UA alums give $500,000 for free enterprise, capitalism program

University of Arkansas alumni Ruben and Sue Martin gave $500,000 to the Sam M. Walton College of Business to support a summer program on free enterprise and capitalism, according to a Monday (May 12) news release.

The gift will establish the Ruben and Sue Martin Capitaf Scholars Fund. It will support up to 24 students, primarily from Walton College, who will participate in an annual summer colloquium focused on Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman’s classic works.

“Ruben and Sue Martin’s extraordinary gift will enable our students to explore the foundational principles of free enterprise and capitalism through a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience,” said Chancellor Charles Robinson. “We are deeply grateful for their support and the lasting impact it will have on Walton College students.”

The Martin’s support of the Capitaf program will allow students to attend a week-long conference at the Milton and Rose Friedman Center in Vermont. There, students will discuss Milton Friedman’s works to gain a deeper understanding of free-market capitalism.

“Martin believes capitalism fosters collaboration and that mutually beneficial business deals drive long-term success,” noted the UA release. “His leadership philosophy is grounded in employee equity, ensuring that his employees have a meaningful stake in the company’s success.”

The Capitaf retreat center, located amid 100 acres of woods, “provides an ideal environment for students to reflect on the practical applications of Friedman’s economic principles in modern economic and public policy,” according to the release.

“The Capitaf program is exciting,” Sue Martin said. “As we learned more about it, we were eager to expand its reach. We want to see the number of participants grow even larger.”

The Martin family’s ties to the UA stretch back over a century when Ruben Martin’s grandfather graduated from the UA in 1914. His mother, Margaret, earned a bachelor’s degree in history in 1947, and his father, R.S. Martin, received a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1946.

Ruben Martin earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial management in 1974, while Sue Martin earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 1973.

“In every company I start, employees — those doing the real work — hold equity,” Ruben Martin said. “It’s crucial that they have a stake in the success.”