CONWAY, Ark., Dec. 8, 2005 – The Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation has awarded a $150,000 grant to Hendrix College to support student engaged learning projects, according to Hendrix President J. Timothy Cloyd.

The gift from the foundation will establish the Walker Odyssey Fellows for the 2006-07 academic year. The grant will fund Odyssey Program projects for a minimum of 30 students.  

Students who receive the Walker Fellows Odyssey grants will participate in experiential learning projects and provide a report on their work that includes their reflections on the value of their experience as it relates to their personal and educational development.

“Pat and Willard Walker have long supported endeavors to enhance the quality of life for Arkansans and others so that they can lead more purposeful and meaningful lives,” said Cloyd. “We are very grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Walker family in enhancing the Odyssey Program that is helping Hendrix become a national model for engaged learning.  The experiences our students will receive from the Walker Odyssey Fellows program will yield rich dividends by helping prepare them to make meaningful contributions to society in the future.”

Debbie Walker, executive director of the Walker Foundation, said the foundation receives numerous requests for funding each year from a wide array of very worthy organizations.

“We consider your organization as one of those that is certainly worthy of our support, and we commend you for the work that you have done thus far, and will undoubtedly continue to do in the future,” she wrote in her letter to President Cloyd to announce the grant funding. “Our Board wishes you the very best and is confident your organization will continue its excellent work for many years to come.”

Cloyd said the Odyssey program guarantees that all students complete at least three pragmatic, engaged liberal arts projects as part of their graduation requirements. Students select Odyssey projects from six categories: Artistic Creativity, Global Awareness, Professional and Leadership Development, Service to the World, Undergraduate Research and Special Projects. In recognition of the experiential accomplishments, the college will issue Odyssey transcripts that describe the projects of each student.

The Walker family’s philanthropy grows out of a deep sense of gratitude and a focus on needs in healthcare and education that are so important for the state of Arkansas.  The well-known generosity of Willard and Pat Walker has improved the quality of life for thousands of deserving individuals and their families throughout the state.  The late Willard Walker was the first manager of Sam Walton’s Five and Dime on the Fayetteville Square.  He retired from Wal-Mart in 1972.  He and Pat were active in the northwest Arkansas community over the years holding leadership positions in a number of civic and professional organizations, including the Springdale Chamber of Commerce, the Springdale Public Library and the Salvation Army.

Pat Walker is recognized as one of Arkansas’ most distinguished women. The Springdale High School Performing Arts Center was named for her in 1996. Pat continues to take an active role in the work of the foundation. She has been honored for her philanthropic work by organizations across Arkansas. 

Hendrix, founded in 1876, is a selective, residential, undergraduate liberal arts college emphasizing experiential learning in a demanding yet supportive environment. Selected this year by the Princeton Review as the nation's No. 4 "best value" college, Hendrix is a member of Project Pericles®, an organization that promotes civic engagement among college students. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884.  For more information, visit www.hendrix.edu.

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