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On January 21, the Simmons First Foundation gifted $50,000 to support the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence, a nationally unique research center dedicated to advancing waterfowl and wetlands science.  

The center, based at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, is a partnership with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA). It was established to address concerns related to waterfowl and wetlands, and UAM’s proximity to waterfowl and wetlands regions provides a geographic advantage in research and education.

In 2022, the state of Arkansas appropriated $1 million to establish the Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation Endowed Program. The funds were accompanied by a challenge to raise an additional $1 million in private donations to meet the necessary $2 million to establish an endowed chair for the program. Donors led by Arkansas waterfowl conservationist David Snowden and Dyke Industries chairman Merritt Dyke raised the additional $1 million to complete funding for the Dyke-Snowden Endowed Chair of Waterfowl and Wetlands. The group went on to raise an additional $5 million to escalate the endowed program to the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence. The center and endowed chair were announced in October 2025.

Simmons First Foundation’s gift was part of the $7 million in pledges raised for the project. According to their website, the Simmons First Foundation, established in 2014, focuses on giving back to the communities that are vital to Arkansas' growth and success. The foundation holds a specific endowment to support environmental and conservation management efforts. The donation to the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence will support educational and scholarship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in waterfowl and wetlands research programs. 

“We are grateful to the Simmons First Foundation for their support of the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence and UAM’s outstanding waterfowl program,” said Dr. Peggy Doss, chancellor of UAM. “Arkansas has long been a national leader in waterfowl and wetlands conservation, and UAM proudly continues that legacy through critical research conducted at the center. The generous support given by Simmons First Foundation strengthens our ability to assist students as they produce impactful research to direct management of waterfowl and wetlands across the state and beyond.”   

Dr. 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 generous support of the Simmons First Foundation helps fuel the mission of the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence, to empower us to better serve the students that choose a career path in waterfowl conservation and management.”  

Support from the Simmons First Foundation through the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence will aid in enhancing UAM’s ability to prepare future conservation leaders and ensure the health, livelihood and viability of waterfowl and wetlands.

For more information, visit the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence web page or contact Dr. Michael Blazier at blazier@uamont.edu or 870-460-1152 or Dr. Douglas Osborne at osborne@uamont.edu or 870-460-1448.