Chancellor Robinson's Year-End Message to Students
May 1, 2026
Dear Razorbacks,
What a year this was at the University of Arkansas. Goals were achieved, new friendships and lasting bonds were formed, and our students, faculty and staff helped make 2025-26 a standout year in U of A history — not an easy task, given that we’ve been around since 1871.
In true Razorback fashion, we hit the ground running in August. Move-In week saw hundreds of us come together to welcome 7,200 students to campus. Those new arrivals were part of our record enrollment of 34,161, a figure that includes more undergraduates, graduate students and Arkansans than ever before. After classes began and we kicked off the fall semester with great turnouts at Hillfest and Razorbash, we ended the month by opening the Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Materials Innovation.
Along with I3R and the Multi-User Semiconductor Research and Fabrication Facility, the Anthony Timberlands Center is one of three world-class research facilities we opened in 2025. Together, they are helping give our students valuable research experience while advancing our land-grant mission through discovery that solves real-world problems and improves lives across Arkansas and beyond. Our research activity hit a record $252.9 million in 2025 — an increase of over $90 million in just four years — and we expect that impact to keep growing now that these facilities are fully online.
That momentum was reflected in our students’ achievements as well. We celebrated a record graduation rate, with more Razorbacks persisting, earning degrees and going on to the sort of personal and professional success that led Time magazine to name us one of the Best Colleges for Future Leaders for the third consecutive year. We also continued the trend of U of A students earning hundreds of nationally competitive awards each year. Among them was our first Churchill Scholar, Sam Sooter, who will be continuing his research at the intersection of physics, mathematics and neuroscience as a graduate student at the University of Cambridge.
There were also many moments of shared pride beyond the classroom. Razorback teams gave us much to celebrate this year, including an SEC Tournament championship and Sweet 16 run for men’s basketball, SEC and NCAA championships for men’s indoor track and field, the Gymbacks’ highest national finish since 2009 and a fifth SEC title in seven years for women’s soccer.
As exciting as those milestones were, they were only part of what made this year memorable. Just as important were the everyday moments that define campus life: the friendships formed, the ideas exchanged, the lessons learned, the traditions shared and the experiences that make the U of A feel like home.
I wish you all the best as you prepare to finish the semester with a strong showing during finals week. To the Class of 2026, congratulations and thank you for your contributions to the life of this campus. We are proud of you, and we look forward to all you will accomplish in the years ahead.
Go Hogs!