Jim Wallis Pledges More Than $100,000 to Elevate UAMS’ Bates Professorship to Endowed Chair

By Andrew Vogler

LITTLE ROCK — Jim Wallis, former president and CEO of ExOK Inc., pledged $102,948 towards the Joseph H. Bates III, M.D., M.S., Chair in Academic Public Health Practice at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Wallis’ gift helped elevate the professorship to a fully endowed chair.

UAMS created the professorship in 2017 to recognize the accomplishments of Joseph H. Bates, M.D., M.S., and his dedication to public health in Arkansas, Wallis’ gift will expand the impact of the Dr. Bates’ significant work and legacy.

The chair’s work stems from the need for physicians to be educated in the discipline of public health to enable them to assume leadership roles in academic public health practice. The chair will support the teaching, research, service and other activities of an academic public health practice leader in the UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health in furtherance of developing a model of public health practice.

https://news.uams.edu/2023/02/16/jim-wallis-pledges-more-than-100000-to-elevate-uams-bates-professorship-to-endowed-chair/

Jim Wallis, former president and CEO of ExOK Inc., pledged more than $100,000 towards the Joseph H. Bates III, M.D., M.S., Chair in Academic Public Health Practice.

UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health Basks in Two Decades of Success

By Kev' Moye

Standing behind a podium in the Rahn Auditorium, Joseph Bates, M.D., MS., prepared to present an award during the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health’s 2022 Convocation.

Bates, the associate dean for Public Health Practice, marveled over how the auditorium was smoke-free and clean. After gazing around, he then addressed the many students, family members, faculty and staff who were in attendance.

“Believe it or not, there was a time in Arkansas where you could smoke anywhere. This auditorium would’ve been filled with smoke. Office buildings, restaurants, even hospitals … people smoked wherever they wanted to. Smoke was always around,” he said.

https://news.uams.edu/2022/08/16/uams-fay-w-boozman-college-of-public-health-basks-in-two-decades-of-success/

Joseph Bates, M.D., speaks to Samantha Wells, a doctoral student in the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, following her Grand Rounds presentation at the Arkansas Department of Health.