Twenty-five students selected to join Donaghey Scholars Honors Program at UA Little Rock for 2026-27

Twenty-five outstanding students from across Arkansas and beyond have been selected to join the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for the 2026-27 academic year.

Selected from an applicant pool of 115 students, the incoming class enters UA Little Rock with an average high school GPA of 4.29.

The Donaghey Scholars Honors Program provides a scholarship package valued at approximately $92,000 to $100,000 over four years. Scholars receive full tuition and fees, a housing subsidy, a stipend, a laptop, and funding for a required international study experience, allowing them to focus on research, leadership, service, and academic exploration throughout their college careers.

At the heart of the Donaghey Scholars experience is an interdisciplinary curriculum where students from every academic discipline explore complex questions through discussion, writing, collaborative projects, and engagement with the Little Rock community. The program encourages scholars to think across traditional academic boundaries while using the state's capital city as an extension of the classroom.

Founded in 1987 through the support of the George W. Donaghey Foundation, the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program reflects a legacy that stretches back nearly a century. Former Arkansas governor George W. Donaghey and his wife, Louvenia, established the Donaghey Foundation in 1929 with a singular purpose: to support Little Rock Junior College, the institution that would eventually become the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Their gift, recognized as the largest bequest in Arkansas history at the time, created one of the longest-standing philanthropic partnerships in the university's history.

That investment continues to pay dividends through the accomplishments of Donaghey alumni. The Donaghey Scholars Honors Program has prepared hundreds of graduates for careers and advanced study in medicine, law, business, education, research, public service, and the arts. More than 70% of Donaghey alumni go on to earn graduate or professional degrees, nearly double the national average. Among program alumni, approximately 15% earn doctoral degrees, 10% become physicians, and 10% earn law degrees.

Admission to the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program is highly competitive. Applicants are evaluated on academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, essays, recommendations, and intellectual curiosity. Finalists participate in an on-campus interview process with program leaders, faculty members, and current scholars before the incoming class is selected.