Couple to give $2 million to UA

Money to benefit architecture, athletics

FAYETTEVILLE — A $ 2 million planned gift from a Fayetteville couple to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville will create an endowed chair for architecture faculty and scholarship aid for students, as well as support a life- and career-skills program for Razorback athletes.

Ted and Leslie Belden’s gift will establish the Cyrus A. and Martha Sutherland Endowed Chair in Preservation Design, named in honor of two faculty members who taught at UA when the couple were students.

The Beldens own Old Buildings, a Fayetteville property company specializing in restoration. Cyrus Sutherland, who taught at UA for 32 years, worked to preserve Carnall Hall, a former university dormitory built in 1906 that, by the 1990s, was closed and considered for demolition. With help from the Beldens and others, Carnall Hall was renovated and reopened by UA in 2003 as an inn and restaurant.

“Cy loved vernacular architecture and was one of the significant movers-and-shakers in Arkansas in historic preservation,” Leslie Belden said in a statement released by UA. “He taught a class in historic

preservation that impacted me greatly.” Of the gift, $1 million will establish the preservation design endowment.

The gift also establishes the Sam Smith Endowed College Access Responsibility Endeavor Scholarship for first-generation college students. It is named after Leslie Belden’s father, Milton Samuel Smith III, and grandfather, Milton Samuel Smith II. First consideration will be given to students from St. Francis County, her childhood home, which is near Memphis.

Gift money also establishes the Roland Sales Endowment in Student-Athlete Development. The gift creates an endowment for the position of director of student-athlete development. Sales is a former Razorback football player and classmate of Leslie Belden.

“Ted and Leslie understand the critical importance of preparing our more than 460 student-athletes for success in their lives beyond this campus and their athletic careers,” Jeff Long, UA’s athletic director, said in a statement.