FAYETTEVILLE -- A $1.5 million gift from the family of a former University of Arkansas at Fayetteville dean and a $2 million grant from the Walton Family Foundation will fund an endowed dean's academic chair within UA's College of Education and Health Professions.
Palmer Hotz and his wife, Marie, made their gift in memory of Palmer Hotz's father, Henry Hotz, creating the Henry G. Hotz Endowed Dean's Chair. Tom Smith, the current dean of the college, will be the first person to hold the endowed chair.
The elder Hotz came to UA as a professor of secondary education, then was named dean of UA's education college in 1936.
"I am pleased to be able to make this contribution to the University of Arkansas' College of Education and Health Professions to honor my father's contributions to education and administration as dean," Palmer Hotz said in a statement released by UA. He and his wife live in Foster City, Calif.
The Walton Family Foundation is a Bentonville-based organization led by the children and grandchildren of Wal-Mart founders Sam and Helen Walton. The foundation, one of the nation's largest, frequently gives to education-related programs, including at UA.
Metro on 06/18/2015