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FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville recently received a pair of seven-figure donations to support scholarships and an endowed chair in the business school.
A $1.5 million gift to the Sam M. Walton College of Business established the Andy and Mary Murray Endowed Chair in the Future of Commerce, according to the university. The purpose of the gift is to attract and recruit a highly qualified faculty member to serve as chair, support industry-focused research, attend and host conferences on the future of commerce and create innovative programs exposing students to technologies, people and processes shaping industry trends.
Alumnus Will Feland contributed $1 million to the Land of Opportunity Scholarship campaign, establishing the Will Feland Land of Opportunity Scholarship, according to UA. Feland’s three siblings also attended UA, and his father, Armstead — who was actively involved with the Southern Farmers Association — received an honorary Ph.D. from the university in 1978 in recognition of his contributions to agriculture in the state.
“Our goal is to find someone with industry experience at a senior level but who also has an academic background,” Andy Murray — founder and executive chair both of the Customer Centric Leadership Initiative at Walton College and Saatchi & Saatchi X — said in a news release from UA. “Ideally, they will understand and appreciate the academic process, the value of research, and especially the value of teaching; they will be a leader who is passionate about making connections, networking, and equipping students to enter the workforce while recognizing emerging opportunities in the future of commerce.”
An Ohio native, Murray graduated from the Ohio Institute of Technology and started his career at Ohio-headquartered Procter & Gamble, joining the industry-pioneering Procter & Gamble Walmart customer team in 1991, according to UA. Murray soon established his own retail brand consulting firm, BrandWorks, which later evolved into Thompson-Murray, a pioneering agency in shopper marketing.
Moving to Northwest Arkansas “offered a front-row seat to some of the most dynamic changes in the industry,” Murray noted in the news release. “I saw early on the transformation that was happening in retail and realized this was the place where innovation and growth would thrive.”
With his wife, Mary, the couple helped found the Thompson-Murray Children’s Foundation — which supports charities for underprivileged children in Northwest Arkansas — and Thompson-Murray was eventually acquired by Publicis Groupe to form Saatchi & Saatchi X, which then established 15 offices in 10 countries, according to UA. Murray’s retail marketing vision and expertise eventually landed him at Walmart, in the role of SVP/Marketing U.S. and including four years in the United Kingdom as chief customer officer.
“We thank Andy and Mary Murray for their extraordinary vision and generosity,” Chancellor Charles Robinson said in the news release. “This gift will give our students direct access to the people, ideas, and innovations shaping the future of commerce, helping ensure that the Walton College remains a leader in preparing students to thrive in a rapidly changing world.”
Murray started recruiting students from Walton College for his agency more than two decades ago, and he collaborated with the college’s Center for Retailing Excellence, launching the Emerging Trends in Retail Conference, which has grown into one of the most influential retail gatherings in Northwest Arkansas while showcasing Walton College’s market insight and the quality of its students, according to UA.
Recognizing the role Walton College could play in business innovation, Murray and Matthew Waller — then dean of the Walton College — launched the Customer Centric Leadership Initiative in 2020, a program that connects industry leaders with students and faculty, promoting multidisciplinary learning and preparing graduates for an evolving retail landscape.
The $1.5 million gift — announced earlier this month — “marks a significant milestone in the university’s continued growth and commitment to academic excellence,” Scott Varady, vice chancellor for advancement, noted in the release. “As a trailblazer in the business landscape, Andy’s leadership and vision will foster innovative industry research and inspire the next generation of scholars and leaders — this remarkable investment will leave a lasting legacy in both academia and business.”
Through decades of collaboration, Murray has helped dozens of Walton College students launch careers in retail innovation and marketing, and he remains engaged with students through guest lectures on retail innovation, store environments and customer-centric thinking, according to the university. He also believes institutional support and funding are essential to prepare students for leadership roles in the industry.
“Students today need to be equipped across disciplines — whether it’s understanding logistics in a marketing role or applying data science in merchandising — today, it isn’t about having the right answers but knowing how to ask the right questions in order to be an end-to-end leader in commerce, (and) this endowed chair will help bridge those silos and build more holistic business leaders,” Murray explained in the news release. “This gift is about helping the next generation see the industry with fresh eyes and giving faculty the resources to connect real-world experience with academic excellence.”
The Land of Opportunity scholarship was established to improve educational access for students from all 75 counties in Arkansas, create a partnership between the university and businesses throughout the state and fulfill the institution’s land-grant mission to uplift Arkansas, according to the university. As of April 1, the campaign had raised 64% of its $200 million goal through more than $127,264,639 in pledges and commitments.
The focus of the Land of Opportunity scholarship will be on Arkansans who are eligible for Pell Grants — federal aid to students from low-income backgrounds — and the university plans to begin dispensing the additional aid in the fall of 2026 to freshmen in need, according to Robinson. The goal with the new Land of Opportunity scholarship is to cover gaps in financial need for students that aren’t met by Pell Grants, FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the Arkansas Challenge scholarship, among other financial help.
Currently, the graduation rate for Pell-eligible students is roughly 18 points lower than for non-Pell students, Robinson said. The Land of Opportunity scholarship will allow those Pell students to learn better and engage more on campus, and “I couldn’t be happier about it.”
Beyond the financial aid, students will have access to robust “wraparound services,” from career counseling, mentoring, academic coaching, financial planning and to internships in every county in the state, he said. By impacting students from all of the state’s 75 counties — and having internships available to them in their home counties — the university would also assist in workforce and economic development for Arkansas.
“When I learned about the Land of Opportunity scholarship, I immediately saw its value,” Feland said in a news release from UA. “The dropout rate among Pell Grant students is unfortunately high, often due to financial hardship.”
“By supplementing Pell Grants, this program can level the playing field, giving these students the same opportunities as those with greater resources,” he added. “It’s both a game changer and a life changer, and I commend (university) leadership for their vision in supporting these students.”
Feland worked briefly for a federal agricultural lending agency before pursuing a law degree, then served on U.S. Sen. David Pryor’s legislative staff in Washington, D.C., and was inspired by the senator’s commitment to public service, according to the university. Feland would later contribute to the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History Endowment at UA.
His “generosity will open doors for Arkansas students who are ready to work hard, dream big, and make a difference,” Robinson stated in UA’s news release. “His support sends a clear and inspiring message: that our state is full of promising young people — and with the right opportunity, their potential is limitless — we are truly thankful to Will.”
Feland was elected as a prosecutor for four terms, and Gov. Mike Beebe later appointed him as a circuit judge; however, he moved to Kentucky to attend seminary, completing a three-year master of divinity program before returning to Arkansas, according to UA. In 1994, Feland co-founded Pinnacle Structures, a Cabot-based manufacturer of pre-engineered metal buildings for schools, churches and businesses that now has more than 200 employees.
A longtime advocate for public schools, Feland served on the Cabot school board for a decade, working to expand educational opportunities and promote accessible higher education, according to UA. In 2014, the Cabot Scholarship Foundation established the Will Feland scholarship honoring his commitment to education.
“From his public service to his private business, Will continues to be a visionary leader of Arkansas and to uplift our state,” Varady said in the news release. “His generous gift to the Land of Opportunity Scholarship campaign (this spring) will transform lives by expanding access to higher education for students across Arkansas.”
Feland hopes “programs like the Land of Opportunity Scholarship will enable students to reduce their work hours and fully experience what the university offers, both academically and socially,” he said in the news release. “Exposure to new ideas is essential and helps build a stronger, more connected community; that is the true value of a university education — not just earning a degree but developing a broader intellectual and cultural awareness.”
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Ryan Anderson covers higher education across the state. He joined the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in August 2022 after covering education — and other topics — for a decade at four newspapers in three states. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ryan attended DePaul University in Chicago and now resides in Fayetteville.
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