If an endowment gift of $1 million seems far out of the ordinary, it is.
The news came out this week that the estate of Hildegard Karlin had given the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff a gift of $1,000,004 and that the amount is one of the largest individual estate donations the school has ever received.
The money will be used to set up the Dr. Arthur and Hildegard Karlin Scholarship Fund in accounting, taxation and faculty research.
UAPB officials were understandably appreciative.
“The extraordinary generosity of the late Dr. Arthur and Hildegard Karlin reflects a deep and lasting belief in the transformative power of education,” said Andrea Stewart, interim chancellor at UAPB. “This $1 million gift will not only open doors for our students and faculty, but it also affirms the legacy and excellence of UAPB as one of Arkansas’ premier HBCUs.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Stewart said the donation will be able to be used in a variety of ways, multiplying its effectiveness.
“Having flexible funding is essential as we equip our students to navigate and lead in an ever-evolving global economy – particularly in such high-demand fields like accounting and finance,” she said. “We are profoundly grateful for this investment in our future, and we will honor the Karlin legacy by continuing to empower the next generation of scholars and leaders.”
The gift was said to be part of a wider bequest from the Karlins, who supported more than a dozen charities and individuals. The news release also noted that Dr. Karlin had been part of the faculty at UAPB at one time.
George Cotton, vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement, said the Karlin gift affirmed the good that is going on at UAPB.
“The size and nature of the Karlin donation represents a significant confirmation of the great work that this university has made in providing a quality education,” he said. “It also serves as a reminder to others of the impact that each one of us can make in supporting UAPB as we think about our individual giving and building the next generation of scholars.”
Cotton is correct. This gift was from two individuals who believed in what UAPB was accomplishing and how their donation would accelerate the school’s ability to achieve greater accomplishments.
But donors are all different and donations come in all sizes. Obviously, not everyone is able to leave a seven-figure gift to their favorite cause. But many people do in fact believe exactly as the Karlins believed, and those smaller donations quickly add up and are themselves transformative, as people. Such individual actions are a testament that people, acting in concert, can do great things.