Alice Walton to Receive Honorary Degree from the University of Arkansas

[sinkingfeeling]

http://newswire.uark.edu/article.aspx?id=17741

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville received international attention even before it opened last November, but it is only the most recent example of Alice Walton’s influence and impact on the people in her home state. To recognize her lifetime of contributions Ms. Walton will receive an honorary Doctor of Arts and Humane Letters from the University of Arkansas during the spring All-University commencement ceremony Saturday, May 12.

Alice Walton is the youngest child of Helen and Sam Walton. She grew up in Bentonville, where her father operated the local five-and-ten store before starting his own company, Wal-Mart, in 1962. She attended Trinity University in San Antonio, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance. She began her business career with the First Commerce Corp. and later served as head of all investment-related activities at the Arvest Bank Group. In 1988, she founded the investment bank Llama Company, serving as president, chairman and chief executive officer.

Walton has also played a guiding role in the Walton Family Foundation, one of the nation’s foremost philanthropic organizations. The foundation has made significant donations to the University of Arkansas, transforming the Sam M. Walton College of Business, creating the Honors College and endowing the Graduate School, turning each into nationally prominent and competitive institutions. She has continued to take an active interest in the university, serving on the Board of Advisors for the Graduate School of Business.

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Basically anything the Walton's want, the U of A does.

[HughBeaumont]

1. How about for her honorary serial DUIs?

[Recovered Repug]

2. That's not fair.

Her DUI was earned.

[progressoid]

4. heh heh heh.

[HughBeaumont]

5. JOINK!

I stagger corrected.

[Recovered Repug]

6. I believe in giving credit where credit is due.

[rfranklin]

3. Show me the money! That's what this is about...

The more money you pour into a university's coffers the greater the honors you receive. For a few thousand you get football tickets. For $20 million they name a building after you. For $300 million you get an honorary degree.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS RECEIVES $300 MILLION GIFT, LARGEST IN HISTORY OF U.S. PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION


Thursday, April 11, 2002





FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The University of Arkansas today received the largest gift in the history of American public higher education - a $300 million commitment from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation of Bentonville, Ark., to establish and endow an undergraduate honors college and endow the graduate school.

"This unprecedented generosity from the Walton Family will transform the University of Arkansas for our students and faculty, and in the process position us to serve as a powerful engine of economic development and cultural change for the entire state," said University of Arkansas Chancellor John A. White. "What the Walton Family has done today will improve life in Arkansas for generations to come, and we are grateful beyond words.
http://newswire.uark.edu/article.aspx?id=12814

[Ikonoklast]

7. Do the proles ekeing out their pittance at WalMart have to address her as "Dr." Walton?

Those kids seem to be able to fund all types of vanity causes, but never seem to find a pay raise for their employees.

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Alice doesn't have anything to do with the day-to-day running of Walmart. She

doesn't even live in the state anymore. She does collect all that 15% taxable income from them.

[Ikonoklast]

10. She is still one of the largest individual stockholders, through her trust fund.

I am fairly certain she would be allowed to speak up at the stockholders meetings about employeee compensation if she wished to.

I am fairly certain that the large mutual funds and insurance companies in New York and Connecticut that own hundreds of thousands of shares send a representative to Arkansas to attend the meetings.

They have flights that go there all the time.

[spanone]

9. donate enough money.....