Donations support UAFS library expansion

story info submitted by the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith announced five gifts toward the Boreham Library expansion during a pre-groundbreaking luncheon June 28.

The gifts included ones from Dr. Ted and Betty Skokos, $500,000; Doug and Loretta Parker, who gave $50,000 in honor of their son, Dr. Kyle Parker, vice chancellor for planning and technology at UAFS; an estate gift, $100,000; and two anonymous donors. The donations announced at the luncheon totaled almost $700,000.

The $14.2 million expansion is for the Learning and Research Center addition to Boreham Library, which will almost double the square footage of the facility.

Dr. Paul B. Beran, UAFS chancellor, said the Skokoses had been deeply involved with UAFS since it was Fort Smith Junior College.

“Dr. Skokos coached basketball at FSJC in the 1950s, as a volunteer, while still operating a busy dental practice,” said Beran. “Often, he would take his gym clothes to the office with him and come straight from work to campus to run practice. In doing so, he helped shape the lives of countless young men, giving them the opportunity to participate in college athletics, encouraging them to earn their degrees and often inspiring them to pursue advanced degrees on their own.”

Beran said Betty Skokos was a “full partner in his efforts and just as much a part of the basketball team’s success.”

“She did whatever it took to keep the team going, cooking hot meals, handing out cool drinks, offering encouraging smiles, even doing the occasional load of laundry,” Beran said.

The two-story rotunda of the Learning and Research Center at Boreham Library will be named the Dr. Ted and Betty Skokos Commons.

Beran called the gift in honor of Kyle Parker “a special surprise,” since Kyle Parker didn’t know of the gift until the luncheon. He added that the Parkers made a memorial gift several years ago to recognize the service to university’s athletic program by Kyle Parker’s brother, Douglas W. Parker Jr., M.D.

The Parkers’ gift results in the naming of the Kyle D. Parker, J.D., Landing Area in the library addition.

Beran also announced the estate gift of more than $100,000 from the Joan W. Worley Living Trust to name the large presentation room on the first floor of the addition in honor of Ms. Worley’s parents, Bruce and Eileen Worley. Ms. Worley died last fall.

One of the anonymous gifts will name the two study corners near the southeastern corner of the addition.

“Located on the first floor,” said Beran, “it will be ideal for students looking for a pleasant corner to read a book, study or meet with a group about a project.”

The second anonymous gift will be recognized at two study carrels, which will serve as private spots to study, prepare for final exams, complete homework or connect a laptop to do online research.
 
Beran also lauded R.S. and Sally Boreham for the gift that caused the library to carry the Boreham name.

“Several years later, it was named after Rollie and Sally Boreham, who had the extraordinary vision to make a $1 million gift in support of it, a gift we still feel the impact of today,” said Beran.

Rollie “Bud” Boreham became CEO in 1978 and chairman in 1981 of then-Fort Smith-based Baldor Electric Co. He was considered by many to be the heart and soul of the company up to his retirement as chairman in 2004. Boreham died in February 2006.

Beran introduced Kate Maurras and Debe Vicharelli, daughters of the Borehams, and R.S. Boreham’s widow, Judy.

Also speaking at the luncheon was Bill Hanna, chair of the UAFS Foundation Board and head of Fort Smith-based Hanna Oil & Gas, who spoke on how the library addition will benefit the region.

“Most directly,” said Hanna, “the Business and Entrepreneurship Research Center, to be housed on the second floor of the addition, will be a tremendous resource for the business community.”

Hanna said the center and its training labs, team work rooms, computer instruction labs and state-of-the-art teleconference facilities will be a place where local businesses, nonprofits, the academic community and other groups can meet to collaborate, exchange ideas and leverage the center’s cutting edge technology and information resources.

“But maybe more importantly,” said Hanna, “the Learning and Research Center will benefit the community indirectly simply by benefitting the university. You see, the fortunes of our region are very closely tied to the fortunes of this university.”

Hanna related that a conservative estimate of the university’s economic impact on the region is nearly $170 million in fiscal year 2008 — estimated at well over $200 million today — and that UAFS is the eighth largest employer in the region.

“But possibly the most important way the university can benefit the greater Fort Smith region is simply by keeping more of our best and brightest high school graduates here,” he said. “The better the university gets, the more of our own best students choose to come to school here. And that means they’re more likely to live and work here.”
 
The assembled group then made their way outside for the formal groundbreaking ceremony for the Learning and Research Center addition to Boreham Library, an expansion of 40,000 square feet to the original 30,000-square-foot facility.

The Learning and Research Center addition to Boreham Library more than doubles current seating, adds 214 new computer stations, makes room for 52,000 new volumes and creates a 24-hour study area.

In addition to Chancellor Beran, wielding shovels were Doug Babb, member of the UA Fort Smith Foundation Board; Janice Beran, UAFS First Lady; Maureen Didion, a 2011 graduate of UAFS; Sen. Jake Files, R-Fort Smith; Lloyd Garrison, CDI Contractors; Bill Hanna, chair of the UAFS Foundation Board; Paul Harvel, president, Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce; Billy Higgins, UAFS faculty representative; Galen Hunter, MAHG Architecture; Kate Maurras, Boreham family representative; Rusty Myers, Western Arkansas Planning and Development District; Roxanne Ruiz, UAFS student; Sandy Sanders, mayor, City of Fort Smith; Debe Vicharelli, Boreham family representative; Peggy Weidman, incoming chair, UAFS Board of Visitors; Monte Wilson, chair, UAFS Board of Visitors; and Mohamed Zonfuly, UAFS student.