Honoring UAHT Visitor Larry Dowd for A Lifetime of Service

Larry Dowd, a longtime member of the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana Board of Visitors and Foundation Board of Directors, passed away on Monday, October 29. The University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana family joins his family and countless others in celebrating the life of an exceptional man who left a lasting mark on Arkansas and our region. Our campus and students were blessed to feel the impact of his generous character and steady leadership for more than a quarter century. Visitor Dowd’s commitment to expanding educational opportunity to the citizens of our region impacted thousands of students and hundreds of UAHT employees during his life of service to our campuses. Those same individuals now collectively sing praises for his contribution to elevating us all and join others in thoughtful prayer to elevate his family who so selflessly shared him with us all.

“The commitment of special individuals has always supported the success of the University of Arkansas at Hope and Texarkana over the past 53 years of service to our region,” said Chris Thomason, UAHT Chancellor. “These individuals have served in a variety of capacities with a shared mission of elevating our communities through broader access to higher education. Visitor Larry Dowd stands as the standard of that service on our Hope and Texarkana campuses and in the University of Arkansas System.”

Dowd, of Texarkana, AR, was first associated with the school in 1989 to help develop training programs for industry. In 1991, when the State converted Red River Vocational Technical School to Red River Technical College (RRTC), he was appointed to the RRTC Board of Trustees, serving as vice chair. In 1996, RRTC became part of the University of Arkansas System and was renamed the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope (UACCH). Dowd served as a member of the UACCH Board of Visitors from 1996 to 2016. Soon afterward he was appointed to the UACCH Foundation Board of Directors.

“Visitor Dowd joined our Board as we transitioned to Red River Technical College in 1991,” said Thomason. “Under his consistent leadership, he helped guide us to where we are today as the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana. He worked tirelessly from 1991 until his retirement in 2016 to expand opportunities for all students. He was a driving force behind the initiative to found and grow the U of A Texarkana campus. He was a special man whose impact will always be an important element of the DNA of our institution. More importantly, the impact of his relentless commitment can and will continue to be seen in the faces of each and every graduate who has or will receive a credential from the institution that he helped build.”