EL DORADO -- South Arkansas College has announced that its new student residence hall will be named in honor of William R. Howard of El Dorado, following a gift by Howard of more than $2 million to assist in funding the facility.
A groundbreaking ceremony for Howard Hall will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, December 5, 2024 at its future location of 411 S. West Ave. A groundbreaking ceremony for the college’s new baseball park will follow, at the southwest corner of South West Avenue and West Hillsboro Street.
These events are open to public.
The projects were kickstarted by a $10 million gift to the college by Murphy Oil, announced in June. The college still is raising funds for both projects through a capital campaign called Welcome Home, announced recently.
SouthArk president Dr. Stephanie Tully-Dartez lauded Howard’s philanthropy.
“What incredible generosity,” Tully-Dartez said, upon revealing the donation. “Bill Howard has a legacy of support for SouthArk that permeates every aspect of what we do here. He has been a familiar face to our employees and our students on campus for a number of years now, and has a lengthy history of support for multiple and varied educational initiatives at this college.”
Howard, who is approaching his 101st birthday, indicated that higher education is very important to him, and expressed his excitement to be involved in Welcome Home. Originally from Hampton, Howard has lived in El Dorado for many years and is retired from Lion Oil, where he was an accountant. He and his late wife Cacilia Howard, who was a native of Germany, traveled the world and were active in deep-sea diving, water skiing and hunting, among other pursuits. They met while Mr. Howard was stationed in the European theater during World War II, under famed Gen. George Patton.
Heritage Plaza, on SouthArk’s West Campus, bears the name of both Mr. and Mrs. Howard.
Howard Hall, upon its opening, slated for fall of 2026, will be a 100-bed facility, with double-occupancy rooms and state-of-the-art amenities. It will match the modern architectural elements already seen across SouthArk’s West Campus.
Safety and a quality student experience are the highest priorities for the 30,000-square-foot co-educational dormitory, Tully-Dartez said. Residents will benefit from El Dorado’s adjacent downtown. The building will include common spaces, study areas, laundry facilities, lounges, individual-occupancy bathrooms and other amenities. Food service will be provided by the Boomtown Bistro, the college’s existing food-service provider, which is located inside the El Dorado Conference Center.
An application process will be required to gain residency, the president said. Details still are in discussion.
Local firm CADM Architecture has the design contract. Bids for construction will happen within weeks, she said.
When completed, Howard Hall will be a marvel to behold, Tully-Dartez said, and is being built in such a way where an addition may be added to the south if demand makes expansion necessary.
“Mr. Howard’s contribution – indeed all of his contributions to SouthArk through the years – will have lasting, long-term and substantial impact, for the betterment of student lives and the betterment of the community as a whole,” Tully-Dartez said.