It is with deep sadness that I share the passing of Dr. Sandi Sanders, an incredible
leader and life-long champion of our university and our community.
Dr. Sanders had a rare gift for seeing potential in people long before they saw it
in themselves. She encouraged students to pursue opportunities they never imagined
possible and challenged colleagues to lead boldly and trust in their own abilities.
Her fearless spirit transformed this university. During nearly three decades of service
to Westark Community College, Westark College, and UAFS, she served as provost, senior
vice chancellor, chief of staff, and interim chancellor.
She played a pivotal role in the transition from Westark College to the University
of Arkansas – Fort Smith and helped expand educational opportunities for generations
of students. The university we know today exists in no small part because of her vision
and her willingness to take on the difficult work of managing change and building
something new.
And Dr. Sanders believed in this community as sincerely she did in this university.
She and her dear husband, former mayor Sandy Sanders, devoted their time to developing
innumerable civic and nonprofit organizations. They championed the arts and cultural
life of our state and region and built a place I am proud to call my hometown.
Dr. Sanders helped establish Leadership Fort Smith, a program that has inspired some
of our region’s most prolific leaders and accepted the challenge of serving as the
first director of the U.S. Marshals Museum. At a time when the museum existed only
as an idea, she built the foundation that has become one of the River Valley’s most
defining institutions.
Her vision, generosity, and commitment to making Fort Smith a better place are ever
present.
I will always be grateful I had the opportunity to know Sandi as a friend. She was
one of our university’s strongest supporters and never stopped believing in what this
university could become.
My deepest sympathies and prayers are with Dr. Sanders' family, friends, former colleagues,
and the many students and community members whose lives she touched. I will share
service information when we receive it.
Sincerely,
Terisa C. Riley, Ph.D.
Chancellor
University of Arkansas – Fort Smith
