Schultes Create Endowed Scholarship for Engineering Students at UA Little Rock

Arkansas business professionals Steve and Bobbe Schulte have made a $25,000 gift to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to establish the Steve and Bobbe Schulte Endowed Scholarship, which will provide lasting support to engineering students with financial need.

“I earned an undergraduate degree in engineering, and it was a life-changing experience for me,” Steve Schulte said. “The skills I gained from that degree have been invaluable throughout my career. We are strong believers in STEM education—especially engineering—so supporting this cause was a natural choice for us. We hope these same skills will benefit Arkansas employers and give Arkansas students the opportunity to learn what I did.”

The endowed scholarship will help cover education-related expenses such as tuition, books, fees, and room and board for engineering students, making it easier for them to stay enrolled and succeed in their academic journey.

For Bobbe Schulte, the gift is especially meaningful on a personal level.

“Part of the reason this matters to me is because I was a need-based student,” she said. “I started college several times but didn’t finish my degree. I didn’t want to take out loans, and coming from Magazine, Arkansas, a town of 800 people, I didn’t even know what opportunities were available. Not having a degree has always bothered me. I tried to make up for it by learning on the job and working hard, but it limited my opportunities.”

Now, after building a successful career in operations and business management, Bobbe Schulte sees this scholarship as a way to support students who are walking a path she knows well.

“If this endowment allows a student to stay in school instead of getting a second job or giving up their education, then it could change the course of their life,” she said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to be in a position to help someone continue their education. This gift is very personal to me, and I hope it inspires others to give.”

Dr. Srikanth Pidugu, director of the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology at UA Little Rock, said the Schultes’ gift will have a lasting impact.

“This generous gift will have a profound impact on our students, providing critical support to those with financial need as they pursue their engineering degrees,” he said. “By creating this endowed scholarship, the Schultes are not only investing in the future of our students but also in the innovation and leadership they will bring to the engineering field. We are deeply grateful to the Schultes for their commitment to our mission.”

Steve Schulte, a past honoree of Arkansas Business’s “40 Under 40,” is a distinguished business leader and a 2005 honor graduate of the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, where he served as associate editor of the UA Little Rock Law Review and received the Dean’s Certificate of Distinguished Service. He has served as president and CEO of FirstStaff, president of Prostaff Personnel, and as a partner with Schulte Law Firm. He is also deeply involved in the community, holding leadership roles with the Arkansas Society of Human Resources Management, Central Arkansas Human Resources Association, Arkansas Staffing Association, and the Humane Society of Pulaski County.

“This university is a tremendous resource for the community and our businesses,” he said. “It’s an invaluable asset for all of central Arkansas, and we want to see it thrive. I had a great experience at Bowen Law School, where I even had the chance to teach a business class as an adjunct professor. I think I worked harder than the students, but it was a rewarding experience.”

This gift contributes to the UA Little Rock Centennial Campaign, a historic effort to raise $250 million for scholarships, student support, academic programs, and campus enhancements by the university’s 100th anniversary in 2027. To learn more about the campaign, visit ualr.edu/centennial.