Tech Receives $1.1 Million from Sprick Estate

The late Nina and Thomas Sprick have made a series of gifts through their estate totaling $1.1 million in support of scholarships at Arkansas Tech University.

“The idea of paying it forward speaks to the best of humanity,” said Dr. Robin E. Bowen, Arkansas Tech president. “With the estate planning that Nina and Thomas Sprick participated in during their lifetimes, they ensured that future Arkansas Tech students would benefit from their philanthropy. We are thankful that Mr. and Mrs. Sprick remembered Arkansas Tech in this way and that their legacy will live on at our university.”

Thomas Sprick attended Arkansas Tech during the Great Depression of the 1930s. He was a track and field student-athlete and a member of National Guard Battery D.

He was also a handyman, a quality he applied to build a home in North Little Rock for him and his wife, Nina, early in their marriage. Thomas had a long and successful career in building homes and wooden floors.

Even after Thomas died in 1993, Nina continued to live in the home her husband had constructed. She passed away in 2012.

“Thomas Sprick had a talent for building beautiful homes,” said Michael Hutchison, vice president for advancement at Arkansas Tech. “He and Nina built something even more beautiful and enduring through their estate plan. They built a brighter future for Arkansas Tech students. Their generosity will long be remembered and appreciated at Arkansas Tech University.”