The 15th annual Taste of Little Rock will honor Alfred Williams and Elaine Eubank for their lifetime of support to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Set for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 26, 2018, at the Jack Stephens Center on the UA Little Rock campus, Taste of Little Rock raises funds for the UA Little Rock Alumni Association Scholarship Fund while introducing guests to some of the best food in the city from the finest restaurants in Little Rock.
“We are thrilled to honor Alfred and Elaine for their dedication, passion, and support of students at UA Little Rock,” said Andrea Angel, associate vice chancellor for alumni and development. “They have a legacy of giving within their family that has positively impacted hundreds of students at our university. The Alumni Association would not be as strong as it is today without the work of these two devoted alumni.”
During their more than 30 years of marriage, the couple has made an incredible impact on the university through their generosity of their time, support, and financial gifts.
“I’m most proud of growing scholarships and creating scholarships for students at UA Little Rock,” Williams said. “You can’t improve as a city without higher education.”
Eubank graduated from UA Little Rock in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, and Williams in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science.
While Eubank serves as the president and chief executive officer of Easterseals Arkansas, a nonprofit organization that serves children and adults with disabilities, Williams serves as senior vice president and risk consultant for BXS Insurance.
Williams continues to follow in the footsteps of his father, Grainger Williams, who was devoted to supporting Little Rock Junior College, Little Rock University, and UA Little Rock.
Williams, former chair of the UA Little Rock Alumni Board, was honored as the 2013 President’s Award honoree, while Eubank received the university’s 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award.
As lifetime members of the UA Little Rock Alumni Association, Williams and Eubank understand that their contributions in support of higher education are for the greater good of the university and the community. They have recently named the university the beneficiary of their life insurance policy, making them members of the Heritage Society.
Because Williams was taught that giving was the right thing to do, he endowed two scholarships, the E. Grainger and Francis Williams scholarship and the Elaine Eubank scholarship, as gifts to honor his parents and his wife. Following suit, Eubank surprised Williams by establishing an endowed scholarship in his name, the Alfred Williams scholarship. Williams’ sister, June, a former second-grade teacher, recently followed in her family’s footsteps to create a scholarship for future teachers.
As the first person in her family to graduate from college, Eubank understands the importance of helping students earn a college degree.
“Alfred had a traditional college experience, and I was more like one of the families that UA Little Rock works so hard to help,” Eubank said. “It was more of a stretch for my family to send me to college. I appreciate UA Little Rock’s efforts to make college more accessible for students who otherwise would not be able to attend.”
Individual tickets are on sale for $75. Sponsorships are available by contacting Danielle Hendrix at 501-916-6438 or dnhendrix@ualr.edu.
“I love Taste of Little Rock. It’s a great way to see a lot of people in a relaxed atmosphere,” Eubank said. “There’s no program. There are hundreds of people to talk to, and you can sample food from so many great restaurants in Little Rock.”
To order tickets, contact the UA Little Rock Alumni office at 501-683-7208, email alumni@ualr.edu, or visit the Taste of Little Rock website.
