UA receives various gifts for Land of Opportunity scholarship campaign

The University of Arkansas recently received more than $1 million in gifts for its Land of Opportunity Scholarship endowment. UA alumnus Bruce Woody and his wife, Rebecca, gave $1 million to the endowment.

Bruce Woody was born in Memphis, Tenn., and raised in Louisiana but has family roots in the Fort Smith area. After completing his bachelor’s degree in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design in 1989, he began his career in Dallas. He’s president and CEO of HH Architects in Richardson, Texas, where he’s worked since 1990.

Rebecca managed and sold two home-based businesses and served as the financial officer for a Dallas-based therapy company before joining HH Architects, where she handles the firm’s contracts and licensing.

UA alumna Debbie Shearer King and her husband, William, have committed $50,000 to the endowment. Debbie King grew up in Mountain Home and earned a bachelor’s degree from the Sam M. Walton College of Business. She later served as executive director of the Willard & Pat Walker Charitable Foundation until 2012.

UA alumni Bill and Sylvia Goodyear gave $25,000 to establish the E. William Goodyear Jr. and Sylvia Hawley Goodyear Land of Opportunity Scholarship Endowment. Sylvia Goodyear graduated from the UA in 1971 with a degree in English. She worked for a regional retailer before joining national sales and marketing agency Acosta, where she spent 34 years building a career in the food brokerage industry. After serving in the Marine Corps, Bill Goodyear completed a degree in industrial management at the UA. He worked in the rubber products industry before founding the William Goodyear Co. in Monroe, N.C., in 1986. He’s the company president.

The Land of Opportunity Scholarship was established to improve educational access for students from all 75 Arkansas counties and create partnerships between the university and businesses throughout the state. The three-year campaign began in November 2024. As of Sept. 30, the campaign has raised 68% of its goal in 31% of the time through more than $135.48 million in pledges and commitments.