Attorney General Tim Griffin announced a $1,000,000 gift to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s cybersecurity program onstage at a university event, saying the donation will help expand education, research and industry partnerships.

Griffin, introduced by Anne Veil, executive vice chancellor and provost at UA Little Rock, said about $900,000 of the total represents the state’s share of a national settlement with Marriott that the attorney general’s office expects to receive in December. "I thought it's important in cybersecurity month to announce, that $1,000,000 gift to the to UALR," Griffin said.

The donation, Griffin said, aligns with his office’s approach to settlement funds: favoring large, strategic investments over many small grants to build infrastructure. He cited as an example a previously supported $68,000,000 National Center for Opioid Research and said the university is well positioned to turn the gift into long-term workforce and research gains.

Dr. Philip Huff, cybersecurity faculty at UA Little Rock, said the program will use the support to accelerate plans for a cybersecurity operations, research and education center with secure spaces for students and partners. "We're deeply committed to driving cybersecurity education forward," Huff said, describing hands-on training in the Trojan cyber arena and a curriculum of stackable certificates that feed into bachelor's and graduate certificates.

Huff said UA Little Rock currently has more than 100 students majoring in cybersecurity and highlighted partnerships with UA Fayetteville, UA Pine Bluff and community colleges to broaden recruitment and diversity in the talent pipeline. He also noted the university leads the National Cyber Teaching Coalition, which has prepared more than 100 high school teachers to offer concurrent credit in cybersecurity.

Griffin framed the gift as part of a larger effort to position Little Rock and the state to attract federal contracts and private-sector investment. He referenced the recent state cybersecurity summit, which he said drew roughly 1,700 registrants and was opened by Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

On funding mechanics, Griffin clarified that settlement proceeds flow into restricted and unrestricted accounts; the university’s announced share will come from the state’s unrestricted account. "Most of that flows right into an unrestricted account and as the name implies, it's unrestricted," he said, adding the funds earn interest while held.

University leaders said the gift will support growth in workforce development, research into critical-infrastructure protections and expanded outreach to high schools and community colleges. The event concluded with a brief press Q&A; university officials and the attorney general offered to answer further questions after the session.

The university and the attorney general provided timing details: Griffin said the state's share of the Marriott settlement — about $900,000 — is expected in December; the broader $1,000,000 figure was presented as the total commitment announced at the event.