Alumni investment to enhance student experience at UA Little Rock

April 13-19, 2026

By Justin Bates

More than five years ago, UA Little Rock alumnus Larry Golden and his wife Debbie first heard Chancellor Drale talk about strengthening the campus living and learning environment — the spaces and experiences that shape student life beyond the classroom, where students gather, recreate, and build community.

For Golden, the concept resonated as a powerful vision for the campus. And then the Trojan Way was completed, and it was a shining example of what could be possible when everyone comes together around the Chancellor’s vision.  

“A university experience isn’t just about earning a degree,” Golden said. “Students are also asking: Where will I live? Where will I eat? Where will I spend time with friends and make new friends that may last a lifetime? Where can I recreate? All of that is part of the living and learning environment.”

This idea was part of a broader vision championed by Chancellor Christina S. Drale to strengthen the environments that support recruitment, retention, and the overall student experience at UA Little Rock.

Golden said he saw that vision as both practical and powerful.

“My respect for the Chancellor is boundless,” he said. “She set a vision for strengthening the living and learning environment and has stayed true to it. When leadership sets a clear direction like that, it creates opportunities for others to step forward and help.”

As a former Trojan swimmer and current member of the university’s Board of Visitors, Golden knew firsthand how much campus spaces shape the student experience. Some of his most meaningful moments as a student happened outside the classroom — in the pool, in shared campus spaces, and through the lifelong friendships built there.

That perspective led him to look closely at areas of campus that needed attention.

“We talked about taking care of what we already have,” Golden said. “When you are able to take care of the spaces students use every day, the experience improves immediately.”

Golden saw opportunities in two places that reflected both his own experience as a student-athlete and the spaces that now shape student life on campus, the university’s swimming facilities and the Donaghey Student Center.

While the Donaghey Student Center was built after Golden’s time as a student, he said the facility represents exactly the kind of space envisioned in the university’s focus on strengthening the living and learning environment.

“Students today need places where they can connect, recharge, and build community,” Golden said. “The Donaghey Student Center plays a big role in that experience.”

At the same time, the university’s pool has long served as both a training facility for student-athletes and an important resource for the broader community.

Larry and Debbie Golden committed $95,000 to improvements in those spaces, supporting upgrades to locker rooms in the Donaghey Student Center, improvements to gym lighting, and new equipment and technology for the swimming facilities. They also recognized that strengthening these spaces would require broader support from the Trojan community.

“When I realized we had an opportunity to align an interest area of our family, with the broader vision of the Chancellor, I knew this could be special,” Golden said. “I called some friends in the swimming community, and they were all in. They were ready to help, and everybody played a role.”

One of those supporters was Joe Lansden, vice president of construction at Baldwin & Shell Construction Company, who helped bring both professional expertise and community commitment to the effort. He worked closely with university leadership and staff, including Vice Chancellor Dr. Cody Decker and his team, along with Dr. Richard Harper, Rudolfo Morales, Karl Lenser, Tom Genz, and Leslie Hutchins. Their guidance and support helped bring the project to life and ensured the improvements aligned with the university’s broader vision for the living and learning environment.

Among those who also stepped forward were alumni Mark and Michele Booth, former members of the Trojan swimming program who helped rally additional support from fellow swimmers and supporters. 

“When Larry shared the vision of the upgrades for the pool, we saw that it was something greatly needed,” Michele Booth said. “We believe it will be beneficial for recruiting and building a strong team. When students walk into those spaces, we hope they feel a sense of pride, a feeling of support from alumni and a future commitment to the university. We feel that UA Little Rock was part of the foundation for our success, and giving back is a way to help others have that same experience.”

Their involvement was part of a broader response from the swimming community, including current and former members of the Arkansas Dolphins program and others who regularly use the facility. Many offered ideas, encouragement, and financial support to help move the effort forward. Together with university support and contributions from alumni and community partners, the effort resulted in nearly $450,000 in improvements benefiting students and campus users.

University leaders say the improvements reflect the broader effort underway to strengthen the living and learning environment across campus.

“We are continuing to strengthen the living and learning environment across campus,” said Chancellor Christina S. Drale. “We are building real momentum around improving the environments where students spend their time. Spaces like the Donaghey Student Center play an important role in how students connect, recharge, and build community. Investments like Larry’s make a meaningful difference in the daily lives of our students.”

Golden said supporting these improvements was his way of helping bring the university’s broader vision for the living and learning environment to life.

“I’m grateful for the collaboration that made this possible — from Chancellor Drale and university leadership to the alumni and community members who stepped forward to support it,” he said. “This was really about aligning around a shared vision and doing our part to make the student experience even stronger.”

To learn more about UA Little Rock’s Centennial 

Campaign and how supporters are strengthening student experiences, visit ualr.edu/centennial.  

Photo Caption:

Alumni and former UA Little Rock swimmer, Larry Golden and his wife Debbie, are helping raise money for a half-million dollars in upgrades to the Donaghey Recreation Center and Aquatics Center.

Photo Credit:

Photo by Benjamin Krain