The University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas, has announced a $2.2 million gift from the Windgate Foundation in Little Rock to support the art department.

Of the gift, $2 million will endow the Windgate Professor of Art position, allowing the university to reallocate funds and create an additional tenure-track faculty position in graphic design. The remainder of the gift will provide classroom resources to support graphic design classes as well as scholarships and funding to be placed in the Windgate Student Fine Art Exhibit Endowment  for support of supplies for art students. The university hopes to begin offering graphic design classes during the 2024-25 academic year.

A longtime supporter of the university, previous gifts from Windgate have enhanced its digital photography classes, helped update the Stephens Gallery space, and improved art facilities.

“This gift will continue to support our program and students with funding for art scholarships, specifically geared toward junior and senior art majors,” said University of the Ozarks professor of art Tammy Harrington. “This is the time when these students are developing their art thesis that will be presented in their graduating exhibition. The gift of time, specifically decreasing the amount of time working so that they might spend more time creating art is invaluable.”

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