US Airways - July 2013 - (Page 86)

Northwest Arkansas A transformation is taking place at Arkansas’s flagship institution of higher learning, and the changes are both obvious and subtle. At the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, the new classroom buildings, research spaces, and athletic facilities are easy to spot. But hang around the campus, talk to the students, listen to the professors. That’s when something else becomes apparent — a sense of optimism and possibility that bubbles up when you grasp that dreams can become reality. “We’ve always been a good institution, with good faculty and solid programs going back for decades,” says G. David Gearhart, a Fayetteville native who has been chancellor since 2008. But in the world of academia, where that magical mix of bright students and inspiring professors can combine in ways that move a commu- 86 july 2013 usairwaysmag.com nity or change the world, good only takes you so far. To truly make a difference, you need to be great. For the better part of ten years, that’s the path the university has been on, facilitated by a $1 billion capital campaign — the Campaign for the 21st Century — that successfully ended in 2005. It was among the largest fund-raising efforts by a U.S. public university and attracted what was then the largest gift in the history of American public higher education: $300 million, from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. The impact has been nothing short of transformational, causing Arkansans to think differently about their leading university, and the nation to think differently about Arkansas. Enrollment will top 25,000 this fall, up more than 20 percent in the last five years. This has been achieved while keeping academic standards high and tuition costs steady. Meanwhile, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching recently placed the university in its highest classification based on the number of doctoral degrees awarded, the amount of grant funding received, and the level of research activity. And programs such as Supply Chain Management, Rehabilitation Counseling, Industrial Engineering, and Biological and Agricultural Engineering now rank among the best in the country. “We’ve stemmed the brain drain,” says Gearhart. “We now attract the best and brightest students in the state and, increasingly, from outside the state. We’re attracting first-rate faculty. We’re creating new and innovative programs. Just walk around here. You can feel what’s happening. People are taking notice. It’s a great thing to see this all playing out before our eyes.” http://www.usairwaysmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of US Airways - July 2013

US Airways - July 2013
Table of Contents
CEO Letter
From the Editor
Did You Know?
Making It Happen
Hot Spots: Family-Friendly Vacations
Wine & Dine: The Other Portland
Great Tastes: Benjamin Steakhouse
Wine & Dine: A Crafty Measure
Diversions: Fresh as You Please
Great Tastes: Savor
Great Escapes: Now Resorts & Spas
Adventure: Climbing Mt. Rainier
Travel Feature: Grand Cayman, the Epicure's Island
US Airways: Top Dogs
Special Section: Northwest Arkansas
Golf: Primland, a Course Apart
Special Section: North Carolina High Country
Puzzles
Readers Resource Index
Your US Airways Guide
Video Entertainment
Audio Entertainment
U.S. and Caribbean Service Map
International Service Map
Airport Terminal Maps
US Airways Fleet/Customs & Immigration
Passenger Info/Contact US Airways
US Airways MarketPlace®
Window or Aisle?

US Airways - July 2013