Deming, the former CEO of Murphy Oil, founded the “The El Dorado Promise,” which guarantees college scholarships to El Dorado high school graduates – increasing enrollment in El Dorado public schools and providing the opportunity of a higher education to thousands of El Dorado High School graduates.

“Education is one of the biggest challenges you have to overcome, but if you meet that challenge – more than likely you’ll be successful,” Claiborne Deming said. “We were able to put the children of El Dorado in position to be successful by giving them the opportunity to go to college. When they continue their education, they win personally and society wins as well.”

The Arkansas Association of Public Universities created the Tip of the Spear Award after the 2008 Higher Education Conference where Governor Beebe coined the phrase “higher education is the tip of the spear with regard to economic development in Arkansas.”

“The mission of four-year institutions is to take our state from where she is now to where she wants to be,” Governor Mike Beebe said. “And our four-year colleges are indeed the tip of the spear in that effort.”

Governor Beebe, a strong supporter of education from pre-K to higher education, had a specific message for the leadership of four-year colleges and universities. “Times are a changing but there’s one thing that hasn’t changed: You’re still the tip of the spear, like you were last year, 10 years ago, and a generation ago. A college education is essential to living the lifestyle we want to live.”

The AAPU Board of Trustees, made up of the presidents and chancellors of member institutions across the state, selected Claiborne Deming from among several finalists as the first to be honored with the award.

“Claiborne Deming understands the importance of higher education to future success and we all have to remind ourselves of that once in awhile,” said Tim Wooldridge, executive director of the Arkansas Association of Public Universities. “We discussed many of the challenges higher education faces at this week’s conference and I can say that the spirit of collaboration is alive and well between the many organizations that are working together on the common goal of educating the future of our state.”

Representatives from the Arkansas Department of Economic Development and the Arkansas Science Technology Authority as well as Miss Arkansas Sarah Slocum also took part in honoring Deming.

The Arkansas Association of Public Universities is a nonprofit organization created to enhance the quality and quantity of educational opportunities for Arkansas citizens in order to derive the many benefits of an educated citizenry while advocating the collective interests of its members and the value of public higher education in serving the public interest and people of Arkansas.

AAPU member institutions are the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, University of Central Arkansas, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Southern Arkansas University, Henderson State University, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, University of Arkansas at Monticello, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, University of Arkansas System, University of Arkansas Archeological Survey, Clinton School of Public Service, and the University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute.

Governor Mike Beebe, Elaine Deming, Dr. David Rankin, and Claiborne Deming at the Tip of the Spear Award presentation