Conger Donates $125,000 to Support Student Success, Theatre Operations at UA Little Rock
Cindy Conger, founder of Conger Wealth Management, has donated $125,000 to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock that will provide grants for student research, create a student emergency fund, and cover operational expenses for the university’s theatre program.
“This donation of $125,000 to the university will not only support student research and provide a safety net for those in need, but it will also help to keep the arts alive on campus,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. “By covering operational expenses for the theatre program, Cindy Conger is investing in the future of the arts and ensuring that students have access to the resources they need to hone their craft and pursue their passions.”
After graduating from UA Little Rock with an MBA in 1983, Conger joined a local insurance agency to start a financial planning section. Her leadership in financial planning began in 1985 when she partnered with another investment professional to found one of the first firms in Arkansas to be registered with the SEC as a Registered Investment Advisor in Little Rock. She formed her own firm, Conger Wealth Management, in 2005. In 2018, she sold her firm to Advisory Alpha, but continues to work part-time as a wealth manager, where she focuses on financial planning, taxes, and asset management.
A $50,000 donation will establish the Cynthia L. Conger Undergraduate Signature Experience Fund, which will provide undergraduate students with $1,000 grants to participate in research experiences. UA Little Rock’s Signature Experience Program was created in 2017 to inspire UA Little Rock students to conduct research and creative projects to enrich their academic experience.
“Since its inception, the Signature Experience Program has sponsored 453 undergraduate and graduate student research and creative works projects at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock,” said Dr. Michael Moore, director of undergraduate research and mentoring at UA Little Rock. “This donation will help expand this rich tradition of supporting our students’ creativity and ingenuity.”
The Cynthia L. Conger Theatre Arts Fund, established with a second donation of $50,000, will provide funding for operations of the theatre program, including maintenance needs for the University Theatre building, in the School of Literary and Performing Arts at UA Little Rock. Conger has a love of theatre from her school days, when she was a theatre major while attending college in England.
“Cindy Conger’s generous gift fosters our ability to meet theatre program needs in immediate and impactful ways,” said Dr. Stacy Pendergraft, co-director of the School of Literary and Performing Arts. “The incredible flexibility of the fund allows us the opportunity for proactive stewardship of our educational and performance facilities and resources. Dr. Kris McAbee and I are honored that Ms. Conger has invested in us. Our living and learning environment will be enhanced tremendously.”
A $25,000 donation will create the Cynthia L. Conger Student Support Fund to help UA Little Rock students meet basic education expenses and needs, which includes housing, car repairs, food, licensure exams, participation in national honor societies, student travel, etc.
“I was blessed while I was going to college,” Conger said. “I didn’t have to worry about whether the bills would get paid. This fund is to help students who have an economic crisis and need money on a short-term basis. I hate to see people drop out of school because, for example, they have a $500 car repair that they can’t afford to pay and can’t drive back and forth to school. I want to make it better for students facing these kinds of emergencies where they just need a helping hand.”
An inductee of the Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame, Conger is dedicated to the community and has served on the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas Board, the UA Little Rock Foundation Fund Board, UALR Friends of the Arts, and the University of Arkansas System Foundation Inc. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, and Shepherd’s Hope Clinic.
You can find out more about how to improve the living and learning environment at UA Little Rock by visiting the Centennial Campaign website.
