UA Little Rock alumnus Patrick Murray donates $25K for student enrichment
May 19-25, 2025
By Angelita Faller
Patrick Murray, a Little Rock native and owner and president of Murray Contractors, has donated $25,000 to create the Murray Contractors Student Support Fund at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
The new fund will support student travel, competitions, presentations, and other enrichment opportunities that bring classroom learning to life for students in the School of Business and the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering.
Murray, a 2003 graduate of UA Little Rock’s business management program, said the fund was inspired by his desire to give back to the university that helped shape his entrepreneurial journey.
“I know not everyone at UA Little Rock has access to the same resources or opportunities as students at larger schools,” Murray said. “These kinds of real-world experiences—traveling, competing, and presenting—help students gain confidence and professional skills that are incredibly valuable in business and construction. This is a way for me to invest in their future and in our local workforce.”
Founded in 2010, Murray Contractors has worked on several projects at UA Little Rock, including renovations in the Reynolds Business Building, the demolition of the former Education Building, and pedestrian bridge replacement in front of the Engineering Technology and Applied Sciences Building. But Murray said this gift offered a more personal opportunity to support the university community.
“This campus has meant a lot to me over the years, and contributing to the student experience helps strengthen our whole community,” he said. “If we don’t support our future business leaders as they graduate from our own local institutions, then who will?”
The fund recently supported a student team that competed in the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation’s Annual Real Estate Challenge in Chicago in April. Murray attended a presentation by the students and said he was blown away by their professionalism and preparation.
“They didn’t present like students. They presented like business professionals,” Murray said. “I was incredibly impressed by their speaking skills, their visuals, and their command of the project. Watching that made me proud to be part of this effort.”
Elizabeth Small, instructor of real estate development, said Murray’s support and presence at the student presentation added meaningful validation to their work.
“Patrick Murray’s contribution to the student experience was much appreciated,” Small said. “He understands the real estate development process and how important construction is to owners. This is the basis of the student competition, and it was fun to have Mr. Murray in the room to hear the student presentation, make comments, and converse with the team. He confirmed that their work is ‘real world.’”
Murray hopes the fund will open doors for students to gain experiences he didn’t have himself as a student.
“I didn’t get to do things like this when I was in college,” he said. “I was focused on racing motocross and school. But seeing these students take the initiative to go above and beyond is inspiring. Those are the people I want to work with one day.”
He credits the encouragement and leadership of Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement, as one of the driving forces behind his decision to create the fund.
“Christian’s energy and commitment to this campus are contagious,” Murray said. “His passion for growing this university made me want to be part of that effort.”
Through this gift, Murray hopes to foster both educational excellence and a strong talent pipeline for central Arkansas.
“Being able to contribute to UA Little Rock helps contribute to our own community,” he said. “It’s not just about giving back.
It’s about investing in the people who will help build the future of this city.”
Photo Caption:
Patrick Murray, first person on the left, has made a donation to support experiences at UA Little Rock. He is shown with a UA Little Rock team who competed at a national real estate competition who benefited from support of his fund.
Photo Credit:
Photo by Benjamin Krain.
