The Trinity Foundation has made a significant $4.2 million grant to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to support early childhood education (ECE) throughout the state of Arkansas. Through the creation of the Trinity Foundation Early Childhood Education Endowment Professorship Fund, the institution will be able to increase its ability to train qualified teachers, spearhead cutting-edge research, and assist statewide community-based early learning programs.
The gift comprises $200,000 in immediate-use funding to promote faculty research and the development of external grants, as well as $4 million to endow at least two ECE-focused professor seats. When combined, the monies will establish UA Little Rock as a leader in educator preparation and early learning innovation in the state.
According to Dr. Christina Drale, chancellor of UA Little Rock, early childhood education is widely acknowledged as being essential to community health, economic mobility, and student success. We will be better equipped to train educators and spearhead ideas that benefit Arkansas children for years to come thanks to this kind donation from the Trinity Foundation.
The funding from the Trinity Foundation comes after a recent study that was financed by the foundation and headed by UA Little Rock in collaboration with Education Partners. Building stronger statewide relationships across sectors, developing research capacity to improve instructional quality, and improving the availability of certified Pre-K 2 teachers are the three pressing needs for Arkansas’s early childhood education environment, according to the study.
As UA Little Rock creates a new early childhood education program, it is well-positioned to address the Arkansas Department of Education’s impending Pre-K 2 teacher licensure exam.
Speaking on behalf of the Trinity Foundation, Thomas Dickinson stated that education is vital infrastructure because it improves futures, families, and communities. We are honored to back UA Little Rock’s initiative in training early childhood educators who will enhance statewide child outcomes.
This all-encompassing contribution increases the university’s capacity to take the lead in training teachers, carrying out important research, and assisting with cutting-edge early learning initiatives. UA Little Rock will support this project by offering immersive teacher residencies, advancing early learning research, offering professional development to educators, and advocating for increased access to high-quality early childhood education across Arkansas.
Dr. Rachel Eells, Windgate endowment director of the UA Little Rock School of Education, stated that Arkansas continues to encounter difficulties in early childhood education, particularly in underprivileged areas. With the help of this donation, we can increase access, increase the impact of our research, and train educators who can change the state.
In recognition of the family’s lengthy support of UA Little Rock’s educational goal, the announcement was made at H. Tyndall Dickinson Hall, the home of the UA Little Rock School of Education and named for Haskell Dickinson’s father and Thomas Dickinson’s grandpa. Members of the Chamber of Commerce, Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Board of Trustees, Board of Visitors, Fifty for the Future, and the Centennial Campaign Cabinet were among the local community leaders present.
By increasing access to high-quality early childhood education, UA Little Rock and the Trinity Foundation are influencing Arkansas’s future.Visit https://ualr.edu/education/ to find out more about the UA Little Rock School of Education.
Concerning the Trinity Foundation:Established in 1952, the Trinity Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports community and educational initiatives in Arkansas. Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel Company and McGeorge Contracting Co., Inc., both with headquarters in Central Arkansas, provide the majority of its assistance.
Written on August 1, 2025 by Angelita Faller
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