Windgate awards UAM 2-year grant

The Windgate Foundation approved a multi-year grant totaling $298,924 for the University of Arkansas at Monticello. The grant was approved in November, according to a news release.

The funds will support four areas at UAM: needbased scholarships, Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) scholarships, the UAM College of Technology-Crossett (UAM-CTC) and the UAM-College of Technology-McGehee (UAM-CTM). The grant period runs from Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2025.

The funds are designated as follows:

■ $150,000 for need-based scholarships;

■ $50,000 for MAT scholarships;

■ $20,000 for laptops, $7,800 for welding materials and $12,475 for equipment at UAM-CTC;

■ $46,880 for TIG welders and $11,768 for nursing simulation equipment at UAMCTM.

The partnership is the result of a grant proposal submitted on behalf of the university by UAM Chancellor Peggy Doss and a team of UAM Executive Council members.

This is the third grant that the Windgate Foundation has awarded to UAM. In 2020, UAM received a $50,000 grant to support visual arts. The grant funded the construction of a graphic design lab that allowed the university to develop a minor in art with an emphasis in graphic design. In 2022, UAM received a grant for $205,415, which was designated for need-based scholarships, nursing instructors and lab equipment.

Doss offered thanks to the foundation for the most recent grant.

“We are deeply grateful for the Windgate Foundation’s continued support of UAM,” Doss said. “This important relationship is critical to the success of our students and continues to highlight the foundation’s commitment to education and workforce development in our communities and state. The scholarship funds from this grant will ensure that our students receive the financial support they need to pursue their educational goals and meaningful careers.

“The funds designated to the UAM Colleges of Technology are instrumental in providing our students with the latest technology and tools to enhance their learning and prepare them for their future careers. We offer our sincere thanks to the Windgate Foundation, and we look forward to continuing our impactful partnership in the future,” she said.

The Windgate Foundation was established in 1993 and is a private, family foundation based in Little Rock.