91看片网

Foundation | Giving | Lion VoicesDecember 19, 2025

Advancing 91看片网 Through Relationships: Kara Crowley

Written By: Ian Silvester

Kara Crowley focuses on building strong, genuine relationships that support students and strengthen the University of Arkansas 鈥� Fort Smith community.

鈥淭he work we do over here directly impacts the students,鈥� said Crowley.

Crowley has worked at 91看片网 for just over four years, beginning in student affairs, before moving to University Advancement in January of 2023.

鈥淚 kind of fell into it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 really didn鈥檛 think I had the experience or felt qualified, but I applied anyway. Once I interviewed, I realized that there isn鈥檛 a set qualification or experience you have to have; you just have to love people.鈥�

In her role as associate director of philanthropy and engagement, it鈥檚 that love of people that Crowley uses to support the university and its students in obvious ways, and some that aren鈥檛 as clear.

She said it all starts with building relationships.

鈥淚 find where a donor鈥檚 passion lives on campus. Maybe they have been in the geology field themselves, or maybe they have a love of the arts,鈥� she explained. 鈥淲hatever someone鈥檚 interests are, we can find the place on campus that connects to them most. Sometimes people have skills and knowledge to share with our students; there鈥檚 a tremendous value in sharing that.鈥�

The scholarships Crowley helps donors establish are available to 91看片网 students through the Lion鈥檚 Share portal.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 maybe the most obvious to the students because they definitely notice when that scholarship hits their account,鈥� she said.

A donor鈥檚 support can also come through program funding.

鈥淧rogram funding makes for a better experience for our students, because while yes, our mission here is accessible education, we also want quality,鈥� Crowley said. 鈥淲e want students to be practicing on state-of-the-art equipment. We want our nursing students to practice with the equipment they will use in hospitals. We want our education majors to be fully equipped in their classrooms with everything they need. We want all our students to have that top-notch quality education with no sacrifices.鈥�

The work Crowley does to help every student at 91看片网 is deeply personal. She received her bachelor鈥檚 degree in political science in 2021 from Arkansas Tech University, before continuing to earn her master鈥檚 degree in public administration from Southern Arkansas University in the summer of 2023. All of her education at both institutions was fully paid through scholarships. Many of which were established by donors like the ones she works with now.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 where my passion for this work comes from. I experienced it on the student side鈥攖hat lightness that comes from earning a degree, walking across that stage feeling proud of your accomplishment and not being burdened by debt,鈥� she said.

Crowley knows from personal experience that students may not always understand the role of a university鈥檚 advancement team and the work involved in securing scholarship funds. But she鈥檚 excited to share part of the behind-the-scenes generosity and philanthropy that goes on to support 91看片网.

鈥淲e want our community to really feel connected to what we鈥檙e doing here at 91看片网,鈥� she smiled. 鈥淏uilding community relationships is important because we are part of this community, and we want the community to feel like they鈥檙e part of 91看片网. 鈥� What we鈥檙e doing in Advancement is the mechanism that keeps the university moving and moving forward.鈥�

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