For the first time in 50 years, Eugene McKay is no longer an employee of Arkansas State University-Beebe. After touching the lives of many students and faculty as professor, residence-hall parent, vice chancellor and — for the past 20 years — chancellor, McKay retired last week.
Dignitaries, faculty, staff and friends — many of whom worked or learned under McKay’s leadership at ASU-Beebe — expressed their thanks to the outgoing chancellor Friday at a retirement reception held in the newly named Dr. Eugene McKay Student Center on ASU-Beebe’s campus.
“When we were talking about what to do and what would be a fitting tribute, I don’t think there’s one any greater than the naming of this building — the building that students spend a great deal of time in, the building that the community spends a great deal of time in, that our faculty and staff spend a great deal of time in,” said Chuck Welch, president of the Arkansas State University System. “It’s one of the very few buildings that everyone who attends ASU-Beebe — or even attends an event at ASU-Beebe — is likely to be in. It’s important they realize the person who in large part is the reason the facility exists and the reason that the programs exist.”
After receiving his bachelor’s degree in English from Lyon College in 1964, McKay taught high school English and French in Alton, Missouri, for two years before taking a position teaching English and French at ASU-Beebe — formerly ASU-Beebe Branch. He taught from 1966-1987, then became vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. In 1995, McKay accepted the position of chancellor after the unexpected death of Chancellor William H. Owen Jr. the year before.
Since 1995, ASU-Beebe has increased its enrollment from 2,800 to 6,347 students, aided in part by the campuses in Heber Springs, established in 1999, and Searcy, which resulted from a merger with Foothills Vocational Institute in 2003. In this past academic year, the university scored first in success rates among all public universities in the state.
On Friday, several state and U.S. representatives attended McKay’s retirement reception. Citations and speeches given at the House of Representatives and Senate, both in Little Rock and in Washington, D.C., sharing McKay’s accomplishments were reiterated. Letters from Gov. Asa Hutchinson and former Gov. Mike Beebe were read, thanking McKay for his work.
“It’s rare indeed in these days for anyone in any profession, undertaking or job performance to be there for 50 years,” said Howard Slinkard, chairman of the board of trustees for the Arkansas State University System. “It’s rarer yet that anyone would spend those 50 years with the grace, dignity, dedication and leadership that Dr. McKay has lent to the Arkansas State University-Beebe campus.”
McKay accepted each accolade with a smile, and he thanked the crowd for their support, reminding them to continue that support of ASU-Beebe when incoming chancellor Karla Fisher starts in the position later this month.
“I’ve always said if you love your job, you never have to work. I’ve never had to work,” he said. “I do believe the best days are ahead for ASU-Beebe. If you support the next chancellor like you have supported me, miracles will happen here.”
The citations, recognition and newly named building all honored McKay in his retirement, but it was when all the reception attendees who had been students at ASU-Beebe raised their hands that McKay’s smile grew brighter.
As he looked across the room at ASU-Beebe’s former and current students, many of whom have gone on to do important work across the state, McKay gave a slight nod. Students, he said quietly, were the most important part of his career.
Staff writer Angela Spencer can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or aspencer@arkansasonline.com.