The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received more than $7,500 for student scholarships in mass communication after a successful tennis tournament Power 92 organized by radio deejay and UA Little Rock alumnus Travis “Tre’ Day” Rowan. 

“The tournament went great,” Tre’ Day said. “We had fantastic weather and 125 players and a stupendous silent auction. I want to thank Dairy Queen and Whole Hog Café for donating food for all the players and volunteers. I just want to thank everyone for giving back. People always thank me, but it’s really about the people who participate and the businesses who support us who make the difference.”

Dr. Julien Mirivel, interim dean of the College of Social Sciences and Communication, said the tennis tournament is a key example of how alumni can combine their passions with the spirit of giving to help the university.

“Every year, tennis players across the state come to compete to raise funds to benefit mass communication students in the College of Social Sciences and Communication,” Mirivel said. “This scholarship project supports high school students who want to pursue a degree in journalism or radio, television, and film. Not only are we able to provide financial support to our students, but we can use this wonderful scholarship to recruit high school students across the state. We are so grateful for Tre’ Day’s leadership and for his continued support of our students.”

Education has always been important to Tre’ Day, who graduated from UA Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication in 2000 and a 4.0 GPA. Once supported by a scholarship from UA Little Rock, Tre’ Day has continuously and generously invested in education through his longtime scholarship program at UA Little Rock. In 2018, he celebrated his milestone 40th birthday with a $10,000 donation to the scholarship fund.

“If I hadn’t gotten that scholarship, I would have gone into the military and who knows where I would have ended up,” Rowan said. “Somebody before me raised money for a scholarship for me, and now I want to pass on the gift of education.”

The 8th annual Tre’ Day Charity Classic was held over Labor Day weekend. This year’s tournament featured 125 players in the double-elimination tournament. Tre’ Day’s wife Malika also had a big day as the winner of two of the tournament’s divisions.

“It was an amazing day,” Malika Rowan said. “I’ve played in the tournament the past three years, and it was my first time to take home one of the coveted bobble head trophies. It’s always fun to play with people you know and want to beat, but I always say to have fun first. It’s for a good cause after all.”

Tre’ Day began his radio career in 1996 right out of high school. The name of his popular radio personality was given to him by his basketball teammates after hitting 11 three-pointers in a single game. While a full-time student at UA Little Rock, Tre’ Day worked his way up from an internship to a full-time position at KIPR 92.3 FM, where he currently works as both the assistant program director and the host of the popular afternoon drive show, “Take it to the House.”

Tre’ Day’s scholarship is open to students in the Department of Mass Communication pursuing a degree in film, radio, or television and who graduated from an Arkansas high school. Freshman applicants will have preference, but upper-level students are eligible.

What a difference that scholarship has made. Each of the 11 students who have received the TreDay.com Scholarship have gone on to graduate from college, and Tre’ Day remains a mentor to many of them.

“It’s been a joy to see how they grow in college and where they are today,” Tre’ Day said. “It makes your heart feel good.”

Anyone who is interested in making a donation to the scholarship can click on this link and select the Treday.com Scholarship Project/Fund.

In the upper right photo, Power 92 radio deejay and UA Little Rock alumnus Travis “Tre’ Day” Rowan competes in his annual tennis charity tournament to raise money for mass communication scholarships at UA Little Rock.