In future years, residents of the area around the University of Arkansas at Little Rock campus will be eligible for a scholarship that honors retiring Chancellor Joel E. Anderson.

On May 4, the board of directors for the University District Development Corp. voted to create the scholarship in Anderson’s honor, recognizing his “vision and steadfast support of the University District and its programs and initiatives.”

Anderson helped establish the University District Department in 2006, and the University District Development Corp. was incorporated in 2008.

The district includes the neighborhoods of Broadmoor, Fair Park, Point O Woods, University Park, and War Memorial. In March, residents voted to add a new neighborhood association — the University West Neighborhood — to the district.

From the beginning, the University District Development Corp. received “substantial in-kind financial support” from UALR at Anderson’s direction, according to the resolution establishing the scholarship.

As part of the resolution, the board also acknowledged Anderson’s contributions in consistently sharing his vision for the district with the UALR campus and central Arkansas residents.

The Joel E. Anderson University District Scholarship will be awarded annually, and students who reside within the district will be eligible to apply.