Greg Roberts has donated another $3 million to the University of Arkansas. (Provided)
Greg Roberts, a University of Arkansas alumnus and retired principal with WHR Architects of Houston, has donated $3 million to the university to continue support for an endowed chair, establish an endowed scholarship and a program endowment, and provide for the naming of a studio space in the Fay Jones School of Architecture & Design.
Roberts previously donated $1 million to the university in 2020 to establish an endowed chair for the school’s Master of Design Studies concentration in health care and wellness.
Roberts, member of the Arkansas Alumni Association and the Fay Jones School’s Dean’s Circle, attended the university from 1966 to 1971. He became close with his classmates in the Fay Jones School and maintains close contact with many to this day, the university said in a news release.
“I’m very excited about the direction the department has been going,” Roberts said in the release. “Particularly since Dean [Peter] MacKeith took over the helm, it’s made tremendous strides to become a notable school of architecture in the country.”
MacKeith is stepping down as dean of the Fay Jones School on June 30.
Roberts, originally from Fort Smith, is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and had a successful career in health care design for more than three decades.
“This generous gift from Greg Roberts will significantly impact the ‘design futures’ of the Fay Jones School,” MacKeith said in the release. “His initial gift emphasizes and supports the important role design plays in shaping the built environment to the specific needs of health and wellness.”
Health Care & Wellness Design
Roberts said in the release that he believes it will be advantageous for architecture and design students at the university to study health care and wellness design. The expanding field of health care has become increasingly important, particularly in northwest Arkansas with organizations such as the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine and the Heartland Whole Health Institute.
“It’s one building type that has been very rewarding for me. It’s one type that really has an impact with people, not only on their wellbeing but on their longevity,” Roberts said in the release. “Early on in my relationship with MacKeith, we talked about how the school should develop a curriculum with a focus on healthcare and wellness. I’m hoping my gift will help nurture that direction.”
The gift increases the aforementioned $1 million planned gift Roberts made in 2020 that created the Greg L. Roberts Endowed Chair in Health Care & Wellness Design. From this recent gift, $1 million will be allotted to increase support for the chair in the following ways:
Attracting and retaining highly qualified individuals to the position
Supplementing university support for outstanding faculty
Providing the holder with the resources to expand their contributions to teaching, research and public service
Architectural Photography
Roberts also said in the release that architectural photography is an important aspect of professional architectural practice. It is beneficial for building an archive of work, for marketing purposes and for using visual aids to help explain construction and renovation processes to contractors.
During visits to the Fay Jones School, Roberts observed students using cell phones to photograph projects. $1 million of the gift aims to improve that process.
Of this $1 million, $500,000 will establish the Greg L. Roberts Endowment for Architectural Photography & Visualization. The educational initiative highlights the importance of architectural photography, image-making and visualization to the design profession.
The funds will support professional elective seminars, curated exhibitions, public lectures related to architectural photography, equipment acquisition and upgrades, software for renderings, virtual reality imaging equipment and training, and facilities.
The remaining $500,000 will fund the Greg L. Roberts Architectural Photography & Imaging Studio, which will serve as the home of the new educational initiative dedicated to architectural photography, image-making and visualization. The fund will convert studio 019, located on the garden level of Vol Walker Hall, into a new multipurpose space that facilitates photo shoots, photo and archival storage, and studio workstations.
Study Abroad
The last $1 million of Roberts’ gift will create the Greg L. Roberts Endowed Travel Scholarships in Architecture and provide financial assistance to students pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture for the study abroad component of the professional degree program.
Recipients of the scholarships must be enrolled full-time in the professional track architecture program, have at least a 2.75 grade point average, and be entering their fourth or fifth year of the program. Funds will be used for study abroad and travel-related expenses in completing the program’s study abroad requirement.
“We are grateful to Greg Roberts for his investment in the full arc of a University of Arkansas education — rigorous training, exposure to the world beyond campus and the tools needed to practice at the highest professional level,” Scott Varady, vice chancellor for advancement, said in the release. “By supporting faculty leadership, hands-on learning and global educational experience, Greg is helping ensure students are prepared to design environments that serve people, communities and health systems now and for generations to come.”