Union Bank & Trust Co. gifts $100,000 to support the newly established Snowden Waterfowl Center at UAM
Dec. 22, 2025
By Hannah Moore
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts:
- Union Bank & Trust Co. gifts $100,000
- Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence nationally unique research center
- Funds will support student stipends, more
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MONTICELLO, Ark. — On Dec. 3, Union Bank & Trust Co. gifted $100,000 in support of the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence, a nationally unique research center dedicated to advancing waterfowl and wetlands science based at the University of Arkansas at Monticello in partnership with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
The funds will contribute to the center’s long-term endowment, a $5 million fund supporting educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as waterfowl and wetlands research.
The Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence was formally announced in October through a joint event with the Division of Agriculture. The announcement celebrated the creation of both the center and the Dyke–Snowden Endowed Chair of Waterfowl and Wetlands, made possible by $7 million in total contributions: $5 million for the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence and $2 million for the Dyke-Snowden Endowed Chair of Waterfowl and Wetlands. The group of donors was led by David Snowden, Arkansas waterfowl conservationist, and Merritt Dyke, chairman of Dyke Industries.
Douglas Osborne, professor of wildlife ecology at UAM and inaugural director of the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence and the Dyke-Snowden Endowed Chair of Waterfowl and Wetlands, said the donation would help establish and support future research opportunities.
“We are grateful for the community leaders who provided this significant contribution to help establish the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence at UAM,” Osborne said. “The funds from Union Bank will be used to support graduate student stipends and their research and provide professional development opportunities. The Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence will provide undergraduate scholarships for the highest caliber students pursuing careers in waterfowl ecology and management.”
Peggy Doss, chancellor of UAM, said the center will help UAM remain a leader in waterfowl research.
“Arkansas has long been a leader in waterfowl conservation, and with the creation of the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence, UAM is proud to help carry forward that legacy,” Doss said. “Union Bank & Trust Co.’s generous support strengthens our capacity to assist students as they deliver cutting-edge research that informs the management of waterfowl and wetlands across the state and beyond. We are grateful for Union Bank’s continued commitment to our university and our mission.”
For more information about the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence, contact Dr. Michael Blazier at blazier@uamont.edu or 870-460-1152 or Dr. Douglas Osborne at osborne@uamont.edu or 870-460-1448.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
Hannah Moore
870-460-1073
mooreh@uamont.edu