Arkansas State University alumna Dr. Kathy Brittain White today presented the ASU College of Business with a $2 million gift to establish the Horizon Institute of Technology.

The gift will enable the College of Business to be the catalyst in bringing technology and advancement to the students and residents of the Arkansas Delta, according to Mark Young, director of the Institute.

The Horizon Institute of Technology will expand technology education at the university in both undergraduate and graduate programs. It will also provide additional technology education opportunities for secondary education teachers who are laying the foundation for students who represent the future workforce.

Business and industry will also benefit from the Horizon Institute of Technology. The Institute will focus on providing solutions and increasing productivity via technology.

"Arkansas State University is in a unique position here in the Delta," White said. "The university will make a tremendous difference in the lives of students and residents by bridging the digital divide through this outreach program."

Dr. Jan Duggar, dean of the College of Business, said, "What makes this gift unique is that Dr. White is not only giving a monetary gift but is also giving a gift of her time and expertise. Dr. White will continue to provide vision by serving on and chairing the Board of Directors of the Horizon Institute of Technology."

White received her bachelor’s degree from ASU in 1977. She continues to support the university through this endeavor, and past support includes the establishment of the Virtual Internship Program with Cardinal Healthcare, the Kathy Brittain White Fellowship in Management Information Systems, and the White Computer Lab at ASU-Mountain Home.

In making this gift to ASU, White says she has had an opportunity to reflect on her time spent as an undergraduate at Arkansas State University. "ASU was an incredibly supportive environment for me, both financially and through the faculty" she said.

"The faculty’s personal involvement and encouragement gave me a vision of more; that I could go to graduate school and pursue my career goals."

That vision of doing more is consistent with White’s vision of the Horizon Institute. White expects the Horizon Institute of Technology to challenge and inspire people to believe they are capable of more than they think. "One person believing that they are capable of more can change everything. I want to make a difference one life at a time."

White is executive vice president and chief information officer for Cardinal Health, a company currently ranked 23^rd on the Fortune 500 list. The long-time advocate for advancement in technology serves on the Boards of Directors for Mattel, Inc., and Certegy, Inc. She was named to Forbes magazine’s Top 25 America’s Businesswomen 2001 list and was also named one of the top CIOs in the United States by Information Week magazine in 1997.

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