MAGNOLIA -- Southern Arkansas University's Department of Art and Design is getting a lift from the Windgate Foundation in the form of a grant that will provide resources to support growth and innovation.
An endowment gift of $500,000 will provide annual resources for tools and technology to elevate instruction, according to the university. The Windgate Foundation is also providing a bridge grant of $53,744 that will be used for immediate enhancement of instruction within the department. The remaining $100,000 from Windgate will continue funding the Windgate Scholarship Program -- which provides need-based scholarships for at-risk students by reducing financial barriers and providing a pathway to higher education -- during the 2023-24 academic year.
The bridge grant "helps us raise the bar immediately, [allowing us] to purchase the tools and technology to get our students where they need to be," said Josh Key, the university's vice president for advancement. It's paramount students have access while in school to the "tools, technology, and techniques they'll experience in the workplace."
The endowment will "ensure that generations to come have the resources and training they need to be successful," Key said. Students will be able to access more hands-on training, connect classroom knowledge with real-world experiences, travel and do internships.
"It strengthens our program, not only now, but for the future," Key said. This department "has been growing, and [Windgate's investment] secures the future to help us grow."
The Department of Art and Design offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in studio art, game animation and simulation, communication design, interactive media and marketing, and pre-art therapy, as well as a handful of minors, Key said. "This fall, we had 116 students declare a major in one of those [degrees], and of course we have many more students enrolled in art and design courses outside of that."
""This is truly a transformational gift for SAU and the Department of Art and Design. The essence of what we do at SAU centers on our students. The Windgate Foundation shares this focus on student success. We have seen first-hand the lives that have been touched through the Windgate Scholarship Program," SAU President Trey Berry said in a news release from the university.
"When we visited the SAU campus [in 2022], we were impressed with the facilities and the many academic and extra-curricular opportunities available for students," Patricia Forgy, executive director of the Windgate Foundation, said in a university news release. "This, along with a strong leadership team, provides a level of comfort in expanding our partnership into the future."
The Windgate Foundation, established in 1993 and based in Little Rock, is a private foundation committed to advancing contemporary craft and strengthening visual arts education in the United States.
"A great partner like Windgate helps us enrich our academic programs, and we have a shared commitment to helping students pursue their dreams of a college education," Key said. Windgate's $100,000 for the Windgate Scholarship Program is assisting 21 students this year, and the latest $100,000 gift will do similar work for students in 2023-24.
"We target our most-vulnerable students with these funds," Key said. "We're so grateful for Windgate's trust and involvement."
SAU, located in Magnolia, reported record enrollment this fall, and the 5,094 students at SAU represent a 15% increase from the previous fall. The 2022 freshman class showed a 10% increase over the prior fall's freshman class, transfer student enrollment is up more than 50%, and graduate enrollment -- nearly 2,000 students -- is at an all-time high.
"We have a lot of momentum -- this was our first time ever over 5,000 students -- we've diversified our graduate school offerings, and we have a unique culture of caring," Key said. "We're forward-thinking and growing our programs in a way that meets workforce needs and student interest."
SAU was in a tie for 94th among regional universities in the South in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.