Tag Archives: Skip Rutherford

Center on Community Philanthropy at Clinton School receives Kellogg Foundation grant

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Clinton-School-of-Public-Service-LogoThe Center on Community Philanthropy at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service has received a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation titled, “Building Capacity for Community Philanthropy that Strengthens Sector Effectiveness for the Benefit of Vulnerable Children.” This comes as a part of the ongoing efforts to prioritize the needs of vulnerable children in the Arkansas and Mississippi Delta Region.

“The work of our Center aligns perfectly with the mission of the Kellogg Foundation to support vulnerable children, families and communities in the Delta region,” said Charlotte L. Williams, associate professor and director of the Center on Community Philanthropy. “We are grateful to the foundation for its continued support and we look forward to putting these funds to work for communities in need.”

The Center plans to promote community philanthropy by forming new models, innovations, and collaborations that improve nonprofit sector effectiveness. Efforts include hosting research scholars from around the country to learn from their expertise and working in target communities to develop leadership capacity to tackle high priority issues.

“We very much appreciate Kellogg Foundation’s continued support for our Center on Community Philanthropy,” said Clinton School Dean Skip Rutherford. “Regardless of income, everyone can give in her or his own way and the work of our Center educates and inspires individuals and communities on how to do that. This grant will enhance our community philanthropy initiatives to help children.”

The Center on Community Philanthropy will be hosting a national conference on Community Philanthropy and Public Service on April 7-8, 2016 in Little Rock. The theme of the conference is Elevate Children, in which participants will address and discuss investing time, talent, and treasure for the cause of eliminating disparities in the lives of children and families in the Delta Region.

Heritage Month – Choctaw Station

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Choctaw StationForty years ago today, on May 6, 1975, Little Rock’s Choctaw Route Station was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

This turn-of-the-century railroad depot is one of the finest examples of railroad, architecture in Arkansas.  This red brick with terra cotta elements building is a two story rectangular structure with one story wings projecting from both the north and south elevations.  A long one story porch covers the passenger loading area along the entire east elevation, with a smaller porch over the entry on the west elevation.

The Choctaw Route Station was built between 1899 and 1901 (records vary) by the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad.  This railroad amalgamated with many small lines in Oklahoma and extended into Arkansas in the early 1890’s.  Used as a passenger station, the Little Rock terminal building housed two waiting rooms, a baggage room, restaurant and dining room.

When the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad was sold in 1902, the Choctaw Route Station became the property of the Rock Island Railroad.  Until the mid 1950’s it continued to serve as a passenger station for the Rock Island.  It later served as a warehouse, restaurant and nightclub.

Since 2004, it has been the home to the Clinton School for Public Service as well as Clinton Foundation offices.  Restoration was underwritten by the Roy and Christine Sturgis Foundation. In recognition of this, it is now known as Sturgis Hall.  Former Clinton School Dean David Pryor referred to it as “the little red school house.”

On Earth Day (April 22, 2015), it was announced that Sturgis Hall had received Gold LEED certification from the US Green Building Council.  In August 2009, the Clinton School received a stimulus grant from Governor Mike Beebe to implement sustainable and maintenance practices for reducing the environmental impact of the building. Utility bills costs have already been lowered by $38,000 annually and water usage has been significantly curtailed.

This designation made it the oldest building in Arkansas to be LEED certified and one of the oldest university buildings in the world.  The LEED certification had been a goal of Clinton School Dean Skip Rutherford and Clinton Foundation Executive Director Stephanie Streett.

Little Rock Look Back: Skip’s Game Day

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SkipTen years ago today was known simply as “Game Day” for a group of people.  The chief one was Skip Rutherford.

Overseeing the planning for the Clinton Presidential Center and the events surrounding it had been the focus of James L. “Skip” Rutherford for many years. A FOB for decades, he had stayed in Little Rock when so many went to Washington DC in 1993.

He oversaw the planning for the Clinton Library and led the Clinton Foundation.  No detail was too small or insignificant for him to consider. For months leading to the opening he led meetings to help restaurants, hotels, and attractions understand the scope of the opening.

Together with Dean Kumpuris and Bruce Moore on behalf of the City of Little Rock, he reviewed plans for the Clinton Presidential Park and the streets and neighborhoods around the Clinton Presidential Center.

He used his connections with the business community in Little Rock and throughout the state to discuss the importance of a Presidential Library regardless of one’s personal political affiliations.  He withstood critics who second-guessed everything from the cost, the design, the location, the purpose, and even the anticipated tourism and economic impacts.

Finally the big day had come.  If the weather was not ideal, that was almost inconsequential. It was still the culmination of more than seven years hard work.

However, the opening of the Clinton Presidential Center was not the end of the task. It merely was the move from one phase to another. A few years later, Skip’s role would change as he would leave the Foundation and become the second Dean of the Clinton School of Public Service.

Clinton School, Central High National Historic Site partner with Little Rock Film Festival on screening of BESA: THE PROMISE as part of Reel Civil Rights Festival

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Besa_PosterAs part of the 2014 Reel Civil Rights Festival, the film BESA: The Promise is being shown tonight at 6pm at Riverdale Theater on Cantrell Road.

BESA: The Promise is the never-before-told story of Albania –a small European country which opened its borders to shelter Jewish refugees, even as it endured a brutal Nazi occupation. It’s witnessed through the prism of two men joined together in a remarkable and unexpected quest: Norman H. Gershman, a renowned Jewish-American photographer determined to record the bravery and compassion of the Albanians;and Rexhep Hoxha, a Muslim-Albanian toy shop owner who sets out to return three precious books to the last surviving member of the Jewish family his father sheltered sixty years before. When these two men meet, an extraordinary and utterly unexpected personal drama is set in motion –one that bridges generations and religions…uniting fathers and sons…Muslims and Jews.

The film will be followed by a moderated discussion with Skip Rutherford, Dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, and film subject Johanna Neumann about her life in Albania during the Holocaust.

The film is being shown by the Clinton School Speaker Series in partnership with the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.

Presenting Sponsor –Little Rock Film Festival

Premier Sponsor –Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site

Supporting Sponsors: arfilm|Arkansas Production Alliance, Central High Museum, Inc., City of Little Rock, Conyers Institute of Public Policy, Jefferson National Parks Association, Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau, Little Rock School District, Marriott Little Rock, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, Moses Tucker Real Estate, Riverdale 10 Movies, National Park Service, Sue Smith Vacations/Vacation Valet, North Point Toyota, University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, Philander Smith College, Whole Hog Cafe –North Little Rock, Arkansas Education Television Network, and Arkansas Motion Picture Institute

 

Arkansas Literary Festival continues today with panels and Author! Author! party

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AR Lit Fest 2014The 11th annual Arkansas Literary Festival continues today and runs through Sunday. Unless otherwise specified the events are free.

 

Highlights for today are:

11 a.m. – Pulaski Technical College Wills Lecture Hall
“Complex Glories of Love in Varied Forms” featuring Charlotte Pence (The Branches, The Axe, The Missing) and Adam Prince (The Beautiful Wishes of Ugly Men). Sandy Longhorn will be the moderator

 

12 noon – Arkansas Arts Center
“Crafty Allure” – Amy Azzarito (Past and Present) with Brian Lang as moderator

 

12 noon – Clinton School of Public Service at Sturgis Hall
“Shaping Dixie” – Angie Maxwell (The Indicted South) with Skip Rutherford as moderator.

 

12 noon – Darragh Center at CALS Main Library
“Kill ‘em Clean” – Catherine Coulter (The Final Cut) – Paid event

 

6:30 pm – Darragh Center at CALS Main Library
“Penning in Piggott, Eureka!” – Adam Long and Linda Caldwell. Stephanie Vanderslice as moderator

 

8:00 pm – 5th Floor of CALS Main Library
“Author! Author!” – Paid event, reception to meet authors and moderators for the weekend.

 

The Cox Creative Center will be having a used book sale on Friday from 9am to 5pm. In addition there will be a used book sale in the CALS basement from 10am to 4pm.

11th Annual Arkansas Literary Festival Gets Underway Today

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AR Lit Fest 2014The 11th annual Arkansas Literary Festival gets underway today and runs through Sunday, April 27. Unless otherwise specified the events are free.

 

Highlights for today are:

12 noon – Cox Creative Center
“Painting Forgiveness” featuring author Kathy Sanders (Now You See Me). The session will be moderated by Ann Nicholson.

 

12 noon – Oxford American Annex
“Cash” featuring author Robert Hilburn (Johnny Cash: The Life) and Rhett Miller. Maxwell George will be the moderator.

 

5:30 pm to 7:00 pm – Hearne Fine Art
“Words & Pictures” – Illustrated works by Kadir Nelson

 

6pm – Arkansas Arts Center
“Art & Food I” featuring Mary Ann Caws (The Modern Art Cookbook) with Brad Cushman as moderator. The author session is free. But at 7pm, a paid event will take place involving Ms. Caws and some foods inspired by art and artists.

 

6pm – Clinton School of Public Service at Sturgis Hall
“True Gratitude” featuring David Finkel (Thank You for Your Service) with Skip Rutherford as moderator.

 

8pm – South on Main
Rhett Miller will be in concert at South on Main. This is a paid event.

 

The Cox Creative Center will be having a used book sale on Thursday from 5pm to 7pm.

Little Rock Look Forward: LR 9 Foundation establishes Clinton School Scholarship

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clinton-school-logoThough normally there are “Little Rock Look Back” posts, this one is truly more a look to the future.

Today the Little Rock Nine Foundation, which has awarded scholarships to deserving young people for the past 16 years, has set up a scholarship fund at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service to continue the foundation’s legacy. The Foundation was established in 1997 and since that time has awarded 60 college scholarships to high school students all over the United States.

“Because of our great appreciation for President Clinton, and in recognition of the extraordinary public service work performed by Clinton School students, we have now decided to make the Clinton School our educational philanthropic focus,” said Carlotta Walls Lanier, the foundation’s spokesperson. “The Clinton School prepares its students in the global arena and what better way to keep our story alive than through those we assist.”

Nine African American students–Lanier, Melba Pattillo Beals, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Terrence Roberts, Minnijean Brown Trickey, Thelma Mothershed Wair and the late Jefferson Thomas became known as the Little Rock Nine when they integrated  Little Rock Central High School in 1957. The resistance of Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus and protests by large groups of segregations forced the intervention of President Dwight Eisenhower who the sent the military’s finest, the 102 Airborne Division, to protect the students.

It was an historical moment and was the first the time the President of the United States sent the military to enforce a United States Supreme Court order, in this case the historic Brown v. The Board of Education decision.

“We are honored and are most grateful to the Little Rock Nine for the establishment of this scholarship fund,” said Clinton School Dean Skip Rutherford. “Over the years the Little Rock Nine–as a group and individually–have participated in Clinton School programs and met with our students. Spirit Trickey, the daughter of Minnijean Brown Trickey, is one of our graduates.”

The Clinton School is the nation’s first to offer a Master of Public Service (MPS) degree. It is located on the campus of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center in downtown Little Rock.