Maguire scholarship is presented to a rising sophomore who excelled academically during his or her freshman year of medical school.

McClain Family College of Medicine Scholarship

Charles M McClain, Jr., M.D., and Patricia E McClain of Batesville, Arkansas jointly pledged a gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation for the benefit of supporting medical students at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine They have established 1) an endowed scholarship fund and 2) an annual scholarship award in a non-endowed fund to support medical students at the UAMS College of Medicine. The purpose of the scholarship is to support students who have a financial need. If applicable, preference will be given to students who have provided sufficient information to demonstrate they have, through their own perseverance, overcome adversity or financial hardship, and who have an interest in medical mission work. The Scholarship Committee for the College of Medicine will select the scholarship recipients using these criteria. Dr. McClain graduated from the College of Medicine in 1967. After graduation from UAMS, the couple moved to Tulsa where he did a rotating internship at St. John’s Hospital. His original interest was in Family Practice and he moved to Santa Rosa, California where he completed a Family Practice Residency at Community Hospital of Sonoma County. He later returned to UAMS to begin a residency in Radiology. His first position was in Searcy with Drs. Bell and Elliott. After the first year in Searcy, he was recruited to Batesville where he was the sole radiologist. His eldest son, Chuck, graduated from the College of Medicine in 1997 and followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming an interventional radiologist. In 2003 when Dr. McClain was preparing for retirement, his son joined his practice. Dr. and Mrs. McClain have a long history of philanthropy and giving. They recently joined the Legacy Society by making a planned gift to the 1967 Class Fund and are members of the Dean’s Society. Dr. McClain said “UAMS played an important role in the growth and success of my profession and my family’s life. I consider my medical school education at UAMS a tremendous gift and privilege.” The inaugural award was presented in 2014.

Betty Jane McClellan, M.D., Scholarship

The McClellan Scholarship was established in 2009 for the purpose of providing recognition and financial assistance to UAMS College of Medicine students who meet the following criteria as determined by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee: a full-time student at the UAMS College of Medicine, an Arkansas resident, who demonstrates superior academic achievement, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or higher. Preference may be given to eligible females students in the College of Medicine. The inaugural award was presented in 2010.

McCracken Family Foundation Scholarship

The McCracken Family Foundation Scholarship was established in August 2006 by Dr. John D McCracken, his wife Marlise, and children, John Destin and Chase Fendley. Dr. McCracken is a 1958 graduate of the University of Arkansas College of Medicine. He served as Professor of Surgery at UAMS prior to entering private practice. He retired several years ago to manage family investments. The McCracken family desires to award the scholarship to a student with an exceptional academic record. The inaugural award was presented on August 24, 2007, at the 20th annual College of Medicine Scholarship Banquet in the Grand Ballroom of the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock.

M.D./Ph.D. Scholarship

The dual M.D./Ph.D. program at UAMS was developed to respond to the need for medical students trained in multiple medical and scientific arenas. Students selected for this program must first complete the initial two pre-clinical years of medical school. Students then study in a specific discipline in the Graduate School for two to four years. After completing requirements for the Ph.D., students return to the College of Medicine to finish their junior and senior years of medical school. The College of Medicine confers the M.D. /Ph.D. degree at graduation. The M.D./Ph.D. Scholarship pays full tuition while in the College of Medicine and tuition plus a stipend when in Graduate School.

Medical Alumni Scholarship

The Medical Alumni Association of the College of Medicine awards $10,000 scholarships each year to entering first-year medical students. Students selected for these awards must demonstrate superior academic performance as well as proven leadership qualities as evidenced by extensive volunteerism and community service. These scholarships are among the most prestigious awards presented by the College of Medicine. The inaugural scholarship, known then as the Caduceus Club Scholarship, was awarded in 1987.

Raymond P. Miller Memorial Scholarship

Dr. Miller was a beloved physician who graduated from the UAMS College of Medicine in 1963. He was born November 26, 1936, in Cotton Plant, Arkansas. He graduated in 1955 from Cotton Plant Vocational High School and enrolled at Arkansas AM&N College in Pine Bluff where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1959. He served on many boards throughout his career, including Worthen Bank and its successors, Entergy Corporation, and the Razorback Foundation. He received many honors in recognition of his professional practice and civic service. He was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society, Sigma Pi Phi fraternity, the American Thoracic Society, the American College of Chest Physicians, and was a Diplomate of the American College of Physicians. Dr. Miller died in 2005. In 2007, several friends of Dr. Miller convened to raise money that would endow a scholarship in his name. The endowment was established in 2008 and the inaugural award was presented in 2009.

Jewel Minnis Trust Fund Scholarship

Miss Jewel Minnis, a former student at the University of Arkansas, bequeathed the proceeds of her rice farm to the University of Arkansas when she passed away in 1964. A perpetual trust was established that draws the income from the sale of rice, soybeans, and cotton crops. The proceeds are divided among the University of Arkansas campuses. Miss Minnis, an only child, was cultured and well-traveled. Though she lived in Monroe County, Arkansas, most of her life, she made many trips to the Mediterranean area as early as the 1920s. Freshman students in the College of Medicine are awarded this scholarship on the basis of academic excellence and financial need. The inaugural scholarship was awarded in 1990.

Captain and Mrs. Charles Roy Moon Endowed Scholarship

Charles Roy Moon was born in 1900 in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, and was reared in Nashville, Arkansas. He served in the Navy during his teenage years and after discharge, attended the University of Arkansas School of Medicine, graduating in 1926. He rejoined the Navy in the 1930s. He was on the USS Enterprise on December 7, 1941, stationed at Pearl Harbor, but was shuttling planes to Guam on that date and did not return to Pearl Harbor until December 9. Captain Moon retired in 1961 and practiced in a college setting in San Diego County until his death in 1970. In 1929, he married Marjorie, who had been a teacher of the deaf. They had no children. Mrs. Moon died in 2000 and her trust, after a few small personal bequests, designated half of her remaining estate to endow medical student scholarships for the College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The first Moon scholarship was awarded in 2002.

Nolie Mumey, M.D., Endowed Scholarship

Nolie Mumey, M.D., was born in 1891 and grew up on a farm in Jenny Lind, Arkansas. When he was a senior medical student, he was appointed to the faculty as an “assistant in surgical technique.” He graduated from the University of Arkansas-Medical Department in 1916. After serving as a surgeon in the US Army, he established a general private practice in Denver, Colorado in 1924. He held professional appointments at Presbyterian Hospital, Denver General Hospital, and the University of Denver. He also served as a company doctor for Continental Airlines for 32 years. He lectured on medical history at the University of Colorado School of Medicine from 1935 to 1960. Dr. Mumey died in 1984 at the age of 93. He and his wife, Norma L Mumey, left a bequest to UAMS and the College of Medicine upon their deaths. A portion has been designated for scholarship support to students as a testimony of their love of medicine, learning, and his alma mater. The inaugural award was presented in 2008.

Marvin L. Murphy, M.D., Scholarship

In April, 2022, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences received a $100,000 gift from Rosanne Murphy of Hot Springs to establish an endowed scholarship in the UAMS College of Medicine.  Murphy’s late husband, Marvin L. Murphy, M.D., was a cardiologist at UAMS for 33 years, from 1963 until his retirement in 1996. He was a professor emeritus thereafter and died on Feb. 17, 2002, at age 71.  In 1991, Murphy received the College of Medicine’s Distinguished Faculty Award, which was established in 1973 to honor exemplary faculty members who helped shape the institution.

“Scholarships are a powerful tool for attracting the most promising students to UAMS and producing the very best doctors for Arkansas,” said Susan Smyth, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice chancellor and dean of the College of Medicine. “We are grateful to Mrs. Murphy and her family for investing in our mission through a gift that reflects the late Dr. Marvin L. Murphy’s passion for medical education.”

“Marv felt very strongly that UAMS should educate outstanding doctors — exceedingly well-trained and caring. He and I always sought to impart two things to our children —roots and wings,” said Rosanne Murphy. “With this scholarship, in honoring him, our family seeks to help physicians establish strong roots at UAMS and to move forward to serve, honor and care for patients and their families.”

Murphy received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1956, and later completed a residency there following an internship at Indianapolis General Hospital in Indiana. He was in private practice in Siloam Springs for two years before moving to Little Rock and completing a residency at UAMS, then known as the University of Arkansas School of Medicine, before joining the faculty.

He started as an instructor and by 1974, had become a professor of medicine. From 1977 through 1980, he was the director of the College of Medicine Division of Cardiology. He served as director of the college’s Cardiology Training Program from 1977 through 1982.  He also served as president of the Arkansas chapter of the American Heart Association from 1982 to 1984. He helped train more than 100 specialists in the field of cardiology.

The inaugural scholarship was presented in 2022 and in keeping with the wishes of the Murphy family the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee will select deserving students who demonstrate financial need, academic achievement and are “committed to providing medical care to make Arkansas the healthiest state in the region.”

Dr. and Mrs. Lee Nauss Endowed Scholarship

Dr. Lee Nauss and his wife Maria graduated from UAMS colleges. Dr. Nauss is a graduate of the College of Medicine, Class of 1971, and Maria is a graduate of the College of Nursing, Class of 1971. Dr. Nauss is an anesthesiologist and specialist in pain medicine at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. and Mrs. Nauss have endowed scholarships for their respective colleges in the hope of providing for a better future for medical and nursing students. The inaugural award was given in 2005.

Dr. Lee A. Nauss and Mrs. Vivian G. Maxwell Endowed Scholarship

In consideration of an abiding interest in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, Lee A. Nauss, M.D., Class of 1971, and Vivian G. Maxwell, husband and wife, made a donation to the University of Arkansas Foundation for the purpose of establishing an endowed scholarship for students of the UAMS College of Medicine who have a financial need as determined by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. In appreciation of the gift, the scholarship will be named the Dr. Lee A. Nauss and Mrs. Vivian G. Maxwell Endowed Scholarship. The inaugural award was presented in 2020.

Durwood E. Neal, M.D., Class of 1945 and Howard Lucy Endowed Scholarship

It was the expressed desire of Durwood E Neal, M.D., to give a generous gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation, Inc for the benefit of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. The gift will be used for a scholarship endowment for the purpose of making scholarship awards to eligible students of the College of Medicine at UAMS who are in good standing with the College of Medicine, with a preference for those students who state interest in and commitment to practicing Family Medicine. The scholarship honors the Donor’s father, Durwood E Neal, M.D., a 1945 graduate of the University of Arkansas College of Medicine, and the Donor’s uncle, Mr. Howard Lucy. The name of the scholarship will be the Durwood E. Neal, M.D., and Howard Lucy Endowed Scholarship. The inaugural award was presented in 2016.

Dr. Robert H. Nunnally Endowed Scholarship

Dr. Robert Nunnally, Class of 1958, began practicing medicine in Camden, Arkansas, in 1975. He was sponsored by the United States Air Force during medical school and served five years as a Medical Officer after graduation. Dr. Nunnally became a charter diplomat of the American Board of Family Practice in 1970. He was recognized with the W. D. Hussman Man of the Year Award in 1998 for his community service. This scholarship to honor Dr. Nunnally was provided by his wife, Anne Geddie Nunnally, and their children, Robert Nunnally, Bruce Nunnally and Shanna N Reed, as a Father’s Day gift to him and the College of Medicine in 2000. Preference for this scholarship will be given to an Ouachita County resident who plans a career in Family Medicine. The inaugural award was presented in 2000.

Robert Orr, Jr., Endowed Scholarship

Dr. W Robert Orr, Jr. established a Medical Missionary Scholarship Fund at the College of Medicine in 1988 to honor his parents, Dr. and Mrs. William Robert Orr, Sr. The inaugural scholarship was awarded to John Richard Duke in 1990. At the bequest of the donor, the scholarship was not awarded from 1995 to 2005. In 2006, the scholarship was renamed the W. Robert Orr, Jr., M.D., Endowed Scholarship. Dr. Orr was a member of the College of Medicine Class of 1952 who worked selflessly as a medical missionary in several countries during the 1950s and 1960s. Dr. Orr grew up in Helena where his father was a surgeon. After his many years of service as a missionary, Dr. Orr lived in Salt Lake City, Utah, Little Rock, and in Tyler, Texas where he died in June 2005. His generous endowment to the College of Medicine was made in memory of his father, his mother, Helen Mays Orr, and other family members including Helen Pearsall Orr, Stuart Pearsall Orr, and Dr. William Clark Russwurm and Florence Russwurm. It was Dr. Orr’s desire that preference be given to help fund the education of students who are interested in the medical mission work that he found so fulfilling and important during his own lifetime. The inaugural award was presented in 1990.

Dr. Debra Velez Owings Scholarship

Dr. Debra Velez Owings graduated from the College of Medicine in 1985 and completed her residency at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston before returning to Little Rock. She was a skilled pathologist with a genuine concern for her patients. As a wife and mother, she acknowledged that her family was her greatest accomplishment and most cherished gift. The untimely death of Dr. Owings in 1995, at the age of 42, prompted her partners, colleagues, classmates, and friends to commemorate her life and accomplishments with an endowed scholarship to be awarded annually to a deserving medical student. The inaugural award was presented in 1997.

Dr. Agaton P. Pal Scholarship

Dr. Primepares “Prime” Pal is an alumnus of the UAMS College of Medicine class of 1984. After graduating from medical school, Dr. Pal completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Michigan, and then completed post-graduate work in infectious diseases at the University of California, Los Angeles and in virology and molecular genetics at the University of California, San Diego. His wife Jacqueline S. Pal is a nurse practitioner. In 2004, Dr. Pal and Jacqueline founded the Minnesota Vein Center in North Oaks, MN, a clinic dedicated to the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency and varicose veins. Dr. Pal and Jacqueline S. Pal have generously funded this scholarship to ease the financial burden of deserving medical students. This scholarship is intended to support medical students of exceptional promise, who have an academic background in the social sciences or medical students who have demonstrated a commitment and passion to community service and/or social work.

The Donor intends to have this scholarship named the Dr. Agaton P. Pal Scholarship to honor the father of Primepares G. Pal. The late Dr. Pal retired as faculty emeritus from the University of Arkansas Little Rock (UA Little Rock). He was Professor of Sociology at UA Little Rock for 17 years, during which he was Chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology for 10 of those years. 

This scholarship shall be awarded each year to a student who demonstrates good academic standing, financial need with preference given to a student who has a social sciences academic background or a student who has demonstrated a commitment to community service. Selection of the recipient shall be made by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The inaugural award was presented in 2022.

Eva and James J. Pappas, M.D., Endowed Scholarship

The selection of the recipients of the Eva & James J. Pappas, M.D., Endowed Scholarship (“Pappas Scholarship”) shall be in accordance with the scholarship review process and criteria established by the College of Medicine, subject to applicable laws and regulations and the policies of UAMS, the College of Medicine, and the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas. Equal weighting of “need” and “merit” will be applied to select each year’s “Pappas Scholar” from among Arkansas residents in good academic standing. The College of Medicine will award the Pappas Scholarship to an eligible student each year, with the understanding the College of Medicine has the option to award the Pappas Scholarship to more than one student each year if the college determines that it is more beneficial to do so, especially as the endowment grows in value over time increasing the amount of the spendable funds available for scholarship awards. If there are no qualified applicants to receive a scholarship in any given year, scholarship funds will not be distributed and shall be returned to the principal of the endowment or awarded together with the monies available for expenditure in subsequent years. The scholarship funds may then be awarded when a qualified scholarship recipient applies and is eligible for the scholarship award. The inaugural award was presented in 2017.

Alex A. Pappas, M.D., and Ann W. Maners, M.D., Endowed Scholarship

Drs. Alex Pappas and Ann Maners have been a part of the UAMS community and strong supporters of the College of Medicine for over two decades. Dr. Pappas was an associate professor and professor in the Department of Pathology from 1984 until he retired in July 2005. Known as a passionate teacher and beloved by his students, he won the Red Sash award seven times and the Golden Apple Award twice. Students also honored him with the Humanism in Medicine Award by the Association of American Medical College’s Organization of Student Representatives. Dr. Maners has been with the Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute (CARTI) since 1995 and has also served on the College of Medicine faculty. The couple has generously contributed to UAMS in many ways, including this scholarship endowment, which is intended to directly support deserving students. The inaugural presentation was announced by then UAMS Chancellor I. Dodd Wilson at the 19th annual College of Medicine Scholarship Banquet on September 9, 2006, at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock.

Parents Club Scholarships

The College of Medicine Parents Club was established by parents of medical students in 1976 with the purpose of improving the quality of lifestyle for medical students. The club was organized at the request of Dr. Tom Bruce, Dean of the College of Medicine, and with the aid of Bill North and his assistant Judy Smith, in the Office of Community Medical Affairs. In 1984, Tom South, Director of Student Financial Aid, College of Medicine, began serving as the liaison between the College of Medicine and the Parents Club. The Parents Club Board of Directors voted in 1994, under the leadership of Linda Moore DuPuy (1994-1995 Parents Club President) to establish a scholarship fund for medical students and to begin providing annual scholarships. These scholarships are made possible by the fundraising efforts of the parents of students in the College of Medicine, namely by the proceeds from the Annual Silent Auction and Preview Night and the Arkansas Repertory Theatre. The Parents Club was initially able to offer three scholarships per year, chosen by class vote. Each class is asked to vote on the day of registration to select the member of its class who serves as the best role model for fellow students. The scholarship ballots list the following criteria: “The Parents Club Scholarship will be awarded to a medical student who, by acclamation of their peers, ‘parents’ their medical student classmates by demonstrating compassion, empathy, integrity, encouragement and character by modeling these characteristics of an ideal physician in interaction with their classmates.” In 2001, the Parents Club began awarding four additional scholarships per year – to a senior, junior, sophomore and freshman – based on financial need. The College of Medicine Scholarship Committee selects these recipients and tries to give preference to medical students who have children – and so are a parent themselves. In 2015, under the able leadership of co-presidents Debbi Boye and Jo LunBeck, the Parents Club Board of Directors voted to award a grant of $100,000 to the UAMS Foundation Fund to perpetually endow a scholarship for the benefit of UAMS College of Medicine medical students.

Parents Club / Judy L. Smith Scholarship

In June 2002, the College of Medicine Parents Club Board of Directors voted to recognize Judy Loftin Smith upon the occasion of her retirement, for 27 years at UAMS. Each year, a freshman medical student is selected by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee to receive the Parents Club / Judy L. Smith Scholarship based on academic excellence, character and financial need. In 1975, Judy became secretary to Mr. Bill North in Community Medical Affairs in the Dean’s Office. In 1976, Dr. Tom Bruce, Dean, asked Mr. North and Judy to help organize the Parents Club “to improve the quality of lifestyle of our medical students.” In 1984, Mr. North retired and Judy began working with Dr. Chris Hackler in Medical Humanities. At that time, Dean Bruce asked Mr. Tom South, Director, College of Medicine Student Financial Aid, to join Judy in working with the Parents Club—the only “graduate-level PTA” in Arkansas, and one of the very few organizations of this nature at any medical school in the United States. Judy also served as a liaison with the UAMS Student Advocacy Council, a peer support group that works closely with the Medical Student Wellness Program to keep students from falling prey to substance abuse, depression and other stresses. Judy’s uncle, Kenneth Carter, received a career enabling $100 college scholarship in 1926. He and his wife later endowed a scholarship at his alma mater, Baylor University, proving that scholarships once given can be repaid many times over. The inaugural award was presented in 2000.

Parents Club / Linda DuPuy Scholarship

The Parents Club of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine was established in 1976 “to improve the quality of lifestyle of medical students.” Under the leadership of Linda DuPuy, Parents Club President, 1994-95, the parent of Debbie Cerrato, M.D., Class of 1995, the Parents Club established a scholarship fund through the sponsorship of an annual Preview Night at the Arkansas Repertory Theater. Proceeds from the annual performance, as well as a Silent Auction held in conjunction with the preview night, fund the scholarships. Three of the seven scholarships are awarded annually to a senior, junior and sophomore selected by a vote of his/her classmates. In May 2001 Linda DuPuy joined the College of Medicine Dean’s Office as an Admissions Management Project Analyst. However, she quickly moved up the ranks to become Assistant Director and ultimately Director of Medical Student Admissions and Recruitment. During her fourteen plus years at the College of Medicine, she served as the liaison between the Parents Club and the Dean’s Office. Upon the occasion of her retirement in February, 2016 after assisting over 2,500 prospective medical school applicants to realize their dream of becoming a physician, the Parents Club Board of Directors voted on March 4, 2016 to honor Linda for her 14+ years of service to the University of Arkansas College of Medicine and 25 years of involvement with the Parents Club, by naming the scholarship awarded to a senior medical student the Parents Club / Linda DuPuy Scholarship. The recipient is a senior medical student who “parents their classmates by demonstrating compassion, empathy, integrity, encouragement, and character through interaction with their classmates.” In announcing her retirement to the College of Medicine Dean’s Office, Tom South, Assistant Dean, Medical Student Admissions, shared “I do not have adequate words to express how much Linda has meant to fulfilling the mission of the UAMS College of Medicine admissions office through her visionary leadership, exemplary work ethic and love of applicants and students.” It is fitting that in her letter of resignation to Dr. Richard P. Wheeler, Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Linda shared “I will forever be grateful for the opportunity you have provided me to make a small contribution to the process of selecting and educating our future physicians. I have been richly blessed to be able to work with and learn from each of you and with those wonderful, hopeful applicants who apply for a seat in the freshman class each year. My life is enriched from the experience.” Then, demonstrating her perpetual bold spirit of enthusiasm and optimism, she ended her letter with a quote from Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” The inaugural Parents Club / Linda DuPuy Scholarship was awarded in 2016.  

Sadly, Linda DuPuy passed on March 31, 2023. She touched the lives of over 2,500 matriculants and thousands of applicants over her 14+ year career at the UAMS College of Medicine Office of Medical Student Admissions. The College of Medicine will continue to honor her legacy each year by awarding the scholarship to a senior medical student, chosen by the vote of his/her classmates, who “parents their classmates by demonstrating compassion, empathy, integrity, encouragement, and character through interaction with their classmates.”

James N. Pasley, Ph.D., Scholarship

Dr. James Pasley is Professor Emeritus from UAMS where he was Professor of Physiology/Biophysics and Associate Dean for Educational Advancement in the College of Medicine. As Course Director for Medical Physiology for over 15 years, he introduced changes to enhance the relationship between basic principles of physiology and clinical medicine. These included clinical cases with simulated human mannequins and small group clinical case conferences with both basic scientists and clinicians using team-based learning methods. Dr. Pasley enjoyed mentoring students throughout his 41-year career at UAMS. He developed a voluntary Pre-Matriculation Program to provide an early medical school experience for incoming first-year students before enrollment and preparation courses for the MCAT, Step 1 and Step 2 USMLE exams. In addition, Dr. Pasley was a coordinator of Mini Medical School, a free Community Medical Education Series for several years. His broad research interests encompassed gastrointestinal physiology, circadian rhythms, and chlamydial infection. When establishing the scholarship, Dr. Pasley shared “The award will go to a third-year medical student who has served as an outstanding mentor to first-year medical students and has demonstrated significant financial need. If a rubric is needed to determine the recipient of this award, I entrust the Scholarship Committee to create this. All things being equal, in case of a tie, I would prefer a Westminster College (MO) graduate to receive this award. To distinguish this scholarship from others, I have added the preference for a graduate from Westminster, the small liberal arts college with a pre-med program that I graduated from in 1961 and where Winston Churchill gave his Iron Curtain speech in 1946. Although small, I got to see Churchill and Truman when they arrived by train in Jefferson City, my home, and then took an open car to Fulton for the speech. My mother met Churchill later that day as she represented her family as a gold star mother after the death of my uncle who was killed on D-Day 1944.” The inaugural scholarship was presented in 2019.

Paul and Dorothy Reese Pelko Endowed Scholarship

Growing up in Fort Smith, Dorothy Reese wanted to attend the University of Arkansas College of Medicine to become a doctor. Unfortunately, times were difficult and financial circumstances prevented her from realizing her dream. As a young woman, Dorothy married Paul Pelko and moved to southern California. More than a half-century later, Mrs. Pelko, who died in 2002, named UAMS among her beneficiaries. She generously bequeathed more than $300,000 to the College of Medicine to support scholarships for medical students and research in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. The purpose of the Pelko Endowed Scholarship is to make medical school a reality for young students who, like Dorothy Reese Pelko, dream of becoming a physician. The inaugural presentation was announced by then UAMS Chancellor Dr. I. Dodd Wilson at the 19th annual UAMS College of Medicine Scholarship Banquet in September 2006, at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock.

Tommy and Mamie Polk Scholarship

Dr. Tommy Polk is a 1972 graduate and former anesthesiologist resident and intern at the UAMS College of Medicine. He and his wife, Mamie, have been loyal to the college throughout their years of practice, returning often to visit with friends and colleagues. When asked why he would endow a scholarship, Dr. Polk replied “Without financial help, I would not have been able to attend medical school. Now I want to help others to decrease their financial burden and give them some financial security during those difficult years.” This scholarship is awarded based on financial need and at the discretion of the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The inaugural award was presented in 2011.

Primary Care Scholarship

In 2017, an anonymous donor presented a gift to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. The Gift is to be used for a scholarship for the purpose of making scholarship awards to eligible students of the College of Medicine at UAMS who are in good standing with the College of Medicine, with a preference for those students who show a financial need and who state interest in practicing in Family Medicine in rural areas of Arkansas. The inaugural award was presented in 2018.

Frances Bellingrath Pugh Scholarship for Excellence in Medicine

In consideration of an abiding interest in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, an endowed scholarship bearing the name Frances Bellingrath Pugh Scholarship for Excellence in Medicine was established for students at the UAMS College of Medicine who have financial need as determined by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The review and selection of applicants are conducted for or by the College of Medicine in accordance with the applicable policies of UAMS and the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas. The scholarship is to be awarded annually whenever feasible. The inaugural award was presented in 2020.

Dr. and Mrs. Wayne G. Pullen Endowed Medical Scholarship

It was the desire of Mrs. Wayne G. (Flo) Pullen in 2000 to allow the proceeds of a trust, to be distributed by the University of Arkansas Foundation, to establish the Dr. and Mrs. Wayne G. Pullen Endowed Medical Scholarship for the benefit of the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, with the income only to be used to award scholarships for medical students from Sevier or Little River Counties. The inaugural award was presented in 2022.

Dr. C. E. Ransom, Jr. Endowed Memorial Scholarship

It was the expressed desire of Mrs. Melody Ransom to pledge a gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation for the benefit of creating a scholarship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. Dr. Clarence Edwin Ransom, Jr. was a 1969 graduate of the UAMS College of Medicine. He practiced family medicine in White County for 50 years. His dedication to his patients was outmatched only by his love for his family.  To honor Dr. Ransom, his family, along with friends, patients and community members have endowed a scholarship to be awarded to a medical student from White County, Arkansas. This scholarship shall be awarded each year to a UAMS student who is enrolled in the College of Medicine and demonstrates good academic standing as determined by the Scholarship Committee. Preference is to be given to residents of White County, Arkansas. However, if a student from White County cannot be identified, the scholarship will be awarded to another qualified student with an interest in pursuing family medicine. The inaugural award was presented in 2021.

Phillip L. and Geraldine Rayford Endowed Scholarship

Dr. Phillip Rayford was professor and chairman of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at UAMS from 1980-1994 and Associate Dean in the UAMS College of Medicine from 1991 to 1998. He served two years in the US Army in the Philippines during World War II between his second and third years of college. Dr. Rayford’s first research position was with the National Institutes of Health. Eventually, he was assigned by NIH to help build a new medical school in Ghana, West Africa. When he was recruited to UAMS in 1980, Dr. Rayford became the first African American department chairman in the College of Medicine. Dr. Rayford’s family and friends, led by his wife, Geraldine, established a scholarship in his name in recognition of his extraordinary achievements as a scientist, educator, and mentor. Preference is given to a student who expresses an interest in research in physiology or endocrinology. Every effort will be made to identify deserving recipients based on academic achievement, community involvement, and financial need. The inaugural award was presented in 2004 when the auditorium in the newly dedicated Biomedical Science Building was named after Dr. Rayford. In 2022, the scholarship was renamed the Phillip L. and Geraldine Rayford Scholarship in recognition of Dr. Rayford’s wife, Geraldine, and her important contribution to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. 

Edward Roberson, M.D., Endowed Scholarship

Dr. Edward Roberson, an El Dorado native, served as a B-29 pilot with the Army Air Corps in the Pacific theater in World War II. Returning from the war, he pursued his dream of becoming a physician by completing his undergraduate education and graduating from the College of Medicine in 1952. He was the founder of the Houston Northwest Medical Center and served as the first chief of staff and later as chair of the governing board. He was dedicated and committed to providing a higher and more efficient level of patient care. The Houston Northwest Medical Center and the Tenet Healthcare Foundation endowed a scholarship bearing his name at his medical school alma mater. The inaugural award was presented in 1999.

Beverly Robinson and Neal Robinson, M.D. Endowed Scholarship

In 2023, it was the expressed desire of Beverly Robinson and Neal Robinson, M.D. to pledge a gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation for the benefit of establishing a medical student scholarship. Since their marriage in 1978, Beverly and Neal have been committed to bettering the lives of others and serving their community.  Beverly is a former public school teacher. After Beverly and Neal married, she continued as a volunteer in the classroom helping both children and adults. Neal is a 1963 graduate of the UAMS College of Medicine and former class president. He practiced family medicine for many years before leading the effort to create an employee wellness program for a large company in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Whether it was in the classroom or through the practice of medicine, the couple impacted countless lives through their service over the years.  For decades, Beverly and Neal have been devoted partners with UAMS supporting scholarships, the College of Medicine, and Alumni programs. Beverly and Neal have now established an endowed scholarship in the College of Medicine providing support for students of which at least one of the parents was, or is, a K-12 level educator.  UAMS is grateful for this most generous gift and looks forward to celebrating the Robinson family for their investment in UAMS students. The selection of the recipient shall be made by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee.  The scholarship shall be awarded each year to a UAMS student who: 1) is enrolled in the College of Medicine, 2) demonstrates academic excellence as determined by the Scholarship Committee, and 3) preference will be given to a child of a K-12 level educator.  If a qualified student cannot be identified, the scholarship will be awarded to another qualified student.  Each scholarship is for one year. Preference will be given to prior recipients provided they meet the requirements for continuation as established by the Scholarship Committee. The inaugural Robins Scholarship was awarded in 2024. 

Ronnel Family Endowed Chancellor’s Scholarship

It was the expressed desire of the Lee and Dale Ronnel Family to pledge a gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation for the purpose of establishing an endowed scholarship for medical students who 1) is enrolled in the UAMS College of Medicine, 2) is an Arkansas resident, 3) intends to practice medicine in Arkansas, 4) demonstrates scholastic merit, and 5) demonstrates financial need. Lee Ronnel was a dedicated friend and partner of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences for more than three decades. Through his leadership and philanthropy, he helped improve healthcare in Arkansas, as well as inspire others to invest in UAMS. Lee made a tremendous impact during his lifetime. His legacy will continue through the establishment of the Ronnel Family Endowed Chancellor’s Scholarship, educating the next generation of physicians and ensuring a pipeline of healthcare providers for the future. Each student who is selected by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee shall be known as a Ronnel Scholar. The endowed scholarship is created to provide full-tuition scholarships to students on a yearly basis. The inaugural award will be presented in 2023.

Annie Schoppach, M.D., Memorial Scholarship

Annie Schoppach, M.D., Class of 1901, was the first female to graduate from the Medical Department of the University of Arkansas. The April 13, 1901 edition of the Arkansas Gazette news article read “WOMAN GRADUATED, Member of University of Arkansas Medical Class, Exercises Held Last Night.” The article went on to say “The twenty-second comincement (sic) exercises of the Arkansas University medical department were held last night in the Capital Theater. The graduating class was twenty in number among whom was Miss Annie Schoppach of this city, a lady of refinement and culture, who will doubtless prove to be a physician of great service and ability.” Annie Schoppach, M.D., was a woman with grit and determination. Born in 1858, she grew up along the shores of Lake Erie in Ontario, Canada and learned lessons in strength and perseverance. She lost her mother when she was just nine years old and lost her sister six years later. She was again faced with death at the age of 18 when her father and grandfather passed away just two months apart. She subsequently married James Cutting, and delivered two children, Herwald and Ada. The marriage ended and she moved to Michigan, taking Herwald with her and leaving Ada behind. In Michigan she met James Schoppach of Saline county, Arkansas and married him. The three moved to Arkansas and Annie gained admission to the Medical Department of the University of Arkansas in 1897.

During the next four years, she endured not only the grueling rigors of medical school, but also the pranks of her predominantly male classmates. In 1901, she became the first woman medical graduate from this institution. After two years of postgraduate work, she went into the private practice of Obstetrics/Gynecology in Little Rock, running her own maternity home at 1401 State Street. Her son, Herwald Cutting, joined her practice after he graduated from her alma mater in 1912. She practiced OB/GYN for forty-eight years in Little Rock where she died in 1949 at the age of 91. With the support of the UAMS Library’s History of Medicine Associates, the Pulaski County Historical Society, the College of Medicine Alumni Association, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Axelson, and the Oakland Fraternal Cemetery, a monument was erected in the Oakland Cemetery in 2006 and formally dedicated on September 9, 2007, honoring Dr. Schoppach, her son, and daughter-in-law, who are buried there. Her great-granddaughter, Bonnie Axelson of Jamestown, Rhode Island, has honored Dr. Schoppach by endowing a scholarship in her name. To honor their ancestor, Dr. Annie Schoppach, the first female graduate of UAMS, the family intends that, consistent with applicable law and to further the articulated diversity goals of the College of Medicine at UAMS, the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee may give preference to a rising female sophomore with financial need who has exhibited character and scholarship. The inaugural scholarship was presented in 2007. Dr. and Mrs. Richard Clark represented the donor’s family at the College of Medicine Scholarship Banquet and presented the inaugural scholarship award.

Dr. and Mrs. Bill Scurlock Endowed Scholarship

Dr. Bill Scurlock, Class of 1960, served for twenty years on the voluntary faculty of the Area Health Education Center in El Dorado while maintaining his private practice as a surgeon. The tradition of selfless service to patients and to the medical profession runs strong in the Scurlock family. Mrs. Scurlock is a registered nurse and their sons, David Ross Scurlock, M.D., and John Preston Scurlock, M.D., and daughter-in-law, Amy Jennifer Martin Scurlock, M.D., are also graduates of the College of Medicine. Dr. and Mrs. Scurlock desire to promote a dedication to professionalism based on principles inherent in the Judeo-Christian tradition and have established a scholarship to be awarded to a senior medical student who demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and ethics. The inaugural award was presented in 1999.

Dr. Winston K. Shorey Scholarship

One of the oldest scholarships at the College of Medicine, the Dr. Winston K Shorey Scholarship was established in 1976 by the Women’s Auxiliary of the UAMS Medical Center. Dr. Shorey was the 16th Dean of the College of Medicine and is remembered for his role in the development of the Arkansas Caduceus Club, the medical alumni organization for the college, and the Area Health Education Center plan for Arkansas, among his many other accomplishments. The scholarship is awarded annually to an entering first-year medical student whose character and ability indicate a career of professionalism and humanitarian service in the practice of medicine. The inaugural awards were presented in 1976.

The Neil and Clara Spain Endowed Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 2011 through a generous bequest to UAMS. Little is known about their connection to the University of Arkansas College of Medicine. However, this does not in any way diminish the College of Medicine’s appreciation for their generous scholarship for medical students. The memorials for Neil Spain and Clara Spain listed below provide additional information about their lives. The purpose of the scholarship is to provide assistance to students with financial need. Mr. Neil O Spain, 81, of Springdale, Arkansas passed away 2006 in Springdale, Arkansas. He was a former US Navy veteran serving in World War II and a retired navigator for the US Air Force serving in the Vietnam War. Clara J Spain, 73, of Springdale, Arkansas, died Friday, August 27, 2004, in Springdale. She worked and retired from the Southern California Gas Company and moved from California to Arkansas after retiring. She did volunteer work at the Walton Art Center and was an IRS tax volunteer. She was active in the Single Parent Scholarship Program in Benton, County. The inaugural award was presented in 2013.

Willis M. and Sara Beth Stevens Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is funded by the generosity of Kirsten Clement in memory of her parents Willis and Sarah Beth Stevens. It is her hope to support the unexpected expenses of third-year students that need additional support.

Dr. Stevens was a UAMS College of Medicine graduate from the Class of 1959.  Two of his grandchildren carry on his legacy as medical students Ethan Clement, Class of 2023, and Noah Wood, Class of 2026. Willis Monroe Stevens, Jr., M.D., of Grapevine, Arkansas was born June 2, 1933 in El Dorado, Arkansas.  He was a very active member of First Presbyterian Church in El Dorado for many years. He had served in the United States Army having been General Medical Officer during the Vietnam War.  Dr. Stevens was also an avid outdoorsman. He began his medical career with Family Practice in El Dorado in 1961.  After his service to his country, he specialized in Anesthesia. He served as Chief of Anesthesia in El Dorado from 1971 until his retirement in 1993. He touched many lives with his compassionate healing art.  

Sara Beth Clement Stevens of Grapevine, Arkansas was born on January 26, 1935. Beth was a member of First Presbyterian Church in El Dorado, Arkansas and spent her life making a home for her family.  She graduated top of her class of five at Grapevine high school and went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. She became the first Water Quality Tester for the State of Arkansas.

Beth and Willis met at an afternoon tea while Willis was in Medical School and began a three-year courtship. They married February 25, 1960. They traveled through life together and had three children: Kirsten Stevens Clement of Grapevine, Annalisa and Joe Wood of Mabelvale, Arkansas and Willis M. Stevens, III of Urbana, Arkansas and five grandchildren: Ethan M. Clement, Mikah M. Clement, Noah I. Wood, Luke D. Wood, and Henlea E. Stevens.

The Stevens Scholarship shall be administered in accordance with the following guidelines:  This scholarship shall be awarded each year to a UAMS student who is a third-year student in the College of Medicine and demonstrates financial need as determined by the Scholarship Committee, designee of the Dean and/or Provost. Preference is to be given to support the additional expenses third-year students incur such as the step tests, living expenses and travel for internships and residency fees. Each scholarship is for one academic year. The inaugural award was presented in 2023.

Alan James Stevenson, M.D., Scholarship

Dr. Alan James Stevenson graduated from the College of Medicine in 1947, completed residency training in urology at St Louis University Medical School and went into private practice following his service in the US Air Force. He served as Chief of Urology at Tampa General Hospital and at St Joseph’s Hospital. Dr. Stevenson established a trust fund for the benefit of medical students with financial need in 1984. Dr. Stevenson passed away in 2002. The inaugural award was presented in 2005.

R. Louise Stout Simmons, M.D., Endowed Scholarship

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) received a $1.5 million gift from the estate of Carl R. Stout to create the R. Louise Stout Simmons, M.D. Endowed Scholarship in the College of Medicine, which is the first full-tuition scholarship endowment in UAMS’ history.

“This incredible gift will provide for countless students in the College of Medicine and have an immeasurable impact for Arkansas,” says UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA. “UAMS is an academic institution as well as a health sciences center, and we take our job seriously to attract, teach and train tomorrow’s health care leaders. We are committed to making sure every Arkansan has access to quality medical care. The Stout family’s generosity ensures that we will continue to do that far into the future.”

The Simmons scholarship is unique since it is the first time in UAMS history that a scholarship endowment will pay for a full year of tuition. The $1.5 million gift is invested, and the spendable earnings will generate the funds to cover the first year’s tuition for a freshman medical student every year.

“This is an amazing time for us as this endowment provides an additional tool to further the mission of the College of Medicine to continually recruit the best and the brightest for Arkansas,” says UAMS Executive Vice Chancellor and College of Medicine Dean Christopher T. Westfall, M.D.

Louise Stout, M.D., a 1949 College of Medicine graduate, passed away unexpectedly in 1970. Her father, Carl R. Stout, wanted his daughter’s love of medicine to be remembered, so he created a charitable remainder trust. When Carl Stout died in 1994, the trust provided income to his surviving daughter, Dorothy S. Aldridge, for her lifetime – with the College of Medicine named as the beneficiary of the remainder of the trust. Aldridge, a longtime supporter of UAMS, passed away on June 30, 2018.

The College of Medicine has educated and trained more than 10,000 physicians since 1879, and has an annual enrollment of nearly 700 students. It is regularly listed in the top 10 nationwide for the percentage of its graduating class that pursue a career in family medicine. More than half of the practicing physicians in Arkansas are UAMS graduates.

More than two-thirds of Arkansas’ 75 counties include federally designated Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas. Primary care physician shortages are projected to increase substantially as the state’s population continues to age and require more medical care, and as more Arkansans seek primary care services.

The high cost of medical school and the burden of educational debt that most medical students face when entering their postgraduate residency training can be a factor in choosing higher-paying specialties instead of primary care and practicing in rural areas. The average medical school debt of recent UAMS graduates who have educational debt is about $190,000.

It was first awarded in 2020.

Carlton Sturms Memorial Scholarship

Mrs. Louise Amelia Winther Sturms of Hot Springs named the College of Medicine as the beneficiary on several certificates of deposit with the notation that the gift should fund a scholarship in honor of her late husband, Carlton A Sturms. The gift was discovered in a safety deposit box upon the death of Mrs. Sturms in 1994. The inaugural award was presented in 1996 and is awarded annually to a medical student on the basis of merit and need.

Sara Tariq, M.D., Endowed Scholarship

In 2020, the Sward family (Erik, Samuel and Lindsey E. Sward, M.D.) established a scholarship to honor Sara Tariq, M.D. Dr. Lindsey Sward, a native of Conway, Arkansas, completed her medical degree at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 2009. She received the Roberts Key award given to the graduating senior with the highest scholastic grade point average. She was also named to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor medical society. Dr. Sward went on to complete her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2015. She now serves as the clerkship director for junior medical students. Erik Sward is an entrepreneur and co-owner of Bell and Sward Gentlemen’s Clothier in Conway, Arkansas. A strong business development professional, Mr. Sward received his Master’s in Health Administration from UAMS in 2012. Mr. and Dr. Sward come from a long lineage of UAMS graduates, with a family history steeped in creating healthier communities for all Arkansans. They reside in Conway with their son, Samuel.

The honoree, Dr. Sara Tariq, is well beloved among UAMS medical students as a compassionate educator and mentor. She is a nationally recognized leader in medical education and an exceptional physician who teaches by example. She received her medical degree from UAMS in 1998. She completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.  She served an additional year as chief resident and then joined the UAMS faculty in 2002.  She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2008 and full professorship in 2018. She served as Assistant Dean for undergraduate clinical education from 2009 to 2015 until she was named Associate Dean for Student Affairs.  Tariq’s national honors include the prestigious Herbert S. Waxman Award for Outstanding Medical Student Educator from the American College of Physicians in 2010 and being selected for the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Medicine fellowship at Drexel University which she completed in 2015-16. In Arkansas, colleagues in the American College of Physicians presented Dr. Tariq with the Robert Shields Abernathy ACP Laureate Award for Excellence in Internal Medicine in 2013. Dr. Tariq has earned many teaching awards at UAMS, including numerous annual consecutive Golden Apple, Gold Sash and Red Sash awards from students.  She has been invited by the graduating class to deliver the Faculty Charge at Honors Convocation eight times. In 2013, she received the Outstanding Woman Faculty Award from the UAMS Women’s Faculty Development Caucus. She received the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award from the College of Medicine in 2014 and has been the recipient or co-recipient of other faculty honors, including Educational Research and Educational Innovation awards. 

The scholarship shall be awarded to a second, third or fourth year medical student who demonstrates good academic standing and financial need. The scholarship is for one academic year. Prior recipients may not be considered for this scholarship during subsequent years. The inaugural award was presented in 2021.    

Patrick W. Tank Memorial Scholarship

Dr. Patrick W. Tank, a pillar in the Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences since 1978, died on July 29, 2012. Dr. Tank joined the UAMS faculty after receiving his Bachelor of Science from Western Michigan University and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. He directed the Medical Gross Anatomy course and the Anatomical Gift Program from 1985 to 2011. He also served as Director of Education and Director of Anatomical Education. Dr. Tank held the Charles H. and Charles M. Lutterloh Medical Excellence Professorship from 1998 to 2001. He served as interim Chairman of the Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences in 1999-2000 and oversaw the crucial expansion of the Gross Anatomy Laboratory. Dr. Tank taught Gross Anatomy to more than 4,000 freshman medical students, in addition to vast numbers of graduate students, through the years and was a highly respected and beloved educator. He is internationally known as the author of three editions of “Grant’s Dissector.” Among many accolades, Dr. Tank received the College of Medicine Distinguished Faculty Service Award this past April for his profound impact on College of Medicine students. He also has received five Golden Apple awards, 24 Red Sash awards and two Gold Sashes. He has received the Alumni Association Distinguished Faculty Award, the College of Medicine Innovation Award and Master Teacher Award, and the Chancellor’s Faculty Teaching Award. In 2012, the College of Medicine established a scholarship in Dr. Tank’s memory through the generous donations of his colleagues, including Dr. Bill Wright, Dr. Tank’s former graduate student. In addition, a foundation fund was established by the Class of 2012 for a scholarship bearing Dr. Tank’s name.

The primary selection criteria specifies the recipient must be a senior in the top quartile of his or her graduating class with demonstrated evidence of leadership or successful organizational traits and indication the applicant plans to pursue a career in a medical specialty that substantially utilizes and applies clinical anatomy, such as pathology, radiology, or surgery and its subspecialties. The inaugural Patrick W. Tank Memorial Scholarship was awarded in 2017.

John Samuel Taylor Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is made possible by the contributions of Dr. and Mrs. George D. Taylor of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, as well as the family and friends of the Taylors, in memory of their son, John Samuel Taylor. This scholarship was first presented in 1993, the year John Samuel Taylor would have completed his pre-medical training at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and enrolled in the College of Medicine to follow in the footsteps of his father, who graduated from the College of Medicine in 1963. The annual scholarship is awarded to a junior medical student who exemplifies the character traits found in John Samuel Taylor: high ethical standards, compassion and the potential to become a people-oriented physician. The inaugural award was presented in 1993.

James Gentry Thomas Memorial Scholarship

Dr. James Thomas grew up in Prescott, Arkansas. He graduated from Hendrix College and received his medical degree from the College of Medicine in 1956. He then entered private practice in neurology in Little Rock. He was greatly influenced by his grandfather who practiced medicine in rural areas in the early 1900s. Dr. Thomas believed physicians were in a position to serve people in their time of greatest need. Dr. Thomas perished in a home fire, along with his wife and three children, in 1965. This scholarship, one of the oldest at the College of Medicine, was established in his memory with a gift from his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles C Thomas of Prescott, and family friends. The award is presented annually to a senior student who demonstrates academic excellence. The inaugural award was given in 1970.

A. J. Thompson, M.D., Scholarship

The untimely death of Dr. A. J. Thompson moved his friends and colleagues in the Class of 1968 to establish its class scholarship as a memorial to him. Dr. Thompson’s wife, Mrs. Linda Thompson, and their children funded this separate scholarship to also honor his memory. Dr. Thompson was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Alumnus Award and his family would hope the recipient of this scholarship would also be gifted, humane, conscientious, and well-regarded as was Dr. Thompson. The inaugural presentation of the award was given in 1998.

Bernard W. Thompson, M.D., and Dola S. Thompson, M.D., Scholarship

Dola Searcy Thompson, M.D., Class of 1949, began her career in anesthesiology in the 1950’s, when few physicians entered the specialty and anesthesia departments were few and far between at medical schools around the nation. Thompson went on to serve UAMS and the College of Medicine for six decades, as a resident, professor, department chair and finally as an energetic alumna who is recognized for her scholarship, academic leadership and excellence in anesthesia care. As a medical student, the Little Rock native met and married Bernard W. “Bernie” Thompson, a classmate who later became a professor of surgery at UAMS. After graduating, the Thompsons moved to California, where Dola interned at Women’s and Children’s Hospital of San Francisco. “The hospital was founded by women physicians, because at that time it was difficult for women to get on a hospital staff. It was comfortable working in a hospital with so many women,” she said. Thompson was leaning toward a career as a pediatrician, but an anesthesiologist with whom she was working demonstrated various anesthesiology procedures and encouraged her to pursue the discipline. “It was a new and challenging field of medicine. There was a dire need for anesthesiologists, and there just weren’t many in practice,” she said. In 1950, Thompson returned to Little Rock and became the first resident physician in the newly established UAMS Department of Anesthesiology. After residency training, she went into private practice in Little Rock for a few years. In 1959, she became the chief of the Division of Anesthesiology at the Little Rock’s Veteran’s Hospital and an assistant professor of anesthesiology at UAMS, where she later was promoted to associate professor. In 1974, Thompson was named professor and Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology—becoming only the second full-time female department head at UAMS. Her contributions included providing anesthesia care in University Hospital, directing the residency program and teaching medical students. Thompson updated anesthesia equipment in the operating rooms, improved monitoring capability, established a post-anesthesia care unit and opened and directed the Surgical Intensive Unit. She also expanded the anesthesia teaching service at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the VA Hospital. She said “I fully retired in 1991 so I could lend a hand in other ways, and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve done since then.” She has remained active in UAMS and the College of Medicine Alumni Association—including serving with Bernard Thompson as 1949 class agents, and becoming founding members of the Founders Society and the UAMS Society of the Double Helix. Bernard died in 2003. Dola now serves on the Dean’s Alumni Advisory Board. In 2006, a new chapter began in Thompson’s life. She married John Pauly, Ph.D., a professor emeritus in the Department of Anatomy at UAMS who had served as chairman from 1967 to 1983 and then as vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and Sponsored Research until 1992. Also in 2006, Thompson was inducted into the College of Medicine Hall of Fame. “It was the most prestigious recognition in my long career,” she said. But the greatest satisfaction of all? That, Thompson said, “comes from having a big part in teaching residents who went on to provide excellent anesthesia care to many patients in Arkansas and various places in the country.’” The inaugural Bernard W Thompson, M.D., and Dola S Thompson, M.D., Scholarship was awarded in 2015, based upon financial need without regard to sex, race, creed, or national origin.

UAMS Consortium Scholarship

The Annual Julep Cup Jaunt hosted by the UAMS Consortium conducted prior to each Kentucky Derby, is a fund-raiser for scholarships.

What is the Julep Cup Jaunt? The Julep Cup Jaunt, hosted by the UAMS Consortium, is central Arkansas’ premier Kentucky Derby watch party and silent auction. Each year, hundreds of guests watch the live running of the Kentucky Derby while enjoying Derby-themed food and music – all while raising funds and awareness for the benefit of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Proceeds are directed to the UAMS Foundation Fund to support the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and to establish an endowed scholarship in the College of Medicine.

As a Fundraising Event, How are the Funds Used? At UAMS, the extraordinary happens every day. UAMS is educating tomorrow’s health care leaders; to providing patients the highest level of care; to pursuing research that will lead to better methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Your participation in the Julep Cup Jaunt allows for the flexibility to address high-priority needs throughout UAMS so we’re prepared to care for you and your family in the future.

About the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; northwest Arkansas regional campus; statewide network of regional centers; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Myeloma Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging and Translational Research Institute. It is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses throughout the state, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health.

About the UAMS Consortium The UAMS Consortium is a dedicated group of community leaders volunteering their time to support UAMS, in affiliation with the UAMS Foundation Fund Board. The Consortium members advocate on behalf of UAMS programs and its philanthropic needs and act as liaisons with the community. The inaugural scholarship is to be awarded in 2022.

A. T. and Gladys Walker Memorial Scholarship

When Ambrose Walker, M.D., Class of 1946, endowed a generous scholarship for the College of Medicine, he chose to name it for his parents. Dr. Walker shared the following brief memoir: “Before she married my father, Gladys McKamie taught school in a small rural community located by the Red River near Texarkana. A. T. Walker was a salesman during his lifetime. He worked for a family-owned wholesale grocery company in Stamps, Arkansas. My parents were very supportive of me. They helped me financially the best they could and encouraged me in every way. One of the happiest moments was when I received my M.D. degree. They were proud of me and I am proud of them.” Dr. Walker also stated, “Qualities I would want to be considered would be financial need and character—not just grades in school.” Dr. Walker was a Family Practitioner in Thayer, Missouri, prior to his retirement and lived in Springfield, Missouri, after his retirement. The inaugural award was presented in 1995.

Dr. Richard P. Wheeler Scholarship

This scholarship was endowed by UAMS colleagues, friends, and family of Dr. Wheeler in 2015 to honor his long-term, outstanding service to the College of Medicine. Dr. Wheeler began medical school in 1972, graduated from UAMS in 1976, then completed his internal medicine residency and nephrology fellowship here. He joined the faculty in 1982. He directed the dialysis unit for six years, helping chronically ill patients live as normally as possible. He listened to them and respected their values, empathizing with their suffering. These experiences helped him become a champion for medical professionalism and humanism. Dr. Wheeler has assumed increasing educational leadership positions across the span of his career, beginning in 1987 as Assistant Dean for Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education. In 1989 he asked to serve as Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs, and in 2000 he was promoted to his current post of Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. He received the Distinguished Faculty Service Award in 2015. Along with being a strong advocate for medical students, Dr. Wheeler is well known for a conversation he conducts annually with the incoming students in which he emphasizes that “it’s not about you anymore – it’s about your patients.” In keeping with Dr. Wheeler’s deeply held conviction that the best doctors are characterized by consistent, genuine expressions of altruism and humanism towards the people they call their patients, this scholarship is awarded to an academically successful M3 or M4 student whose behavior during their early years of medical school has been demonstrably altruist and humane in their service of patients.

Frank Williams Memorial Scholarship

A scholarship fund was established in 1984 as a result of a bequest from Mr. Frank Williams of Grant County. He was a generous donor to the College of Medicine and left much of his estate to establish a cancer research fund. Mr. Williams immigrated to the United States from Bohemia, settled in Chicago and attended law school. Later he purchased several thousand acres of land and settled in the Prague community between Sheridan and Pine Bluff. Mr. Williams’ generosity continues to fund annual scholarships to students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and financial need.

Dr. George Wise Memorial Scholarship

Mr. and Mrs. Murry J. Sarlin established this scholarship endowment in honor of Dr. and Mrs. George S. Wise. Rabbi Wise was a remarkable man of vision and great accomplishment. He was a scholar, educator, philanthropist and businessman. He left Poland to come to the United States, barely able to speak English. Yet, he graduated with a doctorate in sociology from Columbia University. He was the principal creator of Tel Aviv University in Israel and served as its president for many years. Mexico bestowed its highest honor upon him for his contributions in education to that country. He served as a professor at the University of Miami and directed the School of International Studies during his retirement. An annual award has been presented since 1974 to a rising junior who excels during the sophomore year of medical school.

Lee Bailey Word, M.D., Scholarship

Dr. Lee Bailey Word, a 1930 graduate of the College of Medicine, practiced for many years in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. As a medical student, Dr. Word attended classes at the Old State House site of the medical school. Dr. and Mrs. Word’s strong interest in the College of Medicine led them, along with their son and daughter, to endow a scholarship in 1995. He and his wife were great favorites of the College of Medicine administration and many of the students. Dr. Word was the oldest and one of the most loyal alumni of the College of Medicine until his death in 1999. The scholarship is awarded annually on the basis of academic achievement and character as demonstrated by a spirit of volunteerism and community service. The inaugural award was presented in 1997.

Dr. Thomas Henry Wortham Rural Family Medicine Endowed Scholarship

It was the expressed desire of Kathy Roberts, Larry Wilson and Mike Wilson of Jacksonville, Arkansas to pledge a gift to the University of Arkansas Foundation for the benefit of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. The donors established a scholarship for students committed to family medicine practice in honor of their friend Dr. Thomas Henry Wortham. The family has great admiration for the care Dr. Wortham provided their family throughout his career and for his work to expand medical services to the Jacksonville community. The scholarship shall be awarded each year to a UAMS medical student who is enrolled in the Arkansas Rural Practice Scholarship Program, demonstrates good academic standing, and is from Jacksonville, Arkansas. However, if a student from Jacksonville cannot be identified, the scholarship will be awarded to another qualified student. Selection of the recipient shall be made by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The scholarship is for one academic year. Prior recipients may not be considered for this scholarship during subsequent years. The inaugural award was presented in 2021.

Dr. Louis Zimmerman, Class of 1936, Memorial Scholarship

Louis Zimmerman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, in a family that migrated from Pinsk, Russia, in the early 1900s. His father was a carpenter and worked in the construction field. In order to pursue a career in medicine, he came to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and graduated in 1931. He had a wonderful experience there and, with a recommendation from the Dean, was accepted in the Medical school class, graduating in 1936. Shortly after completing his residency in New Jersey and beginning practice in New York, he entered the Army reserves, was called to active duty during World War II, served as a medical officer for five years and concluded his Army career as a Lieutenant Colonel with two bronze stars. After the war, he opened a neighborhood medical practice in Manhattan, New York, concentrating on family medicine, internal medicine and cardio-pulmonary diseases. He joined the American College of Cardiology in its early days. He also worked with the New York City Health Department’s program to eradicate tuberculosis. In the community, he was an active and popular member of the 92^nd Street YMHA and played handball and other sports for many years. His interests were wide-ranging, including opera, American painting, and civil war history. Because of his great love for the University of Arkansas College of Medicine, his son and daughter felt it was a fitting tribute to create this scholarship in his name to benefit future medical students. Dr. Zimmerman’s son, Peter Max Zimmerman, along with his daughter and husband, Mindy Zimmerman Colton and Paul F. Colton, of New York City were present to present the inaugural award at the 17^th annual College of Medicine Scholarship Banquet at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock on August 28, 2004.