PROFILE
By Glenda Graves | Portrait photo by Keith Branch
Deb Euculano
Opening Doors
Through mentoring, fundraising and decades of volunteering, Deb Euculano has helped others find their own ways to give back. Sometimes, the first step toward making a difference is simply being invited.
Deb has seen it happen throughout a career spent bringing people together — students discovering their leadership abilities, families rallying around medical research and volunteers finding a cause that becomes part of their lives. “In my experience, I’ve found that some people are just waiting to be asked to participate,” Deb said. “I’ve learned that people want to know they are making a difference and having an impact.”
For Deb, making that connection has become a lasting form of service. Whether through her work at the University of Arkansas, her experience in nonprofit fundraising or her own volunteer commitments, she has helped people recognize what they have to offer and where it might be needed.
“A sincere thank-you, a meaningful role or simply helping someone understand the impact of their efforts can turn a one-time volunteer into a lifelong advocate,” she said.
Her own connection to Northwest Arkansas began when her spouse at the time accepted a position at the University of Arkansas. Deb found a position as well, and Fayetteville became the place where she built a life.
“Moving to Fayetteville, I was able to build a career, raise a family, form lifelong friendships and find countless ways to give back to this amazing community,” Deb said. “I grew up in Pennsylvania and lived in Michigan, but Northwest Arkansas is home.”
The roots of that commitment reach back to college, where membership in the Greek community introduced her to philanthropy and community service. Later, as director of Greek life at the University of Arkansas, she encouraged students to look beyond their individual fraternities and sororities and consider what they could accomplish together.
During her tenure in Student Affairs, she initiated two Greek-wide service projects, one benefiting Arkansas Children’s Hospital and another supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Those experiences sparked an interest in nonprofit fundraising and special events, while her daily work with students deepened her understanding of leadership.
“One of the most rewarding parts of my career was watching students arrive on campus as uncertain freshmen and leave as confident leaders,” Deb said. “Seeing their growth reminded me why investing time in young people matters, and many of those relationships continue today.”
Some of those former students are now her university colleagues. Others stay in touch to share career milestones, accomplishments and family news.
“My former students taught me that mentoring isn’t always about giving advice,” she said. “Most of the time, it is being present, listening and being encouraging.”
She wanted student leaders to have a safe place to talk through challenges, work toward solutions and resolve potential conflicts. Helping them find their own way became a source of satisfaction that has followed her through each stage of her career.
When an opportunity opened at the Northwest Arkansas branch of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, now named Breakthrough T1D, Deb saw a way to bring her experience to nonprofit work. There, she worked alongside families whose determination — not to allow the disease to define their lives or limit their opportunities — left a lasting impression. “Working with the parents of children with Type 1 diabetes showed me how resilient they are,” Deb said.
With dedicated volunteers, Deb helped develop a board of directors, add a fundraising gala and secure a Walmart Foundation grant. The grant provided the funding to allow the organization to host a weekend diabetes camp at Camp War Eagle for its Northwest Arkansas families. She remembers those accomplishments as a shared effort, made possible by people willing to contribute their time and abilities.
Her work at the Fayetteville Chamber brought another perspective on community involvement. Through golf tournament sponsorships, networking events, Leadership Fayetteville and Teen Leadership, she saw local businesses demonstrate their commitment to the community.
Across those different roles, the needs were similar. Organizations required funding, but they also needed people willing to help carry out their missions. “In my experience, I found that every organization needs volunteers to give their time, talents and treasures to help the organization meet its mission,” Deb said.
Eventually, her professional path brought her back to the University of Arkansas with the Arkansas Alumni Association, where relationships built over the years took on new meaning. “Returning to the University of Arkansas felt like coming home,” Deb said. “Many of the skills and relationships that I developed throughout my career seemed to come together in the role at the Arkansas Alumni Association.”
Her personal involvement has extended to other organizations, including the Children’s Safety Center of Washington County, American Heart Association and Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas. Causes serving children and families, expanding educational opportunities and advancing medical research have been especially meaningful to her.
Through the university’s Women’s Giving Circle, she also participates in reviewing and selecting grant proposals, helping direct collective giving toward research projects and programs. “Each organization has a unique mission, but they all share a commitment to improving lives and strengthening our community,” Deb said.
Her service recently earned recognition through the Fayetteville Chamber’s Sarah Jessie Young Leadership by Example Award. For Deb, the honor prompted reflection on the people who have shaped her career and the women recognized before her. “Although my name is on the award, it’s the people who have supported, encouraged and inspired me along the way with whom I share the recognition,” she said.
When asked what leading by example means, her answer is straightforward. “My interpretation of leading by example is simply answering the call to serve and paying it forward in whatever way I can,” Deb said.
And she is always on the lookout for opportunities to do just that.
Outside work and volunteering, Deb enjoys Razorback sporting events, time with friends, exploring Northwest Arkansas and visiting her son, Anthony, in Austin, Texas. Volunteering remains one of the ways she stays connected to the community she calls home. “I hope people remember that I cared about others, was willing to help when needed and worked to make a positive difference in my community,” Deb said.
For someone whose work has so often begun with an invitation, the legacy she hopes to leave is rooted in what others do next. “If I helped open a door, created an opportunity or inspired someone to get involved and give back,” she said, “then I would consider that a meaningful legacy.”