UAM Receives $150,000 Gift in Memory of Virginia Allen
The University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) recently received a donation of $150,000 from the Treadwell family in memory of Virginia Lee Treadwell Allen.
Allen, a Monticello native, passed away in May 2023. She was the eldest of seven children. Throughout her life, she held various jobs, including roles in bookkeeping and accounting, before retiring as an interior designer.
Renee Treadwell, Allen’s sister, graduated from UAM in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education degree. She explained the motivation behind her family’s gift to UAM, stating, “Even though Virginia wasn’t formally educated, she knew education was very important and encouraged all her siblings to get a higher level of education. From the time she graduated high school, she immediately started working and sending money to our parents to help support her younger siblings still living at home. She knew that education would have made her life a lot easier, so she encouraged each of us to pursue it. Our family wanted this money to go to UAM because we believe it would’ve been something she was pleased with.”
The donation was contributed to the UAM Fund, which was created in 2020 through a generous private donation to the UAM Foundation. The fund is available for use at the discretion of the chancellor of UAM to provide financial support for the university’s operational expenses, capital projects, equipment needs and academic instruction.
Dr. Peggy Doss, chancellor of UAM, offered thanks for the Treadwell family’s contribution, stating, “We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Treadwell family for their generous donation in memory of Virginia Allen. Ms. Allen had an incredible story; her dedication to providing financial support for her younger siblings and her encouragement to each of them to pursue an education reflected her wisdom in recognizing the opportunities that education creates for people. Generations of students will benefit from this gift to the UAM Fund, and we thank the Treadwell family for this fitting tribute to Ms. Allen’s legacy.”