Heroes for Zeros

By now, even the residents of Kabul have probably heard or read about the Walton Family Foundation’s incredible $300 million gift to endow the University of Arkansas’ honors program, graduate school and library.

The largest one-time donation ever made to an American university, the gift put the UA over its $500 million “Campaign for the 21st Century” fundraising goal by $107 million. The UA must also match the $300 million.

But what most people probably haven’t heard about is the overtime UA vice Chancellor David Gearhart and Chancellor John A. White put into the process.

The duo worked with the Walton family, heirs to the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. fortune, for more than a year. We’re told the process included many proposal revisions and an emotional commitment from both sides. All we can say is, “Wooo,ooo,ooow!”