Arkansas

Doubling STEM Grads Could Add Nearly $4B to Arkansas Economy by 2038, Study Finds

Published

1 year ago

November 20, 2024

Doubling STEM Grads Could Add Nearly B to Arkansas Economy by 2038, Study Finds

Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald speaks during a press conference announcing Heartland Forward’s publication of a study on the economic impact of engineering and STEM education in Arkansas (Caitlan Butler)

Arkansas’ economy could grow by nearly $4 billion by 2038 if the state can double the number of graduates with STEM degrees in that time period, according to a new study released Tuesday by Bentonville-based “think-and-do” tank Heartland Forward in partnership with the University of Arkansas.

“We know that STEM education is vital to economic performance,” said Heartland Forward President and CEO Ross DeVol. “And right now, Arkansas faces a critical shortage of STEM graduates, with nearly 58,000 open positions projected by 2028 alone. This threatens the state’s ability to compete in the knowledge-based economy of the future.”

According to the study, gross domestic product per worker grew from $86,452 in 2012 to $111,603 in 2021 in Arkansas. More than a quarter of that growth was attributable to the work being done at engineering colleges across the state, particularly in research, computer and data science and engineering.

“If we look forward, in terms of what can happen to long-term economic performance by doubling the number of graduates in both computer science and engineering and data science and research productivity, this means there’s a need to make an investment,” DeVol said.

It would be a worthwhile investment, he added.

“The long-run economic benefits of doubling the number of graduates are 15 times the near-term economic impact of just operations at the university,” DeVol said. “And so to better realize these economic benefits, we need a concerted strategy to address the needs and produce more graduates within the system.”

Heartland Forward’s study estimates that if Arkansas can increase its share of engineering and computer science professionals by 1.1%, the state’s GDP would increase by 1.6% and 19,000 new jobs would be created by 2038.

If the number of those professionals grew by 50%, it could raise GDP by $2.4 billion. If the state doubles the engineering and computer science workforce, the GDP could increase to up to $3.9 billion.

Kim Needy, dean of the University of Arkansas College of Engineering, said half of the engineers produced in the state of Arkansas come from the university in Fayetteville. The university as a whole has been supportive of the College of Engineering’s efforts to attract and retain more students, she said.

“Currently, our graduation rate is 53%, so nearly half the students who start don’t graduate … So we’re making sure we’re putting in intervention, and we have tutoring, we have career counseling, academic advising, coaching to get students to the finish line,” Needy said.

The university also on Nov. 12 announced its new Land of Opportunity scholarship campaign, which is currently ongoing. Funds raised will go to help low-income students bridge the gap between other financial assistance they receive and the costs to attend UA.

“We have many poor students in the state that would love to study engineering, but can’t see the pathway on how to pay for it,” Needy said.

But increasing the number of degree-holding engineers in Arkansas starts when students are much younger, said Arkansas Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald.

“We’ve also got to expose our kids in K-12. We’ve got to equip them. We’ve got to give them hands-on, work-based learning experiences, so they see how algebra, how chemistry, how math, using a measuring tape are all applied in the real world,” McDonald said. “This triggers an interest in a young student’s mind.”

And opportunities in STEM fields aren’t limited to degree-holders, said Patrick Schueck, a UA College of Engineering graduate who is now CEO of steel fabricator Lexicon Inc. of Little Rock.

“What makes success in my world, what makes success for the state of Arkansas, long-term, is having that delicate balance of educated engineers that are focused on STEM followed up by a … workforce that knows how to do to turn the nuts and lay the well down, do piping and pour concrete,” Schueck said. “It takes both; it takes a nice balance.”

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Arkansas

Staff Members at A-State Honored for Retirement and Years of Service

Published

8 hours ago

May 13, 2026

Press Room

JONESBORO – Staff members at Arkansas State University were honored for their retirement
and milestone accomplishments during the annual Distinguished Performance Awards and
Service Recognition Ceremony in Centennial Hall of Reng Student Union on Monday, May
11.

Those who have or will retire during the current academic year include Malissa Davis,
Ellis Library, 35 years; Jimmy Crocker, Facilities Management, 28 years; Anna Warren,
Childhood Services, 19 years; Cameron Martin, Facilities Management, 14 years; Barbara
Bland, Childhood Services, 14 years; Charlotte Booker, Information Technology Services,
12 years; Mary E. Williams, College of Nursing and Health Professions, 11 years; and
Joe Boon, Facilities Management, 9 years.

Honored for 45 years of service was Sharon Lee, director of community engagement and
outreach for the office of Access and Accommodation Services.

Honored for 40 years of service was Sharon McDaniel, records management supervisor
for the Registrar’s Office.

Those honored for 35 years of service include:
Phillip Ladd, project manager in Construction Services, and Russ Hannah, vice chancellor
for Finance and Administration.

Those honored for 30 years of service include:
Natalie Turney, administrative assistant in the Department of English, Philosophy
and World Languages and Cheryl Richey, custodial coordinator in Facilities Management.

Those honored for 25 years of service include:
Woodie Sue Herlein, out-of-school time projects coordinator in Childhood Services;
Diana Courson, assistant director of Childhood Services; Laura Miller, director of
Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center; Mia Sheppard-Taylor, director
of Custodial Services; Eric Barnett, core network engineer and wireless administrator
of Information Technology Services; Clay Hurn, Mail Center; and Sharon Rye, hardware
engineer in Information Technology Services.

Those honored for 20 years of service include:
April Morris, Michael Glover, Mary Melton, Grady Clark, Amber Long Martin, Kayann
Brown, Dwain Roberts, Randy Wheaton, Amber Jones, Melissa Jackson, Cheryl Wright,
Christy Brinkley, and Jimmy Rousseau.

Those honored for 15 years of service include:
Ronnie Gilley, Christina Kostick, Carol Caldwell, Michael Bradley, Mark Freier, Shea
Harris, Thomas Wilson, Chris Boothman, Lora Gibson, Cary Estes, Stephanie Gibson,
Jesse Blankenship, Violeta Lugo, Alyssa Wells, Marsha Carwell, Vickie Gilmer, Edward
Haff, and Alexis Hurdle Besharse.

Those honored for 10 years of service include:
Michael Hagen, Tammy Daffron, Terri Teters, Mollie Menton-Ipsen, Dale McClelland,
Taylor Carpenter, Anne Merten, Avis Turner, Benjamin Housewright, Dallas Reece, Brandon
Tabor, Tia Caldwell, Tara Thomason, Petree Buford, Robert Davenport, Cathy Naylor,
Shannon Williams, Jackie Cox, Frazier Dixon, Devin Nelson, and Michelle White.

Those honored for five years of service include:
Jeri Knight, Josh Rogers, Taylor Shannon, Fen Yu, Deloris Holley, Penny Toombs, Greg
Umhoefer, Sasha Jones, Brittany Stokes, Stephanie Stanley, Caleb Lawson, Raven Person,
Maria Bedwell, Michael Bledsoe, Judith Poole, Suzette Hinkle, Leigh Ann Crain, Bryce
Moore, Andrew Shoffner, Lyle Jones, Derrick Lett, Ben Kutylo, Autumn Anderson, Stanley
Broadaway, Michael Alexander, Jennifer Keys, Julie Yarberry, Shauna Baker, Melissa
Dooley, Paula Kelley, Taylor Simmermon, Craig Estes, Kyle Ford, Fady Fara, Sylvia
Zavala Brandon, Nicholas Wallis, Olivia Clark, and JD Stallings.

Honorees from five years of service through 20 years received a certificate and a
pin. Those celebrating 25 years and up received a plaque in recognition of their dedication
to A-State.

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Arkansas

Working on softball skills | Washington County Enterprise-Leader

Published

20 hours ago

May 13, 2026

Press Room

Working on softball skills | Washington County Enterprise-Leader

Anya Lynch (left), a Farmington High School student, fields the ball with the help of Riley Sundquist, Farmington Junior High School student on Wednesday, May 6, during the Special Olympics Arkansas Area 3-Farmington softball skills and competition event at the Farmington Sports Complex. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Caleb Grieger)

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Arkansas

Arkansas State Police hold annual awards ceremony at Benton Event Center, honoring bravery

Published

1 day ago

May 12, 2026

Press Room

Arkansas State Police hold annual awards ceremony at Benton Event Center, honoring bravery

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — The Arkansas State Police (ASP) held their annual award ceremony today, to recognize bravery and service within their ranks.

Channel 7 provided coverage at the Benton event center this morning, as ASP awarded the troopers cross award, the distinguished Meritorious Service Award and the Medal of Valor to some of its finest members.

“Just a job, you got to do it. I mean, didn’t the day. You know, that’s what we’re trained for, and we’re thankful receive the highest quality of training, you know, in the state, and I’m thankful for the ones that come before us and taught us,” said Trooper Ethan Hiland.

This year, three troopers shared the honor of being named Arkansas State Police Trooper of the year, including Hiland.

Trooper First Class Brady Knuckles and Trooper First Class Jacob Price were recognized for their actions last June, during the arrest of a violent felon out of Michigan who had carjacked a woman at gunpoint.

The troopers saved that woman and killed the suspect in a stop near Carlisle.

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