UALR to Honor Dr. Donaldson at Taste of Argentina
Alums to Honor UALR’s Donaldson
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Jan. 24, 2012) – Dr. Charles Donaldson, whose position as vice chancellor for educational, student services, and campus life makes him the most influential administrator in the life of UALR students, will be honored March 15 at the UALR Alumni Association’s “Taste of Argentina” event for his leadership of educational and student service programs dedicated to the recruitment, retention, and success of UALR students.
The annual scholarship fundraiser at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 15, in the Bailey Alumni Center will feature the cuisine of South American with a menu by Sodexo’s Chef Sebastian an beverages by Glazer’s Distributors of Arkansas. Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased online or by calling Christian O’Neal at 501-683-7208. For more information, contact him at cxoneal@ualr.edu or by phone.
“It will be a fun and festive evening as we celebrate a man who has done so much for us as students and alumni,” O’Neal said.
Donaldson joined UALR in 1973 as a counselor for UALR’s Student Special Services program, the beginning of a 40-year career dedicated to student success. From director of Career Planning and Placement, associate vice chancellor for Educational and Student Services, dean of University College to his present position, Donaldson’s leadership has resulted in student programs and services that serve as models for many campuses across the nation.
Donaldson’s implementation of Cooperative Education, and the TRIO Program,
which includes Student Special Services; Upward Bound; the Educational Opportunity
Center; and Talent Search opened up the world of higher education for young people who became the first in their families to graduate from college and resulted in national and international recognition for the First-Year Experience course as well as federal funding that exceeds $16.5 million.
“Charles Donaldson’s commitment to higher education is readily evident in the countless students, faculty, staff and peers he mentors,” said Dr. Jan Austin, who with her husband Paul will chair the Taste of Argentina event. “He expects excellence, and challenges others to do the same.
“If student success and life on campus have come to be understood as the responsibility of everyone within our educational community, then I believe Charles Donaldson has done a great deal to lead us to that understanding.”
Donaldson’s leadership in student services has resulted in $70 million in building projects that have created a campus community for UALR students. The projects include the expansion of the Donaghey Student Center and the UALR Welcome Center for student recruitment.
Donaldson led student housing from its beginning, with a 300-bed single residence
hall, to four unique facilities that provide living-learning opportunities for nearly 1,000 students.
Donaldson also led the Trojan Grill project, a late-night dining option for students that
will open fall 2012.
This spring, Donaldson’s long-lived vision of a “Student Services One Stop” building will
open, providing students a central spot where they can apply, register, seek financial aid, and receive academic counseling. Connected to the Donaghey Student Center by a skybridge, the facility illustrates Donaldson’s vision to house student services and related administrative units under one roof to provide students ease of access to services.
The Student Government Association at UALR recognized Donaldson’s legacy as a student services administrator several years ago when the association established the Charles W. Donaldson Administrator of the Year Award.
The award, presented annually to a campus administrator recognized by students,
was conceived as a way to honor those administrators who exemplified the service to
students and commitment to their success that the association found in Donaldson.
Donaldson holds a B.A. in psychology from Philander Smith College, a master’s of education in counseling from Arkansas State Teachers College – now University of Central Arkansas – and a doctorate of education in counseling from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
He also completed the prestigious Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University.
In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Donaldson is an associate professor of higher education. He also serves on several boards within the Arkansas community and the United Methodist Church.
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