USAble Life is giving back to the community by donating $50,000 to create a scholarship for first-generation business students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

“UA Little Rock is a unique and invaluable educational resource to the population of central Arkansas,” said Jim Casey, USAble Life president and CEO. “USAble Life continues to be a supporter of UA Little Rock and their mission in our community.”

The gift will create the USAble Life Endowed Scholarship, which will benefit undergraduate students in the School of Business. The scholarship will be used for education-related expenses, including tuition, books, fees, and room and board.

“The School of Business is thankful for this generous donation that will help more business students receive a college education,” said Dr. Jane Wayland, dean of the College of Business, Health, and Human Services at UA Little Rock. “USAable Life has been an excellent partner and supporter of our students for many years. Their executives have served on our business advisory boards and worked with students in our Career Catalyst program.”

The scholarship will go to a first-generation college student who graduated from a high school in Pulaski County. Academic accomplishments and financial need will be strongly considered during the application process.

“We really enjoy working with UA Little Rock because of the great education they offer Arkansans,” said Rich Macy, chief operating officer of USAble Life and a member of the School of Business Advisory Board. “ Supporting our local university benefits not only USAble Life’s talent but also the Little Rock community as a whole.”

The scholarship also helps with the university’s goal of providing student-success opportunities for first-generation students, which make up more than 40 percent of the university’s total student population. 

“With the growing needs of our student population, we are grateful that USAble Life is providing this important endowment for first-generation college students,” said Michael Johnson, director of development and external relations at UA Little Rock. “This impactful gift will change the lives of future generations who have dreams of becoming a college graduate thanks to the generosity of USAble Life.”

USAble Life executive Kendall Kirby, senior vice president of information technology, has served on the Business Information Systems (BIS) Business Advisory Council and the EIT Information Science Advisory Council. He provides a business perspective to assist faculty in designing and implementing curriculum, serve as a resource for students and faculty members, support student capstone projects, and provide a leadership role in development activities.

“We consider UA Little Rock a valuable talent resource in the Little Rock area,” Kirby said. “Their EIT and BIS programs are key partners in our Information Technology Internship program and have provided us with numerous high performing employees.”