Sharon and Chad McGee of Sapphire, North Carolina, are giving more Arkansas students the financial assistance they need to attend the U of A, thanks to a new scholarship.
The Sharon D. Booth McGee and Chad C. McGee Endowed Scholarship was created with a $50,000 endowment, and the couple will make additional gifts over time to increase the number of scholarships awarded.
Sharon, who grew up in Ashdown, and Chad, who grew up in Gepp, both hold undergraduate and graduate degrees from the U of A. Sharon earned a Bachelor and Master of Science in chemical engineering from the College of Engineering, and Chad earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and Master of Public Administration with a focus on information systems.
“I believe in education,” Sharon Booth McGee said. “When combined with hard work, it provides a leg up in this world, especially for students who study STEM-based degrees where starting salaries provide a tangible reward for the tuition and the blood, sweat and tears needed to earn the degree. University of Arkansas is an excellent choice for students.”
Chad McGee said, “We want to help students from our hometowns experience the same opportunities we did. We want to help these young adults who will lead and improve our world through the knowledge that an engineering education provides. We’re very excited about this scholarship, and it’s very important to us.”
The couple met while attending the U of A in Fayetteville and have fond memories of their experiences. They recognize the importance of education, as well as the barriers that students sometimes face in pursuing their degrees.
Dean Kim Needy thanked the McGees for their generosity and for Sharon Booth McGee’s service on the Dean’s Advisory Council.
“Sharon and Chad are longtime friends of the college, and both epitomize how higher education and hard work can give someone a world of opportunity,” she said.
Sharon Booth McGee was inducted into the Arkansas Academy of Chemical Engineers in 2012, received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015 and is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council. She and Chad are members of the Chancellor’s Society at the U of A for their consistent giving to the university. They are also both members of the Arkansas Alumni Association.