University of Arkansas announced Thursday (May 7) that Dan Tate, a graduate of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, and his wife, Terry Tate, have committed $1.5 million to the school.
The donation, structured as a testamentary gift from their estate, creates the Daniel Roger and Terry L. Tate Endowed Scholarship in Architecture.
The scholarship will fully cover tuition and fees for full-time undergraduate architecture students enrolled in the professional-track program at the Fay Jones School. Students must show financial need to qualify, with priority given to applicants from the St. Louis area.
“We wanted to create an opportunity for future architects who have the talent and drive but may need financial support to attain their goals,” Terry said. “Knowing that we have helped the next generation focus on their potential and future impact in the architecture field, rather than the cost of pursuing their education, gives us tremendous joy.”
Dan grew up in St. Louis, where he developed a passion for building and design at a young age and realized he wanted to become an architect. He discovered the University of Arkansas during a college fair, later touring the campus with his parents and meeting former associate dean Ernie Jacks while visiting the architecture program in Vol Walker Hall. Dan enrolled at the university in the fall of 1983.
While studying at the Fay Jones School, Dan Tate built strong connections with faculty members, classmates and mentors that shaped both his architectural perspective and professional career. Today, he works as a senior design architect at TR,i Architects in St. Louis.
“I thought it was a well-rounded education in architecture — not too technical and not too design-oriented, but a lot of both,” Dan said. “As I look back, the program has come a long way and is much stronger today. That growth is really a testament to the leadership of the school and the support from the community.”
“Dan and Terry Tate’s gift establishing an endowed scholarship for Fay Jones School students is the consummate demonstration of alumni commitment to architecture education,” said Peter MacKeith, dean of the school. “Dan’s experience of the school — the faculty, his classmates, the overall atmosphere — was transformative for him, and so it is, we believe, for our students now. The Tates’ gift is compelling on many levels, not least in its encouragements to our students, and to all of us at the school, to continue to maintain and strengthen those qualities that Dan came to value. On behalf of the school, I am very grateful to the Tates for their vision, commitment and generosity.”
Terry Tate and Dan met in St. Louis. Terry attended community college on a scholarship before continuing her education at University of Missouri–Kansas City. She later worked for Macy’s, where she entered the company’s executive training program and advanced into buying and management roles before joining Dillard’s in St. Louis.
“For a long time, we have both felt drawn to taking a student under our wing and helping them in their educational journey,” Terry said. “Dan was fortunate to have parents who supported him through his time at the U of A, and I received an academic scholarship, which paid my tuition to a community college. Both of us were able to experience college and all that it offers without having to worry about how it was going to be paid for.”
Their desire to help students inspired the couple to establish the scholarship endowment, while also reflecting Dan’s interest in building stronger connections between the Fay Jones School and his hometown of St. Louis.
Architecture degree programs generally require five years of study before graduates can begin their professional careers.
“Today, many students graduate with so much debt that it weighs them down from the very beginning,” Dan said. “They’re mortgaging their future just to create one, and that burden can limit their opportunities. I was fortunate to finish school without that kind of debt, and that experience helped shape the idea behind this scholarship.”
Dan is a member of the Arkansas Alumni Association and the Fay Jones School’s Dean’s Circle. The Tates were also inducted as Gold members of the Towers of Old Main during the organization’s 25th anniversary celebration on April 10, recognizing some of the university’s most generous donors.