A $10 million donation from Murphy Oil Corporation will fund capital improvement projects at South Arkansas College – including a residence hall and a new baseball stadium.
“We believe that funding these key capital projects is a worthy investment that will generate significant returns for SouthArk and El Dorado for many years to come,” Roger W. Jenkins, CEO of Murphy Oil Corporation, said in a release.
The announcement of the gift — the largest single donation in the college’s history — came shortly following the end of the second consecutive season in which the SouthArk Stars baseball team advanced to the NJCAA Division II World Series.
“Having intercollegiate athletics on our campus has brought new energy and new students,” said SouthArk President Stephanie Tully-Dartez. “It makes sense to add to our existing athletic facilities as we add to our academic offerings.”
Both the new baseball stadium and residence hall will be built on the college’s West Campus in El Dorado. The proposed student residence hall likely would open with housing space for about 100 students, with room for later expansion. The two facilities together, coupled with improvements to the Hillsboro corridor now underway, will provide a clear visual marker for the southern entrance of SouthArk’s campus, according to a SouthArk.
The target date to open the facilities is fall 2026. The land for these facilities already has been purchased.
Tully-Dartez said that funding streams beyond the Murphy gift, both private and public, will be sought to help complete the project’s financing. A capital campaign is underway and will include multiple opportunities for support, including naming rights for portions of the project.
“These improvements to our campus will help beautify the area and ultimately bring more college students to El Dorado who may eventually decide to stay here, accept local jobs, have families and contribute to the overall health of the economy in the city,” Tully-Dartez said.
