UAFS announces $85 million ‘Intrepid Ambition’ fundraising campaign (Updated)

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UAFS) on Wednesday (April 2) announced an $85 million “Intrepid Ambition” campaign, which is the largest fundraising initiative in the institution’s history.

The campaign is designed to reshape access to education, elevate academic excellence, and power economic development in the Fort Smith metro, according to UAFS.

The campaign launch promises to be an important day for the future of UAFS and the community it serves, said University of Arkansas System President Jay Silveria, as he and others spoke to a crowd of a few hundred gathered Wednesday at Stubblefield Arena on the UAFS campus.

“I have been blown away by the energy and passion of this university and this community,” Silveria said. “UAFS listens to the community and responds and provides the necessary parts to bring a great future.”

UAFS Chancellor Dr. Terisa Riley called the day the start of a bold new chapter to the UAFS story with the university’s most ambitious fundraising mission to date starting that chapter with a roar befitting any Lion.

The funds raised will help the university fuel dreams of every student attending the school by expanding programs offered and empower students with knowledge needed to excel in their field, Riley said.

“We know that an institution like ours does not thrive only on tradition … It also thrives on momentum, on investment and on shared commitment to excellence. Through Intrepid Ambition, we will raise funds to ensure that our students who graduate, do so not only with degrees, but with purpose and preparedness,” she said.

The campaign intends to raise $85 million by 2028, but the amount is a little less daunting when considering the $68.518 million already raised during the silent phase of the campaign, which began in 2020.

“An $85 million goal isn’t just ambitious – it’s necessary,” said Blake Rickman, UAFS vice chancellor for university advancement and executive director of the UAFS foundation, said in a statement. “This is the scale it takes to match the moment we’re in. We’re not raising money to keep the lights on—we’re raising it to light the way forward. Because if we want to lead this region into the next century, we have to be bold enough to believe it’s possible—and brave enough to build it.”

Lead gifts from the Windgate Foundation, ABB, First National Bank of Fort Smith, Citizens Bank & Trust, and more than 30 individuals who made major gifts have helped the university secure the $68.518 million, Rickman said, noting that many others have given anonymously.

More than 6,400 donors and over 14,000 contributions have helped the university reach 80% of its goal, but the campaign will now leave its quiet individual phase and turn wider, allowing everyone to know how the university plans to shape its future, Rickman said.

Adding to the fundraising campaign is the $7.5 million anonymous fully endowed gift announced Wednesday, which will endow a Center for Nonprofits (CNP) at the university.

“Though we will spend the next four years imagining the future of UAFS and what our next 100 years could look like, we have to first acknowledge the people who made this moment possible,” Rickman said.

Structured around three core priorities – students, people, and community – the fundraising campaign is aimed at removing financial barriers, investing in faculty and staff development and strengthening regional partnerships.

“We want to invest in our students. We want to invest in the expertise of our people who contribute to the success of the institution. And we want to invest in our community,” Rickman said. “We have a vision of building real pathways to debt-free education – not just increasing scholarships, but reshaping what access looks like for families in the River Valley.”

In order to achieve the goal, the university’s leadership needs to listen to what is needed, Rickman said.

“I think a lot of times where you see institutions kind of detached from the town and gown relationship is because they stop asking questions. For us, we’ve made it a point to be in close conversation with all of our regional partners and not just about what they need but also what they are going to need from us 10 years down the road,” Rickman said.

That vision has started to take shape during the silent phase of the campaign with the university beginning to build the framework, Rickman said.

“We’re working alongside manufacturers to build a workforce that’s ready for tomorrow,” Rickman noted. “We’re deepening our healthcare pipeline and working closely with Baptist, Mercy, and healthcare providers across the region to ensure our graduates are prepared to serve with both skill and compassion. We’re equipping future teachers with real-world experience before they ever lead a classroom. And we’re investing in the arts – not as an afterthought, but as a vital part of what makes this region, as Mayor Ray Baker said, ‘worth living in.’”