Former Hendrix board member donates $4.6 million to college

Hendrix College has received a $4.6 million bequest from the estate of alumnus and former board member the late Dr. William “Bill” Roberts of Conway. He was a 1965 graduate of the college.

The bequest — one of the largest estate gifts in Hendrix’s history — will be used to invest in new academic and co-curricular initiatives that support the College’s residential liberal arts mission through the previously established Dr. William “Bill” Roberts Innovation Endowment Fund.

A longtime Hendrix donor, Roberts used this bequest to further reflect his passion for the college and the education he received, which prepared him for a career as a physician and a life of engaged citizenship, the school said.

After Hendrix, Roberts attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for Medical Sciences School of Medicine, where he became licensed as a Doctor of Internal Medicine and received a Fellow in Cardiology certificate. He continued his medical career in the U.S. Army and received the Department of Defense Joint Service Commendation Medal in 1972 for meritorious service as a medical officer.

In 1974, Roberts opened his private practice in Conway, serving Conway area residents and supporting many charitable organizations in the community for nearly a half century. A Hendrix College Board of Trustees member for 12 years, Roberts advised pre-med students at Hendrix and served in a volunteer supervisory role for healthcare on campus for many years.

“Bill Roberts believed deeply in the residential liberal arts experience at Hendrix,” said Hendrix President Karen Petersen. “Through his philanthropy and service, he made sure that experience would continue to change the lives of future students. This latest expression of his generosity comes at a critical moment as we begin a new strategic planning process and make plans to celebrate the College’s sesquicentennial in 2026.”

Petersen will lead efforts to identify initiatives suitable for investment from the fund’s annual proceeds. New initiatives supported by the Roberts Innovation Fund are intended to become self-sustaining within three years and will be reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees to measure their success based on increased enrollment and revenue growth.

“With the Roberts Innovation Fund, we can support bold and creative ideas that build on our tradition of excellence and further enhance the academic and student life experience at Hendrix,” said Petersen. “I cannot think of a more appropriate way to honor one of our most loyal supporters than to connect his legacy to programs that ensure Hendrix thrives for the next 150 years.”